Re: A Bully's Tale (f+/f+) (ILLUSTRATED) (NEW CHAPTER posted 18/10)
Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:19 pm
007.
Kayley.
"Em." Barging in, hands too full of laptop and Fury to knock. Too excited to knock anyway. "Em. You need to see this."
"Don't you knock?" Sounding amused, smiling as she looks up from her desk, the surface of which is strewn with college paperwork, plus her own open laptop. "It's almost ten."
"It is?" I've been in and out of too many rabbit holes since dinner, and honestly haven't looked at even the small clock on my laptop once. "Oh. Um." I want to show her. But. "If you want I can," gesturing at her door, "um?"
"No no." Standing, stretching. "I could use a good excuse to stop. Come on." Climbing up onto her bed, patting the duvet beside her. "Show me what's got you all excited."
Ashley's number still sits on my phone. I haven't used it. I doubt I ever will.
"I mean." Talking to myself, which I do often, walking to school on a wet Thursday morning. "What would I even say?" I laugh, imagining. "Hi Ash. I'm free after school tomorrow if you fancy tying me up. Meet me in the woods?"
Which is exactly what I should say. But I won't. There are no signs from Ashley that she wants me to make contact. And, without a green light from her, in whatever form it might take, I find myself unable to take that first step
Michelle and Deborah are huddled outside the gates, smoking. Tasha loitering not far away chatting on her phone. All three obviously waiting on Ashley. Walking passed I suppress a smile. Since being tied in her house, since our talk, I can't help but picture all five of Ashley's hangers on as little fluffy white sheep.
"Baaaaa." I whisper, safely inside, out of both earshot and the rain. Heading for class.
"And. Besides." Sitting on my bed one Sunday evening, Fury resting on the duvet in front of me, looking at my right palm. "I've got other issues to deal with."
Namely, the wand. Why, and how, did it work when I tied up Em? How did I manage to float that cup? And why, after two successes, did it fail on me in Ashley's back garden?
I'm not mad. Yes, I had wanted to best Ashley, for once, to see what might become of her smug winners smile once she wasn't in fact winning. But, overall, what happened instead was far from a disaster.
"And I stripped because," emerging from the woods on a Monday afternoon, feeling out of sorts, deflated, at not having been pounced upon. "Well." A shrug, a laugh. "Because she told me too." And I've made a habit these last years of doing what Ashley says where tie ups are concerned.
Which is half of the truth. The other, more complicated, is that being tied up in less clothes sounded thrilling. Fun. An interesting twist. Part of me, in that moment, wanted Ashley to see me, to see all of me.
I had been working myself up, mentally talking myself into, removing the thong, but she'd stopped me.
"Okay." Two days later. Wednesday. After school but before dinner, sat at my desk, still in uniform but with shirt a third of the way open and tie discarded on my bed, airing out. "What I need, really." Fingers hovering over the keyboard, the Google search bar sitting empty, waiting. "Is a guide. Like a," laughing, because I can't see me possibly finding a real, "beginners how to."
"Maybe." Back at my desk, feeling nicely full after a dinner of spicy enchiladas, showered and changed into small ocean blue spandex Nike shorts over yellow boy pants, and a baggy black Alton Towers tee, no bra. "Maybe," looking at my palm, remembering, "I used a picture of you to find Fury's name. So." Looking across at the wand, which is back inside my underwear drawer. "Maybe if I search Shakta-el-Furiosa, something will show up?"
"Welcome." On the screen, the YouTube video I've only just found, watching half before realising what I'd stumbled upon, an old man sits before the camera on a comfortable looking dark red leather sofa. There's a friendly smile on his face, surrounded by a well trimmed white beard. He is, really thin. Like, ill thin, looking like nothing more then a skeleton wearing shrunken pale skin underneath a too large dark blue suit. There's a cream fedora on his head, beneath which wisps of white hair are escaping.
"My name," a shake of his head, "is not important. I am here today to talk. About magic."
