Unity and Destiny Pt. 05

"You can always go in the snow," Javier said. "I already did that, behind the last storage shed."

Kat snorted. "Boys. I might do it just to show we can write our names, too. Except my ass is already frozen."

Esther went out to retrieve some foam insulating pads, and Kat decided to try her luck with the shower. Javier fussed with the stove some more.

"I don't know how long we're going to be here," Grace said softly. "But this is obviously awkward. You and Esther need time alone together. Kat knows that, too. We'll do what we can."

"Likewise," said Javier. "And if we're here long enough for the snow to melt, we can start building more living space. Nicola's been wanting to do that for a while anyway."

Esther eventually came in with the foam pads, brushing snow off her pants as she came in. When Kat returned from the shower, she was dressed in her pajamas and the extra snow boots she'd borrowed from Nicola.

"That is ridiculously cute," Grace said, and Kat beamed with unguarded happiness. Javier smiled. They were a great couple, and he just liked being around them. When the lights were off, he quickly pulled off his pants and crawled into bed with Esther, spooning against her the way she liked. He was pleased when she fell asleep quickly, and he could feel his own drowsiness. The other couple was shuffling and whispering, and maybe he heard them kissing a little. But then they were quiet as well, and Kat's soft snoring eventually put him to sleep.

* * *

Esther woke early, and she muffled her sounds to slip out quietly for a shower. Mark was up, but he seemed to be waiting for Selena. The two had developed something of a routine, with Selena joining him more often than not. If Mark needed the space, he just ranged off on his own. Selena was perfectly capable in the woods by herself, and Esther of course always knew where she was.

The hot water in the freezing bath cabin was a heavenly contrast, filling the air with steam. She'd heard people in Scandinavia liked jumping right from a hot sauna into snow and then back again, and it sounded remarkably tempting. Her body tingled deliciously at the thought, and she realized she'd been rubbing her back without thinking. But now Selena was awake, and she should hurry on out. Kat was right about the shower situation.

Selena was waiting a polite distance away when she emerged in her bathrobe. Esther trailed her hand in the snowbank on the return to her cabin, thinking about the sleeping situation. She had to make sure she didn't neglect Javier because of the company, or being distracted. She'd already overheard what Grace said to Javier. Grace was always so considerate.

When she quietly re-entered, Grace and Javier were both partly awake. She dropped her robe on the chair and pulled out some underwear.

Javier smiled at her, of course, looking as cute as he always did when he was waking up. Or any time, really. She was starting to feel naughty. Maybe they could sneak in something this morning.

It was only belatedly that she realized Grace had quickly looked at her, then guiltily away. Probably she was just curious about Esther's odd markings and physiology. But then, Grace liked women. Maybe Esther shouldn't be so casual around her. She wasn't used to thinking this way.

When Esther was fully dressed, Grace made a show of waking up, and Kat muttered something unintelligible.

Selena had really zipped through her shower. Esther as usual kept her careful distance in otherspace from the older woman.

"Bathroom and shower are free, if you want to snag either," she said. Grace poked Kat until the other woman finally sat up to gather her toiletries and grudgingly allowed herself to be dragged into the frigid morning.

Javier still had half of his usual morning erection, and he gasped when Esther pulled down the covers to fish it out of his boxers.

"Esther! They might—oh, Esther." He moaned and lay back, no doubt remembering Esther would know if they were about to be interrupted.

She loved doing this for him, and when she was in the mood, it was incredibly arousing to hear his response. Esther let her mind wander, and as he neared orgasm, she imagined another penis rubbing against her from behind. Someone anonymous. It could be a stranger, or maybe it was Mark, or Big Penis.

She froze for a second at the memory of the man from the canyon. It didn't mean anything. It was just a stupid random firing of neurons, at the worst of times. Javier admitted that happened often enough with him, sometimes involving people he was too embarrassed to even tell Esther about, and that you just had to accept it and move on.

So she tried to ignore it, and she managed to resume her rhythm with Javier. But when he finished groaning and she'd swallowed the last of his semen, she was almost relieved to hear the other pair returning from the shower. Her mood was ruined. She felt an extra pang of guilt when she saw how disappointed Javier was that he couldn't return the favor, and she quickly promised him a chance sometime later that day. But it would be impossible if she couldn't get back to that comfortable place, the one where she forgot everything about the horrible sex in the canyon, and the man who'd claimed to be her father.

