Jax stared at Pixelle.
For perhaps the first time since meeting the Fairy Queen, he finally understood what had been happening right in front of him.
She liked him.
Not as a merchant.
Not as an adventurer.
Not because Merriweather had spent months telling exaggerated stories about him.
She actually liked him.
And somehow, despite all of the obvious signs, Jax hadn't realized it.
But that wasn't the most troubling realization.
Jax looked at Pixelle again.
Her vibrant pink hair.
Her shimmering wings.
The way she was staring at him with a mixture of hope, frustration, and enough Fairy Cider to make subtlety completely impossible.
She was beautiful.
Funny.
Impulsive.
A little spoiled.
Probably more than a little spoiled.
And somehow…
Jax smiled.
Oh.
I like her too.
That realization brought an entirely different problem.
His eyes drifted toward the Vixens.
Llandra was his wife.
Bunny was his wife.
Zee and Nyxian were his fiancées.
They had built a life together.
A family.
Jax wasn't about to assume that because their relationship was unconventional, he could simply develop feelings for another woman and everyone would automatically be fine with it.
So for the moment…
He decided to keep that realization to himself.
Unfortunately, Jax had forgotten one important detail.
Nyxian.
She couldn't hear ordinary thoughts.
But thoughts involving attraction?
Desire?
Romantic affection?
Those were a different matter entirely.
Across the clearing, Nyxian slowly lowered her mug.
Her eyes moved toward Jax.
Then Pixelle.
Then back to Jax.
A wicked smile spread across her face.
Jax narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Nyxian innocently raised her mug and took another drink.
Jax stared at her for another second.
She knows something.
He turned back toward Pixelle.
The Fairy Queen was still waiting.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm sorry."
Pixelle's wings drooped.
"No. Not like that."
Her wings immediately stopped drooping.
Jax sighed.
"I'm apparently really bad at noticing when someone is interested in me."
Pixelle stared at him.
"Apparently?"
"Very bad."
"Extremely."
"Okay. I get it."
Pixelle crossed her arms.
Jax smiled.
"But…"
He hesitated.
"I think I might like you considerably more than I realized."
Pixelle's wings exploded into motion.
Jax immediately took a step backward.
"Easy!"
Pixelle practically vibrated with excitement.
"You like me?"
"I just said that."
"Say it again."
Jax laughed.
"I like you."
Pixelle beamed.
Then Jax glanced toward the Vixens again.
"But I don't know exactly what that means yet."
Pixelle followed his gaze.
For the first time since her confession, some of the excitement faded from her expression.
She understood.
Jax wasn't alone.
He had wives.
Fiancées.
Women who had been with him for more than a year.
Women he loved.
Pixelle suddenly became very aware that she had spent much of the evening pressing herself against someone else's husband.
Her eyes moved toward Llandra.
The Elven Princess was watching her.
Pixelle swallowed.
Llandra slowly lifted her mug.
Then smiled.
It wasn't permission.
It wasn't a promise.
Just reassurance.
Pixelle smiled back.
Then Zee suddenly leaned around Jax.
"Oh!"
Pixelle blinked.
Zee pointed directly at her with all the seriousness her current condition could manage.
"If you like being tied up, make sure you have a safe word."
Pixelle's eyes widened.
"I—"
"Mine is Pickles."
Zee nodded solemnly.
"Jax—"
She hiccupped.
"—hates pickles."
Jax stared at her.
"Why are we telling Her Grace this?"
Zee looked genuinely confused by the question.
"Because she's a Vixen."
She leaned against Jax again.
"Vixens need to know things."
Pixelle went completely still.
Because she's a Vixen.
It had been said so casually.
Zee hadn't made a ceremony out of it.
She hadn't asked anyone.
She simply considered it obvious.
Pixelle's smile slowly returned.
"Thank you."
Zee nodded.
"Pickles."
"Got it."
Jax sighed.
"I hate that word."
"I know."
Zee smiled happily and took another drink.
Nyxian nearly fell over laughing.
The celebration continued.
And the Fairy Cider continued doing what Fairy Cider apparently did best.
Destroying inhibitions.
Jax knew exactly what was in it now.
Perhaps that had been a mistake.
Bunny had become increasingly affectionate as the night progressed.
She sat beside Jax, happily leaning against him while her ears occasionally brushed across his face.
Llandra maintained considerably more composure.
Considerably more being a relative term.
At one point, she spent nearly five minutes attempting to explain something about Elven court etiquette before losing track of her own argument and deciding Jax needed to dance with her instead.
Extremely close.
And completely off rhythm.
Jax happily obliged.
He had learned to dance for Llandra's wedding.
With his control over his body, the movements came naturally now.
But what Llandra was trying to dance to was not natural.
