Strangetown, Here We Come: Chapter Thirty-One - part one

[strangetomato]

Warnings: language, sexual situations, partial sim nudity, LOTS of cartoon breasts, a fairly detailed depiction of a sexual act, NSFW



Chapter Thirty-One

Part One







It was the opening night of the play, and Ripp waited for his cue backstage.




His mind drifted, soaring through the events of the past year.

It had been nothing he could have ever expected, and he was still unsure about where it all would lead. One thing was certain: college was ending, and things were changing. He couldn't stop them from changing, and he had no idea where he'd go from there.






It had all started with that kiss. The first one, with Ophelia. It was a little hazy, the memory surrounded in clouds of bubble, but he remembered it perfectly.




It felt like his life had started right there. In many ways, it had.

Then nearly ended the very next day.




After the kiss, and after the fallout with Johnny, they all fell into some uneasy balance with each other, where they went on as they always had, but it was different. They knew. They were all thrown together in this uneasy and precarious balance, avoiding the topic, but still aware of each other. Doing it anyway. It was the most exciting moment of his life.

Nothing was quite the same after that. Well, some things didn't change, but things were different too. It felt different.

The semester went by quickly.






The parts were announced for the play.










Assignments were worked on.




They went about their daily routines.










They cooked meals and ate together.








A variety of extracurricular activities kept them busy.




Fundraisers were contributed to.






And they changed and adjusted to new situations all around.










A prominent example of this was the unveiling of Buck's paintings at the student art show.






Johnny stared, dumbfounded, gobsmacked, at the sight of his naked sister, there on the canvas. It was artful, well rendered, and undeniably sexually charged.




His sister.

She was sleeping with Buck Grunt.




"So, do you reckon they're 'doin' it?'" Beau appeared over his shoulder.




Johnny spun around and looked at him. Beau was halted, momentarily, by the look on Johnny's face. He seemed very confused, and a little disturbed.

"Are they screwing, I mean. Do you think they're screwing each other?"

Johnny exploded. "Who even ARE you? Do I know you? Why are you here?!"




"I'm Beau. Beau Broke."




"Who the hell is that supposed to be? Why?! Why are you here?! I've never even seen you before in my life!"




Beau was actually stunned into silence, and started to slowly back away.

"I think you broke Johnny's brain," Lucy said, to Buck.




"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny..." Ripp began, slowly placing his hands on Johnny's arm, unsure if it was really a good idea. Johnny barely noticed. He was looking at Buck.




"Johnny," Ripp said, "She's a grown woman. If she wants to sleep with Buck, that's completely normal."




"My baby sister..."

"It's okay, John. She hasn't been a baby for a long time now."

"God, is Tank next in line? You Grunts are like a pack of wolves, circling in on her."




"Johnny, Buck is a good kid, okay? He loves her. He's not like me, being a dumb shit all hopped up on painkillers. It means something to him. Well, not that she didn't mean anything to me, but I was obviously too stupid to know how to handle it."

"You were on drugs?"

"What? Who said that?"




"Ripp, I hope you have more sense than that."

Ripp smiled, happy to have distracted Johnny's disapproval to a more appropriate target: himself. "I don't do those anymore. Or anything very harsh, really." After Jaxy overdosed herself into the hospital, he wouldn't dream of it. Talk about a wake up call. "I'm all about clean living now. Just some bubble here and there. That's it."

"You blow bubble?!"

Ophelia walked into the gallery.




"Phi, did you know that Ripp blows bubble?" Ripp started to laugh, and Ophelia whacked him in the arm, trying to keep him from ratting her out.

"Phi? What? You knew?"

"Johnny, just think about some of the things Ripp does in the run of a day. He's obviously been high on bubble the whole time we've been in college."




"You're a bubblehead?!"

"I'm not THAT bad. Besides, it's completely harmless, Johnny."

"It rots your brain, Ripp!" Johnny said. "Can you really afford to lose any of your brain?"

"Hey!"

"Really, though. How much can you possibly spare?"




"Plenty! I'm a fucking genius, okay?"

"It probably lowers your sperm count too."

"Good."

"Is impotence good? I've heard it can do that. Didn't think about that, did you? I will laugh so hard if that happens to you."

"Phi did it too," Ripp said.

"What?!"




"Phi did some bubble too. If you're going to lecture me, you should lecture her too."

"I did it once, Ripp. Hardly the same thing."

"You did it once?" Johnny asked. "Why didn't I know?"

"Well, I thought you'd lecture me... and I was right."




"Yeah, Johnny," Ripp said, "maybe you'd get included more if you were less of a fucking prig about things."

"I'm not," he said, but it obviously struck home. "I just worry."

"I know you do," Phi said, "and we appreciate it. Right, Ripp?"

"Impotence - Bah! That doesn't scare me. I could spare to lose some sex drive. I wouldn't even miss it."

"It takes away your ability, not your desire, genius."




"Really? That's... awful."

"Yeah. That would be the idea."




Jill had held back, quietly stewing in her anger, allowing Johnny to have his little scene before she stepped in to chew his head off. By her estimation, he deserved it. Where did he get his nerve, yelling at Beau like that? What right did he have to be upset? He assumed it was any of business. That was Johnny's problem. That was one of Johnny's numerous problems.

She took a step forward, but was halted by Buck's hand on her shoulder. It was gentle, but firm. He smiled at her, turned away, and began to cross the room.

He wanted to handle it himself, so Jill let him.




Buck walked over to them, which obviously took a great deal of courage. "So, umm, what do you think?"

Johnny let him sweat it out for a couple of moments before answering.




"I think they're very well done. It looks just like her. Though I could do without seeing Jill's..."

"Naughty bits," Ripp added in. "Boobies."

"Yeah, that. But they're nice paintings, and she seems... happy, I guess?"

"She is happy," Buck said. "Or I like to think so, anyway." He paused, feeling awkward, like he should ask for Johnny's blessing, but he would have no idea how to word something like that.




Johnny didn't need him to. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. Good luck to you. Don't let Jill walk all over you, okay? I know what she's like."

Buck smiled. He knew what Jill was like too, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"How do you know he doesn't want to be walked all over, John?" Ripp asked, grinning. "Sounds good to me."

"La la la la..." Johnny said, covering his ears. He began to walk away, slipping his arm around Ophelia and sweeping her along with him as he went.

Ripp winked at Buck, then followed behind them.






Buck, after returning to his group of friends, watched as they walked away.

"So, do you reckon THEY'RE 'doin' it?'" Beau appeared over his shoulder.








Triple bolters.

It was how sims described a pair that had such perfect chemistry and passion for each other that they just couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was a desire so consuming that nothing else mattered.

