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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - EVENING
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Phoebe walks towards her room. She's a bit soot covered and sweaty, feeling more than a little tired after a long day that started to go strange in Cavro's Forge. She hesitates at a different room though, staring almost guiltily at Ninell's room for several moments before she knocks at last.
Ninell is in the middle of polishing a few pieces of his armor when the knock makes him look up at the door. Right now, he's just wearing some more basic clothes in his homeland's style, to help cool off after a bit of a warm day out. After a short moment, he calls out. "It's unlocked. You can enter."
Phoebe hesistates for only a second before she opens the door, smiling with a strange sense of relief at the sight of Ninell. "Uh, hey. It's me? Ninell." She cringes, shaking her head. "Phoebe. Me. I'm Phoebe. You're Ninell. You... already know all of this." She slowly steps inside and closes the door behind her.
Ninell smiles warmly upon seeing Phoebe. He takes a moment to set his armor aside, then stands up to go and give her a hug as she shuts the door. "Ah, Phoebe. Good to see you, as always." He blinks a bit as he hugs the wolf, noting the soot on her fur, "Uh... busy day, I assume?"
Phoebe sighs, about to warn Ninell against hugging her but it all stammers out too late as he embraces her. Instead, she just sinks against him and awkwardly hugs back. "Yeah, you could say that... but hey, I didn't kill anyone. So... there's that. Considering the kinds of days I've had before, I consider that a win... I think... maybe... I actually did some good today?"
Ninell idly dusts a bit of soot from Phoebe's back as he hugs her, not really caring about the ash getting on him. "Not killing anyone is a good start, yes." He smiles a little teasingly, "What did you do that you consider good?"
Phoebe smiles back, blushing a little. "I knocked out some old lady..." She chuckles, "Clocked her right in the head. Both fists. Wham! Melia and ...that other Elemental. The one that was Cavro? The Smith? Both of them were there. He did survive, but this old skunk was fighting them. I snuck up behind her, knocked her out cold. I don't know if I saved that Ash elemental from her, or saved her from that Ash Elemental... but the two insisted we not kill her once she was helpless. Melia took her to the guard, I guess."
Ninell blinks in bemusement. "You... knocked out an old lady? I assume she was a threat, then?" He continues to idly brush the soot off of Phoebe bit by bit, "The two elementals... the same ones you spoke to me of before, yes? I'm impressed this skunk was willing to fight two elementals at once."
Phoebe chuckles, "It doesn't sound so heroic when you say it like that. She had magic, I guess. I don't know anything about magic. Hell, I probably am mostly magic, whatever made me." She looks away from Ninell as she says that. "Part of me feels like those two elementals and I are like kin... I don't know if they think the same either, but, I just knew I had to help defend them."
Ninell slides a hand up to gently rub the back of Phoebe's head as she talks. "Perhaps, but you still rose to the occasion and defended people that may not have been able to do so on their own, no matter the risks. Magic is not to be trifled with, so if that skunk is magical, it was good you moved quickly."
Phoebe lets herself lean forward to set her muzzle onto Ninell's shoulder as he strokes the back of her head. "It was... a lot, today. But I'm still here..."
Ninell wraps Phoebe in a more comforting hug for a few moments. "It certainly sounds like quite an exciting day for you. You must be more than a little tired with everything that happened at the Smithy."
Phoebe chuckles, "I don't think I've ever been 'me' this long. I don't know how you folks do this non-stop!" She laughs, but there's a bit of worry behind it all. "It is nice... the times I've woken up next to you..."
Ninell hums quietly, nodding as he smiles reassuringly at Phoebe. "It has been very nice, yes. You look adorable, the way you're curled up next to me most mornings." He gives her a soft kiss on the nose, then tilts his head, "This is the longest you've not changed, though? Curious..."
Phoebe blushes, glancing away in embarrasment, "Ah, y-you're just saying that. There's never been a pattern that I can figure out. Sometimes it's a matter of a week or two. Other times it's like this. I... I guess I'm saying I'm probably due? And I at least wanted to say goodbye for now. Just in case."
Ninell smiles a bit more brightly as Phoebe looks away, amused at the reaction. "But you do look adorable, Phoebe." He chuckles a little, then eases back off of the teasing for the moment, "Well... if you're due to swap with Aelia soon, then we should make the most of the time we've remaining for now, hm?" He pauses, then smiles warmly, "Like giving you a good bath to clean up after the scuffle in the Smithy."
Phoebe looks back at Ninell with a bit of surprise, "Y-you want to bathe me?" She slumps back a little clearly a little shocked at the suggestion.
Ninell blinks, tilting his head at Phoebe's surprise. "Surely all that soot on your fur must be uncomfortable? I haven't bathed yet today, since I have been maintaining my armor, so..." He shrugs a little, "We may as well get both done at the same time?"
Phoebe sits staring at Ninell, trying to make words as she stares at him. Her eyes wander down a bit over Ninell's body. "May as well get each other off-CLEAN. Get each other clean! Right. Ugh. I mean... yeah. I'd like that?"
Ninell tilts his head a little as he waits for Phoebe to answer, only to chuckle at her stuttering response. "If that first bit was not a mistake, we can still do both, if you wish, Phoebe. But we should at least get the soot out of your fur before it stains."
Phoebe blushes hotly, "I didn't- I don't- You- ye-yeah. I mean, maybe? Bath, definitely...? I don't mean to be so... I just... I do like you, Ninell."
Ninell simply smiles to try and calm Phoebe down. "Don't mean to be so... adorable? Fun to talk with? Phoebe, there is no shame in your feelings, and you know that."
Phoebe just nods for a moment, "Ahh, I uh, y-yeah. They're just... new. I've never felt like this before, you know?"
Ninell leans forward and gives Phoebe another soft hug. "Yes, you've said as much before a few times. Sorry, dear, I may have a little too much fun teasing you once in a while."
Phoebe sighs, leaning into the hug once again. "I... sorry, I know. I don't mind the attention, honestly. Your attention. Teasing, or... other. The more... intimate attention."
Ninell holds the hug for a few lingering seconds, then leans back a bit and gives Phoebe a proper kiss on the lips. "No need to apologize, Phoebe. Maybe we can figure this out a little more while we bathe, hm? You'll likely feel better after a bit of time soaking in hot water."
Phoebe kisses back a bit uncertainly. "A-all right. Let's go, then."
Ninell holds the hug for a few more moments, then pulls away, though he gently grabs one of Phoebe's hands as he moves. "Then let's go and clean up for the evening, perhaps get a bit of food, and then we can spend the rest of the night together."
Phoebe lets Ninell guide her down to the baths, holding his hand as she just lets the weird day and her own fears fall away for now to simply spend time with Ninell.