Slumrat Rising

“So… this nightclub,” Truth asked Etenesh, “Can you… narrow down the description for me?” The carpet soared over the city traffic, a snarl of wagons, chariots, and clubs of people old enough to know better riding herds of identical spirit beasts through intersections and slowing traffic for everyone.

Jember had him looking sharp. Truth could happily admit that. He had always been proud of his body, and Jember was not shy about slapping a tight-fitting robins egg blue shirt on him that was practically painted over his biceps, tapered trousers, and, to Truth’s immense surprise, the tasseled white zeph was declared mandatory. First, because it made a nice balance to the white casual shoes he was wearing, and second, “You will need it.” And Jember wouldn’t say more.

Jember did try to part Truth from the Tongue, but Truth showed off Merkovah’s loan, and they both laughed. It was a set of rings that magically connected the sheath for the Tongue to his back and a ring for his finger. Run a bit of power through the talisman ring, and the sword would eject from the sheath and fly into his hand. It was flashy as hell, but it would mean he could go out and dance without leaving his sword behind.

“Ah. Now I feel suddenly bad. You weren’t a nightclub person, were you?”

“Personally? No. Professionally? Yes, a lot. That’s why I wanted to know.”

“Wait, you bodyguard people in nightclubs?”

“Yep. Lots of young masters and mistresses out for a fun night on the town. It was my job to make sure they could have their fun without consequences. That couldn’t be solved with money, anyway.”

“Huh. Now that you say it, I can imagine that did come up a lot. Well, the Garden Club is pretty chill. Dancing, some pretty good food, and plenty of drinks. But before you start worrying, there is a reason you’re sporting the zeph. It’s a Desrin club. Not very observant Desrin; they do serve meat and alcohol. They just charge triple the price for it compared to everywhere else. So a lot of people drinking fancy teas, coffees, and iced drinks.”

Truth thought back to the nightclubs he remembered. One of them, admittedly not one of the nicer ones, had a sign by the door reading “Must be this high to enter-” and a picture of an anthropomorphic rabbit about to ruin the chastity of a garbage truck. The truck was alarmingly into it. In fact, he couldn’t remember visiting a club where the protectee was sober. This would be a change.

Etenesh sharply waved her hand in front of him. “I want to turn your chin towards me with a finger. No, don’t look over towards me. It will spoil the effect.” She extended her index finger. Truth gave her a slight smile and nodded. She put her fingertip to his chiseled chin and turned his face to her.

“I want your attention tonight. Which means I want you to be here with me. Not in whatever unhappy place you drift to. We are here at my third favorite club, and your job tonight is to be my date. My escort. My pretty, pretty man, who I fully intend to grind in the face of several notable young ladies, and several more young gentlemen, who in the past have made comments.”

She smiled victoriously, then hesitated and raised her finger again. “I should stress that this is purely a social thing, and even if they are really shitty, which I honestly don’t think they will be, I would be really upset if you were to, say, redecorate the club with their mangled remains before hunting down their families, friends and anyone who owes them money.”

Truth tried to look wounded. “I would never!”

“Uhuh. Come on, pretty man. The music at the Garden is usually pretty chill. I bet you learn to dance fast, and I’m woman enough to admit I am looking forward to rubbing up against you.”

Well, when she put it that way, he was pretty excited about it too. “Third favorite club?”

“Number one is Lemmy’s Stew, which is basically a booze and drug-fueled riot supported by dangerously loud music. Riot in the sense of fun, but also in the sense that people are slamming around off each other.” Truth could imagine it and directly refused to go in his head.

“I figured you would be four counties over and still accelerating by the time I finished describing it if I tried to drag you there,” Etenesh continued, “Which also ruled out number two- Bloody Mace, which is Lemmy’s but the drinks cost more and the lineup usually isn’t as good. Better dancefloor, though, and some of the regulars are really fun.”

Truth tried to think of something funny to say and struck out. He… probably didn’t have a shitty personality. He could admit that to himself now. He was probably ok that way. But he still felt bad, like he didn’t know what to say if he couldn’t steal the line from a book. So he just fumbled for a minute and said the only thing he could think of.

“Thank you for thinking of me. I feel like I make a scene whenever people take me places, so… thank you.”

It sounded moronic. He needed to read more books, memorize more lines. That was dumb. He was dumb.

“Truth Medici, I want you to kiss me right now!” He stumbled but then happily did as she asked. The books could wait.

____________________________________________

The bouncer waved them right in. There was a line down the block, and they didn’t even have a chance to join the queue. The bouncer, a cone-shaped Desrin man with sausage fingers and cauliflower ears, saw them get off the carpet and immediately came and greeted them. His zeph had a tassel too. They were on the list. They would always be on the list. There was no cover for them. Ever. Etenesh looked as surprised as he did, but they went with it. A staggeringly attractive young lady in a sharply short skirt and abbreviated top led them to their luxurious booth. A VIP table in the cordoned-off VIP area, where they could see the stage well and be seen, but not bothered, by the masses.

Etenesh just shrugged at it all, which was more or less Truth’s reaction too. Their explanation came almost immediately as another cone-shaped Desrin, no tassel, rushed over to their table.