It didn't happen very often, and when it did, it was impossible to deny it. These sims fell into each other's arms so effortlessly. Then, if love was also given a chance to bloom, these pairs almost always stuck together. They married, or committed. They were in it for the long haul.

Some people never found this. They waited a whole lifetime for that special sim to show up, but the best they ever got was one or two bolts. They never found their triple bolter.






Ophelia had two of them.

Maybe that was unfair, but it was true. She knew that they were both triple bolters for her. How could she deny either of them?




That's to mention nothing of the fact that she wanted them too.

She wanted them both. They were different, but they went together so well, as a set. She didn't know which of them she preferred, but she did know that she liked Johnny and Ripp better than either Johnny or Ripp. She thought about the many ways that might play out, from the day to day things they did now, to the thought of sleeping between two warm bodies, completely surrounded and completely safe.

Being surrounded completely.

In bed.




She thought about that in every way one might think about it. Was that so wrong?

Sometimes she felt unworthy, like she was asking too much, but she was hardly the first sim to ever do this. Like any responsible person, she had done some research on the subject. It was far more common for one man to have multiple wives, but the opposite was hardly without precedent. In some cultures it was downright common. And how many people simply carried on with more than one person without even telling them? Was there really any harm in what they were doing, if they were all aware of it, and were okay with it?






Ophelia wasn't foolish enough to think that everyone was perfectly okay with it. She was keeping her eyes open, watching for cracks in the veneer.




Though it was her nature to worry, she tried not to worry about it too much.




She kept herself busy with her flowers, as usual, and her schoolwork. She'd begun to consider what she would do after college. She had recently discovered that her parents had left her a trust fund, and though they had been very generous philantrophists, leaving all of their money to the charities and causes they had worked for while alive, they had set aside enough to give her security.

It would give her a great deal of security.

He hadn't mentioned it to the boys yet. She didn't think it would make a difference either way, but she thought it best to wait a while. She was also thinking about what she would do, work-wise. Social work seemed to be the best bet, with her degree, and it would be a way to carry on with the legacy of her parents in her own way. There was also the flowers, and she hoped to continue to do that too.

She had been wondering about the snapdragons. Florence had mentioned it, and there was also her own observations, and the continued positive effect they had been having on Nervous. There was some healing, almost magical property there, and she didn't understand it.






She decided to take them to the Biology department, to see if anyone could help her.




"Anyone" turned out to be an enthusiastic young student named Bottom Summerdream.




"It's very peculiar," said Bottom, "but they do seem sort of... special." She nearly said magical, but stopped herself. "They don't happen to come from abroad, do they?"




"Well, I ordered the seeds, the first few packs, from an online seller in Veronaville."

"Well," said Bottom, "there you go. That makes sense, but still I haven't ever seen anything like this before."

"Well, I've been seeding them myself since then. Collecting the seeds and using those. The mist wasn't always there, but it started to develop as I resowed them."

"Very interesting. Did you cross-breed the flowers?"




"Not intentionally, but they were growing in the same bed, so maybe it did happen."

"Proximity can often cause such things to happen naturally," Bottom said.

Ophelia couldn't agree more. She nodded. "Yes."

"And change is often gradual... and surprising. Nature is a wonderful thing."

Ophelia looked at the mist billowing up from the flowers. Some things just couldn't be explained.




"Bottom?"

"Yes?"

"This is going to seem like an odd question..." She reached out and touched the stem of the flower, just as a puff of mist was released into the air. "But, well, do you believe in supernatural things? In magic, for example?"

Bottom paused, and grew very serious. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I don't know. It's just, some things... how else could you explain them? You're from Veronaville, right? Do you believe in what they say about magic and faeries and all that?"




"Do I believe in faeries?"

"Well, I mean... I know they exist, but are they what people say they are?"

"People say a lot of things."

"I know. They do." Ophelia knew this firsthand. "But, well, what do you think is true?"




"Well, I only know what I've seen myself. Everything else... well, how can you be sure anything is real unless you study it and see it with your own eyes? That's why science is my life now. I know things because we've tested it, and proven it to be true. But even that is changing all the time. The only sensible way to be is to constantly ask questions."

Ophelia nodded.

"And I have to say that I don't know much about the truth behind faeries," Bottom said, brushing her hair back from her face to reveal her ear.




"... and I am one."

"Oh," said Ophelia, "I didn't -"

"It's okay. I didn't want you to. I keep it hidden for a reason."

"I guess you must get a lot of stupid questions."

"Well, not so much anymore."

"They're very pretty... your ears, I mean."

"Well, thank you, Ophelia."




"You can keep the flowers. To do some tests, and whatever else you need to do."

"That would be great."

"Thank you for helping me."




"Maybe we can meet to discuss my findings, once I've had time to examine them. Go for coffee, or something like that."

"Oh," she said, a little shocked at the offer. It was sudden, but not really too forward. She'd always wondered how people just asked to hang out with someone new like that, so casually. "That sounds nice. I'd love to." Ophelia imagined what it might be like to have Bottom as a friend.

"Great. It will be nice to talk plants with a girl for a change. It's a bit of a sausage party around here. Just between you and me, the fellows in my program can be a little tedious. Boys really do seem to mature more slowly than women, as a rule."

"Yes, maybe that's true." As much as she loved them, Ophelia agreed that a little break from testosterone might be a welcome change.




"No, really. They're like children at times. And helpless too. I swear some of them go right from their mother to their wife, and have no idea how to look after themselves. One guy in my class actually expected me to do all the cleaning after our lab together, and he was dead serious. I was aghast."

"Wow. Yeah, that's a little presumptuous."

"It's a little archaic, you mean.




"It wasn't like that in my family," Bottom continued. "My parents are equal partners; two individuals who happen to live under the same roof. They taught us all how to fend for ourselves. I know how to restore a piece of scrap into a vehicle, and my brother can prepare a three course meal. Tasks weren't sorted by gender. How silly! Everyone learned to do everything in my home. That's how it should be, if you ask me."

Ophelia nodded. "Do you come from a large family?"

"Yeah, I do. My parents are always taking in a new child... all adopted, until Nuala came along."




"She's their only biological child, and it was pretty unexpected." She smiled at Ophelia, trying not to make her feel uncomfortable. "Fertility issues. No big deal, really. Happens all the time, right?" She played it off as a personal thing, and not a race-wide problem, though it was exactly that.

"Sure," Ophelia offered. "It happens."




"So, there are eleven of us altogether now, including Titania and Oberon - those are my parents. They don't go in for the whole Mom and Dad thing, so we use their proper names. I'm the second oldest. It's Puck, me, Hippolyta, Helena - they're twins - Nuala, Morgan, and our newest additions, Mab, Lorelei, and Doli. The youngest are still toddlers."

