----------------------------------------------
RESPITE FALLS - NORTH GATE - MID AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Narrator: An excessively hot day in Respite is mercilessly bearing down on the small town, a single white puff drifting along the crest of the West mountains, alone in the blue. To the North, a different, more choking cloud rises from the dusty road as an exhausted looking band of travelers trudged their way toward the walls, hoping to find water and shelter for themselves and their goods. Most of them carrying heavy packs or dragging along small wagons, the procession is flanked by a handful of guards, two from Respite Falls, and the other three of Bairnell's Foothold. At the back of the group, pushing a considerably larger shrouded wagon than the others, is Bracvar.
Brunilda is standing at the shade of the gate, flapping her ears constantly to try and keep a tiny semblance of air flow going. She perks up slightly and waves upon seeing the caravan close enough.
Narrator: The lead guard waves back at Brunilda, a powerfully built leopard wearing the insignia of Bainell's guardhouse on his shoulder pad, clearly baking in the uncomfortable leather tunic, but otherwise no worse for wear. He stops at Brunilda and gives her a weak salute, producing a slightly crumpled piece of official parchment. "Good afternoon, soldier. Here's the receipt for this group and their cargo."
Brunilda takes the receipt, glances at it and nods. She wipes a bit of sweat from her brow: "Seems in order, from what I understand. Reckon you're good to go."
Narrator: The guards shoulders slump after another quick salute. "Oh thank the merciful gods, Minnow hasn't moved, has it?" He doesn't really wait for an answer, hauling away down the lane after the rest of the merchants and caravaners.
Brunilda nods with a smile: "Nah, still there." She looks at the merchants go, then settles to look curiously at the last wagon.
Bracvar approaches at the back of the caravan, two guards, one from each town, flanking either side of his large wagon, and both seeming to be in good spirits despite bearing pitch black fur. Bracvar himself, a large crustacean who should be bright red in such heat, is pushing the wagon along by a steel bar as if he were a cart horse, and barely huffing. As the wagon pulls even with Brunilda, he slows down, a wave of cold fog reveling itself as the road dust settles. "Excellent!" he booms, "Thank you two for your great service, now go find something cold to drink, on me!" Bracvar tosses each of the two guards a coin, as they hesitate to leave the icy wagon's aura.
Brunilda tilts her head as she looks at the decidedly large crab and the... coldness, emanating from the... wagon he's pulling? Assuming that's a 'he', Brunilda has never been that good with those. She steps forward, curious: "...Hello, there."
Bracvar looks around to Brunilda, and has to look up to smile at her, though only his black eyes show it. "Well hello, aren't you impressive!" He strikes out a tough hand to greet Brunilda properly. "Good to meet you, I am Bracvar of the sea!"
Brunilda to her credit, only blinks once at the sight and demeanor of the big crustacean, before taking the offered hand: "Brunilda. Guard as it's probably a bit obvious." She gives a small smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
Bracvar shakes the given hand with a single, friendly yet strong pump. "Excellent, but your hand is absolutely cooking! Here, let me give you something." Bracvar ducks under the bar and scuttles to the side of his wagon, lifting the cover and poking his torso under the cover as he digs around inside. One, then two ice cold fish drop from the side before he comes back out with a large chunk of gorgeous blue ice, holding it aloft for Brunilda.
Brunilda now definitely blinks at the sight of the ice: "It's... ice?" She glances about at the nearly shimmering heat around them: "...how?"
Bracvar chuckles, a knowing glimmer in his eyes. "Secrets of the trade, I'm afraid. Can't have my precious fish spoiling before they get here, can I. Here, take it, wrap it in a cloth and it'll last for a couple hours."
Brunilda takes the offered piece of ice and fiddles with it a moment in quiet wonder before she finds a piece of cloth from her holdings, wrapping it up: "Thank you. You know, not many think to... well, think, about us guards." She manages a small smile around her tusks.
Bracvar shakes his head sadly, just now noticing the discarded fish and retrieving them. "I know, and it's a terrible shame! Where would these supply caravans be without people like you? Strewn about the forest and eaten by mouths with no coin, that's where!" He lets out a hearty guffaw, then considers Brunilda for a moment. "That said, I don't recall seeing you in town before..."
Brunilda gives a small chuckle: "I have only been here for a few weeks, so that's probably why. Just about found my bearings, really."