Em gives me a sideways, amused, look. And tuts. "Just." Pointing at the screen. "Watch."
"Okay." Holding hands up in surrender, my sister turns her attention back to the video.
"So." He gives a small nod. "My granddaughter, who has been kind enough to help a clueless old man out today, tells me that this. Video. Will be made accessible to all?" A pause, a frown but not at the camera. A nod as his question is answered. "That is. Well." Scratching his beard. "At this late hour, it is a risk worth taking."
"Though many of you will no doubt see this, and hear my words. And, though some of you who do may even learn some small thing from them. My words." Raising his right hand, a clenched fist. "Are meant only for one of you."
The old man opens his fist. I hear Em gasp, I smile. On his weathered palm is a symbol, in black. I have the same one. "If you are seeing this, keeper of Shakta-el-Furiosa? Then, consider my words all the. Genuine. Help, you are likely to receive."
Leaning forwards, I pause the video. Turn to face my sister, right hand laid on my lap, palm open.
"It really happened then?"
"Yes." I know what she means: her room, that evening. "Um. Sorry?"
"Sorry?" Frowning. Then she laughs. "Right. Ha. Sorry you used a magic wand to walk through the wall and tie me up." She waves a hand at me. "S' fine. I get tied up all the time."
"You do?" Shocked, all the times I've been tied running through my head like a checklist. Maybe we should compare notes? "Well. How.... Oh." She's laughing, and I, because I am a little bit tie up obsessed, fell for it. "Fuck you."
I laugh too, because it is funny, and because I'm glad she isn't mad at me for something I really wasn't trying to do.
Not to her anyway.
We watch the rest of the video. There are wands, plural, laid out on a low light coloured wooden table before him. Em laughs as he selects Harry Potters, from the movies, of which I've only seen number four. But before picking up Harry's wand his fingers linger, for a moment, on Fury. He taps it, looking up directly into the camera, directly at me it feels in that moment. A small smile chases itself across his lips, and he nods. Once.
"Every wizard needs a wand." Standing, Harry's wand grasped loosely in his right hand. "So. Allow me to show you some of the basics."
"It's all about the shapes, you see." Twirling the wand in an upwards spiral. "But it's about the mind too." Tapping the side of his head with a finger. "You must picture, imagine, the thing you wish to achieve. The shapes will bend and stir to life what energies you require, but it is the mind that commands."
"Okay." Em frowns at the screen, the video finished. "But, what shapes?"
"Hmmm." Tapping a finger against my lips. "Quite."
On this, the specifics of which shapes might encourage which particular magics, the old man had been silent. So.
"Maybe the shapes aren't important?"
"How so?"
"Well." Feeling my way around my answer. "He said shapes, but he said the mind commands. So. Maybe the shapes are just as he said, to stir everything up, and then I." Shrugging. "Somehow, focus all that stirred energy into whatever I actually want doing."
"Maybe?" Frowning. Shrugging, both of us staring down at Fury, resting on Em's bed beside me. "It's possible."
"So," after a long, thoughtful, silence, Em gives my knee a nudge with hers, "what will you do now?"
"Practice I suppose?"
There's no doubt in my mind that Fury's real. No question that, once I master the apparent need to combine shapes with thoughts, anything could and should be possible. Including- breathe Kayley, keep it calm -trussing someone up.
Someone with black hair.
"You're smiling?" Em notes, nodding at me. "Something funny?"
"What?" Wiping at my lips, trying to remove the grin I hadn't known was creeping across my face. "Um. Just. You know." I laugh, my head full of images. "Thinking of some spells to cast."
"When will you practice?"
"The weekend. Sunday."
"Here?"
"Fuck no." Em laughs. I grin. "I'll go out to the park, find a quiet spot. Try to float some leaves."
"Is that all you want to do," giving me a half smile, a look that says she knows a thing, "all that magic on tap. Just to float a couple of dead leaves?"