"Wow. That's a pretty large family."




"Yeah, but we're used to it. Titania is sort of addicted to children. She wants at least 10 of them. Some would say it's an impossible want, but she's nearly there. Oberon's just as bad, honestly, and he handles a good portion of the child-rearing and teaching. We're all home-schooled."

"That's a lot to take on with such a big family."

"Well, after a while, the kids practically raise themselves, as the say. We like it. We have a large property, so it helps to fill the place up. It's a nonstop party, really." She realized that she was monopolizing the conversation. "Sorry, I'm just gabbing your ears off, aren't I? So how about you, then? What's your family like?"




"I'm an only child," Ophelia said, as if apologizing.

"Oooh, I see. Well, I won't give you the whole "spoiled, rotten" routine, but I'll bet they're pretty overprotective of you. Do you get a phone call every night? My friend, Lucy, has parents like that, though with her it's usually her father. He's such a sweetheart."

Ophelia considered how best she should explain. "Well, no. Actually, my parents aren't alive anymore. They both died when I was still pretty young. But if they were around, I'm sure you'd be right about the phone call."

"I'm sorry to hear that."




"It's okay. It was a long time ago."

"I'll bet it still hurts, though."

Ophelia smiled, but her eyes were sad. "Thank you, Bottom. I really appreciate your help with this."

"It's my pleasure, dear."






"Change is often gradual. Change is often surprising."




Change isn't always easy. Ripp, though arguably the member of their "family" who was most pleased by the change in dynamic, was also most likely the one experiencing the most fundamental emotional shift.

He was in love.




When he cut his hair, it felt like he had let go of more than just the hair. He let go of some of the longing too. Ophelia wanted him, even though she knew almost everything about him, and that made him feel like he might actually be worth a damn. He even found himself almost completely uninterested in other women, preferring to spend time with her. He wasn't getting any, or any from anyone but himself anyway, and he was okay with that.

He could have gone out and dragged someone off if he had wanted to, just as he always had, but it didn't appeal to him anymore. It felt hollow... empty. The desire wasn't there. There was only one person who could give him what he really wanted, what he needed, and even just hanging around waiting for her permission to proceed was more thrilling than getting it from dozens of other women. A simple look from Ophelia was better than being fucked raw by anyone else.

This revelation was exceedingly frightening to him.




What if he fucked it all up? What if he did something to ruin it? What if Ophelia, or Johnny, or both decided that they didn't want him around anymore? If forced to choose, who would she pick? And what, then, would happen to him and Johnny? He didn't want to lose either of them, but the idea of being left behind, completely alone, was worse. He couldn't let it all fall apart on him. The idea terrified him.

As did the idea that he might fall from grace in her eyes by pushing her to move beyond her own pace, as much as he sometimes wanted to. Sometimes he felt like begging her for just a taste of what he might have, one grateful lick, or maybe a whole mouthful. But then he realized that the more he tasted her, the more he hungered, and it would never satisfy him. Even if she let him, and maybe she would if he prodded her, he didn't want to rush into having sex with her. He wanted to do things the right way for once. He didn't want her to have any doubts about his sincerity.








Besides, it would be so much hotter if she came to him first, and asked him for it.






If she pushed him down onto the bed, or any reasonably comfortable surface, and climbed up onto him, he'd probably burst into flames.




He burned all over even thinking about it.








It made the hours at the flower shop go by quickly.








Ophelia also appreciated the time alone with Ripp, though she often had to remind him that he should be working instead of goofing around and flirting with her.




Sometimes he listened too well.




She knew it was him job to charm the customers into buying flowers, but sometimes he seemed like he was doing his job a little too well. The churning she felt in the pit of her stomach when she saw him speaking to pretty girls took her by surprise. It wasn't anything new from Ripp, but she couldn't think of him the same way. It wasn't really her place to say anything, but the jealousy came all the same.






"Hey Phi, Pretty Phi, won't you look at me?" Ripp sang the dorky improvised song, completely oblivious.

Ophelia wanted to smile and cry all at the same time. She didn't turn around.




"Phi? Phi, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."




"What? No, you're not happy. What did I do?"

"I don't know... you seemed like you liked that girl in the pigtails an awful lot."

"What? I was just selling her flowers. I barely even noticed that she was a girl."

"Ripp..."

"Okay, so I noticed, but there wasn't anything going on. Is that what's bothering you? You're not jealous, are you?"

"No. Why would I be jealous? You were just flirting with her. It's really none of my business, right?"




"I wasn't flirting with her, Phi. I was just trying to dazzle her with my salesmanship. The only person I wanted to flirt with in there was you."

"But she was so pretty, and -"

"Phi, she didn't even have an ass."

"Oh, like that's such a good thing."

"Are you kidding me?! Your ass is like my favourite thing in the whole world. My whole fucking life revolves around watching it and following it around. I'm like this planet that orbits your ass."

"You're just saying that."




Ripp edged closer to her, and reached down and got himself a handful. "No, I'm not. This is high quality booty, right here. I live for this."

"Really?"

"Why wouldn't I? It's perfect. You didn't know that? You're like a fucking goddess, Phi. So soft and round and sexy." He leaned into her. "Why would I want someone like her when I can have you?"

"Who says you can have me?"




"You do... if it's what you want." He grinned. "Do you?"

"Maybe."

"You're killing me, you know that."




Ophelia leaned forward to where his lips eagerly awaited hers, and let them do the talking for her, showing him just how much she wanted that.








In almost no time at all, they had somehow ended up in Hunters park, and were making out in the Super Tower in the playground.






Ripp finally came up for air. "Oww, this thing is is death on my knees."

"Yeah, it's not great on my back either."

It had seemed like a great idea at the time, but things rarely worked out as neatly in reality as they did in fantasy.




"If the ground wasn't so wet, we could roll around in the grass... or sneak under those bushes over there."

"The bushes? Ripp, that's..." Ophelia gave him a mischievious grin. It was rough and nasty, that was what it was. And it was exactly what she wanted from him at that moment.




"You know, we could continue this at home...Johnny won't be back for a few hours."

"All to ourselves, huh? While the cat's away..."





One they were back home, his wish to be overcome by Ophelia finally came true, and she tackled him, pinning him to the bed. She was hungrily kissing him, and he was in heaven. He wanted to be devoured, consumed. He wanted to be completely used up by her.




Ripp was suddenly very aware of the situation, and how lucky he was to be there with her, kissing her. She was everything he wanted in a woman and then some. He was mesmerized by her soft, dark skin and her round curves, and the way she radiated sex in such a quiet, unassuming way. He could look at her, touch her, smell her, and taste her, over and over again. He would never get enough. It was bliss.




