#multi-part

It’s meant to be the place where she finds peace when the expectations of the world outside grow too heavy for the moment. Or, when she just doesn’t feel like pitching a tent to share with Paimon. But regardless of the reasons for her arrivals there, it doesn’t lessen the fact that it’s the one place in the universe that Lumine can go where there aren’t responsibilities for her to juggle. 

Scaramouche knows this. So well, in fact, that when he steps down into the place she’d allowed him to call his own, he still feels unsure of how exactly he should go about making the request that’s been nagging at the back of his mind since… how long has it been, now? Maybe five, maybe six months. Time tends to blur together when his only real obligation these days is to hurry along when Lumine needs him. 

He wishes it were more often, he wishes he had an excuse to follow her around and-

The fountain that’s nestled between glowing flowers and trees that arch inwards in a thick canopy trickles peacefully, breaking the silence that had existed before he’d come here. A deep inhale carries the subtle scent of flowers, the salt of an illusory ocean, petrichor and leaves from someplace unknown, just beyond the treeline. Despite his solitary travels, this is the truest semblance of peace he can nurture for himself.

Whether that has anything to do with the owner of this domain is still up for debate, but he’s certain it’s one that he would lose if someone were to call him out on it. 

Closing his eyes, he reaches out like Lumine showed him, feeling for the presence of others who may be taking refuge here. He expects one of Lumine’s other companions - the purple-haired child, the Tianquan, the kitsune that can’t remember him - but there’s only a singular presence here that beckons for him. 

The winds carry him there, coming as easy to him as breathing. 

There’s a hilltop, crafted as if its sole purpose was to bring Lumine closer to the sun that hangs above at her will. At its peak is a blanket, sprawled out across grass that’s as soft as any bed he’s come across. The fabric is a pristine blue, almost a perfect mirror for the sky above that Lumine watches with slow blinks and a lazy smile. 

“That was quick. You just saw me this morning - don’t tell me you missed me already?”

Under any other circumstance, Scaramouche would be spitting at the accusation of any sort of softness that could be perceived from his actions. But Lumine’s head turns to the side just enough to look up at him, no hint of malice in her eyes as she all but sprawls at his feet without a care in the world. 

It softens his edges, just a bit. 

Enough for him to nudge her leg with his foot until she moves over, giving him enough space for him to take up residence on her little fabric island of peace. It’s not enough to allow him personal space, his knee pushing into the plush of her thigh as she settles once more with closed eyes and a pleased sigh. 

If he said nothing, simply relished in this moment, certainly Lumine wouldn’t begrudge him that. There’s a tentative, unspoken agreement between them, coming into existence the moment they had stepped from Irminsul and he was met with a new life unfolding rapidly before him. 

The rules weren’t stated, but he found himself tentatively pushing at them with gently biting remarks and fleeting touches at the back of her elbow, fingers wrapping around her wrist, the steady warmth of her presence at his side as she drags him over hill and dale, wherever her journeys take her on a given day. Not once has he complained, nor will he if prompted.

But, the truth is that peace like this can’t last, no matter how warm his skin feels from the sun, how comfortable the grass is beneath him, how sweetly the wind rustles the wisped ends of blonde hair. With a deep breath that’s laced with the thickness of his own tension, he asks, “I don’t ask much from you.”

“You don’t. It’s weird. It’s like you’ve been saving up for something big. Are you about to cash in?” 

The pain of his teeth clamping on his tongue draws him back to reality, away from where his first instinct drags him to denydenydeny–

“Maybe. You can say no. I don’t know why you make mountains out of the smallest pebble.”

“Things that are big from my perspective might be worth nothing to you. And vice versa. You’re stalling, Wanderer.”

Ah, he supposes he is. It’s easier that way, to claim internally that he’s merely gathering thoughts that have been tightly bundled. All he needs to do is unpack them, and now is as good a time as any. 

“You’ve seen my memories.”

“The important bits, at least.”

Well, at least she has an inkling about how absolutely devastating those specific memories are, but that’s not the point right now. Squinting up at the sun, he avoids Lumine’s inquisitive gaze in favor of burning his retinas. “In Shakkei Pavilion, I knew nothing. I was a blank slate - lost and confused. In Tatarasuna, I learned the basics of humanity, only gaining a grasp on harsher topics first-hand with… with…”

Slowly, Lumine pushes up to sit, concern palpable in the air despite his eyes burning. It’s from the sun. It’s from the sun.

“Anyway.” A clearing of his throat brings things back on track, his eyes still sting as he stares at the second sun at his side, glowing in the midday light that seems to have no set time here. Sometimes, it lasts days, and others it’s gone in the blink of an eye. If he continued to stare at the sun, would it be moving, or halted?

“Anyway,” he starts again, rubbing the heel of his palm against the corner of his eye to sweep away wetness that threatened to fall, “even I can admit there are some things I don’t know. Haven’t experienced. That’s the request I’m trying to cash in on.”

“Ah, I see.” Lumine’s voice doesn’t waver, but it does sound rather quiet as she absently scratches at the hair just behind her ear, jostling the flowers that adorn her there. “You’ll have to be more specific. I just don’t think there’s anything I can show you that you haven’t seen before - not anything in my power, at least.”

“Well, there is, if you’ll hear me out.”

“That’s what I’m doing right now, isn’t it? You’re talking an awful lot to just ask for something so simple.”

“Don’t get smart, or I’ll ask someone else.” An empty threat - something like this could be trusted with no one but the Traveler. And even if it could, the thought of learning something like this from another made his skin crawl. 

To her credit, Lumine doesn’t prod him further. Only gives a placating smile that has a little too much mischief for his liking, tilts her head until the longest of her blonde strands brush her collarbone on one side, leans on one hand so she’s a little closer. Maybe she already knows, but to reach for it would be beyond his power. Certainly, he’d make a fool of himself. 

“You can’t laugh.”

“I’ll recite that Snezhnayan pinky-promise poem if you want.”

“No thanks, I’ve heard it one too many times in my life.” The thought of ginger hair makes his stomach turn in distaste. “Just… say you won’t.”

“I won’t. If it’s important, you know I won’t. Have a little faith in me.”

The problem is he has a little too much. That he’s willing to trust Lumine with this is the ultimate test of his trust in her - in himself. The air feels cloying as he breathes it in, tinged with the scent of Lumine now that she’s in his space fully. He can nearly taste it as he opens his mouth and asks, “Will you kiss me, Lumine?”

