October 17, directly after the conclusion of Diamond Quest 63
Swirling ribbons of rainbow light traced over the redhead?s form, kissing her lightly battered body before receding into the ground at her booted feet. Eyelids flitted closed down over her green-gold eyes and she allowed her head to drop back for the barest of moments. The fingers of her right hand curled around the so-important teleportation crystal while she clutched a small box in her left. She took that moment to revel unabashedly in the triumph of the evening, in being the first woman brawler to win the coveted Diamond more than once. Once she walked in the door she would temper her joy - and relief - from the results of the night?s brawling. Her partner had never won the event despite entering several times and she knew that while he would no doubt be happy for her there would be an underlying lingering sense of frustration at his own ineptitude.
The train of thought sobered her elation perceptibly but the satisfied grin remained as she pocketed the crystal and the box before turning the knob and pushing open the door to their home. She stepped slowly into the entryway, blissfully unaware of the strength of the chill that swept in behind and past her. Her nose twitched, her head canted to the left. Something smelled ... delicious. Multiple somethings smelled .... amazing. Either Psly had worked miracles in a very short time or he had begun preparations for a feast a few hours ago no matter the outcome, knowing she?d be ravenous.
Jaycy sniffed the air dramatically, making a show of following her nose to the left - to the kitchen, where all of the tantalizing smells were originating. Hints of mutton, both raw and seared, wafted lazily through the house. Rosemary followed, intermingled with pepper and garlic and oregano. Warmed bread tickled her nose, a solid and comforting base under the richness of the meat. Her eyes widened, a thin line of moisture escaped from parted lips. Her tongue slid out to recapture the saliva and she quickened to her steps toward the source.
She moved through the archway into the kitchen to the sight of her lover bent over the open oven door, sliding the tray of freshly-heated bread from the warm cave. The strings of an apron hugged his hips, a swiftly-tied knot holding them together. He straightened without turning, setting the tray on a waiting trivet with one hand and closing the oven door with the other. She hurried to move behind him before he could face her, sliding her arms beneath the apron and around his midsection. She pulled him back into her even as she leaned forward, pressing her chest close against his bare back.
The former cyberelf chuckled, allowing the much smaller woman to direct his movements. He set the pot holder down before resting both of his hands over hers. ?Congrats, love,? he drawled playfully. He managed to contain his surprise as her small fingers began to tiptoe over his unprotected stomach and then lower, over blue sweatpants. It was the first time since the ambush that she?d been so bold - or really, so assertively affectionate at all. She?d responded, of course, when he initiated intimacy, and she clung to him in the night, but mostly she?d remained passive and withdrawn without prompting.
She responded by turning her nose into his flesh and taking a deep breath. ?Mmmm,? she purred aloud before adding silently through the link between them, dinner smells almost as incredible as you do. She nipped lightly below his shoulder blade before withdrawing from the embrace reluctantly, fingertips whispering over his skin. He let out a groaning chuckle, his body quivering under the unexpected heat of her touch. ?Eat first, m?dear,? he said, taking the warmed bread tray up once more before turning around. ?You need to make sure you get something in you to recover what you lost tonight.? His addition was said more soberly; she might have done much better than expected but she still wasn?t a hundred percent and needed sustenance after such a hard workout.
Psly edged past her as she rolled her eyes. ?Aye, aye. I know.? She sighed dramatically, following a step behind to the nook table. Little space remained on the small tabletop after the savory dishes and empty dinner plates covered the bulk of it. Cubes of seared, spiced mutton waited, nestled inside a ring of roasted carrots and red-skinned potatoes, a gentle steam rising from the serving dish. A smaller dish held the fresh fruit salad, crisp apple slices mingled with bright cherries and pineapple chunks, plump grapes and dark blackberries. She plucked a grape from the bowl, popping it in her mouth and chewing while he rearranged the dishes to allow an opening for the bread. ?Mmm,? she said again - though with less animal interest and more satisfaction in the bite. A large plate of cheesy nachos topped with raw meat added a touch of whimsy and humor to the dinner.