The Elven Princess was doing considerably more gyration than coordination.
It was clear that Fairy Cider had taken its toll on her. And Jax was doing everything in his power to maintain order, though he didn't want to.
She started nibbling on his ear. It was driving him crazy. The Cider had taken full effect at this moment and she was exploiting one of his weak spots.
"I'm perfectly ok with adding to the Vixens. But remember that I was your first Wife!"
She kissed him with passion before walking way, ensuring her hand brushed a spot on his pants that said, you are still MINE.
Somehow the next dance was a host of Vixens. Bunny, Zee, and Pixelle in her human form were grinding against Jax. Rhythm to the music was the furthest things from their minds.
Jax was feeling the effects and both worried about them and enjoyed them. Thought were racing in his head.
He looked up and saw Nyxian.
She was smiling, ear to ear.
Jax finally pointed at her.
"Stop that."
Nyxian blinked innocently.
"Stop what?"
"Whatever you're doing with your face."
"My face is beautiful."
"That's unfortunately true."
Nyxian blew him a kiss.
Then Zee leaned closer.
Very close.
"Jax."
"Hmm?"
She whispered something into his ear.
Jax stopped moving.
Completely.
He slowly turned toward her.
"How is that even possible?"
Zee smiled sweetly.
"Make it happen, Jax!"
"I don't think anatomy—"
"You're smart."
Jax stared at her.
Zee nodded encouragingly.
"You'll figure it out."
Jax looked toward the heavens as if hoping some higher power might provide guidance.
None came.
Probably for the best.
Some questions were never meant to be answered.
As the evening stretched later, even the fairies began retreating to their homes.
The celebration slowly quieted.
The Vixens, however, were nowhere near finished.
Nyxian eventually stood.
Or attempted to.
Her first effort resulted in her sitting back down considerably harder than intended.
She tried again.
Success.
"Beloved."
Jax looked up.
"Hmm?"
"Bed."
Jax considered that.
"That's probably a good idea."
Nyxian grinned.
"You have no idea."
Jax stared at her.
Then decided he probably didn't want clarification.
Bunny immediately stood.
Zee followed.
Llandra rose with as much dignity as she could still manage.
"Vixens! Mount Up!" She said in her drunken state.
"Oh, I intend on mounting up, tonight," Bunny chimed in.
Jax's head was spinning. He didn't know whether to activate the purge part of his system or not.
Jax loved having the System.
It had saved his life more times than he could count.
It had given him abilities he still didn't fully understand.
It had changed everything about his existence.
But sometimes…
He really wished it had a playback function.
Because he had a feeling, the night he was about to have....was going to be a blur.
The next morning, Jax looked around.
He was naked.
Normal.
The Vixens were sleeping around him.
Also normal.
Then he looked down.
Pixelle was asleep.
In her natural three-inch form.
And considerably below his stomach.
Jax stared at her.
Then at the ceiling.
Then back at Pixelle.
"...Well."
He considered the situation.
"I appear to have strengthened diplomatic relations."
Pixelle continued sleeping peacefully.
Jax carefully reached down and lifted her into his palm.
She curled against his hand without waking.
He looked around for somewhere safe to put her.
Nyxian was beside him.
Perfect.
Jax gently placed Pixelle on Nyxian's chest.
The Fairy Queen immediately snuggled into her new sleeping spot.
Nyxian didn't even stir.
That's when Jax noticed another tiny figure already asleep nearby.
Lexi.
Also on Nyxian.
Jax stared.
"...Lexi too?"
He searched his memory.
There were fragments.
Lots of laughing.
Pixelle in her human-sized form.
Nyxian saying something that had seemed like an excellent idea at the time.
Lexi watching.
More Fairy Cider.
Then…
Nothing useful.
"Huh."
Jax decided breakfast was a much easier mystery to solve.
He carefully climbed out of bed.
Usually he didn't wake up first.
One of the Vixens almost always beat him to it.
Morning had become something of an opportunity around the Darquebane household.
An opportunity that usually resulted in someone collecting additional iPoints before breakfast.
Not today.
Everyone was out.
Completely.
Jax looked around at the sleeping women.
No morning iPoints today.
He smiled.
They've earned the morning off.
Then he got dressed and headed for the kitchen.
The smell of breakfast eventually accomplished what nothing else could.
It awakened the Vixens.
Llandra emerged first.
Her normally immaculate hair was slightly disheveled.
Her posture remained dignified.
Mostly.
She walked directly to the table and sat down without saying a word.
Zee appeared next.
She stopped beside one of the shelves.
Casually removed a collar from around her neck.
Placed it neatly on the shelf.
Then continued to the table.
Nobody commented.
Nobody even looked surprised.
