Round 35 Transcript

The building's rumble intensifies, disapproval vibrating through the floorboards. I pause my cutting, pressing the blade of the shear against the steel plate hard enough to leave an imprint. Jeane's suggestion hangs in the air—collaborative engineering—and while it sounds practical on paper, there's a succubus grin underneath that I don't entirely trust. I set down the shears and turn to face them properly. "Collaboration is fine," I say, keeping my tone neutral despite the heat crawling up my neck. "But let's be clear about what we're building here." My eyes flick to the shoddy sybian frame still half-assembled on the workbench. "Something functional that won't fall apart mid-use. Not a…" I trail off, waving a hand vaguely at the succubus, "…a glory hole with wings."

Jeane's expression doesn't shift—damn her for being so good at this—but there's amusement in her eyes nonetheless. She steps closer to the workbench, and the movement causes her wings to rustle softly, like silk against skin. "Of course," she purrs, though it's less a purr and more an engineer discussing specifications. "Functionality first. We'll create something that meets the building's… requirements." Her gaze flicks to me, sharp and appraising. "Something that can handle multiple users simultaneously."

The insinuation is thick enough to choke on, but I don't rise to it. Instead, I nod once, curtly. "Good. Then we're on the same page." I turn back to the steel plates, lining up the next cut with more force than strictly necessary. The metal screams as I press down, a sound that almost drowns out the building's discontented groan. I can feel Jeane moving behind me, her presence like warm air against my back before she speaks again. "You're excellent with your hands, Silra." It's not quite flirtatious—she's observing a fact—but it carries enough weight that I have to suppress a shiver. "But perhaps we need a… different approach to the design."

I set down the shears and turn to face her fully now, crossing my arms over my chest defensively before forcing them back to my sides. Her wings are half-spread in what could be mistaken for casual rest if I didn't know better. They're tools as much as they're ornamentation. "What do you mean?" I ask, keeping my voice even despite the tension coiling in my gut. "We need something sturdy enough for group use. That's not complicated engineering."

Jeane tilts her head, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. "No, but it could be… more efficient." She steps closer, and I don't step back because that would look weak and I'm not in the habit of looking weak in front of succubi or anyone else. Her voice drops lower when she speaks again. "We're not just building furniture here, Silra. We're addressing a structural issue—a need for… collective satisfaction."

The word 'collective' hangs between us, heavy with implications. I match her smirk with one of my own, sharp and mocking. "And what exactly are you proposing? Because if it involves your wings getting any closer to me than they already are, this collaboration is over before it starts."

Jeane studies the structural sketches Silra has been working on for some minutes now. She's impressed by the elven woman’s engineering knowledge despite their obvious difference in… occupation. "I appreciate your skill at mechanics, Silra," Jeane says, her voice smooth as honeyed venom. "But I'm certain we can optimize this design further. Something that accommodates all of us better." She lets a hint of her influence seep into the air, not enough to compel but simply to flavor the suggestion with subtle temptation. "You've engineered for function so far—why not engineer for pleasure as well?"