At times, the banter exchanged on the on-line story site had no focus whatsoever, Mike liked that. Some could not make comments without depth, agenda, or attempts to show how clever they were, but Stephanie was different.

Mike and Stephanie were separated by thousands of miles, but this was unimportant. Their shared passion was creativity and writing and the fact that the environment was erotica wasn't necessarily as relevant to the joy of their friendship as many would have expected it to be,

Whilst they did discuss the erotic stories they were working on, Mike and Stephanie often focused on other matters and did so with ease. Yes, they always had his harmless mischief and her wonderful writing to escape to, but it was their ability to pick, choose and agree when this was appropriate that made it so worthwhile. They did not fantasise about each other, they fantasised with one anther.

Stephanie knew Mike was an eccentric, but of the harmless kind. Mike, meanwhile, understood Stephanie had a creativity so suited to erotica, but she had so many aspects to her personality that were just as fascinating.

Whenever either Mike or Stephanie were working on writing projects, they did what they could to encourage whoever needed it and celebrated stories being published, as well as offering feedback on the website's channels to do so openly.

To some, messages that began with a description of a character's climax but ended with asking after their pets would seem bizarre, but not to the only two people whose opinion on it mattered.

Stephanie enjoyed sharing her news with Mike and he did with her also. It was safe. It was harmless. It was fun.

One morning, Mike logged onto the site he and Stephanie used. After he had gone to bed, she had sent him a message to say she was delighted to have finally received the new tripod she had ordered and that it would be a valuable asset to her professionally. In her message, Stephanie had joked that the new equipment could be useful in the world of erotica she and Mike had an interest in. It was just the kind of banter she and Mike shared, although it found Mike's mind wandering in a way he felt almost ashamed for it to have done.

Most people would have simply reprimanded themselves for what had happened, but Mike wasn't most people. He could not bear to think Stephanie would chat to him without knowing of what he had found himself thinking and his vow to be honest was one he intended to keep, even at the risk of losing a friendship he had valued from day one.

'Please don't be shocked, Stephanie, but when you told me about your tripod and made the joke about 'other uses' for it, my mind just went where it shouldn't have done. I can't say I'm not like the people who send you dick pics and then do something like this and not admit it. That's not me, or true to my promise to try to show you all men aren't the same.'

Stephanie read Mike's message when she saw it the next time she logged onto the website. She wasn't angry, disappointed, or in the least bit shocked by what Mike had 'confessed', and she felt she needed to set time aside at once to respond.

'Mike, we discuss erotic stories, we explore all manner of fantasies when talking about our projects and we even throw in references to our sexual experiences, if we think it's relevant. We do all of this and you're surprised when your creative mind does what you say it did? I'm not and I'm more interested in where your mind went and how you can turn those utterly splendid thoughts into a story I'll enjoy,' Stephanie's reply read.

Stephanie decided that rather than dismiss what had happened, she wanted to ensure Mike got something positive out of events he had nothing to apologise for. She encouraged Mike to write a story around what had happened to him and take ownership of his creative vision once and for all.

Mike thought Stephanie's suggestion was a good one and he put other projects on hold to concentrate on the new one. Stephanie's usual question to Mike even had a slight change to its format the next day too.

'What did I get up to last night, Mike? Was it fun?' Stephanie asked.

Mike laughed at the style of Stephanie's message. He told her she had held a photo shoot with her new equipment and she had sent invitations to attend to her on-line friends on the erotic website they used.

"That sounds like a very nice thing to think about. Did we fuck, or do something else to each other instead...or both?" Stephanie asked.

Mike told Stephanie they had fucked several times, once Stephanie had re-awakened his cock with a magical touch after each encounter.

"That was nice of me," Stephanie typed with a giggle.

Stephanie asked Mike what else she had done with him in the story he had written. It was quite revealing.

Mike had already decided if Stephanie asked him this question, he would answer as fully, honestly and shame-free as he could.

"You put some pictures you had taken using your new tripod onto the site, but you only gave you and I access to them. You attached a message to the album telling me to look at the pictures and express how I felt."

Stephanie read what Mike had put into his message and decided it was time for some honesty of her own.

"I can see everything you're describing with the passion you have in your words. It's a passion I love and find erotic. That's why my fingers are inside me right now and stroking my clit. I will bring myself to climax. Never be anyone but who you are, Mike," Stephanie pleaded.

Just as she said she would do, Stephanie worked dreamily, picturing the scene Mike had painted and of the continuation of the story that had come into her head.

"I can see clear pictures of the scene, Mike and I've taken control of them and steered them into a beautiful vision. I'm going to slip away now and bring myself to what I know will be a lovely climax," Stephanie typed, eager to finish, so she could finger her clit and give her mind and body what it needed at that moment.

Mike was thrilled to discover his thoughts had stirred Stephanie's mind in the way he had hoped it would do. He simply made sure she could see he had read her message and continued his day in the real world feeling happy and content.

The following morning, Mike logged into the website and saw a private message had arrived from Stephanie whilst he had been sleeping. Time zones and commitments meant this often happened and he hoped it was news of all having gone well for Stephanie in her erotic escapism.

In addition to cheeky confirmation from Stephanie she had enjoyed a lovely climax bringing Mike's scene to life, there was a link to a gallery on the website and a message to say Mike had been granted access to it by its owner. The album was called 'Stephanie And Mike's Stories' and had the message 'Inspiration' written below.

The album contained photographs of every part of Stephanie's body that was stirred most erotically, each of them from a number of angles. Stephanie knew these pictures and a dozen more of her facial expressions would allow Mike to be even more erotic with his descriptions, ones he already worked so hard to make personal and special to her.

Together with allowing access to her album, Stephanie described every bump, curve and intimate part of her body. Her words left Mike knowing more about her secret trigger points than some who had tried to arouse her in the real world, but Stephanie had done everything with a purpose. She knew she would benefit more than anyone when seeing a story Mike had written, once it was published on the website.

The first story Mike created after Stephanie had given him access to the album was one with even more of a sense of anticipation attached to it than usual. It was based around Stephanie's studies and how she had needed to clear her mind after some demanding coursework deadlines.

Reading the extra detail Mike had put into his creativity made Stephanie's body ignite, regardless of her weariness. The touch? Just where and how she liked it. The thoughts in her head? Just as they had occurred. The beauty of lips taking her to heaven, as they pursed inside her body, making her cry out joyfully? Described with such accuracy and care, Beautiful.

When Mike sent a recording to Stephanie of the erotic sounds he had made when browsing the pictures he had been given access to, he did so with a warning to Stephanie that this had been done to remind her of the element of harmless fun central to their shared love of creativity. It had a purpose, as part of what they enjoyed in their safe environment. It also helped Stephanie with her descriptions, when bringing a shy man with a shared a passion for stories to orgasm repeatedly in her next story too.

Stephanie knew others would reap rewards from what she had shared, when they read Mike's stories. She had no issues with that whatsoever. What mattered most was knowing he'd never betray the trust they had and would appreciate exactly why she had helped him with her creative writing in the way she had felt driven to do.

"Some things can be right and justified in a single context alone," was the way Stephanie explained what she had chosen to do, after giving Mike time to look at the pictures she had sent to him. Just him.

"Perhaps we should keep a score sheet for the number of orgasms the album notches up ?" Mike replied.

Stephanie smiled when she read what Mike had said, hoping neither she nor Mike would ever change. They didn't, and her trust was never betrayed once.