Written Wonderland

Philip had no idea if anyone could help him, and Chloe's statement nearly brought the tears back. But, no, Philip managed to quiet himself, and slowly, he felt ready to disentangle from Chloe.

He did feel lighter, though he could not look her in the eye now that she knew.

"You were my lieutenant," Chloe said, speaking again before he could bring himself to, "but you have also been my friend. We can navigate this together. We're here," Chloe said with a grand gesture all around them, "together."

Philip supposed that was true. All of them were there to find out exactly what there was and wasn't to worship of this goddess the king had sent into obscurity.

When Philip dared a glance at Chloe's expression, she looked thoughtful, perhaps even puzzled.

"Rutiff still seems rather attached to her. Did he know that she had told you to...?"

"Yes," Philip said, "he was there when she said it."

Chloe nodded, but the furrow between her brows deepened. "Have you and Rutliff talked?"

Philip shook his head, unable to even imagine approaching that conversation.

"You and Novelty?" Chloe asked, her voice a little quieter.

Slowly, Philip nodded. "He was rather persistent with his questions."

Chloe took a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. "Well, the goddess doesn't seem unreasonable. Maybe there is genuinely a way to reconcile this."

Again, Rutliff's voice came, unbidden, to mind. She will humble you, surprise you, push your limits, and change how you think about pleasure.

Philip let out his own sigh now and wiped his eyes, staring down at the ground where the flower had sprouted. Chloe brought her attention back to it as well, and there was something familiar about the two of them being on their knees together like this.

Perhaps Chloe felt that, too, because she lowered her head, closed her eyes, brought her palms together, and started speaking. Philip mirrored her motions without thinking.

"To whatever gods can see us now, please grant us the understanding of the journey we now travel. Please help us open to the possibilities available here in healing, learning, and supporting each other. Let us experience what you want us to know of divinity."

There was a silence between them for quite some time, and like the many times they had prayed together before, there was always a moment when Philip waited as though they would get some response. Just as he was about to open his eyes, a gentle tingle began on his lips, sweet and tender. He felt warmth throughout his body and comfort in his muscles that tempted him toward laying himself down there on the ground to sleep. Even so, a weight lifted gently off his heart, and he found himself curious about more tender embraces, perhaps with Novelty or even the goddess, where he could surrender to comfort itself.

Finally, Philip opened his eyes, curious if Chloe had felt anything similar, and he found her touching her own lips, eyes still closed, though her face held a deep serenity.

All at once, her eyes opened, and she smiled. "It seems we really are closer to the gods here, aren't we," she said, a statement rather than a true question, inherently believing that Philip knew exactly what she was talking about. He nodded, eager to affirm her trust.

"Why don't you head back in," Chloe said gently, "I'd like to stay out here for a while." Though reluctant to face whatever music lay back in the goddess' palace, he nodded and stood, suddenly very aware of how little clothing he wore and how the loincloth around him tugged him back toward all the animal parts of himself he feared. With one more nod Chloe's direction, he turned back and left her in peace.

((OOC: Chloe's story continues here: viewtopic.php?t=100))

"Am I... interrupting?" Chloe asked, looking first at Philip and then at Novelty. There was a bite to the question, and though Novelty did not know her very well, he could see the turmoil underneath her skin in the set of her brows, her tear-strewn cheeks, and the tightness of her jaw. Novelty didn't know the history between Philip and Chloe, but it was clear they knew each other well from the way Philip had pivoted her direction.

When Philip turned to Novelty, Novelty's eyebrows lifted hopefully but also with what he hoped looked like permission--he certainly did not want to stand in the way of Philip's other relationships.

"I need a moment," Philip said, and Novelty's stomach clenched around his own grief that his moment with Philip would remained postponed. Still, though, it sounded as though Philip intended to return. Novelty nodded, willing his muscles to relax into the openness this created for all three of them. Philip needed more than just Novelty to talk to, and Novelty still had an urge to explore and experience this place.

He watched the two of them exit the palace and sensed somehow an awareness of them stretching beyond the tree trunks. He felt tugged, pulled their direction but also in the direction of everyone behind and around him. Perhaps they had entered into a relationship with each other as much as they had with the goddess. That curious notion made Novelty turn toward Nick and Gavin with new eyes, the only pair remaining visible on the ground floor.

A winged fox creature with a massive tail and stark blue fur climbed over and around them while they giggled, and Novelty enjoyed simply witnessing their mirth. Still, he didn't feel compelled to join. Vaguely, Novelty had seen Chris go off into one of the bedrooms alone, and Trevor had taken Nathan into yet another. Then, of course, there was the goddess herself and Lance and Evan who had followed. It would be brash indeed for Novelty to avail himself of that after everything he had said, though somehow, he didn't think the goddess would reject him even so.

