Lin and Ilana

Part 1

The chirping of birds spread through all the streets of Tambarekas, lazily fading in the stone alleys where the noonday sun melted even thoughts. The afternoon was the drowsiest time in this polished-to-a-shine little town: the shops were already shuttered, the guards napped in the shade of balconies, and passersby looked for small pleasures like a cold lemonade… or that famous pink ice cream from Tambarekas.

— Come on, Lin, how long are we gonna stand here? Just grab your ice cream already and let’s go — Ilana said with a smirk, brushing her long hair back as a gust of wind blew through.

— Yeah, yeah... — her friend replied, scratching the back of her neck, then added with a slight blush — Are you... are you getting one too?

— Of course I am! — Ilana laughed brightly, stepping closer to Lin and giving her shoulder a friendly pat — I’m not made of stone, Lin. Especially in this heat! Though, you’ve been acting a little weird lately. What’s up, did you fall for someone?

Lin gave an awkward chuckle and turned away, pretending to examine the wrapper design on the ice cream. How do you even explain? No, better not. How do you tell someone that you — Dan — used to be an engineer from Virginia, who got sucked into this... anime hell through a damn screen and woke up one morning in the body of a girl officially registered in the local guild as a "Rank 2 Maid"? Ilana was from here. They met while cleaning a house together once. It just happened that Ilana became her main support in this world, giving her a new kind of hope that life could be good here, too. She was always so kind, lively, sweet, understanding, supportive, and unbelievably... beautiful. At least according to Lin, who was realizing more and more with each passing day that she didn’t want to see Ilana as just a friend.

— Two "Raspberry Punches", please — Lin exhaled, trying to keep her voice steady, and instantly regretted not picking something less... suggestive.

The skinny vendor with curly mustache took the order while Ilana snorted and turned toward her, leaning against the wooden counter.

— Raspberry Punch for the raspberry cutie! — she laughed, watching Lin quickly avert her gaze and pretend to read the harvest festival schedule. — Hey, what’s wrong?! But seriously! You look absolutely stunning today and now I want that dress too! Though... I could never pull it off like you do.

‘Damn it, Ilana…’ — Lin felt a tight knot twist in her stomach. No. This wasn’t what she wanted to hear from her right now. One more word, and she might’ve dropped the ice cream right onto the cobblestone streets of Tambarekas.

— Just look at you! — Ilana squinted and gave a teasing grin. — With boobs like that, they’ll be calling you “Mistress Raspberry Punch, Double Edition” in no time! Or do they already?

Lin turned bright red.

— Here you go — the vendor handed her the ice cream just as she was about to turn and bolt far away from lines like “Mistress Raspberry Punch.” She took both cones mechanically and turned to Ilana with a smile, trying to keep a carefree look on her face, even though inside she was pounding like a carnival drum. Sticky fingers clutched the cold wooden sticks as if that might help her stay grounded in this insane reality. Oh, how badly she wanted to just say everything. Right now. Right here. Looking into her laughing eyes.

Part 2

— Ilana... — she began, forcing out a quiet voice. — I wanted to tell you something. About... us.

Ilana, raising an eyebrow, looked away from the shop window and turned her curious gaze on Lin:

— Hm? Why so serious all of a sudden? I’m all ears-s-s...

— I... — Lin swallowed, her ice cream tilting slightly in her hand. — I might sound stupid, but...

And then everything around them seemed to explode. A deep blast from the horns on the city walls, a shrill town crier's voice, and a booming shout:

— Sir Brain de la Corte returns to Tambarekas! Open the gates!

The crowd stirred, a wave of excited chatter rose, and Ilana gasped as if she'd just seen a living god.

— AAH! No way! Holy goddesses, is it really him?! Is it really HIM?! — she clutched Lin’s elbow. — I heard he conquered the Fragmar Tower and saved Lady Siela from orcs recently!

Lin turned to look. The wrought-iron gates creaked open slowly, like a scene from a stage play. Through them rode a man on a black stallion, clad in armor that gleamed in the sunlight like it was forged from living metal. On his chest — the crest of Tambarekas. At his hip — a sword. In his eyes — a calm arrogance.

‘Brian,’ — Lin hissed internally, unable to look away.

Him. The very one. Once her best friend, once her college dorm mate where they first met, a gamer, a whiner, a chronic loser. Always bitching that "the world owes him nothing," always envying "lucky Dan" — which was her. And now he was the radiant Brain de la Corte, hero, knight, ladies’ darling.

— Look at him, Lin! Just look at that hunk! God, if a guy like that wanted to marry me — I wouldn’t think twice!

Lin stared, annoyed, her eyes wide. ‘Fucking Brian! Why the hell now?!’

She clenched her teeth. The pink ice creams trembled in her fingers, one nearly slipping. Her whole body tensed up, her breasts suddenly felt heavier, more present — the thin straps of her dress digging deeper into her shoulders, and the fabric itself practically screaming: You’re not a man, Lin’s never gonna love you like this, better go find yourself a groom.

