Blue Jay Gets A Cold

[Blue Jay]

Fast asleep, Elly didn't prevent Fae from pulling her arm away or otherwise react. After a few moments, she reached out and pulled Fae's shirt to her, keeping Fae's scent in her nostrils as she dreamed.

Sickness made sleep fickle, though Elly did not fully awaken at any point. She shifted, rolling onto her back without Fae's weight to anchor her in place. Though she continued to clutch Fae's shirt close with one hand, the other pulled at her tunic, undoing a few of the toggles to allow more cool air to reach her feverish skin. Light added a soft glow to the perspiration on her skin as her chest slowly rose and fell. She lay there, splayed out, mouth still open and breath softly whistling, unaware of Fae's coming and going.

Elly dreamed of being back home, in a warm bed, the smell of yeast enfolding her. Hunger grumbled in her stomach. Someone was asking her what she thought she could keep down. "Oatcakes..." she murmured, barely intelligible. "F'me and the Ladies. Tell Wynn." Her breath snorted through her nose and her head flopped to the other side. "...play with Wrenn later."

[FaeOndoron]

As she sat back into a simple wooden chair, Fae's only wish was that it was in fact a rocking chair, and not one that felt discarded from the tavern area long ago. Most of the furniture had been a mismatched set, admittedly, and Fae hadn't minded that when the chair was mainly used for disposing of her clothes. It was fine, she thought to herself, she was still happy.

Whenever Elly made a move, Fae's eyes shifted to see her condition. She had learned how to watch over the sick from her mother's work. Part of her wished that she had taken better to that work, then she might have been better equipped. When she rolled over, Fae smiled more as her shirt followed. It had become something of a makeshift sheet, a comfort blanket, and Fae felt the warm tickle of delight in wondering if Elly had cuddled against her shirt simply because of proximity, or because her scent left on the fabric.

It was when Elly rolled and her breathing became heavy that Fae dared to move closer to her, slipping carefully onto the bed beside her. She bit her lip as the gnome undid her robe in her sleep, the soft sheen of sweat making her glow like something heavenly. And in some ways, she was, and in more ways than one. But at that moment, Fae simply committed the image to memory before taking the still cool, moist towel and delicately placing it across Elly's brow. She held her breath as she did, praying to whatever god would have her in that moment that she wouldn't rouse Elly from sleep.

'Please she looks so peaceful. Don'take that from her..'

Elly dreamed of being back home, in a warm bed, the smell of yeast enfolding her. Hunger grumbled in her stomach. Someone was asking her what she thought she could keep down. "Oatcakes..." she murmured, barely intelligible. "F'me and the Ladies. Tell Wynn." Her breath snorted through her nose and her head flopped to the other side. "...play with Wrenn later."

Fae was carefully removing herself from the bed as the sweet voice came mumbling out into the air, sighing in relief that Elly didn't seem to have woken up by any of Fae's attempts at tending to her. "Oatcakes hm?... Fae whispered, standing over the bed. It gave her an idea for later. She was positive she had everything needed to make oatcakes, and she had just picked up some fresh butter and jam from the market that morning. She wondered more about the names, however. 'Family? friends?.. she pondered as she thought about the names. Carefully, she tiptoed to her dressing area, recovering the small book she kept by her side. She flipped past pages of scribbles, notes, frantic attempts at landscapes and drawings, until she found the page she was looking for. It was mostly blank, save for a hasty scribbling: Ellywick Julia Tenena Virra Tarkleby. Underneath, the name was repeated, this time far more carefully and with more attention to making it legible, along with a note that simply said Blue Jay. Dabbing the nib of a pencil to her tongue, Fae added the two names, drawing a line along the page to separate Elly's name from the others. She hadn't decided if she would ask about them. It wouldn't be fair really, she knew. But she did still wonder and at the very least, if faces were ever put to the name, at least she would have a starting point.

Shaking her head, Fae closed the book and returned to her seat, plucking a new apple from the batch and carefully beginning to press the blade to flesh. 'Apple butter'd be good for oatcakes...don't got th'time t'make it though. Can at least get it started though later..

