She looked toward Vi sitting beside her, face buried in her arms and knees. Her half white, half brown hair reminded Meryl slightly of a fox, and one of her adorable new ears was poking out in her direction. Meryl again resisted the urge to touch it, but it was a serious struggle.

  You’re beautiful, Vi. I don’t know what’s happening to you, but so far it seems pretty incredible.

  Vi rolled her head just enough to peek at Meryl with an eye that was nearly glowing that haunting shade of lavender.

  Deadly beautiful.

  She hardly noticed Vi was still moving before their lips touched.

  Soft.

  For a few seconds it was the only thought she could manage. The kiss was soft. Vi was soft. Her lips were impossibly soft. She smelled soft and sweet, like vanilla and the slightest hint of apple pie baking somewhere nearby. She felt Vi’s soft, warm breath on her cheek as they held the kiss, motionless.

  Vi broke the kiss.

  “Oh god, fuck! I’m sorry, I– I thought– I’m sorry– I thought I felt–“

  “Vi, it’s ok–“ Meryl was surprised but hardly upset.

  “–no, I should have at least–“

  “–really! It’s ok!” She reached for one of the hands Vi had just moved to cover her face. Tears threatened to spill from those hauntingly beautiful eyes, but she didn’t resist Meryl’s grasp. “Vi… What’s wrong?”

  “I– I should have been honest with you. I promised to be honest with you. And instead I– I took advantage of you.”

  “What do you mean? I do want to, Vi.”

  “I know!” Violet grimaced, sending the tears she’d been building up streaming down her face.

  Meryl brushed one cheek dry with her thumb, then the other with the back of her hand.

  “I should have told you– I can feel your attraction. Excitement, arousal, all of it.”

  “I know.”

  “But I didn’t tell you how I was feeling.”

  Meryl was beginning to see what she meant.

  “You asked to see my ears earlier and nearly came on the spot.”

  Meryl’s face went red hot with embarrassment, and Violet immediately did the same. Meryl suspected Vi’s reaction was mostly an automatic response to feeling her own embarrassment.

  Vi quickly followed with, “Sorry, I’m not making fun of you! Maybe exaggerating a little.”

  “Only a little,” she replied, almost in a whisper.

  “Well, I should have told you how that made me feel. That– that I really liked it, when you looked at me that way. And all the other times since we’ve been here. That I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it this whole time, that it’s driving me crazy. And then we were just sitting here and I felt you thinking that stuff about me again and I didn’t think, I just– I’m really sorry.”

  “You’re worried you were manipulating me.”

  “Yeah, partly. I…” Vi thought for a moment, “I’m scared I can’t control control myself, like earlier today. And just now, I kissed you and I suddenly saw clearly what I was doing, like some sort of predator instinctively waiting for the right moment to… attack.”

  “Vi…”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s ok, I understand.”

  She gave Vi’s hand a gentle squeeze.

  “You were in enough control to stop and tell me, Vi. And… I liked it. I was surprised, but I was definitely also thinking about it. Well, mostly I was thinking about touching your ear, but I kinda really liked the kiss too. So, if you decide you want to — you know, on your own terms instead of an impulse — we could go a little farther, if you want. I would like that. But if you want to stop that’s ok too!”

  Her face felt hot. Was she making sense? Was Vi actually interested in her like that, or was she just really turned on like she’d described earlier? Or was Vi only feeling this way because of Meryl’s own thoughts?

  Oh god, this is so complicated.

  Vi gave her an uncertain look, then asked, “I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to. I really want to. I just– all these feelings are very confusing. Probably for you too, I didn’t even think you were into girls, but I can feel this.” As she said the last few words she moved the hand Meryl was holding slightly to indicate the connection between them.

  “Oh, right. It’s not that I don’t sometimes find women attractive. I do, sometimes. I just… Hmmm,” Meryl paused to consider. “I guess I always pictured myself doing the traditional family thing, having kids someday, you know. And it was always expected, being an only child and all. I guess I just never put myself in the position to explore. Well, there were a few times, years ago, but I was very drunk and we only kissed,” Meryl laughed shyly.

  Vi nodded, seeming a bit calmer now.

  She’s so beautiful. Why have we never considered this before? Maybe she has and she’s always been holding back.

  “You’re pretty too, you know,” Vi quietly answered her thought.

  Meryl responded with a grin and a mocking shove against Vi’s shoulder.

