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BOUQUET MANOR HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Rondelethia: It was after the main dinner, and Rondelethia was nice and full. She had taken perhaps a glass of wine, but was still, at best, a bit buzzed. She had, however, discovered that when stocking the cellar, some really quite excellent brandy and other liqours had been found, and she had never tried such things before, and they were now arranged in a tray in front of both her, and Calgwen in the drawing room. "So" She settles into him happily "What do you say to a tasting session?"
Calgwen sits in his simple pants and white shirt, both overshadowed by the colorful but not quite gaudy 'party vest' he wore to the dinner. He also took a glass of wine afterwards, but has simply nursed it, taking the odd sip here and there. He raises an eyebrow at Rondelethia with a curious hum. "A tasting session? I don't know if I'd have guessed you'd be up for such an endeavor, dear."
Rondelethia: "Well, I'd usually spend most of today worrying about something or another, but all the staff are off, and the work can wait. Today..I just sort of feel I should relax, and do something fun. Someone went to a lot of effort with the selections here. It would be a shame to put it to waste" She giggles "Besides, I've never really had any of these before, and I want to give it a go"
Calgwen smiles, as a good deal of his work has been in trying to get a lot of stress off of Rondelethia's shoulders. "I see. Of course, though I'm not much for drinking to excess... but perhaps a taste or two?"
Rondelethia: "Exactly" She nods, and reaches forward to a very deep colour looking bottle "I think this is rum?" She takes a pair of shot glasses, and pours two drinks "So..maybe you know more than me. What am I looking for with this?"
Calgwen hums, taking one of the shot glasses and taking a sniff. "Yes, rum. Out of... Orela, is my guess? I've always had rum in a mixed drink, so I'm not sure I can say what to expect."
Rondelethia: "Well, lets find out!" She does the correct thing, and downs a *highly* distilled Rum shot in one go, and goes a bit cross eyed as it burns itself down her throat "Woaaaahh...." She takes a moment as her brain processes that. "I..ah.." She takes a few breaths "That..that was an experience" Then the booze hits the brain "Not a bad experience, but an excellent one nonetheless. You know, father always said that Buns could hold their drink excellently" This is true, however, the caveat 'for their body weight', was implied.
Calgwen hesitates a moment, but then downs the shot in one go as well. He lets the warmth run down his throat, humming as well. He's larger than Rondelethia by a bit, but it still hits him with a punch that makes him shake his head. "Mmph. Strong! Good flavor though... ahh... is that so? I had no idea. Well, so long as we don't go overboard, I'm sure another drink or two wouldn't hurt..." He glances at the tray, lifting another bottle up, reaching over to refill Rondelethia's glass, then his own before he reads the label. "Ahh, a fine Cognac out of Southern Sarn."
Rondelethia: "Ahuh, so, I think I should be fine. I've had ..well, a bit of wine before and felt fine afterwards, and this is just little shots!" She takes the Cognac "Yes..it's..uh..rich body" She downs it "Ah..Woody flavour?" She makes a little 'oooh' sound as it hits her head, and blinks a couple of times "Gives it a uh..timbre. I think that's a word for this stuff. Sounds...woody" She nods to herself, and snuggles herself into Calgwen "You're much more refined than me, what do you think?"
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SOME DRINKS LATER
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Rondelethia: Rondelethia looks to one of the other bottles "Ah..this..this one!" She holds it up "It's..from.." She squints at the bottle "Vamas, and it's..a whisky? No.no..wait, I know this one. If its from Vamas its Whiskey. With no E. I think makes it better" She pours two shots out for the two of them, spilling just a drop "Hehe..whoops!" She reaches her head down, and licks it off the table, giving Calgwen an excellent view of her tail, and below a somewhat rumbled skirt in the process.
Calgwen is now definitely feeling a rather hearty buzz, laughing to himself as he sinks in to shamelessly take a peek. "Mmmm. Whisky. Whiskey. Let's see..." He takes the shot she poured for him and downs it in one motion, then reaches out to poke the fluffy tail. "Careful dear, your cuteness is showing."
Rondelethia looks over her shoulder, and giggles at the poke..and just waves her tail back at him "You're allowed to see it remember~ We're betrothed, and since we're all the way out here, that's enough! Enough for Teis anyway!" She returns with the drink, and his, sitting right on his lap, and giving another small wiggle "And she seems to find that sort of thing perfectly okay. So who am I to argue~" She drinks this new one down, and puts it on the table "Would you argue with her either?"