[Blue Jay]

It was when Elly rolled and her breathing became heavy that Fae dared to move closer to her, slipping carefully onto the bed beside her. She bit her lip as the gnome undid her robe in her sleep, the soft sheen of sweat making her glow like something heavenly. And in some ways, she was, and in more ways than one. But at that moment, Fae simply committed the image to memory before taking the still cool, moist towel and delicately placing it across Elly's brow. She held her breath as she did, praying to whatever god would have her in that moment that she wouldn't rouse Elly from sleep.

Relief alighted on Elly's brow and flowed down her body. "Thank you, Donella," she murmured. "Be safe." It's not a safe job, but I'll be careful, came the ritual reply. Every time Donella left to report for duty, they'd have that exchange. It was Elly's talisman against losing her, too. With a soft whimper, Elly pulled Fae's shirt over her face, blocking out the light and suffusing her in the comforting scent.

Shaking her head, Fae closed the book and returned to her seat, plucking a new apple from the batch and carefully beginning to press the blade to flesh. 'Apple butter'd be good for oatcakes...don't got th'time t'make it though. Can at least get it started though later..

Elly continued to mumble in her sleep, but very little of it was intelligible or coherent. There were a few, tuneless snippets of song, and mutterings about mechanisms. Most of the words (the ones that could be understood at all) were in Common, but occasionally a smidge of Gnomish would slip out. Through it all she remained on some level of sleep, every once in a while scratching at her sternum or making small adjustments for airflow.

[DrGamer]

[Redacted by the gods]

[FaeOndoron]

Fae sat back in her chair and shifted a bit to get comfortable as she faced toward Elly to keep an eye on her. Her eyebrow piqued slightly at the revelation of another name. 'Donella?..' she mused over the name. It sounded more like a name she wanted to ask about. There was something in Elly's voice that said more than 'just a family member.' Even if it was, there was a hint of something more, enough that part felt a strange bit of jealousy that Elly would say the name in her sleep instead of Fae's name. That she followed it up by nuzzling into Fae's shirt wasn't lost on her, however.

Eventually, a certain flow began to develop in Fae's motions as she kept watch. She tried to rock a bit in the stationary chair, leaning back into it, paring knife carefully sliding through apple skins that filled the room with wafts of a sweet smell. Every so often, she couldn't help but suck the juice off of her own thumb as the knife slipped out from skin and she carefully dropped the now naked fruit into a bowl of water. Every few apples, she slipped up from her chair, carefully removed the moist towel from Elly and re-soaked it, making sure it was never too wet to soak the pillow or drench her brow. Just enough to hopefully keep her cool and help the fever break. She would check over Elly's body, biting her lip if the gnome pulled her robe slightly too askew and pushing away those impure thoughts. Momma'd never forgive me if I took 'dvantage of a sick patient..' she flushed and mused, trying not to giggle. Instead, the half-elf went back to her works, and carefully tried to sound out bits of song coming from Elly until she found a tune that seemed to suit them, humming them gently to fill the room and drown out any noise that came in from the city streets below.

[Blue Jay]

A sweet smell slowly permeated Elly's consciousness. Drifting back into wakefulness, she pushed herself up into a seated position and gave a big stretch. Her arms went up and out, pulling her loosened tunic and causing it to fall off her shoulders as she dropped her arms back to the bed. She realized there was music. Did Fae wind up one of my music boxes? No, the melody isn't quite right.

Blearily, Elly turned her head and blinked sleepily at Fae. "Oh, you really did stay." She smiled, then rolled her neck and let her head drop. At which point she noticed just how much of her bare skin was on display. With a yelp, she pulled Fae's shirt—which hadn't left her hand this whole time—to her chest to cover herself. "S-sorry," she stammered. Was her fever spiking or was it just her?