“Oh.” She hums with a face that falls from happiness into something far, far softer. Brows tilt as she covers her heart with her free hand, fingertips pressing into her own skin until they turn white from the pressure, “Is this what’s got you so worked up? You thought I’d reject your feelings?”

“It’s not feelings, I-I’ve just never-”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

He’s certain that sun has stopped. At least, he is frozen in time, mid-sentence and scrambling for footing now that she’s deftly kicked it out from under him. The implication isn’t entirely lost on him, though it flits from his grasp as Lumine’s hand falls to her lap. 

“I’d be happy to show you. Do you… want to start now?”

Now? Honestly, he hadn’t expected to get this far. In fact, he assumed Lumine would laugh at his incompetence in these matters, then send him off with a wave of her hand and a jeer. Not that she’s ever really done that, at least not after his… mistake. If he didn’t know any better, he’d have assumed her memories of him from before had been wiped clean as well. 

The hesitance on his face is blatantly clear. Lumine lets out a little sigh, tinged with nervous laughter that has no reason to exist when she holds the upper hand like this, and reaches her free hand out. Its destination is to his own hand in his lap, limp as she lifts it to hold with hers. Even this is novel, at least with the connotations it now holds thanks to his blunder.

“Alright, we’ll take it slow then. Do you trust me?”

“More than anyone.”

Embarrassment doesn’t have time to flood his veins before she’s squeezing his hand and lacing their fingers together. “That’s good to hear. If you let me lead, I’ll teach you until you don’t want to learn anymore, okay?”

“Bloody cheeky,” Harry said, shaking his head. 

“You love it,” she replied.

He didn’t bother denying it, “Well, my new partner might not.”

An interdepartmental memo zipped into the office and Harry took the opportunity to close the door between the two of them. He took a deep breath and tried smoothing down his hair nervously. He hadn’t intended to get Henry reassigned. He was a nice enough bloke but he had been more concerned with Harry’s safety on a case than on the task ahead of them and that wouldn’t do. 

He’d tried to tell the powers that be repeatedly that he needed someone who didn’t see him as the savior to work with him. It was a danger to him and to everyone around them otherwise. 

Shaking his head, he glanced over to the window and startled to see a lovely white cat lying out in the sun. 

“Well, hello there, beautiful boy,” he said as he wandered over to the cat who stood up warily as he approached. He crouched down in front of the cat and held out his hand, “It’s alright,” he soothed. 

The cat stuck its nose up at the offering of Harry’s hand but rubbed against his right shin before twisting around to rub against Harry’s left thigh. This time, he allowed Harry to scratch between his ears before stretching then gracefully jumping up on Harry’s desk.

“Careful, lovely,” Harry murmured to the cat as it flopped gracefully over onto the pile of papers he’d tossed down on the way in. 

“Harry?” Helena called, she sounded vaguely nervous which did not bode well. “You need to see this interdepartmental memo.”

“I told you to hold them,” he said, scratching the cat’s chest while the cat rolled on his papers and purred.

“Yeah, you’re going to want to read this.”

Harry huffed a sigh and turned away from the cat, who jumped down from the desk, pushing the papers onto the floor. 

“I told you to be careful,” Harry tsked softlyy at the cat, who ignored him in favor of rubbing against the chair. 

He bent down to pick up the papers as Helena called, “Seriously, this shouldn’t wait.”

With a sigh, he tossed the papers back on his desk and opened the door again. The cat followed him out into the waiting room outside his office and rubbed against the corner of the desk before sitting and delicately licking its paw. 

Harry snatched the memo from her hand and read the brisk lines.

AUROR  POTTER, PLEASE ENSURE THE SECOND DESK IN YOUR OFFICE IS READY FOR YOUR NEW PARTNER TODAY. AUROR MALFOY WILL BE MOVING HIS THINGS IN SHORTLY.  HA ROBARDS

“Are you punking me, Helena?” he asked because that was the only logical explanation for this missive. There was no way anyone in their right mind would have paired him and Malfoy together. 

They’d kill each other in the first week. 

“No,” she said softly, more seriously than he had ever heard her.

He stared blankly ahead for a moment, “Fuck me,” he grunted. At Helena’s startled laugh, he came back to himself. He shook his head ruefully, “Sorry.” 

He went back into his office before she could say anything else and looked around. The second desk was clear, Henry had cleared his things out the evening before and Harry had decided to try to tidy up some of his things as well, first impressions and all that.

Not that there was anything that could fix the past decade worth of impressions they'd had on one another at this point, he thought glumly.

It was only a few minutes later when he could feel Malfoy enter the room. He’d always had a strong magical signature, Harry just hadn’t learned to recognize it until he’d become an Auror. He took a steadying breath, “Malfoy,” he said by way of greeting.

“Potter,” came the terse reply.

Harry turned around and they stood staring at one another for a long moment, there was tension there, a lifetime of anger and resentment broiling between them. He clenched his fists and slowly relaxed them. “I don’t know how this is going to work.”

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake, Potter,” Malfoy snapped, as he pushed in past him, all of his boxes levitating behind him. “Don’t be such a child. Am I to assume this is my desk?” he asked, waving an irritatingly graceful hand at the desk that didn’t belong to Harry. 

Harry was frankly surprised that he hadn’t tried to move to his desk just to be contrary instead. “Yes,” he said.

Malfoy started spelling his possessions out of his boxes and into the drawers and filing cabinet. 

“Why are you unpacking?” Harry asked.

Malfoy didn’t even pause in directing his files to the correct drawers. “I was under the impression that I now have the distinct honor of being assigned as your new partner,” he drawled.

“We’ll never pass the compatibility test,” Harry said.

“Finally admitting how hard you are to work with, Potter?” Malfoy asked with a smirk.

Harry glared at Malfoy, “Oddly it wasn’t me I was worried about.”

“Ah,” Malfoy said, “Still struggling under the weight of your massive ego, then?”

“That’s rich coming from you,” Harry all but snarled at him.

“How many partners have you had?” Malfoy asked, his voice irritatingly collected as he leaned his hip against his desk and folded his arms over his chest.

“What does that have to do-”

“How. many,” he interrupted calmly.

“Six,” Harry spat.

