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DOC'S APARTMENT - EARLY MORNING
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Doc Plume wakes up as the earliest rays of sunrise filter into the room past the curtains. They find themself in bed, cuddled up against Nesseth. They don't recall anything that happened after dozing off on the couch, but are unsurprised to find that Nesseth has taken good care of them as always. They cuddle in closer against the lizard, resting their head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat as he sleeps.
Nesseth sleeps soundly, his chest rising and falling in time to the slow, deep breaths associated with deep sleep. As Plume shifts against him, he adjusts a little bit to provide a better snuggle angle, but continues to gently snore, obviously undisturbed by the movement.
Doc Plume carefully spreads their wings over Nesseth and themself as they snuggle in and drift off to sleep again soon after.
Nesseth hums softly as he settles into the warmth, feeling comfy enough in Plume's feathery embrace that he could sleep all morning if allowed to do so...
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A WHILE LATER
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Doc Plume wakes up again, still cuddled against a sleeping Nesseth. They let out a wide yawn before realizing that bodily functions are demanding that they get up. With an unhappy chirp, they rouse themself and make their way over to the bathroom to deal with nature's call.
Nesseth slowly wakes up at the sound of Plume's chirp, then starts to get up a little more readily as he feels them crawl out of bed and hears the bathroom door shut. He stretches and blearily looks around the room, noting just how much sunlight is filtering in through the windows. With a wide yawn, he turns and sits up at the edge of the bed, taking his time in letting consciousness assert itself.
Doc Plume comes out of the bathroom a minute or two later and, upon seeing Nesseth sitting up, heads to the kitchen to put the kettle on. "Morning, you."
Nesseth smiles and lifts a hand in a small wave as he rubs his eyes with his other hand. "Morning, Plume. Slept well?"
Doc Plume nods as they putter around the kitchen, preparing to make both oatmeal and tea. "Yes. Did you have to put me to bed again? I just remember cuddling up on the couch after we came up here..."
Nesseth nods as he stands and stretches. "Yeah, you looked comfortable, so I didn't want to disturb you. I just let you fall asleep, then I moved you to the bed so you could sleep without getting sore." He smiles, "I made sure everything was closed and locked, then joined you a little while after."
Doc Plume looks down at their naked body. "And undressed me, it seems..." They smile at Nesseth as they pour water from the kettle into the teapot and a pot on the stove with some rolled oats and spices and dried fruit in it. "I would have so many more uncomfortable nights without you, you know."
Nesseth chuckles a little and shrugs self-consciously. "Well... I only intended to leave you with some light clothing on, but I guess I wasn't expecting just a single layer. But then, with fur as thick and soft as yours, I imagine it's more comfortable letting it all breathe overnight."
Doc Plume blushes just a touch as they turn to the oatmeal and reduce the heat as it starts to boil thickly with that satisfying bloopy noise. "Yes, well..." They busy themself with pouring the tea, knowing how Ness likes his by this point. They leave the oatmeal to simmer as they carry two cups of tea back over to the bed and passes one over as they get a sneaky kiss on his cheek.
Nesseth hums softly as he accepts the cup, smiling at the feeling of Plume's beak pressing against his cheek. "Thank you, Plume. But yeah, all the stuff I pulled off, I folded up and put over by the sofa so it wouldn't get overly wrinkled." He takes a sip of his tea after a moment, enjoying the warmth as it seeps through his limbs and slowly invigorates him for the day ahead.
Doc Plume sips their own tea before setting the cup down and walking back to the stove. A wing strokes its lingering way along Nesseth's shoulder as they go, however. They tend to the oatmeal for a bit before turning off the heat. "I know. You always do. You're so good to me." They look over at Nesseth, just gazing at him adoringly for a moment.
Nesseth relaxes a little further at the touch of Plume's feathers, and he smiles as he watches them tending to the oatmeal at the stove. "I just try to make sure you're nice and comfortable, that's all... You work so hard tending to everyone as the town's only doctor that I know you don't always have time to unwind."