And that was just her body. That was just the beautiful package that contained the gift that was Ophelia Nigmos.




"You're beautiful," he said.

"You always say that. Is that all you can say?"

"Well, it's true. You are. It's not just how you look... well you know what I mean..."




"Do I?"

"Yeah... you know..."

"How can you be so sure? Why not just say what you really mean?"




Ripp paused, and his smiled faded. He sat up, got to his feet, and walked to the other side of the room.

"Ripp?"

He didn't respond.




"Ripp, what's wrong?" She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing's wrong. I just needed to stand up."

"Look, I'm sorry... I shouldn't press you like that. You don't have to explain."




"I love you."




He reached to bring her closer, to draw her into his arms. "I love you, Ophelia. You know that, right?"

"Yes," she said, "I know it."




"I've loved you... always. It's just so hard to put into words. It doesn't even sound right. Like it's not enough."

"It's enough." She ran her hand along his cheek, leaning her forehead into his. "Ripp, I love you too."

"Phi..."




He thought his heart would burst. Had he been so truly unprepared for this revelation? Like Ophelia, he had known it, surely, but to hear her say it...

She had been right, as always. Putting it into words made a huge difference. It made it real.

"I love you so much." He held her face in his hands, then moved them down to encircle her, moving hands over as much of her as he could. He held her tightly.




"I've never said that to anyone before," he said, "Not that way. Just with family. And, well... with Johnny."

"and Johnny..." She smiled and kissed him. "our Johnny."

"... our Johnny." He smiled in return.

"We're an odd little bunch, aren't we?"

"We'd have to be, I guess."

"Do you think we could really do this?"

"I hope so."

"I do too."




Ophelia began to unbutton Ripp's shirt. By the time she made it to the fourth button, Ripp couldn't contain himself any longer, and he swept her up off the floor and tossed her down onto the bed.




He climbed over her and sank himself down against her, pressing his weight into her body, feeling her all over him. Like that, that was how he wanted to be: on her, against her, around her, inside her.

"Phi..." She felt a quiver go through him. She ran her fingers through his hair. He looked at her, questioningly. "Should we?"

"Let's just... see what happens."




"I want you so bad." He pressed the evidence against her body, letting himself fall into that instinctive rhythm.

"Mmmm... just kiss me." She felt herself get lost in it. She gave in to the movement of his body, as perfect and natural as she'd always imagined it would feel.




Different from Johnny, but still so familiar.

So right.

It was around this time that Johnny arrived home. The noise was subtle, but it drew him to the bedroom.




He found them.

He walked in on them.

Part of him wanted to grab Ripp, throw him off of her, and fall onto him screaming and clawing like a wild animal. Part of him felt embarrassed to have walked in on them, like he shouldn't disturb them. They were so rapt, so passionate, and so very face down in each other.




There was also a part of him that was drawn in, a part of Johnny that sort of, just maybe, wanted to keep watching.

He couldn't look away.




Ripp was bowing down before her, worshiping her body with such perfect reverence. That was Ripp in his most essential state. It was his element.

Johnny felt like he was seeing Ripp, really seeing him, for the very first time.




It was sublime.

Johnny was still "just watching" when his breath caught sharply and Ripp's eyes darted upward from his task to meet his. Johnny bolted from the room.




"Johnny." He raced after him, pausing only to trip over his boxers as he pulled them back on. "Johnny!"




"What?!"

"Are you okay?"

"No! How can I be okay?"

"Speak to me."




Johnny turned around and shoved him up against the wall.






"What do you want me to say?"

"I..."

"Well?"




"Let's just talk this through."




"Talk?! God, we've talked and talked, but it's not the same thing as living it, is it?"

"No, I guess not. It's not -"

"I mean, what the fuck are we DOING here? This is crazy."

"Is it?"




"I don't know... yeah. It's insane. People don't do this. It's not normal."

"Normal... you make that sound so easy."

"God, aren't there LAWS against this sort of thing?"

"Not the last time I checked," he said, "Look, Johnny... if you want me to stop - "

"Could you?" He didn't seem convinced. "Could you actually stop?"




"Maybe not, but I could try. I mean, if you really wanted me to, I would. I'd try."

Johnny sighed. "Have you... slept with her?"

"No," he said, "I haven't."

"Really? You're sure?"

"No, I'm not sure. It's the sort of thing I'd easily forget."




"You don't have to be an asshole about it."

"I haven't slept with her. That, back there..." He gestured back in the direction of Ophelia's bedroom. "That was the first time we've even done that." He rubbed his eye and moved back to his temple. "I didn't want to do that like I have with other girls. Ophelia is different. She's Ophelia. You know what I mean?"

"You love her," Johnny said. His tone suggested that it was more of an observation than a question. He could tell that much just by looking at Ripp. The way he had been touching her, it was clear that he completely revered her. It was more than just sex for him. He could see it right there, in that moment too, in the way he was acting as he spoke about her.

"Yeah, I do."

"It's not just some passing thing..."




Ripp looked down, and seemed a little afraid, maybe even embarrassed. "I really love her."

"Yeah, I know you do." Johnny rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "I guess I just wasn't really seeing it. Trying not to see it."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I can't not love her. The love is there, John. I can't help it."




"Yeah, I know."

"But you knew we were together, didn't you? After that night... We talked about it, didn't we?"

"Yeah. I mean, I guess I knew you were probably doing things in theory, and in theory I was sort of okay with that, but seeing it..."

"It's different, yeah. I know. It's like that when you're with her too."

"Well, it's not exactly the same thing."




"I've felt this way for a long time. If you hadn't asked her first... " Johnny hadn't realized how far back it went, but Ripp's face confirmed that this was one of his deep regrets in life, which he had very carefully buried.

"I guess I just didn't think we'd really end up here."

"Yeah. I know. Who would have?"




Johnny thought about the abduction. It had all happened at the same time. Would he ever have considered this, if it hadn't happened? It was such a strange thing to actually do with your best friend, but he just needed them both so much, he wasn't sure if he was really thinking clearly anymore. He wanted things to be like they were, but that train had already left the station.




"I'm sorry," Ripp said, reaching out to touch him.

"It's okay."




Ripp placed his hands on Johnny's shoulders and started to work the muscles. "John, John, Johnny Smith..."

Johnny sighed. It felt good. He stopped thinking, and just focused on the feeling, letting his tensions slip away.

"You're all knots. You should learn to relax."

"Yeah, I know. I know."

It was true.




It could all be so simple and comforting, in the moment like that. If he stopped worrying about the details, he could trick himself into thinking they didn't have any issues at all. Ripp was just there for him, and they were happy.

Was that true? Could it be true?




"Thank you," he said.

