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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - MORNING
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Brunilda sits down with her morning tea. Not really awake and not really wanting to yet, but one has to do something to be awake enough to stave away the day's inevitable boredom, counting tumbleweeds at the North gate.
Maybelline walks into the bar with a wide yawn. She climbs up onto a seat and waves to the Barkeep for a coffee. "...three sugars. Wait, no. Four sugars. And cream." She sighs heavily, then gives a small smile to the elephant in the room, "Morning uh... Brun."
Brunilda blinks seemingly awake from staring at her tea, looking at the stoat: "Oh. Morning, May."
Maybelline takes the coffee and sips, then blechs and reachs for more sugar. "Long night for you too?"
Brunilda stifles a yawn, then shakes her head, big ears flopping: "No... just an early morning."
Maybelline nods, stirring a few more sugar cubes into her drink. "Oh. Well, opposite sides of the same problem, I guess. Was up all night trying to brainstorm."
Brunilda looks at Maybelline curiously: "Oh? What's on your mind, if you don't mind me asking?"
Maybelline takes another sip, seemingly much more pleased with the taste this time, "Just... stuff. I don't know. You'll probably think I'm crazy, but... I'm trying to make a Mayshiny."
Brunilda blinks, looking a bit confused: "...a what now?"
Maybelline shakes her head, "Sorry, but talking to Strix too much... his idea and all. I'm trying to... invent something, I guess? Or just build something on my own, no books, no plans, just something original and new and... me."
Brunilda nods slowly, musing: "I guess that is pretty respectable. I..." She hesitates for a moment, her voice lowering: "I do kind of want to learn the basics of all that, if only to have something on my mind when doing my duty."
Maybelline chuckles, "Yeah, so you said... guess guard duty's a bit boring, yeah?"
Brunilda sighs, leaning a bit on the table: "Extremely so."
Maybelline chuckles, "Well, magitech is quite the opposite in practice. I just hope those textbooks don't bore you more than your job. The beginner's books are kinda dry."
Brunilda nods with a wry smile: "Yeah, the one I got certainly is, but... it's still something to do." She sighs deeply: "...I just can't help feeling that I'm betraying my family as I do this."
Maybelline snorts, sipping her coffee. "Again with that. Tradition right? Some tradition against bettering yourself, I guess?"
Brunilda blinks, looking at the stoat: "Well, no, it's a tradition... our family has always been in the military. I am the next in line of Great Guards. To safeguard others is a great honor. I do what I must." She doesn't sound entirely convinced as she speaks, though.
Maybelline twitches her nose, "Hrmph. Well, no honor in what I'm doing, that's for sure." It's really hard to tell if she's being serious or sarcastic.
Brunilda frowns: "What do you mean?"
Maybelline waves her paw, "Ah, nothing. Coulda been a big deal engineer in some major city. That'd have gotten me big honors, lots of praise, made my parents proud. Instead I'm just here in this backwater little town trying my damnedst to keep that generator running. What's that accomplish, right? Just keeping out the sand, I guess."
Brunilda looks at the stoat a bit dubiously: "...I would still wager it's of more use than..." She sighs: "...counting the damn sand dunes and keeping Strix out of trouble."
Maybelline smirks a little deviously, "Right, so, if what I'm doing is of more use, possibly even safeguarding more people then your Guard duty, then it only serves to be an increase in honor to better yourself with the education! Logically speaking, of course. For whatever 'honor' is worth, anyways."
Brunilda blinks, looking down at the tea: "But... I can't just... leave, what I'm doing."
Maybelline shrugs, "Then do it on the side, until you know enough to move on. From what I've seen around this town, no one stays here if they can help it. New Doctor, new Engineer, new guards. Get in, do your work, get out. Should be the town motto."
Brunilda gives a soft chuckle: "...perhaps. Hadn't even thought of that. Guess I can... read, and learn... without too much harm..."
Maybelline nods. "Books never hurt anyone. Unless they fall on you." She glances at Brun. "I think you can handle that better than I can though."
Brunilda blinks, then smiles a bit: "...guess there is that, at least."
