Archive of Our Own ^beta

Keith walks along the train tracks, up to his shins in water. This would go faster if he could take the train but train tickets cost money and lord knows Haggar, for all her riches, is the cheapest being he’s ever met. She’d rather die then toss a couple extra coins his way for travel expenses. “I pay you enough” he can hear her say in that raspy indignant cackle of hers as if his paycheck is such a financial burden on her. As if she probably isn’t sitting on her ass right now in her office on that royal blue silk armchair with intricately gold painted wood counting her stacks as she sips from a hand painted tea cup.

She’s lucky it’s hot today. The clear blue water that flooded the railways long ago feels like liquid heaven against his skin and the ocean breeze is welcomed. If only he could put his bag down and go swimming, but even if he could that wouldn’t be a good idea either. “I don’t pay you to doddle” she shrieks in his mind again. You barely pay me to do anything at all you old witch, he thinks to himself. Maybe after he makes the delivery he’ll take a quick dip. He’ll have time before the sun sets if he keeps up this pace.

When the tracks finally meet land he’s heartbroken to have put his sandals back on. It really is too hot. He tosses the bag on the gravel and takes a moment to at least crouch down at the edge and dunk his head in. He slicks his hair back, feeling the cool droplets trickle down his neck and back. It’s completely deserted in town, so quiet the slap of his sandals against his heels as he walks almost echo. It’s still too early in the day. Nothing will be open until sunset. No matter where you are in town one can see the bath house, looming over everything other than the clock tower. Now that he’s almost there he’s allowed himself to feel just how heavy the bag he’s carrying is. He trudges across the grand bridge toward the bath house entrance and pushes open one of the two large double doors.

Not many are awake at this time. All the action happens at night so they rest up during the day. It took far too long for Keith to get used to this and even now he struggles a bit. Perhaps he should nap instead of swim before his shift. He’ll pay for it later if he doesn’t.  He pushes through an employees’ only entrance and descends a long spiral staircase. The farther down he goes the hotter and thicker the air gets.

“Coran Coran the boiler man!” Keith shouts to announce his entrance.

“Keith my boy!” Coran waves with four of his six arms.

“I got the herbs you needed.” He approaches and holds out the bag.

“Yes yes fine job, thank you!” He takes the bag and rifles through it to make sure it’s got everything he’s asked for, another hand twisting and twirling his orange mustache.

He begins to put the herbs away in the floor to ceiling cabinets against one wall, all perfectly labeled. His arms extend and stretch to reach even the farthest drawer.

“I’ll make sure someone brings down your dinner” Keith calls behind him as he hops up the staircase, skipping steps as he goes.

He takes the elevator up to the employee living quarters. Quietly sliding the door open to his room, he tiptoes inside. There are four sets of bunk beds inside and all of them are filled with sleeping snoring bodies save one. He slides into an empty bottom bunk intent on just resting his eyes for a moment. That moment turns into hours. He sleeps until the sun goes down.

“Wakey wakey!” a voice drifts into his ear while gently shaking him simultaneously.

“Mmmmfmmm” Keith mumbles while turning on his side.

“You don’t wanna miss dinner before your shift do you?” He feels his body being calmly rocked again.

“I’m up I’m up” he groans.

They sit on the floor of a very crowded common room along with the other bath house employees stuffing their faces with the same slightly burned fried rice they get every night. They’re already in their work uniforms: a cream colored waist length robe with blue pants that stop just below the knee.

“Haggar wants to see us after we’re done eating” Lance says with his mouth full, loose grains of rice sticking to his cheeks.

“What does that ol’ bag want now?” Keith grumbles.

“Food supplies for the kitchen. She says some fancy guests are expected to come tonight.”

“Why are we always her damn errand boys? Why doesn’t she ever ask anyone else?” He bites his chopstick in irritation.

“Cause you’re fast and sneaky and I can haggle a price like nobody’s business.” He smirks. “I’ll gladly run her errands if it means we can get out of here for a while and hit up the markets in town.”

“True. Let’s finish up so we can get the hell out of here.”

They clink bowls and inhale the remainder of their dinner. The town that appeared desolate earlier that day is now a bustling hub. Bistro lights and strings of red lanterns crisscross from building to building overhead casting a soft orange and pink glow. The walkways, shops and restaurants are all packed with spirits out to play and meet and enjoy themselves. Keith and Lance push through the crowds with a laundry list in hand, checking things off and occasionally stopping to goof around in one of the shops and in one case pooling their coins together to get a beer to share.

