Baa Baa Black Sheep, Nyarai

[Welkin Njordson]

Welkin blinked and looked down at her. "Do...what?"

[Nyarai Khartuul]

She laughed a little laugh.

"Escort women home!" she chided, pulling herself even closer to him and letting her shoulder lean into his.

[Welkin Njordson]

"Oh, uhhh..." Somehow she moved even closer to him. He didn't think there was any space left. "Well, once I escorted this other girl to her family. She was new in town, and turned out to be a relative of a friend. But, well, not often, no. You would be my second, I guess."

[Nyarai Khartuul]

“Ah...”

She took his words for face value. Something told her he didn't lie very often—and if he did, they were easy to spot. He had that kind of face, she reasoned. That honest, child-like face.

“Is my closeness bothering you?” she asked idly, slipping her fingers into his.

[Welkin Njordson]

He glanced at her fingers twisting around his own. It was bothering him, but kind of in a good way, if that made sense.

"No," he said, blushing a little despite his sincerest effort not to. "You were just almost robbed. It can be very, uh, traumatic. Might need comforting. That stuff."

[Nyarai Khartuul]

She closed her thumb over the back of his hand, brushing it idly over the skin there.

“Almost,” she echoed, nodding. If she had lost her things she would be mad, but with all things secure in her basket, she was anything but. Besides, this was enjoyable in a different kind of way. He wasn't her type—no one really was—but he was nice.

And shy.

Her smile danced around her lips. “And comfort would be nice,” she added, squeezing his hand suggestively.

[Welkin Njordson]

He looked down once more at their joined hands. Her skin was much darker against his pale freckles, soft and warm and smooth.

His blush didn't go away. "Like...tea?"

[Nyarai Khartuul]

She nodded, her smile still holding.

“Amongst other things...”

This was easy, she realized. Too easy. She wasn't even sure what she wanted from him at the moment, but where this was going wasn't bad. Not really...

[Welkin Njordson]

His mind went there. It'd already been there about a dozen times since he'd first seen her. But it was difficult to believe she was going there as well. Was he imagining it? Probably. He didn't have any proper experience with females anyway. Still, that smile was more than the polite, grateful smile she'd given him before.

Of course, for all he knew, she was talking about pastries. Pastries could be comforting.

"All right," he said slowly, staring at her smile. He wasn't sure if he'd just agreed to something or not. Tea and pastries? A euphemism for tea and pastries? Maybe she was going to rob him, or maybe she was going to humiliate him, or maybe she was going to kill him, or maybe she really did just want tea and pastries.

Gods, shut up, Welkin told his brain.

[Nyarai Khartuul]

He was staring.

Her own smile deepened as he said the worlds. All right. She absently wondered if he knew what he was getting into. He seemed like the naive sort. A soldier and killer, but not all together cunning. An odd paradox to be sure. How anyone allowed such boys to become warriors was beyond her.

She tossed her hair back with a practised hand and decided it was time to drive the bargain in a little deeper. After all, she wasn't in the business of giving out free fucks.

“As long as we both walk away happy, what does it matter, hm?”

[Welkin Njordson]

Welkin almost tripped over a loose cobble. He was stuck staring at her, wondering of she was really thinking what he thought--even hoped --she was thinking. Unfortunately his mind was stuck in that line of thought to start with.

"I guess it doesn't," he mumbled. "Maybe." He cleared his throat, blushing, and turned to face forward. "I'm not sure how much...comfort I would be, though."

[Nyarai Khartuul]

She dismissed his concerns with a wave of her hand.

“Some comfort is better than none,” she said, giving him the benefit of another dazzling smile. It was almost childlike, shaving years off her already youthful features. She then tightened her fingers around his and pulled slightly, leading him into the Refugee Quarter.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at her doorstep, her fingers still entwined with his. It didn't bother her that people were looking. He was a guard. He was protection.

She slipped a key into the door and pushed it open with a practised shove.

And then they were inside.

[Welkin Njordson]

Welkin stumbled inside and swallowed. He liked the contact, he liked holding her hand. He'd never done that before, not really. He didn't know how to proceed. He still wasn't completely sure they were on the same page, so to speak. Maybe she really meant tea and pastries. Part of him hoped she did.

"So...uh..." He smiled shakily. "Nice place."

[Nyarai Khartuul]

It wasn't a nice place.

It was empty, with bare floors, little in the way of possessions, and even less in the way of warmth. It was home, but it defied anyone to call it such.

But she didn't bother to correct his impression of her hovel. She reached out to lace her fingers behind his neck, her body now against his. Feeling it prudent to draw attention to her lips, she licked them. Then she tossed her head slightly, letting her hair fall into place behind her.

[Welkin Njordson]

Welkin's attention was drawn away from the drab surroundings (any place with a roof he considered "nice" after so many years on a ship) and focused squarely on her lips. He wanted to kiss them. He also didn't. But mostly he did.

"What's your name?"