[F27 - PP] A Return to Ronbaru

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She considered NIGHT’s joke about wanting to show her off. She was fairly sure it was a joke. Yet something about the way it was said had Nari second guessing that, something about the connotation making her wonder if there wasn’t some truth lying beneath the joke itself.

The thought was pushed aside as NIGHT took a piece of the poutine, seeming to test it and try to determine the quality of the dish. Nari could see the hesitation, the confusion in her eyes. She knew the look – someone who had never before had the dish, and could only see it as it’s components.

“Well, for starters it’s not the worst I’ve ever had. Could there be some changes…? Definitely. Authentic would use cheese curds – generally mozzarella, that would melt with the gravy. It would create an almost sauce like substance. The gravy itself…well, this one is a little more watery than you’d like. It shouldn’t be like a soup. But at the same time you don’t want it thick enough that it looks like it just came out of a condensed can either…you want a bit thicker, but still flowing over the fries.” She was nattering, she knew it. But NIGHT had asked for her opinion, and she wasn’t about to disappoint. “The fries are surprisingly well done though, crispy on the exterior, but soft in the center…they did get that piece right.”

“How’s the lamb?” She turned the attention to NIGHT’s dish, smiling before adding a final comment. “And give me your honest opinion.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 256

 

[NIGHT 0]

a few slices trimmed off the shank, and night already set down her knife. though she'd been intent on taking notes, she was certain with the rate that nari was explaining her preferences that all nuance wasn't able to be captured fully had she not paid full attention. so she nodded at each milestone, glancing at the fries as her fork jabbed at the meat. mozzarella. better gravy. thick cut fries with a crispy exterior.

“How’s the lamb?"

hopefully she'd be able to remember for later.

lamb cooked in the manner it was served was not to her favour, served on a base of mashed potatoes; no rice. her meal was soft, she could tell with a bite, the shreds of meat falling apart even as she lifted her fork. great texture, given it was braised, but little in the way of flavour -- less garnishing and spices, more straightforward in presentation. "could use a touch more seasoning," was night's verdict after she'd swallowed, before offering a forkful nari's way, shifting the plate closer for convenience. "and some vegetables. but that's what i think about it. here, you tell me."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She gladly took a bite of the proffered fork of lamb, taking a moment to savour the flavours…before realising there were very few to begin with. She could taste the meat, and what she assumed was meant to be a seasoning on the meat itself. But it paled in comparison to what she had expected. Her face took a downturn of disappointment – less so at the dish itself, and more so at the fact that NIGHT would not be getting to enjoy the meal like Nari had the opportunity to do.

“It’s…well, a little dry. And definitely could use some more seasoning…and something to balance out the flavouring.” The tasting of the dish only made her feel worse, knowing that NIGHT wasn’t getting even a glimmer of enjoyment from the dinner itself. “All in all, we’re going to need to get you a decent dessert to make up for all of this.”

She offered up another fry, hoping it would make up a little bit for the disappointment that NIGHT had been served. At the same time, she leaned over and gave a little peck on her jawline, trying to show her apologetic nature through her typical forms.

Spoiler

Word Count: 198

 

[NIGHT 0]

observant. night wasn't that great at the description of food, but upon a second bite she could agree with the points nari had mentioned. not as though she did mind what the dish was lacking, however. even though the woman hadn't meant it to tease, between the imposition of dessert and a kiss, her spoken rebuttal only fell to the wayside in a heartbeat.

caught off guard. the player looked at the fry, partially blushing on the offer. "i--i mean, it's not like i need to be spoiled or anything," she pouted. and despite her inertia, night reluctantly gave in after a moment, eating off of nari's fork. she tried to pay attention to the harmony of the ingredients mixed in the dish offered, but was more distracted by the thought of what came after their dinner. her sights were cast towards the wall, expression fighting a frown. "so, what're you in the mood for then? something sweet or savoury?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Now what sort of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t spoil you once in a while?” Nari teased, watching as NIGHT reluctantly took the fry off the fork. She quickly twirled another, eating it herself, before offering a third to NIGHT. The smile on her face saying that there was nothing to argue about, and that she was rather enjoying herself – and her current actions.

