The Book of Firsts

Eight

Rin and I hadn’t revisited the question of whether Bran was choosing not to compete, but I had occasion to think about it on Saturday, during the visit to the Trafala Museum.

The outing was going very well. Carr had collected me just after breakfast, and we’d rounded up Rick and Sue on the way, meeting Lania, Anika and Sean there, along with two members of the Rose Court: Meggan and Celeste.

Meggan was in my Literature class, and Celeste I’d seen in Calculus. Both were exceptionally good looking, and together they made a contrast that brought them a great many second glances while they waited for us on the museum steps, for Celeste had a strong resemblance to Nefertiti, while Meggan was ivory-skinned with a fine drift of shimmering red-blond hair.

They’d both been polite, more reserved than friendly, but had quickly seen the possibilities in Venetian masks, though doubted the elaborate costumes would be practical.

"Very bulky," Meggan said to me after we’d finished touring the museum and were walking down to a nearby collection of restaurants and shops. "But we could adapt the concept. Masks, colour, mystery. We’ll have to source tailors, and perhaps the Art Club can get mask forms in bulk, for those who don’t want to rely on local stores or try importing."

"It still needs to be voted on," Celeste reminded her.

"That shouldn’t be a problem if the Art Club puts together a few brilliant posters. Though it may be worthwhile sticking a few gears on one of the masks, since Steampunk has a core support group." Meggan paused, surveying our lunch options. "The cafés look busy. There’s a nice eating area across the street. Why don’t we grab what we want and meet there?"

Snagging a filled roll and juice, I added a soft serve cone dipped in chocolate and wandered vaguely in the direction Meggan had pointed, but diverted into a criss-cross of hedges, my attention caught by a vertical twist of white at the centre.

I was eyeing the tiny cracks that revealed strain in the feature sculpture when a harsh voice said almost directly into my ear:

"What are you doing?"

My first time seeing Bran up close. He truly was beautiful, features exceptionally finely cut, pale skin flawless, his eyes a pure and currently stormy grey. Poorly disguised anger only enhanced his looks, and seeing all that unexpected nearly stole my breath. It was the strangeness of the question that saved my composure, since I was patently eating an ice cream while looking at a statue, and doing nothing that could deserve such a tone of accusation.

I bought a moment licking the cone, then said: "Art Club outing. You’ve been to the museum as well?"

My answer didn’t seem to quite satisfy him, but the sense of anger died down.

"What exhibit?"

I explained the masquerade proposal, and he gave me a searching look, and then relaxed.

"Over here," he said, walking out of the double square of hedges through an exit at a right angle to the one I’d entered by.

Following, I looked when he pointed to houses hidden among the trees on one of the hills overlooking the museum.

"I live there," he said. "Rin—do you see those red-roofed buildings? That’s where Rin lives. Kyou is a street behind us."

I laughed. "That explains the incredulous expression. No stalking tendencies here, I promise."

He didn’t smile, the hostility now replaced by a neutrality that wasn’t exactly friendly. More indifferent than anything.

"Why did you agree to this?" he asked then.

Deciding to be honest, I shrugged.

"At my last school, I decided to try out having a boyfriend. Since we both knew I was leaving soon, we approached the experience more as a casual friendship, but did get into bed the week before I left. It seemed to me that week that sex really helped with my insomnia. Which is important to me, since I’ve been worried about not being able to sleep before big stress events. But I’m not interested in one-night stands with strangers, and the idea of making a boyfriend just to confirm whether sex helps me sleep seems…unkind." I shrugged. "Besides, from my observation, boyfriends are a lot of work, always expecting you to go watch their rehearsals, or stand around on the edge of sports fields cheering. I can’t afford that amount of time this year. This challenge will hopefully let me confirm something important to me without misleading someone into thinking I care more than I do. And, well…" I smiled at him. "You three are very attractive."

This only produced a cynical expression, as badly suited to that angelic face as his crow’s voice. "We’re also strangers," he said, and walked off.

Hardly an encouraging development. I was more than puzzled, given he’d been the one who’d suggested me for their competition in the first place. Perhaps he really had changed his mind—but why?

That was the kind of question that could lead a girl down a rabbit hole of self-doubt, so I tried to shrug it off over the next couple of days. But I had to wonder if I’d want to go through with these challenges if Bran approached the game with that hostile attitude.

Tuesday hadn’t settled the question for me, but I’d been districted into trying to guess whether I’d be stripping Rin or Kyou that day. Relaxing on a branch beside the garden wall, I told the app I was there, and began on lunch. I’d just finished my sandwich, and was swallowing the last mouthful of a bottle of apple juice, when the whole tree quivered.

