Khalel exited the front gate to her father's estate just as the sun was completely dipped into the horizon. In her hand she carried a basket, which contained a bunch of pastries she had baked herself, along with a jug filled with juice that had been freshly squeezed. Where she was headed was obvious: she was on her way to see Skadravi, and slipped into the secret hideaway without difficulty, closing it behind her so there was no trace. Once inside, she walked into the main chamber and called out warmly, "Dravi~ I'm here. And I brought treats!"

It wasn't terribly disconcerting how easily he'd slipped into this routine. Sure, Skadravi wasn't well-known or particularly well-liked, so he didn't actually... have any great sum of prior engagements. To be fair, he had next to nothing to do with himself during the day, save for patrol the market side looking for easy targets. When he heard Khalel's footsteps echoing through the haven, he perked up from the cushions, grinning waywardly as she made her appearance. "And I-" he rumbled as he slipped to his feet and strolled to stand before her. "-found something you may like too." Dravi made to takeher hand, but was stopped side-long by the warm, sweet scent wafting from her basket. "Mm, smells good though."
(1/10)
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"Puffs filled with jam -- they are berry." She then paused, scrunched up her face, and gave her companion a questioning look. "Do you like berry? I wasn't sure what flavor to go with. Oh...I hope you like them. I should have asked." Mentally, the girl was kicking herself. Chocolate would have been safer, probably; everyone loved chocolate, right? Though, berry was a safe bet, too, or so she thought. When he mentioned something he had found, Khalel's attention was caught. She blinked and tilted her head when he brought it up, a brow lifting curiously. "Oh? What is it?" She hadn't expected to be given a gift or anything. Skadravi didn't have to do anything special for her; just spending time with him was enough!

Dravi's lips quirked up in amusement, not only from the crinkles appearing around Khalel's eyes, but from the concern that entered her voice. "I'm sure that they're delicious-" He reached out and slipped his arm next to hers, collecting the basket in his grasp and clasping her fingers as he moved back. "-no matter what flavor you chose." As if in answer, his stomach gave an agreeable rumble that Skadravi did his best to ignore, He tugged her back, pulling her across the room and smiling all the way. His foot knocked against cushions, and he dipped down, pulling her with him. "Your present, unfortunately, has to be earned, though."
(2/10)
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"Oh, you're cheeky," she said with a smirk. When he pulled her down, Khalel went right along with him with no resistance or hesitation whatsoever. The cushions were plush and comfortable against her skin, and she was glad that they were there to relieve them from the rough ground beneath them. Once she was comfortable, Khalel then leaned in ever so slightly, and whispered playfully to him. "And what, exactly, did you have in mind?"

Dravi grinned as Khalel settled in at his side. It really was a nice room. Quiet, comfortable, and secluded; plush cushions and woven blankets under-bum and perpetually moody lighting. "Oh, I'm sure you'll know when the opportunity arises," he purred, pulling forward the basket and propping it open. Khalel was truly the best. Dravi hummed, unveiling the pastry treats and jug of juice she'd brought along with her. And if it smelled good before, it didn't begin to compare to the scent now. The hybrid man inhaled deeply. "It's... sweet of you, y'know," he murmured. He couldn't identify why Khalel seemed more interested in him than anyone else. She could easily get along with anyone she pleased.
(3/10)
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Dravi seemed pleased with the pastries she had brought. Although they look simple, they had taken quite a bit of time to make. The dough was a delicate one, and the pastries themselves had a risk of collapsing in the heat of the oven if things were too loud or rough. When she was first learning how to make them, it had taken quite a few times to perfect it, but now she could make them with no problem. "It's no trouble, and I wanted you to enjoy something sweet." Khalel smiled at this and let out a content sigh before lying back on the pillows. She could get used to this -- just her and Dravi. Not only was it nice, but it was freeing, and she genuinely enjoyed being together with him.

