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Nenet's own sauna attire was hardly so covering: beneath the simple towel she was wholly nude. Now that Aurelie was settled and the threat of cooler air entering the room minimized, she slips the towel once more off her figure with little care to continue soaking in the heat.
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As Aurelie speaks she tilts her head faintly in the woman's direction while her eyes are comfortably hooded and she stares into nothing. She gives a low chuckle, her hand making an absent motion as she assures, "They load you up with a list but you don't have to do everything. There's one on there - hot cupping I think? - that feels like they're trying to pull your body through your back."
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She shakes her head, her nose wrinkling at the memory before pulling herself back into the present. With a warm smile she answers silkily, her timbre much more playful than flirtatious, "No, I'm only here for one of those company worker appreciation packages they give out. Normally I would be holed up the Observatory but they threatened to take away my keycard for a week if I showed up today."
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Nenet laughs at that, mirth imbued into her voice. With a tip of her chin, she asks, "What do you do for a living, Aurelie?"

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Nenet had been secretly delighted when Zev invited her over for dinner to celebrate her birthday - normally she spent her birthday in a bottle of wine singing jazz and baking too much, so this was certainly a welcomed surprise. Nestled comfortably on the couch with Luna the Lycanroc draped across her knees, just as she's considering commandeering Zev's radio to find a jazz station the man in question pops out from the kitchen pantry and sits beside her.
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She's not tipsy yet, though her attention is clearly elsewhere as she appears surprised at the appearance of Zev. Blinking once, she carefully sets down the wine glass and shifts forwards - though is mindful enough not to jostle Luna - to take the box.
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"Oh," she murmurs in quiet surprise, her expression softening as she looks from the gift to Zev. "You didn't -" her voice breaks off abruptly as she stares for a moment at the box. The gift has already been bought and given, she reasons, and thus changes tactics to say instead, "Zev, thank you."
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Opening the box to reveal the leatherbound journal, she smiles warmly, her fingertips brushing over its fine surface before setting it aside to peer at the second box. "You have been paying attention," Nenet teases all of a sudden, her eyes undeniably bright as the macarons are noticed.
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Crooking her finger to draw Zev nearer, she presses a kiss to his lips and murmurs against his skin a quiet, "Thank you. This was very thoughtful."

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Nenet didn't often allow herself to relax but when she did she certainly did wholeheartedly, especially when the entire spa day was paid for by work as one of those employee appreciation packages. Regardless of her intent to relax, her hair was nonetheless immaculately styled, defying the heat of the sauna she's chosen to lounge in.
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The heat is soothing, seeping into her bones to chase away any lingering cold from the winter and spring. Draped over the benches of the sauna like a lioness surveying her kingdom, Nenet's golden gaze cuts to the side as the door opens and a small red-haired woman who seems wholly out of place in knowing what to do.
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Lazily, she leans forwards as Aurelie takes a seat and adds more water to the coal-warmed rocks, sending up a soothing puff of warmth and steam into the enclosed area. She heaves a soft sigh, her hands settling the towel arranged around herself with the barest nod to modesty in mind.
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"Doesn't it?" Nenet drawls after the woman speaks, her full lips pulling into a contented smile. "If I didn't have work to do I think I could live in here." With a laugh she winks at Aurelie, and then introduces herself with, "I'm Nenet, pleasure to meet you."
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After the barest of pauses, she then inquires, "Is this your first time in a sauna?" She tips her chin towards the robe covering Aurelie, assuring her, "You're going to overheat quick in that."

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"Not those specific flavours. Though I could make a roll cake with my eyes closed," Nenet answers, her gaze suddenly thoughtful as she watches Zev over her shoulder. She hopes the flavours have paired well but - well - Zev is here for one thing and one thing only, and it's not to critique her baking in hopes of garnering favour with her coworkers.

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There is a brief consideration in offering to bake for him sometime but Nenet dismisses the idea almost as soon as it comes. Her hookups rarely amounted to anything other than annoyed emails and texts. Once a profanity-laced voicemail landed in her inbox that she's kept to this day; it still makes her laugh, and her sisters quote passages of it with regularity when they call to catch up.

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Regardless, even though it's difficult to imagine Zev leaving her such an emotional outburst she would rather just wait for the inevitable demise of the relationship due to her work hours. The last of the dishes are placed in the drying rack as Zev finishes his slice.

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With a smirk, she beckons him to follow her with a single crook of her finger.

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Moving the thin cake carefully, Nenet sets it upside down on a baking tray covered with a damp tea towel and then flips it upside down for unmoulding. The faint scent of melon fills the air as she explains, "This will cool in just a few moments, and then I'll roll it for the first time. It will cool more and then I'll unroll it, add the filling, reroll and decorate."