I shrug, laptop and wand already in hand. Unwilling at this point to get into any kind of deep conversation regarding what I'd really like to be doing with my magic. Instead I leave Em to her studying, and take myself off to bed.
"What's this?"
"Thought you could use a spellbook." Em grins at me over her Sunday morning mug of tea. I've wandered downstairs, bleary eyed in just an oversize railway themed tee- Dad loves trains, he'd like it if we all did too -to find Em already dressed. Waiting.
The book, resting against an empty mug at my spot on the table, is A4 sized and hardback. The covers are green, I love green. On the front 'Spellcasting' is written in black gothic script, below which Em's drawn the symbol currently stamped on my right palm.
More gothic writing on the back, in the bottom corner. 'Property of Kayley, first wizard of the third bedroom, keeper of the fury.'
The whole thing is laminated.
"Do you like it? Sis."
"I love it." Turning the book over and back, flicking through the pages, all blank. I grin. "You did this for me? Really?"
"For you." Nodding. "I've heard all the best wizards have them."
"It's amazing." It really is, I come around the table, giving Em a hug.
"I thought I could," gesturing at the book, Em gives me a hopeful smile, "help?"
"With the," not sure how, but, with the, "spells?"
"Well. No." Em laughs. "But I can watch, take notes in the book. Help you figure it out."
"Maybe," thinking out loud, "give me some pointers. If you see something working."
"Yes." Nodding. "What do you think, Kay?"
"Sounds great." I nod, smile, Em's smile grows in response.
Em's already changed, ready. I throw on a pair of grey black jeans, a white Vans tee and my blue Adidas. Into a bag we dump the spellbook, along with pencils and pens for writing notes, or drawing diagrams. Whatever Em feels necessary. We chuck in a bottle of water each too, plus Fury of course.
Em takes her keys, locking the door behind us. We head out into the park
"Here?"
"Here." I nod, Em slips the bag off, leaning it in the shade of a nearby trunk. We're over the far side of the park, where a rising slope of trees hides a dual carriageway. "It's perfect." Nodding, bending to slip Fury out. "Anyone who can see won't be able to see much."
"True." Shading her eyes, doing a slow panoramic turn. Shaking her head. "There's nobody close."
Em sits down, putting the trunk at her back, placing the bag in her lap, resting my spellbook against the bag. "Ready." Smiling, giving me a thumbs up. "Whatever you feel like trying, sis, let's see what that stick of yours can do."
"Right." Looking down at Fury, loosely gripped in my right hand. "Let's have a go then."
"Wow."
"You think?" Grinning as I take a sip of water, quite pleased with myself.
It's been just over two hours. We've had some false starts, and plenty of what Em keeps jokingly commenting looks like me attempting one handed semaphore signalling. But, we've had successes too.
About seven pages of notes, the first five of which are solely useful techniques for focusing my thoughts. Bullet points. However silly that sounds, almost a half dozen pages just basically saying 'don't get distracted' and 'picture it happening slowly' amongst other things. It is all relevant.
Page six and seven: diagrams, wand movements, the basics of floating and moving objects around. Telekinesis.
Yes, so far all I've moved are leaves, but I'm betting the techniques are the same regardless of weight, up to a point anyway. Plus leaves, but a half dozen at once, not just one, and all moving independently of each other at times.
So. "Nailed it." Giving Em a high five, both of us laughing.
"Do you think we should try more?"
"Hmm." Thinking, Em shrugs. "Are you tired?"
"Nope."
"Headache?"
"Headache?"
"From, you know." Smiling, putting a finger either side of her head, staring intensely at me. "Too much magic."
"Oh." I laugh, she looks silly. "Nope."
"Well then, sure." Giving me a nervous smile, taking a deep breath. "How about we go home, so you can work on tying me up again?"
"What?" Spitting out my water. Coughing.
"It's what you want isn't it?"
"Um." A quick smile flicks across my face. "Well."