* * *

Selena and Mark were already gone on their skis, and when Javier came out of the shower he found Raj and Esther deep in mathematical discussion while they shared breakfast. Javier started some eggs frying for himself and pulled up to join them.

It was incomprehensible to him, of course, even though he'd made it through calculus without trouble. This was professional-grade math, and it always warmed him to hear Esther's enthusiasm in these moments. It was her calling, and in a fair world that would be what she spent most of her time doing. She shouldn't have to carry the burden of taking care of the rest of the world. But that was Esther.

She noticed him watching her and she smiled briefly, looking content. Good. Something had upset her this morning, though she didn't want him to know. Javier got up, intending to go ask the others what they wanted for breakfast, but Esther quickly grabbed his hand, shaking her head slightly.

Oh. Grace and Kat must be making use of their time alone. He sat back down, feeling embarrassed and faintly irritated. When it came to sex, those two seemed to have such a straightforward, functional, fun relationship. And they definitely had a lot of it, though Kat had developed a bit of consideration and stopped oversharing about it with him. Javier almost missed it, when things weren't working as well with Esther. He could hardly think of more potent fantasy material.

Nicola stumbled in blearily a half hour later, still in her bathrobe, and Javier's mind lurched sideways. He quickly offered her his chair and distracted himself by making breakfast for her. She thanked him and at least tried to smile.

When Raj left, Nicola turned to look at Esther.

"I was so rude to you when you arrived," she said. "I could blame the pain, but other people don't turn into shitheads at every excuse. You aren't responsible for fixing all my problems, and you're a better friend than I ever deserved. Thank you so much, Esther."

Esther looked away, unable as usual to take a compliment. But it was kindly done by Nicole, and Javier smiled at her.

"About the pain," Esther said slowly. "I could try something. But it's an experiment, and we'd have to share senses."

Nicola's eyes widened. "Oh, God, Esther, anything. I know what I said last time about doing that, but it's intolerable. I was unconscious for a day and a half, and when Mark finally roused me I was a mess and sure I was on fire. God, I'd shit myself. I believe you that this person was trying to do something necessary. But right now I hate him so much."

"Would it help to have Javier's company?" Esther asked.

For a long time Nicola looked at him.

"Better not," she said at last. "Maybe Mark, but I'm guessing you'll want to do it separately with him if it works."

Esther nodded, and she and Nicola left together.

A few minutes later, Kat wandered in, looking far too happy.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "Did Esther tell you to leave the two of us alone all that time?"

Javier nodded wryly, and Kat leaned over and kissed him, right on the lips. There was an odd taste, and Javier suddenly realized what it was. Where her lips had just been.

"You guys are the best," Kat said, beaming. Then she noticed something in Javier's expression, and she nervously licked her lips.

She held it together for about three seconds, and then she flopped in a chair, laughing and groaning.

"I can't believe I did that," she said, putting her head down. "Oh my God, Javier, don't you ever let anyone know. Don't even think about it. She would die."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Javier, trying not to laugh nervously. It didn't fool Kat one bit.

"Well," Kat said finally. "It's possible I've made a bigger faux pas in my life, but right now I can't remember. Maybe I'll tell Grace in sixty years when we're at the retirement home for old lesbians."

Grace came in a few seconds later, looking remarkably composed. She eyed Kat suspiciously.

"Have you been teasing Javier? We haven't even had breakfast."

"Yes we have," Kat blurted, and Javier couldn't avoid snickering with her. Grace sighed and rolled her eyes, but she seemed to be struggling with a smirk as well.

For lack of anything else to do, the three of them lounged around their cabin for a while. It was almost like Kat's apartment during school. Even the dissipating smell of sex wasn't really unfamiliar. Javier hoped things were going all right with Nicola and Esther, and he considered going out to check. But it was probably better not to interrupt them.

At lunch he found Raj fussing with the computer.

