❝ eternally,

Elliott was caught off guard by the farmer's appearance. Everyone in town knew to not go out into a storm, especially so close to the beach where you could be washed away by the violent waves if not careful. He wanted to ask Kou why he was out there, but the sight of the pale now abandoned by his door told him that the other had been foraging. Possibly for seashells.

He knew he should have leaped into action as soon as Kou had come into the cabin seeking shelter, but Elliott wasn't the smartest man despite his career.

It wasn't until Kou wept for a towel and dry clothes did the writer finally come to his senses.

❝Oh, right!❞ He hastily moved towards the other side of the room, opening one of his wardrobes to pull out a fresh clean towel, which he proceeded to unravel as he made his way back to Kou's side.

❝You're quite lucky that my home is so close to the shore. I can't imagine what could have happened had I not been here.❞ Elliott could have been waiting out the storm at the saloon like he liked to do some times. He didn't want to think about it.

He wrapped the towel around Kou's body and head, and then used the edge of it to gently dab and clean the water from his face, helping him dry off as best as he could.

Once he was satisfied that Kou could handle the rest, he moved back to his wardrobe to search through his things. Kou was much smaller than him, and he deduced that any trousers would likely not fit. So he opted into a clean button up shirt that was sure to cover everything.

He handed the shirt off to the other. ❝Were you out collecting seashells?❞ He asked, noting the pale with a nudge of his head.

"yeah, well, i didn't know it was gonna rain..." kou grumpily retorted under his breath, loud enough to be heard but certainly quieter due to his lack of foresight. even though he had purchased a television for his farmhouse, he rarely ever used it; which included tuning into the weather channel. it probably would've saved him a whole heap of trouble, but he couldn't be bothered before and this storm wasn't going to make him start.

he laid the towel over his head, the edge just barely over the tops of his eyes - like a makeshift veil. elliot rummaged through his wardrobe and kou wasted no time unclipping the buttons that held his short overalls up. he let them fall halfway down and then shimmied the wet jean fabric off the rest of the way. they plopped wetly around his ankles just as elliot had turned around. kou paid little mind to his state of undress, and happily accepted the shirt. he made short work of stripping the rest of his storm soaked clothes off, with little care for propriety, and slipped the shirt on.

he turned his head towards the bucket he had left near the door. his fingers deftly buttoned the shirt up. with a nod, kou returned to his pail and crouched before it. if anything good had come from the sudden downpour, it was that the leftover water that had pooled in the bucket made it easy to clean the seashells. kou grabbed one, shook it around until he was content with its state, and then pulled it out. he presented it to elliot with a smile on his face, as if he hadn't just been whining before.

"yup! i got a pretty good haul, too. woulda been better if it didn't start raining... but hey!" kou bounced to his feet, padding over to the writer. he grabbed his larger hand and held it palm up - where he swiftly deposited the shell. it was a pretty pink-orange and white gradient scallop, with two dark lines overtop its ridges. "i bet there's gonna even more once the rain lets up! sooo, it's basically a win-win for me."

he smiled bright, not a trace of his prior worries to be seen. he also hadn't let go of elliot's hand yet. surely, if his tails had been out they would have swished behind him.

Eiland didn't understand cats sometimes. He thought the little stray would be excited for his new treat, but as soon as it was put on the floor, he seemed apprehensive to eat it.

Eiland's brows shot up, remaining kneeled with one hand over his knee while he assessed the situation in front of him. Why didn't the little kitty want to eat the salmon anymore? He even went out of his way to get the tastiest and freshest kind he could find. He didn't understand. The cat kept looking at him like he wanted something more, but Eiland wasn't sure what that could be. He wasn't exactly fluent in cat language.

❝Is something wrong?❞ He asked carefully as the cat bapped at the side of the plate a few times before finally jumping up onto the table and staring at him again.

It wasn't until the cat slammed his paw down onto the table a few times, as if asking for his meal to be placed there, that Eiland finally understood.

❝Oh, I see.❞ He chuckled. He never expected a stray cat to be so pompous, but he had to respect it. In a way, the cat kind of reminded him of his aunt or maybe even Juniper who only demanded the finest things in life.

He supposed he wouldn't let him wait any longer, and bent down and picked up the plate to move it onto the table instead, setting it right in front of the stray to enjoy.

❝Is this better?❞

shamelessly so, in fact.

without any further ceremony, kou tucked into the fish. just as he had hoped, it was delicious! juicy... fresh... only the best cuts...! he really should've talked eiland into spoiled the "stray" sooner than this!! before long, the dish was licked clean. kou stretched forward, hind in the air as he purred at the lingering taste on his tongue.

"mmrrp - !" a pleased, drawn out chirp left his lips as he licked at the remaining specks of fish that had gotten on his muzzle. next came a quick lick to his paw as he sat proper, and an impromptu cleaning of his face. he had some manners, yknow.

now that xiao thinks about it....yes, he has drunk a bit too much of it. not enough to inhibit his physical or mental faculties, but enough to make him stop suppressing those pesky emotions he so often tamps down like soil. "she was...very persuasive," xiao replies, blinking exactly twice as he stares down at kou. "did not leave me alone until i accepted the bottle without the visible intention of leaving it to the inn's staff." if he's mildly afraid of hu tao, no one has to know.

