Chapter 28: Morning

When Ethinir woke, he was snuggled with Ossilo, with Orion spooning him. The elf blushed and then giggled. Last night had been wonderful, he wanted a repeat. But how does he ask for one?

His lips found Ossilo's neck, and he gently kissed the Naga. Then, on a whim, he bit him softly, not breaking the skin. Ossilo woke with a start, and wrapped his arm around Ethinir's waist.

"What is with you and marking your territory?" Ossilo asked, and Ethinir just hummed. Orion chuckled from behind them, and then rolled around.

The book buzzed, and he opened it, squinting in the dim light to see the words.

<Naughty, naughty.

(Hidden Achievement)

Orion, you have tied the two, the Brightest Star and the Swan Song, to yourself. Since you began to take the advice of this book, you have become a better human being, and a better lover. Keep it up.>

Orion had no words for the system. Really, did it spy on him all the time? He shook his head, and then got the rest of the traces of sleep from his mind.

"We should go, the stand needs to open by eight," Orion looked at his watch, and then noted that it was six-thirty. "We have an hour and a half."

"Well, I better be up," Ossilo needed to wash first. They all did. He slithered down the tree that the house rested on, and went to the little stream that was not far off. It had something like a pool in the middle, and he got in.

Orion and Ethinir joined him soon after, carrying soap and other toiletries with them. Orion scrubbed Ossilo clean, as it was hard for the Naga to reach the ends of his tail. Before, he had solved the problem by soaking in the water for hours.

Back then, there was not much else to do. He had been told to leave, from the dungeon that had raised him. Remembering how bitter he had been, for a time, Ossilo's face scrunched up.

It hadn't been his fault that he had been born prettier than other Naga. If someone asked him, he would have rather liked to look handsome, like Orion and Ethinir. His looks had been a curse.

"You look like a storm cloud is nesting on your face," Orion said, flickering Ossilo's nose.

"If I wasn't as pretty as I am, would you have still come to me?" Ossilo blurted out. He knew that Orion was attracted to him. It was a raw attraction, that had ended in something more. Ossilo was glad that Orion seemed to love him now. But the doubts swam in his head.

"Ossilo, you have to understand that the system sent me to you. She wanted for me to find donors who could live for long. You could have been butt ugly, and I would have still come to you." 

"There are other long-lived people in the forest," Ossilo insisted. "Or, you could have simply given someone a golden apple. Problem solved."

"You know, when we spoke the first time, I liked your spunk," Orion said. "You were chatty, took no nonsense from anyone, quirky, even."

A slight smile tugged on Ossilo's lips. Some people were turned off by these traits of his. It was nice that Orion had not been.

"So, I should mouth-off at you more often?" Ossilo asked, and he heard Ethinir chuckle.

"You mouth-off at us all the time, Ossilo. More often, and you will have us wrapped around your finger," Ethinir said, and then continued to soap himself up.

"Maybe that is my evil plan?" Ossilo joked, and Ethinir chuckled.

"I don't know about Ethinir, but you already have me wrapped around your finger," Orion said, as he began to soap up as well. Ossilo admired the vampire's well-pronounced abs, his eyes landed on the treasure trail, as red as blood, and then traveled lower.

"We don't have time for this," Orion said with a sigh, clearly having caught Ossilo staring. 

"But we will have time for it tonight?" Ossilo asked with a suggestive stare.

"As many times as you want," Orion said, and then began to rinse. Ossilo did the same, while Ethinir was already getting out of the pool.

"We should get hot water for the house, and a big bathroom," Ethinir suggested, as he took a towel.

"Already in the plans," Orion told him, as he too got out. Ossilo submerged in the pool, and then resurfaced. This was the only way he could wash up quickly. He watched the soapy water travel down the stream for a while, and then got out of the pool as well.

"Ethinir, did you make this pool?" Ossilo asked. It was too deep, to have been made by the stream.

"I did. I mean, it freezes over in winter, and it is almost too cold to wash in spring. But the stream feeds the house with water. For the colder months, I have a tub," Ethinir explained, and Ossilo nodded.

The three went back to the waterfall and the stand, and Ossilo went to his usual spot. Orion went to feed the chicks, which had grown a lot. They were no longer yellow, but now were white, and bigger. Still, they were yet to lay a single egg.

Orion added a shopping trip to his list of things to do today because he wanted to make some bread for Ethinir, and a cake for Ossilo. The vampire had flour and milk, plus yest, but he didn't have any eggs.

Simone liked to bake as well. She shared with Ethinir and Ossilo, and some of the clients. But she went through the eggs stash as fast as if she were baking for an entire army.

Not that Orion minded much. Simone was a part of their team, and he liked the fact that she did something that made her happy. After he was done feeding the chicks, he heard a soft song spreading in the clearing.

His eyes found Ethinir's and he smiled. The clients stopped to listen, and Ossilo and Simone could finally sew without being rushed.