"Why don't I explain?"
"Okay?" Explain what? "Sure. Go ahead sis."
"Basically, it comes down to. Well." Shaking her head, tutting. Deep breath. "You've got this wand. Right?"
"I do."
"And it doesn't matter how or why, but, now you can do magic. Right?"
"Seems that way." Grinning. "Yes."
"And, do correct me here, sis." Giving me a sideways smirk. "But, from where I happened to be sitting it very much appeared the first thing you tried to do with Fury, was to tie me up."
"Oh." Em's turn to grin now, at my surprise no doubt. She nudges my shoulder with hers, since we're sat side by side. "So, sis, care to share whatever big secret has you wanting to tie people up?"
I don't tell her everything.
I get tied up, but I don't say by who. Nor do I provide much detail. Em seems content though.
"So, getting tied up," she's thinking through it, "by." A wave of her hand. I don't think she cares about specifics. "Some girl. That's what exploring was?"
"Yes." Smiling at the codeword, which maybe we won't need now. "I just," a shrug, "didn't want to share. Sorry."
"For what?" Hugging me. "We've all got secrets. Just. Promise me it isn't bullying?"
"It isn't." It is. For Ashley it is anyway. But. Well. How can it be bullying if I like it.
Was it really bullying in her room when I walked inside the house willingly? When I stripped willingly?
"It's," I can't help smiling, "more like a game."
"A game you apparently keep losing."
"Well." Blushing. "Maybe I. Um."
"You like to lose huh?" Em laughs, after a moment I do too.
"So the point is." Thinking. "You want to tie them for a change?"
"Yes." Holding up Fury, staring as I turn it left and right. "If I can."
"You did it once." Patting me on the shoulder. "And. Lucky you big sister's here, ready and willing to be experimented on."
"If you're sure?" She doesn't look sure, giving me a nervous smile. But Em shrugs. Nods and stands up. "Well." A nervous giggle. "No. But." Having packed the bag, she hoists it onto her shoulder. Giggles again. "Let's do it anyway. Come on."
Kayley.
"Em." Barging in, hands too full of laptop and Fury to knock. Too excited to knock anyway. "Em. You need to see this."
"Don't you knock?" Sounding amused, smiling as she looks up from her desk, the surface of which is strewn with college paperwork, plus her own open laptop. "It's almost ten."
"It is?" I've been in and out of too many rabbit holes since dinner, and honestly haven't looked at even the small clock on my laptop once. "Oh. Um." I want to show her. But. "If you want I can," gesturing at her door, "um?"
"No no." Standing, stretching. "I could use a good excuse to stop. Come on." Climbing up onto her bed, patting the duvet beside her. "Show me what's got you all excited."
Ashley's number still sits on my phone. I haven't used it. I doubt I ever will.
"I mean." Talking to myself, which I do often, walking to school on a wet Thursday morning. "What would I even say?" I laugh, imagining. "Hi Ash. I'm free after school tomorrow if you fancy tying me up. Meet me in the woods?"
Which is exactly what I should say. But I won't. There are no signs from Ashley that she wants me to make contact. And, without a green light from her, in whatever form it might take, I find myself unable to take that first step
Michelle and Deborah are huddled outside the gates, smoking. Tasha loitering not far away chatting on her phone. All three obviously waiting on Ashley. Walking passed I suppress a smile. Since being tied in her house, since our talk, I can't help but picture all five of Ashley's hangers on as little fluffy white sheep.
"Baaaaa." I whisper, safely inside, out of both earshot and the rain. Heading for class.
"And. Besides." Sitting on my bed one Sunday evening, Fury resting on the duvet in front of me, looking at my right palm. "I've got other issues to deal with."
Namely, the wand. Why, and how, did it work when I tied up Em? How did I manage to float that cup? And why, after two successes, did it fail on me in Ashley's back garden?
