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RESPITE FALLS - LUCKY'S GRILLE - EARLY EVENING
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Phoebe sits alongside Ninell in a booth, hands on her lap slightly uncomfortable, despite the smile on her face. The wolf is dressed well, having found an evening gown with a silvery sash, something fancier than she's ever worn in her life, but she wanted to make this special. The restaurant seems a popular place for carnivores, especially at night, as they bring the meat to each table, which includes a small grill built in, letting folks eat or cook their meat to their liking.
Ninell sits beside Phoebe looking quite relaxed in a lightweight, but still rather fancy outfit that seems equal parts suit and dress uniform. He smiles warmly at Phoebe to try and help her settle her nerves a little, and also sneaks a little kiss on her cheek when an opportunity presents itself. "I have to say... this sort of dining experience is interesting. Do they do this sort of thing up in Sarn very often?"
Phoebe perks up at the kiss, turning her attention to Ninell more fully, "Oh! Uh, no, not exactly? At least, I've never been to one if they are. I uh, don't really know a whole lot on customs and experiences and all. This might be a thing in Orela?"
Ninell shrugs. "I'm afraid I would not know, since my trip from home to Aephix only involved a brief stop in Orela. It definitely is not something from Eukune, though."
Phoebe 's ears drop a little, "I wish I could tell you more, but I just don't have much knowledge of the world. Only what I pick up from watching Aelia. She could probably tell you a lot more about trends and fashion all over."
Ninell chuckles quietly and slips an arm around Phoebe to give her a gentle hug. "Then... all the more reason to invite you and Aelia along when I get summoned back to Eukune for my next assignment, whatever it might be."
Phoebe leans against Ninell. "I'll be happy to see it all with you. Me and... Aelia..." She sighs, shifting a hand over to Ninell's leg. "I don't want to talk about her tonight."
Ninell hums and nods a bit as he lets Phoebe lean against him. "Mmh, tonight, it will be just the two of us, yes." He smiles softly, "And I'd be honored to show you around Eukune, when the day comes that I need to head back home. There is so much we could do, there."
Phoebe hums, smiling at Ninell as she leans against him. "I do like hearing you talk about it... it's clear you've got a lot of love for your homeland."
Ninell dips his head for a moment and lightly nuzzles Phoebe's cheek as the two continue to wait for their food to arrive. "I do, and I am always happy to answer questions you might have about it." He pauses, then smiles a little more cheekily, "Though... I think my homeland may still pale in comparison to you, Phoebe."
Phoebe blushes hotly, still feeling so awkward at Ninell's attentions. "S-some scruffy wolf like me? Hah. Can't be all that impressive then..." She looks away, slightly embarrassed. "What's it like then? All I saw of Sarn was the big city and the forests around it. Once I got to the port... I didn't look back. Here, everything is hot and dry."
Ninell chuckles at Phoebe's embarrassment, finding it rather adorable how easy it is to fluster her. "The northern coast is similar to this town, I find. Arid, hot during the day, cool at night. The further south one goes, the more forested it becomes, and our cities are not quite like those in Sarn or Orela, since we prefer lightweight wood on top of stone foundations for our buildings."
Phoebe takes a moment to center herself again, the prickly wolf certainly showing another side of herself around Ninell. "Sounds nice... simple. Are most of the folks there as kind and handsome as you, or are you just the pinnacle?"
Ninell blushes a bit under his thick fur and smiles in slight embarrassment at the compliment, but answers after a moment. "Most of my kind are rather friendly and helpful, especially now that the various smaller ruling factions are unified."
Phoebe sneers a bit, shaking her head, "Guess nobles like that are everywhere, eh?" She sighs, "So I'll just assume my guess is right, and that you're one of a kind."
Ninell hums, nodding a bit. "I think I am, at least. I have no siblings that are exactly as I am, nor do I know of anyone that acts precisely like me." He smirks, hoping the joke at least lands somewhat well.
Phoebe raises an eyebrow at Ninell and smirks back, raising her hand to poke his side. "You know what I meant, smart guy." Still, she laughs, only pausing to think. "You have siblings, then?"
