Completed Cha-ching! [Bazaar] (Garland)

[Sayana]

When the squire mentioned the spa or “bathhouse” an amused expression crossed her face. But she waited as he listed and described the other options. The sea was pretty, but nicer in the summer. Besides, she was more used to the ocean that was only a good walk from the heart of Ahnatep, where the waters were always warm. Kova’s wishing well… perhaps, but not the stone gardens if he found them boring.

“A bathhouse… is a bathhouse,” she agreed supressing a chuckle but not hiding her mocking tone. “And if you wanted another kiss, you could have just asked. Though maybe you wanted to see me all steamy with water running down my smooth skin and no fabric to block your view.” She teased and this time she did let out a laugh. “I’m sorry,” she said still chuckling. “Maybe I shouldn’t tease you so much. Have you had much experience with women? Come here and I can make it up to you.” She moved a little away from the crowd and gestured with her free mid hand for him to come close.

[Garland]

He blushed as she started talking about kissing and adding a bit more detail to her... Intimate bathing experience. He rolled his eyes, trying to look more annoyed than flustered, but it was not working. Anybody with a pair of eyes, or in some cases just one, could see he was very embarrased. "It-its not like that!" He said a bit loudly, it did attract a few stares here and there, but mostly they lost interest quite quickly.

He rubbed his face, trying to remove the blush from it. "No, I do not have much experience with women, unless you count getting attacked by a Yukman while I was helping a girl out in the woods, a hot blooded fist fight, camping with one in the woods, spending a good portion of a day trying to learn how to shoot a bow on horse back, and meeting one late at night after a gig she performed. No I do not have much experience with girls in a relationship sort of way." He said before following her towards a more discrete location, probably a trap for a prank or something. He would expect that much.

[Sayana]

Sayana couldn’t help but smile at his discomfort. Frankly she found it entertaining. And if his long list of activities with women didn’t confirm his inexperience, his behaviour certainly did. Though she was mildly surprised that not one of those activities resulted in anything, like camping in the woods for example. She pulled him gently away from the crowd and stopped not too far from it. She squeezed his hand tenderly and slowly reached up with her free mid hand to cup his cheek. “This is how your first kiss should have gone,” she said quietly and pressed her lips softly but purposefully to his. She let the kiss deepen and parted her lips slightly. Then she broke it and looked into his eyes. “That’s the least I can do for what happened that other night. It was… reactive. I was going on instinct and past experiences.”

She took a slight step back, fairly sure he’d respond positively but not wanting to assume that decision for him. It was an apology of sorts, but she also wanted to impart good memories rather than purely embarrassment from her relentless teasing.

[Garland]

Each of those moments had never been like this, she was so touchy, he's not sure if she's trying to flirt with him because she likes him or if she's trying to flirt with him because she finds him entertaining. He was surprised to say the least when she cupped her hand on his cheek.

“This is how your first kiss should have gone,”

She planted her lips on his, it was a much more... Felt. More sincere than the first time, the surprise was there, but deep inside he knew that this was coming. He felt something inside him, something he felt only once or twice in his life. Was it love? Or was it lust? He couldn't tell, but all he wanted to spend a bit more time with her.

When they parted lips, his blush was evident on his face. He didn't know what to do, but instinct told him to just go, go to the bathhouse and get this meeting over with.

But instead he placed his hand on her cheek, and planted his own kiss on her, it was a bit sloppy but it could have passed for a first kiss. "Like that?" He asked as soon as they parted lips. "Oh... Uhhh... We should go." He blushed, Turing away his head from her.

He looked at the direction of the bathhouse, he was still on the fence about it, but it seemed like the best place to go for them.

[Sayana]

She smiled as he moved to give her a kiss of his own, and met it with her soft lips. It was a little sloppy but she didn’t mind. One tends to get better with practice. ”Like that?” he asked, and she responded with a smile and a nod. He still couldn’t keep those blushes off his face, which was rather charming in of itself. She ran a hand gently down the front of his chest. She had missed company - the closeness, the warmth.

At his comment and anxious look to get going she asked, “Is your heart still set on that bathhouse? I thought that kind of a place was public and you’d be bathing with a bunch of men. Or bathing with everyone. I forget how it works here.” Even if he did know of somewhere more private, she was reluctant to go. Kisses were one thing, but to undress and be in an intimate space like that… she didn’t want him to think she was in love with him. It was only with clients that she progressed at a fast clip. And even then, she slowed the pace considerably for those with minimal experience. “Is there some place to stop along the way? Somewhere secluded to sit, and preferably not too chilly?” She asked, trying to think of an alternative or at least so he wasn’t running blindly to the bathhouse.

