Turn in for the night.

Kheden finishes eating quickly and heads up to your room to bathe. You'd love a reason to be present, but that would be pushing the boundaries of your friendship too far. You finish eating leisurely and order another ale. You sip it slowly and listen to the local goings on, but you've never heard such boring topics discussed so loudly or so proudly. After what seems like an appropriate amount of time, you trudge up the stairs to your room.

The candlelit room smells delightfully of clean, wet man. Kheden is dressed in his underthings, finishing packing his purchases into his saddlebags. The inn matron is just finishing refilling the copper bathtub for you. As she leaves, you ask her to make sure your horses are saddled before you're done with breakfast in the morning. She cheerfully agrees and pulls the door closed behind her.

Kheden turns in shortly after. He rolls to face away from the tub and your bed, and you undress when you hear his soft snores. You sink into the warm bath let out a long sigh. The smell of a clean Kheden itself was almost enough to arouse you, but you've kept yourself proudly under control. Some relief would be nice, but you don't want to risk any sounds that may wake Kheden to an awkward situation. Having him as a partner has always been both a blessing and a curse.

You nearly fall asleep, but the water eventually cools, so you dry yourself and pack away your own purchases before retiring for the evening.