"My pleasure, John."




Ophelia stepped out onto the balcony. "You okay?" she asked Johnny.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just feeling a little confused... you know."

"That was a little strange, wasn't it?"

"It was. Strange is exactly what that was. What this is."

"I guess we're just strange people."

"Hey, I never claimed to be normal," Ripp said, "I don't know about you two."




"I was a pretty normal guy until you came along and corrupted me." Johnny poked Ripp in the ribs. Ripp stood, hands on hips.

"You're a fucking alien, Johnny! How is that normal?"

"HALF alien."

"Oh, SORRY. That makes a huge difference."

"Well, yeah... it does."




"True enough. It's not like you're a hermaphro-." He paused. He hadn't meant to say that.

"What?"

"Nothing."




"No. Not nothing... what are you talking about?" Johnny glared at him, and Ripp balked. Was he going to have to lay his cards on the table? He probably should have done that ages ago. "Ripp?!"

"Well... I've been sort of fucking around with Stella Terrano for a while." Johnny frowned at the mention of her name.

"Oh, really..."




"Not since your abduction," Ripp was quick to add.

"Well, that's nice to know."

"I didn't really want to bring it up, since you didn't seem to know, but..."

"But what?"

"They have both parts."




"What?!"

"They have both parts. Aliens have both parts."

"And that's why you tried to catch me with my pants down? To see my VAGINA?"

"Well, to see if you had one, yes."




Johnny said nothing for a minute. He was thinking about it very carefully. "So... if you had discovered that I did, in fact, have a vagina... what was your next move?"

"How the fuck should I know?"

"Well, you must have had some reason for caring."




"I was CURIOUS, Johnny! Haven't you ever been curious about something?"

"There are enough curious people in my family as it is. I really don't mind leaving a couple of things to mystery."

"Ehh, mysteries are boring."

"Wait... if they have both parts and you were 'fucking around' with Stella Terrano..."

"Erm..."




"Stella had a penis?"

"No!" Ripp blustered, "Well, not really..."

"What?!"

"It was like a penis, but not really."

"And you..."

"What?"




"You did?"

"No!" He paused. "Well, not really... kind of... yeah."

Johnny just looked at him.

"Is that weird, or something? Because I've probably done worse than that..."

He sighed. "God, I think I need a drink."

"We still have a bottle of wine in the cupboard." Ophelia said.




"Ack! Have you been here the whole time?" Ripp asked.

"No," she said, "I stepped inside, and came back out in time for the last part, about the penis."

"It wasn't a REAL penis," Ripp blustered. "It was shaped differently."

"Okay, about that WINE," Johnny said.




"Yeah, we have some. Maybe even two bottles, I think."

"Okay. Let's do it, then."

"Ripp?" She turned to him.

"You expect me to say no? To alcohol?"

"Clearly, he says no to nothing." Johnny said, but then he laughed at the end, and Ripp felt relieved.




"I remember when I first met you. I was like, WOW this guy is green!" Ripp laughed. "Even your fingernails were green. Even your NIPPLES were green."

"You saw my nipples?"

"It was at the pool - Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, that's right. I was thinking... now who is this punk? Better make friends with him before he conspires against me."

"You thought I looked like a punk?"




"No. Actually... I thought you looked really sad. Like you needed a friend."

Ripp smiled, and reached out to mess with Johnny's hair. "I did. I needed a friend more than anything, and I think I did pretty well for myself."

"Well, I needed some friends too."

"Oh, come on. You were like the most popular kid in school."

"No, I wasn't. I just seemed like it because I was so involved in everything. Really, people used say things about me behind my back. All that awful alien stuff."




"Like ass-baby?"

"God, I hate that. Yeah... like that. I tried not to pay any attention to them. Like it didn't bother me."

"But that's so stupid! You came out of your mom's vag like everyone else, didn't you?"

"Ripp..." Phi sighed.

"What? It was just VAG! That's okay, isn't it? I mean, it's not like I said pussy... or cunt."

"Ripp," Johnny said, "Enough."




"You should have called them cunt-babies." Ripp started chuckling at his own joke, and was soon laughing like a hyena. "Cunt-babies... they would just die..."

Johnny couldn't help but laugh too. "Yeah, I can just imagine me saying that."

"That's why you needed me around, John-boy. You're too good. You needed a bad influence."




"Yeah, maybe," he said, "and I needed someone who didn't care about the alien thing. Neither of you ever seemed put off by it. If anything, you seemed to like me more because my skin was green."

"It makes you special." Ripp said.




"It's makes you Johnny," Phi said, "so why would we want it any other way?"

Johnny smiled. "Hey, let's get away from here for a while. The break is coming up. We could go away... camping or something."

There was a pause, and Ripp and Ophelia exchanged glances. Ripp felt Johnny's forehead with the back of his hand. "Hmmm... there's no fever..."

"Shut up."

"You really want to just fuck off and go away for the weekend somewhere?"

"Yeah. Really."




"I'm going to call and buy the bus tickets right now." Ripp stood up, realizing how drunk he was becoming, and stumbled a little.

"Easy now, old man."

"Shut it, John. It was a head rush."

"Better make it a plane ticket."

"A plane ticket?! Where the hell do you want to go? The MOON?"

Johnny resisted the urge to point out that planes didn't actually go to the moon. "I was thinking Three Lakes."

"Hey, that's one lake for each of us," Ripp observed.

"Seems appropriate," Ophelia said.




"Yeah," Johnny said, "it does. Also, I've never really been out of the desert before, except to go to Sim City. Isn't that ridiculous? I'd love to see all those coniferous trees firsthand. And lakes. How often do I see a real lake?"

"First time for everything." Ripp started to enter a number into his cell phone. "Okay, I'm doing this. Last call for backing out, Mr. Smith."

Johnny bowed his head and lifted his hands in Ripp's direction. "Knock yourself out, Grunt."

Ripp smiled, and waited for someone to pick up the phone. "Yes, hello. I'd like to book a flight for three people to Three Lakes for spring break." There was a pause while he listened to the questions on the other end of the line. "Yeah, we're all together."








So they went to Three Lakes, just the three of them, together.

---

Notes:

I've lost my internet connection at home, so I had to drag my images and everything to my SO's office to post this. I just had to do it to get it out there. It's already a week past my self-imposed deadline, and I was really feeling the need to put it behind me and make good on my promises. Thank you for being patient with me.

Hey, I passed the Bechdel test, right? Actually, I'm pretty sure I have before this scene with Ophelia and Bottom, but that came to mind as I was writing it. Indirect references to Ophelia's relationship with the boys aside, they don't actually talk about boys beyond Bottom's general comments about the annoyances of male entitlement. I don't have many scenes with only female characters, since Strangetown is so full of male characters, but I have been bringing in more female characters all the time, so this will likely change. The majority of my original characters have been female (especially any sim in a rock band or the Worthington family).