“Sweet. Definitely sweet. Although…” That devilish grin again as she let the pause hang. “You look sweet, maybe I’ll just eat you for dessert.” She pretended to bite NIGHT’s shoulder, accentuating the joke beyond just the words – but making sure not to bite down hard enough to leave any sort of imprint upon her.

“Perhaps we can find something that offers both options, though?” She added as an after thought, taking into consideration that she wasn’t the only one here who likely had desires. She didn’t want to inhibit NIGHT’s own enjoyment, and she knew that different individuals often had different tastes. Still, she couldn’t resist the setup, and had taken full advantage of it for her own humorous ends.

Spoiler

Word Count: 186

 

[NIGHT 0]

another one? night considered the offer of the next fry before taking it, still sheepish in her expression. and in between bites -- "i don't remember placing a label on us." -- did she find herself muttering out a half-hearted, confused statement. after all, she couldn't remember if either the two had asked each other out in the first place, beyond the first date. things just... flowed.

oh. oh, right. the thought of the lack of boundaries reinforced struck her hard, in the back of her head, all at once. that would probably explain some things, the player realized. or a lot.

somewhat awake from the dream, night huffed slightly at nari's dive upon her shoulder -- half in amusement, half part of that sobering. she motioned the woman gently away with two fingers to her forehead and a look glazed over, as though slipping into another spell of her own. she chuckled. "what happened to the part about behaving ourselves?"

because a part of her wished her partner had left a mark. the player pushed the thought away, focusing on the present. "no, it's okay. i was thinking about getting ice cream, anyway. vanilla, again -- as basic as that is -- but we could go for something else just the same."

night fed herself while waiting for a response. didn't want to take on the appearance of a freeloader, eating off nari's plate without touching the braised meat off her own.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“I am behaving myself. You still have your clothes on.” She stuck her tongue out slightly, before remembering that she was supposed to be good. She would definitely have to get used to this difference in behaviour, something that she was not used to in her previous experience.

“Hey, what’s wrong with vanilla?” Her voice almost sounded insulted as the other made a show of pretending that there was something inferior about vanilla ice. Nari even stopped eating for a brief moment to give NIGHT a shocked expression. “Vanilla is the perfect flavour. You can add just about anything to it, if you so desire. Want it on pie? Vanilla. Want to add ingredients to it? Vanilla. Want to eat a litre of caramel sauce? Vanilla. It’s the…the perfect epicentre for everything.”

She stuck the fry on her fork into her mouth, before realising that it was meant for NIGHT. A few bites later, she was twirling the next fry, before a sudden idea came to her. “Here, this one is yours…” She slid the fry off the fork, holding one end with her teeth, moving her entire head towards NIGHT, enough of the fry extended from her own mouth that the girl could bite down on the opposite side if she wanted to. The large smile splitting across her face played well against the glitter in her eyes, speaking to the entire intent of the motion.

Spoiler

Word Count: 237

 

[NIGHT 0]

and to think, she'd been walking around the entire day with her tracksuit off. wasn't that enough? her own cheeks flared at the thought of even wanting more off.

(she did. and in the same vein, she needed to keep her head steady.)

so the vanilla conversation helped. incredibly so. night found herself questioning the validity of that response, the eager disagreement -- "you'd be surprised at how quick others would make a judgement call about that." not that she didn't agree with the uses of vanilla nari was touting. it made sense. but in opposition to most other flavours, as it was on its own... "i'd seen more detractors about it outside of being an ingredient is all."

another few bites of lamb. the player was wearing it down slowly. and the glance she took to her companion afterwards was once she'd been called for.

