Jafaris wandered into the kitchen of Talia and Ezrah's humble house, the delicious aroma of something simmering filling the air. He had been out and about mindlessly exploring Dimac until the afternoon light had begun to vanish. Ezrah was still out running a last minute errand for a farmer in the village, while Talia was at the stove, focused intently on what she was cooking. The way her hair swayed as she moved was mesmerizing, and Jafaris found himself watching her again, taking in the gentle curves of her body as she stirred the pot. Just sitting at the dining table watching her was some entertainment.
"Yo." he called, trying to break the quiet. "You really a wizard? I mean, that fireball back then was crazy."
She turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder, "It's magic…the proper term is a mage." she explained, her voice soft but steady. "I assume you haven't heard of this before. We use mana to cast spells. It's the energy that allows us mages to cast such spells."
"Mana?" Jafaris replied, leaning back on his chair. "So, like, what can you actually do with it?"
Talia's eyes lit up a bit as she spoke. "Well, with mana, we can transform it into any of the base elements—fire, water, earth, and air. Or we can combine them for different, complex effects, such as steam."
Jafaris nodded, the pieces falling into place in his mind. He looked down at his hands, still slightly battered from that encounter with the goblins. "You know about some kinda purple aura? Is that magic?"
"Purple aura?" Talia said, her brows furrowing in thought. "I am not familiar with that, but it could be." As she stirred the pot, she looked back at him with a studious gaze, her round glasses reflecting the afternoon light. "Though, I suppose you can manage without knowledge of magic. You were able to fend off goblins with your bare hands, right?"
"Yeah…" He scratched his bald head, trying to wrap his mind around it. "I see," he muttered.
Talia turned back to her cooking, her face thoughtful. Jafaris leaned back against the counter, a playful smirk creeping onto his face as he watched Talia. "Your mans is lucky to have that body of yours for himself," he teased, his tone dripping with a mix of confidence and flirtation. "Like damn…"
Talia's cheeks flushed a bright red, her eyes widening in surprise. She turned back to the pot, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Um, th-thank you?" she stammered, the warmth creeping up her neck. It was a strange mix of emotions, like she wasn't sure whether to be offended or flattered.
"Just saying what I see," Jafaris replied, leaning in a bit closer, the playful glint in his eyes unmistakable. He then raised an eyebrow, deciding to push his luck a little further. "So, have you and Ezrah fucked?"
Talia's eyes widened even more, and she almost dropped the spoon she was holding. "W-W-Where did this come from?! We haven't!" she exclaimed, her voice higher than usual, flustered and caught off guard. She glanced at him, her cheeks practically glowing. "But…"
Jafaris chuckled at her reaction, clearly amused. "For real?!" he replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "I thought y'all would have done it by now."
Talia fidgeted, still feeling the heat in her face. "I want to, yes, but that's not...it's not about that." Her voice softened, sincerity creeping in. "We've been through a lot together. It's more about trust and understanding."
"You want him to ask you first?"
"N-no…but…" Talia blushed, falling into his trap. "Yes…actually."
"Damn, really?" he sighed. Talia wanted this embarrassing conversation to end, so she remained quiet. Meanwhile, Jafaris found himself momentarily entranced by Talia. Suddenly, the familiar purple aura began to flicker back to life around him, shimmering softly in the kitchen's warm light. Talia didn't notice it—in fact, she couldn't even see it—but she could feel some powerful surge of mana emanating from him.
Feeling bold, Jafaris broke the silence, his voice low and slightly teasing as he stood up. The purple aura around him started to glow ever so slightly. "Wanna do it with me then? He don't have to know."
Talia's eyes widened, surprise washing over her face. She met his gaze, her heart racing as she took in his bulky build and the way he stood confidently in the kitchen. She realized that the mana she felt was messing with her. There was something about him that drew her in. She shouldn't feel these thoughts, but she just couldn't help it. It was a primal kind of attraction, and suddenly, the idea didn't seem so outlandish.
Jafaris watched as she hesitated, her mind clearly racing. He could see her taking in his muscular arms, the way his black tank top hugged his frame, and how the light caught the sharp angles of his jaw. Talia wanted to berate her guest and throw him outside, but she couldn't get herself to do so. "I—uh..." she stammered, her voice trailing off as her cheeks flushed once more. "B-But Ezrah…?"
"We keep it a secret." Jafaris muttered, "Think of it like training before the real deal. I know you want it."
"I mean, I wouldn't be against it…"
His heart raced as he processed her words, slightly surprised at her response. "You mean that?" He had expected her to say no and play it off as a joke. Her being okay with it just raised more questions, but he didn't care.
"I don't know why…it just feels...you know…" stuttered a timid Talia.
Seeing this, Jafaris couldn't resist the urge to close the distance between them. If she was allowing it, he just had to claim that body of hers. With a mischievous grin, he stepped up behind Talia and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her gently against his chest. The warmth of her body felt nice against him, and he could feel her heartbeat quicken at the unexpected embrace. The strange purple aura was now encapsulating her body slightly.
"Hey," he whispered, his voice low and playful, sending shivers down her spine as he whispered into her ear. "Let's go upstairs."
Talia's cheeks flushing deeper as she processed his words. "Upstairs?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper, caught off guard by the sudden boldness of the moment.
He nodded, his grip tightening slightly but not enough to make her uncomfortable. "I'll be waiting," he added. As Jafaris released her, Talia turned back to the stove, realizing that the dinner had to be cooked for a while. Ezrah said he wouldn't be back for another hour or so, and there was nothing else to do while waiting. The lingering warmth of Jafaris' embrace made her heart race, and she couldn't shake the fluttering feeling in her stomach.
Talia watched him go, feeling both excited and overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events. What was this all leading to? A part of her felt nervous, but another part was undeniably curious. The only thing on her mind was Jafaris, as her heart pounded with the thought of what was to come.