Bracvar nods, placing the two dusty fish on top of the wagon's cover before ducking under the bar again and taking hold of it. "Well I like to know every guard in every town, so I know who to call upon in a pinch, so I'll tell you what. I'll set these morsels up in their stall, and when the day's done you can find a free drink at the Minnow. Sound good, Brunilda?"
Brunilda looks at the old crab in surprise, but nods: "...well, I most certainly won't say no to either company or a drink."
Bracvar smiles at her again. "Excellent, I look forward to it!" With a cursory grunt, Bracvar gets the cart moving again, rattling his way down the lane toward the market.
Brunilda looks at the icy wagon and it's owner go, smiling to herself. She turns to look at the samll ice bundle and gives a soft chuckle. The life in this town just keeps giving small surprises...
----------------------------------------------
TOWN CLINIC - LATE AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Doc Plume sits down at their desk after cleaning up from the last patient. They give a little sigh and pick up their mug of cold tea and drain it with only a little bit of disgust. They set it down and notice the setting sun and then realize that they've forgotten to eat again all day, so they open the bottom drawer of the desk and pull out a sheet of lamb jerky, starting in on it a their stomach growls.
Strix groans gently, slowly, but surely coming around to the world of the waking. The first thing he lets out is a low swear. In his native tongue at the very least, so exactly how uncouth it is isn't clear..but the attitude it was conveying was very clear! He tries to lift his arms, one goes up shakily, and the other rises very stutteringly, and with tiny little twitches all the way. Another swear.
Doc Plume blinks at the sudden noise and goes very still, their head pivoting toward the curtained off 'ward' in the corner. After the noise repeats, the dart up from their desk and rush over, pulling the curtain aside to look in on their patient. "Mr. Strix? Are you with me again?"
Strix looks up to the Doc, and around, slowly, and groggily working out what's going on "Strix is living" Both arms slump back down "Hurting. But living" He growls gently, but not able to get up a proper temper "That damn cat!"
Doc Plume presses the back of a hand to Strix's forehead, checking that he's not feverish. After that, they step over to the sink and pour a glass of water which they bring over and hold to Strix's lips. "You should drink. I did my best to keep you hydrated while you were out, but you're still going to need water."
Strix: He's 'running hot', compared to most other creatures, but he's always been this hot (Even soon after being frozen!) so it's probably normal. Taking the glass in his 'good' arm, he nods "Yes. Water Good. Also need repair kit, and.." He groans "...maybe more Strixsleep. Lighting bad for kobolds...."
Doc Plume nods to Strix and helps him manage the water, making sure he doesn't choke on it. "Yes, it is. I'm surprised that you're not more hurt than you were. I haven't been able to get May in to look at your arm yet, but she's the one you'd want to see. Do you feel all right inside? Everything where it should be? No numbness?"
Strix: "Strix feels bit tingly, but fine" That's probably some minor lingering nerve damage "Feet hurt too. Arm" He pokes at it with his good arm "Arm needs repairs" He snaps angrily..but still, way more subdued than normal "Stupid Cat! Stood RIGHT beside a Lighting Rod, in water! Had to divert it" He grumbles "And Strix was being responsible! Set up boltyshield!"
Doc Plume nods to Strix. "Which cat? The one who brought you here?" They gently prod at various parts of Strix's arm and legs to check reflexes, all of which seem at least adequate. "You said you wanted more sleep. Did you want to do that here or did you want to go rest wherever it is you live?"
Strix: "Strix feels doesn't feel like walking" His reflexes are fairly okay, within normal limits "Can wait a day..and yes. Probably! Stupid Cat!"
Strix: "..Strix needed armupgrades anyway.." Slowllly calming
Doc Plume sets aside the empty water cup and nod as they look at Strix. "I'd like you to at least sit up, to make sure that your balance is all right. Also, are you hungry? I could make you some porridge. I don't think we should go with anything heavier than that right now." They put a hand under Strix's shoulder while taking his good hand in the other hand to help him sit up on the raised cot.
Strix groans as he swings his feet to the floor, standing up. He winces as his burned feet lands on the ground. "Strix feels unwoozy. Just tired. And hurty" He takes a few steps. Balance wise he's okay at least! "Strix only eats sometimes. Strix okay for now. Always make sure to eat lots before experiment! So okay when knocked out"
Doc Plume nods. "Let's let you visit a proper toilet at least..." They help Strix to the lavatory only a few meters away and close the door behind them. "Just call out if you need help."