(of course. night should've expected this, at some point--)

she eyed the fry end held towards her carefully. considered her options. she knew the connotations, but was familiar with a different taste being used other than a savoury sort of snack. and so night had been hesitant, but decided to lean in anyway.

one bite of it.

but not enough for lips to meet.

as she pulled away, it was with a questioning expression; satisfaction mixed with confusion. she swallowed her end. "better to do it with a pocky stick," the woman commented, leaning backwards, cheek on a fist, elbow on table. not that it didn't get her heart racing, either -- night was surely certain she'd mess up her maneuver going in for the bite. "it'd feel weird a little weird associating the taste of cheese and gravy to you."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“What’s a pocky stick?” She had missed most of what else was said, trying to wrap her mind around what something called a pocky stick could possibly be. Her brow furrowed as she imagined a number of different things, most of them likely incorrect. One brought a slight giggle to her lips, and she couldn’t help but share it with NIGHT. “Is it like a stick that you poke into some sort of food, and then eat the food off it like a…like a little poke stick? Like a chopstick, but super pointy and used for stabbing things?”

She giggled again, enjoying the image that was brought to the forefront of her mind. Stabbing her fries with the fork, she muttered under her breath. “Stabby stabby stick!”

She spent a few moments devouring a few more fries, sharing some of them with NIGHT every few she ate herself. It wasn’t long before the dish was entirely gone, and she was left watching NIGHT finish her own meal. For a time, she simply sat and watched, content to remain unmoving and smiling slightly.

“So…we’re official, then? I can start showing you off to everyone? I’m going to come up with the best introductions.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 202

 

[NIGHT 0]

"what? no." and night knew it was difficult to source for asian products in the west, but she hadn't expected her childhood snack to have been so irrelevant to the rest of the world, either. she thought about how to best describe it, continuing her meal. "it's like a snack. a thin breadstick with most of it coated in tempered chocolate. it's so snappy that each bite you take of it makes this 'pock' sort of sound."

though as she watched nari toy around with her own notion of what a pocky stick was, night couldn't help but smile and agree. the youth back home would've done that too -- she'd definitely seen her own classmates spar with a snack or two. and in between bites of lamb, fed more fries, the woman couldn't help but wonder if she was being spoiled too much. "the more you keep feeding me," she mentioned after a bite, "the less you've got to go on. are you really okay with that...?"

if anything, that just told the player she should be getting more meals to share in the future.

plate polished off, with only traces of gravy left behind. night dapped at her lips with a tissue off the table, before noticing nari's stare from her side.

“So…we’re official, then?"

...

official?

and night's head was spinning at the idea.

(because of the stifling. because of the lack of bravery and courage. because in lieu of forever.)

the player paused in her actions, eyes searching the environment for answers. the answer seemed obvious. night knew she wanted it. but it came with a few caveats. big ones.

 “And if you do need some space, let me know – be honest, because I’m going to be honest with you. Always.”

being honest was so, so hard.

(but she had to try.)

"nari," the player spoke up, expression unreadable, aside from the notion that she'd wanted to get out of the restaurant as soon as they could. "can we... talk about this later...?"

her mind was fixated on the ice cream, if only as a distraction.

"-- you can show me off though. if you want. -- no pressure."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“So long as I can show you off, that’s answer enough. You come back to it when you’re ready, okay?” She beamed a smile at NIGHT, hoping she hadn’t put the other in a difficult place. She hadn’t expected it to be a difficult answer, but perhaps with the different cultures, the different behaviours…something for another time. She’d at least gotten permission to appear in public, which was far more than she would’ve expected, had she known to be more reserved.

“As to feeding you. They do always say that sharing is caring, and what’s more caring than giving someone you’ve got feelings for your food. Well, aside from maybe…” She leaned over, lips brushing the jawline again, barely making any connection – just enough to send a tingle of feeling. She was tempted to follow it up with more, but knew that the single touch would be more than enough – for now. “Now, I believe there was a promise about ice cream?”

Before NIGHT could argue, she pulled herself from the bench, turning to hold out a hand in offer. She smiled at the girl, this time gazing at what she had found, a true gem. Albeit, hidden away at first, like a pearl. ‘Far more beautiful than a pearl, perhaps a…amethyst, hidden away as the heart of a stone.’