“So, that makes me lucky number seven,” Malfoy said, “Do you know how many partners I’ve had, Potter?” 

“No.”

“One. I have been with my last partner for the past four years; he retired a few days ago and that is the only reason I need a new partner. What was your longest stint with a partner? Ten months?” 

“That isn’t my fault.”

“Of course not,” Malfoy said placatingly, and Harry hated how calm he sounded. “It couldn’t possibly be that the Savior of the Wizarding World is hard to work with.”

“I’m not hard to work with!” Harry protested. 

“No?”

“No!” Harry snapped. “I am great at teamwork.”

“Sure,” Malfoy replied with that haughty, trademark Malfoy smirk that had always driven Harry round the twist. 

Harry was about to reply, something scathing, he was certain when Helena interrupted them. “Harry? Auror Malfoy?” she asked, a touch more timid than Harry had ever heard her.

“Draco, please,” Malfoy corrected her, but his voice was warm and open in a way Harry found exceedingly suspicious. 

“Draco,” she corrected and gave him a tiny half-smile. 

Bloody Malfoy charm was already winning over his favorite secretary. “Did you have something you needed to say?” Harry snapped at her.

“Yes, I can see how easy you are to work with,” Draco commented dryly.

Helena snorted at this and Harry glared at her, betrayal burning in his gut. She glanced at him and smoothed her face into some semblance of seriousness. “Head Auror Robards would like to see you in his office.”

“Good. The sooner we get the compatibility tests out of the way the better,” Harry said. “Then we can forget about this farce.”

He started out down the hall, Malfoy at his left, “Potter, have you ever failed a compatibility test?”

“No,” Harry replied, “Because I am easy to work with.”

“Right,” Malfoy said again. “What do you imagine happens when you fail a compatibility test?”

“Your partner gets reassigned,” Harry said. The ministry would never make you work with someone who was dangerous for your well being. Partners had to be able to trust one another, if they couldn’t there was no hope of them being able to work out in the field.

He walked up to Robard’s assistant, “Hello, Matthew.”

“Hello Auror Potter,” he replied, then peeked around Harry, “Auror Malfoy.”

“Head Auror Robards summoned us,” Harry told him even as Malfoy tried to greet him.

“Yes,” he said, “He’s ready for you.”

Harry stomped toward the door, but Malfoy stopped at his desk, “It’s Draco,” he told him and Harry heard Matthew laugh. “How’s that new crup pup?”

Matthew all but squealed with delight, “He’s perfect,” he gushed. “Well, mostly,” he said with a laugh. “We're still working on house training.”

Draco laughed, “Good. I’m glad.”

“Thank you for the recommendation,” he said.

Harry cleared his throat, “If you’re ready, Malfoy?”

“Sorry, Matt,” Draco said, nodding toward Harry. “Best be off. Say hi to Laurence for me.”

“Will do,” the other man replied easily.

They walked through the door that let them into the hallway leading to Robard’s office. “What are you playing at?”

“Pardon?” Malfoy asked, in the most bored tone Harry’d ever heard. 

“Oh, Matt, tell me about your puppy. Say hi to your husband for me. Kisses, kisses,” Harry mocked.

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand, Potter,” he replied.

“Oh, no? Did you get him the crup from the black market or something?”

“You can’t be serious,” Malfoy said as they stopped outside of the door into Robard’s office. “You are serious. Circe. Can you even hear yourself? Is it even possible for someone as stupid as you clearly are to become an Auror?”

“Is it even possible for someone as slimy and malicious as you to be an Auror?” Harry countered.

Malfoy inhaled deeply through his nose, “Listen, Potter. I know it will be difficult for you to understand, but I’ll try to use small words. Not all of us are still stuck in their Glory Days at Hogwarts. Some of us have grown and changed.”

“Like I can even believe a word-”

The door in front of them opened and Robards looked the two of them up and down, “If you’re quite through,” he drawled. “I haven’t got all day to wait for you two to have your spat.”

“It’s his fault,” Harry accused even as Malfoy said, “My apologies, Head Auror.”

Harry seethed, now Malfoy was just trying to make him look bad. 

“Inside,” Robards said as he turned from them and went back into the office.

“I know what you’re trying to do,” Harry hissed.

“What? Keep my job?” Draco asked, voice equally soft but hard.

“Not another word,” Robards said.

“But, Sir,” Harry started as the two of them sat down in front of his desk, “You can’t honestly expect us to work together. We have nothing in common and we’ll probably end up killing one another.”

“I was under the impression that you’d spoken at Auror Malfoy’s hearing after the war.”

“Yes, but-”

“And that you’d pushed for him to be released,”

“Yes, but-”

“And encouraged them to rule him innocent of all crimes.”

“Yes, but-”

“So, what are your objections?”

“He’s,” Harry started before realizing ‘a massive git’ probably wouldn’t do. “Malfoy,” he finished lamely. “We’ve never gotten on a day in our lives. We have nothing in common.”

Robards turned to Malfoy, “Auror Malfoy, do you have the same reservations?”

Harry whipped his head to look over at Malfoy next to him. Malfoy didn’t even glance at him but looked straight at Robards. He cleared his throat, “Sir, we had a childhood rivalry.”

“A childhood rivalry?!” Harry exclaimed, that hardly seemed to do their antagonism justice. 

Robards turned to glare at Harry, “Auror Malfoy didn’t interrupt you while you were speaking, could you please manage to offer him the same courtesy?”

Harry fell back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Perhaps it sounds understated when I say childhood rivalry,” Malfoy said, then he added, “We openly antagonized one another. I said cruel things about him and his friends, he returned the favor.”

“More than cruel,” Harry muttered.

“More than cruel,” Malfoy affirmed softly, looking down at his lap and for a moment Harry forgot to hate him and felt a little guilty. Then Malfoy looked up again, eyes clear and Harry’s stomach unclenched, “But I am not the boy I was at school,” he said, glancing at Harry. “And neither is Potter.” He paused, then added, “As much as he is trying to make himself seem like he is.” 

Harry wanted to offer an angry retort but knew that would only serve to demonstrate what Malfoy was saying.

“I think,” Malfoy said carefully, “That working together will be a challenge, nonetheless. There’s a lot of history between us, not much of it good.”

“That seems like an understatement.”

“Look, Potter,” Robards said, “I’m going to be frank with you. You’re a damn good Auror,” he said and Harry preened at the compliment. “But you are a massive pain in my arse.”