[Garland]

"Hmm? Well we could rent a private bath if you don't feel comfortable bathing with everyone else..." He hoped that it wouldn't have to come to that. He was already awkward with her, he didn't need this. He needed some way to prolong their appointment with the bathhouse.

When she asked for some other place to go. The only other place he could think of was The Bean. "We could go to The Bean, its a coffee shop near here..." Was she avoiding the bathhouse as well? If so, was she avoiding him sort of? He didn't need to think about that right now. The bean might be a good place to stop before the steamy, relaxing bathhouse. He had not been there when he was younger, mostly because he didn't need to. But since he joined the knights, the days just seem much longer.

[Sayana]

She smiled at his suggestion. “Yes, the Bean would do just fine.” She gave his hand another gentle squeeze and started to head off in the general direction of the Bean. She’d been there before, but it had been a while and she only knew its vague location. “I heard that there are also massages at the bathhouse,” Sayana said trying to get the conversation going again. “I’ve had a massage by a trained Eypharian, just once mind you, and it was to die for. With each hand working on you in perfect combination…” She let out a shiver of pleasure from the memory. “I can try, but I don’t think I’d ever be that good. But I had other ways to repay him. He was a good client.”

As the crowd began to thin, the Eypharian moved closer to him as they walked so their sides were lightly in contact. She also placed her high hand gently on his far shoulder to half embrace him (or provide an armrest). “I’m surprised you never did much playing around. But then again, I started young.” She fondly remembered most of her memories, though a few were stained. It was only the journey last summer/spring that had really shaken her, but she tried not to think about it.

[Garland]

"You must have some very... Interesting stories." He smiled, as she place one of her arms around her shoulder. Being with someone while its so cold outside was nice. They was making their way towards The Bean, or at least towards its general direction. "I would like to have six arms massaging my back. Hmmm... " He thought about Sayana giving him a little massage, it made him blush.

"Anyway, I would like to know more about where you came from, your family, and etcetera." He squeezed her hand a bit more, her hand felt warm against his own. It felt really nice, and warm. Hopefully she thought the same. Now that he thought about it, he had never hugged anyone before either. H wasn't really close to anyone when he was younger.

[Sayana]

“We’ll see about a massage. Maybe the bathhouse is willing to lend out some oils.” Sayana replied to comment. She had no formal training, but one can still mimic the motions to make someone feel good and relaxed.

“Ahnatep is quite the delight. And it does have this… chill,” she said and managed to keep any curse words off her lips in describing said ‘chill’. “My parents are of common birth but they wanted to climb to a higher status, particularly my father who is a trader. I didn’t care too much about it and as a child I’d even play with the palace slaves.” She let out a slight chuckle remembering those times. “It infuriated my father to no end, but he rarely actually told me off. But they’ve got Karu now. She’s my perfect little sister who reads and studies and does up her face and hair all pretty.” There may have been a hint of envy in her voice but for the most part Sayana was relieved not to follow the traditions to a tee, and that she’d know her family was happy while she lived her own life.

“Stories, I have lots of those,” Sayana said with a smile. “Like my first dance performance. It was a rather unsavory place and my auntie had strongly encouraged me to incorporate some of my knife practice into the dance. Looking back, it was quite smart of her because at 13 I didn’t really know what I was getting into, just that I loved the dance and I loved the attention. At first the owner of the place wouldn’t let me but I promised I wouldn’t need any coin – just what customers gave to me personally. I got a few silvers and maybe a gold. I can’t quite remember. But I also got a rather sloppy kiss on the cheek from a drunken man. The knife helped encourage him that I was more fun to watch than touch.”

[Garland]

Garland gave a small smile at this. "I would have liked to have seen your first dance." He looked down to her chest, blushing a bit. "It is really hard to imagin you as a child..." She just seemed so... Flirty and... Well 'guilty'? She was just like a complete opposite of a child. She was so touchy, revealing, flirty, and open, unlike a child.

They were making their way towards the Bean, the smell of hot coffee and tea floated around the air. "I would have loved to see your parents' faces when you defied them for the first time." They made their way into the Bean, he waved to Jovel, and took a seat. He got back up and pulled Sayana's seat, offering her the seat, he then quickly returned to his seat. "I wish I had a family. Must be a handful though. Oh! Ummm Who's Karu? Your sister? Was she as close to your aunt as you were?"

He ordered some coffee for himself. "Should I pay? I mean it was my idea coming here." There was only a few people here. The old couple he always noticed to be here, a few silent introverted costumers here and there, and a few people chatting with their friends. The air was starting to get chilly, but the building pretty much blocked the wind, and the coffee would probably warm them up.