Doc Plume pours out the oatmeal into two bowls before adding a little milk to each one. They carry the bowls to the small table next to the kitchen and look to Nesseth. "I know. Could you bring my tea over?" They fetch a pair of spoons and then take a seat on a stool.
Nesseth nods and picks up Plume's cup in a hand, then walks over to the table and sets both cups down beside the bowls. "Here you go, Plume. Thanks for cooking up breakfast for us."
Doc Plume takes the cup and another sip of tea. "Thank you." They lean over and nuzzle at Nesseth's side before they sit down. "And it's fine. It's what I'd do if I were alone anyway..." They take a bite of oatmeal, having not eaten anything since a light lunch yesterday, and then proceed to eat about half of the bowlful before coming up for air.
Nesseth takes a seat opposite Plume and starts to eat his bowl of oatmeal. He can't help but smile in amusement as he watches Plume scarfing down the food, though he's also aware that they didn't eat at all since they dozed off the previous evening. "I should bring you more stuff to snack on during the work day. It'd keep you from getting ravenous, at least."
Doc Plume nods. "Yeah. Or I should have a stash in my desk or something..." They laugh a bit before finishing off their breakfast posthaste and then sipping at their tea. They watch Nesseth eat quietly, just admiring the graceful way he does even simple actions like eating.
Nesseth nods as he eats his way through his own bowl at a slightly more sedate pace, occasionally sipping at his tea to wash down the food. "It never hurts to have a few snacks stowed away for a nibble. I usually keep a bunch of jerky in my pack to munch on while out on a patrol or hunt."
Doc Plume nods. "Jerky would work, though I've found that some herbivores don't like seeing me eat meat around them..."
Nesseth hums quietly, thinking a bit. "Yeah, I get the same from some of the herbivorous guards whenever I have a snack around them. You could also do stuff like nuts, since those are pretty easy to pop open and don't make a mess, usually."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "They're a common allergen, so I shouldn't keep them in the office." They ponder this as they stand up and take their bowl to the sink, bringing back the teapot and refilling their own cup. "Jerky would be fine, though, since I'm not eating around patients anyway..."
Nesseth tilts his head a bit. "Then, in that case, maybe I should set aside some of the meat from my next hunt to make into jerky for you. I don't know how much you snack on, but if it's a good hunt, it should last you a while."
Doc Plume nods. "I'd like that." They wrap their arms over Nesseth's shoulders and across his chest as the lean down to rest their chin on his head. "I've been thinking... about us... what we have, it's really good, right?"
Nesseth chuckles as he leans into the hug. "Yeah... it's a really good thing we've got going."
Doc Plume disentangles themself from Nesseth, save for taking his hand in theirs as they move to sit down again. Once seated, they look into his eyes and freeze for a moment, their hand squeezing his before they speak again. "I... I love you Nesseth... whatever that means. I mean... it's just a word, but it's one I feel. For you."
Nesseth blinks and tilts his head at that statement, taken aback a bit. However, he leans a little against the table, still holding Plume's hand. "So... I'm guessing that's what's been on your mind about us as of late, then? You mentioned as much last night, while we were snuggling on the sofa."
Doc Plume blinks. "Did I? I don't remember much anything after I got upstairs with you." They look down. "And yeah, I've been thinking about it."
Nesseth smiles softly. "Well, from what I remember, you did. So... we've been together for a little while now, and you're thinking we've become something a lot closer?"
Doc Plume squeezes Nesseth's hand again. "Yeah, pretty much, but this is more about how I feel. Like, it's not just that I like spending time with you anymore, I kind of need it. It makes me better when we do it..."
Nesseth chuckles and gives Plume's hand a gentle squeeze in turn. "Well... if love is what we're going to call it, I think I'm inclined to agree, Plume. It might just be a word, but it does feel pretty right for what we have, doesn't it?" He grins a little, "And you know I like seeing you taking care of yourself as well as everyone else, even if it takes a little prodding from me at times."
Doc Plume smiles at Nesseth. "Mmhm. And you're right, of course..." They lean in and kiss him softly, their beak parting as their eyes flutter closed and their heart races in exultation.
