And a picture like this is worth every last one.

Or it would be, were the photo actually taken. Thankfully, Esu’s not a pervert. Okay, not the indecent kind of pervert. Okay, not the indecent kind of pervert who would snap an unwitting tiddypic. But she is the kind of prankster that would make her girlfriend think she did for all of five seconds. There isn’t even a film roll in the camera, but the sleepyhead in the frame doesn’t need to know that. Her frantic blushing and chasing will last for a few seconds before the reveal that it was all a goof, and then she’ll… keep chasing Esu for teasing her like that…

It all started a week or so ago, when Tiya got word from contacts in the Dragonscale Expedition that she was requested as a cataloguer for the now-mostly-safe Dragon Isles. The organization needed someone to go into the not-so-safe areas and document fantastical mysteries and locales that’d spark intrigue in the hearts of prospective adventurers. In essence: Advertising, but built on the back of discovery. Naturally, the errand girl agreed - and, wanting to go on an adventure, Esu tagged along! They took a loaned camera with them to document their finds, but were far too tired on the very last evening to remember to return it. And so, during the following morning’s talk of making that right, Esu fiddled around and saw an opening.

Can you blame her? Tiya gets flustered at the drop of a hat, and Esu likes to watch her pivot from indignity to laughter, then try - and fail - to harass back. But the reaction is stronger here, and Esu finds herself fleeing down the hall, where she must remember that she’s dating a mage. As in, one who could bind someone mid-chase and exact revenge for making a fool of her. For now, it was a mere photo-op scamper - which you can read about Esu causing [here].

But perhaps a little back-and-forth is what Esu wants…

Sketch by an anonymous artist, colors by me~! :D