fablecottage | TDM #1

Entry tags:

!tdm

TDM #1

fable test drive meme #1

// away with the fairies

In your land, there may be stories of the Fae taking people away. Perhaps you haven't heard of the Fae at all, or perhaps you are more familiar with them than others. No matter how well acquainted you are with the Fae, everyone around you has experienced the same fate tonight: Being taken by them. Partially, at least. For they did not want to kidnap anyone from their home and take them away from the life they knew. In a small jar of fairy dust, part of your soul was taken in the night and brought to a magical village by the name of Fable.

On arrival, the Fae release you from the jar before waving their magic wands, and materialise this taken little part of you into a brand new you. From here onwards, your new life begins, shared among magical creatures from all walks of life. Here, you will be allowed to grow, thrive and enjoy the bounties provided to you by these mysterious and wonderful creatures. In exchange, they ask for a share of the magical fruit that you grow in your garden, in order for their dragon overseer to reclaim his own magic and find his missing siblings. After a briefing on your new life, you understand things as best as you possibly can. Now, it's time to settle into a brand new cottagecore life.

Welcome to Fable.

// arrival

Now that you are a resident of Fable, you have a brand new cottage, a garden, and a few tools to use! There's not an awful lot in your cottage, though: Just a cardboard box, a lamp, a cassette tape and a single bed. Fortunately, though, it seems that your kitchen is stocked with ingredients. Enough to make a pie, at least! Most of the village shops are currently closed due to the bad weather, so it seems like socialising with your neighbours might be your best shot at finding something to do.

Something sparkly catches your attention before you realise it's a message board, advertising an array of tasks for bonus fruit. Did this thing appear out of nowhere just now? That must be the case, since you can swear it wasn't there a second ago. Perhaps the board will urge you to find some fellow people who are in a similar situation as you. The cold weather might inspire you to go fishing in the river canals, have a snowball fight, make warm drinks for people, get active in the kitchen or go sledding!

Or, just ... do whatever you want! This is your magical home now, might as well make the most of it!

snowfolk!

// do you wanna build a snowman?

While wandering through the village, you suddenly hear a voice appear out of nowhere. "Help ..." The voice speaks, rather ominously, which might alarm you. "Turn around ..." It says again, which may send shivers down your spine that aren't related to the cold. "Now, come closer. No, closer. Closer!" Jeez! You know this place is filled with magical creatures, but what on earth is taunting you at the moment? You can't see anything! There's just a Snowman in front of you.

"Hello." Wait, did that Snowman just--? "I am a Snowman." He did. He talked to you.

"I am lonely. Please build me some friends." Well, it's not like you have anything better to do ... "I will give you a reward if you do. Come to me when you have built, and I will give you a reward." Seems simple enough. You almost walk away to get started, until--

"HOLD IT!" He yells, very loudly for a Snowman. "You must use teamwork to build a Snowperson. The best Snowpeople are made with friends. Find a friend and build a Snowperson for me. Thank you."

Well, there you have it! You have been tasked with finding someone to build a Snowperson with. And of course, because these Snowfolk are magic, they're going to be quite particular about how they want to be built. They may berate you and act fussy during the process. You must divide the work between you and your acquaintance in order to complete your Snowperson. Get creative with hats, scarves, shapes, face designs - and whatever else you think the Snowperson should have!

Your final result will produce either an immaculate (or terrible) Snowtyke, Snowboy, Snowmam or Snowman who will reward you both with a random piece of winter furniture and an extra surprise!

Once you both feel satisfied with your Snowperson,
Please reply to this thread here in order to claim the rewards! Have fun!

the aurora ball

// ballad of the northern lights

In Finnish mythology, it is believed that the Northern Lights (Revontulet) are the creation of a fox who runs across the night sky. In Fable, this very same fox is the one responsible for the Northern Lights of their skies - and while he spends a lot of his time away from the realm to decorate the skies of many other places, he returns every Winter for a fantastic show (and incredible party!)

To celebrate his return, Fable's residents gather in Skáld to host a ball and have a big party beneath the lights. And you have been invited! No need to worry about travel - with your magical invitation, you can be poofed there in an instant! In an act of generosity, the Fox of the Northern Lights has temporarily given you a dose of his magic in order for you to join in the fun! While the party is ongoing, you will have a glowing pair of aurora wings which allow flight, a dazzling new outfit, an immunity to the cold, and the ability to create aurora streaks in the sky!

