#apprentice laurel

"Be out in a moment!"

Tashi heard the bell to his shop jingle as he pulled a few bolts of fabric into his lap

"Tashi? Where you at?"

Laurel's head peeked around the corner and she smiled brightly at him.

"Hey handsome...you need a hand?"

She leaned down observing the fabrics in his lap, making a mock face in disgust

"Oh wow who thought these colors would work? Thank goodness I’m here with my excellent taste"

Tashi turned his nose up at her "Sure are mouthy for someone who regularly models what I make, maybe I should find a new model?"

Laurel pouted "Hey now don't be hasty!"

Tashi chuckled lightly "Well if you're going to be helpful now you mind grabbing that brown basket?"

Laurel reached up to grab the basket, squeaking when Tashi pat her butt gently as he rolled past.

She followed him out setting the basket down on his cutting table, leaning over when Ann's head poked out from her spot under a pile of discarded fabrics.

She padded over to Laurel, trodding over her boots.

"Oh Tashi look! She's so close! Do you think she'd let me pet her?!"

Tashi looked up from the pattern he was tracing "Perhaps....her treats are over there..don't pout too bad if she doesn't let you.....she's just a little shy."

Laurel waved him off "Yeah yeah.....she's gonna love me soon I just know it."

Tashi watched her from the corner of his eye. She'd tried for the last few months to get on Ann's good side, but she had been a little distant.

Laurel opened her palm, sitting quietly as Ann approached her. She nosed about the treats in her hand before she stuck her tongue out.

She stifled a giggle and Tashi grinned "Ticklish?"

Laurel laughed again "Maybe...."

She sat in silence before Ann tentatively crawled into her lap, attempting to find more snacks.

"Ah! She's here!"

At that Ann scurried off Laurel's lap.

"Shoot......I got too excited again...."

Tashi laughed, pinning a pattern to the fabric spread over his table "You are quite excitable, she's not used to it, this is a calming space "

Laurel rolled her eyes, looking over the shop, in random corners Tashi's organization fell to the wayside.

After a few more minutes of trying to coax the little pangolin out she finally relented.

"You never answered my question....are you ticklish?"

Laurel leaned against the wall behind him, watching his shoulders lift and bend as he cut around the fabric.

"Why do you want to know.....are you "

"Of course I'm not...."

She caught the slightest lift in his intonation and she raised a brow. "Well....I am....in the right circumstance...and I think you're a liar..."

Tashi paused for just a second too long before continuing to cut out the fabric. Laurel came to stand next to him, watching as he carefully cut.

Tashi felt her eyes on him and he pointedly ignored her, trying to ignore the heat that he felt on his neck.

"Tashi...."

A shiver ran down his spine at her voice, a soft whisper, it was the tone she used to get under his skin.

She leaned over into his periphery and he stopped cutting the fabric. She grinned "You are ticklish .. and you hate being tickled."

Tashi snorted softly "Perhaps, if you want to find out do so at your own risk."

Laurel laughed, giving his bicep a gentle squeeze "While I have a list of things for your arms and hands to do to me....punching me is not on that list...I'll just take your word on it."

With that she leaned in closer, breath warm on his cheek "I'll let you get back to work......can I see you later...?"

Tashi turned his head slightly, one hand reaching up to stroke her cheek "I don't know....I'm very busy...but I think I can squeeze you in for dinner....."

Laurel rolled her eyes "Lucky me..." With that she leaned in, removing the space between them. Her hand came to rest on his throat and she grinned when she felt him squeeze her arm. Reluctantly they pulled away and Laurel grinned "See ya later....."