Maybelline nods, chuckling, "I don't want to meet the book that can give you a concussion. It'd kill me." She hehs and drinks her coffee. "You're a mystery to me, you know that?"
Brunilda raises an eyebrow at the stoat: "Oh? How so?"
Maybelline shrugs, "I don't know. You don't seem stupid, and clearly you want to learn more and make yourself better. But you keep bringing up this tradition stuff like it's some kinda chain around your neck. I always thought families kept traditions because they were things that brought them joy? Like folks who celebrate the harvest feasts together?"
Brunilda mmh's, thinking: "I guess... it's just... it's also all I know. And there is joy, just... well, I'm all alone here now. All of the family get-togethers are in Ondonga."
Maybelline 's expression falls at Brunilda's words. "...Oh." She sighs, bringing her cup closer to her chest to cling to it carefully, "That I get. My family's all back in Policaster too... never been so far away from them as I am now."
Brunilda nods: "Yeah... first time in my life I'm on my own, and I feel so... lost."
Maybelline nods. "I've... got a focus. The generator. I'm here to fix it, and keep it running, and I can handle that." She stares down into the coffee cup. "But this town is so small. So... quiet. And I miss... I do miss my parents. I miss my Dad."
Brunilda leans on the table and sighs, glancing at Maybelline: "It's... well, a focus - I guess - to keep the town safe. But I feel so... empty, just doing that." She harrumphs softly: "Gotta figure out something or I'll go nuts."
Maybelline hums. "Like a hobby, at the very least." She sets the coffee mug back on the counter, falling silent a moment before muttering to herself. "What makes me happy?"
Brunilda glances at Maybelline: "...sadly, couldn't tell you since I can't quite answer it myself."
Maybelline nods as if she'd already expected that. "Just... asking myself that too."
Brunilda sighs into her now-cold teacup.
Maybelline closes her eyes. "SadMay's aren't good. Not sure I like SadBrun much either, but it is what it is."
Brunilda gives Maybelline a bit of an odd look, but nods: "Yeah... I do wanna fix that, but I just don't know how."
Maybelline nods, "Me either. But I'm trying... I hope it just takes time."
Brunilda nods slowly, pushing her teacup on the table a bit: "Time... or I guess, reading something new." She manages to find a small smile: "...guess it can't hurt, at least."
Maybelline nods, giving Brun a hopeful smile, "And if nothing else is a comfort, I guess we can both be homesick together?"
Brunilda nods, smiling a bit wider: "I think I'd like that."
Maybelline grins in return, "I would too. I... I still sorta hate this town. But... there's some good folks here. Folks who I sorta... enjoy being around, and who I think like me too."
Brunilda nods with a lopsided smile: "Yeah, it's... part of me hates being in this place, but... part of me doesn't, you know?"
Maybelline rubs her hands together, nodding. "Same, I guess, yeah."
Brunilda looks about the bar, smiling: "This place is at least kind of growing on me, despite really missing home..."
Maybelline frowns a bit, not really feeling it quite so much, but a growing sense of familiarity at least might be good enough for now. "I... can suggest one idea at least. For the homesickness. If you have the time... write a letter? I sent one home the first day I got here. I just wish it didn't take so long to hear back."
Brunilda blinks, then nods with a smile: "I... guess I could. Never really done that, but... I have a reason now, I figure."
Maybelline raises an arm to mimic a support gesture, but stops herself short of patting Brun, feeling awkward about it and dropping her arm back down in front of her. "Oh ah, and... do something for yourself too, I guess. Have... you found anywhere in town that sells sweets? You know... for yourself? As a pick-me-up or something?"
Brunilda blinks, then muses: "I... there I think is? I think I saw a store near the South gate, but I forget the name... maybe it's worth a visit."
Maybelline nods quickly, "Uh, yeah. Maybe. For you to visit. Yes."
Brunilda shrugs: "I have plenty of time, as said. Might as well."
Maybelline smiles that same devious smile as earlier, "Well, you'll have to let me know. F-for your happiness' sake, I mean, of course! Let me know if it cheers you up a little."
Brunilda nods with a bit of a grin: "Will do, May."
