#i don't even have anything in particular against milestone leveling

[imsobadatnicknames2]

That is, in fact, still assuming that players will inevitably have the same linear set of predetermined encounters, just that they will overcome them in different ways (and with choosing how to overcome the inevitable encounters the GM puts in their path being the entire extent of their agency as players).

Most old-school adventures (particularly those based around megadungeons such as Barrowmaze or Stonehell) have dungeon exploration that's a lot more open-ended because most dungeons aren't meant to be fully explored in one go (or even fully explored by a single party at all), so the GM a has a lot less control over what encounters players do end up having and in what order. It's not uncommon for these type of adventures to conclude without the players having visited entire sections of the dungeon.

You could still argue that by designing the encounters the GM is setting the MAXIMUM amount of XP that players could *potentially* end up getting, but the amount of that XP they end up *actually* getting during play depends a lot more on the players than on the GM, so it's not equivalent to milestone leveling where it's, in some way or another, entirely up to GM fiat.

If there’s one mechanic the addition of which would significantly improve any edition of D&D that does not already have it, it would be the dungeon turn. Just that little bit of structure and procedure would communicate so much about how the game is played.

And if there’s one mechanic the removal of which would improve any edition that does have it, it would be milestone leveling. Get that arbitrary nonsense out of here!

[loliwrites]

What about first time Alex going down on Addi?

Well shit. I don't know what it is about relationship sexual milestones, but something about it fucks me right up. In all the best ways.

Oh yeah, and merry Christmas ya filthy animals

(I had a little inkling that I'd better revisit this fic -- and it's a good thing I did because turns out.... this is like.... the first time he goes down on her. It's coincidentally the first time they go all the way. So they passed a few bases in one night)

Although we can't really explore the first time he goes down on her again, we can get into another first for them... and that is the first time their relationship progresses to the next step, after having taken it from friends to something more. That in and of itself is a giant and massive step to take. One that can be tricky to navigate. That blurring and crossing of lines. Which, in their situation must be so much harder, right? They know each other first and foremost as professional colleagues. That was role number one for them. From there came friendship, and from there, best friendship. So they know each other on a deep level and then they decide to turn it into a relationship and add sex. And sex makes things complicated. Even the not having it part (The Holiday says so).

The first night they take the first step towards anything resembling sexual, Alex had no idea it was coming. It had been pitched to him as a normal movie night with Chinese takeout. Her legs in his lap while they picked at separate takeout cartons, switching it up every so often with picks at what the other was eating. Her hair was up in a ponytail, one of his sweatshirts was hanging off her shoulder and was all she wore along with a pair underwear that was bigger than would've been considered "sexy".

One day they'll remember it as the night that everything really changed for them, while simultaneously remembering it as unexpected at the time. I can't stress enough that Alex is more than happy to move at whatever pace Addi wants to take things. That's not to say he won't try every now and again. Sensing her timidness to make first moves, there had been some nights where he pressed his luck to test the waters of what could happen. And each of those nights, Addi would press her hands to his chest and end things for the night. Alex was always quick to remove his hands from whatever position they were in that made her step on the brakes, and switch to wrapping his arms around her to hunker down and cuddle.

On this particular movie night, with something really sappy on the TV... like The Notebook, they're curled up together on the couch, both laying on their sides -- Addi in front of Alex. One hand's propped against his head and the other rests on Addi's hip, alternating between stillness and swift movements as if his fingers are moving subconsciously. Every time the onscreen couple started down a sexual path, Addi subtly glanced over her shoulder up at Alex to see if she could catch any particular expression on his face. And each time he caught her, he'd lean forward and peck her lips before returning his attention to the TV.

This was a movie she had seen a hundred times before. Could tell you every single beat and scene. Each little scene with a needy kiss and touch inched her closer to wanting exactly that for herself. And when she knew that scene was coming -- you know, the one with the kissing in the rain and them soaking wet, and the passionate sex -- she turned onto her back and looked up at Alex; very aware that her movement resulted in the hand that was on her hip being shifted to her lower abdomen.

Alex looked down at her and smiled; an instantaneous way to get her to smile, too. "What's up, cutie?"

