Gaining confidence

We step into the bathhouse and Quinara gets us a table, the workers patrol along trying to attract customers women and men of all shapes and sizes in various states of undress saunter among the patrons. "Ok runt this is your big day, you pick whatever girl you fancy, or guy if you swing that way too I'm not judging. We have the gold for it" Quinara says encouraging me it was almost sweet how supportive she was but that still didn't change my mood.

Quinara points out workers for me, elven beauties with lithe bodies, humans of all shapes and sizes and plenty of dwarven women with huge tits, they were all stunning but they all had one major flaw, they weren't Quinara. We do this repeat in which Quinara would point out someone for me to not express interest before she gets frustrated "ok runt what's the deal? You've turned down literally everyone I have pointed out" instantly I'm on the back foot, fuck how do I explain this I think "er I, I" I stammer in response. Suddenly realisation dawns on Quinara "of course you're nervous" she says assuming my refusal so far had been from nerves rather than my current infatuation with her, "uh yeah that's it" I say not wanting to explain it further, "hold on I have just the solution" she announces getting up.

Quinara returns with two large tankards filled with frothy beer, "here get some of this liquid confidence down you" she says cheerily grabbing a tankard for herself and taking a hearty gulp. Normally I would decline such an offer but her words of liquid confidence gave me an idea a bad idea but an idea, if I drank enough I might build enough confidence to tell her how I feel. I begin to drink down the beer, Quinara smiles "gods I needed this... Tell you what runt, I'll stop pointing out people just when you're confident and see someone you like go for it" She encourages before drinking down the rest of her drink.

I go round for round with Quinara as we drink, well she drinks two tankards for every one I sink but I was not a seasoned drinker in the same way she was. Honestly I was having a far better time just drinking with Quinara compared to what we came here for, so much so that I quickly sailed past the point where I would be able to actually fuck as I was thoroughly drunk. Quinara despite having double my **** was far more put together than I was, it was clear she was not a lightweight by any stretch.

As we're drinking a group of rowdy men stagger in likely having drank in a tavern before heading here, they scan the room before one locks eyes on Quinara, he nudges his friends to look our way before loudly announcing "I thought they usually mounted beasts on the walls, not let them drink" to a roar of laughter from his friends. I see Quinara's jaw clench at the comment but she maintains her cool, not wanting to start a fight while we're on the run. This only goads more mocking remarks from the men "she must have to pay a premium here am I right?" One says igniting more laughter from them "I don't know I think if you cover her face or hit it from the back you might be able to pretend", the atmosphere is honestly the most heartbreaking thing to me they came in started hurling insults and the entire room hadn't changed. The workers not willing to turn away paying customers and the other patrons uncaring or worse still having a soft laugh at Quinara's expense. I can see rage in her eyes but it's hidden under a mask of resignation, she wants to fight but she understands that she can't.

Seeing her just take this **** ignites a fire in me, if no one else was going to stand up for her I would. Quinara was right about it being liquid confidence, I hop off my chair staggering slightly "HEY LEAVE HER ALONE!" I half-slur yelling at the men this causes a few of them to laugh "oh look the monsters pet has something to say" the ringleader says. "She not have you on a leash" one of the men jabs, "fuck you. You pricks feel good attacking someone minding their business", the men laugh again "ooh he's getting defensive" one jokes, "what's got you so worked up", "maybe he's fucking that monster" the men continue. "I wish" I say back to the men, causing them to erupt in even more laughter, "no fucking way. He's serious, he wants to fuck that monster" it seemed as though the **** had allowed me to confess my feelings about Quinara in a way. "She's not a monster. She's the best thing to ever happen to me, I owe her my life. She's an incredible woman, better than all of you combined" I spit back at them much to their amusement. I prepare to fire off a new volley of praise for Quinara, to fight back against their cruelty but I feel a strong hand on my shoulder yank me towards the exit, "we're leaving runt" she says hurrying me out of the bathhouse.

Once outside in the night air I expect her to stop but she keeps going moving me at a hurried pace towards our accommodation. "H-hey I only wanted to help" I state wondering what the urgency was, and why she had hurriedly made us leave, "I know runt, let's just get back and we'll talk about this". I internally berate myself for being so brazen when expressing how I feel for her.