"The microwave network is down," he said. "We put those repeaters high enough that the snow shouldn't be much problem, but I bet the solar panels are all covered up. I wasn't thinking about that. We should probably go tramping out there to brush them off. But even then, who knows about the phone line we tapped into. I was thinking about satellite phones, but they're too traceable. There must be something we can figure out. But at least we can get my radio system working up here. I wanted to upgrade the one at home anyway."

Esther found the two of them that afternoon working to wedge the components into the corner near the computer. She looked exhausted.

"Any luck?" Javier asked, giving her a kiss.

She nodded. "I think I eventually guided her to do for herself what I did. She said everything was vastly better, and then she fell right asleep."

"And you're OK?"

Esther smiled and hugged him. "I won't lie. It was grueling and unpleasant. But it was more than worth it for her expression, at the end. I'm not totally exhausted, so I'll do the same for Mark and Selena if they want. I think I'd better get a quick nap first."

But there was something unexpected in her expression, and she took Javier's hand, so maybe she wanted more than a nap. When they entered the cabin, Grace looked up from her book and then shared a glance with Kat.

"I think we'll leave you guys alone a while," said Kat. "Maybe I'll even try snowshoes with Grace. Not like I want to be cooped up in here the whole time."

The instant after the pair made it out the door in their winter clothes, Esther grabbed Javier and kissed him hard, putting his hand between her legs.

"I'm taking you up on that now," she said, pulling off her boots and lying back on the bed to struggle with her pants. Javier loved it when she got this way, though he was a little baffled. She had such urgency that her fingers were clumsy on her waistband, and he eagerly pulled them off her. She spread her legs wide, and the deep blue skin around her pussy shone with her juices. The wetness even coated the fine hair high on her thighs.

He got a hand behind her back and started to lick her the way she liked when she needed an orgasm right away. Tongue tracing back and forth along the blue rim, and a fingertip gently rocking against the exquisitely sensitive flesh inside her. In a few short minutes she softly cried his name, and then her whole body shook, over and over. He kept using his tongue on her well afterwards, but she moved, pulling off her upper layers and motioning him to her.

Esther nestled against his chest, hand encircling his hard cock. And then she started to talk softly.

"It was so inappropriate," she said. "I don't think it felt at all like this for Nicola. But you know how the brain floods you with endorphins to help you handle pain. When I finally stopped feeling her pain, I still felt all that, on top of the usual when I'm sharing senses with her. All I could think was how I wanted both of you at once. You'd be behind me, and maybe she'd be using her mouth, or, I don't know."

Javier could think of plenty of things for Nicola to do in this fantasy. But Esther rarely talked about her fantasies in this much detail, and it was driving him crazy.

"Could I do that now?" he asked eagerly, and she gripped his dick.

"Nothing I want more," she said, reaching one hand to the drawer and the lube, and then getting on all fours.

She was beautiful from every direction, but this particular way had a particularly naughty thrill. Her legs apart, showing off her gorgeous coloring. As he finished getting the lube on both of them, he wondered again what it would be like if she ever got big enough to take him in that small hole. But on these too-rare occasions when she was as into it as he was, anal sex was fantastic.

Javier knew he wasn't any more than average when it came to his dick. But everything about Esther was so petite, and especially from this direction he looked enormous as he moved against her. He teased her with the tip of his dick, pressing it gently against the blue ring. But she shifted down, making it obvious what she wanted. And so he shifted, pressing firmly against her puckering anus, hoping he had enough lube. When she finally relaxed enough for the tip to go in, he paused. Then Esther rammed herself onto him with a loud grunt.

She'd never done that before, and the feeling was astonishing. Javier hurriedly squirted some more lube onto them, and it seemed barely enough even as it dripped on the sheets, but Esther was fucking him as hard as he could remember. It was amazing, but so unfamiliar that he even thought he might last a while. And he realized she'd dropped her hand to finger herself.

He rubbed her back, enjoying the way her handful of new freckles darkened slightly. And as she increased her urgency, he spoke softly.

"Are you thinking of Nicola still?"

She moaned softly.

"Do you wish she was here? So you could feel her warm legs around your head? Taste her dripping pussy?"

She trailed off a long moan, and their rhythm fell apart as she convulsed. But the tremendous squeezing of her anal passage was more than enough for Javier, and he exploded inside her, far more cum than he'd expected after the blow job that morning.