He had no idea where Raccoon had gone. That's nothing new, Novelty thought as he remembered the short soldier diving through the portal the first moment he could.

And so, Novelty was, in fact, alone in the palace of the goddess of desire as a melancholy chuckle escaped his lips. Isn't this always my story, he thought with a bitter nostalgia.

Ah, but he had never stopped making the best of it and so he brought himself to the edge of one of the low hot pools, the one furthest from the goddess, and stepped down onto its first stair. The smooth carving of the tree beneath his foot felt pleasant and welcoming, as did the prickles of sensation that teased up his nerves. The water, mildly hotter than comfortable, stung across Novelty's calves and knees as he took a step deeper. Momentarily, he paused to wonder if he should remove the loincloth, uncertain if it would survive getting wet. All at once, his awareness of the tiny suckling sensations against his skin made the decision for him as his body lurched forward with arousal. Greedily, he did not want to give the sensation up, not while the cloth was the only touch Novelty could not drum up for himself.

With the last step, Novelty's hips were submerged into the water, and he gasped pleasantly as the garment around him intensified its subtle motions in the heat. Blushing, Novelty looked toward Gavin and Nick to see if they had noticed his outburst, and only the reddening of Nick's cheeks gave any hint that they had noticed. Well, they were all here for pleasure, after all, and Novelty was certainly not the only one making noises.

As Novelty settled his tingling back against the smoothness of the shaped tree trunk under the water, he tossed one last look over toward Nick and Gavin, who had paused in their giggling and were freshly assessing each other. The fox creature sat between them, looking from one to the other like it might even be egging them on somehow. Gavin was the first to raise his hand to Nick's jaw, but Nick scooted closer quickly, both of them flush with permission.

Before their lips met, Novelty closed his eyes, grateful they were enjoying themselves but far more interested in indulging his own fantasies. After all, so much had nearly happened with Philip, not to mention what had occurred even before they had officially made offerings of themselves. He wanted something of his own to hold in his mind.

With a chorus of pleasure around him--gasps and moans coming from the upper hot pool, the mild click of lips coming apart and returning together, a growl from the far bedroom--Novelty set himself to calling to mind the way Philip's arms had curled around him at the bottom of the stairs, the soft caress of Philip's lips in Novelty's hair, the non-verbal understanding of Novelty's foot wrapping around Philip's ankle as Philip took all of Novelty's weight into his arms.

Novelty heard his own voice whisper, yes, as though that were the only word that ever needed to be spoken. It was every permission, and even then, Philip hadn't taken it. He could have. He could have, and Novelty was sorely tempted to imagine what would have happened in that moment if Philip hadn't stopped himself once he had pressed Novelty's back to the bed, what would have happened if Philip's clouds hadn't obscured the view. And yet, that wouldn't have been Philip, then, would it? Novelty chuckled at himself, thwarted, it seemed, even in his own fantasies, but his fingers delicately landed on his own length and idly stroked patient lines down the suckling fabric almost as though he might not notice the curious actions of his own hand.

Fine then, he would not wish that something had been different but would instead reimagine what had been real. He recalled the night up against the tree where Philip had gripped Novelty's length within his underwear, squeezing and releasing the pressure in slow throbs of curiosity. In the water of the hot pool, Novelty shivered, his own hand growing bolder to mimic the motions. And then Philip had pulled Novelty's cock out into the moonlight, stared at it with the gentle studiousness of someone who has never given himself that permission before, and brought the whole pulsing length against his tongue.

Novelty shivered again in the pool as his thumb pressed in and ran over one side of his phallus.

Maybe this is more than a break in the solitude, Novelty had said in the full throes of his arousal after Philip's satisfaction when the potentiality of stopping there had hung in the air between them. He could almost taste Philip's fluids on his tongue now, simultaneously acrid and sweet.

Yes, Novelty said in his mind again. Permission and permission and permission. And then, all at once, his mind--with perhaps urging from his hand--took the reins of his fantasy space, and suddenly Novelty found himself in a vivid imagination of himself standing with Philip and the goddess. Novelty watched the goddess' mouth move to form words, but he didn't hear them. He only saw Philip's walls fall as all the shadowed clouds emerged on his face while he launched at Novelty, and Novelty ran as though being caught would be the death of him.

In the hot pool, Novelty's breathing came fast, and his hand stroked more urgently under the water as he followed the imagination, the way Philip would, inevitably, catch up to him, freed, at least temporarily, from his self-control and guilt, borrowing the goddess' permission because he could not give it to himself, as he...