Strix: There's a few minutes, and some fumbling, before he emerges again "Strix thanks you"
Doc Plume leads Strix back to the cot. "Don't worry about it." They look over cot with its one thin pillow and blanket and hmms. "Do you want more water? Another pillow?"
Strix: "Strix is fine!" he's a little grumpy now at all the mothering "Strix is not newborn whelp. Strix has exploded before! Some more rest, then will get going. Fix arm, make lightning machine good"
Doc Plume refills the water cup and sets it within reach from the cot before closing the curtain. "All right. Call me if you need anything. I'll give you more salve to put on before I go to bed for the night. I'm glad you're all right, Strix."
Strix slumps back in his bed after downing the water. Still grumbling about the events that lead him to getting fried.
----------------------------------------------
THE THIRSTY MINNOW - AN HOUR OR TWO LATER
----------------------------------------------
Brunilda steps into the Minnow, letting out a tired sigh. She heads to the bar first before even really looking around, though she's curious about finding a particular crustacean.
Bracvar is standing at his stall in the market, a somewhat secluded spot, though he can see Brunilda entering the Minnow from where he is. Nodding to himself and looking at the one unsold fish on his stall table, Bracvar turns and scuttles away with his slightly heavier bag of coin stowed in his apron. He enters the Minnow a few minutes after Brunilda, having to step awkwardly to fit through the doorway.
Brunilda turns to look at the crab entering, smiling at him: "Hey there. Successful evening at the market?"
Bracvar spots the guard and joins her at the bar. He pats the front of his apron with a joyful jingling noise. "Excellent indeed, still have most of a wagon to go, too, assuming the rest of the ice holds out."
Brunilda nods, leaning on the bar with her hand: "Well, let's hope it works out. Sadly I can not really help you out, for obvious reasons."
Bracvar chuckles, waving down the bartender and ordering the day's soup, as well as an ale for himself and whatever Brunilda would care for, leaving a generous stack of coins on the counter. "I think it will be fine, not often that merchants bring silver eyed musken to market, I hear."
Brunilda gives a small chuckle: "I'll have to take your word for it, since I couldn't even tell you what that is."
Bracvar holds his hands out about as wide as Brunilda's shoulders. "This long, rich orange meat, delicious with a mushroom sauce. Blind as can be." His soup arrives with their drinks, as he looks to a table with three chairs against the wall. "Shall we have a seat?"
Brunilda picks up her 'small' pint of beer and nods: "Yeah, sure. Been on my legs all day again." She makes her way to the table, letting out more than a bit of a sigh as she sits down.
Bracvar sets his stuff down on the table before scuttling off to a corner and retrieving a plain log with it's bark removed. He thumps it down next to the table after moving one of the chairs, lining his hips up with the top and settling down. With a happy sigh, his crabby legs slowly relax and spread out in all directions, displaying their true length.
Brunilda gives a small wince as the smaller chair creaks under her, then she quickly gets up and trudges over to get one of the bigger seats, grumbling something unintelligible about being 'too tired to even get the right seat' as she goes.
Bracvar nods as Brunilda returns. "A cross we both bear, hm?" He taps the scoop of shell behind his shoulder, which sweeps up from his hips to over his head, and then glances at his legs. "They just don't make a chair to suit everyone."
Dorri steps into the bar and blinks her eyes against the relative darkness. The goat-like woman stands just shy of five feet tall, though her corkscrew horns extend up almost another foot through a mop of wiry red hair. She's nearly as wide as she is tall, her frame thick with both muscle and fat. She makes her way up to the bar and climbs up onto a bar stool with more deftness than someone of her build should have. She stares the barkeep straight in the eyes and gives a frustrated grunt. "A pint of the brown ale... and I'll need a room."
Brunilda nods as she sits back down: "Yeah... least I can use the usual chair, even if it's pretty big." She looks up at the newcomer, not having seen her before.
Bracvar has his back to the door, just bending toward his soup to eat, though he notices Brunilda looking by him.
Dorri semi-gratefully takes the offered mug of ale and downs half of it in one chug. She wipes her mouth on her arm before digging into the pouch she on her hip and coming out with a couple of coins and a chunk of raw silver ore the size of half her fist. She slides them across the bar in the vague direction of the barkeep. "This ought to cover a few nights," she says, though she's not looking at anything other than her mug of ale right now.