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She winks, promising, "It won't be much time at all. You can have a piece, if you'd like." Pausing for just a moment, Nenet adds, "Thank you for whipping the cream."

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The process of assembling the roll cake goes exactly as Nenet explained, and soon a perfect roll cake, soft orange in colour and filled with whipped cream and grape halves, sits on the counter. A piping bag produced from the depths of one of the drawers is used to add puffy mounds atop each section, and then a single piece of the cake is sliced and placed on a plate.

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Offering it to Zev, along with a fork, Nenet says, "For your hard work." She winks playfully, and then goes to wash the few remaining dishes. With a glance over her shoulder, she suggests, "You can stay the night, if you'd like. I have to be up early for some new data results, but if you don't mind making sure the door is locked you can leave at a reasonable hour after me."

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"Oh good," Nenet purrs in response, her eyes falling half-lid as she offers Zev a promising smile. Her expression shifts at his uncertain mein, how own matching his as she tries to puzzle out the direction of the conversation.

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A soft, surprised, "Oh," spills from her lips, and then a laugh. Giving Zev a wave of her hand dismissively, she assures him, "I really don't mind. I wouldn't expect you to place me over your business of all things." She tacks on with a laugh, "I certainly don't put anyone above my work. Besides, I think I cancel more than you anyways." She sets down her knife and wipes her hands on a nearby dish towel before reaching over and gently taking Zev's face into her hands. Nenet presses a kiss to his cheek.

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It seems for a moment she may say more, but the shrill beep of her timer swiftly draws her attention. "Keep whisking," she demands authoritatively, laughter imbued in her timbre. Her hands lightly pat Zev's cheeks before she releases him and turns on her heel to retrieve her cake.

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"Don't worry, you just need to put those arms to use and look pretty," Nenet teases as she leans nearer, her voice low and promising; her hand lowers to caress Zev's hip, her fingers squeezing before she releases him to remove his jacket.
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She turns her back to him, the grapes arranged on a cutting board and knife retrieved. At his question she gives an absent little motion of her hand towards a small index card nearby, offering, "It's just there, but I really only need you to whip the cream for me. Just pour in the whole carton."
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With those instructions she begins to pick through her bundle of grapes, each fruit chosen for its firmness and visual appeal.
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Nenet glances over her shoulder as she asks, "How much time do you have?" She would like him to stay long enough to get the cake rolled, and then some, but like hell will Nenet throw off her dessert's timing.

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"You're right on time," Nenet assures him with entirely too much enthusiasm.
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Before Zev knows it his wrist is grabbed and the man is bodily dragged into the kitchen. "I'm in the middle of making a cream roll cake for work." There is an unspoken, 'and now you're here to help' that is heavily implied by the time she releases his hand and goes to check on her timer.
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Still a few minutes left.
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The refrigerator is then pulled open and a bowl of already rinsed green grapes retrieved, as well as a carton of heavy cream. Without speaking she arches a single eyebrow at Zev as a whisk is produced, a challenging look in her golden eyes.
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"What do you say?"

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It's a lazy day for Nenet. The windows are open, letting in a cooling breeze as she flits around her kitchen. There's an easy way to new coworkers hearts that she learned years ago: baking. She double checks the oven before popping it open, the batter for her cream roll cake placed inside. Taking up a small timer into her hands to fiddle with it, a knock on her front door draws her attention away from her present work.
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She frowns minutely, trying to remember if she has a scheduled visitor or not, and wipes absently at her check with the back of her hand; despite her best efforts, flour now streaks there.
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Nonetheless, she goes to open the door and then blinks in surprise.
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"Zev?"
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Her thoughts already race ahead, skipping the most obvious reason for his visit to settle on finding someone to hand-whip the cream in her stead.
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A delighted smile blossoms over her face.

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Nenet smiles, warm and fond, as she reaches out to take Zev's hand to haul herself up. She drapes her towel over her shoulder and pushes her reflective sunglasses back over her eyes.
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"Lemonade sounds wonderful," she replies.
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Above, the sun shines brightly, reflecting off the water in a stunning display of sun glow. Nenet breaths in a deep lungful of air, relishing the warmth of the day. She would have to try surfing again sometime soon - she was hardly good at it, but the novelty of the activity had yet to wear off.
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"Let's go."
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Whistling softly to her Minior, the little meteoroid spins in place; its shell cracks open to reveal a scintillating core of black flecked with myriad colours before closing once more. With that, Keket drifts lazily down the shoreline just a few feet ahead.

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