Author's Note: Bit of a longer delay from the first two chapters but that's because I didn't have any part of this one already written! This one involves a bit more setup than the previous chapters, but I had fun writing it so I hope you'll enjoy reading it!
Chapter 3: Back to My Place, Take Two
The next few weeks with Kaz'na were like dating in reverse. We had started our relationship, if you could call it that, with mind blowing sex and now we were casually going out to get to know each other. It had been a while since my last date that had turned into anything more than just a hookup and I had forgotten how nice it was to have someone to text you good morning or to chat with while on the train to work. We met up in the evenings whenever we could, either to grab dinner or just wander more of the city together. One weekend we even took a trip to the Griffins Port Zoo, which was the first time for Kaz'na and the first time in a few years for me. It was a mostly chill time save for when I had to half-escort half-drag Kaz'na past the carnavex enclosure. The sight of the massive reptilian predator triggered her goblin flight response, causing her to cling to my arm and attempt to take cover behind me in a way that she had to admit was a little hilarious in hindsight.
"Ok, sure! There was 6 inches of glass between us! I get it! But they all wanted to eat me and you know it! You would have freaked out too," she huffed. If any of the carnavexes in the tank had taken any notice of us, I couldn't tell. They all seemed content to bask in the sun but I wasn't about to correct her.
All the time spent not fucking was also an opportunity to learn more about Kaz'na's background. She had immigrated to Empiria with her mother and siblings when she was 4. Gohlmia was going through some political upheaval that was threatening to become a full blown civil war and they took the chance to flee when they could. Her dad had stayed behind to run the small chain of convenience stores he owned. Fortunately, things had settled down within a few years before the country was completely torn apart but they had adjusted to Empiria and Kaz'na considered it her home.
She had liked art ever since she was a kid. After getting a degree in fine art and finding that it was untenable to try to make a living through painting, she had gotten a job as a graphic designer at a soul sucking marketing company. It wasn't the most fulfilling work, but she appreciated the stability.
And through all of this, the clothes stayed on. Besides hand holding and goodnight kisses, we didn't get up to anything dirty. I know, I'm lame as hell. But it was nice.
"Dude, that's lame as hell!" Danny exclaimed, a little too loudly for the ambience of the bar that we were in. "You go from doing it in a bathroom to not making it past first base? How am I supposed to live vicariously through this!"
Mac, another friend of mine on a rare night off from the restaurant he cooked at, took a sip of his beer and chimed in with his two cents. "Yeah man, if you're not going to cut this goblin chick off you might as well get a steady supply of pussy out of her."
"But it's nice! It's nice just spending time with her. And she's not going anywhere. Like there's no expiration date on pussy." I could tell I sounded defensive but that's because I was.
"More like she's got no shortage of dick," Mac said conspiratorially.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"It's supposed to mean that she can always get it elsewhere. For goblins, sex is like saying hello. Just cause she did it with you don't mean nothing," Mac explained.
"Kaz'na's not like that. Trust me." I hoped I had masked my doubts effectively.
"Whatever you say, man. I only know one other human who "dated" a goblin. It was back in college. He thought things were going good, too. Thought they was exclusive and all that. Then she stopped returning his texts, wouldn't answer calls, nothing. Turns out he wasn't her only guy. He wasn't even a first-stringer. He was like a side-side-side-side piece." Mac punctuated his delightful anecdote by draining the rest of his beer. Mac wasn't always such an asshole. He had gone through a brutal breakup of his own a couple months ago and he still carried some scars. A part of me wanted to point out how his ex had been a human and it didn't stop her from cheating on him but I knocked that devil off my shoulder and changed the subject.
"Alright, I think that's enough on
my
love life. How's it going with you and that orc from the gym?"
"Oh yeah!" Danny said between handfuls of the cheese fries he was demolishing. "I talked to her the other day! She had noticed me checking her out and I get the vibe that she's into it. Her name is Grashti."
"Nice, man. So did you get her number or anything?" I was intrigued that I might not be the only one with a cross species thing going on.
"Not yet. But I have patience! I just have to give it some time and I know I will wear her down."
"From what I know of orc history and physiology, "wearing her down" will be easier said than done but good luck!"
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I was in the middle of my third round of house cleaning that day when Kaz'na texted to tell me she had just gotten off the train and was only a few minutes away. This was going to be the first time that she had been to my place since our first night together and I was in moderate anxiety mode. I knew she had already seen it in its "casual' form, as I had not imagined she would end up coming back with me and had neglected to prepare my home to be suitable for anyone other than myself. But this time she would be witnessing it both sober and not under the influence of crazy goblin sex hormones (the latter part being something that I was unaware of at the time). The sobriety wouldn't last long, though, if I and the bottle of dwarven mead (which I had picked up after she had made an offhand remark about liking it) had anything to say about it! But until the distinctively strong drink had a chance to do its thing, I had to spare Kaz'na from any evidence of my typical bachelor way of life.
I had just finished lighting some frostcedar scented candles and checking my hair for the dozenth time when I heard her knock at the door. I run-walked to the door and opened it not-to-eagerly. My face reflexively lit up when I saw her. She always looked so beautiful, even when she was "dressed down" like she was now in an unzipped burgundy hoodie over a low-cut white tank top and a pair of black leggings. An overnight bag was slung over one shoulder. I didn't know what her usual style was, but I was starting to suspect that she enjoyed accentuating her ample verdant cleavage for my benefit.
"Hey Kaz'na! Come in. I'm sorry I can't carry you across the threshold this time." I theatrically waved her on in.
Kaz'na laughed as she walked past me. "I'll forgive you, just this once! But I expect to be treated like a princess for the rest of the night."
It was my turn to laugh. I knelt down to embrace her and kissed her, lingering for just a moment to savor the feeling of her plush lips. It had been an uncomfortable maneuver to get to her level the first time but I'd had a good deal of practice since then and it now came naturally to me.
"So, want the grand tour? I know you've seen my place before but..."
