Fall 78th
By force of long habit, Aaliyah woke with the dawn bell. It never failed - the sun would rise, and Aaliyah would wake. It was a useful talent to have, assuming she'd gotten any actual sleep. Less so when she'd been rented for a night of delicious company and had spent less than two bells in bed actually sleeping. Alas, she was awake enough to silently curse her father and wish her brother had been the one to inherit his work ethic, and that was awake enough to rise and face the day.
Regardless, Aaliyah allowed herself to languish for a few moments. She had nowhere to go but out into a brisk late-fall morning. Her client was an East Quarter merchant with a sharp wit and soft edges. Tangled up in him as she was, she could let herself linger. She enjoyed the warmth of another.
Slowly, Aaliyah stretched, lips twitching into an easy smile as the fatigue leaked from her muscles and uncovered the soft ache of a night well spent. She'd gently untangled herself from the sleeping merchant and was quietly picking through the contents of his dresser when the door opened and the merchant's partner stepped in, carrying their food rations and greeting Aaliyah with a yawn and a half-asleep "Morning."
Aaliyah flashed them a bright smile. "Morning! Do you have a brush I could use? I can't find one anywhere."
"Try the drawer on your left," they said as they moved past the bedroom and into the kitchen. "There's still no meat, but plenty of bread. You're welcome to stay and break fast."
Aaliyah stayed for a modest breakfast, brushing the night's tangles from her long hair and chatting with the merchant's partner. "What's day looking like so far?" She asked, leaning back in her seat by the kitchen table after she'd eaten and her hair was soft and smooth again. She was still naked. "I didn't exactly dress for a winterly ocean breeze - I might have to charm a proper coat out of you."
Her host chuckled, putting away the rest of the day's rations. "You're in luck," they said. "There's heat coming from the Aperture today - it's not near as cold out as it should be. A neighbor swore up and down they saw a haze over the bridges. Seems the city's feeling warm-hearted."
Aaliyah brightened considerably at that, rising to her feet to find her clothes. "A wonderful sign! If the city's in heat, today's bound to be fun." She moved back into the bedroom to dress, leaving a long kiss with the merchant as he stirred from sleep and a grateful hug with his partner, and stepped outside.
All around, Nyka was coming alive. So close to winter, there wasn't a true Nykan alive who wouldn't be determined to take a warm day for the gift it was, and Aaliyah turned towards the Celestial Quarter. Ordinarily when she was in the East Quarter this early she'd be heading to the docks to ply her trade with sailors and dockhands looking to start the day on a high note, but instead she joined the trickle of people heading inward to the Aperture. On a day like this, the first thing to do was throw something pretty off a bridge - otherwise the Aperture might decide to do something less pleasant.
By force of long habit, Aaliyah woke with the dawn bell. It never failed - the sun would rise, and Aaliyah would wake. It was a useful talent to have, assuming she'd gotten any actual sleep. Less so when she'd been rented for a night of delicious company and had spent less than two bells in bed actually sleeping. Alas, she was awake enough to silently curse her father and wish her brother had been the one to inherit his work ethic, and that was awake enough to rise and face the day.
Regardless, Aaliyah allowed herself to languish for a few moments. She had nowhere to go but out into a brisk late-fall morning. Her client was an East Quarter merchant with a sharp wit and soft edges. Tangled up in him as she was, she could let herself linger. She enjoyed the warmth of another.
Slowly, Aaliyah stretched, lips twitching into an easy smile as the fatigue leaked from her muscles and uncovered the soft ache of a night well spent. She'd gently untangled herself from the sleeping merchant and was quietly picking through the contents of his dresser when the door opened and the merchant's partner stepped in, carrying their food rations and greeting Aaliyah with a yawn and a half-asleep "Morning."
Aaliyah flashed them a bright smile. "Morning! Do you have a brush I could use? I can't find one anywhere."
"Try the drawer on your left," they said as they moved past the bedroom and into the kitchen. "There's still no meat, but plenty of bread. You're welcome to stay and break fast."
Aaliyah stayed for a modest breakfast, brushing the night's tangles from her long hair and chatting with the merchant's partner. "What's day looking like so far?" She asked, leaning back in her seat by the kitchen table after she'd eaten and her hair was soft and smooth again. She was still naked. "I didn't exactly dress for a winterly ocean breeze - I might have to charm a proper coat out of you."
Her host chuckled, putting away the rest of the day's rations. "You're in luck," they said. "There's heat coming from the Aperture today - it's not near as cold out as it should be. A neighbor swore up and down they saw a haze over the bridges. Seems the city's feeling warm-hearted."
Aaliyah brightened considerably at that, rising to her feet to find her clothes. "A wonderful sign! If the city's in heat, today's bound to be fun." She moved back into the bedroom to dress, leaving a long kiss with the merchant as he stirred from sleep and a grateful hug with his partner, and stepped outside.
All around, Nyka was coming alive. So close to winter, there wasn't a true Nykan alive who wouldn't be determined to take a warm day for the gift it was, and Aaliyah turned towards the Celestial Quarter. Ordinarily when she was in the East Quarter this early she'd be heading to the docks to ply her trade with sailors and dockhands looking to start the day on a high note, but instead she joined the trickle of people heading inward to the Aperture. On a day like this, the first thing to do was throw something pretty off a bridge - otherwise the Aperture might decide to do something less pleasant.