Brunilda gives a small mental shrug at the Markhor, but doesn't visibly react much at all before she returns to her pint, taking a deep gulp. "Ahh. Knows its' place. So... Bracvar, was it? You don't come up here that often, I'm guessing?"
Bracvar takes a drought of his ale, shaking his head as he sets it down. "Not as often as I'd like, usually find myself at the port just after the next caravan has left, so I go fishing again to pass the time, and wind up missing the next one too!" He lets out a hearty laugh.
Dorri looks around the bar and pauses her gaze on the elephant. "Huh..." She looks back to the bar as the barkeep sets a room key in front of her. She stuffs it into her pouch before returning her attention to her ale.
Brunilda laughs a bit: "Guess that can be a problem, then."
Bracvar polishes off the rest of his ale, wiping under his tendril beard with a cloth. "It could be, if I let it. The coin is my reason, but what brought you to this little town, Brunilda?"
Brunilda blinks, clearly a bit surprised by the simple question: "Oh, um... tradition of s-sorts I guess. Whole family's Guards in various places, so it was time I did my part."
Dorri starts listening in on the conversation of the other two in the bar for lack of anything better to do. She slumps forward, her large chest cushioning her against the bar.
Bracvar takes his time with his next spoonful of soup, looking carefully at the guard before putting his spoon down. "Hm. If following tradition makes you happy, then so be it." Bracvar looks around to the bar to flag down the bartender for another ale, noticing Dorri for the first time.
Brunilda winces at the 'if it makes you happy' part, but tries to hide it... almost successfully, too, before Bracvar looks back toward her. "Y-yeah, it... I mean, I am happy. With the Guard thing. Yes."
Dorri finishes her pint of ale and waves down the barkeep for a refill. She cracks her neck from side to side and mumbles something about stupid heavy horns.
Bracvar lingers on the stranger at the bar for a moment longer before turning back to Brunilda. He gives her a softer smile. "Sometimes I like to forget that I should be hauling my net, and just let the sea take me wherever it likes to. Maybe that halberd of yours is your net."
Brunilda tilts her head: "...what do you mean?"
Bracvar lets out a chuckle. "Oh nothing, don't listen to a salty crab that's only had one pint. Barkeep?!"
Brunilda takes a deep gulp of her beer, looking at Bracvar with curiosity: "My... net?"
Dorri quips loud enough to be heard from the bar. "Nobody needs a fishing net here. Stuck between two sets of mountains and a desert."
Bracvar turns toward the new voice, chuckling. "You've never tried catching a sand alligator, then."
Brunilda looks up at the Markhor, then back at Bracvar: "...huh?"
Bracvar turns back to Brunilda. "Just arguing the utility of a good net. Ah! Drinks, this one's on me as well." The barkeep sets two fresh drinks down, taking Bracvar's coins in return.
Dorri shrugs. "All I'm saying is that this is no place for sea-dwellers to spout nonsense." She sips at her ale and turns around to face the pair. "Much better for follow something sensible."
Brunilda nods slowly: "...guess so." The elephant is clearly a bit confused and not sure what to think about this all.
Bracvar turns toward Dorri, his voice a little lower than before. "Is there something wrong with sea dwellers, then?"
Dorri shakes her head. "No no, just you're out of your element is all. Long way from the sea, at least in any direction most folks can reach."
Brunilda looks between the two: "Uhm..."
Bracvar takes up his ale mug, his gaze holding on Dorri for a moment too long before he lets out a loud laugh. "You're not wrong, I'll drink to your wisdom, then!" And he did, downing his drink in one and setting the tankard down a bit roughly.
Dorri blinks at the crab and then lets out a short laugh. "Fair enough..." She raises her mug to Bracvar before downing a good portion of it. "Not that an old goat with her eyes in the stars knows much more, mind you."
Brunilda is quiet for a moment, then just shrugs: "If it helps, I probably know less than either of you."
Bracvar chuckles at Brunilda's comment. "Experience will fix that for you, so don't worry about that. And you! You don't look that old, with that Excellent crimson coif!"
Dorri almost blushes at that. "Ah, thanks... I'm just a little cranky seeing as my house blew down in that storm last night..."
Brunilda looks down at her drink, whispering mostly to herself: "...but what if it's not the experience I want...?"