Malfoy snorted and Robards glared at him. “Sorry,” Malfoy said, holding out a hand and smoothing out the smirk on his face.

Robards turned back to Harry, who still felt affronted at his comment. “I have never had an Auror go through as many partners as you have.”

“It’s not my fault,” Harry said, skin heating. “It’s not right for me to have a partner that thinks my life is more valuable than anyone else’s. It’s dangerous.”

“I hear you. I have heard you saying that for the past 4 years but you’re Harry Potter,” he said with a shrug. “It’s damn near impossible to find anyone who doesn’t have a bit of a hero-worship complex where you’re concerned.”

Harry frowned at that, “I never asked for that. And I have lots of friends who don’t see me that way.” None that were Aurors, Harry thought somewhat bitterly at Ron.

“Merlin, Potter,” he grunted as he took his glasses off to rub his eyes in a weary sort of gesture. “I’m not blaming you for that, I am just saying I heard you and as soon as Auror Malfoy’s partner retired, I knew I’d found a solution.”

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he realized exactly where this was going. 

“Auror Malfoy is an outstanding Auror, he was at the top of his class and he’s done well here. He also doesn’t have the problem your past partners have of idolizing you.”

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it, unsure what he was meant to say because as much as he may not like it, Robards had a point.

Robards looked between the two of them and when neither of them said anything he continued, “Now. When you go to your compatibility testing and fail,” Harry wanted to bristle at that, but it was probably the truth, “you’re going to have a month to get your scores to passing.”

“Wait,” Harry said, “So if we fail, we aren’t automatically assigned a new partner?”

“No,” Robards replied, “I don’t have an endless supply of Aurors to pair you with Potter. As I was saying, when you fail, you’ll have a month to get your scores to passing. The ministry owns a property that is most commonly used as a safe house, but when you fail, the two of you are going to move into it together.”

“You want us to live together?” Malfoy spluttered and Harry couldn’t help but share the sentiment. 

“Yes. You’ll come to work each day and work together, on office work not in the field, then you’ll have one hour from the end of the workday to run errands, pick up things you need from the store or your homes, and any other personal business you have. After that hour you’ll need to spend your evenings together.”

“What if I want to have dinner with my friends?” Harry asked. 

“Then you’ll bring Auror Malfoy with you and vice versa. You’re both smart, you’ll figure it out.” Robards shuffled the papers on his desk into a neat pile and Harry could do nothing but stare incredulously at him. “You are dismissed to have your compatibility test. Once it’s finished you’re done for the day; you will have two hours to get what you’ll need to move in to this address,” he said as two slips of paper floated across the desk to Malfoy and Harry. “You’ll be keyed into the wards before you arrive.”

The clock on the wall struck three and Robards glanced at it. “I’ve got to go, I have an appointment with the Minister. Matthew can answer any questions you may have about the property.”

With that, he shooed them out of his office and Harry walked down the hall in a daze. He must be dreaming. It was the only explanation. 

Malfoy stopped to talk to Matthew, presumably to ask questions about the safe house they were about to move into, but Harry couldn’t hear it. “I’m going to use the loo. I’ll meet you at Auror Higgins office,” he said vaguely. 

-----------------------

Of course, pupcheng is as young as bunxian, so he cannot really control anything. He still shifts into a small pup when he's overly emotional and cannot hide his ear and tail (jfm did try to force him into doing it despite it not working, yzy ends up enraged).

The relationship doesn't start well between them. pupcheng is jealous that his father is giving so much attention to bunxian and even asks him the impossible for some random bunny.

bunxian on the other sides is just scared of canines and believes pupcheng hates him. Then the incident of pupcheng kick bunxian out of his room happen (he was just really jealous & angry). bunxian knows better than to argue with dog/wolf, so he just tries to find somewhere else to sleep (maybe jfm will be generous enough to find him a room he can use, even a closet is fine).

but pupcheng immediately regrets it and get really worried about the friendly-looking bunxian. He hadn't meant to be mean to him and he did not expect him to really wander around LP at night like this.

pupcheng get so anxious that he changes into his pup form and start looking for bunxian (his scent is actually pretty easy to pick one). he tries sneaking past some of the disciples doing their rounds of guards (many in their animal forms) and this is when he picked on some fear, worries sinking deeper in his little heart.

He finds bunxian blanket abandoned at a corner, but no bunxian in sight. after more research, he finds little bunxian hiding tightly under a cabinet, trembling in a little ball. He tried sneaking under, but it only resulted in bunxian letting out a little terrified scream, making him back away.

pupcheng then simply settles down away, laying sadly as he tries to calm down so he can bring bunxian back to *their* room. He really wants to apologise but simply cannot right now.

Now that he is reassured to have found bunxian he is able to shift back, not as worried When he does so, he kneels next to the cabinet, trying to coax bunxian to come back with him, saying he is sorry for what he did and said, he even has his blanket! blanket are comforting right?

eventually, bunxian does come out, but he won't let him touch him directly, clearly still scared. He simply carries him inside the blanket, sneaking back to the bedroom.

When he's there pupcheng is a bit scared because bunxian isn't moving (did he hold him too tightly?). but after checking he realise bunxian simply fell asleep (maybe being on edge all day because he's surrounded by dog/wolf shifter is tiring).

but bunxian bed is now empty of blankets and pillows, so he simply put the fluffy black bunny on his bed, laying down next to him (not without giving a safe distance not to roll on him).

But pupcheng cannot really go to sleep yet, so he just caresses between bunxian ears to help him calm down even in his sleep.

He really doesn't hate him, he actually quite like bunxian.

When jyl comes to wake them up the next morning (worried since someone said having seen bunxian running around LP in the night) she finds them sleeping in the same bed, pupcheng holding bunxian protectively against him now that he's back to his usual form.

she decides not to wake them up, finding this scene rather reassuring. She would rather them get along than have a scared/hate relationship.

bunxian is a bit spooked when he woke up first that morning (he did /not/ expect to be held like this!) but there is something strangely really reassuring in the way pupcheng is holding him and the way he carried him carefully and protectively last night as if scared to hurt him (what a new thing for him).

Sure, he is still a bit worried, but something feels okay like this and this is probably why bunxian hasn't started to panic yet.

In the following days, pupcheng took upon the task of making sure bunxian is protected from other cabin shifters and dogs.

