Ask Getting Off This Rock

[Milo Corr]

Zira’s flicking tail did nothing to calm his nerves against the silence, he had never known a tiefling, how was he supposed to read that thing? Her blush wasn’t much of a response either; yet Zira’s eyes, pools of auric wonder, never faltered or looked away and neither did she retrieve her hand. Two soothing elements that kept him placated, nonetheless it felt as though feathers were assaulting his forearm, yearning for him to scratch.

While many others could claim to be collected in the face of rejection, of all the things Milo had experienced in his life, fondness for another was an infrequent occurrence that passed with the setting sun. Rare to find and even rarer for him to act upon, especially with Milo’s habit of second guessing and overthinking, denying what was before him rather than taking chances. Taking chances had always hurt, even after meeting the tiefling, but this time it had been worth it.

Beyond ‘heroism’ he wondered if she saw anything in him. A two-bit vagrant with sunken cheeks and few credits, shaggy, unkempt, and grumbling. There wasn’t a whole lot he saw in himself beyond that burning desire to change.

“Yes!” Milo blurted out without a second thought before suddenly coughing. “I mean- Yes it is, and yes, I will.” Relief, trepidation, and excitement washed over him. Zira had not been as blunt as he had but Milo took it as a sign. Those blue eyes glowed with delight as her hands were briefly squeezed as he eagerly nodded his head, that smile which was slowly becoming familiar returned. His brow furrowed a second later as he realized just what he agreed to, he didn’t know the first thing about planning dates, especially not with a pocket as thin as his.

To recover, Milo briefly glanced around them before his look returned to her. “It is going to be a bit difficult to compete with all this,” he said with a tilt of his head and a tiny chuckle. “But I can sure try.”

The fairground around them had quieted. The lights of more than a few rides had gone dark and those who remained enjoyed a few morsels of food or the twilight of day’s entertainment. “It will have to wait, however, it is rather late. I think they’ll kick us out before long.” Milo did not seem to be in any rush to depart however, instead the man guided their hands down and savored the moment by watching her with that dumb grin plastered on his face.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

---
​

With Zira working nights dancing and Milo with his day job, it took a few days before she had an evening off to go on this date. While they didn’t see much of each other with their opposite schedules, Zira was giddy and eager leading up to it. Any chance she caught Milo she reminded him that he didn’t need to spend credits for it to be a date. Milo was enough.

She had strict instructions for Milo the day of - he was supposed to knock on the door at an agreed-upon hour and pretend he was picking her up for the date. The fact that they had a shared dwelling meant they had to improvise and do a bit of roleplaying. Zira only had Holomovies for reference and she hoped Milo would indulge her silliness at least up to pretending to pick her up for the date.

Zira always got dolled up for her dancing job, and yet dressing for a date with Milo was panic-inducing. She frantically went through multiple changes of clothes and hairstyles before she finally settled on something halfway between casual and dressy. Zira had her hair in a half updo, the silver locks wavy and down her back with a braid crossed above. For a dress, she wore a form-fitting black that was a blend of teasingly enticing and yet classy, ending slightly above the knees. She even got herself some matching heels to go with it, her entire ensemble accessorized with earrings and a necklace. Working one long weekend had earned her an obscene amount of credits to splurge a bit for this date.

She felt entirely silly about being so anxious, but she started to pace back and forth, tail flicking from side to side as she waited for him. Every bit of this was completely different than any way she had ever interacted with a man. Not only was she mentally completely present, but her heart was rapidly beating from a mixture of excitement and anticipation. Perhaps Milo had experienced such a rush before, but it was a first for her after a lifetime of locking away most of her genuine emotions.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Those few days were especially trying for Milo as he not only worked at tables but took a second job which began before his shift even ended, the first time he had done anything of the sort. Even though Zira repeated, over and over, that money wasn’t necessary, Milo wanted everything to be right. Proper. It wasn’t about roles or propriety but anxiety and care. Milo was a penniless transient, and while their feelings were still new, if it was going to work out he had to show to the tiefling that he could rise above his lowly station.