Dorri finishes her current mug and grabs a refill before hopping down from her stool and moving over to the table where the others sit. "What was that just now?"
Bracvar shakes his head. "That's a shame, where is your home? I haven't noticed any damage around town."
Brunilda glances up at Dorri, but is rather glad of the question Bracvar asks, hoping she does not have to answer questions she has no actual responses to. Not ones she'd want to admit out loud, at any rate.
Dorri climbs up onto a stool at the table and shrugs. "Well, don't live in town. My observatory is up in the mountains... was... blew down in the storm. Need to get some new timbers to rebuild. Normally storms just knock a few stones loose, but I can fix that..."
Bracvar hums, his tendrils shaking as he thinks for a moment. "That does sound like a bit of a dilemma, but I know there's a good builder in town that should be able to help. Well, she was here two months ago, anyways."
Brunilda takes a deep gulp of her beer, relieved at the different direction of the conversation.
Dorri nods. "Aye, but having the timbers brought in will take a while, and I'd rather not risk having a boulder fall in on my head while I'm sleeping..." She shakes her head, then looks at the crab. "You with one of the caravans by any chance?"
Bracvar nods, smiling. "Yes, of course, arrived from Bairnell's Foothold just today. Why do you ask?"
Dorri: Well, I'll need to head to Folly to get the timbers, so I'd rather go with a caravan for safety sake.
Bracvar chuckles, eyeing her muscular frame. "Only when you're sleeping, I take it? You look like you could rip a sand alligator clean in half if you wanted to."
Dorri snorts and laughs. "Not quite, but horns and hooves can make a strong impression."
Brunilda muses absently: "...or a halberd, I guess..."
Bracvar looks over to Brunilda at her comment, pausing for a moment with a hidden grin. "Guarding caravans is pretty fun... I mean dangerous work. You'll walk through exciting... I mean dangerous places, meet interesting... I mean dangerous people."
Brunilda blinks at Bracvar's comment, then chuckles: "...guess it would be, all that."
Dorri looks at the elephant. "Thought you were a town guard from your armor, though."
Brunilda nods, unable to stop herself from sighing as she does: "I am."
Bracvar shrugs, tipping his empty ale tankard idly. "The town guards are often sent with supply caravans, only one or two though, and only if there are no Explorer's Guild members to take the job. Ask Nesseth about it."
Dorri eyes Brunilda curiously but says nothing for the moment.
Brunilda hums a bit: "...I just don't know, I guess." She sighs and gets up, looking at Bracvar with a lopsided smile: "Thank you for the drinks. I gotta head home."
Bracvar nods to Brunilda. "Understandable, and you're welcome any time." He pulls his legs in toward his body, pushing himself up off the log with a creak to meet Brunilda's eyes, offering a friendly handshake.
Brunilda hesitates, but takes the offered hand, finding a small smile: "Guess I will see you around." She nods at Dorri: "And you as well, probably."
Dorri raises her pint to Brun, then looks to the crab. "So... when's the caravan heading back?"
Bracvar smiles at Brunilda before settling back down onto his seat, his legs once again sliding out away from his hips. "Well, there's supposed to be one in two days, all my catch will hopefully be sold by then. Three guards from Bairnell's Foothold -including that passed out leopard in the corner- will probably be joining us."
Dorri nods. "Noted." She sips at her ale again, then blinks. "Oops. Didn't introduce myself." She shrugs and holds out a hand. "Dorri."
Brunilda glances at the leopard mentioned, but shrugs as she heads out, her mind whirling with thoughts and not all of them entirely pleasant.
Bracvar chuckles at her bluntness, taking her hand and giving it one friendly pump. "I am Bracvar of the sea, good to meet you Dorri. Say, if you're going to the port anyways, think about hiring a shipwright to help out with rebuilding. They're pretty good at making things that have to take a stormy beating."
Dorri shakes her head. "Then I have to take the slow way up the mountain. No thanks. I can manage myself. The old timbers were just getting on. Older than me, I think. I'll just get thicker logs this time."
Bracvar shrugs his shoulders, which shakes loose a yawn that he poorly stifles. "Mm, the voyage seems to have caught up with me. If you don't have any other questions, I should probably retire to my wagon."
Dorri drains her ale. "I should do the same. Walked almost a whole day to get here..." She stands and looks up at Bracvar. "Well met. See you in a few days."
