Chapter 19: Risk

NOTE: Music Track - Play it when it shows up if you want to listen - Late`knight`simmer

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We know The Compound used community gatherings to lure in new recruits. How did The Compound retain those new recruits?

The most popular ways were to become best friends with the new recruits and make them feel like they were being really supported and cared for, as well as current residents giving testimonials to make the recruit feel like The Compound really helps people.

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I'm going to see my friends again at The Compound. Their names are Petunia and Abilene and they have been helping me work through my issues with Enigma. Both of them are single, but their advice works for people in relationships too. In general, I feel like their advice just makes sense for life.

"Hey Andromeda. How are you doing with your husband?"

"Really good. I feel like I'm a lot less angry with him now. I'm thinking of asking him to go see a therapist regarding his attitude towards our son. I've also finally figured out he's not cheating on me."

"Oh! That's so encouraging to hear, Andromeda! Abilene and I are so proud of you."

"Thank you. He's hard to deal with sometimes, but I love him."

"Relationships are so complicated, aren't they? I remember my last relationship. I was so in love with him and he was with me for a long time. Then I found out he was cheating on me with his secretary. He had been seeing her for two years. I didn't know what to think, so I blamed myself for not being good enough for him. I told myself if I hadn't become boring, he wouldn't have felt the need to go be with someone else. I developed an eating disorder because I thought if I was skinnier, maybe he would like me more. One day I came to a weekly gathering here at The Compound, and some nice people helped me see that I wasn't the problem. He was the problem. He chose to cheat on me, and it wasn't my fault at all. I felt so loved here that I decided to stay. It was for the best anyway because his secretary moved in with him into our old house."

"Oh, Abilene, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I'm much better now, and I'm done with relationships. They brought me nothing but grief."

---

Verona's friend seems like a nice boy, although I still have my reservations about him. His appearance is one thing I am trying to get past. I have never understood makeup on men, it just seems improper. Stop it, Kalya. Remember what Charles said. People aren't bad just because they're different. I'm a little nervous about what his table manners will be like since he's been on the street and probably hasn't eaten at a table for a while. Kalya! He's not a caveman! The voice of reason that seems to have popped into my head ever since Charles talked to me about Verona is silently scolding me. We sit down to eat and I'm a little nervous.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. and Mrs. Balestrom. I really appreciate your hospitality."

I'm pleased to see that Absolon is very polite. I see Charles looking at me as if he wants me to say something.

"You are welcome, Absolon. What is it that you do? Verona says she hired you to do the entertainment for the store."

"I sing and play the guitar."

See, Kalya? He's a normal person. I am relieved that he isn't involved in dangerous things and my nerves calm down a little knowing that Verona is safe.

---

"Enigma? I want you to promise not to get upset right now. I want to ask you a question."

"I promise."

"I'd like it if you went to see a therapist."

The past few weeks, Andromeda had been hanging with those friends she met at The Compound. She seems to be happier, so maybe it's good for her. Things have been going better in general because I finally convinced her I'm not cheating on her. I haven't stayed in the motel room since the day she visited because she hasn't been yelling at me nonstop anymore.

"Ok. What would we talk about?"

"Here's where I need you not to get upset."

"You want me to talk to the therapist about my problem with Absolon, don't you?"

I looked at Andromeda calmly as she nodded. She winced a little, I guess because she expected me to throw her out of my arms or something. Instead, I gave her a kiss.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Thank you, Enigma."

---

Today while Absolon is on break, I decide to provide some entertainment for the store. I wonder what Camo will think. He's over by one of the shelves putting some books on it. I'm mesmerized by his arms again as he works. He looks up and smiles at me. The music plays and I start singing Taking Chances by Celine Dion.

"Don't know much about your life
Don't know much about your world
But don't want to be alone tonight
On this planet they call Earth

You don't know about my past
And I don't have a future figured out
And maybe this is going too fast
And maybe it's not meant to last

But what do you say to taking chances
What do you say to jumping off the edge
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or a hand to hold, or hell to pay
What do you say

I just want to start again
Maybe you could show me how to try
Maybe you could take me in
Somewhere underneath your skin

What do you say to taking chances
What do you say to jumping off the edge
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or a hand to hold, or hell to pay
What do you say

And I had my heart beating down, but I always come back for more
There's nothing like love to pull you up when you're lying down on the floor there
So talk to me, talk to me, like lovers do
Yeah walk with me, walk with me, like lovers do

What do you say to taking chances
What do you say to jumping off the edge
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or a hand to hold, or hell to pay
What do you say

Don't know much about your life
Don't know much about your world."

When I'm done, Camo comes over to me with a big grin on his face.

"I didn't know you could sing like that! You're really good."

"Thanks. My dad taught me. Hey, the store is closing at 5:00pm today, do you want to hang out after?"

"Yeah."

Camo looks like he wants to make out with me. I'm glad that he agreed to hang out with me before he has to go home. I'm not sure I will be able to resist ripping his clothes off before then, though, if he keeps staring at me like that. I smile at my sexy boyfriend and go back behind the counter until closing time.

---

"Hey Titanium, I think I'm going to hang out with Verona after work today, but I'll be back before 10pm. You should hang out with Absolon."

"Without you?"

"Yeah, you'll be fine. Just remember what I said, don't automatically think he's scary. Learn to trust him a little since you already like him."

Titanium nods, still a little afraid, but determined to listen to Camo's wisdom.

Five o'clock rolls around and all the customers have left the store. Titanium walks over to Absolon and nervously smiles at him.

"Uh, Absolon?"

"Yeah, what's up? Why do you look nervous?"

"I'm scared you'll say no to my next question. Um, will you go on a walk with me?"