I was thinking of something I saw in a simsecret recently (a few weeks back), and I just wanted to say that I don't see backrubs as a sexual interaction. I know the game counts it as one, but to me it is an acceptable activity for close friends and family members. Maybe it's a cultural difference, but I've given and received backrubs from people I hardly even knew, and it was something I did with my sister all the time when we were younger. That said, there's a chance that such an activity could come with a sexual component, no doubt (it's a "safe" way to touch someone you want to touch), but it's not inherent to the activity. Ripp would be just the sort of person to miss the boundaries of such a thing, and think nothing of it.

Johnny's fundraiser nude pic is referenced in more detail in this short, and this drabble also relates to this chapter, though it doesn't show up in it directly.

I had considered making the play a more prominent event in the story, and actually show some of it, but I lost interest in that. It's still there, in the background, because it mirrors the roles of Johnny and Ripp in their relationship. That will be made much clearer in part two.

The lots used are the Art Museum with Shop, Cafe and Bar by leannabseven, and the New State University Project: Faculty of Natural Science by kashinthegreen, with some changes made my me (mostly to the latter). Hunters Park is a lot that comes with Bluewater Village, but I altered it quite a bit to include AL objects, and to make it more functional as a venue business (Langraab owns it - he owns half of BW Village).

I had fun thinking of half-baked ideas for the art show.

Thanks for reading!






  (Continue to Chapter 31 - part 2)

Comments

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

*SQUEES*

Gotta get my itunes open, and then here we go!!

*squees some more* :D:D:D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Good stuff. ^_^ I hope you like it.

[ownsimscorner.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful. I`m falling in love with the way you`re writing this relationship.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) Writing my way through their relationship has been quite an interesting experience for me. Like Ophelia, I've also been reading up on it, and taking a look at other stories where this sort of thing happens. There are some great ones out there. I quite like A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham, for example.

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

Weeeee! Off to read :D

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

This. Was. Awesome!!!! :DDDDDDDD
I think I need a drink as well ;)

[fafy94.livejournal.com]

O______________O

I nearly scream when there was the DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN scene.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. So it had the impact I was aiming for. That's good to know.

Thanks for reading! ^_^

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

I'm going to try another "general comment".

IT WAS DELICIOUS. I loved it. I always like seeing inside characters heads, and this chapter was delicious as hell. I love Johnny, and Ripp, and Phi, and I'm so glad that they're working it out and becoming 'one'- literally or not.

I loved the art museum! All the lots you used were fabulous this time around. LOVE. Beau is so fresh. LOl at his last line, too. He's just too much, isn't he?

Oh my goodness Lucy looked fierce as hell. I loved her skirt.

I LOVE the way Bottom looks here too! That hair is gorgeous on her, and it covers her ears! Mutli purpose hair for the win. I love that she and Phi are becoming friends, too, they're both so fierce.

I loved the Summerdream scenes! FIERCENESS. Their house is so amazingly decorated too. Your decorating skills are to die for.

FRESHNESS! The shot was a little unexpected, but still nice. I love Johnny's face, too. Poor thing, he's so scandalized.

YAY THREE LAKES. I've been looking forward to this forever.

Also, I noticed that we still don't know who's playing Dorian! It's your prerogative about the play, of course. Whatever is easiest for you. I just want to know who's playing who. :D

Amazing update, ST. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Josh! :) I'm glad you liked it. Things are far from worked out yet, but they're coming to terms with the situation at least. You'll have to wait for the second half to see things get really confusing. The boundaries will really start to blur. (But I've said enough...)

That's a great lot. There's a cool restaurant and bar in it, and you can strip the art from the walls and add whatever you want to the gallery section. It was exactly what I wanted. The odd shape really cool, and it fits in with the LFT buildings really well. I love decorating lots, but it seems to take me FOREVER to do it. I get so drawn in.

Yeah, Beau is ridiculous. :P His attempt to push Johnny's buttons sort of blew up in his face, though. I imagined their first meeting would be some sort of extreme clash like that, because that's the sort of people they are.

Isn't that a great outfit for Lucy? I love dressing her in something different in every scene. Those skirts (recolours of HP's skirt) go so well with that blazer, don't you think?

Thanks. :) I like Bottom's look. She's fun to find clothes for. I was surprised at how many hairs do cover the ears, or more like how many do not properly reveal them. I'm having a hell of a time finding good faery hair that shows the ears. Even hair that has the hair tucked behind the ears usually clips in to the elf ears. It's annoying.

I've been considering this potential friendship since I first made the connection between Bottom and plants/flowers, and I think they're a good match for each other that way.

I can't take too much credit for the Summerdream home, since I added/changed some things, but left most of the basics as they were. It's a cool lot anyway.

Heehee. That is, indeed, very fresh. I was hoping the shock of it would be the same for the reader as it was for Johnny (and also that it shows how completely absorbed Ripp is in Phi).

I've been looking forward to Three Lake forever too. How long ago was it when it first came up? I know I at least started planned it back after the chapter where Ripp and Phi first kiss (but I don't think I mentioned it right away).

Oh, no? I thought it was pretty clear, but I guess I didn't pull it off. It's meant to be showing that Johnny got the part, since he's gloating, and Ripp is sulking, but then he compliments him on the part he did get (Lord Henry, naturally - it makes so much sense).

Thank you, Josh. ^_^ I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thanks for distracting me from doing other things. This was an awesome read.

I loved the way Bottom and Ophelia's conversation about the snapdragons paralleled her relationship with the boys. Proximity really does make things change over time. It was also nice getting some insight into the Summerdream family. They're a fun bunch.

The student art show was fantastic. I loved Johnny's reaction to Beau. Ah, Beau.. The whole thing was really awesome, from Johnny's gapemouthed reaction to the way Buck went up to Johnny and handled the situation.

Good stuff. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) I'm always happy to provide a distraction. This one was just under the livejournal post limit (I was really pushing it - I went back to add one sentence and it was too much), so it makes an excellent procrastination tool.

Proximity is so often the reason people come together, isn't it? In many relationships, people end up with those who just happen to be there in front of them. That parallel wasn't planned when I set out to do that scene, but it occured to me during the writing of it. I'm glad I picked up on it.

The Summerdreams are a lot of fun, and I'm glad I have Bottom as a character in the main storyline now to connect back to Veronaville ocassionally. I've been having a blast playing with those sims.

The art show was fun to set up, and the student artworks make for interesting backgrounds. I love it when scenes have little hidden details in the set like that. It's a lot of fun to think those things up.

