The Succubus's Plaything

Chapter 18: A Quick Study Sesh

I am doing my best to study when I hear the front door opening along with footsteps. Sara took quite a bit longer than I got the impression that she would, but that's alright. I've been learning anyway, and I suppose we have all evening to find a fix for my neck.

"I'm home!" I hear my sister call out.

I yawn and stretch before exiting my room to meet her.

Before opening the door however into the living room I pause for a moment and listen. It sounds like chattering and I sigh a little bit in horror realizing that she decided to make good on her threat about bringing "backup."

I cover my neck instinctively as I open the door, and as if I haven't been shocked enough already today, I completely freeze up now. The person standing next to Sara is Inesa of all people.

It's almost as if I am living in an anime or manga or something, because of course this is what would happen!

"W-What are you doing here!?" I shudder, trying to keep it cool.

"Well, it's actually completely unrelated to my threat, but it worked out fine." My sister answers me on Inesa's behalf. "We were planning a study session of our own, so I figured why not get two birds with one stone."

I look over at Inesa who just nervously crosses her arms while avoiding my eye contact.

Really?.. After what she did to me she's the one who's nervous!?

Sara quickly hangs up her coat and grabs the coat of her best friend, and then she all but shoves Inesa towards me and out of the hallway.

"So.. How are you doing?" Inesa asks me whilst covering the side of her neck with her hand. The gesture once again reminds me of the hickey on my own neck.

"I uhm.. I'm good.. How about you?" I'm not entirely sure how to react other than default small-talk.

"Well aren't you two cute." Inesa nearly jumps at the sudden voice behind her. "If I didn't know any better I'd think that this was flirting." My sister then proceeds to remove her shoes and make her way past us and into the living room.

The both of us just go silent and I spin away from Inesa to hide my blush. Why did that get me!? Of course we aren't flirting!

Although by hiding my own cheeks, I miss the red appearing on hers.

"You guys gonna come in or just linger in the entrance?"

"Coming.." I mutter to myself and follow Sara. Inesa slips off her shoes and follows close behind, her soft footsteps barely audible.

...

We are sitting around the living room coffee table in silence, only occasionally disturbing the utter peace in order to ask about a question or concept that one of us failed to grasp- well, me or Inesa. Sara seems to know everything, and explains everything which we ask about both simply and concisely.

Both Inesa and I have chosen to focus on math, and despite being the organizer of this study session, Sara isn't even studying, and instead she is just half-laying-half-sitting on the floor with a light novel.

I find myself repeatedly glancing at her in slight jealousy, and I notice Inesa doing the same. However whenever either of us try to bring it up, she only says that besides the fact that she has already studied, it would just be a waste of time to try and study while having to constantly tutor, and since she seems to have an answer to every question, there is no arguing with her.

After a couple hours of pretty much the same thing and switching subjects a couple times, Sara slams her book shut and lets out a large sigh.

"Not to interrupt the flow, but considering the time, we really need to attend to the other issue." Me and Inesa look up at my sister in surprise at being seemingly released, but when she points at me my mood once again sinks. Yeey..

For some reason I spy a terrifying and seemingly excited look in her eyes and she quickly stand up. "It's a good thing I brought the expert!" She exclaims with a grin and with her finger pointed at Inesa. Despite probably being the most entertained one here, she seems the happiest of us all present to have something else to do.

"Hey, the only reason I'm an "expert" as you call it, is because I had all that practice on you." Inesa speaks up almost as a disclaimer.

"Wait what? Practice on you!? What happened to you!?" I immediately realize what Inesa just said and press the matter. I remember thinking something like that before when my sister mentioned "relating a bit to my situation" but decided not to mention anything.

"I.. Ehm.." Sara suddenly is at a loss for words, but before she has the time to explain herself Inesa once again cuts in with an evil smirk.

"Sara used to get those hickeys all the time back in her rebellious stage before becoming all sober-like. In fact, I even gave her her first one when she made the mistake of mentioning being curious what a neck-kiss would feel like."

I blush at the thought, but Sara pounces at her friend with a pillow in both hands.

"You told me you wouldn't speak to anyone about that!" She exclaims accusingly while trying to pin Inesa down with the pillow.

But despite Sara looking like the definite stronger one, Inesa succeeds in deterring her aggressor without even breaking a sweat.

"And I stand by that! But considering you two basically have the same DNA, I figured that Hal doesn't count!"

"Like hell he does! Besides! I'm the book smart one here, don't even try to use your half-ass biology knowledge to skirt the rules!"

At that Inesa gives Sara a smug smile at which my sister just glares back.

"So.. Uhm.. My neck? How to fix?" I ask carefully. I kind of want to inquire further, but I think I'll do that once my thoughts are gathered a bit more.. So Inesa stole both mine and my sister's first neck-kiss? I don't know if I like that revelation.. Come to think of it, Inesa stole my first kiss on the lips as well. I sigh grimly.

"Right!" Sara once again shoots up, more than happy to distract from the self-compromising conversation. Once stood, she also nearly-skips off to her room, waving for us to follow.

Now alone in the room, Inesa and I accidentally allow our eyes to meet, but I break the contact immediately and stand up to follow after Sara.

Once again I hear Inesa's footsteps close behind.