#thereaperspet

Kenna glances down at the tendril coiled around his ankle, frowning ever so slightly before shrugging and obeying. Carefully slinking forward in a way that doesn't tug on the companion holding him he wastes no time flopping onto Crimson's lap when he's within reach, carefully settling his tail across his own leg to avoid burning him

"And then I was a lap d9g. W99f."

Crimson hums, lifting a hand to pet Kenna's hair soothingly, his gaze focused on Kenna's face. Then, a playful smirk quirks across his lips. He snaps his fingers -- and a rolled up newspaper appears.

Swat! Swat! Swat! Crimson begins swatting at Kenna's pretty bottom playfully, without any real force, just to get a reaction from him. "You sh9uldn't 6e such a naughty d9g."

At the touch of Crimson’s hand Kenna chirps, tilting his head closer as his ears smooth back in delight. The smirk gives him a small pause however. He blinks wearily -- and the appearance of the newspaper makes him tense.

At the blows he begins to openly squirm, releasing a low pitched whine deep in his throat. Though he makes no attempt to actually get away, and his tail swishes to avoid accidentally setting fire to the paper, there is open distress on his face. "I'm s9rry -- !!"

"Sh," Crimson soothes. He cards his fingers through Kenna's hair, abandinung the newspaper quickly and resting his now-free hand on his hound’s hip. "I'm teasing. 6ut really, Kenna..."

Crimson smirks down at him, a few more of his wispy companions poking out to pet at Kenna's arms and back. "If y9u can't c9mmit, d9n't play the game."

Kenna just whines softly, remaining limp and placid for a few moments after the newspaper has been discarded. Master had, after all, given Crimson permission to keep him in line, and in doing so had given Crimson authority over the hound.

However, after the other's comment he blinks, finally lifting his head to squint up at him slightly before huffing out a puff of smoke right in his face. "I'll have y9u kn9w that I am capa6le 9f c9mmitting -- 6ut 9nly when s9me9ne else has hit the start 6utt9n."

Crimson eyes him thoughtfully, his expression carefully neutral (though he wrinkles his nose at the smoke). Then, slowly, he strokes his hand through Kenna's hair again, fingertips rubbing gently at his scalp.

"Y9u've never wanted to hit the start 6utt9n yourself?"

Almost instantly he melts beneath his touch, blinking lazily as he rolls his spine in an almost cat-like manner, pressing his head closer to Crimson's fingers. Shaking his head at the question he releases a strange little chitter, fangs glinting in a lazy grin.

"Sure I have. D9ne s9 t99, plenty 9f times. 6ut hell isn't exactly 6uilt f9r c9mmitement. Pe9ple get tired, get 69red, m9ve 9n. N9t like we can exactly dev9te 9urselves full time f9r the rest 9f eternity. F9r a varying num6er 9f reas9ns. M9stly 69red9m."

Crimson feels something inside of him tense at Kenna's words. Memories rise, unbidden, to his mind. Cruel taunts from "friends", and older memories; a different kind of cruelty, sharp tongues and sharper teeth, a sickly weight upon him, and the names, the words -- passing him around like a cheap toke out of boredom. He clenches his jaw ever so slightly and shoves the memories down. He. Would not. be a victim. ...And he would not be used again.

"I see. If y9u 6elieve y9u'll get 69red 9f me, then I see n9 reas9n t9 waste my time hitting start."

Blinking in bewilderment at the sudden shift in posture Kenna pricks his ears curiously, tilting his head to the side as he considers him thoughtfully. Then he huffs out a breath, shifting onto his back as he stretches out on Crimson's lap, belly up and tail twitching.

"W9ah hey there - never said I was the 9ne wh9 g9t 69red. As I said; I d9n't play the game if I'm n9t willing t9 c9mmit. It's the 9ther pe9ple wh9 did the m9ving 9n, and I figured there'd 6e n9 p9int in chasing after them."

Crimson's posture seems to relax slightly, but his frame was still straight. He skimmed his fingers over Kenna's stomach thoughtfully, and the fingers resumed their gentle petting of Kenna's hair.

"I want t9 lay d9wn," he says softly. "Lay with me."

"I'm already laying d9wn th9ugh," Kenna replies almost absently, even as he obediently wriggles off Crimson's lap in favor of stretching out on the bed. And then frowning and getting onto his hands and knees, rotating several times clockwise before flopping down again with a satisfied little sigh.

"There. Perfect."

Crimson squints at him, his nose wrinkled in mild amusement. Then he moves closer and settles himself down next to Kenna, laying on his sides, one arm crooked under his head. There's a good bit of space between the two, and his legs are crooked slightly in front of him, as if to shield him from something. He looks very small, hunched in on himself the way he is.

He's silent for a moment, eyes half shut as he stares at Kenna. Then, finally, he speaks. "I can't imagine y9u w9uld want me t9 hit start, w9uld y9u?"

Kenna takes note of the space, and politely does not attempt to invade it. Instead he lets his tail rest between them, the flickering flames acting as a sort of separator for the moment. He considers Crimson in thoughtful quiet, apparently chewing on his question for a long time, knowing now is not the time for spontaneous answers.

"I'm fairly sure I've already made it pretty 96vi9us that idea appeals t9 me. If n9t, all9w me t9 clear up any lingering c9nfusi9n. I w9uld very much like y9u t9 hit start. 6ut the main questi9n here - is d9 y9u want t9?"

Crimson is silent for a moment, just studying Kenna's face. And then, he nods slightly.

"I d9n't kn9w why. I h9nestly d9n't. 6ut the th9ught 9f y9u and I t9gether...," Crimson shrugs weakly. "Appeals t9 me, as y9u s9 aptly put it."

He carefully moves the arm he isn't laying on forward, to run his forefinger along the line of Kenna's jaw. "I'm pressing start, Kenna. D9n't get 69red 9f me... please."

There's a moments pause - and then Kenna's tail gives a single thump before his face explodes into a wide, fanged grin. Lurching forward he bumps their noses together; and goes no further, nor does he linger, just placing a single Eskimo kiss before re-granting Crimson his space.

"I w9n't! Als9 I feel as if I sh9uld 6e requesting y9u 9f that as well, 6ut. S9mething tells me I d9n't really need t9."

Crimson blushes -- he blushes, ugh, how absurd -- and closes his eyes for a moment. Then, he opens then -- and smiles. It's a soft, genuine smile, one that has never before graced his lips.