The Gazelle Joint
Commission short story for Monbai. All characters are her creation and property.
The Gazelle Joint
(The following events pertain to two characters owned in full by Monbai.)
Ginny shifted from one foot to the other and eyed the spiral pillars to either side of the Gazelle Gourmand's front entrance. The high glass windows were tinted, stenciled in a pattern of long savannah grasses, and did a poor job of allowing her to check out her reflection. She sniffed the air, catching a heady whiff of garlic and sautéed vegetables.
I have no reason to be nervous.
She bounced in place and wondered for the tenth time if she should have worn a skirt, or maybe the more subdued blouse. Her long ears perked, swiveled from one side to the other, and caught the tapping of hooves on the sidewalk.
"Hey." Nadia sauntered up and brushed back her pale gray hair. "You look great."
Nadia wore slimming black pants and a thin, button up blouse to match. It looked elegant, refined enough to make Ginny question the bright patterns on her own shirt despite the compliment.
"Thanks." She felt a blush creeping under her fur. The pink would show around her nose and over the delicate skin inside her ears. She brushed them down absently, hoping the goat wouldn't notice just how twitchy she was. "You too."
"Have you eaten here before?" Nadia's velvety muzzle lifted a touch as she inhaled. Her long horns arched back over her the silky hair on her neck, beautiful, and not something Ginny had seen before on a girl goat.
She glanced away in an effort not to stare and nodded enthusiastically. "Yep. The food is amazing."
"Great!" The goat smiled and her pretty eyes widened. "Then shall we go in?"
Ginny nodded and stifled another bounce. She loved the food here, that was certain, but she found the prospect of dining with Nadia even more exciting. She'd been so down in the dumps when she'd run into the goat, but ever since they'd met, all Ginny's bunny brain could think about was their date. If nothing else, Nadia had done a great job of cheering her up.
She followed behind Nadia through the big glass doors, and couldn't help but notice how the older girl's tail twitched ever few steps. Cute. If she hadn't been the one to hang back, Ginny might have guessed the goat went first on purpose.
She probably doesn't even know she does it.
Ginny gave in to one last bounce and scooted inside the restaurant wondering if her own cotton ball tail looked half that good from behind.
In the center of the Gazelle Gourmand a floor to ceiling rock formation towered over a central pool. Water cascaded down all sides of this, so that no matter where they sat you, you had a waterfall view. Pots between the tables sprouted tall Pampas grasses in pale pink and cream to match the pastel tiles on the floor, and soft lights in sconces around the walls set a gentle mood that made the restaurant a favorite for the vegetarian set.
Ginny loved the food, the atmosphere, and the usual lack of predators. She really hoped Nadia would like it too, and when the goat pointed at the water and whispered, "wow," Ginny almost bounced again.
"Isn't it pretty?" She let her excitement out through her voice instead.
"It really is," Nadia said. "I'm glad we came here. This is gorgeous."
The shared appreciation warmed Ginny's face again. She smiled, and watched Nadia gazing out at the restaurant. By the time the Kudu hostess appeared to seat them, the bunny had butterflies in her stomach, and she couldn't have said for certain if they were nerves or... something new.
Nadia followed the antelope through the diners, leading the way again, and Ginny skipped after her. They got a table near the back, close enough to the kitchen to fill the air with a tantalizing aroma and just out of reach of the waterfall's spray, though when the ventilation blew just right, a fine mist teased the edges of her ears. It also made Nadia's horns gleam, shiny in the light from the sconces.
Ginny tried her best not to stare at them. She focused on her menu, pretending to peruse the offerings and knowing full well she'd order the carrot curry. When their waiter appeared, he introduced himself as Gus. Nadia still frowned at her menu, but when Ginny ordered, the goat decided on a spring salad with sweet hazelnut dressing.
Ginny waited until Gus had left. He had a thinner neck than the Kudu, and spiral horns, but she couldn't pin down what sort of antelope he might be. Still, she caught herself comparing his horns with Nadia's. The goat's were paler, curved back from her head, and they looked smoother, almost like gold.
And I'm staring again. Ginny flushed and looked pointedly at the waterfall.
"The salad sounds so good, but I just can't order anything but the curry."
"I'll let you try a bite." Nadia's voice had a soft gravel to it, and it sang over the fall of water beside them.
"We can trade," Ginny said. "That is, if you like curry."
"I do." The goat's eyes narrowed slightly. She tilted her head to one side, and the water droplets caught the very tips of her horns. "Most girls don't keep their horns," she said.
