in which the narration is suggestive, yet vague

[subtly_artistic]

Neckrubs become a more regular part of Bella's life. And she does not tell him to stop until she is good and done. There is hugging. There is snuggling. There is kissing. There are some impressively sappy looks from his end, some fascinated mindreading from hers. The semester wraps up, Bella goes home for a week, and she comes back (now signed up for Utility Psionics 2, Intro to Mental Healing, Arcane Defense, Intro Cognition, and her survival credit, a lecture entitled "Wilderness Triage" (subtitled: Quick And Dirty Mechanisms For Identifying The Lesser Of Several Evils).

She missed Celo! She seeks him out at once. Hugs.

Comments

[pythbox]

Celo is in the kitchen.

Hugs! Hugs and kisses. Kitchen-appropriate kisses, because that is where they are.

[subtly_artistic]

It is important to be location-appropriate. There was an Explanation about this.

I missed you. How was your intersession?

[pythbox]

It was fine, he says cheerfully. I bought a new dagger, wanna see?

[subtly_artistic]

Sure.

[pythbox]

He steps back far enough to show off his new dagger without taking an undue risk of stabbing her with it.

It's of dwarven make, a simple, clean design with a few discreet jewels set where they do the most good, the blade long and straight and sharp with a short, strong point. It looks efficient. Also expensive.

[subtly_artistic]

"Shiny. Uh, I know the city pays your tuition, but that looks shiny enough to be kinda extracurricular."

[pythbox]

"It is," he laughs, putting his shiny new toy away. "Don't worry, I paid for it. And I figured in the taxes."

[subtly_artistic]

"Yeah, how'd you do it?"

[pythbox]

"Sold my body," he shrugs. "To somebody who wanted to eat a live nymph. It was fun."

[subtly_artistic]

"...That has got to fall under blasphemy laws."

[pythbox]

"Not as far as I know!" he says cheerfully. "There's a whole business for it. I mean, nymph is pretty rare, but they've got anybody else you could want on a menu."

[subtly_artistic]

...Bella thinks about that.

Bella shudders.

[pythbox]

"Aww, sorry," he says, hugging her again.

[subtly_artistic]

"I'll be okay. I hate thinking about nasty social institutions I can't change, though."

[pythbox]

He tucks his arms around her waist and kisses her cheek. "You're a sweetheart and I love you."

[subtly_artistic]

Snuggles.

"Are you in the middle of important kitchening?"

[pythbox]

"Nah, I was just cleaning up."

[subtly_artistic]

"Let's go hang out in one of our rooms," she suggests.

[pythbox]

"Sure! Mine? Mine is snugglier," he asserts.

[subtly_artistic]

"I defer to your expertise on snuggliness."

[pythbox]

Giggling, he leads her to his room.

It is indeed very snuggly. He has extra pillows and blankets, and they have kind of taken over. (He's added a few more since she was last here.)

[subtly_artistic]

Flumph!

Bella spent much of her break practicing telekinesis - she's not much stronger than she was, but she's been playing with various common objects and knows where to apply her light taps of force to get them to behave.

She can close a well-hinged door from a flumphed position across the room, and if she really stares it down, she can latch it.

[pythbox]

"Ooh, good going," admires Celo, curling up and nestling his head on her shoulder.

[subtly_artistic]

She beams.

Then she says, "You can unsquint at me if you want."

[pythbox]

"Mmmkay," he says. He tucks his face into the side of her neck and closes his eyes and lets himself feel her, in depth, with full interpretation.