Blue Jay Gets A Cold

[FaeOndoron]

A soft hum could be heard as Fae stepped lightly down the stairs and back through the tavern into the kitchen. She had been excited by the plan - as simple as it was - ever since Elly had mumbled soft words in her sleep. She plucked the ingredients from various stores - flour, oats, sugar, salt. On a whim, she dipped her fingers into the small pouch she'd kept at her hip always - a gift from Mrs. Crenshaw before she'd left home - and added dashes of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. 'Mix, roll, chill..' she thought slowly as she crafted her treat before taking it down to the cellar for a quick cooling. In the meantime she busied herself with other prep, setting the porridge she had started while Elly slept into a stone bowl and covering it with a lid to keep it warm, collecting silverware, a glass and fresh water, and of course some sliced apples. Then Fae pursed her lips: 'Syrup..butter..maybe just plain?. Fae shook her head, that would be ridiculous. Outright criminal not to bring something to drizzle or dip. A small plate was set with some options before she removed her baking from the stone oven and slid her oatcakes into the flame.

Admittedly, she had spent more time away than she would have liked. Fae hoped that maybe Elly would have nodded off again in the meantime. She hoped more that the gnome wouldn't have decided to become her own personal seamstress and attempted to fix more holes in her wardrobe. It had been a half-hour though, and so as Fae pushed the door back open, backing in to the room using her hip to shove the door aside, she crooned apologetically "Sorry for the wait..". Her voice was sweet and soft, as though she was expecting to see Elly resting again and didn't want to wake her too abruptly.

"Oh.." she added in surprise, wry smile curling on her lips as she recognized her shirt draping loosely around Elly's shoulders. She held her tongue from saying much else, not wanting the poor girl to overheat but so badly to add 'I see y'just couldn't wait t'get int'my shirt..'

[Blue Jay]

Elly stared up at the ceiling, feeling her nerves bubble and crackle in her chest. How long was it going to take for Fae to get back? Did she have enough time to change out of her shirt? Her cheeks burned at the thought of flashing Fae again if she happened to come back just as Elly was taking off her shirt. That would be just my luck. She picked at the oil stains under her fingernails as she contemplated what kind of luck it would actually be.

It had been a half-hour though, and so as Fae pushed the door back open, backing in to the room using her hip to shove the door aside, she crooned apologetically "Sorry for the wait..". Her voice was sweet and soft, as though she was expecting to see Elly resting again and didn't want to wake her too abruptly.

"Oh.." she added in surprise, wry smile curling on her lips as she recognized her shirt draping loosely around Elly's shoulders. She held her tongue from saying much else, not wanting the poor girl to overheat but so badly to add 'I see y'just couldn't wait t'get int'my shirt..'

Elly bolted upright as Fae entered the room, catching the cloth from her forehead as it fell without thinking about it. "You kept suggesting—practically insisted—I can take it off!" Her tongue seized in her throat, which gave her nose time to report on developments.

"Is...are those oatcakes?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and her eyes were already starting to glisten.

[FaeOndoron]

Elly bolted upright as Fae entered the room, catching the cloth from her forehead as it fell without thinking about it. "You kept suggesting—practically insisted—I can take it off!" Her tongue seized in her throat, which gave her nose time to report on developments.

"Is...are those oatcakes?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and her eyes were already starting to glisten.

Fae's lips pursed to avoid laughing hysterically as she looked across her room to where Elly clutched the wet towel against the off-white fabric of her shirt. The water soaked through a bit, causing one eyebrow to perk up as well, "Le's wait till after yer feelin' better t'think 'bout strippin' off shirts in my bed.." She had to giggle a bit as she teased.

Standing up straight, Fae angled her chin up proudly as she lifted the old tavern's serving platter up and made her way toward the bed. "Yep~" she chirped just as proudly. She set the platter down on the bed, sliding to the opposite side of it and across from Elly, "I brought a few thing's jus'in case y'weren't feelin' up t'anythin' heavy." She smiled a bit more as she stared down at the glint of light in Elly's eyes as the oatcakes came closer, filling the warming room around them with scents of fall spices, honey, and oat "I didn' know if ye'd like butter 'er honey 'er syrup. I got this here from Fela th'other day.." she said, gesturing to the honeycomb.

"I heard y'whisperin about oatcakes in yer sleep.." she added with a whisper, looking away from Elly's eyes with a sudden worry that she might be chastised for eavesdropping, "did y'know you talk in yer sleep?"

