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Elaria

Under normal circumstances, Elaria would have pulled Leo to the bed immediately after he exited the bathroom, because his obvious interest on top of the confidence of asking for a single bed made her a little aroused. But she was injured and exhausted physically as well as mentally, so those kinds of activities had to wait for later.

‘I'll just have to settle for cuddling then.’ She admired the man from the bed, and her eyes longed for him more when his tan skin deepened a shade.

“Was the water too hot for you?” She innocently teased and purposefully let slip some of the sheets covering her.

The human seemed to find the floor suddenly more interesting, which slightly irritated her, because he was obviously interested. “Er- Em… Now that we have some privacy, can we discuss where to go from here?” He asked in a plane attempt to divert the conversation, much to her disappointment.

The pent up selarin sighed, knowing that he was stalling because he was embarrassed like some defenseless male, and in all honesty he sort of was, but that shouldn't be the case given what he told her about his people. ‘Gods, always fertile and no other races, how do they get to do any work, much less enjoy themselves?’ - “It's your life. What do you want to do?”

“Well since I have nowhere else to go, and no idea about the new world around me, I think I'll stick with you for now. If that's alright?” He asked whilst he continued to gaze around the room, and she found the childish display both incredibly cute and incredibly irritating.

Stomping out the urge to yell at him for being so pointlessly reserved, she simply nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I think that would be for the best. You'll want to use that little cover story I told the guard to avoid suspicion, maybe add a flourish or two of your own.” She smirked as she punctuated the end with a mischievous tone.

“That reminds me, just how many races are there?” The human inquired with a furrowed brow, his eyes accidently drifting over her form before darting away again.

“Too many to know off the top of my head, but most stay in their own territories. Merchants, skill traders, and mercenaries being the exception. Which reminds me, you're completely broke, aren't you?” She asked the somewhat abashed man, who sheepishly nodded in response.

She sighed sadly while her gaze became distant with contemplation. “Yeah, I'm nearing that point as well. I need to sell my equipment to afford some physical treatment from a healer. I basically spent all I had on the room, but I should get at least three or four silver for the armor. That should be more than enough to pay for the medicine, I could even spare you some copper once all is said and done.”

“Is there such a thing as healing magic, and can't people cast magic directly?” He asked and received a quizzical look.

She cocked her head with a raised eyebrow, remembering that he said his world didn't have magic. “Of course to both, and healers charge a ridiculous amount for the service. Why do you ask?”

“No magic on my world, remember, and all I've seen are these runes.” He confirmed while holding up his translation necklace.

Curious herself, she asked how he knew to work the shower and clean his clothes, if his world doesn't have magic. He shrugged and said that he was a video game developer, and that it meant he had to create and work with systems that portrayed things like magic.

Pressing him on the specifics of his trade resulted in a snowball of further questions, but he put an end to the conversation. He told her that to explain all the details for her to comprehend his work it would take weeks if not months, so she elected to drop the subject.

Since it was getting late and she wanted to get a little interpersonal, she asked if they could go to sleep. He acquiesced, but then took up a spot on the floor.

‘Oh hells no!’ The thought boomed in the frustrated woman's head, finally at her limit with the shy routine when every other glance he made was not just telling, but outright shouting that he wanted her.

“Um, what are you doing?” She asked, holding back an irritated eye twitch whilst staring down from the bed at him.

He avoided eye contact as he shifted his back. “Going to sleep?” He responded, while discomfort was evident on his face.

“And what's wrong with the bed?” She asked incredulously with narrowed eyes, now fed up with him avoiding something that he seemed very much willing to do, but was obviously holding back out of embarrassment.

“I uh, well I didn't think you. I mean I shouldn't. That's um...” He sputtered while starting to turn a deep shade of red, causing her to sigh.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

‘If that wasn't so adorable I might have torn his head off...’ She was about to out right order him into the bed when an impish idea came to mind.

Putting on an exaggeratedly hurt expression, she spoke in an almost comically self deprecating tone. “Oh, I'm sorry. I guess you wouldn't want to sleep with a freak…”

Leo immediately shot up from the floor in protest. “I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that! You're a breathtakingly beautiful and attractive woman!” He blurted out, then his expression immediately dropped into shock at his own words. His face soon turned into a shade of red that seemed almost comical, and she had to hold down a chuckle at the display. Before he could break the momentum she built up for her little trap, she sprang it.