While work was distracting, however, his addiction continued to gnaw at him. Nearly a week had passed since his last hit in the parking garage and those jitters just got worse and worse. His arm grew red from the scratching while his hands made washing movements whenever they weren’t occupied, yet whenever he caught a glimpse of Zira he was reminded of how it felt to hold them at bay as they stared at one another on the bridge.

It helped, easing the mind if not the body.

When the day finally came he was a nervous wreck, kicked out of the room with basic instructions that left him with another problem. Where the hell was he going to clean up? The sandy-haired man had laughed, initially, at her suggestion but he had second guesses after renting out a suit that fit him and having nowhere to put it on.

Forking over more credits to a shady gymnasium in their area, Milo freshened up in a way he never had before, not even for the party which led to his acquisition and the eventual freedom of Zira. He showered, trimmed his beard, shaved his neck, tried and failed to apply a gel to bring order to his mane, and combed out the years of tangles. Despite being damaged it now possessed a light sheen that had been lost in the grease. Feeling a bit vain, Milo stared at himself in the mirror with that vacant-minded grin of his. He didn’t know if he looked good, but he sure felt good for once in his life. That feeling did come to an end however while he hacked and coughed through a spritz of cologne.

Milo did not have the same luxury of choice, and in a way that helped restrain his nerves, at least until he stood before a few minutes early, getting the last few itches and twitches out while he still could. This was a first in its own way due to its more traditional formality. Dates between those in poverty were often spur of the moment, as accidental as they were intentional, at least for him. Experience did little to ease his mind.

More than once the former vagrant patted his chest, as if to the hammer and anvil in his chest, but nothing seemed to work, its rhythm growing heavier and faster as the time seemed to rapidly approach.

Lifting up a hand, Milo rapped his fist against the door five times, having spent more than a little overthinking how many times he would knock, let alone what he would say. The urge to scratch spiking as he waited with bated breath.

The man on the other side was different, yet wholly the same. Cleaned and combed, his hair for once pulled behind his ears rather than spilling over them, tamed to some degree. With the safe choice of a semi-casual dark blue suit, partially unbuttoned, with a typical white shirt and matching pants. He didn’t have the credits to spend on accessories which he made up for by plucking a tiny teal flower whose stem he had twisted around the button hole of the lapel. While he had gone the safer route concerning his wardrobe, it didn’t quite fit him. It was perfectly his size but outlined his thinness from a lack of food security, which he hid behind that jacket of his.

One hand stuffed in his pocket, Milo sucked in a breath, straightened his spine, and cleared his throat. "Zira?"

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

She didn’t know what to expect when she opened the door. Zira had dealt with a grumpy Milo since she met him, and she knew he found this whole roleplay thing entirely silly. A part of her fully expected him to look just the same as he already had but maybe with a spritz of cologne. Zira smiled at the thought, knowing it was all those quirky habits of his that she found so endearing. When had they even become endearing?

When she opened the door, however, Zira gave an audible gasp. She stood there in stunned silence as if a child. Her eyes were comically wide and her tail momentarily went limp from the sheer surprise, “Milo?” She asked tentatively, genuinely not recognizing him for a moment. His beard was trimmed, the excess hair was shaved, and his out-of-control mane was mostly tamed. And he was in a suit! It took a moment for Zira to realize her mouth was hanging open.

“You..you look so handsome,” She blurted out. Normally women usually batted their lashes or twirled their hair when paying such a compliment and she normally did when she was working. But here was Zira actually caring to admire a man for the first time. She could only vocalize her direct thoughts and there was no filter or poetic fluff to it, “Really..you…I had no idea you had all that hiding under all the..” She gestured at him, her face growing hot as she realized she was probably being rude and implying he normally looked disheveled. Well, he did! Zira was known for her suave words and seduction, and yet she felt completely uncoordinated and inexperienced in addressing him. Addressing a man she actually liked.