[Blue Jay]

Elly's lips worked but no sound came out, her throat clenched with emotion and parts of her brain running around in circles and colliding with each other between Fae's teasing—the way her giggling made Elly shiver and clench the towel harder, causing more water to sleep out onto the shirt she was wearing—and the heady blend of emotions unlocked by the smell of fresh oatcakes.

She hadn't thought about it in years and it never occurred to her to make them for herself, but those oatcakes smelled like comfort, like having a family that cared for her, like home. Elly blinked and a tear escaped her eye to run down her cheek. Could it have been coincidence that Fae made those for her? "How—"

"I heard y'whisperin about oatcakes in yer sleep.." she added with a whisper, looking away from Elly's eyes with a sudden worry that she might be chastised for eavesdropping, "did y'know you talk in yer sleep?"

"Who would have told me?" was the first thing that came out of Elly's mouth before she had time to think. "Sorry, I don't mean to be churlish." She dabbed at her eyes with the towel, which was limited in its effectiveness considering it was still damp. "Maybe one of my siblings said something..."

Elly's nose crackled as she took in a deep breath, then wiped it with the towel. "When I was a girl, my sister would make me oatcakes when I was feeling sick and she didn't want to take chances on what I could keep down." She looked down at the platter. "Um, honey sounds nice."

Having cleared up some of the things that demanded a response, Elly had space to consider some of the implications. "Did...did you hear me say anything else?"

[FaeOndoron]

"Who would have told me?" was the first thing that came out of Elly's mouth before she had time to think. "Sorry, I don't mean to be churlish." She dabbed at her eyes with the towel, which was limited in its effectiveness considering it was still damp. "Maybe one of my siblings said something..."

Elly's nose crackled as she took in a deep breath, then wiped it with the towel. "When I was a girl, my sister would make me oatcakes when I was feeling sick and she didn't want to take chances on what I could keep down." She looked down at the platter. "Um, honey sounds nice."

Having cleared up some of the things that demanded a response, Elly had space to consider some of the implications. "Did...did you hear me say anything else?"

Fae resisted the urge to frown as she listened to Elly's explanation, pushing her lips up instead and nodding her head in understanding. "Guess that's true. S'like I'm sure folks don't realize they're snorers' till they share a bed with someone..'er a room. Hate common rooms at inn's fer that reason exactly"

"Mmmmm..." Fae moaned contemplatively at the probing question, looking up at the wood beams in the ceiling and tapping a finger to her chin, "Somethin' 'bout how we couldn't possibly both sleep'in th'same bedroll.." She said it so sweetly, so matter-of-factly that a normal person might perfectly believe that Fae seriously had herd Elly talk about them sleeping together as she dreamed. Of course, Fae knew that Elly was too smart for her teasing lies. Maybe her more serious lies would still hold water, but even those felt paper thin when it came to Elly's scrutiny. So instead after a brief moment where she stared back at Elly with the most amount of earnest she could muster: she just smiled, snorted a bit of air as she looked back at the damp spot in her shirt that teased the rich brown skin of Elly's chest underneath before looking down at her oatcakes and assorted condiments.

"Mostly jus' names though, I figure family. Talkin' a'playin' an'stayin' safe an' such" she mulled as she placed one of her cakes on a small plate along with a bit of honey before passing it over, "Hope mine 'er as good as yer sister's though.." she added, her voice perking up in anticipation of Elly's first bite.

[Blue Jay]

Elly was going to burst into flames; the only question was whether the fire was going to start in her cheeks or her hips. Fae was only teasing her. She knew that, but the very thought of it and the way Fae moaned had her beside herself. Elly buried her face in the towel. "You're going to be the death of me, you know," came her muffled voice through the damp cloth. It was a ridiculous premise anyway, considering she only ever dreamed of home.

Groaning anew, Elly pictured what a farce it would be if she did have that kind of dream about Fae set in her family's house. Trying to cram her into her gnome-sized bed while desperately whispering "Hurry, love, before my cousins and aunties and uncles and other relations return and start shouting advice through the walls and pounding on the ceiling." Lords and Ladies of all the Golden Hills preserve her from that.

Enough of that, she told herself. Think of wheel bearings and cogs and springs and...and oatcakes. She was hungry, come to think of it, and Fae had gone through so much trouble to make something just for her. With a deep breath, she lowered the towel and accepted the proffered plate. The oatcake was still warm causing the honey to flow over it lushly and drip off the sides. The bite was crisp, and as the cake crumbled into her mouth it stuck pleasantly to her palate with a nutty sweetness that had her moaning. "Iff puhffehk."

