The treehouse sits as expected in its usual spot in the usual tree this afternoon, as expected, the rope just where it usually hangs. All in all, it looks completely ordinary -- unless the viewer happens to pay attention to it, and notice that the space right under the mosquito-screen window sems to have sprouted a window box, or something similar. All is quiet. All is neat.

Aurelia pauses as she sees the window box. She's a perceptive girl. She's also laden with a bag of food and so she doesn't pause for long. She walks up to the rope, ties it securely around the mouth of the sack, then gives it a tug as she says, "Hey dumbass, if you're in there, haul this on up."

The trapdoor opens. "=Smart=ass, thank you very much," Ren replies mildly, radiating suppressed excitement, and hauls the bag up as instructed, untying the sack and dropping the rope back down. "C'mon up. Plentya room..."

Aurelia comments dryly, "Well toned, even." Ren's excitement causes her to look dubious, but when the rope comes back down, she makes with the scaling. "Is there some reason it shouldn't be?" she asks warily. "You ain't done nothin' have ya?"

Serendipity grins down at her as she climbs. "You noticed," he replies cheerfully. "...an' of course there's no reason there =shouldn't= be." He beams and pulls back from the trapdoor, letting her climb into the house unmolested. As it were.

Aurelia hauls herself inside and immediately does a spot check for potential disasters. When nothing appears to explode in her face, she relaxes a little. Then she spies the baubles, and her expression brightens as she says, "You put in shelves!"

Serendipity beams proudly at the brightening, from where he sits crosslegged on the bed. "An' I made a pantry box, an' a stuff box/table thing, an' a window box," he points out, sounding much like a kid at christmas in an earlier time, "...an' I got us a mattress, a proper one. It's only straw but I found a featherbed t' go with it, so." He spreads his arms to indicate the place as a whole, and beams yet more.

Aurelia draws the bag closer to the pantry box, taking a careful look around. "You been busy," she notices, sounding suitably impressed. "And not bein' up to no good. This place looks a whole lot better, sugar plum." From the bag, she transfers food into the pantry box: some dried fruit, the jerky of some kind of animal, a half dozen herb and cheese scones. Nothing terribly exciting, but enough to constitute this 'dinner' thing all the kids are raving about these days.

Serendipity stays crosslegged on the bed, fingers twined in his lap, straightbacked and still grinning happily. And, in fact, apparently resisting an urge to bounce. "So, you like it then?" he asks, a level of casual not found in nature.

Aurelia eyes Ren sidelong, with the paranoia of one who knows full well that elated Coyote kin are rarely a good thing. "Well yeah," she says in a tone of voice that seems to be prodding about carefully in hopes of finding the catch. "It's very thoughtful of you to fix the place up like this."

"I thought," Ren remarks, "seein' as you wanted a garden an' all, maybe the window box'd do for now? There's a panel t' open in the screen, t'get to it, an' it's got dirt an' all." He really =has= been working hard while she was out. There are even flowers in water in the empty mead bottle, on the table-box -- and the baubles are very carefully set out indeed.

Aurelia puts away the store of food, all save for a strip of jerky, which she gnaws on as she wanders over to inspect the window box more closely. "This'd be good for putting in some herbs," she says around a bite of the salted meat. "Like some thyme to put in soups n'all. That'd be nice.'

"Yeah, it would," Ren agrees, watching her unpack and inspect. Eventually he asks, quiet and somewhat forlorn, "...don't I at least get a kiss or somethin'?"

Aurelia says, muffled around a bite, "I 'ant 'iss 'oo 'ike 'is." Munch, munch. Chew, chew, chew. It's not the most attractive thing she's ever done, gnawing down a bit of dried animal carcass while crawling across the treehouse floor toward Ren with a beleaguered expression. With exaggerated care, she swallows, then plants a kiss on his lips. Mmm, briny.

Serendipity kisses back, gentle and lingering but with only half-concealed hunger behind it, and wraps his arms around the girl, dragging her down next to him on the mattress. He breaks the kiss with a little sigh and comments rather wryly, "...I was kinda hopin' it'd make you happy."

