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NESSETH'S HOUSE - MID-MORNING
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Nesseth busies himself in the kitchen, cooking up a nice, varied breakfast. The smell of good food is certainly wafting throughout the entire house. With the curtains still drawn around most windows except the ones leading into the backyard, he's not exactly bothering with modesty, wearing nothing but an apron at the moment, as he bustles about with his preparations. He still looks sort of exhausted, and he yawns widely on occasion, but he's at least got a spring in his step.
Erika half-clambers from beneath the covers in Nesseth's bed, yawning. For some reason, the okapi has started to stay up just a bit later, lately. Also sleeping less in her own house. Things probably aren't related. She sniffs the air, smile forming on her half-asleep face: "Mmm... smells good..."
Nesseth makes his way towards the bedroom after plating the last of the food and setting it on the dining table. He peeks in with a smile, intending to wake up Erika, only to chuckle when he sees she's already waking up. "Morning, Erika. Food's ready if you're hungry."
Erika sits up on the bed, still wrapping herself on the cover. She lets out a big yawn: "M-morning. Did we stay up late again?"
Nesseth steps into the bedroom and nods. "A little later than usual, yeah. Though, it's a day off, so I'm not in any hurry today."
Erika shrugs, dropping the cover as she does, revealing her less-than-surprising lack of clothing: "I mean I guess I'm not really on a schedule... always stuff to do, but it's like pretty time-agnostic?" She pauses: "...that's a word, right?"
Nesseth shrugs as he moves forward and gives Erika a soft kiss while she's still sitting on the bed. "Mmh... sounds like a word to me. As long as I don't distract you from your garden for too long, I'm sure things will be okay." He pauses, then shrugs, "Of course, I don't know how long 'too long' is, so..."
Erika hums at the kiss, before smiling at the lizard: "Don't really know... just gotta be there eventually." It's rather obvious the okapi is not in a hurry to actually move anywhere, though.
Nesseth grins. "Then, in that case, we can take our time enjoying breakfast, hm?" He tilts his head curiously, "Did you want to eat in here, or at the dining table?"
Erika lets out a soft giggle: "Well, here would be a bit messy I guess... but your bed, your call."
Nesseth shrugs with a smile. "Only as messy as we want to make it, I think. Might be more comfortable sitting up in a chair while we eat, though." He winks, "We can always jump back under the sheets after if it gets too cold."
Erika smirks: "Maybe we can~." She starts to get up, then pauses: "...when did this happen, Nesseth? When did I become... like, well, this?" She gestures vaguely at nothing, trying to figure out her words in some order.
Nesseth blinks and tilts his head at the question, though he still offers Erika a hand up even as he tries to process it. "Like... how? Something on your mind?"
Erika takes the hand, slower now that her train of thought is starting: "Just... I didn't think I was the type to have a random go like we did at the bathhouse, or take a romantic interest like I did with Mirriam... isn't that a bit weird, doing all that?"
Nesseth hums thoughtfully. "Mmh... maybe something just... I don't know, clicked that day? Like... you know I'm not the sort to go for things as, uh... openly as we did at the bathhouse, but sometimes things just... fit."
Erika nods as she gets up holding Nesseth's hand: "Yeah... definitely did." She gives a small smile: "It was fun, no denyin' that. I guess I am... sort of more open to lovin' multiple people than I thought?" She stares aside for a second as though trying to grapple that thought.
Nesseth shrugs a little at that, though he gives Erika's hand a reassuring little squeeze as he helps her up. "Maybe... maybe not? I can't say for certain, since... well, obviously, I'm not you. One incident doesn't necessarily mean much one way or the other, since it could easily have been just on a whim. Like I said, it might have all just lined up perfectly that time."
Erika smiles, nodding slowly as she muses: "Guess so... although it's this odd feeling. Like, I don't mind being with you, or Vix, or Plume, like this, either, but some part of me is saying I should? My thing with Cavro obviously didn't work out, but now I'm questioning why... was it because of our differences, or did I deep down desire something more?"
Nesseth tilts his head as he considers. "Well... from what you've told me, it really did sound like the main issues were your differences in what you wanted to do." He gestures at Erika with his free hand, "You loving to go exploring beyond the walls, and Cavro preferring to stay in town, that is. It didn't really seem like you two had any troubles when you were together, though."
Erika sighs, shrugging softly: "We did... and I guess didn't. Things worked out, but we didn't really see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. He's a friend, and... perhaps better so."
Nesseth smiles softly. "Sometimes, it's better that way. Not always, but half of figuring out if someone is a match is being honest about how easy or hard it'd be to make something work." He shrugs a little, "And sometimes... it just doesn't work, no matter how hard they try."
Erika leans on Nesseth some, nuzzling his neck: "Y-yeah. And now... well, I have you and Vix and Plume. Still confused how that ended up happening, but... well, here we are."
Nesseth gently embraces Erika, his frills flexing a little as she nuzzles against him. He smiles as he rests lightly against her in turn. "It doesn't always make sense, but how you go about things is up to you, I think. Stuff like the bathhouse was out of the ordinary for both of us, though we were also coming out of some pretty crazy circumstances before that."
Erika chuckles softly: "To say the least... definitely crazy. Not that I mind, it was just... well, it was. Happened." She pauses, leaning back enough to look at Nesseth: "...is there a word for what we are, we two and Vix and Plume? We're all like old friends but now... kinda lovers too?"
Nesseth gives Erika a curious look as he meets her gaze. He thinks for a few seconds, then gives a bit of an awkward half-shrug and smile. "Well... if we're all involved with one another like lovers... I don't know if there's a word for it...?"
Erika giggles and shrugs: "Dunno. Just feels like there should be. Maybe we need to invent it?"
Nesseth chuckles a bit and gives Erika a little kiss before nodding. "Maybe we do. There might be something in Orelan Lizard, but... it doesn't spring to mind." He shrugs, smiling, "We'll figure it out."
Erika grins softly at the kiss: "Well, we gotta find that out or it's gonna keep me up all night." She pauses. "Probably. Anyway, breakfast?"
Nesseth smiles a bit more warmly and nods as he turns to lead Erika out of the bedroom for a hearty breakfast, his fingers gently interwoven with her's until the two have to sit down to start on their food.