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ERIKA'S GARDEN - AFTERNOON
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Erika is kneeling down into the underbrush beneath one of the bigger pieces of foliage in her garden, humming happily to herself as she attempts to either dig out or dig in something, with only her tail end showing to anyone who even walks into her place. The okapi is obviously in a good mood, sporting about the usual amount of clothing as she works... seriously, how does she not get stung by something more often?
Mirriam makes her way up to Erika's house, automatically making her way to the alley. She's not even sure that the okapi isn't out on a delivery or wandering outside the walls or any other myriad of things, but ya gotta start with the unmoving peg before tailing your booty to... "Oh!" Mirriam realizes she's staring right at an okapi butt hanging out from the underbrush, giggling to herself at the scene. "Well I guess my instincts're good enough, but my timin' could be better."
Erika mmrbl's from under the brush: "Hmmf? Who's there?" She starts carefully scrambling her way out from the roots and the mulch, managing to even leave most of them behind... as well as her top. She sits up, not realizing this, and shakes her head: "Brrf! Sorry about that. OH. Hi, Mirriam." There is a twinge of uncertainty in the okapi's expression, but she's happy for the most part.
Mirriam blushes slightly, giggling and glancing down. She doesn't realize Erika'd lost it, and just assumes, "Ah well, s'pose it is enough of a nice day fer ya to garden topless, hm?" She looks back to Erika's face, smiling. "How're ya holdin' up, cher?"
Erika tilts her head at the first statement, but doesn't even glance down. Instead, she just smiles brightly: "I'm holding up fine! Or I suppose, down, since I was under there." She tilts her head towards the brush: "Just making sense of the root archive."
Mirriam blinks, tilting her head slightly at the term. "The root archive? Whassat?" Considering she's seen the okapi more than topless, and also knows her tendencies for dress, she's already moving past the private show. Mostly.
Erika blinks: "Oh! Right, it's just my nickname for, well, where I keep the extra roots that I don't yet wanna start growing cause I lack the space, but like don't want them to rot either. So they're under other plants where they keep mostly inert."
Mirriam hums, nodding in understanding after a few moments. "Ah, like seedlings kinda. That's smart! Never woulda thought ya could do that, though I've heard of Vamese folks freezin' roots to replant in the spring."
Erika shrugs with a smile: "Limited space, gotta do what I can with it." She pauses, then gives Mirriam a look as her smile slightly wanes: "So... guessin' you want to talk about..." She waves her hand vaguely: "...last time."
Mirriam falters a bit, nodding quickly before she looks aside a bit. "More 'pologise to ya, but yeah, there's a bunch to talk about there maybe..." She looks straight and bows her head. "Erika, I'm sorry fer how I acted, fer how blunt I said the things I said... I didn't mean ta hurt ya, I hope you know..."
Erika listens, then slowly nods and sighs as she looks down at the ground: "...I know. Spur of the moment from... both of us, I guess. After mulling it over a lot lately, I just think I'm attracted to like... anyone who's gotten as close as you are. My brain says that makes no sense, but my heart goes where it pleases."
Mirriam looks to Erika, moving a few steps over and sitting down on the ground, legs crossed. "I ah... Honestly can't 'magine what ya were feelin... I mean, been rejected before, but that was a whole 'nother level of bein' a jerk, on my part."
Erika frowns, still not looking up as she rests her hands on her knees: "I mean... I probably deserved that, for getting all excited based on nothing."
Mirriam grunts, shaking her head. "Not nothin, I thought a lot on it. I gave ya a lot of signals that I didn' mean ta. Wasn't fair to ya to tease ya up like I did, but I didn' know ya were growin' an attraction, vren. I'm sorry."
Erika sighs and nods... then finally looks up with a small smile: "Yeah. Both of us fools, then? That sounds about right." She hums for a second: "...you still look good, though, Mirriam."
Mirriam blushes a bit, giggling as she glances down at Erika's topless chest. "So do ya, cher~" She pauses, shaking her head. "Oh my gods I went right back inta it!"
Erika blinks, then breaks into giggles: "Shame on us!" She lets out a relieved sigh.
Mirriam sighs as well, smiling at Erika. "Yah, shame!" She pauses for a long moment, then tilts her head. "So you an' Nesseth, eh? Couldn't resist 'm after the bath house?"
Erika shrugs with a soft smile: "After the bath house... possibly before. We've been friends for a long time, me and him. Not sure where things clicked and don't really care."
Mirriam grins, nodding. "Ay, makes sense. Didn' mean ya were only together for the sex, of course. I'm ah... Glad ya have'm."
Erika smiles, glancing aside: "So am I..." She pauses, taking a breath before turning back to Mirriam: "What about you? Guess you're still, uh, on the market as it were?"
Mirriam blinks, scratching the back of her head. "Ah well yea. I mean, I was never off? It's... Complicated?"
Erika chuckles softly: "Fair enough. I mean, that stuff gets messy as we've just sorta witnessed. Nevermind me for asking now."