“The ferry is here! Let’s go check it out!” Lance points as he stands at the top of a steep narrow stone staircase that leads down to the docks.

“Ok but only for a little bit. If we’re gone too long it’s our heads.” Keith follows Lance who’s already bolting down the stairs.

By the time they reach the ferry it’s already anchored and the ramp has been extended. Its gratuitous golden lights shine brightly and reflect and sparkle off the water. Passengers begin to file out in droves. For the most part it’s the same cast of characters they always see: a gaggle of bird spirits, the radish spirit who visits once a week, a nearby river spirit and so on. Lance and Keith sigh in disappointment and turn to head back when a flash of white catches their eyes.

An older man walks down the platform escorting an older woman. His hair is as white as moonlight as are his tall fur ears. He wears a mask resembling a fox with elaborately painted designs on the forehead and cheeks. His red robe is equally grand and detailed, long enough to drag along the ground with a slit up the back so his nine tails may move freely. The woman on his arm is slightly shorter, also a fox, with white hair kept in long braid. Her robe is lavender and she only had one tail in comparison to his nine.

Following close behind is another pair. The young woman, the last of the foxes, wears her long white hair in loose waves parted down the middle. Her robe is a light pink with gold blossoms throughout. Her arm is hooked around a taller man in a black robe. His hair is black with a tuft of white in front and his black mask, ears and tail are that of a wolf. The quartet look regal and important and they seem to glide instead of walk.

Keith and Lance stare with mouths agape and when the young woman turns casually and stops to stare directly at them Keith feels like his heart might grow limbs and climb out of this throat. The mask only covers their faces from the nose up so he can see her glossy pink lips, even from how far away he stands, as she whispers something to her companion. He halts as well, giving them a once over, whispers something in response and they’re on their way.

“What do you think that was about? Keith? Keith!” Lance nudges him with an elbow.

“Uh...I don’t know.” Keith shakes off the stupor and begins his ascent back up the stairs.

“A nine tail though, can you believe it? I’ve never seen one in person until now!” Lance calls up as he follows behind. “Do you think they’ll come to the bath house tonight?”

“Maybe, but we’ll never know if Haggar fires us for being too late!”

The pair take short cuts through the back alleys to get to the bath house as quickly as possible. Even with the valid excuse that they’ve been running errands at Haggar’s request the foreman is still in a mood and they get a lecture. It’s busy tonight and they can’t spare a single worker for even a second. The bath house is loud and buzzing and on hectic nights like this it’s almost impossible to catch one’s breath. There’s always something needing to be done so when the foreman pokes his head into one of the rooms and interrupts Keith while he’s hurriedly cleaning out the bath for the next guest he almost bites his head off.

“WHAT?!” he snaps.

“Haggar wants to see you!”

“Again? Are you kidding me?!” He’s now shoving a large push broom to force the water that’s spilled out onto the floor toward a nearby drain.

“Must be your lucky day. Hurry up, I’ll send someone to finish this!” He waves Keith over with his hand.

Keith drops the broom and rushes by him, ducking between guests and workers and quickly slipping into an elevator before the doors shut. It’s packed with spirits and he’s squeezed in like a sardine in a can. He wishes he could curse. Eventually he’s alone as the elevator makes its way to the top floor. The doors glide open and he steps out into a quiet, dimly lit carpeted hallway. When he gets to the gold door at the end he knocks.

“Enter!”

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, come in, hurry up now it’s important business.” Haggar beckons him forward.

She’s jotting down figures on a stack of papers while furiously typing away on an adding machine with her other hand. Her long red nails produce a ticking sound against the keys. She wears a jeweled ring on every finger which shimmers in the light of her desk lamp. Despite telling him to hurry she now makes him stand there and wait until she’s ready to talk. What he wouldn’t give to roll his eyes or clear his throat in annoyance, but he doesn’t dare. She finally stops writing and sticks the quill in her messy top bun.

“We have very important guests tonight as you may or may not know. They are to receive the best service money can buy and believe me they have a lot of it to spend therefore I would like personal attendants for each of them to ensure all of their needs are met.”

She leans back in her chair and hikes her blue gown up just enough so that she can cross her legs.

“And for reasons I cannot fathom, you have been requested specifically,” her arms cross, “any explanation as to why that is?”

She eyes him suspiciously.

“N-No…” he stammers.