"May I... join you?" a voice behind Novelty asked, and he startled mildly, his eyes snapping open to see Philip standing above the stairs to the pool.

Novelty gulped air and brought both hands through his hair quickly, uncertain how much Philip had seen of what he had been doing. "Yes," Novelty said breathily, the word weighty as ever on his lips. Philip took care on the smooth stairs as he descended, and Novelty swallowed as Philip turned toward the opposite edge of the pool, exposing the exquisite curves of his backside where the loincloth clung to him. Novelty's eyes fluttered back momentarily, but he managed to compose himself before Philip sat down, Novelty's breathing steadily slowing. Still, Novelty swallowed heavily, and his lids were heavy with want.

Gathering up his social graces, Novelty lifted his eyebrows congenially and asked, "Is all well?"

Philip hesitated, looking down at the water away from Novelty, but at last, he nodded. "For now, at least." But then, Philip looked squarely at Novelty and tilted his head slightly. Without any change in his neutral expression, he asked, "Why did you stop?"

Novelty's reddened cheeks deepened still in color after Philip's question, and for a moment, Philip thought he should apologize. Perhaps it would have been more polite to pretend he hadn't noticed. But then, Novelty licked his lips and smiled widely with a small chuckle, caught but not unenjoyably if Philip had to guess.

"Because the subject of my fantasy arrived in the flesh," Novelty said, his damp curls still bouncing on his forehead as he tilted his head Philip's direction. He was beautiful--Philip could not deny that, and his words landed in Philip's comprehension like honey and butter, even if they were tinged with a citrus disbelief.

Philip didn't know what he had expected Novelty to say, but he certainly did not expect it to be about himself. He felt his cheeks warm--although maybe it was only the heat of the pool--but he kept his gaze steady on Novelty as he called to mind the prayer Chloe had offered them. Let us experience what you want us to know of divinity.

Philip might not be able to keep his clouds at bay, but Novelty need not have any such reservations. He was here in the palace of the goddess of desire, and he had every right to enjoy himself. Maybe, at least for tonight, what Philip could know of divinity would be vicarious, and that thought brought a boldness to his lips that he barely recognized in himself, bolstered with a strange worship.

Even having only recently settled in his seat, Philip leaned forward, not standing fully, and sat instead alongside Novelty, the sides of their legs grazing. Novelty's gaze had not left his. Leaning closer to Novelty's ear, Philip said, "Please. Continue."

Philip could replayed the quiet, subtle sound of Novelty's gasp a thousand times without tiring of it. He watched as Novelty's throat bobbed following his swallow, and an echo of Philip's feral hunger from earlier shuddered through him, but he sat unmoving. He could keep himself at bay while Novelty did not. He wanted to see--and maybe even to feel--what Novelty's abandon felt like.

Slowly, Novelty obeyed, his hand returning under the water while he kept his eyes on Philip. Briefly, Novelty broke their shared gaze to let his eyes roam greedily over Philip's body, and Philip held his chest and head high through the uncertainty of what Novelty saw there. He had to trust that Novelty was following a sacred inspiration, and if that included Philip, then he would accept that, too.

"Philip," Novelty said, leaning close to Philip's lips, though Philip staunchly kept them from connecting. He did not want to contaminate Novelty's pleasure by losing himself now, but he could not help but notice how the way Novelty said his name was like a plea.

Come closer. Please join me, Philip could easy imagine him saying, and he found a strange satisfaction in not giving Novelty what he wanted. He could keep Novelty's desire pure and sacred this way--it would be better for both of them.

Under the water, the hand that was not moving along Novelty's length gripped Philip's thigh, and Philip responded in kind with his hand on Novelty's leg--the first slip in his composure.

"Novelty," Philip whispered, the feral hunger in his body and all the compulsions of the goddess pounding at the door of his control as Novelty's fingertips pressed into Philip's muscle, and a tension Philip hadn't known he had been holding flooded suddenly out of him and left other muscles floundering as he leaned forward toward Novelty, pressing their foreheads together.

"Please don't stop," Philip said before his mind had even formed the words. If Novelty stopped now, Philip feared what he would do. Take Novelty back to the bedroom and demand pleasure from him, perhaps, if the voices in his head and his body had anything to do with it.

Novelty moaned against Philip's jaw as his hand moved faster, gripping Philip's thigh with fingernails now, which returned tension to his leg and made it easier again to set himself apart. This was Novelty's pleasure--not his own. Still, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed watching Novelty's hand move vigorously under the water, small waves moving over both of them in echoes of a chase toward pleasure.