"Truth or dare?" Elara repeated, testing the words. "No, I've never heard of it."
Corin sat up straighter, a plan already forming. "It's a game we played back in my village. Simple rules. I ask you: truth or dare? If you pick truth, you have to answer any question I ask honestly. If you pick dare, you have to do whatever task I give you."
"That sounds..." Elara frowned. "What if someone asks something too personal?"
"That's what makes it exciting. The risk." Corin leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly. "But here's my twist. Each round, the stakes get higher. Start simple, but by the end..." He let the implication hang.
'Perfect setup,' he thought. 'Ease her in, make her comfortable, then slowly turn up the heat.'
[Oh, I like where this is going. Finally showing some initiative]
Elara shifted in her chair, curiosity and nervousness battling on her face. "I don't know..."
"Come on. We're friends, right? Friends trust each other." Corin gave her his most innocent smile. "I promise to start easy."
That decided her. "Alright. But nothing too improper!"
"Of course not." 'Yet.' "I'll go first to show you how it works. Ask me anything."
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
Elara thought for a moment. "What did you really think when you first saw me? The day you woke up?"
Corin grinned. "Honestly? I thought you were pretty. The kind of pretty that makes a man pay attention. And I wondered what you looked like without that cap covering your hair."
Her cheeks flushed pink. "That's... forward."
"You asked for truth. Truth is rarely polite." He tilted his head. "Your turn. Truth or dare?"
"Truth," she said quickly.
"Have you ever thought about kissing someone in this house?"
Elara's blush deepened. "I... that's very personal!"
"That's the game. Answer or admit you're too scared."
She bit her lip. "Yes. Once or twice."
"Who?"
"That's two questions!"
Corin laughed. "Fair enough. Truth or dare?"
"Dare this time."
'Good. She's getting braver.'
"I dare you to let your hair down. Take off that cap and show me."
Elara hesitated, then slowly reached up and removed the white cap. Her auburn hair tumbled down around her shoulders, longer than he'd expected, catching the moonlight.
'Damn,' Corin thought. 'She's even prettier like this.'
[Her heart rate just increased. She knows exactly what kind of game this is becoming]
"There," Elara said, touching her hair self-consciously. "Happy?"
"Very. You should wear it down more often."
She looked away, but he caught the small smile on her lips. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to... tell me what you were thinking about in the bathhouse. With me watching."
'Oh, she's got claws after all.'
Corin met her eyes directly. "I was thinking how soft your skin looked when the steam made your dress cling. And how much I wanted to see more."
The air in the room shifted. Heavier. Charged.
Elara's breathing had quickened slightly. "That's... very honest."
"You wanted truth." Corin leaned forward. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Did you like it? When you bathed me? Did you think about anything... improper?"
Elara's hands twisted in her lap. "I... yes. I tried not to, but yes."
[She's hooked. Keep pushing]
"What did you think about?"
"That's two questions again!"
"Then you owe me an answer next round." Corin settled back slightly. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"When you're alone at night, do you ever touch yourself?"
Elara's eyes went wide. "Corin!"
"Answer or lose a point."
She looked away, her face burning. "Sometimes. Yes."
"Do you think about someone when you do?"
"That's another question—"
"Answer it anyway."
A long pause. "Yes."
[She's squirming. Push harder]
"Truth or dare?" Elara asked quickly, trying to regain control.
"Truth."
"Same question. Do you... touch yourself?"
Corin laughed. "Of course. Every man does."
"And do you think about someone?"
"Multiple someones." He held her gaze. "Including you. Especially after that bathhouse incident."
Elara's breath caught. She opened her mouth, closed it, then whispered: "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to tell me exactly what you thought about. With me."
'She's bolder than I expected.'
"I thought about your hands on me. How they'd feel without the sponge between us. I thought about what sounds you'd make if I touched you back." His voice dropped lower. "I thought about pulling you into that water with me."
Elara's chest rose and fell rapidly. "That's... very detailed."
"You asked." Corin leaned forward. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Have you ever wanted someone to touch you? Really touch you?"
She nodded slowly, not trusting her voice.
"Have you ever imagined what it would be like? To be with a man?"
Another pause, longer this time. Then: "Yes. I've imagined it."
"With who?"
Elara met his eyes. "Truth or dare?" Corin asked.
"Dare."
"Come sit on the bed. Next to me."
Elara hesitated, glancing at the chair she'd been safely perched in. Then she stood and crossed the small distance, settling onto the mattress beside him. Close enough that their shoulders almost touched.
'Good girl,' Corin thought. 'Testing boundaries but still moving forward.'