“They didn’t name you specifically, just the ‘boy with the black hair and violet eyes’ and lucky you you’re the only one here that fits that description.” She’s still skeptical of him. “In any event, use this to your advantage to get as much money as you can. Whatever they want, get it for them. If they want food, bring it to them. Drinks? Fetch it. If they want a star from the sky then you better figure out how to sprout wings do you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Your charge is in room 712. I’ll inform the foreman not to assign you any other jobs for the rest of the night. As far as you’re concerned you’re their servant until sunrise. You may go.” Haggar waves him away.

“Servant my ass” Keith mumbles in the elevator down two floors and exits.

The seventh floor is where the more prominent guests reside. The hallway is carpeted, like Haggar’s living quarters, and the walls are painted with subtle floral motifs and palm leaves. Each room has double doors with gold handles. When he gets to 712 he tries to fix his shaggy hair and smooth down his uniform before knocking. There’s some silence before the double doors open slowly. When he sees the fox girl from before his soul leaves his body.

She’s no longer wearing her robe from before but a different robe provided by the staff, black with pink and blue flowers that comes down to her shins. Her tail peeks out underneath. Her hair isn’t as perfectly styled as before, it’s a bit messy and comes down over her face which is still masked.

“Good evening” she says in a soft tone.

“…Goddess, I mean good evening.” Keith winces as his own bumbling. “I’ll be your attendant for the evening. I’m here to escort you to the baths.”

“Lovely.”

She steps out of her room, barefoot, and closes the doors behind her. She wears a gold anklet and it catches the light and shimmers as she walks. She stands so close to him in the elevator he can feel her warmth and she smells of flowers and earth. He can feel her gaze burrowing into the back of his neck. When the elevator stops at the third floor he almost leaps out, feeling too nervous to be that close to her in such a confined space. She giggles and almost seems to take delight in his apparent discomfort because she closes the distance between them once more by snaking her arm around his.

“If you’re going to escort me, it should be done properly don’t you think?” She smiles.

“Ah yes, forgive my manners.” A blush rises and blooms in his cheeks.

He brings her to a private upscale bathing room, again something reserved for the more distinguished guests. Instead of the normal above ground bath it’s inset with steps that descend inside. There’s a vanity cabinet in the corner and Keith leaves her to approach it, picking up a book and bringing it to her.

“Do you have a preference on the type of bath you’d like miss?” He opens the book to reveal a menu of sorts with various types of herbal soaks.

“Allura.”

“Excuse me?”

“You may call me Allura instead of Miss.”

“I’m not sure that’s entirely appropriate.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t” She smirks.

She stands beside him, body pressed against his arm and uses her fingers to delicately flip the pages, pondering, sometimes backtracking and rereading the descriptions. After some deliberation she points to one.

“Excellent choice.” He nods and closes the book, returning it to the cabinet.

Keith opens a drawer and pulls out a glass container filled with pink salts, herbs and flowers. He sprinkles a healthy amount in the tub and turns on the double faucets. Hot water shoots out immediately starting to fill the room with a light steam.

“Is there anything I can get you while the tub fills Mi- Miss Allura?”

“I was resting earlier and now I’m feeling a bit peckish. Some food would be nice.” She watches the water rise.

“Of course, I’ll be back shortly.” He nods and turns to leave.

“One more thing.” She halts his movement right as he’s at the door.

“Yes?”

“I can’t seem to get this open.”

Keith looks down to see her hands at the belt of her robe. She’s pulling at the knot but it’s too tight and she clearly can’t manage it, or at least is giving the appearance that she can’t. Keith swallows hard and approaches her. His fingers are shaking as he places his hands on the knot at her waist and begins to fiddle with it.

“Am I making you nervous?” Allura asks as if she doesn’t know.

“A little” he admits.

“It’s the mask isn’t it? It can be a little intimidating.”

She places one hand on the mask to keep it from slipping while reaching behind her head with the other. One tug of the ribbon and it comes loose, falling into her palm. She lowers it and drops both hands to her sides.

“Better?”

Honestly no. She was mysterious and alluring with the mask on. She’s absolutely stunning with it off. Keith’s breath seizes in his throat and he clears it loudly before quickly going back to working on that stubborn knot. A few more tugs and it comes free. He lets it go expecting her to grab it but she doesn’t and the belt swings away as the robe slightly falls open just enough to give him a glimpse of the inside curves of her breasts and the soft curled white hairs between her legs. Keith’s eyes quickly dart up to meet hers.

“Thank you.”

“N-No problem. I’ll get that food for you.” He turns on his heels quickly and dashes from the room.

