vision

[calescent]

Kiri's up early the next morning, restless with various low-level simmering concerns, and wanders out of her room.

Comments

[free_flowing]

"Sure," he says, grinning. "It's a pretty house! I like my house."

[salt_of_the]

"It is! I was here once to meet Nerine but it was years ago."

[free_flowing]

"I never came here back then."

[salt_of_the]

"Yeah. It was a long time ago. You went and got all - interesting to imagine naked."

[free_flowing]

"You can see me naked, if you want," he offers cheerfully. "You might've guessed I'm not shy about it."

[salt_of_the]

"I did kinda guess, considering! Mmmmaybe. Since you're offering."

[free_flowing]

"Well, y'know. If you want. I won't be offended if you'd rather stick to imagination."

[salt_of_the]

"Backing out of your tantalizing offer, huh?"

[free_flowing]

"Nope. You can absolutely still see me naked if you want to."

[salt_of_the]

"Right, where in this big old house of yours is suitable?"

[free_flowing]

"Lots of places! Of which," he says, "my room is probably the prettiest, and it's also right up these stairs."

[salt_of_the]

"All right then. Can I leave Mud in your kierten?"

[free_flowing]

"Sure."

[salt_of_the]

"All right. Stay put, Mud."

Mud sits and wags.

Patience smiles at Loel.

[free_flowing]

Loel grins at Patience!

And leads her up to his room, which has a breathtakingly gorgeous view of the Marisi River. His kierten had windows just as big looking in the same direction, but it's even better from the third floor.

[salt_of_the]

"Ooh, view. Of the outdoors, for the time being."

[free_flowing]

"For the time being," Loel agrees, and then he starts taking off his clothes.

[salt_of_the]

Patience flounces gracefully into a chair and supervises this process approvingly.

[free_flowing]

When he's done, he grins at her. "So how do I compare to imaginary me?"

[salt_of_the]

"Faaaaavorably. Much less fuzziness around the edges."

[free_flowing]

"Good!" he says, laughing.

[salt_of_the]

"This just something you were cool with because you lived in Thiyec or what, anyway?"

[free_flowing]

"Well, it's the kind of thing I'm cool with," he says, laughing. "But that doesn't mean I'm not also flirting with you."

[salt_of_the]

"Suspected that, wanted to check, also flirting if you were curious."

[free_flowing]

"I suspected that! I'm glad," he says. "You're fun to flirt with."