----------------------------------------------
RESPITE GENERATOR - LATE AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Louma is free, finished with her shift and eager to wind down from ground patrol. She had swung by her own place to change out of her uniform and into her usual comfortable cotton shirt. Half an hour later, the swan-snake is touching down outside the generator building, toting a small basket of snacks and a warm smile. She preens her feathers quickly before knocking on the workshop door, expecting May to be there rather than in her quarters.
Maybelline hops down from her stool at the drafting table to the side door. She's just in her work jumpsuit, the light blue outfit still fairly clean while May's been working with pencil rather then wrench at the moment. She opens the side door into the generator room, business in mind. "Hello? How can I help y-Louma!"
Louma giggles at May's reaction, giving her a little wave. "Hello Maybelline! I hope I'm not interrupting you too badly. I brought snacks to make up for any inconvenience~" She gestures to the basket with another giddy giggle.
Maybelline shakes her head, "Just working late. Had a vacationing technician help me review my plans, and I'm just making another draft on the plans and... snacks?" She glances at the rather small basket. "...a lot of snacks, I hope?"
Louma blinks, then brightens up. "Vacationing... Oh, the rabbit! Er... San...Si? Did I remember that correctly? I was actually at the gate when she arrived. She was certainly not pleased about showing up in Respite, so I'm glad she stopped by here after all. Did she seem more cheerful after you two met?" She idly reaches into the basket while she's speaking, pulling out a small home-baked cookie with chocolate drizzled over the top, offering it to May.
Maybelline takes the cookie with a blush, "You spoil me~." She takes a bite and shrugs, "She was kinda quiet, really focused on the machinery and stuff. She seemed to lighten up a bit as we talked, and maybe a little resigned to being here after her trip mishap."
Louma giggles, blushing as May tries her cooking. She gestures for the stoat to join her outside where the sky has an uncommon amount of clouds for once, leaving the temperature a few degrees more pleasant. She spreads her tail around her on the ground and continues the conversation. "That's really good to hear. How was her technical knowledge?"
Maybelline swiftly finishes the cookie and locks the door to the generator behind her to walk alongside Louma. She stretches her arms over her head and hums in the sunlight. "She seems pretty knowledgable! A bit more on the mechanical side then I am too, which is good. Magitech studies dip into mechanics out of necessity of course, but more in the specifics of the interactions between magic and machinery and harnessing it."
Louma smiles warmly, nodding along. "It sounds like you had a good time. Are you expecting her to help with your plans further?" She finishes settling her coils, patting a spot where May could lounge if she cares to and setting the basket of cookies and chocolate-dipped fruits down as well. She chuckles nervously as she picks up a few strawberries. "I hope you don't mind chocolate... I melted too much for the cookies."
Maybelline shrugs as she gets quickly takes advantage of Louma's offer to comfortable on her tail. "Are you kidding? Chocolate is amazing... and so are your cookies. This is a wonderful surprise."
Maybelline nods as she takes another cookie. "And yeah, if she's still around I might ask her for help before the final draft. Maybe the building, but I feel like I can't ask for too much help with that."
Louma giggles, blushing at the combination of May on her tail, the compliment, and thinking about the three failed batches before this one. "Y-yeah... It was fun to learn how to make them. And also very smokey." She hums as she enjoys a couple strawberries in the sun before speaking again. "I imagine it might put a damper on her vacation, even if Respite wasn't her destination. So the plans are coming along well, then?"
Maybelline blinks, looking up at Louma, "So guess we're both stretching our cooking skillset lately, eh?" She leans over to hug Louma. "They're wonderful. And yeah... I don't want to push anything on her, but she seemed to enjoy seeing my designs. I'm coming close to finishing, I think. It's exciting... but a little stressful. I might be doing some stuff that... honestly is untested? I think it'll work, but there's no one here to check my work, so I gotta be extra careful. And I don't want to disappoint everyone."
Louma gives May a warm hug back, humming. "Well, you have two smiths in town now to bounce ideas off of, I'm sure they might see potential issues with parts. Of course, your new technician acquaintance, and Strix. And Brunilda, too. They might not all have the same training as you, but I think you've got more resources than you realize." She smiles, giving May a quick peck on the forehead. "And I'm here for moral support, if you need it."
Maybelline blushes at the kiss and gives Louma another squeeze before she releases the hug. "So many friends and help, and... you. That's an awful lot of support for a lonely stoat to stumble into. I swear... y-you make me so happy I don't know if I should laugh or cry."
Louma chuckles lightly, gently rubbing May's back. "It's this town. Most want to hold eachother up. If the generator doesn't work the first time through, I strongly doubt anyone will blame you." She checks the basket, taking another strawberry. She sighs happily, enjoying May's presence for a bit.
Maybelline oooo's a bit at Louma's touch against her back. She takes another cookie and considers it. "Louma... I uh... I'm not good at saying it, but I really like sweets."
Louma puts a hand to her chest, with an exaggerated look of surprise, "Really? You've never let on, I thought I made a mistake with the chocolate." She breaks into a light giggle, leaning lightly against May's shoulder.
Maybelline manages to giggle, but there's definitely butterflies in her stomach for some reason. "I know, I know! I just... I don't always say that kind of stuff, or admit to it, you know? Some might say it's childish, and make fun of me, or... I don't know. And that's probably dumb to think, but... I suck at saying things, is what I'm saying."
Louma smiles warmly at May, feeling her heart flutter a bit as she thinks she understands what May is saying. "Maybelline... I understand. I really like sweets, too. You don't mind if I call you sweets, do you?"
Maybelline blushes brightly and nods, looking up at Louma lovingly. "Yeah. I don't... I don't mind at all."