A thoughtful hum slipped from Skadravi's throat as he produced one of the pastries from the basket. "You don't think you're sweet enough for me without the addition of pastries?" He questioned, turning the doughy bun over in his hand and inspecting it only briefly before taking a wolf of a bite out of it. It was sweet, and the sticky filling oozed from the baked treat out into his mouth, over his lips, and into a glop on the floor. A glop that Dravi didn't even notice at first. Raising a hand, he skated his finger across his lips, collecting stray berry filling before sucking it into his mouth. "Mmm, very good. Tastes like hard work."
(4/10)
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Khalel couldn't help but beam happily when Skadravi ate one of her pastries. He enjoyed it, and that was all she had hoped for. It was so fulfilling when someone loved something that you did for them. "They are quite difficult to learn," she admitted, allowing herself to gaze at the basket. She pondered eating one, herself, but then thought better of it. They were for Dravi, and she had extra back at the estate. What she did do, however, was pour the two of them some juice from the jug she had brought along. Once the cups were full of the sweet yellow liquid - pineapple juice - she extended one over to her companion. As delicious as the treats were, they could make one thirsty, so it was best to quench it early.

Dravi followed her gaze, watching Khalel's eyes linger briefly on the opened basket. He snorted softly before nudging the thing over to her. "Have some," he insisted, accepting the cup of juice with an amused quirk of his brow. "It's weird eating alone, and I can't simply ignore food if it's present." His yellowed eyes traced over the shape of her fingers against the cup, and for a moment, he found himself leaning toward her, brushing the length of his arm against her side and settling with his outstretched leg dusting hers. "But if you're going to fight me, anyway, I could always... feed you?"
(5/10)
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Khalel tilted her head at Dravi's choice of words? Fight him? She would never get into an altercation with him outright -- not on purpose, anyway. If he wanted her to eat that badly, she would oblige him in that. The pastries looked and smelled delicious, anyway, so it was hard to resist. Plucking one from the basket, she bit into it and sighed contently, relishing the berry preserves inside. She then allowed herself to finish the small treat before speaking again to Dravi, "No need to fight," she told him. "I've had my fill of pastries now."

Skadravi snorted softly, an amused rumble of sound that vibrated from his throat as he popped the remains of his own treat into his mouth. He quirked a patched eyebrow in Khalel's direction, accompanied by a sheepish smile. "You know I didn't... Well, I never meant I would fight you, in any case..." Whether she chose to eat a snack or not. That's be an absurd reason to get into an altercation. "I only meant... Ah..." He scooted close to her, as close as physics could allow without having to clamber into her lap. "I should like to feed you."
(6/10)
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Being fed by another person? Huh. That was an idea she never really thought about. Before she was born, her father probably had slaves to do that very task for him, but not anymore. He always grumbled about how he missed the slaves. "Only if I get to feed you, after," she said with a smile. It was only fair, of course. She wasn't just going to let him feed her without feeding him in return. An equal relationship was the best kind, and she wanted nothing less for herself. "So...I'm thinking about leaving home soon," she went on to say, her head resting back against a table. Her thoughts immediatly went to the incident when her father came to visit, and she frowned. "The sooner, the better, honestly."

Dravi tapped his chin, humming out a quiet, thoughtful noise. "I dunno if I can agree to that," he admitted with a shrug, even as he rummaged around in the basket for the next snack. He procured one instants later, shifting about in their tumble of blankets and tugging her onto his lap, back pressed against his chest. With one of his wayward grins, he trailed the tips of his fingers up her throat, tilting her head back against his shoulder. "It isn't out of any subservience that I want to feed you," he told her, knowing innately that it was the immediate place her mind had gone to. "I want you to be happy. I want you to be happy because Imake you happy." His free arm dipped around her waist, holding her there, against him, warm and comforting. "And that's why I- Hm?" His words cut short as Khalel spoke, edging off into a curious tip of his head and furrowed brow. "Leaving? Why so?"
(7/10)
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He was so thoughtful. Wanting to give her food so she would be happy. And he did make her happy. She smiled at him when he tilted her head back, a gentle and happy expression. "You make me so happy. I love being with you." Khalel found herself blinking when he went on to ask why she wanted to leave, and it was then that her smile faded into a tired frown. "...I just need to get out of here," she murmured, closing her eyes as she leaned against him. "My father keeps trying to tell me how to live my life, and I hate it. I need to be free."