Calgwen gives Rondelethia a little bounce, reaching down to touch her tail. "I try not to! I don't wish to argue with her, or with you either, dear. And if you say I'm allowed, then I'm gonna touch that tail!"
Rondelethia giggles. Her tail is very fluffy, and indeed, a proper 'ball of cotton' "Well, if you're touching my tail. It's only fair that I touch yours" She turns around on his lap, keeping his hands on her tail before reaching around, to rub the base of his tail. She may have to nudge aside his pants to do so, but..this seems fine. This also requires her to press her body up against his to be able to reach. "You're lovely and warm..I can jussst feel it through the shirt"
Calgwen lets her, wriggling a bit to help her get into position, his wings stretching out to help him get cozy as well, but the coordination is off as they lazily drape over the sides of the seat. His hand stays upon her tail, squeezing it gently as he rubs the fluffiness. "You're warm too. And far lovelier than I am."
Rondelethia: "I'm not even going to argue. I am lovely" She nuzzles into his chest, her fingers somewhat clumsly going to undo buttons to give her better access to that warm body "You, however, are more suave, and dashing, with very pretty scales" She looks up to him, then gives a giggle, and licks his chest "That taste really nice too!" She wiggles that tail into his hands happily, looking up at him genuinely lovingly. "I don't.." She shakes her head "No, I do deserve you" She wiggles again "You're better than I could ever have hoped for in a partner..but I do absolutely deserve you"
Calgwen blinks, "Mmm, you're drunk? I'm drunk too..." He takes his hand from her tail, recovering himself slightly to push Rondelethia back from his chest. "As much as I'd like to, we should probably wait."
Rondelethia sighs, and settles into his lap "I know...but..I want this, and I feel like without it, I'll just go off and be sensible again" She leans against him still, though this time with just her cheek. "But..You're still probably right.." She hmms "Okay, how about this" She wiggles a little bit more "We stay here, and do perfectly boring, sensible things..but we plan on what we're going to do when we're not drunk?"
Calgwen chuckles quietly, then lifts a wing up to drape against Rondelethia. "Sorry to kill the fun... when we're not drunk, if you still want this, then we can always try some more drinks another night." He leans down to plant a kiss upon her cheek. "In fact, I shall insist."
Rondelethia returns the kiss..on the cheek..and leans into the wing "I do" She sighs, but gives him a sigh "You're really far better than I could have hoped..but, if you insist.." There's a pause "I was going to say tomorrow..but..I've seen Teis the day after she's drank a lot and maybe not" She leans further into that crook in Calgwen's body between his chest, and his wing. "I'm committing to it now, and maybe I won't be too sensible when I'm sober"
Calgwen sighs, leaning his head down to nuzzle her shoulder, letting his arms wrap around her as she sinks against him. "Maybe I'm a fool. It's an arranged marriage. I'm not taking advantage of you... but... my head says otherwise." He chuckles. "Maybe I'm just not drunk enough. But I do love you, and I don't want to hurt you."
Rondelethia: "I mean..." She looks back to the collect of bottles they had 'tasted' "If not being drunk enough is the problem..." She sighs "No..no..it wouldn't be the same.." She pouts, and pokes his chest just a little "You're too noble. That's your problem" She's annoyed, just a little, but she knows he's right. That's the annoying part "It's going to happen anyway, but if we do it ahead of time..then it feels more real, y'know?"
Calgwen casts his gaze down. "It doesn't have to if you don't want. And now, I'm just... afraid. I've already forced myself into your life... and I... am I too noble? I want this... you want this..."
Rondelethia looks back up to him "I know you feel like that, but..I do want it now, and yes, I think you're being too noble, but.." She nods "Your feelings matter too, and if you think the time's not right, the time isn't right. There's always tomorrow" She wiggles her nose as only a bun can "If you want to feel like there's some weird noble obligation to make up, we can just say that..I dunno..is there some way to do more than normal? I feel we're both making decisions for our sober selves now..." She giggles "Oh well, that's future me's problem"
Calgwen chuckles, "You know, the only 'noble obligation' I made to myself when I got here was to do what I could to make you happy."
Rondelethia: "Well" She giggles, having come up with a joke, and barely able to get it out "Then..maybe..what you need to give me..is..a..happy..ending..." She breaks down laughing at her own joke
Calgwen hums quietly for a moment, then he shifts position again, rolling Rondelethia over with his wing to face him, and leans into kiss her passionately.