Her head cocked and she giggled at the thought. As she waited, she decided there was one more question she wanted to ask, if for no other reason than pure curiosity. “So…we have these two estates, right? And yet…I’ve never seen yours. Yet. Which tells me either you’ve got something to hide – like maybe you didn’t clean up all your laundry – or…there’s someone you’re hiding me from. That, or you just have really weird taste in décor and after seeing my beautiful place you’re scared I won’t like the real you.” She gave an exaggerated wink at the end, as if trying to instil the idea that she was mostly joking. She hoped that the other would catch the humour, otherwise she’d be doing some profuse apologising in a few moments.

Spoiler

Word Count: 351

 

[NIGHT 0]

and she hadn't expected the cheerful response, but night did feel relieved from it. a palm worked at her own cheeks, knowing the sincerity of the notion would eat at her, inside and out, had she not been careful. warm already. the player hid her scowl, towards herself, before sharp eyes went back nari's way.

“As to feeding you--"

barely anything else was heard beyond the closeness of contact, night still ruminating on the conviction, the genuity of her other. at that, she slinked backwards, spine hitting the wall -- and what thoughts were stolen had made her place attention on their intermingling breaths. it was teasing, sure -- even as they hadn't explicitly mentioned it, night knew that much.

but it was getting hard to breathe. stifling, but that air she could take in was cool.

“Now, I believe there was a promise about ice cream?”

there was something about that moment that she didn't want to end.

"wait--"

she was going to argue for it, had nari liked it or not.

in haste, her hand reached out, just before the woman could scramble off. grabbed what little she could of nari's clothing and dragged her back in. night knew what she wanted and knew what she wanted to give in return -- so a kiss, that subtle brush of their lips as she made her partner turn her way with that sudden movement was what she could offer.

though it wasn't even enough to last more than a second.

"dumbass," the player squeaked out, before pushing her companion backwards. in full fluster, she'd wanted so badly to bail. ice cream kept her sane, that obsession -- it had to parallel the kindness she was receiving, without question.

because undoubtedly, had it slipped, night might've lost all reason to want to leave in the first place.

and that tuck of her own fingers between her other's was comfortable, tight -- stifling. night obscured her mouth, still, with the press of her other palm as they strode to the counter. she listened to what nari had to say.

“So…we have these two estates, right? And yet…I’ve never seen yours."

that... was one of her caveats. timing be damned.

the words came out of her, and what little space night could afford parting her lips, still feeling that gentle pressure upon them, flushed. "i told you. i live with a ghost. it's not the laundry or the decor."

"i'm just not ready to show her to you yet."

the exchange of col had been quick. and the duo shuffled out, just as the skies were beginning to darken. "another time," she promised, her back facing nari, eyes strewn towards coral, the wind beating back her heat, gusting towards her. "you can hold me to it. but not right now. please."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

So the joke wasn’t caught then. Resisting the urge to sign aloud, Nari instead intertwined her fingers into NIGHT’s, tugging the girl closer as she led the way out of the restaurant and back into the open air, a coolness drifting across them as the sky had began to darken. She could still feel the sensation on her lips, reminding her of the kiss just moments ago.

“I can wait. But I am going to hold you to it one of these days.” She led them for a few moments in silence, before coming to a sudden stop. “So…I have no idea where we’re going.” A sheepish look as she realised she had been leading them along a road, which now appeared to end at the edge of the little village, leading out into the woodland beyond.

“Maybe you should lead, for now.” A shrug and turn as she waited for NIGHT to guide her in the right direction, placing one hand on the girl’s back, just between the shoulder blades. Almost unconsciously her hands began to trace a pattern of circles along NIGHT’s shoulder blades, gently moving with the shape beneath the clothing. Staying close as the other led, she’d let her fingers run their path continuously, absentmindedly enjoying the sensation of the touch on her fingertips.