// the aurora ball

The moment you accept the invitation and arrive in Skáld, the magical effects from the Aurora Fox will activate! Shimmering sparkles will envelope you before you find yourself wearing a brand new outfit and accessories for the evening, and they really are very sparkly! Your floating aurora wings spawn behind you in any colour, and just like that, you're ready for the party! Don't worry about the outfit you were wearing prior to this, it has been transported back to your wardrobe in your cottage. With magic, of course!

The party runs for a few days, and it's a lot bigger than you imagined. Just how many mythological creatures are attending? You and the otherwordly attendees will be staying in a nearby wooden lodge that has been upscaled with magic in order to accommodate its large guests. The lodge has spacious rooms, complimentary meals, and even a heated outdoor pool!

The party itself takes place on a mountain adjacent to the lodge with an outdoor ballroom, Troll DJs playing through the night (with both upbeat and slow music), a bonfire, a food buffet and a bar!

Fancy a drink? There are cocktails and mocktails being served all night by the Troll bartenders! Who knew Trolls were so good at mixing drinks? Cocktails and mocktails are exactly the same in taste, except mocktails don't have any alcohol in them. If your character doesn't like to drink, they can still enjoy the tasty beverage without getting drunk!

Regardless of alcohol content, however, each drink will have a funny effect on the person consuming it.
Pink Pixie will make people feel more flirty and sensual, Minty Manticore will make people hyperactive and chatty, Blue Bunyip will give them a case of the blues by inspiring a little bit of sadness, and Purple Pegasus will make them sentimental and emotional.

Welcome to Fable's first TDM!
We're excited to have you here, and hope you enjoy the prompts!
To familiarise yourself with the setting, please take a look at the arrivals & premise page!
We would also appreciate it if you could have a look at the rules as well.
As a general note, the TDMs are considered game canon!
Which means all rewards for fruit & furniture can be used in the game if you apply!

New arrivals have a cottage, a network device, the clothes on their back and a single item from home.
To view the locations, NPCs and more information about the game, please visit our full navigation!

If you have any questions that you have not seen answered in the FAQ, please ask in the FAQ post. Thank you!

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Whatever forces at work here have truly made Ayaka stunning, and he's been really happy to see that she's been given the opportunity to let her hair down for a change. His lady works so hard, and though this place has snatched part of their souls away to exist in this fairy land, he can see the positives to it.

Part of it is that Ayaka could just be herself here. He's sure it'll be a little difficult to adjust, but he'll help her as much as he can.]

We aren't leaving here any time soon, there will be plenty of chances for me to get acquainted with everyone. We've been here for a while, and I'm more concerned for my lady's well being than my own entertainment.

[He takes a sip of his drink, enjoying the strawberry taste.]

But, it is up to you to decide. Speak your mind, it's not like there's anyone here to judge you anymore.

[ His words bring about a long, thoughtful pause on her end, her gaze remaining steadfast on the drink in her hands, smoothing her slender, delicate fingers idly against the glass.

He's right. Everything is different, now. There is no Inazuma, no Yashiro Commission. No expectations to uphold, or appearances to keep. The entire experience of her arrival has been so jarring, and - truth to tell - overwhelming.

At length, she finally holds the drink up to painted lips, and takes a sip. It's... Surprisingly sweet. She's never had a drink like this, before. ]

...It's bitter, just as I would have expected, but... sweet, too.

[ With a small smile, she looks up at Thoma. ]

Then, shall we make our way back?

[He can tell she has a lot on her mind, but the last thing he wants to do is make her think too much on it, returning her smile with a warm expression.]

Alright, let's go. Mine isn't so bitter, but it doesn't have any alcohol in it. If you'd like to try a sip of mine, feel free.

[Thoma leads her down a beautiful snowy path that shimmers under the glow of many streaks of light painted in the sky by others who are testing out their wings. He can't believe they get the chance to gaze upon such a beautiful sight such as this, looking around in wonder for a moment before turning his attention back to Ayaka.]

Are you cold, my lady? As beautiful as you are in that gown, it's not exactly the best option on a cold winter's night.

Oh, it's alright, Thoma. But it's kind of you to offer.