I'm not mad. Yes, I had wanted to best Ashley, for once, to see what might become of her smug winners smile once she wasn't in fact winning. But, overall, what happened instead was far from a disaster.
"And I stripped because," emerging from the woods on a Monday afternoon, feeling out of sorts, deflated, at not having been pounced upon. "Well." A shrug, a laugh. "Because she told me too." And I've made a habit these last years of doing what Ashley says where tie ups are concerned.
Which is half of the truth. The other, more complicated, is that being tied up in less clothes sounded thrilling. Fun. An interesting twist. Part of me, in that moment, wanted Ashley to see me, to see all of me.
I had been working myself up, mentally talking myself into, removing the thong, but she'd stopped me.
"Okay." Two days later. Wednesday. After school but before dinner, sat at my desk, still in uniform but with shirt a third of the way open and tie discarded on my bed, airing out. "What I need, really." Fingers hovering over the keyboard, the Google search bar sitting empty, waiting. "Is a guide. Like a," laughing, because I can't see me possibly finding a real, "beginners how to."
"Maybe." Back at my desk, feeling nicely full after a dinner of spicy enchiladas, showered and changed into small ocean blue spandex Nike shorts over yellow boy pants, and a baggy black Alton Towers tee, no bra. "Maybe," looking at my palm, remembering, "I used a picture of you to find Fury's name. So." Looking across at the wand, which is back inside my underwear drawer. "Maybe if I search Shakta-el-Furiosa, something will show up?"
"Welcome." On the screen, the YouTube video I've only just found, watching half before realising what I'd stumbled upon, an old man sits before the camera on a comfortable looking dark red leather sofa. There's a friendly smile on his face, surrounded by a well trimmed white beard. He is, really thin. Like, ill thin, looking like nothing more then a skeleton wearing shrunken pale skin underneath a too large dark blue suit. There's a cream fedora on his head, beneath which wisps of white hair are escaping.
"My name," a shake of his head, "is not important. I am here today to talk. About magic."
Em gives me a sideways, amused, look. And tuts. "Just." Pointing at the screen. "Watch."
"Okay." Holding hands up in surrender, my sister turns her attention back to the video.
"So." He gives a small nod. "My granddaughter, who has been kind enough to help a clueless old man out today, tells me that this. Video. Will be made accessible to all?" A pause, a frown but not at the camera. A nod as his question is answered. "That is. Well." Scratching his beard. "At this late hour, it is a risk worth taking."
"Though many of you will no doubt see this, and hear my words. And, though some of you who do may even learn some small thing from them. My words." Raising his right hand, a clenched fist. "Are meant only for one of you."
The old man opens his fist. I hear Em gasp, I smile. On his weathered palm is a symbol, in black. I have the same one. "If you are seeing this, keeper of Shakta-el-Furiosa? Then, consider my words all the. Genuine. Help, you are likely to receive."
Leaning forwards, I pause the video. Turn to face my sister, right hand laid on my lap, palm open.
"It really happened then?"
"Yes." I know what she means: her room, that evening. "Um. Sorry?"
"Sorry?" Frowning. Then she laughs. "Right. Ha. Sorry you used a magic wand to walk through the wall and tie me up." She waves a hand at me. "S' fine. I get tied up all the time."
"You do?" Shocked, all the times I've been tied running through my head like a checklist. Maybe we should compare notes? "Well. How.... Oh." She's laughing, and I, because I am a little bit tie up obsessed, fell for it. "Fuck you."
I laugh too, because it is funny, and because I'm glad she isn't mad at me for something I really wasn't trying to do.
Not to her anyway.
We watch the rest of the video. There are wands, plural, laid out on a low light coloured wooden table before him. Em laughs as he selects Harry Potters, from the movies, of which I've only seen number four. But before picking up Harry's wand his fingers linger, for a moment, on Fury. He taps it, looking up directly into the camera, directly at me it feels in that moment. A small smile chases itself across his lips, and he nods. Once.
