Posted by Civilian Luana Iolani Kaili (Director of Medical and Social Services) in Oed Streets - After The Opening

Posted by Civilian Sinayda Nyx (Governor’s Aid) in Oed Streets - After The Opening

Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner - Parchment and Quill Bookstore) in Oed Streets - After The Opening
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Karilan paused in their eating and thought for a moment. “I think I might look at a Torvekian lynx. A friend of my Aunt’s has had one for several decades. They are a medium sized feline that appear to be a miniaturized version of a prehistoric Earth species called ‘sabertooth tiger’. Virgil has always been very sweet to me… that is the name of my Aunt’s friend’s lynx.”

Karilan

“I’ve never heard of them,” Kaili replied and made a mental note to look them up later that evening. Or maybe at some point tomorrow depending on how this evening would continue. “I like felines,” she continued with a smile. “They are independent and yet can be very cuddly as well. Always depending on their character of course.” Glancing at Karilan again, she smiled and placed her free hand and the small of their back.

~Kaili

Karilan, eating their soup, swallowed and smiled and said “I like that.” As the waiter came by, they said “Excuse me. Would it be too much of a bother to ask for our meals to be packed to take with us?” The waiter smiled and said “Of course not, sir. I’ll tell the kitchen.” and walked back towards the back. Karilan looked at Kaili and said “I will be wholly honest with you. I am both extremely excited and absolutely petrified as to what this night may bring involving you and I. I have never had an evening like this before… in my entire life.” They took a drink of wine and then said “I am utterly fascinated by the possibilities of you.” and they smiled warmly.

Karilan

“Thank you for your honesty, Karilan,” Kaili replied in soft whisper while a smiling tenderly. “I’m both excited and nervous as well. And I promise you: I won’t do anything you don’t want to or that makes you feel uncomfortable,” she continued before eating a little more of her soup. There was something she wanted to ask, but was debating whether she should ask now or wait till they were at Karilan’s apartment. In the end she decided on now and asked in a soft whisper, “Have you been intimate with someone before?” Her thumb rubbing small, gentle circles on the small of their back, Kaili looked at them tenderly.

~Kaili

Karilan was taking a sip of wine when the question was asked and coughed in surprise and hastily covered their mouth witha napkin, but smiled.

Moving her hand up to between Karilan’s shoulder blades, Kaili asked a little concerned, “Are you okay?”

Wiping away droplets of wine, they laughed softly and said “I’m an introvert, not a shut in.” and looked at her and smiled. “‘Intimacy’ is something I have had the pleasure of experiencing in the past, yes. What about you?”

Karilan

Looking and feeling rather guilty, Kaili replied, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I thought you are a shut in or something. I’m usually better at asking all kinds of questions. I’m really sorry.” As she apologised her hand had slipped down their back again till it was resting once more on the small of their back.

Karilan pushed into the touch and set thei hand on Kaili’s leg again, a little higher than before. “You have nothing to apologize for. We are both still learning.”

For a short moment Kaili closed her eyes, the smile returning to her face, as she enjoyed Karilan’s touch. Opening her eyes again, she looked at them and said softly, “Thank you.”

“To answer your question: I’m not one for one-night-stands and such, so I haven’t been with a lot of people, but yes, I have,” Kaili replied with a nod and small smile before she continued eating a little more of her soup.

~Kaili

“Well, I am hoping that this evening doesn’t turn out to be a singular occurrence, but as we don’t know what the future holds I am trying to be… um… let us say ‘open minded’. And that in and of itself is somewhat of an oddity for me; so let us just relax, see what happens, and enjoy each other in whatever context that takes us. All right?”

Karilan

“Of course!” Kaili replied tenderly, yet with emphasis. “The last thing I want is to force anything or to do something one or both of us don’t feel comfortable doing. All I want is for us to continue enjoying our time together. Whatever that will look like,” she continued with a smile as she gently caressed Karilan’s lower back.

~Kaili

The waiter returned and set the packaged food on the table. Karilan signed for the check and then looked at Kaili. “All this technology around us, and no way for you to keep touching me like that while I and stand. And they say we are living in an ‘advanced’ time.” and then smiled and kissed her before moving to stand.

Kaili kissed Karilan back and then replied with a soft laugh, “What can I say? I like touching you.“

“Shall we?” and they held out their hand to Kaili.

Karilan

Meanwhile, back at the bookshop, Nyx purchased both the volumes Karilan had shown her and was on her way back to the building that housed the governor’s offices.

—Nyx

“Yes,“ Kaili replied as she slipped her hand in their and then let Karilan lead the way towards their apartment. The butterflies inside her seemed to be beating their wings a lot more than before as both the excitement and nervousness she felt intensified. She wasn’t usually one to go home with someone on their first date. Never with someone she had only met for the first time that say. She wasn’t afraid. Karilan was too kind and gentle to hurt her, that she was absolutely certain of. It was just something outside of her comfort zone. But that was okay.

~Kaili

They walked, hand in hand with fingers entwined together, for a few blocks passing back by the bookstore. The nervousness and anticipation they both felt was almost palpable, but it didn’t keep Karilan from stopping them more than once to steal a kiss, some more lingering than others.

They approached a tall residential building. Outside was a security gate and guard house that kept people and vehicles from approaching the building and the beautiful courtyard beyond. As they came near, a guard stepped out and nodded at them. “Good evening, Mr. Massat. Will your guest be accompanying you up, sir.?” Karilan smiled and said “Hello Henry. Yes, thank you.” The guard smiled back and said “Very good, sir. Have a good night.” and walked back inside the guard house.

As they walked close, an energy field powered down and allowed them through and into the courtyard. Tall trees and lunch landscaping covered the approach to the building. Night blooming flowers lent a subtle perfume to the air as the walked down the path and up to the building’s entry. Large glass doors slid open at their approach, and another security officer sat at a desk on the left side of the lobby. She nodded at Karilan and Kaili but didn’t say anything.

Karilan led them to the back of the lobby where two lift doors waited, but they steered them to a small almost unnoticed alcove off to the left. There, a single lift sat with a simple sign next to it: ‘Private. Karilan looked at her with a slightly concerned look and said “I want you to know before we go up. I never do this… meet someone and bring them home with me. But there is just… something… that makes you feel, well, different to me. Even… special.”

At their approach, the lift door slid open silently and Karilan ushered Kaili inside. There were only two buttons in the lift: one above the other. Karilan pressed the top one and the lift began to move… rather quickly. Karilan looked at her and smiled and said “I am so nervous my body feels like it is humming.” and they laughed. As the lift moved them up, they leaned in and gave Kaili a kiss… deep, tender, and passionate. As their tongues danced and their bodies pressed close, the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors slid open.

The doors opened directly into a very large apartment with soft white walls and a variety of furniture around the place, most likely pieces from Karilan’s collection. A small entry way with three wide steps down led to an open living room with large couches and chairs centered in the room to form a square around a low table that appeared to be made entirely of some kind of pale rose-colored crystal. To the left was a large kitchen area, and a dining area was past the kitchen and left of the living room. A hall was visible on the far right side of the living room. Floor to ceiling windows walled the entirity of the living and dining rooms, and the view was almost the entirity of the city. They were at least eighty stories up… making the building one of the tallest in the city.

“Welcome to my home.” Karilan said.

Karilan