Written Wonderland

Many questions circled Belledor's mind as she walked away from Serio and his companion. How did they know each other? Who was that man? But the questions were quickly overrun by thoughts of her conversation with Serio where he said he would tell her no. Next time. If she told him soon enough. She sh...

"Do you need an escort?" Serio said with his back to Rhys, speaking to the woman at the table with him. "I could get Michelle or Yukiko to..." "No, that's okay," the woman said, interrupting and shaking her head. That's when she noticed Rhys as he approached the table. ...

Belledor instinctively squeezed her pelvic floor muscles, sending a large, visible shiver throughout her body and potently reminding her that she had needed a bathroom since she had left her apartment. She blushed deeply, looking down at her hands beneath the table before glancing at her half-finish...

Rav's self-consciousness crept back in as Nick thought about his answer. Had he said too much? Had he intimidated Nick? Better to get that out of the way at the beginning if that was going to be the case, Rav supposed. Then again, if Nick hadn't run away from Rav's confession at the beginning of all...

After a while of sitting with Ren in silence, her stomach clenching as she waited for his reaction, she looked at him as he chewed. At last, he said, "I sing to myself sometimes, or to the plants I suppose. Sometimes, it feels like a prayer to Veil or Inora, but mostly... mostly I think it's ju...

Nick laughed with Rav, and it felt... good. Nick shook his head then, moving his hands out in front of him as though utterly unsure about what to say to all that. Maybe Rav had given Nick too much to work with? It was difficult to know how to strike some kind of equilibrium between closing off entir...

"I suppose," Ren said with a shrug. Jaz pulled her eyebrows up, skeptical or perhaps concerned. While she thought about what to say to that non-response, Ren finished his last bite of food and then reached forward to collect Jaz's plate. She had the urge to grab the plate to stop him from ...

Nick was quiet for a while, looking with perhaps fresh eyes at the trees. Rav was happy to walk in silence. It was a nice park. Maybe a bit manicured for Rav's taste, but he could understand the appeal. Probably light it up at night, too, Rav thought bitterly. "Do you do any woodworking yoursel...

Ren smiled, although it didn't quite meet his eyes. She suspected he was doing it for her benefit, and inwardly, she winced. "That's quite all right. I'll happily finish the rest." He paused in his chewing momentarily, staring in contemplation at her plate, making Jaz squirm. Finally, Ren ...

After Rav spoke, Nick became bashful again as he smiled, and Rav thought that was a good sign. "Well," Nick said shortly, looking back at Rav, "Bumps along the way accepted." That sent a thrill down Rav's front, and he took a sharp intake of giddy breath, a wide smile on his face...