If bunxian must stay, then he might as well also want him to stay (to his mother's annoyance) and protect him.

He will become the one wolf shifter bunxian isn't scared of.

(there will be more little snippets like this to come 🐰🐺)

[🐺❤️🐰 part 2: bunny protect]

What if bunxian and pupcheng keep growing closer, to the point they always take care of each other (pupcheng makes it his mission that nothing bad happens to bunxian). They want to make sure no one put the other down.

Anyone acting as if bunxian should only be a servant and nothing more? You better get ready for a barking pupcheng getting right back at you with whatever he might have heard about you, bunxian is /more/ than a servant and people should also respect him. and these occurrences are vaguely common, as most people usually say that behind bunxian back.

bunxian usually tries to reassure pupcheng when jfm doesn't give him the attention he deserves and the praises he should have.

If jfm won't give some praise, bunxian will do and prove to pupcheng that what he did was really great and he's not failing anyone, they will become great cultivators together! But then one-day pupcheng is already not having a very good day. He can't seem to get the new form he has learned, is upset that his mother keeps pushing while jfm just don't care.

Then one of the more petty disciples decides to call him a bad boy and weak because apparently pupcheng hurt him at some point (pupcheng really cannot remember), but also because he's already 7 and cannot control himself.

This is just the last straw for pupcheng that day and he just loses it, crying until he shifts into a small pup, making the other disciple laugh a bit, because this only proves his point.

But then you have a storming bunxian, looking angry as all hell storming towards them, placing himself in front of pupcheng to protect him. He heard from other disciples what was happening and caught the later part of it.

His trembling like a leaf because of the other dog shifter (and despite now not flinching with pupcheng, his wolf form still kicks in his instinct).

but this does not stop him from protecting pupcheng, no one gets to call him a /bad boy/.

"Chengcheng is a good boy and no one can say otherwise! He's strong and will become even stronger than slj and mdmy!! He'll be the strongest of the sect and you will regret ever telling this, and--"

and little bunxian does not stop, even when the other youngster looks angry, at his intervention ("how dare he be so insolent!"). But even as he shakes like a leaf, bunxian doesn't stop yelling at him, which ends up bringing attention to them. Some adult cultivator joins them to calm the situation, but bunxian is too angry to stop talking, ready to tell everyone that pupcheng is the best boy and he will also be the strongest!

It's only when the source of the problem is finally taken away that bunxian stops, crouching down at a safe distance from a pupcheng who is now calmed down and trying to shift back. He does yelp a bit when pupcheng suddenly come to him for a tight hug when he shifts back, not letting go of him as bunxian slowly calms his nerve too.

"Do you really think it?" pupcheng asks, "That I am the best of boy and will be the strongest?"

"Of course! I know chengcheng will be the strongest one! and he will never be a bad boy!" he says earnestly.

This makes pupcheng feel warm and happy. He has never heard anyone say with such certainty that he /will/ be the strongest and that he's the best of boys forever.

"Yes... I will be, and you will be by my side too!" he says, feeling like he always wanted bunxian by his side, "I will be strong to protect you!" he promises.

"Then I must get strong to protect you too," bunxian says with a laugh.

They can protect each other in the future. It feels as if as long as they have each other, everything will be alright.

pupcheng is really happy to know he will always have someone by his side who believes in him.

[🐺❤️🐰 part 3: pup wanna protect]

pupcheng has this strong want to protect bunxian because he feels like bunnies must be weak, right? He has this memory of following his mother on a hunt once and she hunted that rabbit so easily! So in his young mind, pupcheng couldn't stop worrying "What if someone bigger than bunxian attacks him? Won't he be overpowered?"

But his young and little mind didn't add that bunxian isn't actually a rabbit, he was also a cultivator who could very well fight (maybe lp being mostly populated by dog/wolf shifters and bunxian being afraid of them is the reason he never really thought about it. scared bunxian = could be hurt = need to protect).

So bunxian ends up mostly training with pupcheng or some guest disciple who aren't canine. People have picked on quickly that pupcheng protects his little friend and not many of the older ymj cultivators are actually allowed to help him train (which lead to jfm being the one doing it the most).

But as they grow, bunxian get a bit tired of that. He wants to fight too! He wants to show he can defend himself and not always have pupcheng around him to protect him! Then one-time bunxian gets in some trouble with some kid and he /fights/ (Of course, this was about shit-talking the /great/ heir of ymj sect).

pupcheng is so scared when he runs back to him, yet bunxian is standing winner as he yelled at the running kid. Bunxian was only about to laugh and say how weak they were, only to have pupcheng drag him to a safe spot, looking him over for injuries ("It's only a couple of scratches! I won't die chengcheng!").

It takes bunxian actually taking pupcheng on a fight seriously to prove he can do it (scaring bunxian by growling did slightly come to his mind, but pupcheng quickly pushed this away. He cannot betray the trust bunxian puts in him).

Slowly pupcheng understood that it wasn't because you weren't a "predator" that you couldn't be strong (or that said "predator" couldn't be weak as shit). It took time to take away this idea that had been implanted in his head by older cultivators (all from bigger animals obviously).

But pupcheng (which at this age would be wolfcheng) never missed saving his bunxian ass when he ended up in a tight spot (or someone was using his fear).

He often wants to scold him, but seeing bunxian cooperate with him now when he protects is good.

He knows bunxian isn't some fragile flower who cannot protect himself, but he will always have this little fear of him getting hurt when he's not watching (bunxian is good to get in trouble really). basically just pupcheng learning to not be overprotective, but also that bunnies shifter isn't weak (bunxian did kick his ass more than once).

(Omg I just realised, mdm yu hunted a real rabbit, not a shifter jqksmfjfi hopefully everyone understood it like that the first time, although am sure she would have no difficulty taking down a shifter either)

[🐺❤️🐰 part 4: bunny heat 😳]

What if bunxian hits his first heat rather early compared to everyone else. And he's so confused and scared when it's all happens. He feels hot and oversensitive, his sens all seem a bit too sharp.

But he's too embarrassed to ask jfm what this might be, assuming he might just be a bit sick and that it will pass.

But pupcheng doesn't like that. Suddenly bunxian won't let him near him? He will flinch away anytime he touches him?+

He ends up confronting him because he certain he somehow man him angry or scared and bunxian just won't tell him.