The bath house is always warm but tonight it feels hotter than usual and Keith finds himself sweating profusely in the kitchen as a tray of food is being put together for him, enough so that one of the cooks asks if he’s feeling ok. He’s not sick but he’s definitely feeling something. When he returns to the room with food and drink Allura has turned off the faucets and is already in the bath. She’s submerged herself up to her neck, head tilted back leaning against the edge. Her eyes flutter open. He sets the items down near the bath and she sits up straight and glides over to him. Her long white hair covers her breasts just enough.

“It all looks delicious thank you.” She reaches over and grabs at the array of finger foods and pops them into her mouth.

Keith stands back against the wall and watches her eat. She doesn’t appear to be pleased by the distance and she pats the ground near her. He hesitantly comes and sits beside her.

“Please have some.” She holds out a strawberry.

“I shouldn’t, we’re not allowed.”

“I insist.” She stares him down.

He tries to take the strawberry from her but she pulls back slightly. She wants to feed it to him. Keith inhales deeply and takes a bite, his lips brushing her fingers. He can’t remember the last time he’s had fresh fruit. He closes his eyes and savors it.

“Good?”

“Yes.”

“Have more.” She takes a bite off the same strawberry.

“You like making me uncomfortable don’t you?” His brow arches as he digs into the food, quickly erasing any memory of the burned stale rice he had earlier that evening.

“A little.” She smiles and picks off the tray. “What’s your name?” she asks as an afterthought.

He thinks about withholding that information. He never tells his name to guests, but he can’t seem to tell her no so why start now.

“Keith.”

“Keith…” She lets the words linger in her mouth. He likes the way she says it.

He pours liquid from the bottle he’s brought her into a small glass. It’s golden in color and smells sweet. He hands it to her. She takes a drink, winces, giggles and knocks back the entire thing.

“More.” She hands the glass back and he refills it.

She downs that too before giving him the glass. She doesn’t need to ask him this time to partake. He fills up the cup and sips the alcohol slowly, watching her as she dips back into the bath and swirls around in the steaming water. Every now and then he can see her tail emerge, swish and dip back down.

“So Keith,” she looks at him over her shoulder, “do you enjoy a nice hot bath yourself after working all night?”

“We’re not allowed in the baths.” He leans back on one hand.

“Why not? You work here and you’ve never been in the baths?” Her eyes narrow.

“Haggar would never waste the water and soak tokens on us.” He takes another sip of drink.

Allura’s lip curls from a frown into a slight smile as the wheels in her head turn. Her furry ears seem to twitch in accordance, in on the plot.

“But if the water was already in use then you wouldn’t be wasting it correct? I mean it’s already been paid for and poured, you’d just be getting in it” she says innocently.

“Well yeah I guess but I’m not sure how that would even wor-”

His brain short circuits when he realizes what she’s hinting at. He drinks the rest of the glass’ contents in one gulp and slowly puts it down. She senses his reservation and backs up to the opposite end of the tub.

“You don’t have to of course. It was just a suggestion…but I’d like it if you did. I’d like it very much Keith.”

Damn why does she have to say his name like that? He stands and paces the room while she watches him. Why is he even thinking this over? Of course the answer is no. Getting in the tub with a guest definitely crosses a line. So what if she was gorgeous? So what if she asked him to? So what if Haggar basically gave him carte blanche to do whatever was needed to make her happy? So what if it’d been forever since the last time he’d…he shakes the last thought from his mind.

“I’m not for sale, not like that” he snaps.

“I didn’t think you were which is why I asked rather than demanded. I apologize if I made you feel like property. I’d understand if you’d like to send another attendant in your place.” Her gaze falls to the water.

“Are you going to ask them to get in too?” he quips with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

“Heavens no, that offer was to you and you only.” She begins to comb her fingers through her wet hair. “To be honest when we exited the ferry and I saw you I admittedly thought you were quite handsome. I was going to try and find you at the market but when I realized by your uniform that you must work here I asked for you personally.”

“So you were gonna try and seduce me no matter what?”

“You think I’m trying to seduce you?” Her ears perk up.

“Well aren’t you?”

“A little…is it working?” She smirks, flashing her long canines and bites her lip playfully.

“A little.” He smiles back.

That seems to ease his mind and while he’s still of the opinion that this is all completely nuts he finds himself removing his top nonetheless. He moves to remove his pants and hesitates.

“Can you um…”

“Oh of course.” She turns her back to give him some privacy.