I really had to fight a little to fit that art show scene in there, and I'm glad I did. I didn't know if it would work in this chapter initially, but I think it does. I wanted to include it here because I'm not sure there'll be another time to fit it in. It was fun to ham it up with Johnny in that scene.

Thanks. :)

[(Anonymous)]

Yay for update!! :D And such an awesome one too... although all of your updates are awesome!

I loved the artwork and the museum, and the lot for your biology department is major cool. I'm going to be downloading both!

And OH... I have to mention that I was getting Bottom and Lucy mixed up when I commented on your last update. I meant I wanted to see Tank get with Lucy... she's the one in his fantasies, right? Not Bottom. :P I am so bad with names.

Bottom is very pretty though. But she's been doing a bit of messing around with Vidcund in your story if I recall correctly, right? So carry on, Bottom... carry on. ;)

I love Ripp's restraint and how he wants it to be just right with Ophelia. That says a lot about his character.

And ugh for lost internet connection. :( I've been having a ton of problems with the internet myself these past few days. I dunno if it's my ISP or Conficker or what the heck it is, but I ordered two 16GB USB drives and when they come I'm going to back up all of my crap and respawn my computer... AGAIN. Oye. D:

Whoops!

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

That anon comment was mine. I didn't even realize I had been logged out. *shakes head at internet*

[traciandrus.livejournal.com]

Awesome. SO much awesome. I'm finding more love for Ripp everytime I read an update. This was worthy waiting for! Thanks!

[snootcb.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, I could not stop laughing in the first bit at the art show. So aaawkwaaard. But, you know, not quite as awkward as Johnny coming home at JUST the right time. I'm really, really looking forward to the next update. Three Lakes should be lots of fun for everyone's favorite trio.

[snootcb.livejournal.com]

Also I forgot to say I just love your set design. You put so much effort into having every aspect of the pictures just right and it makes your story just that much more fun to read.

[dothesmustle.livejournal.com]

djkskdsjdksdjksdjskdj

God, this chapter was amazing. SO FUCKING AMAZING. It had seriousness and then humour and then everything that makes something PERFECT. Ophelia making a new friend. (I almost wrote phriends, OPHRIENDS.) I've always wanted Ophelia to have a friend like Bottom since that Frat Party where those stupid sorority sister WE MEAN TO HER. AND I WANTED TO HUG OPHELIA FOREVER. I love Ophelia djsddkjksjd

Okay not going to lie I am immature and I laughed soo hard at this. AND THEN JOHNNY'S REACTION OH MY GOD LOL FOREVER.

Then the talk about Stella and the double genitalia. Hahahah, I loved that since the day it was mentioned. AND ALSO I LOVE YOU FOR KEEPING IT AS A KIND OF ~ongoing joke~ I am capslocking too much but skjkaskas.

I love so many of your shots here. The playground scene especially. Also, the the Ophelia/Johnny piggy back ride. Ahhhh, I am so in love with that so much. There's so much thought put into your shots and it's so UNF.

The beginning with Johnny finding Jill's nudes. Oh man I love him and his overprotective self. But. Seriously, sad Beau was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. I wanted to like, tell him a dirty joke and then hug him inappropriately. <333333333333

JILL/BUCK FOREVER. Buck is a total bottom 8DDDDD

I also loved this shot a lot. I love how cute and brotherly they are. Their closeness makes me such a happy camper. They have the close "brotherly" thing, but they're closer in a more "romantic" way, too and it's just ksjdks I AM SUCH A J/R/O SHIPPER UNF. I love their backrub sessions 8D

Bubbleheads. Just...ahahhaha.

http://i40.tinypic.com/9h3rc0.png this is why i love phi.

and flowers because it's a tradition now:



sunflowers :|

[simsnowcherry.livejournal.com]

First - I totally agree with you about the backrub. I was actually quite surprised when I noticed that it is counted as a sexual interaction by the game. It can have some sexual tension it(it has felt very different to give a backrub to a boy I've got a crush on from giving a backrub to my sister), but not necessarily. But yeah, it can be a cultural difference too - I'm Finnish(that also explains why my English might not be perfect), and I have no idea how sexual backrubbing is considered in the US (isn't the game mainly based on the culture there? At least that's how I see it).

And then to the chapter...

I guess I don't have to say that I loved this. It seems like I just love every chapter. :))

My favourite scenes were probably Ophelia's thoughts about her, Johnny and Ripp's relationship (they're SO OT3. <3 I feel stupid being all fangirly over their OT3, because it's such a deep relationship, I could say much more about them instead of 'squee OT3!' But...they are! :DD) and Ophelia's conversation with Bottom. I've been wanting her to have a close female friend for a long time(as much as she loves Johnny and Ripp, she needs also a break from them sometimes, right? just as she said...), and I was expecting some interaction between her and Jill, but Bottom is a good option too :)

Also, I enjoyed Bottom's talk about the Summerdreams, and it made me want to know more about them (especially Helena, she's great in the Broke Legacy), and the art exhibition. I was happy to see the younger college kids there, they're probably my favourite secondary characters. :))

I should have been studying for my geography exam which is tomorrow instead of reading this, but...I just couldn't resist. :D

[hidden-kitten.livejournal.com]

The relationship between Johnny and Ripp is to sweet. I love the trio.
Just a great chapter. I think my absolute favourite line was "So, do you reckon THEY'RE 'doin' it?'" Beau appeared over his shoulder. I love that it;s so obvious to other people/sims.

[simplode.livejournal.com]

Wow. This was worth waiting for. I'm glad to see Ripp stick up for his brother and even get up the nerve to come right out and tell Ophelia how he feels. Good for you Ripp! And good for Johnny for not flipping out completely and actually calming down after a bit. A little shock is good, keeps the blood pressure up. It'll be ok, Johnny.

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

What right did he have to be upset? He assumed it was any of business. That was Johnny's problem.
This. Every time Johnny does something that annoys me, it's because of this. He keeps getting himself involved in things that he doesn't need to be getting involved in...even if his intentions are good. He's learning, though, so it's all good; I love watching these character grow. That said, I totally don't blame him for going off on Beau; it might not have been the most mature response, but seriously. Beau, you went up to a total stranger and made crude comments about his sister; I don't know what kind of response you a were expecting!

Yay, Bottom! :D She seems like she'd be a great match for Phi. Ophelia doesn't have many real friends outside of Ripp and Johnny, does she? I'm glad to see her making some girlfriends, at any rate. I bet the Summerdreams are fun to play; big families are the best. <3

Ripp and Phi make me forget that I don't like pairing romance sims with family sims. :) The Ripp and Johnny scene was my favorite, though, I think. There's just so much unresolved tension there that's absent with Ripp and Phi. There's sexual tension with Ripp and Phi, but not so much emotional, I guess; everything's pretty much out on the table with them, while Ripp and Johnny tend to dance around certain issues that really need to be discussed openly. But some of that came out this chapter, and there was much yay.

