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"Just kind of happened, she says," Jacquez complained as he threw his hands up in the air before slumping down on one of the comfy seats.
"I'm sorry, Jacquez, but I didn't want to say anything until I was sure Adam and I were a couple," Lorelie replied apologetically to her old friend.
"And why wouldn't he accept you? I mean, who wouldn't right?" Jacquez asked doubtfully.
"Well, seeing as he was already seeing Stacey, I wasn't sure what would happen."
"Wait, wait, wait," Jacquez replied in surprise as his eyes kept switching between the three of them before asking.
"I got that feeling when we all went to Metgar's, but you're telling me that Adam and Stacey were indeed already together, and you joined her as Adam's girlfriend?"
"That's correct."
Jacquez stared at Adam for a few moments before giving him a thumbs up and saying, "Good job."
"Err, thanks," Adam replied in confusion as he didn't expect this response.
"I know what you're thinking, you were expecting me to say something like, 'share Lorelie with another woman? Are you mad? She is worth ten other women, weren't you?" Jacquez asked as he put on a mock voice as if a father defending his daughter's honour.
"Yeah, kind of," Adam replied.
"Look, I'm not her dad, so as long as Lorelie's happy, then it's all good, just don't go hurting her." Jacquez replied with a wink.
"Sure." Adam nodded in agreement, still finding it hard to believe.
"Hahaha, look at how confused he is," Erkath said after laughing while the others joined in.
"You can't really blame him; he is from a world where group relationships are not common and are even frowned upon, so getting it accepted so easily is probably confusing," Rowena explained with a smirk before saying to Adam.
"Look, Adam, the known universe has much laxer rules on group relationships that you're used to, I mean, there are entire races who share their lovers and mates between one another."
"Says the woman who did something to her former husbands when she found out they cheated on her." Adam retorted, making Erkath laugh before she said.
"He's got you there."
"Yes, well, that situation and this are two different things," Rowena replied with slight embarrassment.
"How so?" Adam asked, puzzled.
"Well, for one, they promised never to cheat on me and then did so."
"Why would they cheat on you, though? I mean, you're the top model in the universe with a great body, also Stacey feeding on me already feels amazing, I can only imagine how much better it feels if a pure Brood does it."
"Well, sorry for not being a full Brood." Stacey pouted.
"Come on, Stace, don't pout, you know I didn't mean it like that," Adam said as he ran his hand gently through her hair as an apology.
"Humph," Stacey said as she turned away, though there was a clear smirk on her lips to show she was only playing with him.
Rowena chuckled at their interaction before replying, "Well, regarding my body, there are plenty of other women in the universe with bodies as good as mine; there are a few sitting at this very table. Some have larger boobs, some smaller, others have wider hips, maybe they have a tail or horns, perhaps they don't have wings, it's all a matter of taste.
As for the feeding aspect, you are correct, being fed on by a pure Brood feels far better than a part Brood; however, what if it's another pure Brood there having the affair with?"
"Oh damn," Adam said in realisation.
Rowena shrugged as if to say it was all in the past before saying, "Anyway, all I'm saying is that group relationships are not uncommon in the known universe, so don't be surprised when people accept yours."
"Well, if that's all finished, can we get onto the business aspect?" Erkath asked.
"Yes, let's." Jacquez agreed.
"Sure", Adam said as he accessed his uniband.
💫💫💫
On one of the small islands of Oceana Seven, a mansion that was much larger and grander than Lorelie's stood.
In the garden of the mansion, a mature Merinmian beauty sunbathed as a parasol protected her eyes from the sun.
Suddenly she heard footsteps and as she turned her head to see who was approaching, she used her hand to block the sun's glare before she recognised who it was.
"Sister, what are you doing here?" The mature beauty asked as she saw Queen Marilla approaching.
"I'm here to warn Murphy against doing anything stupid." Queen Marilla said.
"You mean with Diva Lorelie, right? Don't worry, I already warned him not to try anything stupid. He's up in his room pining over his lost love.
"You know, he only started Water Sphere and joined the Abes as a way to try and impress her?"
"I had a feeling," Queen Marilla replied while shaking her head.
💫💫💫
"So do we have an agreement?" The voice of a shadowed figure asked a blank holographic screen that was slightly illuminating the opposite side of the room.
"If you can deal with Lorelie, then yes, you will get your pay." A voice said from the holographic screen before the screen vanished.
"Huhuhu, with this, you will finally be all mine." The shadowed figure said in an Eerie tone.
💫💫💫
"Ugh." Adam groaned as his eyes got hit by the sun's glare while he was using his uniband.
He turned his head away and rubbed his eyes to try to get rid of the spots that had just appeared in his vision.
"Let me adjust the parasol." Lorelie offered as she stood up, only for Adam to grab her wrist and pull her back down into her seat while saying.
"Don't worry."
After that, he pulled a pair of black sunglasses out of his pocket and put them on before going back to using his uniband.
"What are those?" Erkath asked curiously as everyone else looked at the strange objects on Adam's face.
"What are what?" Adam asked without looking up.
"Those black things you just put on your face."
"You mean my sunglasses?" Adam asked as he looked up.
"Sun glasses?" Tephe asked curiously as she tilted her head in confusion.
"I think I've heard of them before, or at least glasses," Rowena commented before she explained, "Back before medical tech gained the ability to give anyone perfect sight, they were common among the races who didn't have the best eyesight, such as Terrans and Scaulxuns, for example. I have never heard the term sunglasses before, though."
"If you have bad eyesight, we can get it fixed at a medical centre?" Lorelie asked with concern, making Adam smile.
"My sight is fine; they used to protect my eyes from the sun's glare, look," Adam replied as he took the sunglasses off and carefully placed them on Lorelie's face.
"You mean like those protective goggles scientists use in labs to protect their eyes?" Stacey asked.
"Kind of."
"Wow, the lenses are tinted, so everything just got a bit darker." Lorelie said.
"Exactly, though they look much better on you?" Adam stated.
"Naturally," Lorelie said as she stuck her tongue out at him before using her uniband to pull up a holographic screen showing herself in the sunglasses, kind of like a selfie camera.
"They can also be used as a fashion accessory," Adam said as he removed them from Lorelie's face and placed them in her hair.
"See."
"Not bad," Erkath said thoughtfully as she stood up and started admiring Lorelie from several different angles.
"Adam, Adam. Can I have some? They look cool." Tephe suddenly asked eagerly.
"That shouldn't be a problem, but you will have to wait till I return to the ship to make you some," Adam replied.
"Kay," Tephe said happily.
"Do you all really not have anything to protect your eyes in sunlight like this?" Adam asked.
"After a medical study was conducted on the eyes of those races that never needed glasses, such as my Brood race. The technique was created so that no one would ever need to wear them again. Now no one ever needs to wear protective glasses since the sun's rays are incapable of damaging them."
"It can still be bloody annoying though," Stacey commented.
"True, that's why we use parasols and hats though," Rowena replied.
"Lorelie, do you mind if I try them out for a second?" Erkath asked.
"No problem," Lorelie replied as she handed her the sunglasses.
"Interesting," Erkath said before continuing, "Even though the lenses are tinted, the sun can still be blinding if you look at it."
"Well, it is only ordinary tinted glass," Adam commented.
"Maybe it would work better if we fitted them with adaptive glass," Erkath commented thoughtfully.
"Adaptive glass?" Adam asked.
"Adaptive glass is a type of glass you can control to limit the amount of light allowed through it," Rowena explained.
"Is that why your house has no curtains or blinds?" Adam asked as he turned to Lorelie.