"Every wizard needs a wand." Standing, Harry's wand grasped loosely in his right hand. "So. Allow me to show you some of the basics."
"It's all about the shapes, you see." Twirling the wand in an upwards spiral. "But it's about the mind too." Tapping the side of his head with a finger. "You must picture, imagine, the thing you wish to achieve. The shapes will bend and stir to life what energies you require, but it is the mind that commands."
"Okay." Em frowns at the screen, the video finished. "But, what shapes?"
"Hmmm." Tapping a finger against my lips. "Quite."
On this, the specifics of which shapes might encourage which particular magics, the old man had been silent. So.
"Maybe the shapes aren't important?"
"How so?"
"Well." Feeling my way around my answer. "He said shapes, but he said the mind commands. So. Maybe the shapes are just as he said, to stir everything up, and then I." Shrugging. "Somehow, focus all that stirred energy into whatever I actually want doing."
"Maybe?" Frowning. Shrugging, both of us staring down at Fury, resting on Em's bed beside me. "It's possible."
"So," after a long, thoughtful, silence, Em gives my knee a nudge with hers, "what will you do now?"
"Practice I suppose?"
There's no doubt in my mind that Fury's real. No question that, once I master the apparent need to combine shapes with thoughts, anything could and should be possible. Including- breathe Kayley, keep it calm -trussing someone up.
Someone with black hair.
"You're smiling?" Em notes, nodding at me. "Something funny?"
"What?" Wiping at my lips, trying to remove the grin I hadn't known was creeping across my face. "Um. Just. You know." I laugh, my head full of images. "Thinking of some spells to cast."
"When will you practice?"
"The weekend. Sunday."
"Here?"
"Fuck no." Em laughs. I grin. "I'll go out to the park, find a quiet spot. Try to float some leaves."
"Is that all you want to do," giving me a half smile, a look that says she knows a thing, "all that magic on tap. Just to float a couple of dead leaves?"
I shrug, laptop and wand already in hand. Unwilling at this point to get into any kind of deep conversation regarding what I'd really like to be doing with my magic. Instead I leave Em to her studying, and take myself off to bed.
"What's this?"
"Thought you could use a spellbook." Em grins at me over her Sunday morning mug of tea. I've wandered downstairs, bleary eyed in just an oversize railway themed tee- Dad loves trains, he'd like it if we all did too -to find Em already dressed. Waiting.
The book, resting against an empty mug at my spot on the table, is A4 sized and hardback. The covers are green, I love green. On the front 'Spellcasting' is written in black gothic script, below which Em's drawn the symbol currently stamped on my right palm.
More gothic writing on the back, in the bottom corner. 'Property of Kayley, first wizard of the third bedroom, keeper of the fury.'
The whole thing is laminated.
"Do you like it? Sis."
"I love it." Turning the book over and back, flicking through the pages, all blank. I grin. "You did this for me? Really?"
"For you." Nodding. "I've heard all the best wizards have them."
"It's amazing." It really is, I come around the table, giving Em a hug.
"I thought I could," gesturing at the book, Em gives me a hopeful smile, "help?"
"With the," not sure how, but, with the, "spells?"
"Well. No." Em laughs. "But I can watch, take notes in the book. Help you figure it out."
"Maybe," thinking out loud, "give me some pointers. If you see something working."
"Yes." Nodding. "What do you think, Kay?"
"Sounds great." I nod, smile, Em's smile grows in response.
Em's already changed, ready. I throw on a pair of grey black jeans, a white Vans tee and my blue Adidas. Into a bag we dump the spellbook, along with pencils and pens for writing notes, or drawing diagrams. Whatever Em feels necessary. We chuck in a bottle of water each too, plus Fury of course.
Em takes her keys, locking the door behind us. We head out into the park
"Here?"
"Here." I nod, Em slips the bag off, leaning it in the shade of a nearby trunk. We're over the far side of the park, where a rising slope of trees hides a dual carriageway. "It's perfect." Nodding, bending to slip Fury out. "Anyone who can see won't be able to see much."