Aurelia settles in, then perks up anew at the mattress's softness. "I am happy," she says fondly, almost chiding. She offers him what's left of her jerky, then sprawls out comfortably. "I done had the best days in my life, these past few, and comin' home to find all this is just icin' on the cake."

Serendipity touches her cheek, and watches the hand contemplatively as it makes a slow, caressing journey down the far side of her from there, brushing by her neck, breast, and waist before settling itself at the curve of her hip. "Yeah? ...'s good. That's def'nitely good." He pops the proffered remnant of jerky in his mouth, and chews on it absently.

Aurelia smiles awkwardly and reaches up to smooth Ren's hair absently. "So you spent all day doin' this?" she asks, her brow furrowing with what might pass for guilt in one prone to such a feeling. "When you could've been makin' all kinds of trouble? Are you feelin' okay?"

Serendipity closes his eyes, tilting his head to press just a little into her hand, and relaxes a touch. "Yeah," he replies, in a tone that somehow can't quite decide whether it's proud of itself or sheepish, "...started when you went out, wan'ed t' surprise you, y'know? An' yeah, pretty much okay. Better now." There's a fleeting smile there that cannot be described by any particularly dignified terms. "Giddy" might come to mind. Or just "dorky."

Aurelia tweaks the lock of hair, then lets her hand drop to Ren's, lacing her fingers around his as she admits quietly, "I went over to Danny's. To... you know. I brought him lunch." She smiles awkwardly, then looks around again. "And I come home, and this is all so nice. I... I'm liking all this."

Serendipity squeezes her hand firmly, and tilts his head to nuzzle at her neck and give it a little kiss and nibble, without opening his eyes. "...Mmm. I'm glad you're likin' it," he murmurs, and then, with a grin she can feel against the skin but not see, "...so how did the you know go?"

Aurelia's breath comes a little quicker, and Ren might notice a few more tender spots on her throat than the night before. With a low laugh, she replies, "In-fuckin'-credible. But a lady don't kiss n' tell." She drapes her arms around Ren's shoulders, hugging him as she adds, "Then again, that weren't just kissin'."

Serendipity laughs low in reply, slipping the hand that isn't on Aurelia's hip under her waist to pull her closer, and spends a minute or so tormenting the various tender spots, his own or not. "In-fuckin'-credible, hmmmm? I'll hafta work harder, I guess," he muses with mock resignation, the effect betrayed by the warmth beneath the tone.

Aurelia laughs quietly, then jabs Ren's ribs with a fingertip. It's the nature of the Aurelia to do this when the opportunity presents itself. "Now it ain't like that," she chides. "If y'all start measurin' up I'll have to smack ya. Ain't like that at all. He's just..." She sighs stupidly. "Yeah."

"Hey," Ren protests wryly, "I got ego tied up in there. I haven't =got= that many other talents..." He sounds half-serious, but only half, and gives her a little squeeze, lifting his head to give her a somewhat bittersweetly adoring smile. "Hope you sigh like that 'bout me someday, beautiful," he says, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from near her face. "...'m glad, though. I'd hate t' see ya disappointed." He considers a moment. "I mean, considering all the build up about stallions," he adds, and grins.

Aurelia rolls her eyes and gives Ren another jab. "Dumbass," she mutters as she draws him closer, pushing and prodding him like a pillow til she gets a comfy spot to rest her head and curl up against him. "I oughtta punch ya for fishin' but let me tell you, you're good at lots of other things. You got a good heart, and you see the good in people no one else sees. You stick by your friends, and you can be the biggest pain in the ass and then turn around and make this place up all nice just 'cuz you know I miss havin' a home. Hell, you've got talent in fixin' places up if nothin' else, and that ain't even the half of it. And, uh, heh. I ain't disappointed. About nothin'. If you knew how rare that was for me, you might have an idea of how happy you've made me."

"Yeah," Serendipity allows, quiet and relatively content as Aurelia pummels him into a comfortable shape, "but I'm your dumbass." He curls his neck to let him give her the best kiss he can manage without disturbing the comfy spot she's finally found, or rather created. "...thank you, beautiful. Wasn't meanin' to be fishin', but it's nice t' be appreciated."