Swirling ribbons of rainbow light traced over the redhead?s form, kissing her lightly battered body before receding into the ground at her booted feet. Eyelids flitted closed down over her green-gold eyes and she allowed her head to drop back for the barest of moments. The fingers of her right hand curled around the so-important teleportation crystal while she clutched a small box in her left. She took that moment to revel unabashedly in the triumph of the evening, in being the first woman brawler to win the coveted Diamond more than once. Once she walked in the door she would temper her joy - and relief - from the results of the night?s brawling. Her partner had never won the event despite entering several times and she knew that while he would no doubt be happy for her there would be an underlying lingering sense of frustration at his own ineptitude.
The train of thought sobered her elation perceptibly but the satisfied grin remained as she pocketed the crystal and the box before turning the knob and pushing open the door to their home. She stepped slowly into the entryway, blissfully unaware of the strength of the chill that swept in behind and past her. Her nose twitched, her head canted to the left. Something smelled ... delicious. Multiple somethings smelled .... amazing. Either Psly had worked miracles in a very short time or he had begun preparations for a feast a few hours ago no matter the outcome, knowing she?d be ravenous.
Jaycy sniffed the air dramatically, making a show of following her nose to the left - to the kitchen, where all of the tantalizing smells were originating. Hints of mutton, both raw and seared, wafted lazily through the house. Rosemary followed, intermingled with pepper and garlic and oregano. Warmed bread tickled her nose, a solid and comforting base under the richness of the meat. Her eyes widened, a thin line of moisture escaped from parted lips. Her tongue slid out to recapture the saliva and she quickened to her steps toward the source.
She moved through the archway into the kitchen to the sight of her lover bent over the open oven door, sliding the tray of freshly-heated bread from the warm cave. The strings of an apron hugged his hips, a swiftly-tied knot holding them together. He straightened without turning, setting the tray on a waiting trivet with one hand and closing the oven door with the other. She hurried to move behind him before he could face her, sliding her arms beneath the apron and around his midsection. She pulled him back into her even as she leaned forward, pressing her chest close against his bare back.
The former cyberelf chuckled, allowing the much smaller woman to direct his movements. He set the pot holder down before resting both of his hands over hers. ?Congrats, love,? he drawled playfully. He managed to contain his surprise as her small fingers began to tiptoe over his unprotected stomach and then lower, over blue sweatpants. It was the first time since the ambush that she?d been so bold - or really, so assertively affectionate at all. She?d responded, of course, when he initiated intimacy, and she clung to him in the night, but mostly she?d remained passive and withdrawn without prompting.
She responded by turning her nose into his flesh and taking a deep breath. ?Mmmm,? she purred aloud before adding silently through the link between them, dinner smells almost as incredible as you do. She nipped lightly below his shoulder blade before withdrawing from the embrace reluctantly, fingertips whispering over his skin. He let out a groaning chuckle, his body quivering under the unexpected heat of her touch. ?Eat first, m?dear,? he said, taking the warmed bread tray up once more before turning around. ?You need to make sure you get something in you to recover what you lost tonight.? His addition was said more soberly; she might have done much better than expected but she still wasn?t a hundred percent and needed sustenance after such a hard workout.
Psly edged past her as she rolled her eyes. ?Aye, aye. I know.? She sighed dramatically, following a step behind to the nook table. Little space remained on the small tabletop after the savory dishes and empty dinner plates covered the bulk of it. Cubes of seared, spiced mutton waited, nestled inside a ring of roasted carrots and red-skinned potatoes, a gentle steam rising from the serving dish. A smaller dish held the fresh fruit salad, crisp apple slices mingled with bright cherries and pineapple chunks, plump grapes and dark blackberries. She plucked a grape from the bowl, popping it in her mouth and chewing while he rearranged the dishes to allow an opening for the bread. ?Mmm,? she said again - though with less animal interest and more satisfaction in the bite. A large plate of cheesy nachos topped with raw meat added a touch of whimsy and humor to the dinner.