Maybelline nods, "And... stop by my place anytime, open invitation to uh... to..." She lowers her voice a bit almost afraid that Brunilda will laugh at her. "uh, Friends."
Brunilda blinks, but nods with a smile: "...friends. Yes."
Maybelline gives an uncharacteristic giggle before catching herself, looking rather embarrassed, "Y-yes. Of course."
Brunilda looks at Maybelline curiously: "...hmm?"
Maybelline blinks, not expecting follow-up. "Bwah? Uh... n-nothing. Friends. Yes. Of course."
Brunilda smiles, leaning on the table: "...it's good to have some. I guess I'm not the only one who's been a bit lonely here."
Maybelline looks up at Brunilda, slowly giving the much bigger friend a smile. "Yeah... thanks."
Brunilda offers her hand to the much smaller creature: "I hope we can alleviate the loneliness for each other."
Maybelline looks at the hand curiously, then seems to brighten, "Oh! Oh yes! Me too." She stands up on the barstool and grips Brun's hand with both of hers to give it a respectful shake.
Brunilda smiles warmly: "I will drop by your place later. For now... I think I have to go relieve the night guard from their position." She rolls her eyes slightly: "...even if nothing likely happens."
Maybelline lets go of Brun's hand and sits back down carefully. "Well... in my opinion, the only thing worse then nothing happening is something happening, so it could be worse."
Brunilda chuckles softly as she gets up from her seat: "I suppose you kind of have a point."
Maybelline chuckles, "My Dad used to say I had a point, right at the tip of my nose." She crosses her eyes to look down her snout, then shakes her head. "Take care, Brun."
Brunilda gives a brief grin, lifting her trunk: "In that case, I have a lot of point. Will just have to see if I find it." She starts heading out, looking forward to the day at least a tiny bit more.
Maybelline waves as Brunilda heads off, ordering one more coffee before she heads back to start (continue?) her day. She watches as the barkeep loads it up with sugar, licking her lips as she reflects on just how it feels to actually have people who might think of her as their friend.
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NESSETH'S HOUSE - EVENING
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Nesseth rests on his sunning bench, though he's wearing his usual clothing today. He's not sleeping this time, but instead just gazing up at the clouds as they slowly roll by in the slowly darkening sky, a pensive look on his face as he thinks.
Doc Plume knocks on the door to Nesseth's house, peeking in through the window. After a couple of attempts with no answer, they try the handle and find the door unlocked. They pull open the door and call out. "Nesseth? Are you home?"
Nesseth startles at the call, having been a bit too in his thoughts to notice the knocking. He sits up and makes his way to the railing of his house, leaning over a bit to call down to the door. "I'm up on the roof, Plume, sorry! Come on up!"
Doc Plume looks up to the roof and smiles. "Ah. There you are. You were supposed to come to the clinic." They shut the door again then walk back a few steps before taking a little run, spreading their wings and taking a quick twisting flight before landing on the roof. Their flight is... fine. Satisfactory. Functional. It got them up there in one piece, but it wasn't graceful and Plume is panting a little bit as they catch their breath. "Woo... yeah, maybe that was a bad idea... Don't think I'd flown since I got to town. I really should practice more often..."
Nesseth lightly catches Plume as they land, then gives them a soft hug. "Ah, damn... I'm sorry, Plume. I just kinda had a bit on my mind today, and I lost track of the hours." He tilts his head as he leads Plume to the chair, then reaches under the little end table for his water pitcher and a couple of glasses and pours a small drink for both of them, "Here, catch your breath..."
Doc Plume hugs back gently but gratefully takes to the seat, slowly recovering. "Right... thanks... don't worry about it." They take a sip of the water and start to come back to themself.
Nesseth sits down beside Plume and takes a sip of his water before setting the glass down again. "If you're sure... Still, sorry about not showing up on time..."
Doc Plume drapes a wing around Nesseth, the wing's muscles warm and twitching a little. "Trust me, I'm a doctor."
Nesseth chuckles a bit and smiles. "Alright, then."
Doc Plume hugs Nesseth gently. "Are you okay? I don't think I've seen you forget anything before."
Nesseth nods and leans into the hug. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just been thinking about an odd sort of thing that Vix suggested the other day."