“W-Where are we going?” Zira asked after clearing her throat. She straightened up her posture, finally managing a smile after recovering from the shock of seeing him. Her tail swayed eagerly. Once they started to walk, he would notice her repeatedly casting glances his way, her face still hot and flush with color. Even more than his improved appearance, the fact that he put in so much effort meant more to her than she could comprehend or express.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Despite having practiced his lines more than once the moment the door opened it was as though he were seeing Zira for the first time, her sigh stealing the words right from his mouth as he echoed her, albeit more quietly. He had seen her dolled up before, to entertain crowds both high and low, but this was different. The tiefling wasn’t trying to impress a crowd in something risqué, but rather look elegant. For him, in a manner of speaking.

“Zira?” Goggling in surprise, taking in every little detail from heels to horns. Zira had spared no effort and, in comparison with his rented suit, Milo was both enamored and intimidated. A pale blue beauty, yet not the same, his tongue twitching to admit it. Shaking his head to dispel the haze clouding his thoughts, he held out a hand. “I-I’m here to take you out on a date.” Milo’s tone was uncertain at first though was reinforced with each word, only for his cheeks to turn scarlet as the tiefling gave him words that should, and had, never been attributed to him.

As if to prove his mental point her next words both stung, twisting his face into a familiar scowl, before letting out a nervous but authentic laugh. “All the what,” he coyly teased, stuffing a hand into his pocket to disguise the anxious fist he clenched and unclenched, eyes gravitating between her own and her argentum locks, only to steal a second and third glimpses of the rest of her. Even after collecting himself he was stunned by her appearance and genuine reaction, burning brightly from a reaction the former vagrant never received. Surely Zira was just overreacting, but she had kept her bluntness. One of the aspects that he valued in her, having somehow transformed from an annoyance into charming. It felt caring.

“Out,” he stated, trying to sound mysterious and cryptic, though coming out flat and a little plain given his slight grin. “And you’re one to talk, I know you probably hear this a lot but I swear you got prettier while I was gone.”

As the two of them walked towards the main thoroughfare, Milo drew out a piece of paper, likely his plans for their date. There was more than one bullet point and some written directions in illegible handwriting, which he stuffed away after figuring out just where he was going again. He really was prepared for it, not just in looks but planning, even if they were lacking a ride.

Milo stole glances at Zira, catching the tiefling staring back more than once. Similarly, Milo’s face was brightly colored, a sheepish smile curving his lips as though he were trying not to get caught but also hoping for it, by the thumping of his chest.

“So,” Milo began after summoning the ability to speak. “It was kinda hard to compete with the amusement park, and I’ve never really had to pick a place before. At first I thought a museum, then I remembered I don't know anything about art. Then an art class, that could be fun, but that cost even more. Dancing? To soon. Maybe dinner, but I didn't know what would be the best place, and the ritzier places weren't cheap.” It had taken some time wracking over his brain and the holonet to figure out where he was taking Zira, and even now he wasn’t sure of it but as the day drew closer Milo had to live by the words he had shared on the bridge. To simply act. The overthinking returned in adding a couple more additions to the list, just in case. “I bought some tickets.”

The two of them passed through the streets, luckily not overly crowded given the time of day, and into a smaller park with a simple terrace, usually appropriated for a band of some sort, but today sat a rather large holoprojector.

Various individuals milled about, talking and laughing with one another, or sat upon a colorful array of towels and blankets which had been strewn about in preparation for some sort of event. Rather than lead them through the crowd, Milo approached one that had been drawn away from the mass but was perfectly centered with the stage. Close enough to hear, far enough away for some privacy.

It was clean, likely just bought, a cooler sat in its place. It had been quite an effort to get it all situated without roughing himself up and being on time, but somehow he had accomplished it. Hoping that it would all be there by the time they returned.

