“That’s very sweet. It’s only been a day, but I suspect, in the end, everyone will feel the same way about you.” He kisses Mahao’li’s shoulder, and then allows himself to drift off almost immediately.

The rest of the night passes quickly. There wasn’t all the much of it remaining, and by the time Mahao’li wakes, the others are already shuffling about, quietly preparing for the day. This room is separated from where most of a morning’s activities occur, perhaps by design. Whether Mahao’li wishes to begin his day with the sun or sleep in, he’ll have his druthers.

Mahao'li awoke slowly, first noting the chill of the room and the absence of his lovers. Stretching, his groggily stumbles into the hall, and down the stairs, squinting and scrunching his face as he steps into the bright light of the midday sun. The air is fresh and green, the smell of rain still clinging to the breeze like the myriad of droplets clinging to the grass, the trees, and the walls of the enclosure. He casts his gaze idly around the courtyard, lips pursed in thought.

“There you are, sleepyhead,” someone calls from off to his right. A flash of orangish hair waves at him, product of the sea breeze, and a hand mimics the gesture moments later. “I thought we’d left you for dead after all the fun you had yesterday. It’s practically midday already. I’m like five minutes from break.” Cehn’to is in a severe black uniform that swathes his chest and even obscures his legs behind a long black apron—from the front at least. His bare legs stick out to either side. “You rest okay?”

Mahao’li grins and waves at the other man, trotting over to join him beneath the boughs of a wisteria tree. “I slept like a rock” he replies. “And you’ll have to do more than that to knock me out”

“We’ll get right on it,” Cehn’to says with an easy smile and a light laugh. “Just as soon as I’m not on duty.”

Mahao’li laughs in return, smiling back at the other man. “I look forward to it. Until then, though - where might I relieve myself? I didn’t actually see a spot anywhere, and I haven’t since yesterday….” 

“There’s an outhouse down the way but if you just need to piss, most of us use the bushes around back over there, away from the hotsprings.”

“That’s exactly what I need” he replies, wandering off in the indicated direction