Doc Plume cocks their head. "Which one of the cats is she again?"
Nesseth: "She's the black-furred one that's been here in town for a few years; the merchant that likes getting into mischief." He shakes his head, "Damina's the one with the gold markings."
Doc Plume nods. "Right... I just haven't really talked with either of them and they haven't been to see me..." They leans over to nuzzle their beck against the side of Ness's neck. "Anyway, what did she suggest?"
Nesseth hums warmly at the nuzzle, smiling a little as he slips an arm around Plume and hugs them in turn. "Well, it was more a curiosity thing on her part. The other day, when we were talking, she mentioned that she noticed how my demeanor's changed since... well, since you and I got together. She guessed what we've been up to, here and there."
Doc Plume nods. "It's pretty obvious, if anyone has seen us together. Patients are saying that I'm happier... friendlier... it's nice to have that be a bit smoother." They laugh, looking adoringly into Nesseth's eyes.
Nesseth chuckles and nods as he softly holds Plume's gaze. "Yeah, Vix said that I've had more of a spring in my step as of late, along with some minor, er... daydreaming at times." He shrugs a little, "Anyway, she also guessed we've been intimate, and started wondering how she'd do in that sort of situation. I'm not sure why, but she wondered if she might get some practice with me, with your permission."
Doc Plume blinks at the question, a little dumbfounded. "And you said...?"
Nesseth shrugs. "I said I'd ask you. I'm not dumb enough to do something without you letting me..."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Why would you even think that this would be something I'd be OK with? I mean, you can do what you want, of course..." Plume turns away a bit, their wings wrapping around their body protectively.
Nesseth shakes his head. "I didn't, that's why I said I'd ask. I'm not gonna do anything that would hurt you, Plume, but it was an innocent enough question."
Doc Plume blinks away a few nascent tears as they turn away even more. "Well, then I guess it's not something you think about, then. I guess when we got intimate the first time it was just because you had nothing better to do..."
Nesseth seems a bit taken aback by Plume's reaction. "No, I don't think about sex, because I've got other, more important things on my mind most of the time. The first time we got intimate, I was following your lead. I even apologized for my hand slipping under your shirt, remember? I was happy to just snuggle with you, but I had nothing against the intimacy if you wanted it."
Doc Plume goes silent, save for the sound of their swallowed crying. They don't look at Nesseth or react in any other way, just taking the moment to feel their sadness and confusion.
Nesseth sighs and crosses his arms, looking in the other direction. "Look... I don't know how things are done in Vamas, but we've kind of gone about things a bit differently from how I figured a usual couple builds, you know? You'll have to forgive me if I'm still more than a bit confused as to where we stand, myself..."
Doc Plume stays facing away as their wings slowly begin to loosen up a bit. "Well so I am. My whole life has been one big question mark. My body, my family, my place in the world. Anything rational, anything that makes sense for me I've had to build up myself, piece by piece, like trying to build an island with individual grains of sand." Their wings go mostly slack, hanging down like an open cloak. "I finally get here, finally put together enough sand to stand on. I finally had somewhere to look around from, and there you were, right in front of me, standing on your own. I... I don't know what I want from us... but I thought... maybe I would finally have someone else to help me build this island of sand, someone to stand with me and help expand my world." Plume takes a few deep breaths as they slowly settle their wings in place against their back. "And I don't even know if I'm making sense right now, but all I want is for you to stand with me, Nesseth. Just... don't wander off on me now... Please..."
Nesseth shakes his head again more vigorously as he listens to Plume's plight. "Who said I'd wander off on you, Plume? I meant everything I said about supporting you, before. It's why I'm sitting here, right now, talking to you about this, instead of just completely ignoring your thoughts while I do my own thing. The thing we have, whatever we make of it in the future, is something I treasure." He sighs and runs a hand over his face, his scales rasping a little against each other, "Vix just wants sex, I can tell that. We've got something bigger than just sex. I'm still not fully certain what that something is, but it's more than that, and I'm not about to wander off just because I spent a night in bed with someone."