It was Zee.
Bunny shuffled in several minutes later.
Her ears drooped behind her.
She looked like she could sleep another twelve hours.
She sat beside Llandra and immediately rested her head on the table.
"Food."
"Almost ready," Jax said.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
Nyxian arrived last.
Unlike everyone else…
Nyxian looked far too pleased with herself.
Her hair was a mess.
She was clearly exhausted.
And yet she wore the satisfied smile of someone who believed every decision she had made the previous evening had been absolutely correct.
Jax looked at her.
Nyxian looked at him.
"Good morning, Beloved."
"Good morning."
She sat down.
Jax waited.
Nyxian smiled.
Jax narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're doing the face again."
"My face is beautiful."
"We've already established that is correct."
"Adding a few new Vixens to your Harem suits us all."
Jax sighed.
Unfortunately, she was right.
Breakfast was nearly finished when Bunny disappeared back toward the bedroom.
A few minutes later she returned.
Pixelle sat on one shoulder.
Lexi sat on the other.
Both fairies looked exhausted.
And both looked considerably less confident than they had the previous night.
Pixelle was quiet.
That alone was unusual.
She remembered enough.
Pixelle suddenly wasn't sure what any of it meant.
Lexi appeared to be having a similar crisis.
Yesterday, she had been the Fairy Queen's closest confidant.
Today…
She wasn't entirely sure what she was.
Jax placed two tiny plates on the table.
"Perfect timing."
Pixelle looked down.
Eggs.
Potatoes.
Small pieces of bacon.
Fruit.
Everything the others were eating.
Just prepared for their size.
Jax placed tiny cups beside them.
Pixelle looked up at him.
"You made these for us?"
"Of course."
Something about the simplicity of the answer made her chest tighten.
He hadn't forgotten them.
He wasn't acting embarrassed.
He wasn't pretending the previous night hadn't happened.
He had simply made them breakfast.
Like they belonged there.
Pixelle sat beside her plate.
Lexi slowly did the same.
The morning continued.
And gradually, things began feeling normal again.
Or at least whatever qualified as normal inside the Darquebane household.
When Jax finished cooking, Llandra stood and walked over to him.
She kissed him.
"Thank you."
Bunny followed.
Then Zee.
Nyxian made considerably more of the opportunity than necessary before finally releasing him.
Jax looked toward the table.
Pixelle was watching.
Their eyes met.
She immediately looked down.
Jax smiled.
He walked toward her.
Pixelle looked back up.
"Good morning, Your Grace."
Her wings fluttered.
"Good morning."
There was a pause.
Pixelle looked toward the Vixens.
Then back at Jax.
Last night was last night.
This was different.
She was sober.
So was he.
Pixelle stood.
Her wings began moving.
She flew upward.
Jax remained still.
Pixelle hesitated for only a second.
Then leaned forward and kissed him.
Jax smiled when she pulled away.
"I had a really great time last night."
Pixelle's face turned pink.
"I am yours, now."
Then she smiled.
A real smile.
The uncertainty disappeared.
Lexi watched from the table.
Then realized everyone was looking at her.
"What?"
Nyxian grinned.
"Nothing."
Lexi looked toward Jax.
Then Pixelle.
Then back at Jax.
She slowly flew upward.
Stopped in front of him.
Hesitated.
Then kissed him too.
Jax blinked in surprise.
Lexi immediately flew back to the table.
Her face was bright red.
Nyxian looked unbearably smug.
Jax pointed at her.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Nyxian happily returned to her breakfast.
Several minutes passed.
Pixelle was halfway through eating when she suddenly stopped.
"Oh."
Lexi looked over.
"What?"
"My System."
Pixelle remembered turning off her notifications the previous night.
At some point they had become so frequent that she couldn't concentrate on anything else.
She opened her interface.
Then froze.
Her eyes widened.
She scrolled.
Then scrolled again.
And again.
"Why do I have so many notifications?"
Lexi frowned.
"What?"
"There are dozens of them!"
Lexi opened her own System.
Her expression immediately changed.
She began scrolling.
Her eyes grew wider.
"Why do I have so many notifications?"
Across the table, four Vixens suddenly became very quiet. They opened their own.
Nyxian slowly smiled.
Bunny lifted her head.
Zee reached for her drink.
Llandra maintained the carefully neutral expression of someone who had absolutely no intention of explaining this.
Jax stopped chewing.
Pixelle opened the first notification.
She read it.
Her brow furrowed.
She opened another.
Then another.
She scrolled back to the first one.
Read it again.
Finally…
Pixelle slowly looked across the table.
"Jax?"
Jax put down his fork.
"Yes, Your Grace?"
Pixelle turned her System toward him.
"What are iPoints?"