I grabbed for an extra hold, though the tree proved solid enough to support the additional weight of the boy climbing up to join me. He stopped on a branch just below me, but was standing, so ended up looking down at me. I had a moment to recognise Bran—just as stormy as last time—before he bent his head and kissed me.

Surprised but not unwilling, I responded, and was glad of the hold I had on the tree, for Bran proved to be an exquisite kisser. I couldn’t pinpoint any particular technique that made the difference, and he displayed no delight in the task, and yet I was transported.

Far too soon he lifted his head, and immediately started down. I caught only a brief glimpse of his expression, and thought him grim. Impossible to know what to make of that.

After a moment I took out my phone and resolved the question that had started the entire game: Bran was without doubt the best kisser. Second and third place was much harder to decide, but eventually I put Rin second and Kyou third. Kyou’s kiss had revolved around the risk of getting caught, and not the kiss itself.

Scores entered, I wondered if I would have any chance of more. Had Rin and Kyou deliberately thrown whatever competition had been this week’s decider? Was that the reason Bran seemed almost resentful?

My confusion only increased when I headed to my next class, and immediately heard gossip about the Three Kings going all out before lunch in a basketball match so intense it was the nearest thing to a fist fight.

Curiouser and curiouser.

"Cheshire."

Rin caught me as I slid down from the wall, held my waist for a moment, then lowered me to the ground.

"Thirsty?" he asked, and led me into the summer house when I nodded.

"I was wondering if I’d even see you this week."

"It was a close-run thing."

"Lots of rumours about your basketball game Tuesday. Was that the decider?"

"Yes. I had people ask me about it afterwards, how serious we all were. Bran was determined to win."

"Did he tell you I met him on the weekend?"

Rin paused and looked back at me. "Where?"

"The Art Club had an outing to the Trafala Museum. Me showing up within sight of his house must have looked very strange to him."

"He wasn’t too rude, I hope."

"Not overwhelmingly. I’m surprised the things I said led to him deciding to compete."

"Why, what did you say?"

"I told him I was hoping to use you three as a sleep aid."

That made Rin miss a step, and so I explained, and he laughed.

"How pragmatic. Do you have that much trouble sleeping?"

"I can usually manage it, but there are occasions I have caused myself major problems, and this year is important to me."

"Well, I can at least admit to having thought quite a bit about my part in helping you sleep."

I smiled, then said: "I thought Kyou was the better rower."

"He is. He missed his stroke, and Kyou usually doesn’t do that. He’s livid. As the basketball game demonstrated, we have become more than usually competitive about these challenges. I fully intend to be here next Tuesday as well."

"If you survive today."

"It’s going to push my control to the limits," he agreed calmly. "Let’s go outside."

In the dappled light beneath the one tree allowed to overhang the yard I grabbed one of the patio chairs to hold discarded clothing, and considered him: tall, elegant, wearing the faint, gentle smile that seemed to be his public mask. I reached up, watching his expression, and unknotted his tie, making a tiny production of sliding it loose. The smile didn’t waver. He waited until I’d put the tie to the side, and then deftly followed my lead.

Blazers next, and then a tangible increase in mutual excitement as I began unbuttoning his shirt. No rush, just a steady unveiling. His body type was naturally skinny, and rowing had given him a nice amount of definition, while not adding much bulk.

He took his time with my shirt, working his way upward, each button an opportunity for fingers to brush skin. He treated the cloth as if it was tissue, and slid his hands down my shoulders as he coaxed the sleeves free.

I sat down, the lawn comfortably thick with clover, and gestured for him to do the same, then prosaically took off his shoes and socks.

"Ticklish, Cheshire?"

"A little."

He pulled my laces undone, then slipped off my shoes, placing them neatly beside his. With delicate care he removed first my left sock, then my right. His fingers brushed my instep, the hollow of my ankle, and my heel, but he didn’t attempt to tickle me.

Standing, he held his hands out, and I let him lift me to my feet. He took the lead now, reaching for my pleated skirt, the ease with which he found the clasp suggesting a certain familiarity with the Corascur girls' uniform. I reflected once again that he had the most beautiful eyes, and held his gaze, not looking down as I reached for his belt. Without a fumble I unbuckled it, drew it loose, and dropped it on the chair.

He took a breath as I reached for his waistband button, but remained still as I drew down his fly, taking care where the zip strained over the bulge beneath. I briefly cupped his buttocks as I drew down his trousers, and entertained myself by allowing my shoulder to brush against the front of his dark blue boxer briefs when I straightened.

