Help around the shop

Despite Kasumi's insistence that you rest, you feel obligated to help around the shop. It just doesn't feel right to do nothing after she helped you like this. You go through the door to the shop, and find yourself to the left of Kasumi. She gives you a surprised glance as you close the door behind you "Need something, or do you just miss me already?" she asks coyly.

"Nothing like that", you reply "I just wanted to help out in some way. I can't just sit around while my host is out working. Please, give me something to do"

Her brow furrows "I told you to stay off your feet for a reason. Your ankle needs to heal, and those talismans can only do so much. I'll definitely need to reapply them if you help out in the front. I guess I can oblige you. Most of my tinctures start with a base solution. Go in the back and grab some for me while I prepare some ingredients. It should be a pale blue liquid in a vial on the third shelf back" she points to a door to her right "Bring me three vials for now"

You go through the door Kasumi indicated, and find yourself in darkness for a moment before several blue flames spring to life above the shelves casting a soft blue light around the room. You go back a few shelves to the one indicated by Kasumi, and scan for the solution. You scan upward, and see vials of a scarlet liquid, an inky black substance, and a faintly glowing yellow liquid. Your eyes finally settle on the pale blue solution you were looking for, a bit above your head. You reach for the vials, and feel a bit of pain in your ankle. Nothing major, but enough to make you flinch. Pushing through it, you grab three vials of the solution, and begin making your way back to the front of the store. Kasumi smiles as you emerge. "I hope you found everything alright" she says warmly.

You consider telling her about your ankle, but think better of it, lest she order you bed. You wonder how she reached the shelves normally, and it strikes you just how tall Kasumi is. She's as tall as you are, perhaps even an inch taller. You were never particularly tall, but your decidedly average height left you taller than the vast majority of women, to the point that her height greatly surprised you. "Hello? John? You didn't inhale any fumes in there did you? Kasumi's trademark smile is replaced with a look of concern

"I'm fine, I just zoned out for a second. I found everything just fine. I appreciate your concern though." Kasumi's smile returns, and she turns back to her reagents.

"If you're still feeling up to it, come help me here" he she requests, holding out a mortar and pestle "It's always nice to have an extra hand for this" You take it from her, and begin grinding up the herb in it. You grind it up to the best if your ability, but fail to do so fully "Here, like this" Kasumi comes up behind you, placing her hands over yours. She guides your hand, and corrects your form with the pestle "See?" She whispers in your ear "A nice circular motion, like this" You tremble slightly as she guides you. Such close contact with such a beautiful woman puts you slightly on edge. You feel yourself get a little hard as her breasts push against your back, rubbing on it as she continues to exaggerate the movements of her grinding for your benefit. As Kasumi helps you grind up the herb properly, you feel something press up against your ass. You're confused, wondering what it could be. A though crosses your mind, but you discard it immediately. Kasumi's a woman, it can't be a dick pressing up against you. Before you can pursue that line of thought any further, Kasumi pulls away from you, giving you control of the pestle again. "Get it now?" She asks. You don't really, you were quite distracted by her body pressing up against you. You nod anyway, hoping the little attention that you could direct at the pestle and mortar was enough for you to get the idea. You continue with a new batch of herb, and Kasumi seems satisfied with the work. You continue working with Kasumi in companionable silence for another hour. On occasion, you feel a twinge in your ankle, but you ignore it. Kasumi begins to heat one of the mixtures with a small blue flame, bubbles rising in the liquid as it turns from a pale pink to a deep red. It looks similar to one of the vials you saw in the storage room. "John, I need you to do one more thing for me. Please, put this on the shelf next to the other potions like it. It should be on the same rack as the base solution. I can't have you on your feet any more than that today"

You nod, and head back into the storage room. You close the door behind you, and feel another twinge in your ankle, much worse than the others you'd endured. Powering through, you take another step, and even worse pain shoots through your ankle.