North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

My Strawberry

When Jessica designed and co-built the Nightwing (I am not sure which things she did, and which things the boatyard did to her specifications), she studied RV layouts carefully. Also the designs for small houses. She wanted a few things for her new toy.

First up was that while it would be a boat, it was not to be a boat for speed. A more mobile than average houseboat. A pleasure craft for her and her cat to float along lazily, relaxing and escaping the pressures of her world. It was for beer and hauling her latest human conquest to, for relaxed and private sex and blood.

I kind of messed that up for her. I am not sorry.

On a normal boat, space is at a premium. The hull shape dictating the things that can go inside. Jessica worked at it the other way. She knew what she wanted, so she built what is essentially a powered raft, and made it big enough to hold what she wanted.

Being a pleasure craft, a lot of the space on Nightwing is devoted inside the cabin to comfort. A big bed for sex and sleep. Books she loves and re-reads. Graphic novels, including ones about the boat's namesake.

Sidebar: Jessica likes Nightwing's rear, as drawn. She is planning a Nightwing costume for me. She'll be Batgirl. Very tall and generously proportioned Batgirl. Kind of not canon, but it is canon that Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson get together so that works. Morgan is woofed about that because that leaves the other canon relationship-with-Nightwing character as Starfire, and Morgan is most expressly not going to wear that costume. She totally could, but I understand. It would be like wearing Vampirella's costume: she'd have to glue it on, or just use body paint. Jessica would do it. Not Morgan. She'll probably be Batwoman. That will be fun: Morgan and Jessica with red wigs. Helen probably won't come which is too bad because she'd be a great Stephanie Brown Batgirl. Denise is coming, but she has not decided as to character yet. Lois Lane was briefly Superwoman, so a black wig and that would work. She is thinking about it. Or she may do Starfire, just to one-up Morgan.

The idea of the raft-style pontoons Nightwing floats on was to give her space. Big tanks for freshwater so Jessica could post-human-conquest-de-jure take a long shower if she wanted to. Jessica took her pre-marital conquesting seriously and invested in it. The shower is bigger than an average RV's, but nothing like what we have at home. The commode is a standard ceramic RV fixture. The fresh, gray, and blackwater tanks are what limit time away from shore.

The kitchen is nicely laid out. Everything falls to hand well. The spices and pots and pans all neatly stowed and quickly available. It even has room for two people in it if only barely and as long as they are intimately acquainted. That made it easy to roll out and start cooking Helen's breakfast while she lazed sleepily in the bed.

I don't make Eggs Benedicts that often. The hollandaise sauce is a pain in the butt. It is also one of Helen's favorites, and so I usually save it for special, her and I moments like this. Making it en masse for the family would be a production. Also, I am moderately sure Rachel and maybe Laura would reject eggs made that way. My girls are like me: Eggs belong in a breakfast burrito. Diana would eat the Eggs Benedict because it is a big girl thing to do, and Nakoma would help make it because it's a father/daughter thing to do.

I assembled Helen's bed tray. The Eggs Benedict correctly presented on a plate, a side of freshly chopped fruit, toast, and jam. A glass of freshly squeezed-by-authentic-Vampire organic oranges juice. A big glass of cold milk to recharge her batteries. A linen napkin to complete the presentation.

Helen cares about shit like this. When we eat at home, it's family-style. Doing it this way with only us two makes it special.

I carried in her tray, not that the bedroom is but a few steps away, and Helen propped herself up on the pillows and looked it over. "Adrian. It's beautiful. Smells fabulous. Thank you!"