Doc Plume turns and looks at Nesseth, their cheeks and neck feathers wet with a string of tears, though no more flow now. Plume cocks their head as they look Nesseth over. "So then why would you want to do anything with her? You talk about it the way I would talk about an experiment or a treatise I was reading..."
Nesseth shrugs a bit at the question as he turns to meet Plume's eyes again. "Because I don't see any big deal about it, knowing Vix is just seeking sex and nothing more. She's cute, yes, but I can't see myself doing more than that with her, unlike all the things you and I get up to during the week, and I'm certain she's not going to be asking for more than that, too."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. The idea that you would do something like that... just because." They sigh. "Just think about it from my perspective for a minute... how much I had to open up to you even to just get what you would give her without much of a thought." They look up at Nesseth again as few fresh tears trickle down their cheeks. "I'm not... I don't /want/ to be mad at you about this... I want to understand you more, and now I do." They reach out a hand, taking Nesseth's hand in theirs and squeezing a little. "Just please understand that I don't want you to do this."
Nesseth holds Plume's hand and gives it a squeeze in turn, though he sighs a bit. "I don't know how things are done in Vamas, and while I was shy about it at first, I went along with your desires because we don't attach a lot of significance to sex where I'm from. Not to say that we're promiscuous or anything, mind you, just... we feel there are other, much more meaningful ways to show a lover how much we care for them." He gazes at Plume some more, his expression equal parts soft and perhaps a little hurt, "And you didn't have to bare your soul to me to get me in bed, if that's what you wanted, you know... So, please, don't say that like it was an exchange of favors. I did it because it's what you wanted to do, and what I figured would make you happiest at that moment."
Doc Plume looks Nesseth in the eye, regaining some small amount of composure. "Sure... but... I don't know... back home you just... you don't do that with anyone except your husband or wife. Heck, my grandmother is still angry at my dad because he and my mom had sex before they were married." They squeeze his hand as they lean against him just a little. "All the romantic stuff is supposed to come first, even for young stupid teenagers like my mom and dad were back then. And I'm not saying that's right or wrong, or what you grew up with is right or wrong, but I can't help how I feel... it's how I was raised, how most of those stupid romance novel that got me through med school went... We're just going to have to learn to talk about these things with each other more, I guess..."
Nesseth nods, though he still looks somewhat confused. "Again, that's why I decided to ask you first, instead of just accepting the request outright. But... why'd you ask for it if you didn't just do that back at home? That's the thing that confuses me the most... You say you were raised one way, and then we did something that's more along the lines of how I was raised. But yet... when I thought to ask... I'm sorry, I'm still extremely confused, here, Plume..."
Doc Plume lets out a frustrated caw before speaking again. When they do speak, the words come tumbling almost too quickly out of their beak. "I don't know. I don't know why it happened, it just did... and it was good and I wouldn't trade it for anything... not that day or any of the time we've spent together since then." The lean over and hug Nesseth Tight. "I'm so afraid of losing you... that one day you'll wake up and realize that you don't want to be with a weird half-bred freak anymore and that scares me so much." They take a breath. "Why did I have to read so many trashy novels in school? They put all these stupid ideas in my head and none of them are practical or helpful and I just wish that my life could make some bit of sense for even a day or two without some new problem rearing its head and making me feel out of place or wrong yet again."
Nesseth reaches over and hugs Plume in turn. "If you're afraid of losing me, don't be. I've already said that I'm sticking at your side until you get tired of me, and that's not going to change. You're not some 'weird half-bred freak' to me, so don't you dare call yourself that again, because to me, you're Doctor Plume, the best damn doctor I know, and the cutest and handsomest person I've met."
Doc Plume laughs a bit as the last few pent up tears shake their way free. They squeeze Nesseth close and nuzzle his cheek. "And you're the sleekest lizard and best hunter I know. Can you forgive me for my big brain just running away with silly ideas?"
Nesseth reaches a hand up and lightly brushes away the beads of moisture rolling down Plume's feathered cheeks. "Of course. Cultural differences and all that, I guess."
Doc Plume smiles. "And I forgive you too..." They hugs Nesseth close as they lean in for a kiss.
Nesseth blinks at that statement, but files his question away for a moment as he leans in to meet the kiss.