To Natalie's delight, it didn't take much ving to get another drawing out of Vaa. While the first was delightful, Vaa was unfortunately clothed in it—if only in lingerie—and even with a cock stig up between her legs, Natalie wanted a lewder one. Maybe she'd start a colle. This probably wasn't the only time Vaa would get a Bordello assig during their stay at the City of Eros.

  The pose strained Natalie's self-trol, though. And while getting another drawing out of her hadn't taken much ving, the exact pose had. Because—it was lewd positioning.

  The silver bullet of her argument had been pointing out that it was either this, or much more directly lewd activities. So Vaa grumbled and groused, but in the end, ended up agreeing. Because a drawing was better than 'doing the real thing', right?

  Henatalie was lying on the bed, head pointing toward the mirror, with a naked Vaa straddlihe irl wasn't actually riding her, but they were both naked, in bed, and Natalie's cock was stig up and onto her stomach—all it would take was the girl to raise her hips and sp back down. That imagery was making it hard for Natalie to focus. Which was fine, since she wasn't the one who o trate, but heless, this event was turning out to be a trial of self-trol.

  "I 't believe you vinced me to do this," Vaa mumbled for the third or fourth time.

  "her I," Natalie teased. "Also, it's kind ic that your first time is going to be in a drawing, isn't it?"

  Deadpan, Vaa said, "I don't think a drawing ts as a 'first time'." But the words seemed to fluster her, which had been Natalie's goal.

  This time, Natalie didn't get to watch the drawing e to life, since she couldn't peek over Vaa's shoulder as she worked. As much as she'd loved watg her draw during the first session, she was okay with missing out on the full process. Because in the end, she would get a picture of Vaa riding her. While the pose itself didn't have Natalie ihe irl, the drawing would—and she would get to keep it forever. Well worth the small tokeruly, the Bordello was a wonderful establishment.

  "Why'd you pick up drawing, anyway?" Natalie asked.

  Vaa g her. "I'm trying to focus."

  "'t help it. I need a distra. I might do something rash, if I'm left to my own devices." Her eyes wandered down to where they were joined, but not joihe way she wanted. "It's pretty tempting, you know."

  "Not happening," Vaa warned, flig the tip of Natalie's cock—which also wasn't helping matters. "You might've vinced me into … more than I expected, already. But that's off limits."

  "Fine, fine." She could tell Vaa meant it, and not in the flimsy fake protests she gave for their other activities. She didn't want to go all the way with Natalie. Not yet, being the hopeful qualifier. "But I really do need a distra. You have any idea how unfair it is to have a naked girl sitting on my p, rubbing her pussy against me?"

  "I'm not rubbing anything against anything. And you asked for this."

  "I do tend to make most of my own problems," Natalie joked. "So?"

  "So?"

  "Why'd you start drawing?"

  "It was just something to do, when I was younger. I…" she paused. "There were times when there wasn't much else to do." Something in her voice told Natalie there was more to that story, but Vaa wasn't remotely an 'open and sharing' type of individual. She tinued before Natalie could have tried easing out an expnation, anyway. "And I liked it. It became a habit. There's no grand reason, if that's what you're looking for. How do any hobbies start?"

  "And where'd you grow up?" Natalie asked.

  The casual attempt at finding out more didn't work. The notebook dropped a few inches, and Vaa eyed her overtop it. "I don't like talking about my past."

  "Not at all?"

  "No."

  No luck there, it seemed. Natalie shrugged. "Alright, I won't press." A short beat of silence. "Well, how about the present, then? How e you lock up so much around Elida?"

  "Lock … up?"

  "I know you're reserved, but you still talk and joke around with me, here and there. But around her, you shut down. You've known her longer, haven't you?"

  "You aren't Elida."

  "That might be the hing you've said to me."

  Amused, Vaa poked Natalie's stomach with the butt of her pencil. The way she leaned forward slightly to do so had Natalie's cock brushing against her stomach, and it jumped in respo the tact. Vaa eyed it, then eyed her, as if it was her fault.

  "More importantly," Vaa said, "you aren't a Parda-Halt. Ah half a thought boung in their head wouldn't give one of them an inch more than they have to."

  I'd give her a lot more than an inch—around ten, Natalie thought, but didn't say. She was somewhat a herself for the innuendo, even if it had maed more because of the perfect set-up than anything.

  "But you trust her that little, even though you're teammates?"

  "I trust ahat little."

  "Anyone?"

  "Including you, yes," Vaa said. "Oh, don't look so offended. We've known each other for all of a single full day."

  "An a packed ohough," Natalie said, wiggling her eyebrows—trying not to be offended. "A thighfug doesn't mean anything to you?"

  "You're impossible." A few moments passed, her pencil scribbling against the notebook, before she said quietly, "Fine. Maybe I trust some people more than others. But you have some misceptions about me, if you think I trust you implicitly after a single day of knowing you. Just because I'm … more fortable … around you doesn't mean I trust you."

  "That's—fair. I already khat." And she did; but it was blunt for Vaa to say ht. "I just don't like being grouped in with Elida."

  Vaa smirked. "That's also fair."

  "But, really. She's still your teammate."

  "It's a temporary affair."

  "It is?"

  Vaa pursed her lips. "Well—maybe not. I joihinking so. But Elida is strohan I expected. Perhaps it'll be less temporary, in light of that."

  "Oh?" She'd have expected the time spent on Elida's team would disce Vaa from staying with her. She was disgruhe opposite had happened.

  "I care about effiatalie," Vaa said, reading the look on her face. "About teammates who clear the dungeon quickly, ly, and with minimal risk. Their personalities meahan nothing. I'd rather we weren't friends." She hesitated, then added, "It's why I wouldertain an offer from you, for example. Not that I was expeg any such thing," she crified. "But I already dislike how—the ease with which we—our current behavior toward each other," she finished clumsily.

  That annou, too, Natalie was taken aback by. For a few reasons, but she focused on: "You wouldn't want to be on my team?"

  "No. Not just because this City of Eros is something I'm quite fih being a on-a-lifetime event. I don't want another floor like this; the dungeon should be the dungeon. I liked it as it was. But also because, yes, I mean it: teammates shouldn't be friends." The scribbling tinued for a moment as Vaa anized her thoughts. "It's why I went solo for the first while. To avoid plications. That, and because I didn't think anyone could keep up with me. I'm realizing now that was arrogant. Te has a number of first-years that aren't … pletely useless, to my surprise."

  "Not pletely useless," Natalie quoted. "Put that on my gravestone."

  "Shush."

  "I'm surprised you thought Te wouldn't have someone who could keep up with you. We're the best Academy in the world." She paused. "Debatably—top three for sure."

  Vaa's cheeks colored. "As I said, I realize that was arrogant, now. But, I thought—" She shrugged and didn't offer more.

  Natalie didn't pull on that thread; Vaa seemed unfortable, and Natalie was no Elida, to dig into someone's past against their wishes.

  "Finishing up now," Vaa murmured after a minute had passed. "I seriously 't believe you made me do this. F a girl into drawing herself having sex." She shook her head. "You seriously have no shame."

  "Had no shame," Natalie ughed. "Put that on my gravestooo."