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OUT IN THE WILDERNESS - SUNSET
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Erika lets out a soft sigh as she sits down on a fallen tree after a day of walking, smiling at Nesseth as he starts setting up a campfire for the two. She leans forward onto her herb-staff, really just a long branch of wood she ties her herb findings around because it dries them nicely and gives a funky smell when they walk... and after her previous outing towards Mean Peak ended up with a bear encounter, she got a reminder why it's good to have something on her.
Nesseth grins at Erika as he works to stoke the campfire into a nice, warm glow. It doesn't take long before he's gotten it up to a comfortable amount of light, illuminating the little clearing they've chosen to camp the night in. Once it's set and he's stacked a bit of wood onto the flames to ensure it stays strong for the next bit, he stands up and stretches with a sigh. "Ahh... well, we made good time today... How are you holding up so far?"
Erika smiles at the lizard: "Good time implies we had a particular goal to reach... but yeah, we did walk quite the distance. Not that I mind, it's fun." She sets her staff next to her hooves, sighing happily: "I did miss this a fair bit, really. Just... being out here."
Nesseth hums as he goes to take a seat on the log next to Erika and leans a bit on his knees as he lets the warmth of the fire radiate out. "Yeah, I can imagine. It's been more than a few months being stuck at Respite."
Erika leans on Nesseth just as much as she leans forward towards the fire: "How about you? While we sort of... um... found each other, you've had those awful nightmares still?"
Nesseth hums quietly as he slips an arm around Erika and just holds her softly. "Sometimes, yeah. It's not as often as before, but once in a while, still. They're still kind of vivid, but it's at least not several nights in a row anymore."
Erika gives Nesseth's cheek a soft kiss: "Good. Wouldn't want our best Guard be all antsy for no reason~."
Nesseth chuckles at the kiss and gives Erika a gentle squeeze in return as he smiles. "You flatterer... I'm getting better, little by little, I'd say. Chatting with Louma helps a bit, I think, since she's had similar issues since she came back from being captured."
Erika nuzzles against Nesseth's neck and frills a bit: "Mmm. Just makes me worry, is all. No nightmares is definitely better than having nightmares."
Nesseth nods, flexing his frills a little to playfully drape over Erika's nose. "It is, so I'm glad they've been easing up." He smiles and leans a little against Erika in turn, "I'm sorry about making you worry, though. You've had your own host of stresses to deal with."
Erika lets out a sneeze, then smiles with a blush: "Nothing all that big, though. Me and Mirriam..." She vaguely waves a hand and smiles again.
Nesseth chuckles and lifts his frill again. "Yeah, well... I shouldn't be adding onto your plate anyway, considering." He smiles at Erika, "But I'm glad you two are keeping that friendship going so well."
Erika gives Nesseth's cheek a lick before pulling just slightly away to look at him: "We're fine. Or doing fine. We hashed things out and found where we are." She shrugs: "Still figuring myself out, but I'll get there."
Nesseth eases up on his little embrace as Erika shifts away, and he turns to look at her in turn. "I know I've said it before, but if there's stuff you want to talk about, I'm always happy to listen."
Erika shrugs with a smile as she then holds one of her hands around Nesseth's hip: "It's nothing. Or it's not nothing, but just... who am I attracted to, and being okay with multiple partners all of a sudden... which I am, I can't find myself objecting, but some part of me wants to say it's weird when it's not, you know?"
Nesseth hums quietly as he rests his free hand on Erika's. "Mmh... I think I might. I know a lot of folks are raised to expect just one person to be with when it comes to what we get up to. Saw it all over the place while I was traveling with the Explorers before. It's definitely not something we can just say "Oh, it's fine!" and call it good. A lot of cultural stuff there."
Erika nods, humming as well: "It's like... I guess I don't have a lot of base to go from, having been here all my life..." She blinks, glancing towards the scary mountain rather close to them: "Well, not HERE here, but anyway. In Respite. I just... watched others and figured that was my lot eventually?"
Nesseth chuckles and sneaks a soft kiss on Erika's nose. "Yeah, I know what you mean... Get together and marry with one person that you spend the rest of your life with. Other ideas seem a bit out of the ordinary when raised around one style of things."
