As I proof-read myself, I realised that I left something out. Quickly, I added a few sentences.
"Physical proximity during bonding can also be partly taboo, as it varies greatly from a culture to another, as well as between individuals. As a general rule, cultures that are more tactile in everyday situations such as greetings or discussions will tend to touch their sodomite more and without taboo. On the other end of the spectrum, cultures that promote more distant or reserved interactions will also encourage limiting physical touch during sodomy to what is strictly required. In a similar fashion, tactile or warmer individuals will enjoy caressing or groping their partner, whereas prude ones would avoid even lightly brushing their bonding mate."
A new wave passed through the room. It seemed like every change made it seem more natural, as I was getting more comfortable.
Curious, I couldn’t wait to see how the world had changed: I had to ask the book. It was almost noon already and I couldn’t see time fly. I started reading, my pen laying quietly on the table. Humanity seemed to be doing better, overall. Governments seem to be doing better in the public opinion. Discrimination seemed to have been low in this new reality. Wars still had existed, but had more of a diplomatic meaning, with less casualties. Even religions seem to be more "chill". I was surprised to find a tiny line about a statistic I saw yesterday and that changed drastically. Where it was roughly half the men that were worried about their dick size, it now dropped to less than one percent. Toxic masculinity wasn’t a concept anymore. I don’t know if the two are related, but I like to think that it is the case. As I continued reading, I started furrowing my bros. Mentions were still predominantly about men. Maybe more even than it used to be. I had turned the world into a giant gentleman’s club, and left women out.
Shit.
I mean, I should’ve seen it coming: dicking is some kind of male specialty, and adding some superpower-like abilities to it would just push women aside.
"Book, are men bonding with women?" The sentence came naturally, as if it was casual to talk about sodomy, and I had done it more or less all my life. In this new meaning. Statistics appeared, tons of them, with one breathtaking conclusion. Women were indeed kept out of this guy-only practice, for the most part.
"But… why?" I asked, and the page filled with text. Quotes from men all over the world, statistics on the main reasons behind this misogynistic attitude. It all seemed to be summarized like so: men didn’t feel comfortable (there was a range, here, from disgust to distrust to blatant ignorance) partaking in such an intimate act with someone who couldn’t reciprocate. I frowned as text appeared.
I didn’t even realize I had a question upon reading this. Apparently, a common courtesy between new sodomites is for the instigator, as the one who takes the risk to confide into his friend, to be the top, if his friend accepts to share such a bond, of course. They would always switch role at their second bonding, and so on. Long-term sodomites would get less strict about it with time, but still top and bottom about half the time each, without preference. That had me surprised. Unsure whether I liked it or not, I made a mental note to look back at it later on. I already got distracted from my first objective.
I tried to look around and see if I could find anything to corroborate the facts my magical book already laid flat in front of me. A magazine on the chair next to mine was my best hope. I opened it frenetically, turning pages until I stopped. On the left page, a guy seemingly in his mid-forties, magazine handsome with his business cut black hair and suit, blue eyes and toothpaste smile was handing a dildo to a man in stereotypical tropical-vacation style shirt, with sunglasses, a similar smile to his friends’ and greyish-blond hair. The text underneath seemed parodic :
"Dildbond : the travel-sized solution for your long-distance friendships"
As I was confused by the picture, I went to look at the small characters. Luckily, there was more than legal nonsense, as the usage was also described. With their new technology, Dildbond claimed that someone could fill a dildo with their bonding partner’s semen and use it to keep their relationship level stable. It acted like a substitute, basically. And the premium product even came with the option to mold the dildo in your dick’s shape. That was a whole new evolution to dildos. One I could not have guessed, as I was debating how pertinent it was: couldn’t there be a pill or something instead? I skimmed through the rest of the booklet. No proof was proof enough to me of the verity of the pen.
When I took my pen, I scribbled from memory, starting like so:
"The human clitoris has the ability to grow to an erect size ranging, on average, between 7.3 and 9.5 inches, with an average circumference of 6 to 7." There, it would be close enough to the human penis. I continued nonetheless. "This erection does not come from sexual arousal, but from a desire to perform sodomy with another human being. When erect, the clitoris produces, through exocrine glands located at its tip, between 5 and 10 mL of clitoric liquid, which is similar to pre-ejaculate in terms of physical properties and composition. It also acts in an analogous way during bonding, being a pro-lubricant and reacting with the rectal lining to create various hormones of the oxytocin family. Although differences in molecular composition and effect between all four combinations of hormones (females, males, male-female, female-male), most people generally won’t notice the variability of the effects."
I smile at the newly typewritten text that glows before me. In the magazine next to me, genders seem to now be represented in an equivalent fashion. Now, I tell myself, it’s time to head out and explore this world once and for all. Before I do, however, I scribble my name in the book, stating it is my property and that anyone else will only see a boring journal of no interest to them.