"I don't know okay!" bunxian suddenly snap after a while, looking a bit distressed, "I-I feel hot all over and everything is too much and and I am scared". pupcheng is surprised because it's rare for bunxian to snap like this or look distressed (it is usually with dog and he makes sure to protect him when it happens).

Then he thinks a bit more about what bunxian just told him, what has happened recently and then it hits him. was his shixiong in heat? It could explain why his scent seemed to have changed a bit lately. But wouldn't bunxian know about it.

But then he thought about it. No one here was bunny shifter, nor any adult was really close enough to bunxian to explain it (and he somehow doubts jfm talked about it with him).

so pupcheng tried explaining to him gently what it might be, although he wasn't sure how to help (or even if he /could/ help).

So he's about to go tell his parents, thinking they might know what he can do to make bunxian feel better.

but he's stopped by his shixiong before he can even get out of the room, bunxian looking nervous. "I-It's alright chengcheng, it will eventually pass right? I can deal with it, I don't need to bother uncle jiang with this".

so pupcheng sit down with him again, because he can't bring himself to go against what bunxian wants. He instead tries to make him feel more comfortable, tries to comfort him.

After two days the peak of it is passed and bunxian is back to being alright, thanking pupcheng for his help and not telling anyone else. Pupcheng heart soften at this, of course, he would do anything to make sure bunxian is alright, there no need to thank him. "Simply call for me next time you think you'll have your heat, I'll come to comfort you again" (he also plans to look for books and scroll about bunny shifter heat season so he knows how to help comfort bunxian better.).

(nsfw-ish)

after a couple of heat, pupcheng ends up being less of a passive presence and helps bunxian more physically (not without his permission obviously).

They learn how to pleasure each other and they are both slowly crossing the line from a shixiong/shidi relationship to... something more. But they don't mind it, they like it and they are comfortable with one another. Why would they want anyone else if they can be together?

So quickly pupcheng happily takes upon the takes of fulfilling bunxian needs in his heat, whether it being emotional or physical. even just laying down with him and doing nothing is good, as long as he can help.

they grow even closer yet no one seems to be able to know why.

[🐺❤️🐰 part 5: wolf heat 😳🤭]

so bunxian and pupcheng are already used to bunxian heat, but what when pupcheng finally hits his?

Sure, pupcheng also get more sensitive to thing, hot all over (and horny).

But he also gets angry more easily, much more territory and is possessive too.

pity to the poor lady in the market they were visiting on a night hunt when she started flirting with bunxian (and bunxian even started flirting back jokingly!). This did not please our pupcheng who pulled bunxian to him protectively, glaring at the poor feline shifter who did not expect to anger the young cultivator.

"ow, is chengcheng jealous that his bunny was flirting with someone else" bunxian jokes before his laughter stop when he saw how serious pupcheng seemed to be. he doesn't add more as he's dragged somewhere secluded, looking at pupcheng a bit confused. He trusts him, but he doesn't understand why they are here.

He yelps a bit when he's pushed against a wall and pupcheng suddenly start rubbing against him. "Jc, are you trying to scent me?" he asks with a little laugh, letting him do so if it can help him feel better.

bunxian laugh a bit more, circling his arms around pupcheng. "Don't be mad anymore chengcheng, I won't flirt with anyone else than you, you don't need to scent me like this"

"But others won't know not to approach you" pupcheng mumbles as he stops his takes, hiding in the crook of bunxian neck.

"Haa, what will I do with you" bunxian laughed in a fake exasperation, "what about I let you mark me as much as you would like once we get back to the inn tonight?".

bunxian doesn't have an answer, but he knows he got his attention on that, so he continues. "I mean, this time we share a room only the two of us, all I would need is a silencing talisman to make sure no one caught us".

"... let's do that" pupcheng answers, "And don't flirt with others anymore" he adds as he nibbles on bunxian neck. bunxian wants to remind him he cannot leave visible marks, but something in him really wants to let him do so (though he knows yzy would lose it if she knew what kind of relationship he has with her son.)

that night neither of them got much sleep, bunxian letting pupcheng claim as much as he wants, marking him until his heart was happy ("You cannot be anyone else" he is reminded more than once by an anxious pupcheng as if he would look elsewhere).

bunxian knows pupcheng scent must be stuck to him now (which he also likes), so he's not really surprised by the little glance other disciples are giving them ("they /do/ always stay together, it might be why" they hear whispered). bunxian can only throw an innocent smile towards mdm yu when she gives them a suspicious look.

She might be suspicious, but he's satisfied with last night and clearly pupcheng seems just as satisfied and pleased with his claim, so it seems worth the little suspicion.

[🐺❤️🐰 part 6: meeting friends 🐗🦌🦚]

Can't remember if they all meet for the first time at CR studies (rip my bad memory :'3), but here what if they met when they were younger?

They met boarsang by accident when pupcheng was trying to find somewhere fresh where they could stay while the adult were all having their boring meeting. Plus, bunxian was probably gonna overheat if they didn't found somewhere.

they accidentally find boarsang who was hiding from the head disciple because he doesn't want to train, instead drawing in a secluded section of UR.

Two lost bunny and pup find him and surprise him, since usually, guests stay closer to the guest area. Yet, he ends up befriending the two yunmeng kid (their robe are pretty telling) after a couple of minutes talking with them, both of them amazed by how well he can draw.

He takes them to an artificial pond closer to their living quarters, where they can all play in it. (It doesn't take long before pupcheng and bunxian are in the water).

They play in the refreshing water for hours, unknowing of all the adults worried because they cannot find the three kids anywhere (it takes nmj intuition to finally find them). They get scolded for scaring everyone like this, but honestly? They had too much of a good time to really mind it.

Next time they meet at another sect conference, these three are gone to do whatever around the place (& worrying the disciples that are supposed to look over them)

The first time they met stagji, was when gusu lan visited yunmeng jiang. stagji had gotten lost at the pier, losing sight of his older brother.

This is when bunxian found him.

And immediately started tormenting him playfully. pupcheng also eventually played in it a bit too (but not too much so he wouldn't be scolded later on).

stagji did seem to find it annoying, the two youth too noisy and energetic for what he is used for (LP is much more noisy and alive than CR in general actually).

