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Hypnovember 2023

*Prompts: 17.Sweet, 21.Mouthfeel *

For Circ

By Limewah

As he entered the inn, the thing that struck Celsius the most was the smell of the place. The tabaxi with grey fur and black rosettes took a moment to linger at the entrance, to get a better bead on the scent. The smell had a yeasty sweetness to it, like freshly baked bread. It was brighter, airier than any tavern had any right to be. Not that he was going to look a gift horse in the mouth; the half-dragon, half-tabaxi sorcerer had been shunted from smelly hovel to smelly hovel over the last few months, and it was really starting to weigh on his sanity. He had learned to make do and get rest no matter how bad the situation, but he hadn't had a proper night's rest in gods-knew-how-long.

The clientele looked to be mostly locals - he assumed as such from the way they comfortably lounged, rosy-cheeked and round-stomached. Behind the bar was a chocolate-furred pony, their apron and hands still caked with hints of flour. He could guess what the source was - all the gorgeous pastries and cakes resting on porcelain trays covered with soft-looking linen.

Celsius's feline nose twitched, and it lead him closer to the source of the scent, and the stocky-looking pony behind the counter. He was brushing away the dust from his hands, and met Celsius' masked gaze with a smile.

"Welcome to the Sweet Repose!" the pony said. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a room," the spotted tabaxi responded. "Do you have any vacancies?"

"We do!" the pony smiled. "We can offer you a comfortable bed, and all the pastries you can eat. it's not too rich for your blood."

"Huh! I was just about to ask about those..."

"Yes, I bake these fresh every day. I'm quite proud of them!"

"You should be!" Celsius couldn't stop smiling, and his heart fluttered. The pony was... quite attractive, and he detected some charming flirtation that was hard to resist. "Mind if I try one?"

"Sure thing, first one's free. Can I get you a cinnamon stout to go with it?"

Celsius didn't normally drink. It wasn't usually safe for someone of his nature, it tended to make him lose control and put a huge chunk of whatever settlement he was in on ice. But... what the hell, why not. One probably wouldn't hurt, he could keep himself under control. Something about this place was making him feel like he could take the load off a bit.

As the drink was poured, Celsius watched with a gentle curiosity. A creamy off-white foam gradually swirled upwards to settle at the top of the glass mug, under which was a liquid that looked like thick treacle. He had the feeling he was in for something decadent.

"Just give it a bit to settle," the pony said, sliding a plate with a flaky croissant bedecked with almonds on it.

"How much's this?" Celsius asked, gesturing to the stout.

"Oh, only about 6-proof, give or take."

"No, I mean-"

"Oh! Oh." the pony leaned forward over the counter. Cinnamon and chocolate and yeast was on his breath. Celsius found himself leaning in. "No... that one's free."

"I can pay," Celsius said softly, noticing his lips had parted as he leaned closer.

"No need, friend. We'll settle up later."

Celsius gingerly took a bite of the end of the croissant. The pastry flaked and melted into butter in his mouth, and he caught a little squirt of a sweet compote.

It was a marked upgrade from hardtack and bland jerky. It made him shudder with pleasure.

"Mmnh..." Celsius took another, far bigger bite before he had even finished the first one.

"I take it you like it?" the horse smiled.

"Mm-mm!" Celsius became aware of his terrible table manners, quickly wiping the flakes off of the fur around his muzzle, and taking a moment to swallow before he continued.

"It's incredible!"

"I'm so glad to hear that." The horse's teeth were quite white, unblemished - it drew Celsius' eyes towards his full lips.

Celsius felt a strange urge flutter through his heart. He wanted the innkeeper to kiss him. A blush warmed his face. His tail-fur began to stand on end.

"Ahem." he cleared his throat and took the glass of stout. "I'm, uh... gonna try the stout now."

"Please do." the horse's deep brown eyes stared, unblinking. Did he feel the same as Celsius? The cat could feel a magnetism between them, pulling them inexorably closer together...

The drink was surprisingly thick, and smoother than silk. Celsius took more than one sip - a big gulp, in fact.

He knew at that moment he was hooked, and was already considering if he could stay for a while. How much he had in the way of funds to accommodate that. And how much of that time he could spend with the innkeeper.

"Mmnh." he wiped the foam away from his upper muzzle with his forearm. "This is... really nice!"

"I'm so glad to hear that." The innkeeper's face was so dazzlingly beautiful. "Take your time enjoying that, and we can see about getting a room settled for you.

"Mm-mm!" Celsius fished into his satchel and dropped a gold coin onto the wooden table. "I'll take as many pastries as this gets me. And another stout once this one's done!"

"Gosh!" The pony laughed. "Of course, but do pace yourself!"

"Mm-hm." Celsius took another big bite of the croissant, and washed it down with another lug of the spicy-sweet stout.

By the time Celsius was sated, the belt giving his tunic some shape was starting to strain - he had to loosen it a little. He tried to keep the gas in the back of his throat from coming up, only barely managing to stifle a burp.

He looked around at the rest of the clientele, but none of them seemed to be paying him any mind.

"Your room's ready, sir!" a key was slid across the table, and Celsius stared right at the innkeeper again.

Gosh, he was beautiful.

"Thank you," Celsius said, his voice a little huskier. "I'll, uh, go drop my stuff off, and, maybe come back down later?"