Aurelia hmphs and nestles in. "Well, yeah. You can be dumb as a wedge about some things, but it ain't yer fault. You're a boy." She pats his shoulder, then lets her arm slide around him as she gets nice and cozy. She sighs, somewhat contemplative as she adds quieter, "You're a fine man, Ren Jones. I wouldn't say it if it weren't true."

Serendipity cuddles the corax like it's going out of style, as if it were the only thing he wanted to do in the world -- although one might be able to discern clues that it might have at least a =little= company. "'s why it means somethin', from you," he responds, "...you're not gonna say things just t' be nice." Pause. "Or t' try an' get in my pants." He grins again, nuzzling.

Aurelia grins and gives him a rib-jab, but it's soft, hardly a poke at all. Just a little gesture to know she cares. About jabbing him, anyway. The warmth of her tone implies that's not the full extent of her emotional involvement here, though. "Yeah, I figure if I wanted to buck up to a challenge that difficult, I'd have to plan my strategy well. I'd have to, like, breathe oxygen and everything."

Serendipity snorts lightly, and goes all considering. "...I dunno; for =you= I might settle for nitrogen or somethin'," he allows, and then tilts his head to nip her earlobe sharply. "I'm easy, but I'm not a =total= sure thing."

Aurelia hmphs, which might be a cover from a whimper at the nip, and she tilts her head slightly so she can look him in the eye as she says, "I wouldn't ever claim that, Coyote's son. A sure thing ain't in yer makeup." She grins a little. "Makes things interestin'." Then, more seriously, she adds, "But you ain't just a walkin' sack a' meat. Even when yer teasin', I don't like it when you let on that that's all yer good for. "

Serendipity ducks his head, smiling faintly, and then nods. "A'ight. I'll try t' keep that in mind for ya," he replies, and shifts a little, the hand at her hip starting to idly wander. "...so you got plans? For t'night, or t'morrow, or in general?"

Aurelia considers this with all due solemnity -- she lays off jabbing Ren for awhile -- and says, "Not really, no. I was gonna get us somethin' to eat and then get some shut-eye." Diurnal creatures. No fun after sundown. She perks up though and says, "Hey, are you doin' anything? Maybe we could, I dunno, pack a picnic lunch and go explorin' around the mountain. I ain't been there, and it'd be like old times, just you n' me in the woods."

Serendipity laughs. "I like that idea. You gonna pretend t' be a boy?" He manages to make the question sound, if not actually lewd, at least improper. "Didn't have any plans, so yeah. 's a date. An' somethin' t' eat's good... I'm starving." His hand continues appreciating the terrain, and he's silent for several seconds. "...you all worn out?"

Aurelia gives him a tickle along his ribs as she sits up. "I wasn't gonna, but if you ask nice..." She then eyes him sidelong, moving to scoot off the mattress and over to the pantry box. "Why, you got an itch?"

Serendipity wriggles at the tickling, and reluctantly lets her escape. "...you =did= make a cute guy," he muses teasingly, and sits up himself, watching her move. "I =was= thinkin' this mattress could maybe use some breakin' in," he admits, "...I =s'pose= I could do it myself, but it'd be more fun with you." He grins wickedly at her across the room.

Aurelia flashes him a Look, which then does something her patented Looks rarely do: it turns blatantly lewd. "I could watch," she suggests. Once at the pantry box, she sits cross-legged and sorts through it, taking stock mentally and drawing out a half-loaf of bread, some cheese, and a hunk of salted beef with a knife sticking out of it. She makes with the slicing. Sandwiches, tonight.

Serendipity laughs out loud, startled by the suggestion, and studies her with intrigued amusement. "You could," he agrees, and shifts to rest more comfortably on the bed. It's only coincidence that it's a distinctly more seductive pose he ends up in, really. "...would you like that?"

Aurelia shrugs nonchalantly and replies, "Well, you know. Attractive man all spread out nice on some blankets, giving a girl a personal show? I ain't seein' the bad there. You should let your hair down, let me see it all loose and pretty." She assembles two sandwiches and makes her way back to the nest, offering one to Ren. She looks at him steadily as she adds, "I think it'd be more intimate, in a way. You ever think about that? The vulnerability? If you ain't ready, I understand."