Bracvar nods to Dorri as he slowly gets up again, his legs disagreeing with the length of their second break. "It was good to meet you, as well." He turns and starts to scuttle toward the door but pauses just as he reaches it, turning back to Dorri. "Oh, one more thing..."
Dorri is already half way to the stairs at the back of the bar. "Hmm?"
Bracvar grins under his tendrils, big enough that his eyes crinkle with the laugh he's holding back. "You could use fishing nets to keep rocks from starting a slide!" He laughs as he opens the door, heading out with a gleeful "Sleep well!"
Dorri laughs and shakes her head as she heads up to her room.
----------------------------------------------
DOC'S APARTMENT - EVENING
----------------------------------------------
Doc Plume leads Nesseth up the stairs from the clinic and into their apartment once more. They smile a touch shyly at their companion, unconsciously reaching out a wing to touch his back. "So... um..."
Nesseth follows Plume up the staircase, smiling a bit as he casts a look around the familiar entry room. He turns his attention towards Plume, however, once he feels their feathers pressing lightly against his back. "Hm? Is something on your mind, Plume?"
Doc Plume shakes their head as they pad over to the worn sofa and sit down lightly on it, their eyes watching Ness. "Not really... just you."
Nesseth tilts his head a little as he follows Plume over to the sofa and settles onto one of the cushions. "Me?" He chuckles a bit, "What about me?"
Doc Plume dips their head a bit and laughs softly, leaning over to drape an arm behind Nesseth. "I just keep thinking about the other day when we kissed. It was nice..."
Nesseth leans to the side with a quiet laugh, slipping an arm between Plume's back and the sofa, wrapping it lightly around their midsection. "It was, yeah... A little bit of a surprise, but still really nice."
Doc Plume squirms a little, adjusting their wings to make room for the arm. They lean onto Nesseth more fully and let out a pleased little sigh as their tail thumps happily against the back of the couch. "So... now that we have some time, um..."
Nesseth hugs Plume a little more tightly as they lean a little more heavily against him. He smiles as he hears their tail thumping against the sofa. "You've something in mind? I'm all ear frills, Plume."
Doc Plume leans their head to the side and nuzzles Nesseth's cheek with their beak. "Well, I just... I'm pretty new to this sort of thing, I guess... and I don't want you to get the wrong sort of ideas about me."
Nesseth hums curiously, though he relaxes against Plume at the gentle nuzzle. "Wrong ideas? I'm not sure if I've gotten any wrong ideas yet, but... well, if you want to talk about it, I'm listening."
Doc Plume gives a little sigh. "Well, I mean... what do you think I am?"
Nesseth doesn't seem to quite understand the question. "Uh... a gryphon? Part arctic fox, part... uh, hooded crow, I think you said?"
Doc Plume nods and giggles. "Yes, but I mean..." They pause, trying to figure out how to put the point accross, then decide to just be blunt. "...um... when you look at me, do you see a man or a woman?"
Nesseth blinks, then scrutinizes Plume a little more closely, specifically paying attention to their physical appearance. "That's a tough question. Generally? I'm honestly not sure. Dress-wise, I'd say you're a man, but attitude-wise... maybe closer to a woman at times?" He reaches up and scratches at one of his head frills, "I didn't want to make any assumptions, though."
Doc Plume nods. "All right..." They sigh and rest their beak on Nesseth's shoulder as they keep talking. "I'm both... and neither... and I don't know really. It's complicated... I just didn't want you thinking I was a woman and then being surprised." They pull back a little. "That's part of why I'm out here, to get away from my family's expectations about what I am."
Nesseth tilts his head curiously. "Both and... neither? That kinda sounds more like a riddle than anything else, not gonna lie..." He sighs a bit, but hugs Plume a little more snugly against his side, "And... I'm guessing that your family's expectations are what you were talking about, back when we were chatting in the Minnow some time back?"
Doc Plume shrugs. "Probably. Don't really remember much of that talk." They sigh and press up against Nesseth closer. "Medically, I'm what's known as intersex, somewhere between male and female with aspects of both, but that didn't start to show until I hit puberty, so my family thought I was a girl until then. I never felt right being called that, but I was just a petulant child, so..."
Nesseth nods a little, getting a little more comfortable on the couch as Plume shifts. "And even after you found out about it, your family kept treating you as just a girl, I'm guessing?"