[She's nervous but excited. Look at her hands]
Elara's fingers were twisted together in her lap, knuckles white.
"Truth or dare?" she asked.
"Dare."
She took a breath. "I want to... I dare you to let me touch you. Your chest."
Corin raised an eyebrow but didn't move. "Go ahead."
Her hand lifted slowly, trembling slightly as it reached toward him. Her palm pressed flat against his tunic, right over his heart. He could feel the heat of her skin through the fabric.
"Can you feel it?" he asked quietly.
"Your heartbeat. It's fast."
"So is yours." He could see her pulse jumping at the base of her throat. "Don't stop there. Keep going."
Her fingers spread wider, exploring the contours of his chest through the linen. When she found the ridge of muscle along his ribs, her breath hitched. Her touch lingered, pressing firmer, mapping the shape of him.
'She's fascinated,' Corin realized. 'Probably never touched a man like this before.'
[Your Lust just ticked up another point. Keep her hands on you]
'This is working perfectly,' Corin thought as her hand lingered a moment too long. 'She's curious, nervous, but she wants this. Wants to push her own boundaries.'
[Your Lust stat is climbing]
"Truth or dare?" Elara asked, her voice slightly breathless now.
"Dare."
She swallowed. "I dare you to... to kiss me."
'There it is.'
Then something appeared above Elara's head that made Corin freeze.
A small heart icon, translucent and glowing faint pink. Inside it, a number: 47%. The heart was only partially filled, the color gradient shifting from white at the bottom to a deeper pink at the top.
'What the hell?'
[Finally noticed, did you?]
'What is that?'
[The Lust-Meter, you idiot. It's been active this whole time]
'Then why haven't I seen it before?'
[Because before now, YOU were the one getting aroused like a dog in heat. The meter tracks THEIR lust, not yours. It only appears when your target is actually feeling something]
Corin stared at the floating indicator. 47%. Elara was almost halfway to... what? Maximum arousal?
[Correct. The higher the percentage, the more she wants you. Right now she's interested, curious, aroused but not desperate. Keep pushing and watch that number climb]
'You could have explained this earlier.'
[Where's the fun in that? Now are you going to kiss her or just stare at her forehead like a moron?]
Corin reached out slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wanted. She didn't. His hand cupped her face, thumb brushing her cheek, and he leaned in.
The kiss was soft at first. Testing. Her lips were warm and uncertain against his. Then she pressed closer, her hand clutching his shoulder, and the kiss deepened.
When they pulled apart, Elara's eyes were wide, her lips slightly swollen.
"That was..." she whispered.
"Your first kiss?"
She nodded.
'Perfect. Absolutely perfect.'
[Hidden Quest Progress: Corruption of Elara - Stage 1 Complete]
[Reward: +10 CP, +2 Lust]
The notification flickered at the edge of Corin's vision, but he ignored it, focused on the flushed girl beside him.
"Truth or dare?" he asked quietly.
"Dare." Her voice was barely audible.
"I dare you to tell me if you want me to do that again."
Elara bit her lip, then nodded. "Yes."
This time when he kissed her, there was no hesitation. She melted against him, her hands moving to his hair, pulling him closer. The kiss was deeper, hungrier, all the nervous energy between them finally finding release.
When they broke apart the second time, they were both breathing hard.
"We should..." Elara started, but didn't finish the thought.
"Should what?"
"I don't know." She laughed shakily. "This game is dangerous."
"Told you it was." Corin grinned. "Want to stop?"
She should have said yes. Should have left right then, gone back to her room, put distance between them.
Instead, she said: "Truth or dare?"
[Oh, this is delicious. She's not running. She wants more]
'I know.'
"Dare," Corin said.
Elara's eyes glinted with something between mischief and desire. "I dare you to show me what you were thinking about. In the bathhouse."
'Holy shit.'
[Did she just—]
'She did.'
Corin stood slowly, pulling Elara up with him. "Are you sure about that dare?"
"You said friends don't keep secrets from each other." Her voice wavered slightly but her eyes held his. "Show me what you were thinking."
[Quest Updated: Corruption of Elara - Stage 2 Initiated]
"Alright," Corin said, his voice low. "But we're going to need to adjust some rules."
"What rules?"
He smiled, slow and deliberate. "The game's not over until one of us says stop. And right now..." His hand traced down her arm, feeling her shiver at the touch. "I don't want to stop."
Elara's breath caught. "Neither do I."
The moonlight painted them both in silver as Corin pulled her closer, his hands moving to her waist. The game had shifted into something else entirely, something they'd both been dancing around since it started.
[Welcome to the real game, host. Let's see if you can handle it]
'Watch me.'