“Sit, sit,” he encouraged her, only getting off his feet once he was sure that he wouldn’t get grass stains on the suit. “I know it’s not… Fancy, but I thought you might like it. You mentioned wanting to watch something animated,” he motioned to the projector while scooting closer, his hands slipping into the container to draw out wrapped platters to set between them.

Having never really asked what Zira liked, and kicking himself for it in the interim, Milo chose the safe option. Cold cuts, bread, fruit, and other small assortments, yet there was more hidden in that container that he didn’t reveal while assembling it before them.

They were overdressed for such an event, something he was now plainly aware of after seeing a few of the others, but tried not to bring attention to it beyond the redness of his cheeks. “It’s called Blue Moon, and is about a girl who, without spoiling too much, chases after a cure for her sickness and stumbles into a far larger conflict. A classic,” he remarked with a bookish drawl, as if knowledgeable about what the classics were.

Yet that didn’t seem like the only thing on his list, either way it wasn’t long before the crowd began to quiet and, despite there still being some light in the sky, the projector activated.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

It hit differently when Milo called her pretty. Throughout their entire time together, he had kept a respectable distance both physically and verbally. She still recalled offering her ‘services’ to him when she believed him to be her master. At any point, he could have taken advantage of it. Could have taken advantage of her. She wouldn’t have known any different - it was normal and expected of a pleasure slave. So for him to dare to notice her and allow himself to admire her was as big of a step for him as it was for her. She had never cared what someone thought of her appearance beyond hoping it was enough to sell. This was the first time she cared that he found her pleasing to behold just because. That simple compliment put a pep in her step and a smile that refused to falter, her tail with a life of its own constantly moving.

Zira patiently listened as he began to ramble through all the date options, smiling fondly at his habits. When had she begun to just like listening to him? She stared at him, thinking of all the different stories she wanted him to tell from his datapad of knowledge.

She followed him to what appeared to be an outdoor setup, her excitement growing by the second. Everyone else looked happy and excitedly chatted about the show they were about to witness, “You know I said you didn’t have to pay for anything,” Zira reminded Milo with a light nudge, the smile still on her lips.

Zira gasped when she saw a towel and cooler already waiting for them, “You..prepared ahead of time?” She blurted out, humbled by the amount of thought and planning he put into this. Zira couldn’t comprehend someone doing something just for her. Just to spend time with her. And yet whenever she tried to convince herself it was some sort of trick, a single glance at Milo told her he was being genuine. He was the same combination of nerves and anticipation that she felt.

Though they were far away from the main crowds, Milo would notice a few people looking over and whispering as they looked at Zira. Tieflings were still feared and had a reputation across the galaxy, after all. Zira didn’t seem to notice, first assembling some snacks for Milo and handing them to him before preparing her own, “I’ve never done this before!” She said cheerfully as the projector began to play the film.

After a while the skies darkened and Zira could see the backdrop of the stars above the screen. She felt a mixture of emotions as she sat there - physical contact with her mind present was still new and almost terrifying. And yet she didn’t want to ruin things by having a long conversation about it. In the end, she found herself scooting closer to him, her tail curling loosely around his hip as she dared to rest her head against his shoulder while they watched.

He didn’t know how much effort the simple gesture took. He didn’t know how many walls and barriers she broke down for it. He didn’t need to know how terrified it made her, or how her heart thundered against her chest. It was easier to simply do and not think too much because thinking reminded her too much of her past chapters. And she wanted to write that new book on Zira.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Her nudging had earned an innocent shrug. “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” Milo had spent so long with barely the ability to take care of himself that being able to afford another was satisfying on an internal level. It was only a few days since he had been roughing it on the street with only a concern as to where his next meal and hit would come from, but now he was treating Zira to a meal and entertainment. It was proof of his belief, that he could be better, that he could change.