Nesseth hums warmly, leaning into the kiss. His eyes drift shut as he lets the kiss linger for a bit, just enjoying the closeness of the moment.
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MARKETPLACE - AFTERNOON
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Vix sighs behind her shop blanket, simply staring at the clouds. There's a sign towards the front that says "Spare parts out of stock!"
Nesseth wanders through the marketplace, having shared a nice morning with Plume before they had to open up for the day. Since he has the day off, he's just exploring a little more, chatting with residents and just generally enjoying the free day.
Vix sighs again and looks back toward the marketplace. "Ahh...maybe I should take a day off..."
Nesseth finds himself wandering towards Vix's strangely empty stall and notices the cat lounging about. He raises a hand in greeting as he approaches. "Afternoon, Vix. You seem a little preoccupied."
Vix smiles a little and waves as Nesseth approaches. "Oh, um...Hey Ness..."
Nesseth comes to a stop just on the other side of Vix's market blanket and smiles as he notes the sign facing the marketplace at large. "I guess business has been good as of late?"
Vix shakes her head. "Not really...I actually gave all those parts away..."
Nesseth tilts his head in confusion, taking a moment to scratch at one of his frills. "You... gave the parts away? What happened?"
Vix sighs. "I gave them all to May. She needs them more than I do..."
Nesseth hums and smiles a little. "I'm guessing for the town's generator? That's really kind of you, Vix."
Vix puts her paws on top of her head in frustration. "But then she invited me in for breakfast and said we were friends so I panicked because I wanted to be honest and..." she runs out of breath.
Vix takes a deep breath as she continues, a little quieter. "Totally...told her I got the parts from...her house...(when it was empty)"
Nesseth blinks and raises an eyebrow. "Wait, the parts were from... the generator? Spare parts only, I hope...?" He kneels and lowers his voice a bit so others don't overhear, "Well, I guess that doesn't matter, but... at least you were honest about it, right?"
Vix sniffs as she starts tearing up. "She got really mad and called me a thief and I tried explaining but she...d-didn't listen..."
Nesseth hums softly as he steps over the blanket and sits down next to Vix. "Hey... take it easy, Vix... Maybe it was just a bit of a shock to her. She seems the sort to take her work really seriously, after all..."
Vix sniffs and wipes her eyes with the corner of her shirt. "Right...p-probably..."
Nesseth slips an arm around Vix's shoulders and hugs her against his side. "You were honest about it, and you took that stuff when the house wasn't occupied, right? I might occasionally play at being a guard, but unoccupied houses aren't exactly secure."
Vix nods. "If anything, I kept them safe for her, right? Aside from the ones I sold, at least..."
Nesseth nods. "I'd say so. You even tried getting back whatever you could from whoever you sold parts to." He tilts his head a bit, "Though, I do wonder, now... Is that capacitor I bought from there, too?"
Vix sniffs again as she starts to pack up her wares. "Yeah...I probably shouldn't sell any more found parts..."
Nesseth reaches over and tousles Vix's hair a bit as she goes about packing up her things. "I don't think you should stop. You do manage to find a lot of bits and bobbles that are useful in all kinds of situations. Not to mention that this was just one incident, and obviously May needs to get her head back on straight before tossing out accusations."
Vix sighs. "Maybe...we'll have to see what folks throw away." She pauses as she rolls up her now-empty blanket. "Do you want to...get something to eat?"
Nesseth nods and smiles. "Sure, some food sounds nice right about now. What do you feel like eating?"
Vix hums. "Some seafood would cheer me up, I think..."
Nesseth chuckles and stands up, then dusts his pants off. "Then seafood it is. My treat, to cheer you up."
Vix smiles and hugs Nesseth. "Aw, thanks! Let's get going~"
Nesseth gives Vix a hug in turn and heads out with her to get a bite of seafood for something of a second lunch.
