NPC Max Rep Mayhem | BxB [Hiatus]

16: Desert Outing

Afira had specially prepared equipment, potions and items to make the quest as smooth as possible. This is considered a dangerous area, so he was extra careful.

Afira waved Rinai over to give him some items.

"This gear is very important for traveling in the desert. You must wear it properly." Afira fussed with Rinai's equipment until he was satisfied.

Rinai was happy to let him. The equipment automatically worked so it was unnecessary, but the closeness and care were nice. Afira suddenly realized he was obviously taking advantage of the situation and felt embarrassed. 

He coughed and patted Rinai's shoulder. "All set, let's get going." He turned toward the carriage.

Rinai pulled Afira back. "Here, wear yours too." Rinai's gaze was gentle.

Afira felt embarrassed again, he was so focused on Rinai he forgot to equip himself. 

There are settings in this desert to make your health drop if you get too hot or don't drink enough water. It would really be too pitiful if he ruined this date by getting the in-game equivalent to heat exhaustion.

The two boarded their private carriage with all the curtains open, so they could enjoy the scenery.

The journey from the city to the first oasis was so atmospheric Afira and Rinai leaned close together and spoke in hushed whispers to avoid disrupting the setting.  The myriad of sounds was the first thing to surprise Afira. He expected the desert to be a silent place with only the sound of the wind blowing. The wind did create sounds, but it was different from what he expected. It wasn't a howl or a swish, but the air did carry a variety of sounds. 

There was the crystalline sand that rubbed together as it was blown down the dunes with a faint tinkle.

Afira's ears felt itchy every time the breeze passed through the brittle scrub brush with a dry scritching noise. 

He couldn't resist looking up when he heard a swoosh of wings as several hawks soared overhead when a stronger gust of air blew up from the west. 

The sounds and sights of the desert faded from Afia's awareness as he completely focused on Rinai. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. It was steady, not the erratic kind that would cause a forced log off. A pleasant kind of nervous excitement set his nerves tingling.

The trip to the oasis could be completed quickly or slowly. The travel scene could be skipped. There were many mobs in the desert that could be fought at this time for very high experience points. He brought along a special item that prevented these encounters. Afira chose not to skip it for a very important reason that involved a different experience.

Afira closed the curtains.

A red blush quickly spread across Afira's face as he made a bold suggestion. "Rinai this...I'm um, that is.....we have some time until we reach the oasis. If you would like, we could...um.....practice." Afira's voice got very small at the end but Rinai still heard. 

Rinai understood immediately what Afira meant by practice. "Great idea. Let's start right away." Rinai pulled Afira's hand to his lips, slowly kissing his fingertips as he held a steady gaze into Afira's eyes. 

Rinai entangled their fingers and gently pulled Afira closer. Rinai's breath tickled Afira's ear as he leaned over to lightly kiss Afira's neck and jaw. 

Afira's breathing sped up as the sensations of Rinai's touches sent little electric jolts through him.

"Doing OK?" Rinai asked.

"Mhmm." Afira answered absently as he stared at Rinai's lips. "You said before that...next time...more would be OK."

Rinai gladly accepted the invitation and pulled Afira into his lap face to face. Soft light kisses gradually progressed and deepened.

Soon Afira was panting and leaning his head on Rinai's shoulder, Rinai's hand firmly held against his back the other hand was stroking his hair.

"How about a break from practice. How do we find this desert pearl?" Rinai shifted Afira from his arms back to sitting next to him. He still held him close, with Afira's body leaning against his side.

Afira spent a few moments calming his breathing before he answered. "At sunset it will flash and shine. We just need to be near enough to see it. As long as we are at the oasis, we can find it."

By midday, the heat could really be seen. The rising heat caused the scenery to distort and warp somewhat. Thanks to Afira's preparation and the addition of some special items from the shopkeeper, Rakum, they remained comfortable through the day. 

The two slowly enjoyed lunch together in the roomy carriage.