Skadravi hardly allowed the words to leave her mouth before he dipped down, brushing his lips against Khalel's and lightly pinching her upper lip between his teeth. 'Happy' could not even begin to describe how he felt with her. He held no fantasies of being important or necessary to the world. If he were to die, right here and now, likely no one would know; not even his mother, as far away as she was. Dravi fancied that Khalel would know. Perhaps even grieve for a small amount of time. His attention flicked down, roaming to the shell of her ear and letting his tongue flick against it.

He was supposed to be feeding her.

Or at least paying attention to her qualms. And not the press of heat pooling in his loins. "Did something happen?" He questioned, forcing himself to lean back and ignore the press of her hips against his. "This isn't freedom enough? This place?" He made avague gesture to the room they were in.
(8/10)
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If anyone was going to shut her up, she'd much prefer it be done in the way Skadravi did it. Though, for the record, he'd be the only one allowed to do it like that. A sultry purr resonated from her when he pinched her lip, followed by a playful chuckle. She returned his kiss with one of her own, and instead of nibbling on either of his lips, flicked her tongue across his bottom one instead. She then allowed herself to pull backward and forced herself to listen to his words. That was what was important now -- actually talking, not giving in to her more primal urges.

"My father backhanded me recently..."

This came as a quiet murmur, barely above a whisper. Telling Dravi wasn't the best idea, she realized, but it was better to be honest. Given how her father had treated her, and how he was trying to stifle her once again, Oba was just feeling a bit claustrophic. "Being with you makes me feel free, but Oba is getting to be too much. I need a change of pace." And nothing said change of pace more like the tropical paradise that was Matori.

"He-" Dravi's voice caught in his throat, his body lurching into an upright position, pressing solidly against Khalel once more. He would've liked to look into her face, to see precisely what she was thinking about in this instant. His mind couldn't grasp that someone would strike her. What on this earth could she have done to deserve such a thing? The hybrid girl was vocal, opinionated, curious of cultures the Obans didn't appreciate. But somewhere in Skadravi's mind, however reclusive the thought may be, he'd assumed that her fatherrespected her and her heritage, at least on some level. She was his blood, after all, and a permanent contract like that should be binding...

But it was clear from her tone that Khalel wasn't wholly interested in that line of thinking. For all the questions Dravi had, he eased back, his arms finding their way around her waist and pulling the young woman back with him, holding her tight to himself and raising a hand to slide through her hair. "If... you really do want to leave... You shouldn't go alone," he rumbled.
(9/10)
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"I'm okay," she told him immediately after she heard his voice start to crack. The last thing she needed was for him to be worried or upset at her father for what he did. It was totally uncalled for, granted, but that was beyond the point. When he went on to change the conversation to leaving Oba, Khalel relaxed more and loosened up in his arms. "That-...that would be great, if you went with me. Our very own adventure." She smiled again, her eyes twinkling happily. "I like that a lot."

She seemed so... piqued by the thought of leaving. Dravi had traveled from his home country already. To Juahar and back. Twice. Alone for half of it. It wasn't easy, and fun or relaxing weren't words he'd used to describe that. A piece of him wanted to point this out to her, to inform her that her cushy and protected lifestyle wouldn't remain intact on the road, but he didn't. When she had her mind set, it was likely that his words wouldn't change it. Instead, he dipped his head, mouth coming into contact with her shoulder and lips brushing against her bared skin as he spoke, "My Lady, I would be honored to be in your presence for such a span of time. I'd be even more honored that you'd trust me to join you and be..."

He couldn't utter the word he thought. All he knew was that he didn't hold that type of faith in himself. The two of them. Alone. On a venture for however many moons. His fingers found her hips again, settling and pulling at her. Even alone for a few minutes was enough to make his skin prickle with thought of attention he knew he didn't deserve and hadn't earned.

It didn't matter.

"I'd follow you wherever you go."
(10/10)