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EARLY EVENING
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Narrator: A cool wind is descending upon the town tonight, drifting in from the North valley as the sun hides away behind the Western mountains. A stout figure makes its way through the quieting market on it's way to the Minnow, pausing briefly outside to scuff it's face and arms a bit before pushing through the doorway. Cavro looks about as he enters the tavern, shuffling slightly on the spot as he scans the room, then wanders up to the bar to sit.
Damina has made herself at home at the bar, busy eating biscuits. It's pretty tasty and is distracting her from the twitching of her left arm.
Cavro orders a glass of water and a lemon, which take all of ten seconds to receive. He takes a long sip of his water before beginning to peel the fruit, splitting it in half and taking a bite.
Damina stares at her left arm, watching as it seems to settle in for a bit, and then starts shaking a bit again. "Would you quit it? I'm trying to eat!"
Cavro is slightly startled by the outburst, looking around to Damina halfway to his second bite, not noticing her arm at the moment. "I'm sorry? It it t's just a lemon?"
Damina looks up at the badger. "What? Oh, no, not you. My arm's just been kinda hurting a bunch. Thought I'd visit the bar, maybe that'd help it calm down..."
Cavro cocks his head a bit to the side at the sideways logic. "Wouldn't it be better to see the the the doctor about that?" He continues eating his lemon segments now that he knows it is't bothering her.
Damina coughs a bit. "I never said I was smart..."
Cavro snorts a chuckle, "And I never said you were dumb! How did you hurt your arm, though?"
Damina holds it still with her arm. "Long time ago. Got broke while fighting off bandit. I met some weird life mages, they healed it. I think. And now it's going nuts."
Cavro finishes off the lemon, eyes going wide at the mention of bandits. "When were there bandits near Respite?"
Damina: "Oh no, no not here. Back where I came from. I moved here, see..."
Cavro breathes a sigh of relief, taking a calming drink from his water. "Don don don't scare me like that! Bandits, near the city, my word... So you moved to get away from bandits, then? Definitely not dumb!"
Damina glances around, a bit nervous. "Well, among other things. But not having to deal with people trying to steal stuff of yours is a big plus, that's for sure."
Cavro grimaces, bearing a few sharp teeth as he turns to his plain drink. "Oh, that hasn't been a problem for you here? Must be lucky."
Damina nods. "Yeah, anything getting taken from me lately only happens cuz I let it."
Cavro: "Depends on how good your locks are."
Damina wobbles her head. "Ehhhh..."
Cavro grunts, scratching at his snout before shaking his head and trying to smile at Damina. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to to to bring you down! Just a matter for me and the guards."
Damina raises an eyebrow. "The guards, hmm? About that..."
Cavro blinks at her, a little suspicious of her pause.
Damina: "Oh, just... I'm kinda... an honorary member of the guard? I don't know if it's official or not but I've been doing stuff around the town for them."
Cavro: "Oh, part time. I've met a lot of part time guards at my shop. You lot tend to to bend swords on nothing. Still not sure how how how that works."
Damina laughs at that. "Man, I wish I could do that. It'd make me a lot more impressive!"
Cavro snorts in laughter with her. "They're not desperate yet, you must have some tal tal talent that they appreciate."
Damina thinks. "I suppose my skill with crossbows deserves some merit- stop that!" Her arm is twitching again.
Cavro shakes his head, glancing at her arm. "You should really go to to the doctor about that. I've never met them but I'm sure they have something for a a a twitch."
Damina looks at her arm. "You sure they have something for magical afflictions?"
Cavro shrugs, taking to his water again. "I don't know, maybe they they they have a colleague that does? I haven't been sick since before Hooktail left." He finishes the water and digs in his pocket to pay. "Couldn't hurt to ask, right?"
Damina just responds with a shrug.
Cavro responds with a more dramatic shrug and a wide eyed stare, then chuckles to himself. "Well if you ever need some something fixed, come see me at the Oldhammer Smithy in the South quarter. But for now I need to go home and fix my tools, you you you take care!"
Damina thinks about that. "I might come drop by. I guess see you later!"
Cavro smiles at her, nodding. "Goodnight then." He makes his way out of the tavern, heading home to refit his bellows. Again.