[ Politely, Ayaka raises a hand and shakes her head to decline. He went through all this trouble to get her drink, the least she can do is make sure she finishes it, and not take any of his. That said, however, it does have a bit more of a sting to it than the occasional (or rare, more like) sake she has had at some societal functions back home...

Much like him, she can't help but feel captivated by the sights around them. She has never traveled beyond the borders of Inazuma, and now she has traveled beyond the boundaries of Teyvat and their world entirely, to end up here... It's surreal, and frightening in many ways, but... It's also incredible. She wonders if this is how the Traveler feels, when they travel across different realms...

Thoma's question seems to pull her back out of her thoughts and into the moment. ]

I—

[ Oh. It's not as if Thoma has never called her beautiful, but it feels different, somehow. ]

You look quite handsome tonight as well, Thoma...

[ ... She looks a little surprised at herself for saying that. ]

Oh, well, thank you. I wasn't expecting for my entire outfit to change when I arrived here, but it was a nice surprise.

[It's a nice compliment to hear from her, taking another drink from his glass to give him a moment to recuperate. He can't help but want to explore that surprise on her face though, the drink already working its magic on his mind.

The housekeeper moves closer to her, as if to protect her from any biting wind that threatens to come in and make her feel uncomfortable. She didn't answer his question, so he'll keep an eye on her in case she shivers at all.]

They really did a number on yours though. You blend perfectly in with the sights and landscape, and the style is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's quite captivating, actually.

[His eyes don't seem to want to peel off of her either, though he doesn't notice this about himself. As far as he's concerned, he's speaking his mind freely, but he also wants her to feel good about it.]

[ Truthfully, she doesn't feel cold. Perhaps it's a consequence of her affinity with Cryo, but even so, there's not a chilly bone in her body even while she's wearing this gown outside. She still can't seem to bring herself to tell Thoma or even to keep a proper distance... Instead, she moves closer in turn, too, taking another drink of her cocktail in the meantime...

Thoma has always been so very kind to her, almost exceedingly so, but there's something about the warmth that blooms on her cheeks and seemingly in her heart that feels different. And not in a bad way. And while normally she might shy away from such compliments entirely, something spurs her to glance up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. ]

You have always been quite the smooth-talker, haven't you?

Haha, milady, surely you don't think I'm not being genuine?

[He can only act faux-offended for only a moment, smiling back as he responds to that, knowing that it's true that he is a bit of a brown-noser. But that makes him good at his job, and he needs to be good at it, if anything to help her and Lord Ayato in their duties.

As she moves closer, his arm slips around her shoulders, holding her closer to him. Normally he would never make such a move, but he feels a little bolder and she's made no indication that it's uncomfortable for her. There's a certain ease, a certain naturalness that comes with having Ayaka close to him.]

I like to think I'm just being honest, is all. Everyone deserves a nice compliment, don't you think? It helps lift their spirits, and you can't help but feel something warm and fuzzy inside.

[ There is something natural about the way his arm winds around her, and though she tenses for just a moment, she soon relaxes. Such a gesture would have never been this easy at home, and yet it somehow feels like... it's always been waiting to happen, perhaps. ]

I know that you're being genuine, of course. I... Did not say that I think of your charisma as something unsavory.

[ Thoma is a bit of a brown-noser. She knows that very well. But he hardly ever uses his natural charm to bring harm upon others or to say anything despicable or dishonest. He is, first and foremost, their Fixer, and that he fixes things by gaining the trust of the people and helping find solutions where they may not be immediately apparent... She... Well. ]

If anything... It's why so many people feel safe around you. I have always admired that about you.

[Thoma relaxes, Ayaka's compliment hitting him right in the heart. It's more than nice to hear that from her of all people, and the fact that she admires him for anything at all is flattering. She works so hard all the time, and if anything he's the one who admires her for everything she does for the people of Inazuma, for all the hardship she's endured after their parents died and they had to take on the role of head of the clan.]

Milady, you're too kind. I only do what I can for others, and in turn that only makes for a better relationship between them and the Kamisato clan.

[And that's what matters really at the end of the day. Everyone's happy and things get settled, right? The fixer goes for his mocktail again, drinking deeply from it until it's gone. The wind brushes against his face, and his cheeks begin to redden, though whether if it's the cold or the magic of the drink, who knows.]