But, stagji ended up following them around anyway as the two of them were trying to show him the "coolest places of lotus pier". He tried acting as tho he hated it, but really there was something in him that was pretty happy to have them being so friendly to him, he was not exactly used to people being this friendly to him from the get-go.

They even took him to the market on the pier, making him taste many of the specialities of yunmeng (poor little stagji was /not/ ready for all those spices).

They stay around the pier until late in the evening (nothing really unusual for pupcheng and bunxian) because they didn't see the time pass.

That is, until they got back to LP with a stagji who was starting to be a bit sleepy.

They were a bit intimidated by the tall lqr with his antlers, looking a bit annoyed that they took stagji out for so long without /at least/ letting him know (poor lxc was worried about his baby brother).

Though it didn't stop bunxian to be rather impressed by those antlers (little pupcheng got a bit jealous at that) and telling lqr what they did with stagji when he asked why they were out until so late.

"We just wanted to show him how fun lp can be" he said with a smile.

stagji even admitted having some fun (though it was loud enough only for lqr to hear, he wouldn't admit it aloud when he went for so long acting as though he didn't care). This did make lqr a bit less annoyed at that, since it was rare for him to see stagji having fun with other youngsters (though he wouldn't have minded it being someone less chaotic than bunxian).

when they meet again at the sect conference, bunxian take some good fun of bothering stagji and stagji always enjoy it secretly because he has the feeling of having some friend.

(doesn't stop him from hoping bunxian was a bit less loud and chaotic, but pupcheng would never allow on his watch someone trying to change how his bunxian act. He's perfect like this)

The first time they met with peaxuan was not as good as stagji and boarsang. They had already heard about jiejie needing to marry him and them both immediately went "Is that so 😠 who he".

Like, little peaxuan over there si too young to really want a marriage yet and here he is, force to hang out with pupyanli because his mother said so.

And pupcheng and bunxian don't like that attitude of his.

So they bother him. A lot. To them, he truly is a peacock (Ah! am funny) and doesn't deserve their great jiejie.

Then imagine them bothering peaxuan and listing all the good things pupyanli can do and he doesn't notice because he's a blind idiot. They try testing him, to show jfm that he isn't worth their jiejie time (but of course it's never works because this was 95% political marriage with guessing it might have love one day).

Of course, peaxuan only accepts these challenges because of pride, he cannot possibly let these two assume he cannot do [enter whatever was the challenge]. Little does he know that many of these a yunmeng specialities skills and he got absolutely destroyed by either of them when trying.

Then at some point in their teenage years peaxuan actually starts courting pupyanli correctly and then they both goes "Hold the fuck on, who said you could court her so freely hum? Are you enough for her"

and then they proceed to just test him over so many things, all thing peaxuan accept to do because he wants to prove he can be good for pupyanli, he really is! He finally saw what they meant and he wants to do good to her if they have to marry (and now he really want to marry her!!).

pupcheng and bunxian eventually have to tone it down because it makes jiejie sad that they cannot get along with peaxuan. they still challenge him, but more out of habit taken over the years and because it is their thing to compete over many things anyway.

eventually, they will be able to see peaxuan as family and friends, but for now, they are young and all stupid, so they are rival who want to protect jiejie.

[🐺❤️🐰part 7: first time]

From as far as they both can remember, they were each other first in pretty much everything.

They were each other first kiss, when their young mind got curious about how it felt. They kissed for the first time hidden in LP library, far from anyone else eyes.

It was quick and chaste, but they really liked it and didn't take long to try again. they giggled a lot, feeling as if they were doing something they shouldn't be doing, but that they really like to do.

Something in them was telling them jfm and yzy wouldn't like it if they knew, so they keep it a secret, stealing innocent little kisses when no one was looking.

They were also each other first person to pass heat with. They were too young to really do anything, but simply being with each other had been enough for a long time.

the first time bunxian had been rather happy that pupcheng stayed with him, trying to keep him comfortable and keep him company as he was feeling so bad.

When it was pupcheng turn, he was just as glad that bunxian stayed with him, keeping him close to him and burning his nose in the crook of his neck ("a-cheng it tickles when you do that" bunxian had told him when he did it the first time, not pushing him away either).

The first time they also sneakily look at an erotic book that had been sneaked to their room by boarsang once when they went to UR.

They both got really flustered at the illustration coming with the text, not expecting it to be /like that/. bunxian even playfully suggested that they imitate the position (while clothed!) and something in him might have awoken from being pinned down and held in place by pupcheng. Some of it was similar to when they were fighting, yet it felt really different. Pupcheng might have also found it really good to have bunxian under him like this, but neither admitted it and awkwardly brushed those thoughts away.

Then came the first time both their heat decided to happen at the same time. It was already something that not really do anything to relieve themselves other than barely grind against something and hold (or be held) tightly the other.

But this time it was a bit worst with the other being just as bad as them.

So they decided that grinding lightly is not enough this time, so they will give each other a hand (literally).

bunxian is startled by how good it actually feels to have pupcheng touch him directly like this (he has never really experimented more than grinding/humping his pillow, maybe sometimes using his hand but never like this). He even wonders if pupcheng ever did this alone before.

But he soon recovers from the surprise and reciprocates the action, trying to imitate pupcheng movement with his own hand, happy to see it does seem to please his shidi when he does that.

this is how they lazily pass their heat hidden in their room, pleasuring each other when it was getting a bit too much. It might have awoken something more in them this time too, loving how the other sounded because of them, wanted that for themselves only.

pupcheng even felt instinct telling him to mark bunxian, but he managed to control himself, scared that bunxian would be scared afterwards (but later he does mention it and bunxian tells him it is alright since it's pupcheng doing it.).

Of course, they are each other first time. They were not in heat when it happened, but the sexual tension had built to the point where pupcheng ended up pinning bunxian down to his bed and started kissing him, bunxian happily and gladly responded to it.

bunxian had been flirting with him more often now, had been making jokes to provoke him more often but also had been teasing him by sticking to stagji so much when they met in a previous conference (the grin bunxian would give him told him he was doing it on purpose).

knowing bunxian was teasing him didn't stop him from being scared someone else would take bunxian away from him, he wanted to claim he all to himself before someone else could do it.

bunxian would probably lie if he said he hadn't wanted for pupcheng to do just that.

He didn't struggle when pupcheng worked off his robes (instead helping with getting them off of him, trying to undo pupcheng robes too so he wouldn't be the only one).