Eiland chuckled as the cute kitty tumbled over when he pulled his hand away, obviously trying to seek out more pets. Though he had a feeling that the stray would be much more interested in what he had to offer that didn't involve chin scratches.

His assumptions proved correct when he saw those ears and tail perk up alongside a candid meow and a pleasant stretch against his leg. Luckily the cat didn't dig his nails into him. He wasn't sure he would appreciate being clawed up due to his little friend's excitement.

❝Haha, I had a feeling you would like that.❞ He smiled as he bent down, scooping up the kitty into his arms to carry away towards the mansion. It would be a lot faster if he walked and carried the animal all the way there.

❝I don't think you'll be too disappointed. I picked the tastiest and freshest salmon I could find.❞ He explained with no intention of hearing a response from the kitty. He preoccupied the cat with lots of head and chin scratches until he arrived inside and towards the kitchens.

There, the salmon was already flayed and prepared on a porcelain plate by one of the servants, chilled and waiting for his new friend to devour.

Eiland grabbed the plate and set it down on the floor, letting his kitty jump out of his arms. Hopefully this tasty treat meant he would stay a little longer.

❝Please enjoy!❞ Eiland smiled.

the smell hit his sensitive nose first. ooh, fish, glorious fish! salmon! a big fat juicy one!!

kou wriggled in eiland's arms, unable to contain his excitement. who'd of thought that his sneaky suggestion as "farmer kou" would've brought such good tidings to "cat kou"?! he really should've said something to eiland sooner. he could've been dining like a king! or at least, like a nobleman's feline guest. he hopped out of the man's hold as soon as he could, circling his feet and meowing noisily while he prepared the dish.

once it was placed on the floor, kou paused. he came stand before the plate, but the idea of bending his neck down and eating it off the ground (even if it was on a nice, porcelain white plate) bothered him a little bit. his earlier excitement partially simmered as he sat down. he brought a paw to the edge of the plate and pushed against it a few times; lifting it and letting it fall back down with a tink-tink of china against glossy floor. he slowly looked up at eiland, his big eyes quietly imploring.

"Oh! There you are, little one!" Eiland looked down, beaming joyfully when he felt that familiar push and then rubbing up against his pant leg. Seeing none other than the friendly stray that he'd gotten the pleasure of becoming close to, Eiland didn't hesitate to kneel down, letting his hand graze across the black expanse of the kitty's back, ending just at the base of his tail before turning his attention to his ears and then under his chin. Eiland showed no hesitation in giving the sweet kitty all the love and attention that it desired.

"I was hoping I would see you today!" Eiland admitted. He decided to take Kou's advice and buy the stray kitty some fresh salmon from Balor's cart, hoping that it would be enough to earn even more of his trust. Eiland liked the idea of making a new friend. He always wanted a cat growing up, but because his parents were allergic, he never could. As he got older, the itch wasn't as prominent, but since meeting the stray, that desire had come back full force.

at the mention of a nice yummy treat, kou's ears and tails immediately perked up. without a lick of shame, he took one biiig stretch and then placed both of his front paws onto eiland's pantleg; and then let loose a long and loud "MIAOOOOW!!"

starting over - are you a little overwhelmed with where our thread is going? let me know, and i'd be happy to start a new one with you!

pausing - if you're feeling one thread more than another we have going on, that's perfectly fine! you're welcome to let me know if you'd like, but it's not a necessity.

multiples - if we have a ship that you love and you have many ideas for them, always feel welcome to throw them at me no matter what! while it may affect my reply speed due to having more, it doesn't affect my interest at all!

regrouping - maybe we initially had an idea that didn't pan out but you don't know how to say it? just shoot me a message and let me know you'd like to plot further/something else.

@kkriitters asked: ✘ = hugging them. hug attack from kou, take that cat allergies >:J

𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧. they'd hit it off on rather the wrong foot, and the grudge had simply stuck; she had become like an irritating little pixie, often stealing time away from him when the traveler came back to mondstadt. that was to say, he had never been particularly fond of lumine's travel companions. this time, however, it's an entirely different ball game.

arms wrap around his waist before he registers anyone is there, but he doesn't need to ask who. his body tells him quickly enough, every nerve seemingly revolting against the sensation, skin prickling.

the feelings were rather mutual when it came to the traveler's other companion; and like venti's distaste, kou made his own feelings well known with how much he and paimon bickered. he even enjoyed trying to sway at her from time to time, when lumine wasn't looking..! & when it came to mondstadt's most beloved bard? well. . .

"aaw, ventiiii..!" kou allowed the spritely bard to slip from his hold. he instead folded his ears over his head, let his tails slip pitifully around his leg, and put on a well practiced sad kitten face. "that's so meeean~ you never want to hang out with me!" bottom lip jutted out in a pout as kou rocked idly side to side - his hands clasped behind his back.