[FaeOndoron]

Time went by slowly and Fae found herself almost feeling like she was dreaming herself. There was something so tranquil about the scene the two women set. At one point, Fae's eyes went dark as she called on Esgal to check on the kitchen before slipping off as quiet as a mouse to go remove the bread from the oven and drop off the apples she hand peeled. All except for a few that she brought back with her to carve into a sweet snack. She had been focused on that work when Elly began to stir like she was waking, enough that her initial yawn and stirring hadn't quite grabbed Fae's attention.

"Oh, you really did stay."

"Oh..well 'course silly.." Fae replied, her smile warm and bright as she looked over at Elly while she stretched. "Careful now sittin' up, y'-"

She smiled, then rolled her neck and let her head drop. At which point she noticed just how much of her bare skin was on display. With a yelp, she pulled Fae's shirt—which hadn't left her hand this whole time—to her chest to cover herself. "S-sorry," she stammered. Was her fever spiking or was it just her?

The smile just widened, but not in her normal teasing way. There was something softer about her face. Fae hadn't realized how such a simple task might make her slip back into domesticity. How obvious it was that perhaps this life she was leading wasn't the one she had planned. Still, that other part of her, the teasing part, giggled at Elly's embarassment, setting the cored and sliced apples down on the side of the bed and sliding back up close, "No need t'apologize lil'bird. But I did tell ya t'go ahead an'wear my shirt.." she teased, looking down at her white top clutched firmly to Elly's chest. One hand deftly slid up and cupped Elly's forehead, "mmm..feelin' any better? Think y'might be able t'keep things down?

[Blue Jay]

"Oh..well 'course silly.." Fae replied, her smile warm and bright as she looked over at Elly while she stretched. "Careful now sittin' up, y'-"

The smile just widened, but not in her normal teasing way. There was something softer about her face. Fae hadn't realized how such a simple task might make her slip back into domesticity. How obvious it was that perhaps this life she was leading wasn't the one she had planned. Still, that other part of her, the teasing part, giggled at Elly's embarassment, setting the cored and sliced apples down on the side of the bed and sliding back up close, "No need t'apologize lil'bird. But I did tell ya t'go ahead an'wear my shirt.." she teased, looking down at her white top clutched firmly to Elly's chest.

"I don't know if it would have helped all that much." Elly looked down at the shirt again. "This is very nearly the size of one of my robes." Of course, the thing about Fae's shirts was they all buttoned all the way up to the collar. Even at Elly's relative size, it would be hard to accidentally bare her chest in that. Then again, the hemline on Fae's shirt would only strike Elly mid-thigh, and the thought of what she might accidentally bare under those circumstances did nothing for her embarrassment.

One hand deftly slid up and cupped Elly's forehead, "mmm..feelin' any better? Think y'might be able t'keep things down?

"A bit hard to tell at the moment," Elly said faintly. "But my stomach feels stable enough." As Elly contemplated the way Fae's hand felt pleasantly warm against her forehead, some details about the past few moments began to assemble themselves in her mind for replay. Fae's smile, her giggle, those were not the reaction she'd had when she had accidentally walked in on her in the bath (granted, that was when they hardly knew each other). Fae had made no sudden movements that Elly had caught when she had stretched, meaning she hadn't turned away in embarrassment. Nor did she have the disinterested, clinical look of a physician checking on her patient. Had Faenoir Ondoron been ogling her, Ellywick Julia Tenena Virra Tarkleby? When was the last time someone had shown her that kind of interest? Elly's memory, so good at dredging up even the most ancient of embarrassing moments, could not call up such an incident.

"Um, Fae, just now..." she shouldn't finish that thought, but her mouth was ahead of her good sense. "...were you looking, uh, appreciatively? At me? Or am I still dreaming?"