They were barely taking the strain, completely at odds with the calm expression he still managed to maintain. Smiling faintly, I folded his trousers over the chair, then reached for his briefs and drew them down as well. Remembering some of the things I’d read about Rin on the forums, I watched frankly as his penis, finally free from restraint, moved upward. Large, but thankfully not as shockingly enormous as gossip suggested.

He knelt as I stood up, and looked up at me, then wordlessly hooked his thumbs into the sides of my underpants and drew them down, his hands tracing the entire length of my legs as he did so.

"I’ve been thinking hard on where to put these love bites," he said, gazing up at me.

I didn’t answer immediately, because Rin, naked and aroused and kneeling at my feet, did things to me. I shivered, then forced a prosaic note: "I’ve been thinking that I’ve seen you three running about shirtless."

"Yes, I’ll have to remember my modesty." He rose slowly, and circled me to unhook my bra. He put it down, and then stood still, directly behind me, not quite close enough for any part of us to touch. "Have I mentioned that I think you’re very beautiful?"

"You have now," I said, in an obliging tone.

He laughed softly, and wrapped his arms around me, one crossing my stomach, the other above my breasts, pulling me against him so that his erect penis pushed hard into my back.

"You sound like you don’t believe me, Cheshire. I don’t say things I don’t mean."

"Then I appreciate the compliment."

He bent his head and pressed his lips to the top of my shoulder.

It was both frustrating and delightful. Sunlight, warm arms wrapped around me, mouth hot on my skin, but a set limit to what I could do. As Rin finished one mark and swapped to my other shoulder his hands moved to cover my breasts—not doing anything more than pressing down, but enough to make me shift in return, pushing against him.

His breath burst out in a gasp and he lifted his head. "I am not a devotee to rules, Cheshire. None of us are."

"Thank you for the warning," I said, wondering what he’d do if I suggested we forgot the childish little list. "My turn?"

Twisting in his hold—and not incidentally causing the rigid length of him to scrape across my hip and stomach—I found a spot I’d been thinking about in the hollow of his shoulder, licked it lightly and then fastened my lips on it.

We went very quiet then, unless one counted Rin’s increasingly audible breathing as I made a diagonal across his chest and abdomen, leaving a small bruised point on his otherwise pristine skin at his shoulder, one shortly above his navel, and the last on one hip. This final mark, created with his penis brushing my cheek the entire time, was obviously a snapping point, and he lifted me abruptly, and pulled me hard against him, pushing between my legs, though not into me, and just holding me against him.

I squeezed my thighs together.

He shuddered, took a gulping breath, but then tilted me so he could fasten on a point two or so inches to the right of my left nipple. The mark he left there was small and very dark, and he gave it a satisfied look before shifting his hands to my buttocks and pulling me forward. I slid effortlessly.

"Just a kiss left, Cheshire," he said. His hips gave an experimental little buck.

I responded by pressing my thighs together again, gripping his penis as tightly as I could manage. His breath puffed out, and then he moved back and slid forward, keeping himself angled so he couldn’t push inside me, but rubbed along me instead.

As his mouth found mine for a deep, hungry kiss, he continued to slide back and forth between my thighs, sending waves of tingling warmth through me. I dug the fingers of my free hand into his shoulders, fighting an urge to hook my legs around his hips, channelling my building need into pressing my legs harder and harder together as he gave up trying to kiss me and simply thrust faster and faster.

The heat and movement all began to build toward something for me, but Rin was far further along, and came in a spurting explosion.

We both wobbled, and Rin relaxed his hold, then pressed me beneath his chin. Unable to see his face, I wondered what his expression was now, but when he finally dropped his arms, I glanced up and found he looked mildly amused, not as impacted as I thought.

"Technically not a skip ahead to the next challenge," he said. "Would you like a drink?"

I nodded, and then found the hose to clean myself—and the summer house wall—before returning to separate out my clothing. Rin took a few moments longer, and stood with a towel watching me dress before putting the main parts of his own uniform on. He brewed me a cup of green tea, and we were silent for a time.

"I enjoyed the game you three released," I said eventually. "Other than it being very short, that is."

"Did Kyou tell you the name? A sampler app. We plan a series of free releases over the next few years, tiny things that function as prequel stories for a very ambitious RPG." He smiled lazily. "This year our focus is exams…and a different game."

"What’s your next challenge? More basketball?"

"No, for balance’s sake we’ve drawn up a varied schedule, trying to alternate physical and non-physical. This weekend we’re playing Go, which all of us are competent at, without being at competition level. But I believe I have an edge." He drained the last of his tea. "So, I’ll see you Tuesday, Cheshire."