He really enjoyed the kisses and slight nibbles pupcheng did as he made his way down his neck, quiet moans escaping his mouth as he was grinding against him through their trousers. His mouth was travelling between marking his neck and kissing his lips, hand exploring his upper body as they kept grinding into each other, trying to keep their moan low.

bunxian nearly whined when the body above him disappear for a moment, pupcheng leaving his bed to go get something hidden near him. He was a little curious when he saw the little bottle he brought back with him, only to flush when he realised what it might be used for (they had read in some of boarsang erotic books about it. It was seriously to wonder where the other young man would get those books).

He was a bit tense a the idea of going farther than anything they did before (only hand searching for sensitive spots and handjobs). but pupcheng gently reassured him with kisses, telling him they would stop if it was too much for him.

It was a bit awkward trying to prepare him, as they never did anything of the like before (and illustration and word were only that). but eventually, they found a rhythm that worked, a position that seemed better and pupcheng found how he could make bunxian enjoy it more (he believed the sweet sound bunxian made was telling him he was doing at least alright).

It was actually bunxian who ended up telling him he wanted him inside, that he was ready for more than his finger. He was a bit unsure at first, but he decided to believe him, still oiling himself up to make sure he wouldn't hurt him.

He nearly fully backed out when bunxian grimaced at him entering, only to be held in place. "It alright a-cheng" bunxian breathed quickly, "Just... just go slowly, I'll get used to it"

So he did just that, keeping himself from going too fast to feel more of the tightness around him (what was his pleasure if bunxian was in pain?). So he did it slowly, staying in place once he was fully in, waiting for his shixiong to tell him whether he wanted to continue or not.

Bunxian was the first to tentatively move his hips, surprising pupcheng a little bit, He started moving slowly, trying to see in bunxian expression if he was hurting him or not, until he got the hang of it a little bit better and started moving faster, hands working on bunxian arousal so he could also enjoy it.

bunxian quickly started to enjoy it, trying to keep his moan and whining in, not wanting to alert anyone else (He didn't exactly want to know what would happen if jfm, or worst yzy, were to find them like this).

He also enjoyed pupcheng above him, panting against his lips,

teeth grazing his shoulder sometimes as if he wanted to bite down and mark him fully, "You can mark me if you want" bunxian ended up eventually saying. It did hurt, but it also sent a weird spark in him (and pupcheng expression of satisfaction when he straightened back a bit was also very good).

They only did it once that night, bunxian tired from this first time, pupcheng gladly hugged him tightly in his arms, kissing better the bite mark on his shoulder.

after that, it is evident that they were each other first in anything sexual they wanted to try, even bunxian crazy ideas that nearly got them caught more than once (yet the thrill was all in that).

More Than Nine Lives

1872

A cat had made its way into the sheds one morning. It was barely a cat, a kitten was a better description it was so tiny, but it seemed well-fed and healthy. Skarloey watched as it sauntered through the shed door like it owned the place, and bold as brass, settled itself down on Rheneas’ buffer beam, where it promptly went to sleep.

The men laughed and laughed, but Rheneas was immediately taken with the animal, and blew steam at them in displeasure. The cat took no notice of this, and curled itself tighter around one of Rheneas’ lamp irons.

The men all assumed that the cat would eventually become bored with the engines and leave, but when it started riding on Rheneas’ footplate when he left the sheds, they quickly realized that it meant to stay.

“I shall call you Kitten!” Rheneas exclaimed one morning. Skarloey couldn’t quite contain his disdain for his brother’s lack of imagination, but quickly subsided when Kitten hissed at him!

Soon enough, the men had adopted Kitten as one of their own, and the no-longer-little black cat soon gained a collar with her name on one side and the Skarloey railroad’s logo on the other.

Rheneas was deeply pleased by this, and Kitten walked around even more swagger than usual for a few weeks after.

-

1909

One of the cleaners was an Italian immigrant, and he spoke very little English. The other men were helping him learn by having him read out of dictionaries and other technical manuals that were lying around the workshop.

One night, he read a passage about cats out of an animal care guide.

“Many cats can live to an age of six-sixteen years old or older, however this is very un-what is word? Un-Un-Uncommon? and the oldest cat is believed to have lived to an age of twenty-five. Cats of that age are usually very-very frail and spend most of the day res- is not right word - sleeping! that is right word. They spend most of day sleeping.”

While most of the men congratulated the cleaner on his progress, Skarloey stole a glance to the other side of the shed. Kitten was prowling about the sheds, and had been for the last three hours - a very nimble mouse had entered the sheds last night, and it was driving her crazy that she couldn’t catch it.

Suddenly, she pounced, disappearing behind a stacked pile of paint cans - which promptly fell to the floor in a massive clatter. A few moments later, Kitten triumphantly popped up from underneath the cans looking no worse for wear, and with a tail poking out of one corner of her mouth.  

-

“Rheneas?” Skarloey asked later that night. “How old is Kitten?”

“Oh I don’t know,” Rheneas put some thought into it for a moment. “Maybe thirty-five?”

Skarloey began to explain what the book had said, when Rheneas cut him off. “Oh I know how long cats are supposed to live for,” He said as Kitten climbed up onto his bufferbeam and curled up for a nap. “But she and I have a little agreement - neither of us dies without the other.”

He looked at Skarloey meaningfully. “And between you and me, brother, but I don’t think that’s going to happen for a very long time.”

“What?” Skarloey eventually squeaked out. “What does that mean?! Rheneas! What does that mean?!”

But Rheneas said no more, no matter how loudly his brother insisted that he elaborate!

-

1983

“Rheneas?” Peter Sam asked one afternoon. “It’s just occurred to me that Kitten has been around for a lot longer than she should be. Should I be concerned?”

“Oh no!” Chuckled Rheneas. “Kitten’s just a very old cat! She first came here back in, gosh, was it the eighteen-fifties?” He asked Skarloey.

“Sixties. Temple was Prime Minister by then.” Skarloey responded without opening his eyes.

“Thats... That’s over a hundred years ago!” Peter Sam exclaimed. “People don’t live that long!”

“Kitten does. | We do.” Skarloey and Rheneas answered simultaneously.

“How did this happen?” Peter Sam asked, his tone implying that he’d rather not know.

“Dunno.” Muttered Skarloey. “Neither of them will tell me. I stopped caring years ago.”