Rondelethia was rather surprised by that, and let out a small 'eep', before she turns them into a satisfied hum, returning the kiss with equal passion. She perhaps considered questioning his change of mind..but then remembered that being sensible was not the plan for tonight.
Calgwen does indeed abandon his sensibility, with either Rondelethia having convinced him or him having convinced himself, it's hard to say. He breaks the kiss and smiles. "I'd like to make you happy, dear. But as a beginning, not an ending." It's unclear if he doesn't understand the initial term, or if this is an attempt at a romantic turn of phrase. Maybe both?
Rondelethia: "Well, I can accept that" She smiles back "Now, if we're beginning...." She blushes a little, even now, she's a bit sensible, but damnit! She's commited to the bit now "Perhaps we can begin by making sure none of your lovely clothing gets damaged? It's very important to you, and I know if we did anything dramatic you'd be sad tomorrow..."
Calgwen 's own blush is hidden by his scales as he reaches up to start to unbutton his vest. "I'd live, dear."
Rondelethia: "Besides, I get to watch you slowly take off all your clothing~" She sits on his lap, taking in the sights with clear appreciation "It's win win really..."
Calgwen chuckles awkwardly as he works his way down, removing the vest, "I admit... you are beautiful when you're reckless~." He raises his wings, and folds them around the two much like a tasteful feathered curtain being drawn upon the scene.
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RESPITE BATHHOUSE - PRIVATE BATH - EVENING
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Erika leads the way into the private room with a cozy couples' bath in it, tossing her towel aside soon as the door closes behind them. The okapi just short of pushed the dream-stressed lizard boyfriend of hers into the bathhouse, making good of her promise to have a private bath with them when they got back to normal.
Nesseth follows Erika into the room, and likewise goes to set his own towel aside as the door shuts behind them. Though his talk with Erika and Vix that morning did a lot to destress him (not to mention the fierce snuggling immediately thereafter) he'd still dealt with a little bit of frayed nerves for the entire day, and it was with a certain eagerness that he accepted getting pulled along to the bathhouse.
Erika steps to the edge of the steamy bath, tipping a hoof in and giggling at the heat: "Ooh, I've been waiting for this. Gotta savour it~"
Nesseth chuckles as he moves up beside Erika and lets his tail drape into the water as well. "Especially right now, with Winter settling in, gotta enjoy the warmth~"
Erika prods Nesseth on the shoulder and grins: "I don't think we're going to have any problems keeping warm, but I'll accept the point." She slowly sits down on the edge, just enjoying the warmth on her legs for a second and closing her eyes.
Nesseth chuckles as he goes to sit down as well, an arm sliding around Erika's waist as he snuggles up beside her. "Oh, we're really good about keeping warm together."
Erika leans over to give Nesseth's cheek a kiss: "How do you figure, mm?"
Nesseth smirks at Erika. "We're really good about rigorous activities, not to mention snuggling." He leans up and kisses Erika in turn as he scoots a little closer against her side, "Kind of like we're doing right now, in fact."
Erika giggles as she runs her fingers up Nesseth's side: "Maaaybe." She then looks down, and can't resist the allure of heated water any longer. She steps down, sitting deep enough that the water is now up to her chest... and lets out a huge relieved sigh as the warmth envelops her.
Nesseth chuckles as Erika slips from his embrace and into the water, and he swiftly joins her as he slips down into the pool as well. Though he's not that short compared to Erika, he slips further down until the water is up to his neck. "Ohh, this is nice..."
Erika lets out a long, pleasured hum, her eyes still closed as she leans back: "...just so you know, I'm not coming out of here until about next week."
Nesseth hums a lazy agreement. "Mmh~... I don't care how waterlogged I get, I'm staying here with you, I think."
Erika sinks further into the water: "...I guess eventually someone would come looking for us, but like... not my problem right now."
Nesseth lets his eyes drift shut as he sinks sideways until his head is resting against Erika's shoulder. "Eh... that's a problem for future us, I think."
Erika hums, only slightly opening one eye to look at Nesseth: "For now, not feral, not nightmares, no worries, warm water, not moving."
Nesseth smirks a bit, only just barely opening an eye to look at Erika. "Not a care in the world, next to one of the loveliest folks in Respite, and soaking in perfect-temperature water..."
Erika nuzzles Nesseth head lazily: "Mmm I think we've both worried way plenty enough for now."
Nesseth tilts his head into the nuzzles. "Mmh... haven't really had a chance to just soak and relax for a while." He pauses, then laughs quietly, "Not since our little, er... incident with Mirriam in the public baths, I think."