"Yes, I'll walk with you. Why would you be nervous about that? I am your friend. Come on, let's split, Camo and Verona look like they need to be alone."

Titanium looks over at Camo, who is staring intently into Verona's eyes. He and Absolon go out the door.

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After I locked the front door, I went back inside to meet Camo. He has this crazy intense stare that's so hypnotizing, intoxicating, oh wow, I can't breathe. I'm so glad no one else snatched him up before I did. I really hope Daddy doesn't think anything's wrong with the store if I don't come home right away. I don't think he will, he's not a worrier. I'll try to keep all the merchandise in tact as well as not dirtying the furniture. Maybe Camo won't be opposed to having sex standing up... I wonder if he's ever done it that way before... god I want him.

Camo leans in and kisses me, breaking the staring contest we had apparently started. Now that he's as close to me as I want and obviously wants the same thing I do, I grab the back of his head, and play with his hair. I  suck on his bottom lip as his tongue invades my mouth. I kiss him back as I slide my hand under the neckline of his shirt and rub the top of his back. He feels really muscular.

I feel his hand under my shirt and I smile at him in between kisses and lift his shirt off him. It's the first time I've seen him shirtless and I was enjoying the view when Camo takes my top off and kisses me so hard that I wish his clothes would just disappear.

At some point we end up laying on the floor, not letting each other go the entire time. I suppose the floor is just as good a place as the wall, at least we'll be laying down for it. I hug Camo's body close to mine and move my leg strategically up and down, not that he needed any help in that department. He's devouring my neck. I hope he doesn't leave a hickey.

When I start undoing his pants, he props his arm up on the floor and smiles at me.

"You are so hot."

"Speak for yourself, baby," I say as I slide his pants down his legs.

We finish undressing each other and he stays on top of me as he enters. I put my hands on his hips to help guide him. I don't know how much help he really needs since he told me he's had sex before, keeping in mind that he said he didn't like it. His first time must have been really bad. The expression on his face now says he's having fun.

"Does that feel good, Camo?"

"Yes. So good."

I'm having fun looking at his sexy body now since I didn't get to earlier before he attacked my mouth. I tell Camo he can go faster whenever he feels like it. It's not long after that where he does go faster and I feel like my head's going to fly off the top of my neck. My toes curl and then I lay there, spent. He finishes at the same time and stays on top of me for a minute, panting. Then he lays on me and hugs me.

"Thank you, Verona."

"For what? You don't need to thank your girlfriend for having sex with you."

"No, for being nice to me."

"Awww, baby."

I wonder what that means. Are people not normally nice to him? I can't imagine why since he's so wonderful.

---

I'm going on a walk with Titanium today. I'm excited that he wanted to hang out with me other than while we're at work. I don't know how to read him though, because he always seems to be nervous around me. Maybe some talking will loosen him up. I guess it's possible he's afraid of me since I yelled at him really bad that one day.

"It's pretty gorgeous out today, isn't it?"

Can't go wrong talking about the weather, although it does seem quite lame. I hope he likes me as much as I like him. The only thing I don't like is that he's part of The Compound, but that's not his fault. Those people are evil and he's just stuck in their web. He's never asked me again to stay there or go to any of their stupid gatherings, so I think he's gotten the point that I am fine and don't need to be saved.

"Yeah, it's warm."

He's so quiet. It's kind of adorable, although I wish he would just talk to me. I hope I'm not stepping over the line, but maybe I need to just ask him why he's so nervous all the time. I can't blame him, though, from what I know of The Compound, they've probably made him super paranoid about everything.

"Titanium, why are you so nervous?"

"I don't know, I've just always been that way. I was like that when I was first getting to know Camo too."

"What did he do to make you stop being nervous around him?"

"Hmm... well I think time helped with that."

---

Titanium is happy to be going on a walk with Absolon, but he's still really nervous. This is the first time he's been without Camo by his side outside of The Compound. Part of him is scared of Absolon, but he doesn't want to tell him that for fear his worries will come true and Absolon might do something to him. The other part of him wants so badly to believe in Absolon like Camo said, and just trust that he's a good person. When Absolon asks why he's so nervous all the time, he's not quite sure what to say so he just blames it on his personality.

"I'm also nervous because I lost a friend when I was seven, and after that I kind of just shut people out. I didn't meet Camo until I was seventeen. I guess I figured if I didn't have any friends, I wouldn't have to worry about losing them."

Titanium is surprised at himself for revealing that piece of information about #235. The only person he's told about that is Camo. Maybe he trusts Absolon more than he thinks he does.

"I'm sorry. Do you want to get to know me or do you want to keep shutting me out?"

Absolon asks him a serious question and Titanium gets scared again. He doesn't know what to say because he fears getting to know Absolon better will lead him down a dark path of impurity and danger, but he really does want to know Absolon because he's attracted to him. Titanium looks up and feels his heart picking up its pace as Absolon moves closer and puts his arm around him with one hand, stroking his cheek with the other. Titanium feels something like what can only be described as an electric shock when Absolon touches him, something he's never felt before. What is Absolon doing to him?

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you."

Titanium is surprised that Absolon somehow knew that he was the reason for Titanium's nervousness, and he's very happy that Absolon brought it up because he wasn't sure how to.

"H-How did you know I was afraid of you?"

"Well you kind of act like a scared puppy when you're near me. I did kind of go off on you that day at the park, so I'm guessing you are afraid to talk to me because you think I might yell at you and storm away."

Titanium is relieved Absolon's not mad at him for being scared. He does know he probably shouldn't tell him the real reason though, which is that he doesn't know if he can trust him because he's a Stranger.

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Credit: Mypalsim's Poses for Sims 3, AfterDusk Sims