I could go for another one of those. Look, we've been so busy we didn't even notice we'd arrived at the lodge. Let's go inside and hunt around and see if they've arranged anything for the guests from the party. Maybe if we're lucky there'll be more food and drink.

[He goes up to the lodge to open the door for her, playfully making a formal gesture for her to enter.]

[ Ayaka, for her part, has been steadily nursing her drink in the time that they've been walking. She's gotten more used to the bite of the alcohol by now, and surely she's beginning to feel the sort of fuzziness that it tends to bring. She won't drink anymore, tonight. It would be improper to, wouldn't it? Even though she's no longer the Shirasagi Himegimi, even though there's no Kamisato Clan or Yashiro Commission here, she can't help but fall back into old habits. She wonders if it's the same for Thoma, who continues to keep her company and support and guide her here even he could reasonably stop. He's not their housekeeper here, isn't he?

With a nod, she gracefully sweeps past him and into the lodge, continuing to be awed by everything around her. It's all so very different from Inazuma... ]

I don't think I would mind another, myself, but it would be best to have the non-alcoholic version like yours.

[ She hazards a look around, and begins to walk in the direction of some kind of... pool? ]

I would like to keep walking around, too, if that's alright with you. And to watch those lights in the sky...

[His eyes follow her as she sweeps past him, the gesture and sight bringing a sort of entranced demeanor to him- she was elegant, kind, and beautiful. Things he's always known about her, but it almost feels as if he's never had time to notice because of his duties to the clan.]

They were beautiful, weren't they, milady?

[He follow her towards the heated pool at the lodge, walking towards large glass double doors that swing open into a fancy pool area. Luckily, no one seems to have come back yet to enjoy it, and they have it to themselves for the time being. Thoma quickly surveys the area, before looking up into the sky to see the work of all the guests who had experimented with their wings.

Streaks of color paint the sky, forming gorgeous designs in every color imaginable. Thoma joins Ayaka once again at her side to point at a particular color palette left behind consisting of pastel purples and blues, with a little bit of orange mixed in.]

I still can't believe we made the night sky look like this tonight. It might even rival Nagonahara's firework show, but, don't tell them I said that.

[He says with a laugh, before his expression softens.]

I'm glad we could share this experience together, I'll remember it for as long as I live.

[ Truly, the icy peaks and the snow all around them should spell a frigid feeling, and yet between the drink, Thoma's closeness, and this warmth blossoming in her chest, she can't possibly feel cold.

Her eyes are full of the ethereal lights in the sky, and another feeling swells up within her; it truly is an otherworldly sight, one that she likely never would have gotten the chance to behold at home, rooted to Inazuma and its politics as she is. She had always made herself to be content with such a fact. She chose this life, after all, and chose to bear the clan's burdens so that her brother would not have to shoulder it all by himself. And she will forever stand by that decision.

But, sometimes, when she thinks of one of her only friends, the Traveler, she can't help but wonder what it would be like to see distant worlds. Here she is, now, with such an opportunity.

Thoma points to bring her attention to the lilacs and blues and oranges in the sky, and then speaks of Naganohara and their fireworks, and she can't help but feel that pang of loneliness she so often felt at home, coupled with the thought: will she ever see her home again?

But Thoma is here. Her gaze falls away from the sky, instead watching his face as he's looking up. Not knowing how else to express what she feels and thinks in that moment, she falls back on something more familiar, more practiced. A poem. ]

... Such green oasis
Evokes a summer feeling
On a winter’s day.

[The recital of the haiku gets Thoma to tear his gaze away from the night sky to look over to Ayaka. A simple poem, and yet says so much to him than a few syllables normally would. He can feel his own face heat with a light brush of pink, hidden only beneath the red that already as struck his face from the cold.

His hand falls over his chest as Thoma's expression softens, giving a slight nod to her.]

A beautiful and well-spoken poem, milady. I don't think there's a better way of expressing this picturesque evening we've come to enjoy together than that. It really does feel like we've come across a small, wonderful little oasis to call our own, doesn't it?

[With their own little cottages to do with as they please, a little slice of paradise where one can feel free of previous obligations and see things from a completely different perspective. When he thinks that, his eyes widen a little at Ayaka, the feeling of buzzing in his chest that wasn't there previously. He wipes the surprise off of his face almost as soon as it had shown up, afraid of the implications of what it just was that he'd felt, replacing it with a small smile.]