Erika snort-giggles: "As much as that was a relax and not... the other thing."
Nesseth chuckles. "We didn't really get a lot of relaxing done that time, true. I don't think either of us paid a visit to the bathhouse since, though. Good excuse to come by now... not that we need an excuse, of course."
Erika sticks her tongue out, giggling: "Don't need an excuse, but had to promise we won't quite repeat that incident."
Nesseth smiles. "Yeah... yeah, they were pretty clear about that, weren't they?"
Erika prods Nesseth on the chest: "So no gettin' too handsy, mister. We keep the naughty thoughts to ourselves." She pauses: "Well, probably."
Vix hurries into the private bath, halfway hopping as she removes the last of her underclothes. "Ahhh, sorry I'm late!"
Nesseth chuckles. "Depends on what you consider too handsy, dear." His occupied hand slides down Erika's back a bit, and he takes the opportunity to give the okapi's butt a squeeze as Vix bursts into the room, "Oh, hey there, Vix! We only just got here."
Erika squirms slightly at Nesseth's non-handsyness, though she still gives Vix a bright smile: "Hey! You made it!"
Vix is in a bit too much of a hurry, and clumsily slips into the water with a splash. "Wh-whoaa~"
Erika laughs as she attempts to shield her face from the splash: "Eep!"
Nesseth tries to catch Vix, but instead just gets a face full of water. "Aah!"
Vix burbles as she resurfaces and shakes the water out of her fur. "Hehe...sorry~"
Erika giggles helplessly at the situation: "Thehe... quite the entrance, Vix!"
Nesseth wipes the water from his face and goes to settle back in his seat. He's grinning a bit as he watches the feline. "You okay there, Vix?"
Vix moves next to Nesseth, but reaches around him and gropes Erika's butt. "Hmm, I'll be alright~"
Erika squirms again: "Gyeh! S-seems so!" She sticks her tongue out at Vix.
Nesseth sneaks a little grope of Vix's butt as well while smiling at the two. "Good to hear. So... what were we saying a little bit ago?"
Vix squirms and leans against Nesseth.
Erika tilts her head: "Who, me?" She blinks: "Oh, oh yeah. No gettin' naughty, I don't want to be banned for good." She pauses for a second, frowning: "Well, much naughtier, anyway."
Nesseth hums and nods as he snuggles up between Erika and Vix. "Mmh, can't go overboard like last time." He pauses, "Though... if I remember, the complaint was more about excessive noise."
Erika shrugs: "Both. Maybe don't do all that either." She gives Nesseth's frills a lick: "Just keep it to teasin' and snugglin' each other, like we do."
Vix: Hmmh...can't we get just a little bit wild?
Nesseth wiggles his frills as he chuckles, though he tries to shake his head at Vix. "We can't without risking getting booted out for good. Of course, if we just stick to teasing, we could get cozy back at home later." He sighs contentedly, "Though it's mostly just for relaxing right now, too~"
Vix tracks down Nesseth's tail under the water and begins to gently stroke it. "Hmmm, fine~..."
Erika nods as she leans back, melting into the good feeling... but not without reaching to give Vix's side a small squeeze anyway. "Relaxin' good."
Nesseth 's tail wiggles against Vix's hand, then slowly wraps around her waist as she messes with it. "How'd those errands go for you, by the way, Vix?"
Vix flusters a bit as Nesseth's tail does its thing. "Ah! Um...ran into Strix, got a little sidetracked..."
Erika shrugs: "We're all familiar with getting... sidetracked, heh."
Nesseth chuckles and nods. "Yeah, we're pretty good at getting sidetracked, aren't we?" He tilts his head, "How's she doing, then? Last I heard, she was still figuring things out with all the changes."
Vix chuckles. "She asked me more about cat things and intimacy things. She also took an alarming amount of notes..."
Erika hums: "I suppose taking notes can be important, if that's what you feel is important?"
Nesseth hums as well. "That sounds like Strix alright... Lots of cat things to figure out, since she was a kobold before." He pauses, "...Intimacy things?"
Vix purposefully rubs Nesseth's thigh. "Intimacy things."
Erika looks at the other two, then just smiles warmly as she closes her eyes, leaning back. "Suppose that can mean a lot of stuff."
Nesseth 's tail teases against Vix's stomach in retaliation as he leans against Erika a bit more. "Yeah, it could, true." He chuckles, "So you got distracted showing Strix some things, I guess?"
