[Spirit of Lust 2] Chapters 284 & 285. (Patreon)

Author's Note: Added a short bit to chapter 285 that should've been there from the start. The new bits are written in bold.

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Chapter 284: Perceptions.

My heart was beating crazy fast. The girl was attractive, yeah, but there was no chance I was saying yes. I had to turn her down somehow.

“I’m really sorry, but I’m not… comfortable asking them such a thing at this moment.” That was the best I could think to say. I guess I could’ve answered with a simple ‘I’m not interested’ but the thought of turning down someone so harshly hurt even me.

“I see. That’s too bad,” she said, her smile falling. “Maybe some other time, then.”

“M-Maybe.”

“God, you really are cute. I had to give it a shot. Anyway, I’d like a vanilla latte, please.”

I nodded. “Right away.” I wrote it down and went back behind the counter.

“Holy cow. That girl didn’t hold back at all,” Maria said, already preparing the cups of coffee. “First time one has been so direct, right?”

Yeah. It completely caught me off guard. Girls had flirted with me before, some had also asked me out, too, but they didn’t know I was already in a relationship, and it had never happened like this. This girl, however, knew and didn’t care.

Realization dawned on me. If people believed I was free to date multiple girls so long as my girlfriends consented, then were all these girls here to ask me out, too?

“At least you turning her down lowered expectations for the others,” Maria muttered. “Good to know you can show some restraint.”

“Some?”

“You’re dating five girls.”

“Right…” I sighed. “Does it… seem weird to you?”

“Hm? Now that you mention it… A little?” Maria furrowed her brow in thought as she picked up pastries and placed them on plates. “Weren’t you hiding it before?”

“Yeah.”

“Why reveal it now, then?”

“It seemed like an appropriate time.” I sighed and looked around. “Maybe it wasn’t.”

“Relax. It’ll pass. Let me give you some advice. Don’t accept the advances of just any girl who approaches you. You’re cute, and you’re a nice kid, but you’re not gonna hit it off with everyone. Save yourself some trouble and learn to be selective.”

“So it’s okay if I accept some girls’ advances?” I asked her, crossing my arms.

“I don’t know. You do you. I’m not your mom. Also, don’t take this the wrong way, but this could very well be a fad. The appeal may wear off soon.”

I nodded. “I think so too. And hope.”

She placed the last cup of coffee on the table and pushed it on me. “Well, enough of that. Now back to work. Keep the flirting to a minimum.”

It didn’t happen again, thankfully.

Also, I had conflicting feelings about it, but I got a hell of a lot of good tips that day. Well, I didn’t force anyone, but I did wonder if they would ask for their money back if they knew most of it was going towards christmas presents for my girlfriends.

***

I got home at about 9:30 pm since a few customers stayed for a little too long, making us take longer in closing, too. Cake was the first to greet me, as always, and you know… After such a stressful day, seeing my cat coming to greet me gave me a strange sense of comfort.

I picked her up and held her close to my chest. She meowed and began to purr, pushing her head against my chin and my cheeks. I couldn’t help but smile.

Then the loud sound of a photo being taken made me turn towards the kitchen. Isabelle was peeking from the kitchen with her phone in hand. She then began to type on it.

“Did you eat?” she asked me.

“Not yet. Did you cook?”

“Yeah, but I ran away.”

I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

“I made basic pasta with tomato sauce.”

I set Cake down on the floor. “Was it good?”

“Mom liked it, but I think it lacked a bit of salt.”

“Let me have some.”

I went into the kitchen. Mom was sitting at the table, scrolling down her phone, but it seemed she was reading something important.

“Hey mom. Sorry I’m late.”

“Did work keep you?” she asked, smiling at me.

“Yes. We had more customers than usual.”

“Good tips?” Isabelle asked, walking over to the stove before I could.

“Thankfully.”

“Nice.” She opened the pot, grabbed a plate and prepared a serving of pasta for me while I sat down. She set the plate in front of me and sat down with me and mom.

I was hungry, so I immediately tried the pasta. The sauce was a little sour, maybe because it wasn’t left cooking for long enough or because it didn’t have enough salt, but it was good. The pasta itself was well cooked.

“It’s good,” I told Isabelle before having another bite.

My sister beamed. “Really?”

“Yeah. I think I get what you meant about the salt, but it’s fine.”

I was hungrier than I realized, so I cleaned my plate rather quickly. Isabelle looked happy.

I picked up my plate and went to the sink to wash it. It was mostly to buy myself some time as I thought of how to bring out the next topic.

I turned around. Isabelle was playing with Cake on her lap and mom was replying to some message on her phone. I waited for her to finish before I sat down again.

“Mom?”

“Hm? Yes?” She set her phone down on the table and looked at me, giving me her full attention.

“There’s… something I need to tell you.” My chest tightened and my hands began to feel numb. “I’m… dating Mila, Grace, Sarah, Alice and Noelle.”