Ninell squirms away from the poke while laughing. "Y-yes, I have two siblings, a brother and a sister. My brother is a stevedore at Eukune's primary port city, and my sister is a knight, like myself, though stationed elsewhere in Eukune."
Phoebe continues to laugh, pulling her hand back to set it on Ninell's leg once again. She's just eager to maintain some degree of physical contact. There's a bit of fear in her voice, the old fears of acceptance. "Don't know what they'd think of me."
Ninell smiles reassuringly as he shifts his free hand to rest gently atop Phoebe's. "I think they would like you, Phoebe. I would imagine they may be curious to learn about you, though, since you are pretty obviously not a sergal."
Phoebe 's hand tenses, then relaxes beneath Ninell's. "No, I'm obviously not. I... wish I was, I think. I wish I was something instead of just... half of something."
Ninell hums as he looks at Phoebe a bit. "You would make for a very pretty sergal, I think, but you are already very pretty as it is." He smiles after a moment and shakes his head, "But... no, you are not half of something. I would say you are an entire something, all on your own."
Phoebe smiles, "You at least make me feel that way. Ha, here I am out for a nice dinner in a nice dress, with my..." She trails off, blushing, then shakes her head. "With you. Before I met you, this wasn't even a dream I dared to have."
Ninell 's smile brightens a little. "I would apologize for my completely unexpected intrusion upon your life, but I suspect it's entirely unnecessary. I'm happy to make your life feel a bit more complete, Phoebe."
Phoebe giggles a little out of character before she catches herself, "I uh, that is to say... no, no apologies necessary. I would apologize for butting into your life with all my problems, but... I uh, hope it's not necessary either?"
Ninell shakes his head with a grin. "Of course not, Phoebe." He pauses, tilting his head in thought, "Though... even then..." He leans in for a lingering, tender kiss as he trails off.
Phoebe eeps at the sudden kiss before melting into it, her tail wagging in the booth seat behind her.
Ninell holds the kiss for several seconds, just embracing Phoebe in a warm hug all the while before letting it break. He gives the wolf a teasing little smile. "That would be my completely unnecessary apology, dear."
Phoebe 's tail is still wagging as she looks at Ninell in wide-eyed adoration. She tears up a little, nodding quietly, but she struggles to form words again. "Ahh... y-yep. Very much..."
Ninell continues to smile. "Ah... perhaps I was a little too profuse in my apology?" He tilts his head forward and lightly touches his forehead against Phoebe's, "Or... perhaps not apologetic enough, I wonder?"
Phoebe blinks, "Ah! N-no! More than enough! It was... perfect! Or, uh, I mean, if you want to keep apologizing like that, I'm not opposed?"
Ninell chuckles as he sneaks another quick little kiss before leaning his head back again. "I am just teasing, dear. You know I am always happy to give you a kiss whenever you might want one."
Phoebe hums, giggling at the second kiss. "You can kiss whenever I want too... err... me. I just... like it."
Ninell continues to be amused at Phoebe's verbal stumbling, and gives her another soft hug to try and ease her nerves a bit again. "I can certainly tell. I will continue to surprise you with them, then."
Phoebe returns the hug, "Deal. I mean uh, that sounds good." She sits back, adjusting herself in the booth to make her tail comfortable, a huge smile plastered on her face. "I really gotta find a way to surprise you... all I really know how to do is sneak up on someone with a knife..."
Ninell grins again. "Well, you could make use of sneaking without a knife to surprise me with something, dear. I may be quite attentive, but I do let my guard down around you."
Phoebe nods, "Well uh, I'll try? I'll do something, anyways... Want to make sure you know how I feel about you."
Ninell smiles warmly. "I think I have an inkling of how you feel, Phoebe, but I may need you to hammer the point into my head a little more before I truly understand." He chuckles after a moment and gives Phoebe another soft kiss.
Phoebe had only just gotten comfortable when her tail betrays her once again, thumping against the booth as Ninell kisses her once again. "I'll hammer your he-" Before she can mangle another attempt at witty romance, the waiter saves her, delivering their dinner.