“Heaven-Beseeching Family’s Etenesh, and the young Hero. They kept your name out of the news, so I won’t pry. You both have done a lot for the Desrin community here in Siphios. I know you didn’t do it for that reason, but you really did. Young man, you stood up for yourself but didn’t get dragged into starting a riot. I, we all, are so damn proud of you. And you, Etenesh. The only regular who reads theology in the booth between sets! A daughter of the Honest to God Heaven-Beseeching Family coming out on the sands, staking her soul for the honor of a Desrin brother?”

The club owner was getting choked up, stumbling over his words. “You have no idea, no idea. You can see how bad the city has been getting. Things bad all over. But you two. Power, pride, grace. So much respect. Mutual respect. Stay. Eat, drink, free forever. Thank you both so much. I’m. Have good night. May God bless you both.”

Truth and Etenesh looked at each other with wondering eyes. The waitress, who had been waiting for the club owner to finish his piece added, “I’ve got a brother. He’s dating a Progressive girl, trying to keep it quiet, but that’s impossible in this city. People threw stones at them. Or beer bottles. Spit in their food or wouldn’t serve them at all. Smashed up their bikes. I saw a granny cross the street rather than speak to them. Not anymore. Now people say they set a good example. My name is Fatisame, and if you two need anything, you just wave.”

Etenesh reached her hand out to Truth. He grabbed it. She squeezed hard, and he squeezed right back.

Truth thought he would be more uncomfortable dancing, but it was ok, actually. Then it was more than just ok. It was fun. Etenesh was right- he quickly picked up the basic idea of dancing quickly. He wasn’t good at it, but he could keep the rhythm and, between his incredible strength and flexibility, had no problem keeping up with Etenesh. Who, as promised, was having an immense amount of fun rubbing herself all over him.

When he started, tentatively, dancing back, she gave him a big smile. When he extended his arms towards her, she grabbed his hands and put them directly on her ass, and snuggled into his chest for a slow number.

It was, Truth decided, one hell of a fun night. The food was outstanding, too, soft baked bits of flatbread with endless dips to try and fruits to eat. Apparently, you could mix drinks that had no alcohol but still tasted really fun and different. A balance of citrus and sweetness and bitterness and heady aroma after heady aroma. It was a whole new universe. He conferred with Etenesh, and they agreed they were part of the Path of the Foodie. They canoodled on the Carpet Home

Drunk on the night, Truth decided to confess. “Etenesh, this is one of those things that’s embarrassing for me, but you probably won’t care. But still. Be nice to me.”

She laughed softly. “Alright, I think I can manage that.”

“I really, really enjoyed tonight. And I really want to go to bed with you. But I’m also not ready for sex, and part of that is… I’m a virgin.”

There was a strange pause. At the very edge of his hearing, Truth heard a faint “Squeeeeeeee.” Etenesh convulsed once, then gently detangled herself from Truth and got on her knees. She started murmuring something.

“Are you… praying?”

“Giving thanks. Don’t interrupt.”

Truth sat there, watching. Not how he expected this to go, but… The prayer took a whole minute. Etenesh looked incredibly sincere the whole time. She then returned to his side, grinning joyfully.

“You know, I had half wondered about that,” she chuckled, “but at the same time, I absolutely couldn’t believe it. Thank you for telling me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am going to make sure you have the very best time learning everything you need to know. Because that means I will have the very best time, and I know you will enjoy that too.” Truth nodded, smiling.

“I read up on how body cultivation works. I’m guessing you weren’t always so handsome?”

“No. But more to the point, my life kind of made real relationships impossible. What’s more, I was… I don’t have words for it. I was convinced that I was ugly to the point where I was unlovable. Literally unlovable. To be clear, it was something that was done to me. No unhappy memories. I want to be here with you, Etenesh.”

She smiled and snuggled up against him. They shared the blessed moment. “This is what I want, you know. This moment, right here. A good, Godly man, and yes, you are, even if you don’t think you are. A happy night. Good music, good food. Love, romance, the warm feeling of knowing sex is coming, and you are going to really enjoy it, but for now, you can just savor the anticipation. Peace over the land.” She sighed happily.

“This is what I will fight for. My own holy path.” Truth chuckled a bit at that. Then almost choked when she said- “And of course, we don’t have to have sex, but I am damn well getting myself off tonight. Wanna watch and learn something?”

____________________________________________

It was a rather thoughtful-looking Truth that sat down at breakfast the next morning. Jember demanded he tell all, and Truth just shook his head. Etenesh snorted at that and dove into a highly detailed retelling of the last night. It sounded like Jember strongly approved. He noticed Etenesh didn’t mention to Jember that he was a virgin.

He really should get her a present or something. That was the kind of thing people did with their girlfriends, right? And she was his girlfriend. Which was… incredible. Though he had never said the words out loud. She had called him her man, so it would probably be ok if he called her his girlfriend, right?

“Etenesh?” He softly interrupted.

“Yes?”

“Can I tell people you are my girlfriend?”

She must have seen something in his eyes because hers suddenly filled with tears as she nodded and said, “Yes. I would like it very much if you did. The man I love should call me that.”

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