Erika giggles at the kiss: "Mm-heh, something like that. Just makes me wonder at points I guess. Now I don't even know if I need to or want to marry you or anyone else, or just let things be as they go? Usually I'm pretty good at just letting things go at their pace, but I'm overthinking this? Does it make any sense?"
Nesseth smiles. "Really, it's what you want to do, I think. I love you, Vix and Plume a lot, and if marriage is what we want some time in the future... well, I'm fully happy to go with that. That said, we don't have to do those sorts of things. Doesn't make our feelings any less, right?"
Erika nods slowly: "Yeah... it really doesn't. Just I suppose expectations one has one oneself." She shakes her head slightly: "Suppose it don't really matter much. Make official what we don't hide anyway..."
Nesseth hums and nods. "Mmh, of course, I know some folks do like making it official and all. I don't mind at all if that's what we want, and we make it mean what we want it to mean, you know?"
Erika shrugs with a sigh: "Yeah. Whatever that actually is, once we figure that bit out." She leans forward, warming her hands on the glow of the campfire: "I have no idea at this point, but I guess we'll find out down the line sometime."
Nesseth nods again as he adjusts a little and turns to enjoy the warmth of the fire a bit more. "Yeah, there's nothing saying we have to figure it out immediately. We can take our time figuring it all out together."
Erika smiles, shaking her head: "Not like I can really offer better. Figuring out stuff was never really my strong point."
Nesseth smiles at Erika in turn. "I'm sure it'll work out in due time. I don't think either of us are in any particular rush, really."
Erika smiles, holding her hand on Nesseth's and squeezing: "Nope." She gives a soft, satisfied sigh: "No hurry at all, really."
Nesseth gently squeezes Erika's hand in turn, still smiling warmly. "We can take things as they come."
Erika smirks softly: "Not like we get things any faster than that, anyway." She leans onto Nesseth and closes her eyes, happy to just bask in the glow of the campfire and love.
Nesseth chuckles and softly hugs Erika as she leans against him again. "Yeah, we'd just get annoyed if we tried to rush things..." He hums quietly, content to snuggle with the okapi on the log for the moment.
Erika leans to nuzzle Nesseth's cheek, humming to herself: "Mm, I'm just fine with the here and now. Here and now has you to lean on."
Nesseth smirks a bit as he tilts his head for a soft kiss. "And you, and a good bit of warmth, too. It's a good moment."
Erika kisses back, melting into it more than a bit: "Mmm... let's keep this one~."
Nesseth leans into the kiss as it lingers, then smiles as it breaks. "Agree. All of my moments with you are precious, you know~"
Erika giggles softly: "Precious? Me? Big honky clonky okapi?"
Nesseth grins at the giggling. "I like to think so, yeah."
Erika leans back onto Nesseth: "Fine, if you think so. But only because it's you." She hums, closing her eyes again as she hugs closer.
Nesseth chuckles as he hugs Erika close again, leaning his head lightly against her. "I'll be sure to not abuse the privilege, dear." He sighs after a moment, clearly content, "It's pretty peaceful out here, isn't it?"
Erika prods Nesseth on the shoulder: "Watch it, saying things like that is inviting something to come find us."
Nesseth makes a bit of a sound at the poke, but recants. "Ah, right... well, if something pops up, we'll be okay. We're both the outdoorsy type, after all."
Erika giggles: "I sure hope so. I'd prefer being okay to not being okay."
Nesseth chuckles quietly. "Yeah, being okay is way better than otherwise. It's good we're watching each others' backs, hm?"
Nesseth pauses, then adds, "...And everything else, too."
Erika grins saucily: "As long as you're okay me watching your front too, yup~."
Nesseth laughs a bit and grins. "I never once objected to you eying me up, dear. I do the same, after all~"
Erika winks: "One wonders why, but I'll let it slide. This time."
Nesseth hums as his eyes wander over Erika for a moment in the glow of the campfire before locking with her eyes again. "Mmh, I think I know why, but thanks for being lenient."
Erika nuzzles close once more: "Mm, we might have some idea why."
Nesseth gently hugs Erika as she scoots close again. "I'm sure we'll figure out the details in time. For now, though... this is really nice."
Erika holds Nesseth in her arms: "Mm, later indeed." The two continue sharing the darkening evening in the wilds.