"Of course."

The room was painted pink, and the feather-stuffed bed was soft and downy.

As he stared up at the ceiling, spread out and flustered, he kept rolling around the vision of that pony's smiling face in his head, unable to get him out of his mind.

That didn't change even when the charm spell finally came to an end, and the world suddenly seemed a little less colourful and bright.

"Oh. Oh, that fucker..."

Celsius was surprised to find himself giggling rather than growling. Try as he might, he just... couldn't really get mad at the pony. He was still cute. And it was a good way to up-sell, he supposed... he hadn't even noticed the spell being cast, either. The horse was good. He couldn't even be mad ; after all, he had been charmed into a very comfortable room.

Near to his bed, he could see a little card on a table. He peered at it and rolled towards it, feeling his stomach weighing him down.

In cursive font, the card informed him of the existence of something called 'Room Service'. Judging from the food and drink options laid out, he could guess what it meant.

It was going to be very difficult for him to leave the room.

He wasn't keeping track of his hard-earned funds. The one night stay turned into a 3 day stay, then a week long one, rapidly approaching an indefinite stay. He didn't leave his room very much - why would he when it was bright, and airy, and he could have sustenance brought to him?

It was always delivered right to his bedside, by that smiling, stout pony. He wasn't ever quite sure if a spell was being cast on him or not, not that it mattered. The innkeeper was beautiful, and Celsius knew it would be very difficult to leave knowing he would likely never see him again.

Or savour the food, for that matter.

Even the 'savoury' options were sweetly decadent; the stews were flavoured with ginger and sugar, and the meat and vegetables were basted and roasted in honey. And the portions... they were the sort of meals he had only had a handful of times before, at the manor of some eccentric noble who insisted on learning about his heritage.

He devoured every meal voraciously, purring as his tongue dragged along the porcelain plates and bowls to catch every crumb, and scrap, and droplet of his meal.

Celsius was eating well.

He was leaving his bed less and less over the course of his stay, and had stopped wearing his belt altogether, his stomach straining against his clothing. Whenever he managed to step out of bed, he could feel it bounce and sag, tugged by gravity. He'd never allowed himself to let himself go quite this much. His figure was starting to match the horse's.

He hadn't even cast so much as a simple prestidigitation spell over the last week; what was the need for it? He would get back to his adventure soon enough. He was happy where he was for now.

Sometimes it made him feel ashamed. But one bite of a delicious meal, or a drink of that intoxicating stout, was enough to put that out of his mind. He had earned this decadence.

As his stomach got weightier, his purse got lighter, until there were scant few coins left at all.

He sat over his bed, legs spread wide, stomach hanging down, and mulled over what he could do to make ends meet. He reached up to scratch at his head, his tall thin ears sticking up, and scratched at the mane going down the back of his brown-furred neck.

He would probably have to leave, either way.

He clopped down the creaking stairs to the ground floor, and there was that equine behind the counter.

"Good morning, sir!" The winning smile dazzled him once more. "Would you like a pastry?"

"Hi, uh..." A sheepish smile spread along Celsius' muzzle. "Y-yeah!"

The sweetroll was still very fresh, to the point where the icing was a little warm and gooey.

He was going to miss these..."

"I'm really sorry about this," he said with his mouth full, "but this is the last bit of money I've got. It's only enough to cover last night..."

He placed those last pieces of silver on the desk between them.

The horse's smile didn't falter at all.

"That's fine. You'll be able to stay as long as you like."

"Uhm... I'd love to stay though, is there any work going for a sorcerer who's good with ice magic? Maybe then I can afford to, uh..."

"As a matter of fact," the innkeeper said, "We could use some help in the kitchen. Our icebox isn't the best, and we're working on some chilled desserts that would really benefit from your skills..."

"Oh, oh really?" Celsius tried to stifle his excitement - and a belch - as he licked his fingers clean. "I'd love to, that'd be, uhm... very nice!"

"Wonderful. We can have you start now, if you like."

"I would like that!" Celsius was surprised to notice that his tone was starting to match the horse's, too.

"Let's bring you back and we can show you what needs to be done..."

Celsius was a little excited to see what was behind the proverbial curtain.

The sight of the half dozen horses, all of them identically chocolate-coloured, all of them wearing the same aprons, all of them with those same deep brown eyes he was so infatuated with... it didn't surprise or shock him.

Neither did it shock him when he saw his face reflected in a bright, polished brass pan - the face of a pony, the exact same face as all the others.

"Welcome to the kitchen!" all of them said in unison.

"I am delighted to be here," the new pony responded. "Now, will we see to these desserts? What needs to be done?"

-

The Sweet Repose is a particularly devious trap for unwitting travelers. Most commoners are left well enough alone, only perceiving this extra dimensional space as a more luxurious place of rest, but the Inn has a mind of its own. It can sense any individual with potential, with a particular propensity for experienced adventurers. Entering the building, tasting any of the goods provided, or sleeping in any of the beds will put any creature under its fey thrall. From there, a physical and mental transformation removes any sense of self and transforms them. They retain some memories as well as any skills they have acquired, but have a total loyalty to the Sweet Repose, which makes facing them very dangerous.

Avoiding the inn at all costs is the best course of action.