It's so interesting how Johnny, despite being the alien, seems to be the most normal of the bunch. He grew up in a nuclear family, parents that loved each other and their children, perfect lawns, picket fences. Everything but the dog, pretty much it seems. Meanwhile, Ripp and Phi are used to chaotic, unstable environments, so the whole transition from three friends to...something else, isn't so difficult for them it seems. Not that it's easy, but they're more used to living strange lives I guess. Poor Johnny, this is really rough on him. :(

Yes, Johnny, Ripp wants to see your vagina. *sporfle* Their reactions really do nail home how different Johnny's world view is from Ripp, and Phi's though, it seems. He's all "D: D: D:" about the Stella thing, while Ripp is all "So what?" and Phi is just amused. They are just so mismatched and perfect and I love them. <3

If he stopped worrying about the details, he could trick himself into thinking they didn't have any issues at all. Ripp was just there for him, and they were happy.

Was that true? Could it be true?
It could totally be true, Johnny. :( Because if it's not, I'll cry. :(

The end to this chapter just makes me feel all happy and hopeful. It's not all fixed, but it's getting there. <3 :)

[marhis.livejournal.com]

Great! Great!! Great!!!11

I totally LOVE this chapter.
I love how their thoughts, feelings, and inner truths are slowly creeping into their right places, bit after bit, and how it can happen only because Johnny, Ophelia and Ripp are who they are.

It's like watching a bucket of milk becoming a Parmigiano cheese wheel: it needs very specific and careful events and environment, a perfect timing, a lot of patience and care. If anything goes wrong, there will be no Parmigiano, only a milky mess. Sorry I can't find a better comparison, but it just fits so well :).

[naughtydolphin.livejournal.com]

Ohhh wow. I love your use of the OMSPs, your posing is fantastic.

I'm enjoying seeing how the three of them work through this triangle, it was really well done. And Beau! That scene in the gallery, LOL. And damn, those are great paintings.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

Nice to have another JRO chapter again, not that I don't like seeing the others, but the JRO relationship really does make up the core of the story.

The Cow Mascot rug at the art show made me giggle so much.

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

I'm tired and kinda at loss of words but want to make it known that both of us loved this chapter. It was excellent in every way. I've missed the trio. <3

Can't wait for the Three Lakes trip!!

"It was like a penis, but not really."

(ps. Is it rude to ask where Bottom's hair is from? It's pretty. Also, that biology building is really cool.)

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Also, Beau still rocks. I love him.

[(Anonymous)]

Actually, the backrub social is available as a non-romantic interaction between family members of the same age. I didn't really notice it until I started making family-related hacks, because I never click the "Appreciate" menu unless a sim rolls a backrub want during a date. :P

[silentsteel.livejournal.com]

I love this! More Phi-Johnny-Ripp!

And I really like the gallery scene - it really shows how good Ripp can be for Johnny. Not just shocking him out of routine, but pointing out when he's over-reacting. Or otherwise bouncing him out of his previous mood.

And when Beau's perky aggressive gayness can backfire.

Vacation! Yay! :D *squeee!*

[silentsteel.livejournal.com]

. . . . Damnit, Now I want to build them a house. Where three can have a business, raise babies, the whole nine yards.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's such a nice thing for you to say. :) If you were interested in designing something, I'd be sure to use it. I'd be too charmed not to, since it would have been designed with them in mind (as long as you don't mind some redecorating and landscaping, because I tend to do that to every lot I download).

I've often considered where they'd live if they did stay together as a trio. They'd run out of room at the Specter Estate pretty quickly if babies were involved (and Phi IS a family sim). There's also Johnny's home, but that could get crowded (and I'm pretty sure Johnny wouldn't want to live with his mother - nearby, but not in the same house).

What sort of style of house would you pick for such a thing? I've looked around, but there are limited options in desert-appropriate homes (though Strangetown is hardly on theme with every house, so it's open to variation).

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I loved the scene when Johnny saw the paintings of Jill!

And of course Ripp made the situation worse by saying that she might like being walked all over. I especially liked when he said "Naughty bits... Boobies."

Oh Beau, you perv- thinking the three of them are doin' it... already. :P

I always love it when you mention simlish stuff like the "three bolts". The story seems so real at times, but the tidbits of simlish things thrown brings us back to realizing that the Sims is just a silly game.

And I love how all of the Summerdreams look- Titania especially.

So much good stuff, and yet so little for me to say. I really don't know how so many people are able to write such epic comments! XD


(Oh yeah, and I never thought of backrubbing as sexual either. In fact, in choir my director usually has us form a line where we massage eachothers back for a few minutes- it's really fun and it's a great way to get to know the people in the group. Of course, a lot of guys refuse to do it- but there are even a few of them who really get involved!)

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

(the backrub line is the reason I stuck with my school's chorus as long as I did. I'm basically tone deaf but OMG FREE MASSAGES.)

[marhis.livejournal.com]

Also, what the hell happened during Johnny's abduction?
That event seems to have he wrecked beyond any limit. I can't help but think that the alien stuff will play a HUGE role in their life after the College.

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

Sweet! A new update! And it's not April 1st! :P

I loved the chapter. There a lot of amazing moments, but my favorite, by far was the art exhibition. I know there are just to provide the mood, but I had a lot of fun watching your creations in the back, all done with Maxis-ish objects. I like the one with the dolls on the baskets (I secretly titled it "Basketdoll"), the one with the books floating away from the bookcase and the "Homage to the Cow Mascot" but my favorite, by far is your "Ode to knitting".

I'm such a dork! :P (And I also noticed the "Easter Egg", with the Trio as Final Fantasy Characters :) ).

That, coupled with Johnny's reactions towards Buck's paintings (and how he lost his temper with Beau of all people), had me laughing out loud. Can he be any denser? How could he not notice that they were AT LEAST dating after so many years? (Unless Buck and Jill are masters at keeping things a secret).

I also enjoyed that conversation between Ophelia and Bottom. The Summerdream family portrait is lovely!

But my fave pic of this update, by far, is this one, followed by the one at the play tower. You've definitely mastered the use of those OMSPs and I love just watching your images.

Now I can't wait to see what happens at the Three Lakes. And how Johnny's conflicting feelings towards their relationship play out ^^.

[jettjupiter.livejournal.com]

Excellent!!! I am addicted to J, O and R and their curious love triangle. This story could go on for years and I'd be right here hanging onto every update.

Great stuff. Can't wait to see what happens next. ;)