“Was I not supposed to,” Milo laughed, gladdened by the tieflings reaction. His intent wasn’t to impress, to create a false image of himself, but rather show his earnesty. He could have found some hill for them to sit on and simply talk, yet where was the fun in that? The former vagrant wanted to do something with Zira, as much as for her. "It is worth the effort."

He caught sight of the staring crowds, and having received such looks in the past whenever he strayed in the higher class sections of Teta, was confused as to why they were receiving such looks. The realization made him cringe and before casting sharp glances at the worst offenders without drawing the tiefling’s attention. They didn’t know Zira’s story, nor did they care about the effort she had put into her appearance. All that mattered to them was the horns.

It got easier to ignore however as Zira handed him a plate of food and he recalled just why he was here, and the movie began to play.

The film was older, with a pleasantly minimalistic yet colorful design. A fantasy set on some world with no connection to reality. It told of a daughter, promised a life of wonder, suddenly falling under some sort of terrible sickness which began to steal aspects of her life from her bit by bit. Yet rather than fall into despair she escaped her parent’s home to travel the world for a cure. Her quest attracts, and kindness, attracts the attention of others who join her after various tests and inadvertently get her involved in a grander conflict between good and evil as the cruelty of a sorcerer had created the disease to destroy all beauty.

Unexpectedly, Milo wasn’t the sort to fill the air with information, trivia, or spoilers, instead try as he might to watch it, Milo glanced ceaselessly at Zira to try and catch her every reaction to the movie’s scenes and twists. More worried about whether she liked it than actually enjoying it himself, which came to an end as she shifted closer and that tail curved around him.

Frozen, tight, and with a sharply sucked in breath, the vagrant did his best not to react to her proximity though it was impossible to keep the color from invading his face. Zira’s boldness pushed the boundary of what he would have willingly pursued, and with only a minor amount of consideration relative to his habits, the man rested his arm upon the tail, and unaware of propriety concerning it, simply held a part of it between thumb and index. His head soon relaxed upon hers and, without a tail of his own, snake an arm gently around her to carefully and softly hold her side.

Despite his heart’s hammering, the anxieties which clung to his mind began to seep away as he simply enjoyed the moment, forgetting about the movie as he allowed himself to be simply distracted by her presence. That didn’t mean he wasn’t attuned to any shift she made, worrying after some sort of offense. Despite remaining disquietly still for over an hour, having to remind his breath to calm, the only sign of his addiction appeared in the slight brushing of the arm which acknowledged her tail against his shirt. The food went neglected and his only concern was whether or not the tiefling enjoyed the moment as much as he did.

Action, romance, story, though poorly paced in some areas with not enough time for some of the characters to develop, and ending on the ‘titular’ Blue Moon, the film lacked for nothing. The woman defeated the Sorcerer yet decided to spare him out of mercy, with a bittersweet ending as she rested in the arms of her companions to suffer the last throes of her sickness, leaving it up to the audience as to whether she survives or not.

As the credits began to play the audience began to stand up and gather their things, voices discussing the movie. Milo did not move a hair beyond gently bumping against her, trying to draw it out as long as possible by simply asking: “So… What did you think of it?”

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira may have been experiencing all this for the first time, but Milo had a strange way of calming her nerves. She felt his head rest against hers, an arm snaking around her body which made her feel surprisingly safe. She gave no voice to these thoughts because she didn’t want to hear his denials. Zira thought it was that room or the area that made her feel safe, but it was Milo. Wherever she was with him, she felt safe. Now with the added nuance of what was quickly becoming affection, it left her feeling elated and with a full heart.

Her focus returned to the movie as she was completely hooked, following the woman’s journey through her affliction. Milo would feel Zira tense or gasp at appropriate times, the tail flicking and wiggling in his grasp with a life of its own, but always remaining gently coiled around him. It was her wordless means of physical affection and she didn’t bother explaining it. He would know the significance of it.

