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ERIKA'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT
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Erika shifts to lie on her back, exhausted. The okapi is naked, happy and sweaty, occupying half of her decently-sized yet not-oft-used bed in her small house. She glances to her side, giving Nesseth a smile: "T-that was good. You're good. Like, definitely better than great."
Nesseth sighs as he turns a bit to track Erika as she rolls off of him, the lizard being quite relaxed at the moment as he rests on the okapi's bed, similarly naked and happy. "I just... do what I can to keep you feeling good, dear. You're great, too, you know~"
Erika giggles: "G-good to try things. And stuff." She pauses: "Though probably better we didn't go with that weird berry this time, kinda got exhausted faster than I thought."
Nesseth nods with a smirk as he shifts forward a bit to kiss Erika on the nose. "Yeah... new parts and a lot of new sensations... we probably got a little overloaded. It was fun, but probably something we'd have to only do on occasion."
Erika laughs softly at the kiss: "We definitely did. And yeah. 'Overload' is a good way to put it, it was... I think I was out of juice for like a day afterwards before I got back to garden work."
Nesseth chuckles. "Pretty sure I was more than a bit out of it during my patrol the next day, too. That garden is full of surprises, though, isn't it?"
Erika hums: "It is... I don't know if some of the plants from like my Mom's days are cross-pollinating or something, since I occasionally find things I'm not sure I recall getting..." She shrugs: "Or I guess I'm just being scatterbrained and forget which things I planted where."
Nesseth hums as he scoots a little closer and drapes his tail over Erika's legs as he gets a bit more cozy beside the okapi. "There's so much growing in the garden, I'm betting there's some cross-pollination going on." He gives a lop-sided smile, "Though, I wouldn't be surprised if you just lose track of some of the older things you've picked up and planted. I know I would."
Erika giggles at Nesseth's touch: "Bit of both, maybe? I don't know. Suppose it doesn't matter much."
Nesseth smiles warmly. "Not really, no. It just means we get to see all kinds of new stuff as I help you out around the garden."
Erika glances aside: "As long as none of those are actually poisonous. Sometimes it's hard to tell cause I don't taste that much..."
Nesseth reaches over and lightly strokes Erika's chin a bit with a finger. "It's one reason I'm glad to help out around the garden, dear. If something's poisonous, at least I'm right there to make sure you can get to Plume for proper treatment."
Erika blinks, then sighs with a smile at Nesseth: "Yeah, I know. And nothing's really happened." She leans in to give Nesseth's shoulder a kiss: "Thank you."
Nesseth smiles softly at the kiss and gives Erika a warm hug. "You know I'm there for you, Erika. You watch out for me, like that one time with the pollen, and I watch out for you."
Erika hugs close, if still tiredly: "Mm, that's what we do." She giggles softly: "Sometimes I wonder how it took us this long to realize we were to be together like this."
Nesseth hums a bit as he considers the thought. "Mmh... it's probably just because we had so much going on before that point, even though we were good friends for a while, you know?"
Erika hums as well: "Something like that. Too busy with other parts of life to notice what's in front of us."
Nesseth nods a bit as he lightly rests his chin in Erika's hair for the moment. "Yeah, and it didn't help with some of the crazy stuff that happened in the last couple of years, especially with me being a guard."
Erika closes her eyes, smiling as she leans in: "Mmm, very true. Nor my misadventures with trying to date another friend that then sorta... crashed and burned. I'm glad Cavro took it well, though."
Nesseth hums in agreement. "Mmhm, I'm glad you two are at least sticking as friends, especially since you two knew each other from way back."
Erika nods, leaning onto Nesseth: "Yeah. Feelings are sometimes hard to parse, who knew?" She giggles slightly as she nuzzles him: "Although I'm pretty sure this is more what I was actually looking for~."
Nesseth tilts his head a bit and nuzzles back. "Oh~? How do you think this was what you wanted the whole time?"
Erika hums: "Just a feeling I guess. I'm worrying less about where I should be, and just enjoying what I have."
Nesseth chuckles. "That makes sense. I can find you wherever you might be, if you happen to be in trouble, after all."
Erika shifts to hug the lizard: "That too. You tend to come looking for me~."
Nesseth leans into the hug, smirking a bit as he moves. "What can I say? You're someone worth always looking for, dear~"
Erika giggles, blushing: "Thank you." She leans onto Nesseth's shoulder, kissing it softly: "It feels good to be wanted."
Nesseth slips an arm around Erika and hugs her close. "You can bet that I'll always want to be around you, Erika. I don't think there's much that could change that."
Erika mmm's: "I knew that, but it's still good to hear. You're pretty great to be around, too~."
Nesseth laughs a bit in amusement. "I'm just a simple lizard, dear. I'm glad I'm able to keep you happy, though~"
Erika hums: "Well, you definitely do that~. Keeping the honky clonky okapi happy."
Nesseth reaches his hand up to tease at one of Erika's ears just for fun. "And keeping you happy in all the ways I can think of, too."
Erika giggles, her ear flicking in response: "Nng! You're a tease in addition to that."
Nesseth grins. "Guilty as charged, but it's fun teasing you, since you do the same to me."
Erika laughs softly: "Suppose that's entirely fair. We just like teasing."
Nesseth nods at Erika's statement. "That we do. It probably helps that we've got partners that also like being teased, in addition to you and I teasing each other."
Erika giggle-hums: "Eheh, true. Better not overthink how all that started either, just be happy that we are here with so much love~"
Nesseth nods and gives Erika another kiss. "Yeah, we're really lucky to have all this love, especially with what's between us~"
Erika mm's into the kiss: "Pretty darn lucky~."
Nesseth yawns a little, but continues to lightly tease his fingers against the soft fur on the back of Erika's neck. "You're the best, dear, you know that?"
Erika shivers slightly as Nesseth touches her neck, leaning onto him: "Only if we don't count you in that run~."
Nesseth chuckles. "Of course I'm not counting myself, dear. I wouldn't have a hope in the world competing against you or the others~"
Erika sticks her tongue out as she giggles: "'Course, that's what I meant. Silly thing."
Nesseth sticks out his own tongue in turn, then licks Erika on the nose. "Then it sounds like we're on the same page~"
Erika lets out a squeak at the licking: "Engh! Well, seems so!" She then sighs, and just hugs him tighter as a huge yawn escapes the okapi.
Nesseth oofs as he's pulled into a tighter hug, then tightens his own hug a bit in turn. "Sounds like we might need to get some sleep soon enough. That was a pretty big yawn~"
Erika smiles: "Y-yeah, maybe. We kinda went for a while there, and you're comfy. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it."
Nesseth hums warmly, nodding his head in agreement. "You're comfy, too, so... a night sleeping cuddled up beside you sounds exactly like what I need."
Erika giggles tiredly: "Well, that's what you're getting~."
Nesseth snuggles in close and stifles another yawn, though his tail wiggles under the blankets and tries to pull it partially up and over the two for comfort. "Sounds like... a good plan, then. Love you, Erika~"
Erika hums softly: "Mmmloveyou."