Serendipity glances half-away, and seems to gain some extra colour across his cheeks. "Already let you see things no one else ever does," he admits, and then tilts his head, meeting her gaze again sidelong, and reaches up with both hands to undo the tie of his ponytail, letting the dark, silky curtain of hair fall free and drape itself about his back, arms, and shoulders.

Aurelia sets the sandwiches aside. They'll keep, and she doesn't seem particularly hungry just now. Easing back onto the mattress, she reaches out to comb her fingers through Ren's hair, and her expression becomes much more serious. "There you go," she whispers. "You got beautiful hair, you know that?"

Serendipity moves his head a little to let the strands spill over and across Aurelia's fingers, and smiles just a little, looking far closer to shy than he can possibly have a right to. He's already out of his coat -- he doesn't usually wear it much inside the house, unless he needs something from it -- and he starts slowly in on the buttons of his shirt, from top to bottom. It could almost be a striptease.

Aurelia draws back to settle in a comfortable lean, watching Ren's fingers work the buttons. "You know, first time we ever met, the night in that old loft? I was so scared you'd find me out," she mentions quietly.

"Yeah?" Ren asks quietly, finishing the last button and sliding the shirt off, eyes on Aurelia. "...how come? I mean, you spent all that time on ships fulla guys an' did a'ight..." He tosses the fabric aside and leans forward to remove his boots. His hair spills across his skin like shadows when he moves.

Aurelia reaches over and takes up the shirt, slipping into it, but leaving it unbuttoned. She doesn't take her eyes off Ren, blatantly taking in the contour of his chest without a hint of shame. "Because most of the time, those sailors was nasty, but you... I couldn't even sleep most of the night. I could smell you, and it was damned distracting."

Serendipity pushes off the second boot and sits up, pausing to just admire the girl, with no attempt to hide it. "Mmm, I like seein' you in that. 's so hot, I dunno why..." He undoes the buttons of his pants, one at a time again, in no hurry. "...you were pretty distractin', too. Even all dirty like y'were..." He stretches out sinuously across the mattress, arching to raise his hips and slide the trousers down, kicking them idly the rest of the way off. It really is a nice little body he's got there.

Aurelia watches it with a casual air as she leans back, propped up on one elbow. She holds out an arm to him to beckon him to her as she replies wryly, "I wasn't lookin' to attract anyone. You was good company, though."

Serendipity stretches and turns over, slinking his way up to Aurelia low to the mattress on hands and knees, eyes excited and mischievous. He curls into her arm, then stretches out full length, scooping his hands beneath his neck and up to fan his hair out on the pillows beneath him. "Haven't got ridda me yet," he murmurs.

Aurelia draws Ren up to her, watching his slinking with distinct approval. He's even rewarded with not getting jabbed. Instead, she trails her fingers over his chest, gazing down at his body. "And I ain't gonna," she says quietly. "Some people, you just know are gonna be with you forever no matter how far away the road may try to take 'em."

Serendipity shivers a little at the movement of Aurelia's fingers, and catches her hand in his, bringing it to his mouth. "Forever," he agrees solemnly, "wherever we are," and assaults her hand rather tenderly with little kisses and licks to the back and knuckles and webs between the fingers, before he catches one of her fingers in his mouth and gives it the kind of attention that could make one briefly entertain a wish to try out =actually= being a boy.

Aurelia cradles him warmly, and though he is easily the larger and bulkier of the two, there is an air about her that implies otherwise. The ways she gazes down on him benevolently, eyes bright as she watches his lips. The utter self-assurance in her voice when she whispers to him, soft against his ear, little suggestions, instructions. As if Ren, of all people, needed walked through the process of self-gratification.

He may not strictly speaking need the encouragement, but it certainly doesn't hurt in the least. He takes direction well, apparently -- at least when so inclined -- and he listens attentively to her voice, even when his eyes insist on falling shut. For most of the time, though, they remain at least partly open -- half-closed or barely slitted, either way their focus stays on her.