Chapter 19 - Chapter 19

Natalie wakes up first. They're both still in the same position as they were when they fell asleep. She moves his arm, then rolls over to face him. His mouth is slightly open. She gently touches his lips with her finger, then kisses him on the forehead. He opens his eyes and smiles softly.

"Morning, Nat."

"Good morning, Ozzy."

"Come closer."

Natalie snuggles up to Osmond, they intertwine their legs, and he embraces her. They stay like that for a while.

"We have to meditate."

"Mmm."

"Let's go, we can cuddle all we want when I come back from work."

"No, we can meditate like this."

"You'd just fall asleep again."

Natalie pushes him away and sits up.

"C'mon, let's go."

"I don't wanna."

"It's good for you, we might even enter samadhi, who knows?"

"Then you go meditate and I'll just sleep."

"Osmond, didn't you say something like "it's the attachment that binds," hm?"

"That doesn't apply here."

"Osmond, attachment to excessive sleep is tamasic, so get up and let's go meditate."

"Ugh, fine."

"But bathroom comes first."

Osmond sits up and Natalie goes to the bathroom. He rubs his eyes, stares blankly for a few seconds, then goes to the kitchen and drinks some water. Natalie gets out of the bathroom and comes to the kitchen, then Osmond goes to the bathroom. A few minutes later, they start meditating on the couch, and a few hours later, they finish. Natalie lays her head in Osmond's lap, and he slowly opens his eyes.

"Done already?"

"Mmhm."

"I didn't enter samadhi today."

"Me neither."

"It was still nice, though."

"Yeah."

After a few minutes of silence, Natalie sits back up.

"Let's have breakfast."

"Yeah."

They wash their hands and go to the kitchen.

"I don't feel like making anything right now."

"That's okay, we can have some oatmeal."

"Oatmeal is fine."

They make some oatmeal with sliced bananas and cinnamon, offer it to God, then start eating.

"Lately you seem a bit sleepier than usual."

"I guess."

"..."

"..."

"Why are you sleepier than usual?"

"I don't know."

"..."

"..."

"You're acting weird."

"How am I acting weird?"

"I don't know, you're just different."

"In what way?"

"It feels like you're hiding something, or like you're being distant or something, and you stopped resisting when I have my way with you, you're lazier and you sleep more. I don't know what's going on with you."

"Who knows?"

"Don't say that! Be honest with me, you're my best friend, you jerk!"

"Natalie, I am indeed hiding something, but I plan on revealing it as soon as I make it happen. Aside from that, I don't know, maybe this whole emotional roller coaster is taking a toll on me."

"What are you hiding?"

"It's a surprise."

"What about the other stuff? I'm worried for you."

"I said I don't know. Maybe it's just my biorhythm, maybe I'm sick, maybe it's the planets, I don't know."

"But why are you being distant?"

"I don't know, maybe it seems that way because I'm a bit more detached than before? I stopped caring about a lot of stuff when I stopped resisting you."

"..."

"..."

"Do you still love me?"

Osmond puts his hand on her cheek.

"I do. I love you more than I ever did before."

He retracts his hand and continues eating.

"Do you resent me for forcing myself onto you? Do you feel like I'm molesting you and you're just powerless to stop me?"

"No, God, of course not! I don't feel like you're molesting me at all! In fact, I kinda like it when you're being dominant like that..."

"You really like it? You're not just saying that?"

"I do like it. I don't like the extreme kinds of BDSM, but when it's something like this..."

"You kinky bastard."

"What?"

"You kinky bastard."

"You didn't have to repeat yourself, why did you call me a kinky bastard?"

"Because here I am worrying for no reason, while you're just being a kinky bastard."

"Don't be mean."

"Did I hurt you? Or perhaps do you like me hurting you, you little bitch."

"Natalie, please stop."

"Bark for me, bitch."

"Geez, Natalie, why are you being like that?"

"Are you disobeying your master? Naughty little bitches need to get punished."

Natalie gets up from her chair, pulls Osmond's chair back, and sits in his lap.

"Now beg for your punishment."

"At least let me finish eating."

"Beg."

"Fine. Please punish me, master."

"Beg sincerely."

"Natalie, I don't wanna do this right now."

"C'mon, let me have a little fun before I go to work."

"Can I finish my oatmeal first? There's only a bit left."

"Okay, fine, you can finish your oatmeal first."

Natalie gets off Osmond and goes back to her seat. They finish their food and put their bowls in the sink.

"Now let's go to the couch."

She gets up.

"Don't you have to get ready for work?"

"Mmm..."

She looks at the oven clock.

"It's fine, I still have some time left."

"Then let's go."

They go to the couch.

"Sit."

Osmond sits down, Natalie sits in his lap, facing him, and puts her arms around his neck.

"Do you know what you have to do?"

"Beg for my punishment?"

"Good boy."

"What am I being punished for, anyways?"

"For disobeying me."

"And how did I do that?"

"Because you didn't bark when I said you should, bitch."

"Stop it with the "bitch", please. Also, what kind of nonsense transgression is that? Why should I bark and who made you my master?"

"Oz… Please stop making sense and just play along, okay?"

"I'm not much for role play."

"Whatever, let's just kiss."

Natalie kisses him and bites his lower lip, which surprises him. They continue making out for a bit more, then stop.

"Aside from the lip bite, that wasn't really…"

"Yeah, I didn't really feel it this time. Maybe it's the mood."

"Sorry for ruining the mood."

"It's fine."

Natalie smiles, gives him a brief kiss, then gets off him.

"I gotta get ready for work."

"Yeah."

She goes to her room and gets ready for work. Osmond is waiting by the front door. She drinks some water, then goes to the door.

"Umm, I wanted to give you a goodbye kiss."

"And you waited here for me? How sweet of you!"

Osmond puts his hands on her shoulders and gives her a shy kiss. He gives her another kiss, then starts using his tongue. He puts his hands on her nape and the back of her head. Things get hotter for a bit, then Natalie pushes him away.

"I gotta go to work."

"Yeah."

"But, uhh, that felt better than before."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Natalie puts her shoes on, opens the door, then stands in the doorway for a bit.

"Natalie?"

She gives him a brief kiss, then heads out.

"Bye!"

"Bye, Nat!"