Doc Plume sighs and nods. "Family honor to maintain and scandal to avoid. I basically did the one thing I could and just threw myself into my own studies and ignored whatever they wanted me to do. I read. A lot. At least was able to convince them to let me go to medical school..."
Nesseth nods. "The rebellious teen years, made all the more intense because of that upbringing... I could see it." He tilts his head a little, "I'm guessing that was part of why you were so... intense, I guess, into your studies when you got accepted? If you filled your time with study and work, they couldn't bother you?"
Doc Plume nods. "That and I just wanted to find out more about what I am... though there hasn't been a lot of research and what exists mostly treats us like sideshow oddities." They sigh and lean their head against Ness's chest. "So forgive me for being worried about you possibly rejecting me..."
Nesseth frowns at the first statement, then hugs Plume a little closer. "Sideshow oddities...? It sounds like those researchers shouldn't even have their degrees..." He sighs a little, "I don't see any reason to reject you. It's just like any other relationship, right? ...Not that I'm exactly well-versed in relationship stuff, but... well... you get what I mean, right?"
Doc Plume grinds their beak a bit. "Medicine is less civilized than you think. There's a lot we still don't understand, but there shouldn't be any place in it for folks who want to use those like me as specimens or for 'cosmetic correction'..." They lean up and peck Ness softly on the check. "I've never had a relationship, well, other than the arranged fiancé my parents tried to foist onto me."
Nesseth raises an eyebrow again. "Your parents tried to push an arranged marriage onto you, as well? Sheesh... no wonder you wanted to get as far away from Vamas as you could..." He shakes his head a bit as he finishes talking.
Doc Plume laughs. "Indeed." They hug Nesseth close and look into his eyes. "I'm sorry that my life is so complicated..." They then lean in for a kiss.
Nesseth leans in and meets Plume in a soft kiss, holding it for several seconds before he leans back with a soft smile. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Plume. We just make the best of whatever life gives us, right?"
Doc Plume revels in the kiss for the moments that it lasts, their breath caught in their throat afterwards for a few moments. They then let out a slow, satisfied sigh. "I suppose, yes. At least here folks are getting to know me for who I am. Not who my family is or whatever."
Nesseth nods. "You get to forge your own life here, yeah. Frontier towns are the best places for new starts, I feel, for just about everyone that needs it for any reason."
Doc Plume smiles a touch and says nothing for the moment, just relaxing now that their secret is no longer hidden. They cuddle in closer to Nesseth and run their fingers over the side of his neck gently.
Nesseth chuckles a little at the touch, feeling just a touch ticklish as Plume's fingers trace along his scales. After letting some quiet, companionable seconds pass, he sighs a bit, "So... I do have a couple of things to say, I think." He pauses for a moment, "Actually... one thing to say, and one thing to ask. Er... something like that."
Doc Plume stops moving their hand and looks up at Nesseth. "Oh? Please, go ahead." They sit up a bit, though they still lean against the handsome lizard.
Nesseth smiles as Plume sits up again. "Well, first, I'll just say that, regardless of what happens between us later on, your secret's safe with me, Plume. So you don't need to worry about me spilling anything even if, gods forbid, things go really sour between us."
Doc Plume nods. "Thank you. I can't imagine things souring, but I guess we've known each other for all of two weeks, so..."
Nesseth nods. "Neither can I, but if there's one thing I know, it's that we can never really know what life will throw at us in the future. I just don't want you worrying about that if things get a bit rocky here and there, though."
Doc Plume smiles. "Sure. I don't intend to really hide things too much here. I'm just going to be the doctor and hope folks won't care too much beyond that."
Nesseth leans in for a light peck on Plume's beak. "That's fair. I just hope no one tries to get too nosy without your permission, or I'll have to bop them on the nose for it." He sighs a little, "And, as for the question... So... obviously, you don't like being treated as a girl, since you said as much just now. How do you want me treat you?"
Doc Plume shakes their head. "No, I don't like being treated as just a girl... I'm more than that. But if you want to treat me that way sometimes, that's fine. In general though, just treat me as me. Don't shove me into any boxes."
Nesseth hums and nods, now understanding pretty clearly. He gazes at Plume for a few moments, another question on the tip of his tongue, but the look vanishes as he smiles and pulls Plume in for a warm hug. "Alright, I can work with that. I just didn't want to accidentally cause any issues because of personal ignorance."