“Well then sleeping in the same bed shouldn't be too much of a problem then…” She playfully trailed off while laying into the bit she set up.

“I...ah...eh...” Visibly trying to find the words, the flustered human closed his eyes, relaxed, took in a deep breath for a few seconds, and then released it.

Doubt started to rear itself in her head, but she continued to keep up her act.

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Leo

Leo was off kilter to say the least, as the result of his minimally social life showed itself full force in how he was acting toward the exotic and teasing woman.

He took a deep breath as he worked to properly break down the situation. ‘Stop, think. She's not the one that's getting embarrassed about this, and chivalry probably doesn't give a fuck about gender here, so I really need to start adapting to the social norms of this world. Also, she's definitely fucking with me for calling her a freak, her little performance would have gone over my head If I didn't watch so much media back home. I need to cut the shit and apologize for acting like a child, and who knows, I could actually have a shot with a medieval alien lizard woman... The fuck is my life now…’ The thought finished as he finally took the time to collect himself.

“You're right, I'm being childish. My apologies for unintentionally offending you, and being so aggravating. I would like to sleep wi-in the bed with you, if you don't mind.” He remarked much to the unknown screams of victory roaring in Elaria's head.

Ending the day by getting into bed with a half naked alien snake woman was the last thing he expected when he woke up this morning. Granted he didn't know what to expect when he woke up still lost in the forest and slowly dying from dehydration, but this definitely was beyond his imagination. But even this was an experience in mental endurance, as she immediately started hugging him from behind.

It took most of his self control to not turn around and reciprocate for the same reason as his body's sudden shift in blood flow, which wasn't helped by the familiarly soft pillows pressed against his back. “Um, Elaria?” He probed in response to her forwardness.

She pressed into him more, and even wrapped her good leg around him. “What? I can't help it, I love the heat you give off…” She innocently responded.

He frowned as his second brain slowly backed away from the controls. ‘Right she's a lizard woman. Calm the fuck down Leo. She's the only person willing to keep your secret and help you, so don't let your di- emotions fuck it up.’ He mentally chastised.

After a few sleepless minutes he turned his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be out cold while still holding tightly to him. “So...Warm…” She whispered out in her sleep.

Shifting his mind away from his situation to hopefully get some sleep, he opted to reflect on the information he had regarding this world so far, as well as what his objectives should be for tomorrow.

‘Besides the male deficient society, I think I could carve out a new life here without problems. This world is definitely medieval fantasy, with some modern ideas that are supplemented with magic, which are both pluses in their own right. Runic magic seems very prevalent, maybe I could sell a few ideas for some income. I do need money, and I have virtually no other skills that would get me a job here. So the first thing I should do is learn some magic, or at least how to make runes.’ A yawn escaped him as his thoughts began to grow hazy.

‘I guess I'll ask Elaria where I could start learning, probably a library or a book shop.’ His eyes began to feel like lead as the physical toll of the last few days started to permeate his body.

‘Maybe there's… A… School for wizards… Heh…’ Was his final thought as sleep took him.

...

When Leo awoke the next day, he found himself no longer the little spoon, and instead was facing Elaria while her arms pressed them both into a close embrace. It took mere moments for him to shake his drowsiness, and he realized what was pressing against his chest, then what he was pressing against her groin. He then halted a familiarly annoying question from interrupting his thoughts, and immediately came to a final conclusion on the matter.

‘Who the fuck cares.’

He laid like that for a while, not entirely wanting to disturb the slumbering selarin, as well as in an effort to battle against his own hormones. Thankfully that was a fight he won before she stirred, but when Elaria awoke and stared into his eyes, her green scales lightened a shade as she held his gaze. And he stared back as well, nearly losing himself within the exotic woman's light amber eyes.

The earth born man had seen, read, and created too many interactions between prospective partners in media to know that this situation was pretty much text book. It was at that moment that he realized that he stumbled into a relationship that he, while not averse to, was definitely unprepared for.

‘Am I really ready for this right now? … Maybe I can still ease myself out of it.’ Leo thought a little anxiously, before Elaria brought him in for a deep passionate kiss.

‘Or not.’

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