[FaeOndoron]

"A bit hard to tell at the moment," Elly said faintly. "But my stomach feels stable enough." As Elly contemplated the way Fae's hand felt pleasantly warm against her forehead, some details about the past few moments began to assemble themselves in her mind for replay. Fae's smile, her giggle, those were not the reaction she'd had when she had accidentally walked in on her in the bath (granted, that was when they hardly knew each other). Fae had made no sudden movements that Elly had caught when she had stretched, meaning she hadn't turned away in embarrassment. Nor did she have the disinterested, clinical look of a physician checking on her patient. Had Faenoir Ondoron been ogling her, Ellywick Julia Tenena Virra Tarkleby? When was the last time someone had shown her that kind of interest? Elly's memory, so good at dredging up even the most ancient of embarrassing moments, could not call up such an incident.

"Um, Fae, just now..." she shouldn't finish that thought, but her mouth was ahead of her good sense. "...were you looking, uh, appreciatively? At me? Or am I still dreaming?"

Fae hummed to herself as she stroked her hand slowly down from Elly's forehead to her cheek. She stared intently, though still just as warmly, back as she focused on how much heat was radiating off of Elly's skin, and if it was too much. It was always a bit hard to tell, particularly since Elly's cheeks seemed permanently flushed whenever the two of them were alone. "Mm..still a little warm.." she said, with the air of commanding confidence that said she was expecting her patient to stay just where she was in bed until Fae had decided otherwise. Her tone, how she almost seemed to ignore the question lingering in the air, gave all the indications that perhaps the gnome was just still feeling delirious...

...And then, she did something bold. Her hand still close enough to stroke Elly's hair upward, Fae leaned in close and pressed her lips to Elly's forehead. Situated as they were on the bed, Fae's body had to slide in close, her chest resting close to Elly's chin as she did. Her lips were tender, soft, and slow to slip back from Elly's brow, but when they did, they had twisted into that teasing look she'd often given. "That feelin' like a dream?" she asked.

A sly wink, and she was slipping off the bed, "Wait 'ere. I think I know jus'what y'need. May take a minute so jus'lay back an'put that towel back on yer forehead if y'feelin' too hot."

[Blue Jay]

The way Fae avoided Elly's questions made her think that perhaps she had imagined or misread the situation after all. Fae was just giving her a break since she was sick and pretending she hadn't heard to save her the embarrassment. At least she still got to feel Fae's soothing hand against her face...

...And then, she did something bold. Her hand still close enough to stroke Elly's hair upward, Fae leaned in close and pressed her lips to Elly's forehead. Situated as they were on the bed, Fae's body had to slide in close, her chest resting close to Elly's chin as she did. Her lips were tender, soft, and slow to slip back from Elly's brow, but when they did, they had twisted into that teasing look she'd often given. "That feelin' like a dream?" she asked.

The sudden movement caught Elly utterly off guard. She froze, a mouse transfixed by the attention of a predator. Her hands were still occupied by covering her chest, and Fae's body effectively trapped them between them. That was just as well, because Elly wouldn't have known what to do with them. Was she supposed to touch Fae? Where? There were too many possibilities.

But the kiss, oh the kiss was marvelous. Elly was sure her head must be on fire at this point, but that was immaterial. She licked her lips, staring at Fae's collar, imagining what it might be like to undo it; just a button or two, just exposing enough skin for her lips to find purchase. As Fae slipped back, Elly leaned forward involuntarily, trying to maintain contact. "The best kind," she breathed, an utterly sincere response to a teasing question.

A sly wink, and she was slipping off the bed, "Wait 'ere. I think I know jus'what y'need. May take a minute so jus'lay back an'put that towel back on yer forehead if y'feelin' too hot."

"Okay..." Elly didn't move right away. Fae hadn't actually answered Elly's question, but it was probably better to let it drop. It was vain to fish for compliments and embarrassing to do so and not receive them.

As Fae left the room, Elly looked down again and considered the best way to reclaim some decency. "Oh Urdlen eat it," she muttered to herself, stripping off her tunic and pulling Fae's shirt over her head. An intimate gesture, but one Fae had invited, and Elly wasn't going to pretend she didn't want it. She had to roll up the sleeves pretty far, and she was careful to secure all the buttons. She also kept her breeches on. Then she retrieved the towel, re-wet it, and lack back to put it on her forehead, because she was definitely feeling too hot.