— You really like him? — Lin breathed out, her voice cracking, taking on a hoarse tone, almost male in its cadence — though it still sounded like her usual cute, ringing girl's voice.

Ilana’s eyes went wide as she turned to her friend:

— What kind of dumb question is that? — she laughed, turning her gaze back to the knight, stepping forward and rising on her toes to get a better view. — He’s perfect! Look at those shoulders! The way he holds himself! That look in his eyes... mmm...

‘That look… yeah, right.’ Lin swallowed hard, recalling that very look Brian had when both of them realized something was about to happen. Right before they got sucked into this place. Brian had looked at Lin — no, at Dan — with panic. His eyes were begging for help. For Dan to fix everything again, like always. Even though it was all, completely, entirely, from beginning to end, Brian’s fault. It was because of him that Dan had even been at his place, trying to save his sorry ass from some locals who were threatening him. And it was Brian who had poured that damn tea for Dan, the one with those weird pills. Not drugs, as Brian would later swear when he finally admitted it. "Just some experimental shit, bro. Let’s just play 'Medieval and Magic' instead! I’ve got two VR headsets right here!"

Part 3

— Oh yeah... that look — Lin muttered through clenched teeth, turning away as if the gleam of the armor had blinded her. — Let’s just go. Here. Your ice cream.

Lin handed over the cone, trying not to look at Ilana. Her hand trembled — from the heat, or from anger, or maybe from the unbearable urge to just scream across all of Tambarekas: “It’s all bullshit! He’s no hero — he’s a coward! And I’m not a girl, goddammit!”

But instead, Lin shoved the ice cream into Ilana’s hand and, without looking at her, exhaled — as if slipping into a trance, not even realizing she was speaking out loud:

— I hate him...

— What?! — Ilana jerked back like she'd been slapped and froze, her tongue just touching the ice cream with her eyes closed. Then she opened them, slowly turning toward Lin, who was already starting to panic, and said like she was talking to some clueless child:

— Lin, are you out of your mind?! How can you say something like that?! That’s Brain de la Corte! They write songs about him, people pray to his portraits! Girls faint just from a glance!

— I... I didn’t mean it like that! — Lin blinked desperately, glancing around like her words might now bring down accusations of blasphemy — and worse, make Ilana angry and think she was weird, which meant her already tiny chance with her would shrink even more. But she’d meant it. She didn’t want to lie and pretend to be another brainless fan of the knight.

The knight had already disappeared down an alley, while Lin stood frozen under her friend’s tense gaze. Her brain, like the ice cream in her hand, was slowly melting under the weight of so many clashing emotions.

— I… — her voice cracked, and she quickly turned away, feeling her cheeks flare up. — Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.

The silence between them buzzed with tension, filling the air like static. Lin took a step sideways, almost dancing from the heat, the embarrassment, the desperate urge to vanish — all at once.

— Oooooh... — Ilana squinted with a sly tongue-click, leaning in closer. — Now I get it. This is about Roy, isn’t it?!

— Roy? — Lin frowned, her expression showing she had no clue who that even was, eyes darting to the side.

— Oh, stop acting like you don’t know! The redhead from the forge, always with soot on his face. He’s been staring at you since that festival when you dropped the basket of apples and flashed him your goodies through your neckline. Remember? He froze like a statue, then jumped up, ran over and offered to help — and you looked at him like he was the devil himself.

— What? No! — Lin nearly jumped, whipping around. — I don’t even... not...

Part 4

— Ah-haha, come on, don’t freak out like that! — Ilana laughed, leaning over and giving her a pat on the shoulder. — He’s a solid guy, and his hands... total blacksmith hands, mmm... Shame he’s not into me.

Lin bit her lip. Something inside twisted so hard it made her sway a little. She couldn’t explain why those words didn’t just make her uncomfortable — they filled her with something close to physical disgust. The very thought that someone all “solid” like that could be imagining her in some... romantic way made her skin crawl, especially knowing that nothing had changed inside — the core of her was still male. Just locked now in a body with Boobs, a waist, hips. And those Boobs... damn things... they bounced with every step, every breath. The sticky dress fabric rubbed underneath, and the angrier Lin got, the sharper she felt the helplessness of being trapped in this image.

— I just... don’t think this is all... mine — she muttered, looking away.

— How is it not yours? — Ilana stepped in closer, her own Breasts brushing against Lin’s shoulder, making her flinch. — Lin... be honest with me. How old are you?

— What?.. — she blinked, thrown by the question. — I... well... twenty-six.

— Exactly! — Ilana stepped back, planting her hands on her hips. — You’re a grown woman, Lin. And no matter how much you deny it — this is your body. It’s not a toy, not a costume. It feels. It wants. It... — she dropped her voice like she was saying something forbidden — It needs.

— Oh, screw you... — Lin backed away, that tight feeling clenching in her chest again. — I... I’m not like that.

— Not like that? — Ilana smirked. — What do you mean, not like that? Not like me?

