Xavier stepped into his apartment, the weight of the day pressing down on him. He moved to the pedestal where the Fragment of Goddess Astrea rested, its faint glow pulsing softly in the dim light. Kneeling before it, he closed his eyes and called out, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.
"Goddess Astrea."
Silence. Then, after a long moment, a voice echoed in his mind - cool and distant, like wind through ancient ruins.
"You have broken the condition. A penalty will be applied."
Xavier’s eyes snapped open. "What condition?"
The air before him shimmered, words forming in glowing script:
[Condition: Must communicate with Goddess Astrea for minimum 10 minutes daily]
"I was hospitalized," Xavier protested. "I just got back and then went to eat."
The voice returned, sharper now. "Excuses change nothing. Speak."
Xavier sighed, then began recounting his day - the hospital, the men in black, Cassian Voss, the restaurant. The minutes ticked by as the goddess asked probing questions, her voice growing more present with each response.
When the conversation finally wound down, Xavier hesitated. "Can you... see everything from the rock?"
A pause. Then: "I sense, but do not see."
Xavier’s brow furrowed. "Are you always sensing? Hearing things?"
"Only when called upon."
"Can you hear my thoughts when I’m talking to you?"
"Only during prayer. Otherwise, I remain unaware unless you initiate contact."
Xavier nodded slowly. "I’m tired. I need sleep."
The goddess’s presence faded like mist in sunlight. Xavier moved to the far corner of the room, facing the wall and putting as much distance between himself and the fragment as possible. He pulled the new noise-canceling headphones from his pocket, examining them with interest.
The manual was simple - thirty seconds of study revealed every feature. He activated the noise cancellation with a tap. Instant silence. The world dropped away, leaving only his breath and heartbeat. It was like being submerged in deep water, the pressure comforting rather than oppressive.
Xavier let out a soft laugh. "Technology is awesome."
Xavier’s gaze flicked nervously toward the Fragment of Goddess Astrea, its faint glow pulsing softly in the dim room. He swallowed hard, then stood abruptly, his fingers working at his belt buckle. The pants dropped to the floor with a soft rustle of fabric. He settled back onto the corner, the cool floor against his bare skin.
His phone’s screen lit up as he opened the VPN app - a free month’s subscription had come with the device. The browser loaded quickly, the search bar blinking expectantly. His fingers moved almost of their own accord, typing out the letters: C-O-R-N-H-U-B.
The page loaded instantly. Xavier’s breath caught as the thumbnails populated the screen, each one more enticing than the last. His body responded immediately, heat pooling in his gut. He swiped through the options, his gaze lingering on each suggestive image.
A memory surfaced - back in the village, he’d had to invent elaborate fantasies just to find release. But here, in the city, with this device... He could have anything he wanted with just a few taps. No more whispered stories in the dark. No more fear of being caught.
"Technology is fucking awesome," he muttered, his voice rough with desire.
One thumbnail caught his eye - "My hot milf neighbor wanted to cook, but got a cock instead." His mind immediately conjured the restaurant owner’s face, her warm smile, the way her blouse had strained against her curves. The video’s opening drumstick sound effect made him jump slightly as he transferred the phone to his left hand.
His right hand began its mission with practiced ease. The video played, the sounds filling his ears as his eyes remained locked on the screen. The headphones’ noise cancellation created a perfect bubble of privacy around him, the outside world falling away completely.
The Fragment’s glow seemed to pulse in time with his movements, though he was too lost in sensation to notice. His breathing grew ragged, the video’s moans mixed with his own harsh breaths, the combination driving him closer to the edge.
Xavier’s world of pleasure shattered as a hand tapped his shoulder. He whipped around, his eyes widening in horror. Lilia stood there, her face twisted in disgust. The noise-cancelling headphones had completely isolated him from the world, making Lilia’s sudden appearance all the more shocking.
The sudden shock made his body betray him - his cock pulsed violently, sending a thick rope of cum arcing through the air to splatter against the wall with a wet slap.
"Oh no!" Xavier hissed, fumbling with his phone as he tried to cover his still-hard dick. His hands were useless against the obscene display - his cock stood rigid and glistening, far too large to conceal.
Lilia’s face twisted in disgust as her eyes flicked from the mess on the wall to Xavier’s exposed state. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" she snapped, her voice dripping with revulsion.
Xavier’s face burned with humiliation as he scrambled for his pants. "I-I I didn’t hear you come in," he stammered, the headphones still blaring moans in his ears. He’d been so lost in the video, so perfectly isolated in his bubble of pleasure, that he hadn’t noticed the door unlocking or Lilia’s approach.
"Pull your fucking pants up, you disgusting pervert," Lilia ordered, turning her face away in disgust.
Xavier complied, his movements jerky with embarrassment. "What are you doing here?" he demanded once decent, his voice rough with lingering arousal.
Lilia’s gaze flicked to the wall before settling on Xavier’s face. "My father sent me. You didn’t come home last night. He was worried, so he contacted me and asked me to check on you." Her eyes narrowed as she took in his bandaged state. "What the fuck happened to you? You look like you got hit by a truck."
Xavier’s mind raced for an explanation. "A car hit me at an intersection. I don’t understand the traffic signals here yet," he lied smoothly.
"How can—"
Lilia opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden, violent pounding at the door cut her off. A gruff voice bellowed through the metal door: "Open the fuck up! Rent’s due, asshole!"