Spoiler

Word Count: 218

 

[NIGHT 0]

they walked until they could no longer tell the right direction -- and perhaps that was just the side effects of the kiss they were feeling. upon nari's offer, night nodded, pulling the woman back towards the teleporter with a tug of her fingers. there wasn't any reason to spend another crystal at the edge of the safe zone. in the same vein that the player found herself distracted by where a good place to fetch ice cream was at, so too was she then hyperaware, brought out of her thoughts by the smoothing of cloth pressed against her back.

(it was getting hard to breathe, again, despite the chill.)

"h-hey," night barked back, barely shooting a glance towards her shoulder. "if you keep doing that, i'm really going to assume you have a back fetish." her fingers from her other hand toyed with fussing over a lock, placing words to their destination once her mind had been made up. "i'm thinking about trying the eleventh for some cones. does that plan sound good by you?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“No, I just have a you fetish. I can stop if you want me to?” She paused her fingers for two steps before continuing her tracing pattern between NIGHT’s shoulder blades. She had no intention of stopping, unless specifically requested to do so. Which, she hadn’t been, as of yet.

“The eleventh sounds fine. Not sure I’ve ever been there before, either.” She cocked her head, looking at NIGHT’s face from the side. She enjoyed this view, and took a moment to bask in it as the girl tried desperately to ignore her touch. “You’re always taking me to new places.”

They reached the teleporter pad without any further interruptions, and Nari followed NIGHT up onto the pad. A final quick glance at NIGHT, she decided that she was truly enjoying this day. “You know, if I wake up and find out this has all been some sort of dream, I’m going to kill Cardinal. And then I’m going to find you, and I’m going to profess my love to you. And then likely break down crying. Just so you know.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 181

 

[NIGHT 0]

night rolled her eyes. she couldn't find it in herself to object -- especially given nari's disposition. she was certain her companion was enjoying the teasing, even if it came at her expense.

“No, I just have a you fetish. I can stop if you want me to?”

as red as she was, her eyes only scanned the woman's form, mentally taking notes. there would be an opportunity for retaliation eventually; night's pull of the player closer to her was to jostle her clarity of movements upon her shirt. "you'd be surprised," she returned, sentence hissed, colours of the warm light that decorated coral in hazy orbs. "there's so many places to look over. travelling about the castle's half the fun."

they walked. it was only partway through the village where she was certain they were in vicinity to have bumped into crow that she leaned into nari with the request to stop in a whisper. a squeezed hand and quick steps to the teleporter -- the first few stars of the eve slowly starting to show over head -- and night caught them reflected in her partner's eyes.

in response, she could only pull their bodies flush together; their feet upon the pad, palms met in both hands. the thought to kill cardinal? it was one hell of a threat. but something about that proclamation stirred emotion in the player, and she fought to keep it down.

"if it helps, you're the dream here."

and she pressed her own forehead to nari's. thumbed the skin in her hold to make sure of her realness. caught her breath before she lost it, and under a whisper she took them to-- "taft. floor eleven."

the white came and went from her view. though the parting was temporary, skinship lost in their transition, night found her fingers still around the other player's before moving on without complaint. the drag of her companion was subtle. and in taft, what buildings that mimicked life on the first only came back in rejuvenated force under the golden glows of the street lamps, prettied by the various colorful flags that were left hung from one festivity or another.

night leaned in close while opting in one direction, searching for a store nearby. gelato? she'd remembered getting booza the other time from a travelling vendor. a nice speckle of crumbs would've been the ideal topping. "for the record," she stated, glancing nari's way, "you make your love painfully obvious. and i'm not set on going anywhere, either, so i doubt any fault of that would be cardinal's. just a thought."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Is that a bad thing?” She wondered if she was being too overbearing, pushing too hard. She’d heard the return commentary, the flirtatious tones in NIGHT’s own voice. But it had only made her more confused, more unsure. “Am I…too obvious? I can…I can step back a bit…”

She took a half step away, waiting to see how the girl would react. She didn’t enjoy the disconnect, unable to break the connection between their hands quite yet. Somehow, she felt colder, as if there had been a change in the actual environment. It brought a shiver up her spine, something she was sure the other would notice in her sudden jerk.