"True." Shading her eyes, doing a slow panoramic turn. Shaking her head. "There's nobody close."
Em sits down, putting the trunk at her back, placing the bag in her lap, resting my spellbook against the bag. "Ready." Smiling, giving me a thumbs up. "Whatever you feel like trying, sis, let's see what that stick of yours can do."
"Right." Looking down at Fury, loosely gripped in my right hand. "Let's have a go then."
"Wow."
"You think?" Grinning as I take a sip of water, quite pleased with myself.
It's been just over two hours. We've had some false starts, and plenty of what Em keeps jokingly commenting looks like me attempting one handed semaphore signalling. But, we've had successes too.
About seven pages of notes, the first five of which are solely useful techniques for focusing my thoughts. Bullet points. However silly that sounds, almost a half dozen pages just basically saying 'don't get distracted' and 'picture it happening slowly' amongst other things. It is all relevant.
Page six and seven: diagrams, wand movements, the basics of floating and moving objects around. Telekinesis.
Yes, so far all I've moved are leaves, but I'm betting the techniques are the same regardless of weight, up to a point anyway. Plus leaves, but a half dozen at once, not just one, and all moving independently of each other at times.
So. "Nailed it." Giving Em a high five, both of us laughing.
"Do you think we should try more?"
"Hmm." Thinking, Em shrugs. "Are you tired?"
"Nope."
"Headache?"
"Headache?"
"From, you know." Smiling, putting a finger either side of her head, staring intensely at me. "Too much magic."
"Oh." I laugh, she looks silly. "Nope."
"Well then, sure." Giving me a nervous smile, taking a deep breath. "How about we go home, so you can work on tying me up again?"
"What?" Spitting out my water. Coughing.
"It's what you want isn't it?"
"Um." A quick smile flicks across my face. "Well."
"Why don't I explain?"
"Okay?" Explain what? "Sure. Go ahead sis."
"Basically, it comes down to. Well." Shaking her head, tutting. Deep breath. "You've got this wand. Right?"
"I do."
"And it doesn't matter how or why, but, now you can do magic. Right?"
"Seems that way." Grinning. "Yes."
"And, do correct me here, sis." Giving me a sideways smirk. "But, from where I happened to be sitting it very much appeared the first thing you tried to do with Fury, was to tie me up."
"Oh." Em's turn to grin now, at my surprise no doubt. She nudges my shoulder with hers, since we're sat side by side. "So, sis, care to share whatever big secret has you wanting to tie people up?"
I don't tell her everything.
I get tied up, but I don't say by who. Nor do I provide much detail. Em seems content though.
"So, getting tied up," she's thinking through it, "by." A wave of her hand. I don't think she cares about specifics. "Some girl. That's what exploring was?"
"Yes." Smiling at the codeword, which maybe we won't need now. "I just," a shrug, "didn't want to share. Sorry."
"For what?" Hugging me. "We've all got secrets. Just. Promise me it isn't bullying?"
"It isn't." It is. For Ashley it is anyway. But. Well. How can it be bullying if I like it.
Was it really bullying in her room when I walked inside the house willingly? When I stripped willingly?
"It's," I can't help smiling, "more like a game."
"A game you apparently keep losing."
"Well." Blushing. "Maybe I. Um."
"You like to lose huh?" Em laughs, after a moment I do too.
"So the point is." Thinking. "You want to tie them for a change?"
"Yes." Holding up Fury, staring as I turn it left and right. "If I can."
"You did it once." Patting me on the shoulder. "And. Lucky you big sister's here, ready and willing to be experimented on."
"If you're sure?" She doesn't look sure, giving me a nervous smile. But Em shrugs. Nods and stands up. "Well." A nervous giggle. "No. But." Having packed the bag, she hoists it onto her shoulder. Giggles again. "Let's do it anyway. Come on."