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As the weather gets nicer and nicer, the work around the Circus gets sweatier and sweatier. Oddly, it also seems to make Danielle feel better and better. Working 'behind the scenes' seems to suit her, and she's just as capable at lugging crates and gear around as she is tending to the various animals. Particularly the show-horses, since she grew up on a ranch… Today, for example, she woke up before dawn, tugged on a scandalously small pair of shorts and a daringly loose peasant blouse, laced down the front, did her hair up in a double-braid, and spent the first several hours of the day mucking out stalls and exercising one horse at a time. A brief lunchbreak with her girlfriend, then it was back to work. Now, with the sun just starting to descend in the west, she leans tiredly on the pitchfork, prongs firmly rooted in the tough ground, watching the horses munch on their feed. Sweat and horse-stink cling to her body, and her muscles ache, but she smiles.
*
As the weather gets nicer and nicer, the work around the Circus gets sweatier and sweatier. Oddly, it also seems to make Danielle feel better and better. Working 'behind the scenes' seems to suit her, and she's just as capable at lugging crates and gear around as she is tending to the various animals. Particularly the show-horses, since she grew up on a ranch… Today, for example, she woke up before dawn, tugged on a scandalously small pair of shorts and a daringly loose peasant blouse, laced down the front, did her hair up in a double-braid, and spent the first several hours of the day mucking out stalls and exercising one horse at a time. A brief lunchbreak with her girlfriend, then it was back to work. Now, with the sun just starting to descend in the west, she leans tiredly on the pitchfork, prongs firmly rooted in the tough ground, watching the horses munch on their feed. Sweat and horse-stink cling to her body, and her muscles ache, but she smiles.
*
It's a weekday, which means shows throughout the afternoon. Evening now, everyone gets to relax. Amanda happens by a few minutes later, in regular clothes. She ditched the fortune teller getup afer her last client of the day. "You'd better claim the shower soon," she says with a joking wave of her hand in front of her face. "I'm certainly not letting you in bed smelling like that." She grins and winks
*
Danielle straightens up with a languid stretch when she hears the other girl's voice. A teasing grin on her lips, she cocks her head to glance sidelong at her girlfriend, "Seems a waste of warm water to get all clean when you're just gonna get me all sweaty again…" She pivots slightly to step closer to Amanda, reaching for a hand to pull the other girl closer. "Sooooo… perhaps I should just toss you in the hay and get you just as stinky and sweaty as I am?" Brows waggle with overly-theatrical lasciviousness as she moves in for a kiss.
*
Amanda rolls her eyes, though she does not object to the kiss, leaning forward to accept it. "I need the vardo smelling nice for my clients," she reminds. "And as nice as both think horses smell, not everyone enjoys that odour."
*
The Cheyenne humfs primly as she slides her arms around the other girl's hips. "Welllllll. I suppose a shower wouldn't kill me." She gives a little squeeze with both arms, "But don't think I haven't cleverly figured out your cunning plan, missy." Dani's tone is mock-scolding.
*
"Not unless you're made of sugar," Amanda replies with a smirk. "My cunning plan?" She bats eyelashes. "And what sort of cunning plan could I possibly have?" She'd probably try to look all dramatical and stuff, if it wasn't for the fact that she was in Dani's arms.
*
After another quick kiss, Dani grins and relaxes her arms, catching her girlfriend's hand while turning. "Mmm. You're scheming to secretly follow me to the showers, and watch me undress and scrub myself down, you wicked girl. Why, you probably even planned to bring me a clean change of clothes as a handy excuse to peek… Just imagine, such immodesty!" This from the girl with no compunctions against relaxing nude in the vardo whenever the mood strikes, of course.
*
Amanda rolls her eyes - it's a tradition when dealing with Dani - and swats the Cheyenne woman lightly. "You're horrible," she declares. "And even if I did bring some new clothes, I wouldn't peek." A beat goes by. "Nothing I haven't seen, anyhow."
*
Danielle laughs, and wiggles a bit with the swat, but continues her stroll back towards Amanda's vardo. "Oh, I know what you've seen, naughty girl," she teases, "You're just lucky to find a girl who enjoys the way you leer at her." As they approach the big wagon, she pauses and hrms thoughtfully. "Speaking of clothes, though…. If you'll chuck something out, I'll go get cleaned up without stinking up the place, yeah?"
*
Amanda hmphs. "I do not leer," she insists. "I just… look in the general direction of." Another hmph. Amanda then nods and rocks forward on her heels, pecking Dani's cheek. "Wait here." And then she scampers inside their shared home. A few minutes later she comes out holding some jeans and a top. "Here," she offers. "Need me to wait while you clean or should I stay put?"
*
"Nah, you get comfortable. I'll be back in just a few minutes, promise," Dani smiles and leans in for another quick smooch. "Just because you don't get all gross and sweaty like me doesn't mean you didn't work your pretty little rump hard all day." With that, she winks, and trots off towards the showers, clothes bundled carefully but not clutched /too/ close to her body.
*
While waiting, Amanda scampers into the vardo again. Everything has been put away since the last client. She does settle at a chair in the front of the vardo, though not before retrieving a glass of water for Dani when the woman comes back from her shower.
*
Less than a quarter of an hour passes before Dani returns home, her long black hair unbound and free. And still somewhat damp. She climbs into the vardo and tucks her dirty clothes into the little laundry hamper before settling in with a grunt and a sigh. "Woosh, that does feel better."
*
Amanda slides the glass of cool water over. "I told you," she says with a pleased little smile. "Much better than lurking about smelling, right?" She leans over, gently nudging Dani's arm with her elbow.
*
Danielle snorts softly as she accepts the glass, sipping unhurriedly. "I don't lurk. I never lurk. I prowl a bit, perhaps, but lurk?" She returns that little grin, and grudgingly admits, "If I'd been on my own, I would've skipped the shower, and probably dinner, and just flopped into bed until morning. Even though this is demonstrably better."
*