“You better not be going anywhere. Otherwise I’d be heartbroken and devastated. I mean that.” She hadn’t meant to get so serious, but the topic of loss had brought out the worry in her, and in turn the borderline depression. She let herself be led along by NIGHT as she considered her situation. She hadn’t wanted to impede, or impose. Or to cause any sort of awkwardness. “Am I…too much?”

Spoiler

Word Count: 181

 

[NIGHT 0]

what little distance was placed between them, night chose to close with a light tug her way; barring that, her steps towards nari's side once again. because all of that time building warmth had made her a stranger to the cold that would flow between them, that sudden vacuum, even if it did remind her of what she'd needed over time. "i'd rather you not."

and her hand fumbled with the side of her neck, thumb upon her jaw as she pulled her arm away. a tiny crepe stall, fit in between two taller buildings; she eyed their newfound destination if only for a peek at the menu as she considered the other's words.

“Am I…too much?”

obvious hadn't been a bad thing. night had always liked being indirect, subtle -- it gave away little to outsiders what her true nature might've been, for good reason. just the same, it was hence easy to read her company, between the hums of ecstasy and the dances, the shows of attachment she wasn't so ready to commit to yet. but to affirm -- she paused at that notion. something felt a little off about saying yes.

"-- no," the woman decided, wondering how comfortable she was with the answer. but when the rest of her thoughts followed, she sat in understanding, in peace with that reply. "but i can't imagine how it is to be in your shoes, either."

getting too close too fast. night preferred it otherwise -- for, it'd just feel hollow. for risking it would have the woman contextualize it as a fling, and she didn't need want it, need it in that moment. gently, the more her words grew on her, the weight and repercussions of a forever started to sink in. it bore upon the player's shoulders, and she leaned in drawing close to that menu feeling that burden wrap upon her.

heavy. insufferable. her gaze went towards nari as she raised it from the desserts. "how could you think yourself too much?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She heard the question, but for a time couldn’t think of an answer. It meant providing a truth beyond the depths of truth she was used to bringing forth. Even for her, it was something she often avoided. Instead, she found her gaze trailing to the crepe stall. Something familiar, something that reminded her of home, in a sense.

“Do you think they have real maple syrup?” The question was whispered, her thoughts still trailing on the answers she didn’t want to give, desperately trying to strike away from the queries. Anything but that, would be preferred. “Not like the corn syrup you find everywhere, but real maple syrup?”

She wasn’t even sure if the other would know the difference – she’d met many who thought that the corn syrup that was bottled and sold in stores was real. Her mind at least temporarily distracted, she let herself lean against the other girl, considering the possibility of maple syrup – an attempt at distraction.

“Hey, uhm…is it possible to sell an estate?” She realised the connotations, and followed the question up quickly, both to try and hide the possible alternative meanings, as well as to show she wasn’t completely clueless. Or so she hoped. “I’ve been considering it for a while, but…well, as much as I love where I’m at…I bought it because of the shop. And I’m thinking that maybe, just maybe…I might move, if possible. I’d prefer not to have to buy another home, and hold onto this one – seems a waste, if you ask me…”

Spoiler

Word Count: 256

 

[NIGHT 0]

the question had mostly been rhetorical, but the way it seemed to trouble nari with the query returned leading them astray, night thought it best to play to her whim. for once, it felt strange -- the way her other wasn't as confident, as ready as she'd usually been. the images of dessert were hazy in her vision as she gave its toppings some thought.

"i don't think they go on crepes, do they...? but if it was anything like your poutine..." a passing grade, and nothing more.

then the estate got put into question, and night stalled in her response, part of a fear drumming at her throat. another home? there wasn't a real need for the player to move, especially given that it was still under renovations. but the more the prospect was considered, the more she wondered if it happened to be an invitation.

hesitation. but she would give an objective answer all the same.

"cardinal places the restriction of a housing plot per player," the woman explained. "so it's possible to sell. necessary if you're looking for a second home." and she tilted her head, trying to make light of the proposition. "couldn't find the space to fit more bathrooms in there?"