God, saying it out loud to my own mother was perhaps the weirdest, most surreal sensation I’ve ever experienced. It also sounded ridiculous, like I was going down a list.

Mom frowned and crossed her arms. “I had a feeling, but I didn’t think that was really it.” She then chuckled. “You were something of a late bloomer, but now this?”

I smiled nervously. “I don’t know how it happened, either.”

“How long has this been going on?” she asked.

“F-Four months.”

Her frown returned, now a lot more serious. “Four months? Why did you hide it for so long?”

I wanted to believe I had a valid reason, but that had gone away with Frey’s magic. If even mom believed it wasn’t a problem that I was seeing five girls, then there should’ve been no reason for me to keep it a secret from her.

“I…”

“It’s not his fault, mom,” Isabelle suddenly interjected. “For the longest time he didn’t even know they were dating.”

Mom blinked. “What?”

Isabelle laughed. “They were just hanging out with him, going on dates and the like, but Oliver thought they were just friends. Those girls didn’t understand that Oliver didn’t know what was happening.”

I blushed madly. Isabelle had saved my ass, and what she’d said was mostly true, so I wouldn’t complain, but it did make me look like a dense imbecile.

…

Okay, yeah, I was.

Mom sighed. “Okay, I believe it. We girls can be annoyingly obtuse.” She smiled. “So that was what you meant that time I asked. You said you didn’t know what was going on between you and them.”

“Y-Yeah,” I nodded. “But now they all agreed to be my g-girlfriends, and… I didn’t want to keep it a secret.” Anymore.

Mom shook her head with a resigned smile. “You’ll have a very tough time ahead of you, dear.”

“I know, but… It’s better than what it used to be. I’m… happier now.”

Mom’s smile was full of relief and care. “That’s good. No wonder you’ve been growing so quickly lately. You have to be your best for the people you like, right?”

Man, this felt embarrassing. “Yeah.”

“So… is he not gonna get scolded for hiding his girlfriends like I was?” Isabelle asked.

“You got scolded for bringing a stranger home while I was out of the house,” mom told her firmly. “That’s an entirely different matter.”

“R-Right.” Isabelle laughed it off awkwardly.

“Oh, and Oliver?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Bring them all here when they have the time. I’d like to talk to them.”

Oh.

…

Should I be worried?

************

Chapter 285: A short talk with Isabelle and a short talk with Frey.

“You think I should be worried?” I asked Isabelle.

We went back to my room after dinner. I was resting on my bed while I played with Cake on my chest, holding her paws, raising one and lowering the other. Isabelle was sitting on my desk chair.

“About Alice and Noelle? No. About the other three, however…”

“Come on. You know they’re not who people say they are.”

“I’m kidding, Oliver.” My sister laughed. “They’ll be fine. The worst mom will do is warn them to use protection.”

I felt my cheeks heating up again. It was an uncomfortable thought.

I heard another snap of a photo being taken and saw Isabelle already typing again on her phone.

“What are you doing?” I asked her.

“Earning myself points with your girlfriends by sending them pictures of you and Cake,” she answered nonchalantly.

“Hm.”

I looked our cat in the eyes. She was growing by the day, becoming a bit more independent yet still being her spoiled, affectionate self.

“Think we should get a second cat?” I asked Isabelle. “They say it’s better for them.”

She snickered. “Look at you. Ready for another child?”

“Shut up. Don’t put it that way.” I began scratching Cake’s neck, and she purred and nuzzled into it. “I just don’t want her to be lonely. I know how that feels.”

“Hm… Then why not a dog this time? You like dogs, right?”

I grumbled. “I do, but we’re out of the house for too long every day to have a dog. They need more attention than cats.”

“That’s true. Should we ask mom for a new cat for christmas?”

“...No. I’m just thinking if we should. If anything, we should take Cake to a shelter and let her pick her friend herself, don’t you think?”

“Oh, yeah. We don’t want her to feel like there’s a usurper in the house.”

We got quiet for a while. I was still playing with Cake and Isabelle was still chatting with people on her phone.

“Speaking of,” I said. “What do you want for christmas?”

“You shouldn’t be asking that. It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

“You haven’t liked my last two christmas gifts.”

“The sandals didn’t fit, and when I went to return them they didn’t have the same ones but bigger, so I had to get something else!”

“Uh-huh. And the cardigan?”

“...” Isabelle pouted and sank her head between her shoulders. “You have an old man’s taste in clothes.”

“There it is.” I wasn’t offended by it. It was true. Need I remind you my girlfriends have picked my clothes the last two times I’ve gone shopping?

“Anyway, don’t you have to get like six extra gifts this year? Don’t worry about me.”

“I’ve been saving the money from my job. It’s not a problem.”

Isabelle looked at my guitar. “Didn’t you want a new one? And a new amp?”

“I only play for practice, so changing those is not a priority.”

“And you don’t feel like adding a new instrument to your repertoire?”