Vix chuckles. "Something like that, yeah~"
Erika shrugs, leaning on Nesseth in turn: "Sounds fair to me. I mean, we've all been clueless about stuff at one time."
Nesseth sneaks a kiss on Erika's cheek. "Yeah, gotta start from somewhere, after all."
Vix sighs as her body relaxes. "Mmmm, I must have been super tense..."
Erika gives Vix a soft smirk: "Mm, that happens. Want help with that?"
Vix giggles. "Sure, but we have this silly lizard in between us~"
Nesseth hums as he continues to gently mess with Vix's abdomen with his tail under the water. "If you need me to move, I can~"
Erika reaches around Nesseth to give Vix's shoulder a gentle rub: "Mm, there are ways."
Vix purrs. "Or...one of us could get on your lap~"
Nesseth chuckles as he turns a bit and takes the opportunity to kiss along Erika's neck as she leans against him. "I mean, that's true, but we can't get too naughty, remember~"
Erika giggles as she continues to reach around Nesseth to rub Vix's shoulders: "Only moderately naughty."
Vix leans against Nesseth more as she receives the massage. "Mmm, right there~"
Nesseth hums warmly as he gets comfortable between Erika and Vix. "For a given definition of naughty, anyway. Move about as you want~"
Erika giggles as she gives Nesseth's frills another lick while her hands work: "I'm perfectly fine leaning on you~."
Vix climbs over Nesseth to sit in Erika's lap instead. "How about this~?"
Erika blinks, then giggles. "Okay, that works too! Hehe."
Nesseth lets his tail drift about again as Vix goes to sit on Erika's lap. "Whatever you think works best, sure~"
Vix sticks out her tongue and turns so she's chest to chest with Erika. "The cat goes where she pleases~"
Erika giggles as she continues massaging Vix's shoulders: "That she clearly does!" She looks at Vix's chest: "Hi, you."
Vix kisses Erika's chin. "Hello~"
Nesseth sticks his tongue out in turn, only to turn his head and teasingly lick Erika's neck for a moment. "Never said you couldn't, Vix~"
Erika shivers at Nesseth's licking, laughing: "Eep!" She glances at Nesseth: "Tease. You are a horrible tease."
Nesseth grins at Erika. "Horrible? Then that just means I need to get better at it."
Erika giggles despite herself at the objectively dumb joke. "Clearly. You doof of a lizard."
Vix: I volunteer for practice~
Nesseth adjusts his seating a bit and lets his tail come up out of the water to wiggle teasingly at Vix, only before he ends up shivering at the cool air and quickly dunks his tail back under. "W-woah... whew, it's cold above the water..."
Erika shifts to get more below the water, as she best is able with a cat on her anyway. "A bit, but that's why I promised I'm not coming out 'til sometime next week."
Vix tilts her head. "But how are we gonna get food if we stay that long?"
Nesseth shrugs a little as his tail takes the opportunity to tease along one of Erika's legs, as well as Vix's legs. "We could... always order out, maybe?"
Erika giggles: "Sorry, can't leave baths, please deliver food."
Nesseth chuckles. "It'd give us a good reason to not have to leave the bath, though!"
Vix: And then the delivery fellow walks in and sees this~. What would he do?
Erika shrugs: "Join us?"
Nesseth laughs. "What? It's just three folks having a nice bath together. Not like we're doing anything untoward, right?"
Erika hums: "True, wasn't supposed to think naughty. Sorry." She continues to have her hands wander across Vix's sides and back.
Vix teases/massages Erika in return, occasionally kissing her chin and neck. "Oh, I'm still thinkin' naughty~"
Nesseth hums thoughtfully, then leans up for a kiss on both Erika and Vix. "Well, if we order out food, we just have to stop being naughty until they go."
Erika mm's at the collective affection: "Mmaaaybe. Problem for later, clearly."
Vix: I woulda brought some snacks if I knew we were planning an all-nighter~
Nesseth chuckles. "Or at least until the bathhouse closes, whenever that is."
Erika giggles: "Something like that." She leans towards both her lovers, happy to just be right now.
Vix takes turns kissing Nesseth and Erika, eventually initiating a laid-back smooch circle.
Nesseth hums warmly as he settles into a cozy moment with Erika and Vix, his hand and tail wandering a little beneath the water as he subtly teases both of his lovers for the time being.
Erika leans forward, holding both Vix and Nesseth close, just happy to share the warm waters and affection with both of them.
Vix relaxes in the hot bath with her lovers, growing closer with them over the next few hours~