Agree, eagerly.

“Some, me included, would marry you for a fuck like that every day,” I say, the question of a date making my heart race. “Of fucking course I’ll have dinner with you, you hot piece of ass.” I giggle, the compliment feeling a bit odd coming from my mouth.

Ari does that deep hum again before speaking, “good, you’ll have to stop by on the day then, let’s say…” She paused, her eyes darting to the side for a moment. “…Around sunset? I’ll organise everything else for us. Is there anything you don’t eat?” She asked, those eyes meeting mine, a fluttering anticipation behind them.

Meeting the question with a shake of my head, I confirm the date aloud, “sunset overmorrow, to any place ya pick.” That fits perfectly into my plans, but I am slightly anxious about where we’d go. If she is a noble like it seems, I doubt she’ll take anything less than a prim and proper restaurant. “Wait, are you planning anything fancy? Because I uh… Don’t own a gown…” I say awkwardly, not really sure how Ari will react.

Ari lifts her head to hold a full smile at that, “Oh, well, since you’re so agreeable, I think I’ll have something ready for you. After all, I’ve still got another gown to make, and I can use it as a test for an idea… “she trailed off. I think I got lost in her face as she spoke. The way she was passionately talking about her craft reminded me of someone dear. A light in her eyes that you’d only have seen in equally passionate children.

Ari was still talking, but had snuck a hand upwards, breaking me out of the trance. Just as the hand was nearing my face, one finger headed to boop me, I stuck my tongue out at the digit nearing my nose. Looking a little surprised and cheated, Ari asked her previously unheard question again, “you looked a little out of it there, that aside, do you have a favourite colour my dear?”

It took me a moment to realise that it was for the gown, answering, “Oh, um, yes, I’ve always liked the idea of wearing something green. I’m so used to wearing brown leathers that I almost forget other clothing exists…” A tinge of regret in my voice. I wonder if I could get my clothes made in a nicer colour?

Ari, already ahead of me, confidently responds, “Green sounds nice dear, it will compliment you nicely. I’ll decorate your shirts and hoods a while I have the opportunity as well. A girl has to look her best in the city, and you, my dear Itu, are talking to this city’s fashion expert. That said, you wear your leathers fashionably as is, so don’t give up on them anytime soon.”

Nodding, I take mental note of the advice, remembering the tunic sitting on the floor where Ari had placed it. Thinking about it more, I don’t remember my family ever really having much passion for our clothing. It’s always been leathers or basic garbs of some variant of brown. Then again, everything always seems to find a way to get torn or stained in our chaotic household.

Suddenly, the head that was resting on my chest rose, taking with it the warmth and softness of the dragoness, who stretched with a somewhat stifled yawn. It seemed like it was time to go. Pleased with how the day had turned out so far, we both stood from the couch.

“Ugh, the dressing is my least favourite part, I always have to find where I left my clothes…” I complained.

Ari, being in her workshop, in her building, didn’t suffer such a problem, opting to hum in amusement. I walked to collect my pants, before realising I was missing my underwear anyway. Turning around, it hit me directly in the face, followed by a quick giggle as Ari looked away, her jiggling tits unable to let me be even jokingly angry. Sighing amusedly, I put on my underwear and pants, while Ari sauntered to a closet on the other side of the octagonal dividers. She had pulled out a decorated shirt and replaced her panties, tossing them over the divider and almost hitting me in the head again. Was she aiming for me then too? Such a tease.

Ari returned to me as I was about to start wrapping my chest up, a folded strip of grey fabric, about the same width of my bandages, held between her hands. Offering the fabric to me, I picked it up while Ari explained what it was, undergarment fabric. Unfolding it, I found that the wrapping had splits and eyelets at the ends, and a simple length of string to keep it easy to tie up rather than using a pin.

“I can’t just let you go with those rough bandages, they’re far too uncomfortable!” she exclaimed, helping me with the wrappings, and handing me the tunic to go above it.

Fully dressed, the tunic felt slightly more snug than normal as I refastened the last of the clasps, the extra softness of the wrappings likely being at fault. Smiling at Ari, I spoke to her softly while she remained standing in front of me, “Thank you Ari, feels much more comfortable indeed…” The awkwardness took hold in the moment, and I wasn’t really sure what else to say, not wanting to leave at all. Ari however, knew exactly what to say.

“It’s no problem dear, I think I’d do just about anything for you right now. It’s a shame I can’t keep you longer, but, business is what it wills itself to be…” She said, the heartfulness clear in her tone. She touched my cheek at that, leaning down majestically for a kiss. Almost disappointingly, it broke quickly, and I was walking towards the door, leaving Ari to her work and dreading the walk back.

-

Arriving back at the Inn for the day, I was barely two steps in the door, when the innkeeper’s wife called at me, mentioning a bath. I had almost forgotten the promise entirely, immediately looking forward to it. A bath would be perfect to wash away everything from earlier, and if her family’s stories were anything to go by, a city bath was heated too…

Approaching her, she directed me up the steps to the rooms, and then down the way to a set of downward sloping stairs. They turned a couple corners before opening out into a large room with a smoothed out stone pit in the middle. It was big enough to hold at least 10 people around the edges, like a small pond used exclusively for bathing. Steam drifted across the surface and a flowery scent lightly touched the air. It was something from a dream.

It took barely a few seconds for the Innkeeper to leave the room, motioning to the shelf with some useful things on it and smiling warmly, “help yourself and enjoy.” She said. She was barely a few steps from the door as I started undressing, unfortunately, this time without the help of a hot dragonkin. My tunic on the floor, I neatly sat the wrappings Ari had given me atop the rest of my clothes at the edge of the bath.

One toe tested the perfectly warm waters, just under hot but enough to relax into, and I let myself down onto the first step. Feet, calves, thighs, tail, each step let more of my body submerge, deep enough that I could swim in the bath if I tried. It was of course built for more than just tiny kobolds like myself, the seat around the rim being different heights in different areas.

Wanting to fully indulge in this opportunity, I chose a spot near the edge where I could sit and let only my head be above water. My body was encompassed by the warmth entirely, like being wrapped in a blanket of watery sunlight, the rays of which penetrated to my core and soaked into me. Resting my head on the stone rim, I stared up to see the pipe that had brought in the water. A wonder of this city was that it had running water, unlike my home. If it wasn’t for that, then I’d never had a bath as good as this.

With my back facing the entryway, and my eyes on the ceiling, I was in a state of bliss not too far from what Ari and I had been involved in not too long ago. The relaxation was making me tired, my eyes drifting shut for a moment while I reveled in the feeling. When I opened them, a familiar green face was staring down at me, two prominent tusks showing in her smile.

“You feel good, yes? I join you.” Eekaa said, her hands already undoing her loincloth, not that it was hiding anything from this angle. Tossing it aside, she stepped into the bath next to me, starting on the covering at her chest too. The waves from her drop lapped at my chin, threatening to find my mouth if I started speaking.

Lifting myself up a little, I spoke, surprised to see the orc still here, “Hey Eekaa, decided to stay for a bath too? It’s pretty damn nice in here.”

She agreed with a hum, her fingers loosening the top fully and tossing it aside, closing her eyes for the next bit. “Ohh, nice…” The orc moaned, settling into the water properly, sinking into a position next to me, where her arms rested on the edge. She looked about as comfortable as I felt, no doubt relaxing as much too.

With not really much else to say, our thoughts slowly swam away from us, and for a good while, we just rested in the comfortable bath in silence.