Lin just wanted to disappear. End this conversation. Rewind and unsay everything about Brian, or hell, the “great knight Brain de la Corte.” But it was all happening now, and Ilana — that same Ilana Lin had wanted to confess to, even knowing that in this world rules were tighter, people clearer about who could love who and who was supposed to sleep with whom — was now pushing her further into a corner.

— I... — Lin’s fingers clenched, the ice cream cone cracked in her hand with a sharp snap, a thin pink stream running down her wrist and dripping onto the neckline of her dress. — I don’t want it. Not with Roy. Not with anyone. It... it grosses me out just thinking about it.

— Oh, Lin... — Ilana sighed and stepped in close, almost pressing up to her. Her tone softened into a near-whisper. — I don’t want to hurt you, really. It’s just... I see how much you’re suffering. You’ve got the eyes of a cornered animal. Always tense. Always in your head. You don’t even masturbate, do you?

— What?! — Lin nearly dropped what was left of her ice cream, her heart pounding like a drum. She turned to Ilana with such force the girl almost recoiled. — Are you fucking serious?! What kind of question is that?!

Part 5

— Ha! So you don’t masturbate — Ilana stated, folding her arms and looking at her like a teacher scolding a naughty student. — Makes perfect sense. That’s why you walk around like you’re about to kill someone or explode yourself. Lin, your body’s going nuts! You’re not made of wood!

— I... it’s... no... — Lin felt herself blush from her ears to her cleavage. — What the hell is wrong with you?! That’s not... none of your business!

— Oh, but it is — Ilana stepped forward again, closing the space between them. — You’re my friend. You live next door. You twitch every time someone compliments you. And your poor... — she nodded downward, to where the tight neckline of Lin’s dress barely managed to hold back her protruding Boobs — ...your poor “Raspberry Punches” look about ready to mutiny against your damn bodice.

— Stop it! — Lin snapped, but she could feel her knees trembling beneath her — from the heat, the shame, and that raw, humiliating awareness of who she had been, of what she couldn’t hide from, not anywhere, maybe not ever.

Lin bit her lip. She couldn’t say: “I’m not into men.” She couldn’t say: “I want it to be you.” She couldn’t say: “I’m still a man inside.” All of it was locked deep, burning, scalding.

— I don’t want to be... with a man! — Lin nearly shouted. — Not a single one of them! Just the thought of it makes me sick. All that... touching, cuddling, wanting... it’s not mine!

— Pfff! — Ilana frowned, staring into her face, and with a lifted chin, like she was delivering some indisputable argument, added — You haven’t even tried!

— Are you serious? — Lin managed to reply, barely getting the words out. She curled into herself. — This isn’t like taking a bath, Ilana.

— You’re just scared — Ilana kept going stubbornly, folding her arms under her own Breasts. — Let yourself imagine, just for a second... that someone’s touching you. That someone wants you. Not because of your tits, but you. Is that really so horrible?

Lin swallowed. Her throat felt like sand. No — worse, like thorns. Every word Ilana said hit right where Lin had no defense. She really was scared. So scared that at night, lying on the narrow cot in the dim servant’s room, she’d bury her face in the pillow to drown out her own breathing. And even then — her body responded. That soft weight of her Breasts, the fabric brushing lightly against her nipples... Those damned sensations between her legs, where even the slightest shift of her hips could spark a betraying response. Everything was alive, everything wanted — but not on her terms. Her body felt like a separate thing, living on its own, female to the core.

— Alright, then! — Ilana said, soft yet commanding, stepping so close there were only inches between them. — Tomorrow. Ahem. No. In three days, we’re going... somewhere.

Part 6

— Where? — Lin instinctively took a step back, her spine bumping into the wooden counter of the ice cream vendor. A cold drop of syrup was still sliding down her wrist.

— It’s a surprise — Ilana winked and smiled like this was just a casual outing, not something that would flip Lin’s entire world upside down. — But I’ll be there too. For me... please, just promise you’ll come.

Lin froze. She still felt the heat of her body, the sensation of Ilana’s Breast that had just brushed her shoulder — for a second, fleeting, but enough to send her heart racing into chaos again. The words “for me” echoed in her head.

— Promise? — Ilana repeated, glancing back over her shoulder.

— Y-yeah... if you’ll be there, then... of course — Lin whispered, her voice nearly breaking. She would’ve gone even into the darkest pit if Ilana asked. For her — yes. For hope — that too. But every day it was getting harder to bear the lack of anything in return. To not know if Ilana was playing with her, teasing — or if she truly didn’t notice that Lin was burning alive inside.

— Perfect! — Ilana chirped, happily licking her ice cream again as if nothing had just happened. — Just wear something more... you know, more fantasy-style. It’s gonna be fun!

“More fantasy-style?” — Lin grimaced. What the hell did she even mean by that? Her fingers instinctively tugged at the edge of her dress, under which the sticky heat still lingered, along with that horribly insistent sensation of her nipples reacting to the slightest draft. Ilana made it sound so easy, like a trip to a festival.

— You’re not gonna tell me what it is? — she asked, trying to sound steady, though her voice trembled.

— Nope — Ilana shook her head, and something unreadable sparkled in her eyes. — Just trust me.