I've got an idea. Since this pool is heated, why don't we go inside and change, and come out to enjoy it? Would that please you?

[Then they can get more drinks too, he thinks.]

Just now, I wasn't...

[ The words die on her lips. If it had been any other evening, she may well not have began that sentence at all, but something within her spurs her into action, into words, a strange urge to act on some unspoken something between herself and the man beside her, who has been with her most every step of the way in her life, always there with a warm smile and a fierce, burning loyalty.

... It spurs her to continue. As they walk and continue enjoying the sights all around them, they arrive to the edge of the heated pool. ]

I was describing your eyes, Thoma...

[ It's spoken with the quiet strength she lends to her words as the Shirasagi Himegimi, the sort of air about it that comes when she's asserting himself as the young lady of the Kamisato Clan, a figure within the Yashiro Commission - and yet there's something almost painfully earnest about it, too, that doesn't come from the princess. Not even from the young Lady Kamisato. It comes from Ayaka.

Thoma makes his suggestion known, and yet before he can do anything like guide them away, she reaches out, fingers curling around his sleeve as she steps forward—

and slips on the fabric of her long gown. ]

[It completely goes over his head. When she reveals exactly what it was she was referring to, Thoma's face turns a deep shade of red, his eyes widening and left speechless for a couple of seconds. It was no meek declaration either, something that strikes him right at his core and he feels his breath hitch. He doesn't realize it at first, but to hear that come from her is delightful in a way that feels almost as if his feelings couldn't possibly be permitted.

And yet he stands here, in awe of his lady and someone he's always considered as a great friend saying something that he never knew he'd longed for.

Ayaka's hand moving towards him feels like it's in slow-mo, like he knows what's about to happen and the anticipation of it feels like a surreal dream that's he's having. He too, steps forward to meet her, and suddenly everything comes crashing down in an instant.

She slips, and he panics as she stumbles backwards. Thoma moves quickly, grabbing a hold of her wrist before he also steps on the silk of her gown and tumbles forward, the two of them hitting the water with a giant splash. Before he knows what's happened, his eyes open to his face buried deep into Ayaka's assets. It's too bad he won't get to appreciate it, panic building even more inside of him as he struggles to swim in his own garb that flows outward from his body.

He finally manages to grab her, to help her swim up to the surface, breaking the water as he gasps for air while making sure she's also okay...]

Milady!!!! Are you alright???

[ Indeed, everything moves so quickly. One moment, they had been enjoying the lights streaking beautifully across the sky, enjoying each other's company, and now...

Now...

Flustered and a bit panicked as she is, she cannot spare a thought to the way they collide with one another in the water either. Alas. But no sooner than she realizes what all is happening is Thoma swimming up, pulling her along with him to the surface. Likewise, she gasps for air, her arms coming up to wrap around him tightly, clinging for dear life while her legs attempt to tread water in the flowy gown she's wearing. ]

I— My apologies, Thoma, I misstepped—

[ It's only then that she opens her eyes and finds that they are... So close to one another... ]

[Oh thank goodness, she's okay. That's the most prominent issue to him right now, and he feels relief flood him to see that she was alright. Thoma begins to calm down, the incident replaying in his mind as he slowly moves them to a point in the pool where he can get his feet to touch.

She'd slipped, he slipped as well and they fell in...and...

The housekeeper feels his face begin to redden with the memory of where his face ended up underwater, and the heat of holding her against him in the water pushes its way up front and center in his mind. The contact of her arms around him sears through him in a way that covers his consciousness with a light fog, noting how nice it felt to have her here.

Thoma makes the mistake of letting his eyes fall to her lips, glistening from the water playing on them.]

N-No, it's alright, I'm...

[He blinks once, bringing his gaze back up to her, hoping that she couldn't hear his chest pounding.]

...glad you're alright.

[ Ayaka cannot hear the way his chest pounds in his chest over the thunderous beating of her own heart, stronger than even the Raiden Shogun's strongest storms, it feels like. She almost misses what he says, too, as she finds those spring green eyes of his once more and realizes where he's looking...

She unable to resist the way her own gaze trails down to his lips, in turn, even as she scrambles to say something in return. ]

Me, too, I'm... I'm glad you're... alright...

