#bergen_county

She shifts away, arms wrapped around her a bit. "I don't like that feeling. Like you're in the presence of something great and powerful, and you're just a bug that they could squish beneath their feet."

Adam follows her, still wanting to hold her. "It's exciting."

"It's terrifying. I don't want anyone to have that power over me. And don't forget, they do have power. They can snap their fingers and you'll literally dance to their tune, if they wanted to spend the glam to tell you to amuse them."

"Like, like a dancing dog with a ruffle around it's neck."

"As long as you bark to their tune and follow the steps they want you to dance to, you'll have a place. And then get tossed away like old garbage as soon as something else catches their eye."

"Piper.... did someone do that to you?" Quietly, but concerned.

She glances up, and gives him a small smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to bring down the mood. It's such a nice night out. Let's talk about something else." Moving back over and resting a hand on his chest.

He puts a hand on hers where it rests on his chest and watches her with tender worry.

She reaches up to hook a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss if he'll let her.

Oh, he does. He loves the feeling of this, the touch; quarantine has denied him many kinds of physical contact and he savors this one.

And despite what she just said, she apparently no longer has talking in mind.

He -is- easy to distract this way.

"You just been doing school work?" He mumbles "No.... adventures?"

"Nnnn-mmm." She murmurs in negation, hands sliding under his shirt.

He shivers, exhaling. "So good....." and his hands seek haven under -her- shirt.

She coos and encourages. After all, they have the swingset there, and the jungle gym, and the monkey bars.... all sorts of playground equipment to explore.

Adam may learn some things tonight... and he -is- an eager student.

And Piper is an eager teacher... eager, and flexible!

(Fade to "nothing to see here folks, move along, move along" ?)

*******************************
Adam, relaxed and smiling, returns home and heads upstairs.

Grinning to himself, he shucks off, showers, gets ready for bed, and heads back to his room, his bed, and his laptop.

He settles in to get back to reading his e-book(s).

He flips between a few titles, considers, and finally picks one; after a few sentences, his brow furrows.

Sometimes his lips move with the effort of reading.

He pauses, looking off into the distance. "So... mentors...." He goes back to reading.

After a while, he frowns, deeply.

"This is stupid. What's the point?"

"The point is you've got fire, you've got dreams!! you've got the stuff!" Dressed as a sexy coach, Nab bounces about

"Huh?" He looks up.

Nab waves

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"You seemed really into something then you got frustrated?"

"Well. Yeah. I mean, this ... it just seems stupid."

"What is it that seems so stupid?" She says

"Ok, -some- of it makes sense in a way, in the right light, I guess but... what's the point of being a good man if you can't enjoy life while you do it?"

"Must be something to it, some folks keep trying it. Maybe there's a warm fuzzy feel good feeling different from lust?"

The boy shrugs helplessly. "Maybe?"

"I mean.... it -sounds- good, and like.... you know, you want to try it but then he starts going on about how to be a good man you can't worry about being happy and how wanting pleasure will mess up being a good man...."

"Sometimes, being good makes you happy. "

"I mean, come on... 'Virtue is the only good.' Really?"

"The -only- good?"

"Oh wow this is way over my coding" She sighs "Well.. the only good isn't the only pleasure..."

Adam shakes his head. "I don't get it. What's the point of life if you can't enjoy it? If you have to act like, live like, not matter what happens you're not happy -or- sad? Fffft."

He closes the laptop.

"Hey, wait.. you didn't find the answer you wanted that said things the way you wanted so you're not looking for ANY answers? I'm.. not sure I understand that. That's like sitting in the middle of am uddy road forever just because you went to the wrong address the first time"

"No, it's just late and this stuff doesn't make sense so I'm going to stop reading. You know, tonight, for now. I'll look at it again tomorrow."

"Oh! that makes sense" she nods

He yawns, stretches.

He sets the laptop off to the side and makes sure his phone is plugged in, snuggles down.

"Sleep well"