Af had planned something lovely, but there was an epic net glitch. They and Ko were together, but nowhere. Bodiless in formless void.
Fortunately they could still talk. Ko’s mind was stuck on one track today, but Af didn’t mind that, not in the least.
“What’s your favorite silly metaphor for sex?” Ko asked.
Af demurred. “Almost anything works, if you push it hard enough. What’s yours?”
Ko laughed. “I see what you did there.”
Af smiled, even though Ko couldn’t see it. “Maybe not chess,” they allowed. “Even though playing queen or king could be fun, being forced to mate isn’t. Checkers might be better, we could both go all the way and be kinged.”
“Or in backgammon we could watch each other bear off men,” Ko offered. “What about… cryptography? Or locksmithing? Cracking codes, unlocking combinations.”
“That could be a little too goal-oriented if you’re not careful,” Af said. “How about playing piano? Twin keyboards, fortissimo trading off with pianissimo, pounding and tickling, making beautiful melodies?”
“Kissing.” Ko said. “In a young adult novel. Your lips so full, and cherry-red, mine ruby, nipping and tugging.”
“Kissing is sex, though” Af said. “I think we should disqualify that.”
“A conflagration,” Ko suggested. “Fully raging with no fire truck in sight. Midnight street racing, blowing through stop signs.”
“Summer,” Af countered. “In Old Earth Florida. Hot, sticky, languid.”
Ko was silent for a long moment. “Summer. That’s a good one. Let’s simmer, in the summer.”
phrases: backgammon, queen, go, full, king, cherry, florida, fire truck, stop sign, ruby, twin, cryptography, checkers, locksmith, piano, chess