  “So, there!” Meryl said, “You’re not a horrible monster tricking your friend. Your friend’s just… very curious…”

  “In me? Or my ears?” Vi teased.

  “Well,”—Meryl was suddenly very self-conscious again—“both. I mean it, Vi!”

  Vi laughed, “I know.”

  Oh, right.

  “I might even let you touch them,” Vi said in a sultry whisper Meryl had never heard from her before, and a tingling flash of anticipation rushed through her.

  Oh god, Vi. We’re totally about to do this, aren’t we…

  Vi turned slightly, knees now on the couch to her side as she leaned on her opposite hand toward Meryl, sliding delicate fingers up her neck and into her hair as she moved closer. Vi paused just short of their noses touching, head already slightly to the side. All Meryl needed to do was lean forward slightly and they would be kissing again. It felt surreal, like an incredible dream. Her best friend, her now impossibly gorgeous best friend, was breathing lightly onto her lips, eyes half closed, just waiting for her to complete the motion, to say yes.

  Their lips touched, Vi’s parting slightly, and Meryl felt the cool, wet tip of Vi’s tongue press lightly against her own. Meryl’s last kiss with a girl had been in a bar, both of them way to drunk to do anything well. It had had the thrill of novelty and the buzz of alcohol behind it, but it was otherwise very messy and awkward. Vi was nothing like that. She met her pressure perfectly, moving slowly and softly, always teasing yet never ignoring, playful yet sensual, guiding yet delicate, savoring every sensation along with her. It was a kind of kiss she’d never experienced before, and she already knew it would be burned into her memory forever, alongside Vi’s comforting scent.

  She couldn’t get over how unusual it felt, kissing someone so soft. No sandpapery texture on her lips, no scratch at her nose as it pressed into Vi’s warm cheek, no heavy, rough hand against her neck. In a way it elevated the small movements and sensations, where a sharp texture would have dominated the sensation regardless of pressure. Meryl loved where that roughness usually lead, but this was an entirely different and uniquely wonderful experience, so much so it hardly deserved to be called by the same name. Just a kiss. It was so much more than that simple description. No, they were using a kiss, but this was something more.

  This time, Vi didn’t break the kiss abruptly. This time, she delicately retreated, their lips separating slowly to not miss any part of the sensation. How long had they been kissing? She had no idea. It seemed a single instant had lasted an hour. As they finally parted, Vi was simultaneously smiling and biting her lower lip.

  “You never told me you were so good at kissing, Meryl.”

  No, you, Vi, you! she tried to squeak, but nothing came out.

  Ok, maybe today has been entirely worth it.

  Violet grinned at Meryl, watching her blush. Not only had it been the most wonderful kiss in its own right, her best friend had been on the other end of it and Meryl had loved it. She’d felt her love it, felt the butterflies rush through her body as their tongues brushed against each other, as her own hand scratched lightly through Meryl’s hair.

  Now they were staring into each other’s eyes again and Violet couldn’t decide whether to giggle or leap onto her friend and smother her. Her mind was made up for her by Meryl by leaning into her for another kiss. Violet met her part way, then continued, pushing her onto her back as they kissed again. This time, despite being underneath her, Meryl lead with an almost feverish pace. Violet followed, feeling the thrill, arousal, and even lust building in Meryl flow into her.

  Finally! Oh Meryl, you have no idea how desperately I needed this.

  Maybe she would tell her, later. There were more pressing needs at the moment, like getting Meryl’s pants off. With one hand supporting her weight beside Meryl’s head, Violet let her other explore Meryl’s waist, sliding slowly down to her hip and curling her fingers under Meryl’s shirt.

  It felt wonderful, her fingers on Meryl’s side. For a moment, Violet wondered why it didn’t feel like it would touching her own waist.

  I must feel things as she interprets them. She feels it, and then I experience that. What if I touched an unconscious person? Or a sleeping person? What if I tickled her?!

  The last thought made her wince. She was extremely ticklish, and she’d suddenly realized her own hand could very likely betray her, and that awareness of possible intent tickled all on its own.

  Meryl’s hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her mind back to the moment and her body down toward Meryl’s as they continued to kiss. Violet moaned softly into Meryl’s lips as she felt their breasts press together and the skin of their partially exposed bellies touch. She moaned again, this time in unison with Meryl, as she moved her weight up toward their heads to avoid breaking the kiss, only to feel her own thigh press between Meryl’s legs.