She puckered her lips at him and he responded immediately with a kiss. What he went for with a peck, she lengthened by cupping her hand around the back of his neck to keep him in place, and parted her lips just enough to be able to press her tongue against his lips. He hummed delightedly into her mouth and curled his fingers in the fabric of his sweatshirt that she wore. He parted his lips too, allowing his tongue to meet and wrestle with hers, successfully pressing it back into her mouth and pushing his in as well. Addi lifted her hips off the couch, adding pressure and weight to his hand on her stomach. His massive paw clutched around her hip like it was nothing, and pulled her in closer to his body.

He moaned softly and pulled back to rest his forehead against hers. "God, you're so sexy,"

She bit her bottom lip and let her body fall a little more lax, back to the couch and creating a sliver of space between them. Just as she hoped he would, he went about exploring their limits for the night. He trailed his hand down from her stomach and tucked his fingertips beneath the hem of the sweatshirt, dancing them over the fabric of her underwear. She stared at him for any indication that it was less than he was expecting.

But then upon feeling the fabric, Alex looked down at her body, flipped up the end of the sweatshirt, and found the rather large span of fabric over her in the form of women's boxer briefs. He rubbed his hand over her upper thigh, conveniently covered by the underwear, and winked at her. "These are very sexy,"

She blushed and slapped her hand down against his shoulder, "it's not like I was planning for this to happen. Obviously,"

He laughed a bit harder and looked back down at her underwear and the three little buttons down the front of the briefs. When he glanced at her again, her bottom lip was jut out, pouting. "Oh, put that lip away," he grinned and kissed her quickly. Then focused once again, "are these real buttons or fake buttons?"

"Fake buttons?"

"Like how women's pants have fake pockets,"

Addi grinned and looked down at Alex's fingers toying with the buttons on the boxer briefs. "Real buttons,"

He looked down at them, licked his lips quickly, and then back up at Addi. "Can I?" After brief hesitation, she nodded but he persisted. "Yes?"

"Yes," her breath caught in her throat as her body went into its routine of anxiousness.

The breathiness of her answer caught him a little off-kilter, and he rested his hand flat over the buttons and turned his attention to her. He kissed her forehead, then looked down at her with a reassuring smile. "You're a special one, kid," he noted the blush that crept up her cheeks and thought that distraction might be the best way to keep her nerves at bay.

He kissed her softly without moving his hand. Something long and passionate that could take her focus off the fact that he was going to a new length tonight. He thought about foregoing the buttons all together and just pressing his hand beneath the waistband to get at her, but felt she might retreat back into her shell if she were to become that exposed. The buttons would give him the best shot of having his hand where he so desperately wanted it, and also keeping her from being fully naked and vulnerable to him.

So with her distracted by his lips, he undid the first button. Then the second. And finally the third. All done so swiftly and gently that she hardly knew he had touched them at all until she felt his fingertips on her soft, sensitive skin. As the realization and sensation set in, her entire body shivered involuntarily. Alex smiled against her lips at the feeling and stilled his fingers. Still, ultimately, she pulled away from his lips.

"You're safe with me, kid," he whispered and pressed his lips to her shoulder.

She hummed in recognition and he tried again, dragging his fingertips up to her clit with gentle precision. Another shiver coursed through her body. "Sorry," she murmured and placed her hand on his shirt, tugging softly at the fabric.

"You don't have to be sorry," he grinned and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No,"

Her refusal to his question was instant, but still he proceeded slowly. She took a deep breath which he used as a means of timing his next movement; a small circle over her most sensitive part. She released an airy moan and he set his lips back on hers, kissing her with a fervor that was reserved for nights like this. If her brain could turn off for just a little while and allow her to bask in the feeling without overthinking anything, they'd be alright. Small steps were being made towards that. Her legs started to spread a little wider as if on instinct and Alex took the opportunity to lift his hand to his mouth, lick his fingers, and replace them back on her clit. Her legs flinched shut and she giggled it off as an apology without actually saying the words. All Alex had to do was smile and nod at her to get her legs opening back up for him.

"Feel good?" He asked, brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

She nodded and whimpered out an affirmation. There was the underlying thought in her head that this was such an odd step to take with him. Yes, of course they had decided to give a relationship a shot and in the couple months since that had started, it had really been fantastic. But this wasn't just some guy she'd met online and was learning about here and there. This was Alex and the things she knew about him already ranged from minuscule to life-altering. This was someone who almost knew her as well as she knew herself, and exploring these new sexual limits with him seemed foreign. That was the stream of consciousness while Alex continued exploring and pleasuring her with his fingers. And the thought remained until she felt his hand lower than before, and now pressing up against her. She came back to the present and clutched onto his shirt again, taking the fabric into a vice grip. She felt his fingers stop moving, although they remained in place on her.