“I’ve… been thinking of buying a bass, and an audio interface, but I want to buy mom a new couch. Want to split the cost?”

Isabelle finished typing something on her phone and looked at me again. “Sure, but how do we know if she’ll like what we choose?”

“I saw her eyeing one when we were coming back from the gym two weeks ago. We can afford it.” Still, I sighed. “I’m gonna be broke after this.”

“Just make eyes at the girls at the coffee shop and you’ll get your money back.”

“Don’t say that. I still feel bad about it.”

“Hey, tipping is proper etiquette. If they decide that your service is worth the extra couple bucks, then take it.”

“I suppose.”

“...”

“...”

“So when are you gonna tell me how you managed to get away with you-know-what?” Isabelle asked. “You promised to tell me.”

I grumbled. “You’re not going to believe me. You’ll say I’ve gone insane.” I looked up to the ceiling, brow furrowed in thought. “Maybe I have.”

“Just tell me, Oliver.”

“Just so you know, it’s… not… something I’m comfortable saying. You also might not like hearing it.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

I sighed. Better pull the band-aid in one go. “I’m possessed by a magic spirit that feeds on sex energy and has lust powers.”

“...Excuse me?”

“We talked to her with a ouija board. Her name is Frey. She promises she means no harm. She has magic powers and did… something to change general perception about the polyamorous aspect of our relationship. That’s all I know.”

“...” Isabelle frowned and pouted. “If you don’t want to tell me the truth, just say so.”

“It IS the truth. I know it sounds crazy, and I don’t blame you for not believing it. We wouldn’t believe it either if we hadn't felt the effects first hand.”

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe. If you try to throw me into an asylum I’ll deny everything, though. Same if you tell mom.” I sighed again. “The spirit is harmless, so you can just ignore me. Actually, yes, I’m lying to you, so don’t worry about it.”

“You’re an ass. I'm going back to my room.” Isabelle stood up from the chair, somewhere between tired and upset. “Let’s go, Cake.” The cat didn’t move. She was now a cat loaf on my chest. “Didn’t think so. Goodnight, brother.”

“Goodnight, sis.”

I really hoped she listened to me and ignored it.

***

I had another encounter with Frey that night. Again, she was slowly spinning in place, and I watched her move like the hands of a clock for three full rotations before she spoke.

“So it didn’t go PRECISELY like I wanted, but it worked,” she said.

“You mean that thing with some people knowing something’s off?” I asked her.

“Yes. Just means I’m not skilled or powerful enough. Regardless, for my first attempt at a spell of this magnitude, I think I’m allowed to pat myself on the back.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Frey, for… going along with my whims.”

“For the umpteenth time, I only get something out of it when you do, too.” Frey puffed her cheeks in a pout. “It already feels more comfortable here, like we just replaced the old, rotting ceiling beams for brand new ones.”

“That’s… a strange analogy, but it works. Good for you.”

“Yes. I also feel a lot stronger. We used most of our reserves of sexual energy, but I can feel my own power steadily growing. I’ll have to keep that in check or I’ll cause you more troubles.”

My eyes widened. “Wait, then the girls flirting with me today…?”

“Y-Yeah, kind of my fault. We fulfilled one of your greatest goals, so I became stronger and… we were kind of oozing a lot of sexual energy, which if you remember, acts like pheromones.”

That actually made me sigh in relief. “Then I won’t have girls throwing myself at me every other day?”

“Not unless you want to.” She paused and looked at me firmly. “Do you?”

“No thanks. I don’t want to worry the girls.”

“Alright, but we’re still not done here. Remember? You want to be able to have sex whenever and wherever.”

I groaned. “I don’t know about that. The girls got even more clingy now that we don’t have to hide, but I was too embarrassed to return their… affections. Maybe having the ability to have sex wherever would be a waste on me.”

“But you were worried about the people looking at you, right? If those people didn’t care what you were doing, then how’d you feel?”

“That’s…”

I looked back on old fantasies and mixed them with my current life. Casually making out with Mila in the street while fingering her, getting a blowjob from Sarah in a movie theater, fucking Grace while having a picnic at the park, going for a drive with Alice and doing it at a rest stop, opening Noelle’s shirt to suck on her nipples while on a bus ride…

“I’m such a fucking pervert,” I said, groaning into my hands.

“And that’s why I like you, kid.”

“We can talk it out with them before doing anything, right? using the board?”

“Yeah. I’ll talk to you again when I have an idea of how to achieve that, though I have some ideas already. For now, just focus on having lots of sex. Threesomes, foursomes, orgies with all your girls should really get you going. Get them to wear sexy outfits for you, too. You like that, right? Anything that’ll make you go wild will not only feed me, but make us build our sexual energy reserves back up.”

“Okay. But I won’t remember this in the morning, right?”

“No, but so long as it’s on the back of your mind, reminding you it’s something you want, then you’ll be less likely to hesitate.”

So for now my goal was to have fun sex with the girls I loved.

Oh woe is me, right?