[FaeOndoron]

Elly was going to burst into flames; the only question was whether the fire was going to start in her cheeks or her hips. Fae was only teasing her. She knew that, but the very thought of it and the way Fae moaned had her beside herself. Elly buried her face in the towel. "You're going to be the death of me, you know," came her muffled voice through the damp cloth. It was a ridiculous premise anyway, considering she only ever dreamed of home.

Groaning anew, Elly pictured what a farce it would be if she did have that kind of dream about Fae set in her family's house. Trying to cram her into her gnome-sized bed while desperately whispering "Hurry, love, before my cousins and aunties and uncles and other relations return and start shouting advice through the walls and pounding on the ceiling." Lords and Ladies of all the Golden Hills preserve her from that.

"I'll try to make it slow and pleasant then. Over long long years." Fae responded to the comment. She swallowed a bit, still feeling that strange lump of nervousness in her own throat when she became overly affectionate or sentimental, still noting how her heart sometimes hurt at the idea of loving and being loved. But she enjoyed the feeling nonetheless. It made her smile.

Fae's smile may have been as bright as the sun itself coming in from the window as she watched Elly break and hide her face, groan as her teasing comment caused such a shock of embarrassment. She had to know Fae was lying. But somehow it didn't matter, the result was the same. At the same time, Fae started wondering just how far Elly's mind traveled when Fae made her little jokes. Her teeth bit across her lower lip, canine plucking across the edge as her legs shifted slightly against the edge of the bed.

Enough of that, she told herself. Think of wheel bearings and cogs and springs and...and oatcakes. She was hungry, come to think of it, and Fae had gone through so much trouble to make something just for her. With a deep breath, she lowered the towel and accepted the proffered plate. The oatcake was still warm causing the honey to flow over it lushly and drip off the sides. The bite was crisp, and as the cake crumbled into her mouth it stuck pleasantly to her palate with a nutty sweetness that had her moaning. "Iff puhffehk."

Crumbs peppered across Elly's lips, her tongue carefully slipping out to scoop them in in the moment after her first bite and the moan that escaped her lips. All but one little oat, suck to the corner by honey. Without much thought aside from the joy of seeing someone enjoy her baking so much, Fae leaned forward and ran her finger carefully along Elly's cheek and lip, scooping the little morsel away and sticking it into her mouth to clean it off. She mewled, nodding her head, "mm..ain't bad fer guessin' on my spices.." she said boastfully, her index finger releasing from her lip with a wet little pop before she reached for her own cake, slathered in butter and taking her first bite.

[Blue Jay]

Crumbs peppered across Elly's lips, her tongue carefully slipping out to scoop them in in the moment after her first bite and the moan that escaped her lips. All but one little oat, suck to the corner by honey. Without much thought aside from the joy of seeing someone enjoy her baking so much, Fae leaned forward and ran her finger carefully along Elly's cheek and lip, scooping the little morsel away and sticking it into her mouth to clean it off. She mewled, nodding her head, "mm..ain't bad fer guessin' on my spices.." she said boastfully, her index finger releasing from her lip with a wet little pop before she reached for her own cake, slathered in butter and taking her first bite.

Lost in the flavor of the oatcake, Elly hadn't really being paying attention to deportment or anything within shouting distance of it, at least until Fae reached for her face. The scrape of Fae's fingertip and the slight stick of the honey tingled against the corner of her mouth. She licked her lips again, absently, as Fae deposited that finger in her own mouth with a pleasurable noise, the pop of her finger resounding in Elly's ears. Even when she's not trying, she's still teasing me. Fae's lips glistened with melted butter from her own oatcake, and Elly wished she could be similarly bold with touching Fae back.

Why did this have to happen while I'm sick, she bemoaned inwardly as she continued to eat her oatcake, trying to convince herself that if she wasn't, she would be making a move to kiss Fae right now. The real question is, why did you have to be sick for this to happen? She had fought almost tooth and nail to prevent this, after all, and had only succumbed because she was truly too sick to keep Fae from having to take care of her. What is wrong with me? Why am I such a coward? The eternal questions of her existence.

As she took the last bites of her oatcake, she noticed a bead of honey had dripped onto her wrist. She stuck it in her mouth to dissolve it while pondering her deficiencies.