Dinner was the library chef’s famous curry, something everyone had come to love. Mochi too was given a delicious treat, not merely a delicious rotisserie chicken but something experimental: rotisserie hink. This flightless bird wasn’t something demons ate often and was mostly just used to create a wonderful stock with some leftover meat for visiting cats. Properly grilling it was something novel. And Mochi loved it. It was just as good as the chicken version but different enough to be a wonderful alternative for special occasions.

  Rotisserie hink wasn’t the only special treatment Mochi received on this evening. Being averse to water, Mochi found a wonderful spot on a ft warm stone near right next to the hot spring which was rapidly being poputed by the librarians and demon friends, including Sarah.

  Being surrounded by attractive and naked demons might have been a little too much for poor Sarah. She was trying to hide behind Lilith to her right, wishing that somehow no one would notice her blushing and staring. It was almost working until Lilith noticed.

  “Getting a bit cuddly, aren’t we?”

  Sarah nearly jolted out of the water. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I don’t think anyone here can fault you for being shy. We all are aware that we are attractive. That’s how most demons shape their bodies.”

  “I can’t compete and I’m… staring… too much.”

  “You will get used this and you are quite cute yourself. Right, Nirrti?”

  Nirrti was sitting to the left of the shy human. “Absolutely. You can be proud of your body, Sarah.”

  “I’m not sure that’s… uhm… that’s not… that’snottheissuehere.”

  “Your issue is that you don’t find your attraction to the aspects we don’t share with humans normal. That it might be something to be ashamed of. That you are fetishizing us. Right?”

  Sarah simply nodded.

  “But that’s not what draws your eye. You aren’t staring at horns and hooves. We have never shied away from showing our inhuman aspects around you since you began working with us and you have never acted this way in the library. I have also read your ‘demon smut’.”

  Sarah interrupted before the old Nightmare could continue. “YOU DID WHAT?!”

  “The library has all non-trivial human works. I was curious.”

  “Oh no…”

  “Your creativity is remarkable and actually close to what we can do with you without injuring you. This moment right now is too close to your fantasy about being driven to extasy by a tall muscur succubus in a hot spring. I get how that can give rise to difficulties sharing such an environment with friends.”

  “Why did you just bring that up…” Sarah tried to shrink back more but there was no pce to go.

  “Because it is nothing to be ashamed of. For us demons, sexual fantasies are nothing more than the desire to celebrate and share our bodies and those of our friends. A sign that we value those close to us both mentally and physically. For another human, your smut might be an intimate insight into your most hidden desires, for us it is something to be shared and enjoyed openly. Still intimate but not subject of shame but celebration. I could share my own desires, if that helps.”

  “It might… Please, don’t feel forced. I need to get used to this. This is normal, there is nothing sexual going on here.”

  “I am sure you will get used to this and many other things in time. As for my desires… I prefer to indulge in my partner’s experiences. I let their emotions wash over me until I am drowning in their pleasure. Admittedly, it makes sex with another Nightmare difficult and very guarded. If we both were do this, it would create a sort of feedback loop that some find highly pleasurable. I do not. It is too consuming.”

  “Woah! That sounds amazing. And honestly… far less graphic and porn-y than I expected. Sorry, my mind went to bad pces before I even know what to expect.”

  “That’s why talking about this is important. Especially for someone from a culture that doesn’t openly share these thoughts.”

  “I agree. It’s kind of sad that we humans just shy away and almost forbid this. I mean sure, between romantic and sexual partners, you talk about it. But between friends? Just to get closer to each other, understanding each other more? This would be wonderful but we just don’t.”

  “It might not be good to get too deep into that topic, there are implications that you might not enjoy. I think it is fear.”

  “Fear of that knowledge being used against you. Yea, that seems likely.”

  “Yes. Now, you said that it makes you know me better. What do you know about me now?”

  Sarah smiled warmly. “That you enjoy giving but still have this normally subtle need for control. Not in the sense that you want to control someone else, but that you aren’t comfortable giving up control.”

  “That is pretty much all correct. Now, what would you tell me about Apollyon, who feels more attracted to intellectual equals but in a different field of study than herself, who are also close but not quite her equal physically? I guess that's not purely a sexual thing, but you get where I'm going with this.”

  “Oh… She was essentially groomed to be the General of Hell’s armies, right?”

  “Yes.”

  Sarah looked a little thoughtful. “She feels lonely in that position, she needs someone to understand her, someone equal, but she knows that there is no one exactly like her. But there is a need to protect. I almost want to say that she is looking for someone who she feels does something more worthwhile than she did and wants to protect them. I imagine her gentle in bed.”

  “You are close to the truth there.”

  “Am I?”

  “Yes. But how close, well, you will have to find that out yourself soon enough.”

  “Wouldn’t want to be spoiled about people I haven’t slept with.” Sarah ughed. “That sounds so wild.”

  “In your old cultural context, it is.”

  “Old cultural context? That implies things.”

  “Mainly that I see you as a part of Hell now.”

  Sarah started blushing again, but for a totally different reason now. “Are you serious?”

  “I am.”

  “I… wow. But why?”

  “It’s a feeling. Some people feel like they belong soon after being accepted, some people take a while to truly find their pce. Both are equally valid, of course, but you feel natural here. Speaking of natural, I can’t help but notice that you keep glimpsing around at certain body parts.”

  “Oh. Uhm, sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

  “Personally, I think Amaterasu has the best boobs, closely followed by Adelina. The size is just perfect.”

  Sarah needed a second to let that sink in. “What?”

  “Just a little more than one hand full each and the exact right firmness. Apollyon is a bit too big personally, but still very lovely.”

  “I mean… I haven’t touched her boobs but they look very soft and nice. Why are we rating boobs?”

  “To normalize things.”

  “Okay?”

  “They are parts of our bodies that we don’t often get to show each other this openly. We are all dressed at the library. For example, until this moment I could appreciate that yours are not the size to shove your face in between but good to massage, but I could not have known how perky they are.”

  “Uh… thanks?”

  “You’re welcome.” Nirrti smiled. “See? You reacted merely with confusion but not with shame or embarrassment. That is a good step in the right direction.”

  “I see. Honestly, I love this. It would have been so easy to just let me sink into my fantasies but now, sure, everyone here is just super hot but I can just rex. A few words and a bit of reassurance and this is no longer sexual. Thank you.”

  “I think I get what Lilith sees in you now.”

  “Really?”

  Nirrti nodded. “Yes. I would like you to stay for a night eventually, share dinner, cuddles, the usual.”

  “That would be amazing! Officially, I’m still on my work trip until Friday, that’s two nights, if Lilith is willing to share me.”

  Lilith leaned closer to the young human. “Of course I am. It would be a terrible thing to keep you for myself. Friends are to be shared!”

  Nirrti smiled. “Want to come with me after this then?”

  Sarah nodded eagerly. “Yes please!”

  “If you want I can let the raptor kittens in tomorrow morning before you wake up.”

  “You don’t have to bribe me.”

  “But it’s fun.”

  “Fair enough, please continue.” Sarah chuckled.