"I was staring again, wasn't I?" Ginny's face heated. "I'm sorry. It's just--"
Nadia raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in the other direction.
"They're really beautiful." Ginny breathed it in a rush and immediately blushed deeper. Her ears had to be crimson, but the goat smiled. Her eyes lit up, and suddenly it was totally worth it.
"You don't think it's weird?"
"I think it's super cool." Her enthusiasm made her nearly shout it, and she cringed and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry. I tend to just say what comes to mind."
"I find that..." Nadia's eyes darkened now. A shadow passed over her features and she looked far away, lost in thought for just a moment. Her expression brightened fast enough, but Ginny knew there was a story there, maybe even a wound. "I find it very refreshing, Ginny."
"Thanks." Ginny shifted in her seat, warm again, but not quite embarrassed. "I think your horns are awesome."
"Thank you." Nadia smiled. Her eyes shone as brightly as her horns. For a moment, Ginny thought she was about to say something more. Instead, the goat turned her head to the side and watched the water flowing over the rocks.
Ginny imagined someday, she might share whatever had momentarily dimmed her expression. Maybe when they'd built a little trust, when they knew each other better. She realized she was hoping for that, really hoping she'd see Nadia again.
She'd never met someone who felt both comfortable and exciting at the same time. But the goat had a serene confidence to her, a maturity that Ginny admired, and an exotic flare that was new and thrilling.
It made her want to dance.
Instead, she shifted in her seat and tried to watch the water too, to affect a calm exterior while her insides were bouncing happily.
"You seem a lot less down." Nadia's voice softened. "When we met you were pretty bummed out."
"Oh." She'd almost forgotten and that said a lot about her current company. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I'd just had a job interview, and let's just say it didn't go well."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Ginny shrugged and smiled. "I mean, I wish I'd done better, but nothing to do about it now."
"There will be other jobs."
"Exactly." Ginny smoothed one paw over her ears and met Nadia's soft gaze. "I usually try to look on the bright side, but you caught me right after it happened."
"And I'm so glad I did."
"Really?" She couldn't quite suppress the bounce. "Me too."
They both smiled. Nadia started to say something else, but just as she opened her mouth, Gus returned with their plates. The aromas swirled around the table, and Ginny's mouth watered at the curry in the air. Gus laid the dishes before them, asked if they required anything else, and then wandered between the other tables checking on diners.
"That smells really good," Nadia said. She leaned forward and inhaled the curry fumes. "Wow."
"It's my favorite." Giny scooped up a spoonful of rice, carrots and thick curry sauce and held it across the table. "Taste?"
Nadia didn't hesitate to take the offering. Her eyes widened a bit, but she nodded right away. "Oh that is good. Spicier than I expected, but delicious."
Ginny agreed by taking a good-sized bite of her own.So good. She didn't quite feel like confessing she occasionally dreamed of the _Gourmand's_carrot curry. When Nadia returned the gesture, she took a nibble of the greens and dressing from the other girl's fork, chewed thoughtfully, and then swallowed.
"Mmm."
"It's too sweet for you, isn't it?" Nadia's eyes sparkled.
"Only a little." Ginny confessed.
The goat laughed, a soft bleating that made Ginny's face warm again, not unpleasantly. She took another bite of curry and smoothed her ears down with her free hand.
"So we stick to our own," Nadia said. Her voice shifted, turned deeper and more serious. "At least we both know what we like, right?"
Ginny looked up and found soft eyes staring at her, deep eyes, adding a lot of meaning in a simple phrase. She swallowed and nodded. "I think we do, yeah."
The waterfall sang through their meal, and they ate with only an occasional peek at one another. Ginny's tummy filled with curry and with the sweet flutter of new experiences, of hope and anxiety both. When their plates were clean, Gus reappeared to sweep the mess away and drop the check discreetly between them.
Ginny reached for it, but Nadia moved more quickly and snatched the bill out of reach.
"My treat," she said.
"Let me pay," Ginny argued. "The restaurant was my idea."
"And a lovely idea it was." Nadia fixed that level gaze on her again, stared without any sense of the self-consciousness Ginny was often plagued by. "How about you let me get this, and you can get it next time."
"Next time?" Ginny's heart fluttered. She'd hoped there would be a next time, and now, here was her chance. When Nadia's eyes narrowed in question, she nodded fiercely. "Next time. Yes. But you can pick the restaurant."
"It's a deal." Nadia's eyes lit up.
She smiled, and suddenly Ginny couldn't wait to see what sort of place the goat would pick. Just the same, she knew she would love it. She hoped it would have dancing, but even more so, she hoped it would be soon.