Doc Plume hugs back and returns the earlier kiss. "I know... thank you." They sigh happily and resume moving their hand over Ness's neck. "How do you want me to treat you, then?"
Nesseth grins a little cheekily. "Just as you've been treating me, Plume. I'm a pretty simple lizard by comparison... Maybe almost a little boring."
Doc Plume laughs. "You're not boring to me. You know a lot about things I don't and have had a lot of adventures." They give a quick open-beaked peck to his neck before pulling back for a moment.
Nesseth squirms and chuckles at the teasing peck, then retaliates by lightly running his fingers through Plume's soft belly fur, letting his claws playfully trace against the skin beneath. "Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can't argue."
Doc Plume lets out a quiet peep as Ness's hand invades their shirt. They squirm a bit at the touch. "Hmm... maybe we should..." They blush a bit as they run a hand over the lizard's own vest.
Nesseth hums curiously, smiling at the cute little peep that his teasing gets. "We should...?"
Doc Plume moves a hand to guide Nesseth's own hand to one of the buttons on their shirt. "Well, if you want to touch me there..."
Nesseth blinks, then starts to blush as Plume guides his hand over to their shirt buttons. "O-oh, I, uh..." He blinks again, only just realizing his other hand snuck under Plume's shirt, "Oh, crap, s-sorry! I didn't even realize my hand was-- er, th-that is... uh..." He pretty quickly devolves into a blushing, stuttering mess, but doesn't really make any moves to pull away.
Doc Plume laughs as their own hands move to the buttons on Ness's vest, deftly unfastening it step by step. They look into Nesseth's eyes with a wry smile. "Don't worry, I want you to..."
Nesseth fumbles his words a bit as he feels his vest starting to come loose, but he manages to hold Plume's gaze with a slightly nervous smile as he likewise starts to slowly unbutton their shirt, starting from the collar. "If... w-well, if you're sure, Plume."
Doc Plume nods. "I am." They finish with the vest and rub their hands over the thin shirt underneath it before untucking it and moving their smooth talons over the scales beneath it. "Trust me, I'm a doctor."
Nesseth can't help but shiver a bit at the sensations of Plume's talons running over his scales, and he pauses for a few moments as he reins in his nerves before he finally manages to undo the last button on Plume's shirt. As it falls open, he immediately lets his free hand gently dive into the fluffy tuft of fur over their chest. He can't help but chuckle at their statement. "Can't get any more convincing than that..."
Doc Plume lets out a soft croak of pleasure as Ness's hands caress their chest fluff, their tail lashing excitedly behind them. Their hands go a little limp for a moment before gripping at Ness's sides as they lean in for a gentle kisse.
Nesseth lightly runs his claws through Plume's soft fluff as he leans in to meet the kiss, pulling them closer against him as beak softly meets lips.
Doc Plume gives themself up to the kiss for as long Nesseth will allow, their mind swimming as their whole body thrills at this new experience. Their own hands slide up Nesseth's sides and around his back, holding him close against their body.
Nesseth pretty quickly finds his own arms sliding around Plume and holding them in a tight hug as the kiss draws on for a while. However, he does eventually have to come up for air, but it's with a bit of reluctance that he pulls back from the kiss, still blushing pretty heavily, but smiling warmly. "Heh... this is... all kinds of new for both of us, isn't it...?"
Doc Plume pants a little and nods. They pull back from Nesseth and stand up. "My bed... would probably be better for continuing." They quickly shed their unbuttoned shirt and do the same with their trousers, leaving only a pair of white boxer-style underwear on their lithe frame.
Nesseth eyes Plume up and down as they shed their clothing, his eyes taking in their full appearance. He stands up a bit more slowly, and is likewise slower in disrobing all the way down to a pair of light boxers, but he watches Plume the entire time with a small smile. "So, I guess... we're going to go a lot further, then?"
Doc Plume wraps their wings around themself in mock modesty and smiles. "Yes, if you want to..." They then turn and walk over to their double bed, their butt and tail swishing behind them as they walk.
Nesseth chuckles a little as he rubs a hand over his neck and shoulder for a moment, rather openly watching Plume's tail swishing about. He nods after a second or so, making up his mind as he moves towards the bed. "If it goes in that direction... I think I can handle it."
Doc Plume splays out semi-gracefully on the bed and reaches up a hand to help pull Nesseth down into their clutches once more.