Finally she lay forward, Javier following her. His dick was taking its time to soften, and this felt so good.

Eventually he reached for the towel, and Esther sighed.

"You're more than enough for me, Javier," she said. "That was amazing."

"Yeah," he agreed, wiping up as best as he could and flopping next to her. "But fantasies are pretty great, aren't they? I mean, as long as we're all crammed here together anyway."

Esther kissed him. "Are you thinking about Kat and Grace?"

"Hard not to," he admitted.

"Well," said Esther slowly. "I'm certainly open to anything."

"Oh," Javier said, shocked by Esther's directness. "Well, uh, I guess I am too. While we're fantasizing."

"They have their fantasies, too," whispered Esther. Javier's heart pounded. But of course Esther wouldn't say any more than that. And a scene lodged itself in Javier's mind: Esther eating out Grace. He swallowed, and his dick started to harden again.

"You should get a nap," he said as she took hold of the shaft again.

"Yes," she agreed. "After I make you come again. And promise me something, sweetie."

"Anything," he muttered.

"Think of Grace for me."

* * *

Esther felt more than a little abashed when she woke up. But she was well rested, and she decided she wasn't going to overthink things for once. She had the faint sense she'd been trying to avoid remembering something, but if so she'd done a particularly successful job of it, and she wasn't about to poke at it.

Selena and Mark had gotten back, and dinner time was approaching, so she got up to dress. The sheets were a disaster, but Javier smiled and told her he'd clean up, so she went to join the others.

Kat gave her a smile that was a little too broad, but Esther refused to be embarrassed this time. It was good, healthy sex. Just what she and Javier needed more of. Nicola was up, looking like an entirely new person. She gave Esther a bone-crushing hug.

"I can't believe what you've done," she said. "I even have most of my abilities back. Esther, this is phenomenal."

"I'm willing to do it for Mark and Selena as well," she said. "I think it will be easier now that I understand what I'm doing."

Nicola gave them a big thumbs up, and Mark nodded carefully. "My senses are barely functioning, and the pain is exhausting," he admitted. "It is easing, but so slowly."

"I can cope," Selena said after a pause. "But thank you so much for offering, Esther."

"What?" Nicola blurted. "No, Selena, you don't understand—"

"I think she understands," interrupted Esther. But she would have to talk to Selena about it.

Mark seemed very nervous as she led him to the cabin, and she had an idea why.

"I don't think you'll feel anything very sexual about this, if that's what you're worrying," said Esther. "But it will work best if I put my arms around you."

It was a half-truth. He might not feel it that way, but Esther probably would. Still, it seemed to calm Mark, and he took his shirt off, exposing his powerful physique. Esther felt guilty about the anticipation. But things had certainly worked out all right after doing it with Nicola.

She stripped to her bra quickly and put her arms around him. Sure enough, it was much faster than it had been with Nicola. She could feel the excitement in her body, but she was more sated to start. When they'd finished, Mark let out a single long sigh, and then looked at Esther with wonder.

"You are amazing," he said. "Thank you. I wish Selena would do this as well."

"You know she isn't used to being touched at all," Esther said.

Mark nodded. "I think it's a little sad. But Nicola says she's comfortable like that."

After dinner, Selena hung around to help finish clean-up, and Raj and Javier were smart enough to bid the two of them goodnight. For a while they did the simple work, washing and drying. Eventually Selena spoke.

"I should do this, I know. Can you tell me what it would be like?"

"I would be sharing my senses with yours. Usually that would mean we both felt sensations from the other person, but it would mostly be one-way given how overwhelmed you are with the pain."

Selena shook her head. "I don't want you to have to feel that."

"I won't, not after a short while. I'll bypass it the way I did for myself, and the way I'll show you." Esther hesitated. "But I'll still feel a lot from your other senses. I didn't tell the others, but it's only fair to tell you. Sharing senses is always an intimate thing, but not necessarily a sexual one. But this time it was unexpectedly arousing for me, something to do with endorphins from the pain. I'm pretty sure they didn't perceive it that way, but I understand if you're not comfortable with the whole thing."