“ …. that’s so weird .. “ his expression’s amused but eventually grow distorted as the thought progresses; bathing with other people … ? from a rich person’s eyes it sounded bizarre , he’d always had the luxury of private bath houses & such.

fingers lace around ayden’s , a loose grip around his hand to prevent the steam from making skin clam smiling. “ mmmh ~ i hope it does. “

Feather light.. that was how Keith’s touch felt. Yet it fit into his hand perfectly, as they were used to each other’s physiques. Not to mention, it felt safe, as if the only way for him to relax was to have Keith close, reminding himself they were close. 

                   thought-provoking, enticing, and a string of other – meaningless – things used to describe him ; human or not, he’s been the recipient for other souls’ spoken adoration. the way he gives life to his thoughts? the soothing rustle of his haori as he walks by? his footwear, clicking against pavements as though one were measuring the rhythm of a poem? all alluring, but it says nothing of who ( or what ) he truly is. most couldn’t handle the truth, and those that could… need to do much more than that for a pity glimpse into his life.

                   this artist might deem it rude to be interrupted while playing. so for a minute or two, Tsubaki stays quiet after taking his seat across from the man, watching skilled fingers coerce pure, unfiltered music out of the strings. it’s not as if he knows his companion’s origins, but – frankly – curiosity is not about to devour him either. ❝ well then. ~ blood-loving creatures with an occasional penchant for artfulness ——— can’t one be both? ❞

                   he can’t have walked the earth longer than the servamp himself. hardly…

❝ how old are you? ❞

    “Then both is the answer.” 

A bloodthirsty being who took the form of a fox, was it? How beings managed to evolve.. it was quite curious at times. Although, everything seemed to evolve except the bland human beings. They had always remained similar over the centuries, repeating history, repeating mistakes, believing outrageous claims... yet they remained stubborn. Yet, this being here, was he a product of evolution, mother nature having made progress in a way... or was he a product of something more obscure..? 

Thoughts drifted and Yuu was brought back to the present with thanks to the question asked. 

He lessened some of the illusions he had coated himself with, to appear more human and avoid pointless questions and unwanted guests. Three tails appeared and his limbs blackened in color. There were fox ears present, though neatly hidden under the hat he wore. A white mask with a painted widened smile and squinted eyes appeared on the side of his face. 

“ oh …. – “ long lashes flutter as he blinks , removing his underwear too when mentioned; standing unabashed in front of ayden without anything on. keith’s gaze wander around the place , having spared no time to observe his surroundings before now. eyes eventually settle on ayden with a half puzzled , half disgusted look.

“ ….. there’s places where other people join ? “ he doesn’t know enough about these things. or maybe he should listen more.

Ayden chuckled. “Yeah, it’s actually normal here to do so.” He understood it was odd to do in England. If anything, Ayden had had to get used to the Japanese manner of doing things himself back when he was a small kid. 

   “Then again, in England we have saunas where people enter naked.. so.. it’s not too strange, is it?” He gestured at the door to enter the bathing area. 

♡  ┈  { “I am not here to rob you!” That just made him seem like a little more of a suspect. Damn it. “Or kill you, if that’s what you think I’ll do!” Nico came forward with his arms raised up, walking in tiny steps. The staff was in its compact form on his waist and he also carried with him a backpack. The searcher was simply doing his job today. Just so happens that someone had lost something or someone on that very same alley.

However, the hare’s intution told him that the woman wasn’t what his client was looking for. Actually, that was quite obvious. The client wanted him to find an object - not a person. So of course that was not what he wanted. “I’m just doing my job, miss. Please do not be afraid. I will stay still in my place and you can take a look at me. I’m not a criminal, or a cop or anything like that.” 

Nico knew it was hard walking down a dark alleyway. How scary it was. But those were also the best hiding spots when you’re in a pinch - of course, not everything was ‘escapable’ by going into dark alleyways and he knew that well. What he didn’t know is the probability of that girl knowing about demons and whatnot.

However, he still had a job to do. But Nico would still wait until she gave him permission to move again. “And before you ask about my job, I’m a searcher! I search and find things for people! That’s all I’m here for!” The hare could not shake the feeling that there was indeed something strange about the air in that place… Like something was about to happen.

    A human? Something was off.. she definitely sensed the presence of a demonic being earlier, not this adorable looking boy. Though her gaze remained wary, she took a deeper breath to calm her djinn familiar stirring within her. 

    “Sorry, dude. I thought ye were someone else.” 

Or rather, something else. 

Her eyes scanned their surroundings once more, but she didn’t sense anything dark now. Did it leave? She was certain she didn’t mistake anything. It had been here. She’d better not let down her guard entirely. 

Her Djinn Sanir would attack on sight anyway, as he wasn’t fond of demons himself (the one helpful trait he actually possessed). 

Eerie.. that was the sensation she felt, heard and saw all around her upon entering the god forsaken alley. Shadows all around, windows shut tight and no humans in the vicinity. It was far too quiet, the shadows were too dark and the air made her shiver not from cold, but from the being that was lurking in the darkness. It seemed to be waiting... 

Had this happened two years ago Nisrine would’ve easily succumbed and lost to the being. She most likely wouldn’t even have thought anything was wrong in this alley. It proved she made progress. A moment of pride for the aspiring dancer, though the warmth quickly left her chest when she felt it getting closer, creeping up to her, ready to strike. 

Her energy wasn’t exactly invisible after all. Kari did say her aura carried a strong presence, which meant it was tempting for other beings... not just spirits. 

In this case, she did have a good idea of what it was that chose her as their prey. However, she had no clue if she had a chance of chasing it away, let alone defeat it if need be. What if it was a higher ranked demon? Looking for a body to possess so it could wreck havoc on earth? 

      “It’s a shame. You’d have made a splendid housewife.” 

Or whatever it is they called it these days. Zafir continued to sip the black coffee, sitting at the table as he read his messages. Thinking about it now, they really did resemble a normal household in times like these. Having a place to call their own, a moody Leroy acting like the parent of the gang and messy youngsters who didn’t know how to behave. 

    “It’s too late though. Elli is the kid now. Even if I keep a close eye on him, I can’t constantly look out for him on my own. Silas has little to no patience for the kid, so I need you to teach him as well. He’s never lived a life like this. All he knows is violence and the world letting him down.” Zafir shrugged. This was most likely the first and last time he would speak this much in one breath, all because he did find Elli intriguing, even if he did outrageous things like bringing home a wild raccoon, or run away every few days. 

The highway felt great to run on, since he could go at full speed and reach destinations easiest by using them. The lesser side was the incredible noise from cars speeding past. Motorcycles were hardest to avoid (but all this made the challenge exciting to the fox guardian). He enjoyed the thrill of it all. 

Ears pulled back when his forehead was flicked, while paws helplessly dangled as he was carried by his nape. What was he? An animal? Jintae should treat him with more respect! And not flick him or carry him in such a vulgar manner! Yuu wasn’t going to get visibly upset with him however, knowing he would rile Jintae up more by continuing to be his playful self. And so his eyes closed as he made himself comfortable against the man, lips curled upwards in joy.