He slips his bottoms off and slowly approaches the tub. One toe in feels magical. Once his whole body is in he thinks he might just completely dissolve in its soothing warmth.  He lets out a satisfied groan as his muscles ease and relax as the scent of herbs and flowers fills his nostrils. Allura turns around once she figures he’s fully in, but stays respectfully on her side.

“Nice?”

“Very.” He can barely keep his eyes open.

Allura smiles and reaches over to a basket by the faucets filled with small hand towels. She takes one and slowly moves closer to Keith in the tub.

“May I?”

He quickly sits up, his face turning red. Allura gently pulls him so his back is to her. Dipping the cloth in the hot water, she glides it over his neck, back and shoulders. His stomach flutters incessantly at first but eventually he softens at her touch.

“I thought you were the guest and I was the attendant” he jokes.

“You’ve been so attentive to me all evening, allow me to dote on you even for a short while. I enjoy it.”

She squeezes the cloth over his head and lets the warmth trickle down his scalp.

“I apologize if I’ve been coming on a bit strong,” she continues, “it’s just, it’s not often I take this form so when I do I like to…indulge,” she whispers in his ear before placing a soft kiss where his shoulder and his neck meet.

Keith trembles. It really has been too long since he felt the touch of another and that single kiss has him already feeling a bit delirious. She takes a moment to draw her nose along his skin, taking in his scent. There’s something slightly familiar about it.

“May I?” she asks again, lips brushing against his ear.

“Yes…please” he hisses, his voice becoming deeper, gruffer.

Allura kisses his lobe then takes it into her mouth, tugging at it with her teeth as she pulls back. Keith’s eyes rolls back as does his head. Her lips and teeth continue to graze down his neck as she wraps her arms around him from behind, dropping the towel. Her teeth sink into his shoulder as her hand slides down his chest and beneath the water. His body tenses as her hands close around his cock. She gives him a moment to adjust before she commences stroking him. He lets out stuttering groan.

Allura’s lips leaving a blazing hot trail from his ear, down the side of his neck, his shoulder and eventually around back to the top of his spine. A shiver ripples through him and his teeth clamp down on his lip. Her grip on him tightens, working him in long thorough strokes from base to tip. The harder he gets the hungrier he gets and before he lets himself get too worked up he grabs her wrist to halt her movements.

“Stop” he growls.

“Am I not pleasing you Keith?” Her face drops.

“On the contrary.”

He turns around and pulls her with him to the outer edge of the tub so he can sit, yanking her onto his lap. Allura can feel his erection resting against the inside of her thigh, against her mound and suddenly she brings her fingers to her mouth, biting the tip of her thumb.

“Getting shy all of the sudden?” Keith kisses the other side of her hand.

“I’m used to taking control” she mutters quietly.

He runs his hand down her back and holds her in place while kneading her breast with his other hand.

“What sort of attendant would I be if I made the guests do all the work?” He looks at her before leaning and taking her nipple in his mouth.

Allura lets out a gasp, placing both hands on his shoulders. She nuzzles her face against the top of his head, whimpering into his wet hair as his tongue circles and flicks and sucks. She grinds her hips against him.

“Keith I need you, please” she begs.

“I’m not sure you’re ready” he says teasingly, pulling his head back to look up at her.

“I am,” she protests, her ears seem to twitch to match her emotions.

Keith moves a hand from her back to between her legs and slides in three fingers right away. Allura inhales sharply, digging her fingers into his skin while flashing a shocked expression causing Keith to let out a hoarse chuckle.

“I just wanted to make sure you were telling the truth. You foxes can by sly.” He smirks as he glides his fingers in an out.

Her teeth clamp down on her lips, her heaving chest evident of her quickened breathing. Despite being submerged in water he can feel her slickness on his fingers. It’s a different kind of wet, thicker, even warmer than the bath. He meant to tease her but it’s backfired and now he’s feeling just as needy if not more so than her. He’s completely worked himself up. He needs her now.

“Keith…”

One last desperate whimper of his name is all he can take and he’s lifting her up and guiding himself into her. She slides down on him and her head falls back, a breathy moan rising from the depths of her throat. Keith makes no sound. Her wetness, her tightness, her warmth knocks the air out of him, leaves him speechless.  His eyes roll back in his head then flutter closed.

When he gathers himself enough to open them again she’s already moving up and down on top of him. Allura plants her lips on his, each kiss long and slow, her tongue enveloping his whole mouth. Keith wraps his arms around her, pulling her close so there’s no space between them, so her breasts rub against his chest with every movement.