[ It feels like too much and not enough all at once, and soon enough she finds herself having to cast her gaze sidelong, fixating on the way fabric of her gown and his formalwear float and mingle together in the water around them, her lips parting ever so slightly as if to make way for words that never come out. Instead, her fingers curl around soaked fabric at his back, digging slightly into his skin. The warmth of the pool, of him, and their closeness - it's all almost too much, but a cloudiness in her mind tells her it's not enough.

She finds herself looking at his lips again, eyes hooded as she starts to lean in slowly. ]

[Never in his wildest imagination could he of placed himself here with Ayaka in a pool with her clinging to him so closely. He wouldn't let such thoughts cross his mind, knowing his place within the Kamisato clan and respecting both Ayaka and Ayato. They were close friends, sure, but at the same time there was a line he didn't dare to cross.

A line that he can feel blur, his mind having fallen completely to the spell of the drinks they'd had and Ayaka's own body language that pulls him towards her in a way that he didn't even think would or could be allowed.

Thoma really doesn't know what overcomes him in this moment, whether it be the look of longing and need on his lady's face, or his own desires bubbling to the surface. All he knows is that Ayaka seems to want the same thing he does, and the comfort of realizing that allows the housekeeper to give into the haze that tells him to indulge in himself, and her. He holds her tightly to him, his head moving to meet her own. A moment that seems to take forever, and yet doesn't seem long enough.

He finds his head tilting to the side to give himself better access, his lips slowly capturing hers in a brief and hesitant kiss. He can taste the strawberry of her drinks upon them, feeling intoxicated from that alone, feeling a need to continue growing inside of him. But the housekeeper keeps himself from indulging any further, breaking from her in what feels like far too soon to gaze back at Ayaka with heavily lidded eyes, taking in the full sight of her every feature. The curve of her cheeks, her cute nose, the gentleness of her blue eyes, her full lips that he's just caressed.]

I...that...

[It hasn't fully hit him what he'd just done, face still hovering close.]

...that was really nice, [he admits, the words falling out, desire winning out over his logic no thanks to some magic drinks. Ah, but he just kissed her, didn't he? That realization now dawns on him, and while he's sure she's not going to reprimand him for it, it's still only proper to apologize in a way.]

I hope I haven't overstepped any boundaries....

[ There are very few people in Ayaka's life whom she can truly be herself around, and even much less so are the people who have seen her at her worst. One of them is her brother, and the other is a longtime friend, a loyal keeper, and someone she greatly admired at home. He also happens to be right in front of her, holding her close to him, and plucked from Inazuman society and politics as they are... Those lines are indeed blurring, fading, only made all the more hazy by the atmosphere and the spell they're under.

How much of it is the spell? She can't help but wonder. But she is powerless to resist to lean into her longing, in this moment.

Thoma kisses her, indulging them both, and something blooms within her, something that perhaps has been waiting to bloom, but could not. But before she can bring herself to duly kiss him back, to press her lips to his in turn, the moment is over far too quickly, and Ayaka finds herself wanting to chase the feeling. ]

Thoma...

[ He's kissed her. Thoma has kissed her. Thoma, who has been such a steadying, bright force in her life for so very long. Thoma, who has helped her and her brother as much as he believes they've helped him. Thoma, who is looking at her with soft, half-lidded eyes, whose face remains intimately close, who says that was really nice.

Something comes over her, then. A decisiveness when it comes to matters of her heart which is rare to come by for Ayaka. As a public figure and a leader, she emanates an aura of strength and fortitude, the sort that rightfully commands the respect that people have for the Yashiro Commission. But as Ayaka, she is often soft, unsure, worrying. But she doesn't want to be, for this.

And so instead of answering him in words, she simply presses in again, catching his lips and kissing him more fervently than with the tentative, gentle kiss they first shared. ]

[Thoma's eyes search her own, looking for the answer to his own question in them. What he finds is the look of confidence and strength that he's always known Ayaka to have, one that she brings out when she needs to, one that he always tries to bring out of her as much as possible. Getting Ayaka to speak her mind isn't always easy, but it gladdens him and sends a genuine wave of content through him when her answer ends with a deeper, more assured kiss from his lady.