"I don't have to,"

"No, I--" she was cut off by him pulling his hand out of her underwear, and the immediate thought of cursing herself seeped into her head. Nice job, Addi. But before she could totally overthink the situation, she noticed Alex tugging and squeezing at the front of his sweatpants, adjusting himself; then quickly tucking his hand back past the opening of her underwear and in position where it had previously been. "I want you to but I..."

Her voice trailed off to nothing and he nodded at her, gently circling his finger around her entrance. "I'll take it easy. You let me know if you want to stop, okay?" He waited for her to nod, but again, persisted. "Okay?"

"'Kay," she mumbled and loosened her grip on his shirt. Her teeth were already bared down into her bottom lip and when he pressed his middle finger into her, she only bit down harder. The rule for her (according to past experience) was that everything was going to be uncomfortable, or downright unpleasant, and she'd just have to grin and bear it. And while there was a hint of discomfort, she couldn't deny that being touched by him like this was exhilarating.

He watched her expression soften; no longer biting onto her lip, and he just slowly eased his finger into her to the last knuckle. "Not so bad, right?"

"We're shooting for not so bad?" She asked, shifting her hips down into the couch and effectively further onto his hand.

Alex bent forward and kissed her softly, "the look you had on your face tells me it's never been good. So yeah, we're shooting for not so bad."

Addi shut her eyes and chuckled breathlessly, losing even more of her breath when he eased his finger backwards and then sunk it back into her. She turned onto her side, into Alex, and propped her leg over his hip, keeping herself open for him even as his pace quickened while her body accommodated his finger. A whimpering moan escaped her throat and out her mouth in the same moment she buried her face in his chest. She, more than anyone, was stunned that he could make her feel like this. Just as she grew comfortable with her head against his massive frame, Alex grabbed onto her ponytail and tugged on it until her head followed suit. A small growl rumbled in his chest with his hand quickening. Addi's mouth dropped open with a moan the neighbors were sure to hear and Alex crashed his lips onto hers in a rough kiss.

She rocked her hips forward, trying to add pressure to his hard-on and help him along. But that did nothing for his effort in getting her off so it was short lived. He rocked forward, effectively turning her onto her back again, and took a spot between her legs to have a better angle at thrusting his finger into her. Her body was beginning to tremble in short bursts. Eyes turning glassy and drifting shut in pleasure. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen and red from his kisses. He leaned over her, holding himself up with his free arm, and slowly pulled his finger out of her, replacing it on her clit. With the help of his index finger too, he massaged her until she was gasping for air.

"So fucking hot," he groaned, feeling himself throb in his pants. "Come on, come for me,"

Her breath staggered and caught in her throat, her hand shot out and gripped onto his forearms, and her back arched off the couch. And then, something she hadn't been expecting... she knew she was hitting a climax. Which, good for him, no guy had got her there before. It had always been something she had to do for herself. "I'm coming," she squeaked out in a breathless whimper.

Alex slowed his fingers against her but didn't stop completely, allowing her to ride out her orgasm however her body was inclined to do so. And only when he saw her relax fully onto the couch again, he swiped along her clit, only to have her overstimulated body flinch. Addi reached down for his wrist and took a deep, shaky breath in, trying to ground herself.

Proud of this new step they had taken together, and excited for where it would lead, Alex began scooting back on the couch for a new position. In her haze, Addi was pretty content to let him go -- until she realized that the new position he looked to be getting in was to perform oral sex. She cooed for him, and made grabby hands at him once he glanced up at her. He knew that was the line tonight and was more than happy to comply to her.

Once settled back with her and having her turn into his body for some soft cuddles, he brushed his hand through her hair. "So... turns out I really enjoy watching you come." He smiled a little harder when she tilted her head back to look up at him, "like really enjoy it."

"Turns out I really enjoy you making me come," she blushed. "Like really enjoy it."

"Match made in heaven,"

They laughed together momentarily before he cupped her head in his hands and kissed her softly. Lingering, slow movements for a deep, passionate kiss. Then out of nowhere, a slight pull back from him and...

"Don't look at the TV, they're about to die."