When her pace quickens he groans into her shoulder, digs his nails into her back. He can’t control it. The hunger swells in him and he remembers why it’s been so long since he’s last been with anyone. Luckily she doesn’t even flinch when he breaks the skin. It only seems to encourage her voraciousness and she rides him hard. Water splashes from the tub with every wave they cause. The familiar scent she faintly noticed in him before is pouring off him now, it’s filling her nostrils. It makes her more insatiable, like this won’t be enough, that she needs him inside her a thousand times over.

Keith can’t hold on much longer. He’s losing himself. His head tilts back and he looks up at her. His violet eyes are now swirling with specks of gold. His mouth, agape, reveal growing canine teeth. His hair seems to be getting longer, thicker. When their eyes meet her expression is that of surprise as well as confirmation of something she’s been sensing all evening, the reason she’s been so drawn to him.

“I knew it,” she exclaims breathlessly, “You’re a wol-“

Keith cuts her off by grabbing a fistful of her hair and pulling Allura down into a kiss. He bucks his hips into her, holding her there, thrusting until she comes undone. Her moans vibrate in his mouth. He doesn’t dare let up, not until he comes and as he can feel himself tumbling over the edge he realizes if he’s not careful the whole bath house will hear, if they haven’t already. He sinks his teeth into her shoulder to stifle himself as his climax rips through him. Allura yelps and clamps a hand over her mouth. He removes his mouth from her flesh and replaces it with his forehead, resting against her, catching his breath. She strokes the back of his hair.

“May I make one last request?” she asks softly after a long silence.

“I’m not sure I have the energy.” His voice is so deep it almost startles her.

She giggles and gently holds his face, forcing him to look at her.

“Come to bed with me.”

“Allura…I don’t know if I shou-“

“Please.”

He hasn’t been able to tell her no all night, he’s kidding himself if he thinks he can now.

“Go up first. I have to clean up here.”

He’s exhausted but he knows he’ll catch hell if he doesn’t empty the tub and clean the room, especially after all they’ve just done. By the time he steps out of the elevator onto her floor it’s almost sunrise. His body feels heavy. Allura opens the door and pulls him inside the barely lit room. She has on a short light pink silk slip and her hair, ears and tail are surprisingly dry. She takes him by the hand and leads him to the bed, slipping his uniform robe off his shoulders.

“Tired?” She rubs his shoulders.

“Very” he sighs.

“Lay down with me.” She kisses the back of his neck and crawls onto the bed.

Her bed is three times the size of the measly bunk bed he’s accustomed to sleeping in and 80 times as soft. He melts into it, afraid he’ll fall asleep within moments. She pushes him onto his side and spoons him from behind, gently stroking his hair and kissing his temple. He hums in relaxed satisfaction and shuts his eyes.

“Why do you hide the fact that you’re a wolf spirit?”

Keith pauses and takes a deep breath. He was wondering when she was going to bring it up.

“My business, no one else’s.”

“It just seems odd a spirit like you would be working here. You should be free.”

“My forest burned down. Didn’t know where to go.”

“Well I will always welcome you if you find yourself in the Olkari Woods. We’ve taken in another wolf spirit. I’m not sure if you noticed him earlier…”

“Oh I noticed him. I thought he was yours.”

Allura laughs and nuzzles him.

“He belongs to no one.”

“And you?”

“I too belong to no one, although I could be convinced otherwise.” Her soft fluffy tails wraps around them both.

“I’ll keep that in mind…” He takes her hand and pulls her arm forward so she holds him, clasping their fingers together.

Keith slips into sleep shortly thereafter. It’s the deepest most restful sleep he’s had in a long time and his dreams are sweet. When he wakes it’s an hour before sunset and she’s gone. She let him sleep, but he sort of wishes she had woken him to say goodbye. He sits up and notices her gold anklet from earlier is now fastened around his own ankle. He smiles at the sight of it.

“So where did you go last night? I didn’t see you the whole time” Lance sits beside him on the balcony of the common room.

Their legs dangle over the side. They watch the sun go down while stuffing meat buns in their mouths. Some very rich mysterious fox spirits dropped a pretty penny last night so Haggar has treated everyone with a step up from fried rice.

“Uh, just busy tending to a guest.”

“Ugh how annoying. I bet they were obnoxious with all their demands.” Lance mumbles with his mouth full.

“Actually…” Keith smirks looking down at the gold jewelry glinting in the last bits of light, “It wasn’t that bad…”