The housekeeper answers it in full, dropping his jaw to take her fully in as he kisses her fervently in return, heated by the warmth of the water and the blooming feeling in his chest that he doesn't bother to try to push down or control. Perhaps back at home, he would have to curb such feelings, but here it doesn't seem necessary, like they can just be themselves here without the worry for politics or their duties.

One hand comes up to cup her cheek as he kisses her, unwilling to break from Ayaka until he absolutely has to. Thoma's mind swims with thoughts of her, heart pounding as he holds her to catch his breath.]

Hehe...I've never seen you be this bold before, milady. Did you finally start taking my advice?

[He only teases, knowing that Ayaka is fully capable of being strong and bold when she needs to be, but he can't help it- not only is he her assistant, but also her friend too.]

[ She feels as if she scarcely knows what she's doing, a feeling she hasn't known since she was a young girl, but that which Thoma has time and time again soothed over the course of their friendship. This time is no different; she feels her hesitation melting away drop by drop when he kisses her back duly, when his hand comes to rest at her cheek in a gesture so tender and intimate that she doesn’t know what to do with herself.

When they finally pull apart by necessity, it’s just barely so. She swears that she can still feel his lips against hers when he speaks, or perhaps it’s her imagination… Though what he says does have her pulling away just a bit more, as if his words have brought the full weight of what they’ve done to bear. Ayaka shrinks back into herself, like a flower closing at night…

I don’t know what came over me, she wants to say, but her head feels hazy, and instead she mutters, quietly, ]

W-Was… Was that alright…?

[He can tell before she even says the words that hesitation and uncertainty are on her mind. Those same feelings flood into him as well, asking the same question of himself. Was it alright? The first answer that comes to his mind is yes, it was, it was more than alright. But he also has to consider all sides of the issue here too- what is Ayaka's perspective on this? She must be feeling like she might of crossed the line in some way, but Thoma is quick to reassure her that this isn't the case.]

I think it was.

[He smiles softly down at her, gently moving a strand of her hair that had stuck to the side of her face, tucking it behind her ear.]

I'm not really sure what's gotten into us tonight, but it feels like it's something I've been waiting for for a long time. We just didn't have the opportunity before, what with our duties and all. Aaaand, it might not look all that good for the Kamisato clan if you were involved with your own housekeeper...

[He gives a worried smile, but it's replaced quickly with a laugh followed by a confident smile. He wants his lady to feel comfortable, confident, and at peace with this.]

But we're not at home, are we? Those are matters we just simply don't have to fret over while we're here.

[ For Ayaka, too, this all feels like something that perhaps has been between the both of them for a long time, just waiting to happen, but never seeing the light of day. At home, there's too much that stands between them. Propriety. Responsibilities. Time. Perhaps, most of all, Ayaka herself, and her staunch commitment to serving the Yashiro Commission and thus the people of Inazuma.

But here... Here, it's different. And she listens as Thoma tells her as much and reminds her of the reasons why, by all accounts, what's happening between the two of them should not be happening. But he's also right in that they're not at home. This isn't Inazuma. She isn't a leader of the Yashiro Commission, nor is he her housekeeper...

But is that really alright...? Do they really not have to worry, here...?

She's not sure. But at the very least, she trusts that Thoma's heart is as pure as ever, and that alone is enough reason for her to feel at ease, at least in this moment. ]

... You're right. At least for tonight, we... We need not worry...

[ She leans in, and rests her head against his shoulder. ]

This is... This is nice. Thank you, Thoma.

You're very welcome, milady. I'm really glad you think so, because I think this is really nice too.

[Seeing her being able to be at peace with this is wonderful, holding Ayaka closer as he lets himself relax with her. He still really can't explain it, but this feels right, to have her here in his arms so close. In Thoma's mind, the barriers truly must have been their dealings at home, right? Maybe he's just overthinking things right now, his mind letting go of the worries and stress and coming completely under the influence of the warmth he feels from Ayaka and the effect of the drink they'd had.

He holds her for a few moments more, soaking in this feeling, but even he realizes that they would have to get out of the pool. People would be filtering in here at any time from the party, and he's sure she probably wouldn't want to be caught out here like this.]

Maybe we should think about going inside and getting changed into something dry. As nice as this is, we can't stay out here forever, and I wouldn't want you to ruin your dress.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TDM #1

yesss it she

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