  Oh, right. She’s taller than me now.

  She decided to do it again, then again, breaking the kiss and pressing their foreheads together. They breathed more heavily now, eyes exploring each other’s faces as they continued to press into each other. Meryl’s hands left her waist and slid up Violet’s neck to hold her head, then she brushed Violet’s hair back on one side and pulled her head down to her mouth.

  Violet half moaned, half grunted as a hot, electric shock flew down her spine, bounced back, and exploded out to every nerve in her body. Meryl was dragging her tongue up the inner curve of her ear towards the tip and it was all she could do to twitch and continue to make incoherent noises. It felt incredible, overwhelming. She was shaking, not sure if she wanted to resist, or if she even could.

  Meryl’s tongue flicked off of the tip of her ear, resulting in a particularly strong spasm, then Meryl closed her mouth around the tip and continued to explore with her tongue. Every nerve and muscle in her body seemed to be connected to her ears via her stomach, and her ear was currently connected to the live wire that was Meryl’s tongue. It was definitely too much, and incredible, and if Meryl didn’t stop soon she was going to explode.

  The hand on the back of her head released her, but her body was still not under her control. The missing hand reappeared, closing gently around her other ear, thumb pressing into the curve while her fingers teased along its length from behind. It was too much. Way, way too much.

  “S– NNG– STO– P!”

  “Oh, sorry!”

  Violet gasped and continued to twitch as the overwhelming sensation faded to a more tame, bubbling pleasure in her abdomen. Her limbs had turned to mush.

  “Are you ok?” Meryl asked nervously, “Sorry, I thought that was a positive reaction at first.”

  “It– It was– I think–“ Violet panted, “It was incredible– And too much–“

  Violet rolled slightly to Meryl’s side, waiting a few more moments to catch her breath, still twitching.

  “I feel like I just had, like, ten orgasms shoved down my throat. Or tickle torture. Both.”

  Meryl looked at her with surprise and bit her lip, “Ok, honestly, ever since you first showed me these“—Violet tensed as Meryl’s finger approached her ear, but her friend only pointed—“I’ve been thinking about that time you told me to try ear play.”

  “Oh my god, that was years ago!”

  “I know! But you really went on about it, and it is pretty great.”

  “True, true,” Violet admitted, “I’ve always kinda loved it. But holy shit they’re sensitive now. Just thinking about it is giving me butterflies.”

  “I should have gone a little slower, sorry.”

  Violet managed a mischievous grin, “Don’t you worry, I’ll be getting you back for that.”

  Meryl tensed as Violet moved the arm that that had been resting on Meryl’s chest, probably expecting Violet to tickle her or something — which was absolutely never going to happen but Meryl hadn’t had enough time to think that through just yet. Instead, she moved down, softly dragging her nail over Meryl’s shirt, between the curves of her breasts and over the band of her bra, down past the edge of her shirt, pausing just past her belly button to tease a little bit, then she reached for the button of Meryl’s jeans.

  “Wait,” Meryl said. Violet was already raising an eyebrow. Meryl slid off the couch and stood up, extending a hand for Violet. “Come.”

  Violet took the offered hand and was lead away, stumbling slightly on her quivering legs, past the kitchen and into the bedroom. Meryl suddenly felt extremely shy. Violet squeezed her hand reassuringly, continuing past her to the edge of the bed, then turning to face her. She put her hands on Meryl’s waist and stood on her toes to give her another kiss, and for a minute they stood, holding each other and kissing slowly. Violet felt Meryl’s feelings of wonder again, the softness of her own lips and the warmth of their faces together, and, before long, Meryl’s nervousness fading back into arousal.

  After slowly breaking the kiss, she started to pull Meryl’s shirt up, sliding it over her bra as her arms raised to allow Violet to complete the motion. Violet kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then her collar bone as she reached behind to unfasten her bra, her nerves spiking again for a moment. As she dropped Meryl’s bra beside them, Violet looked down and ran her fingers over her friend’s surprisingly toned stomach.

  Wow, Meryl, you’ve put some work into this.

  “You’re beautiful,” Violet said softly, and Meryl made them both blush.

  She lifted her own arms in turn, letting let Meryl lift her loose knit sweater off and add it to the growing pile of clothes. She felt her chest bounce slightly as bottom edge of the sweater pulled free.

  “Vi… you’re beautiful. And how the hell am I the small one now?” Meryl objected.