Mirriam shakes her head, chuckling quietly. "Not so much in a bad way, actually, cher. It's more of a bloodline kinda thing. I wanna marry someone like me, fer the kids. Fer the family business. Known it's what I want for a long time. Don't mean I'm gonna skip out on having fun while I can, and Mr roo's just gonna have to accept I had a wild life 'fore'm."
Erika blinks: "Oh. That makes sense. I don't really have that, but... well, yeah, you do so it does make sense." She chuckles: "My bloodline is a mess anyway, just ask my giraffe half-sister."
Mirriam laughs, nodding. "Darn right it makes sense. Least to someone." She sighs, shrugging. "S'ok, nothin' wrong with that. 'Sides, I hear tell your sister's a badass, nothin ta worry 'bout there."
Erika smiles: "She is. I'm maybe less so, but what you see is what you get." She spreads her arms, chuckling softly: "Not much, but whatever."
Mirriam glances down again, shaking her head a little bit. "I mean, saw and got." She chuckles, grinning at Erika.
Erika giggles again: "Weeelll yeah there is that."
Mirriam giggles as well, glancing aside. "Sorry, don't mean t'be awkward, just tryin ta... Well yeah." She sighs, leaning back a bit. "Wouldn't be too much ta ask fer a do-over on a friendly dinner, would it?"
Erika gives Mirriam a warm smile: "I'd love that. And by 'love', I mean like... well, you're my friend and all that nonsense. One bad evening is not going to change that, you silly roo."
Mirriam giggles while nodding, blushing a bit. " 'Silly roo' says the silly okapi what gardens topless."
Erika glances down... then just shrugs: "...true, but it takes one to know one, right?"
Mirriam laughs, nodding. "Suppose it does, and I'm glad t'know ya!"
Erika gets up enough to lean Mirriam into a hug: "Friendses! That's the important point! Silly comes with the territory."
Mirriam laughs, barely surprised by Erika wanting hugs, glad to hug her back warmly. "You're right, as usual~"
Erika giggles: "I'm usually not right, but I'll let that one slide cause you're friend."
Mirriam playfully scoffs, giving Erika a gentle squeeze. "I'll take yer grace then, cher."
Erika giggles: "MY grace? I have the grace of a potato. And no matter who says it, potatoes just aren't graceful. They know that."
Mirriam giggles, shrugging. "I'm sure the potatoes ya grow here are way more graceful than the ones in a normal farm!"
Erika lifts a hand to her chin: "...Hmm. Never tested that."
Mirriam nods matter-of-factly. "Yer spuds ain't puds."
Erika snort-giggles: "An' see, that's why I keep you around."
Mirriam leans back, putting a hand on her chest in mock surprise. "Only fer my world class wordplay? Well I'm not shocked." She sticks her tongue out at Erika, giggling again.
Erika sticks her tongue in mirror: "Well if your friendly tits are out of my league, I will take what I can." She pauses, tilting her head: "...was that over the line? I dunno, we probably know where we are now."
Mirriam blushes, but laughs. "I mean ya can still look whenever ya like, nothin I could or would do ta stop ya. I ain't exactly innocent of admirin' ya." She gestures vaguely to Erika. "Prettiest flower in Respite."
Erika blushes: "...m'not a flower. So there."
Mirriam sticks her tongue out, shrugging. "The way ya get on with these plants, they prolly love ya like kin, cher. Close to a flower any okapi could be."
Erika shrugs, admitting defeat: "...fair. Probably. Mom always says I should spend more time out in Respite, too. Like you do, sorta."
Mirriam chuckles, tilting her head. "I mean, ya do. Lot better than that Cavro fella. Hear he ain't left his forge in months, just workin' his little badger buns off."
Erika nods, sighing: "Yeah there's a... situation, I think. Don't know the details of it all that well, but Cavro's not taking it too well. I should really go find him one of these days."
Mirriam leans back, then slaps her forehead. "Dumb roo, right... Melia actually kinda alluded to that whole thing. Sorry, sometimes I muddle rumor and real."
Erika shrugs with a smile: "Kinda happens around here. Respite is a weird place like that."
Mirriam laughs, nodding. "Sok, it's weird but we're weird, so it all kinda fits together." Ahs sighs softly, giving Erika a warm smile as she leans in for another hug. "Thanks for being a great friend, Erika."
Erika hugs tight: "Well it wouldn't do for me to be a second-class friend. Only greatness here! And the occasional flashed tits."
Mirriam blushes, giggling for a few seconds. She suddenly remembers, on being reminded, and has to tell Erika right off. "Oh! Speakin' of, I did more dumb, totally flashed that nice lizard seamstress in the market. Broad daylight! I have NO idea what I was thinkin', just knew she needed measurements fer a new uniform an' took my shirt off in her stall. Very self-mortifyin'!"
Erika tilts her head: "Oh? I guess that can be, if you're not prepared yourself to do such a thing... probably."
Mirriam laughs, shaking her head. "Suppose it depends on who's doin' it." The two continue chatting in full friend-mode for a few hours, interspersed with many hugs and laughs. A good day, all around.