By the end of the movie, Zira sniffled and wiped away a tear, afraid the tears were going to mess up her makeup. The tiefling glanced over at Milo to say something, suddenly aware of how close their faces were. Her golden eyes widened in surprise, her heart pounding and the pointed end of her tail flicking erratically.

“I thought it was..” Zira suddenly found herself at a loss for words. She had an entire thesis about the movie in her mind but all of it came crashing down when she looked at Milo. Her face flushed and she blinked rapidly. Eventually, she looked away, puzzled at her own nervousness. She was a pleasure slave. Her entire job was seduction, pleasing others, and being an expert at all things sensual. And yet, she felt like a pathetic girl barely coming out of her teens sitting with her crush.

“It was perfect...because I watched it with you,” Zira mumbled while nervously fiddling with the blanket and looking down at it. She was suddenly very fascinated by all the designs on it.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Each of Zira’s reactions was a balm upon his unease, not a cure but a remedy, that was reserved for the tiefling’s alien tail whose writhing and tightening he took as a good sign. Her sniffling and tear-wiping had come as an unexpected surprise, he hardly knew how to react, the movie had made him melancholic the first time he had seen it, but nothing like that. Was it appropriate to make someone cry on a date?

Before he could think too deeply on the subject Milo caught her eye and attempted to remain collected despite a blooming flush. Milo’s understanding of her occupation, habits, and history seemed to pass right over his head. To the vagrant she was just Zira, a marvelous woman he was growing to enjoy spending his time with, as they cheered for one another’s victories and enjoyed the simpler things in life that they had been deprived of.

Fairgrounds and movies, and with the slow departure of the crowd, moments alone with someone dear.

With a held breath he awaited Zira’s paused critique, as if the silver-haired dancer’s opinion was the most important in the world. “I- Oh,” Milo started, at a loss for words as her appreciation of the film involved more than just the movie, but him. Could his face grow any warmer one might have thought him sick, and in a similar fashion the former vagrant stared at the blanket, not quite knowing how to respond.

One by one, couples and small groups began to leave, too distracted by their own chattering to pay the two any heed, taking with them coolers and blankets. With the bulk having left the holoprojector shut off and its attendant began to pack it away, leaving the two of them in mild darkness beyond the lights of the streets at their back and the city’s glow from the various towers. It was not unpleasant, the breeze cool but not unfriendly.

“I’m… I’m glad you liked it, it is one of my favorites, more so now.” Milo cringed at his admission but did not retract it. It would be impossible to disentangle the movie from their shared moment, even if he had spent the majority of his time stressing over it and simply watching her. "It might be a bit silly but I used to hope that I'd end up like her, not dying I mean," he stammered. "But to have the ability to overcome."

Slowly, Milo pulled his arm back and leaned away from her, yet rather than begin to pack up the food he instead opened the container once again and removed a few extra items. "The adventures too, though I'd say I've had one of those very recently." He shot her a look while revealing the first item, a small light whose warm glimmer ensured that the two of them could see what they were doing.

The second item was a square box which contained a checkerboard and utensils, yet each square was separately colored, hard to discern exactly what it was until that sweet aroma filled the air. It was cake, an expensive one no doubt given the effort and time that had gone into it. The variety alone went beyond what would be expected, though each square was small enough that multiple could be enjoyed without one giving into excess. True excess came from a pair of bowls with partially melted vanilla ice cream, having just barely survived the duration of the movie. To be eaten along with the squares.

If nothing else, at least Milo paid attention. “It may have been cheating,” the former vagrant began with a short laugh, withdrawing the last item from his jacket. His old datapad. “Just getting what I knew you already wanted. So I tried to go a bit extra, I’m not exactly the greatest at this sort of thing.” The sandy-haired man spoke softly yet sheepishly, holding out a spoon as he set the device down, letting Zira have the first pick of flavors. It wasn't quite 'all' the cake, but it was certainly as close as one could get in one sitting.

@Sreeya