Louma feels May's look, her heart thumping. "I-I'm glad~" She blushes, a giddy chuckle fighting it's way out of her. She puts and arm around May with a gentle squeeze. "This time, just like this... Flying doesn't even compare."
Maybelline swallows nervously, "Just like..." She blinks, recalling Louma's words from their second date. "That's high praise... but if you feel like I do, then... I get it." She leans into Louma and laughs, "I still want to try it, though. I'm nervous, but... I know I can trust you. You would keep me safe up there."
Louma hugs May, who might feel a bit of her excited shiver as May confirms what she was hoping for. She glances up at the thin clouds. "Well... How busy are you right now?"
Maybelline blinks. "Now? Busy? I'll have you know that I am currently in the midst of the most important project of my life!" She holds onto her serious face for only a moment before she breaks into a laugh, "So you're in luck. Because that project is spending time with you."
Louma doesn't feel any particular disappointment as May sounds like she's saying no, but when she finishes Louma blushes hard enough that the golden color on her bill darkens slightly, another giddy laugh escaping her before she can begin to collect herself. She doesn't trust herself to try and speak for just giggling, so expresses herself with a feathery hug.
Maybelline hugs back, "I work on everything else long enough. I love my job, and it's important to me... b-but..." she pauses, suddenly glad Louma probably can't see her face as she presses it into Louma's feathers "You're important to me too! A-and I... love you. I love you, and I want to fly, so y-yes! Let's do this!"
Louma is likewise glad that May can't see her shocked expression, that quickly melts into a dumbstruck grin. "I love you too, Maybelline~" Her wings wrap around the two of them for a moment, shading their embrace as she shivers in excitement. She releases the hug, giggling as she quickly scoops May up into a cradle carry as her wings spread out again. She leans her head down, kissing the stoat.
Maybelline eeps slightly as Louma pulls her into her arms. She looks up to return the kiss, grinning like an idiot, "Gods! Been trying to say that all night..."
Louma blushes, grinning as well. "I'm so glad you did... My heart might explode, but I can bear it." Her wings beat down hard, sending them up much slower than she normally takes off, though the town still falls away from them rapidly. She cuts her ascent a hundred feet above the ground, though her eyes can't seem to leave May yet.
Maybelline isn't doing much better in the 'look anywhere else except at Louma' department, but she can certainly feel the chill in the air grow as the ascend. She nervously chuckles, "Mine too... but I'll manage. I feel like I can say it a thousand times more now that I've said it once."
Louma gives May a gentle squeeze. "I feel the same~" She giggles, smiling warmly at May. "A bit of a change from nervously repeating the word date over and over~" They slowly drift over the city, Louma keeping her torso as generally vertical as possible for May's comfort.
Maybelline giggles, "I guess it is a bit of an upgrade~. I feel like I'm flying..." She pauses, turning her head to look out over the city, "Whoa... r-right..."
Louma chuckles, able to look where they're going now that May's eyes aren't visible. "I said it's pure freedom, didn't I?" Even at this relatively low altitude, the entirety of the outer wall can be seen from the center. "I have an idea of what to show you while we're up here, if you like~"
Maybelline nods, more then a little awed at the sight of the town from so high already, "Y-yeah... wow. Wherever... whatever you want to show me, love."
Louma blushes at the term, glancing toward May with a grin. "As you wish, sweets~" She carefully tilts forward, making sure to keep her hold on the stoat secure. She takes them a little higher to begin gliding towards the North gate. It doesn't take long before they're moving much faster than they ever could through the city, and within minutes they've crossed over the gate. The cliffs and waterfall lie ahead... Lower than their current altitude by a considerable amount.
Maybelline gazes downwards, watching the city zoom by. As she sees the gate, she can almost make out the path that the pair took on their second date, and the waterfall as well, "It's so beautiful from up here..." She carefully shifts a bit to try and make Louma's grip upon her easier. "No wonder you love it up here."
Louma nods, slowing down as they approach the waterfall, slowing to appreciate the view, exposing a large field of wild grass split by two streams that feed the waterfall. "There are all kinds of hidden places like this around here to see." She gently squeezes May. "I have a lot I want to share with you~"
Maybelline hums in appreciation as Louma squeezes, still looking across the field and nods slowly, "I'm eager to see it with you." She chuckles, "I can barely believe I'm seeing it now! But... just... wow..." Her words trail off as she turns back to look at Louma again and smile wide.
Louma giggles, catching May's eye. "We have all the time in the world, and I'm so happy that you're enjoying yourself~" She leans in and kisses May again, unable and unwanting to resist the urge.
Maybelline kisses back, wholly forgetting the beautiful vista sprawled out below them as she hums happily. "I am. So, so much."
Louma sighs before feeling a rumble from within. The excitement and flight have taken their toll. She giggles, "I'm just... So indescribably hungry right now. Ah, happy. I'm indescribably happy. And maybe hungry."
Maybelline giggles, "Well, we should probably do something about one of those, and I wouldn't want to do anything to make you less happy. I might have skipped lunch today, too... got engrossed in my design, and then got engrossed with you."
Louma nods, giggling. "I did too... I think I've only eaten those strawberries all day." She tilts forward slowly, arcing around to head back towards the town. A few minutes later, they're gently touching down outside of the generator building. Louma hesitates for a moment before setting May down, shaking her wings out.
Maybelline hesitates before letting go of Louma and setting feet on solid ground again, surprising herself with how much she enjoyed that. She holds out her hand to take Louma's, and the two head off side-by-side to find some dinner, even if neither can fully take their eyes off of one another the rest of the night.