✵

Whispers breezed across the halls, cheers and praises echoed through the rooms as he strode confidently towards Hero's bath. But deep down, the prince was nervous. You clouded his mind the second he stepped foot on Okhema; it was strange knowing how prior to all of this, he never once thought about you. Well, at least that's what he wants himself to believe.

He missed you badly. Missed the way you smiled, missed your voice, missed your presence beside him. It was painful, despite all of the actual pain he had to go through when fighting off the black tide.

But still, he walked with determination. Occasionally giving citizens a small wave to let them know that he's aware of their praises.

Mydei took a deep breath before ascending up to Hero's bath, where unsurprisingly no one was there. He knew, he knew that his fellow Chrysos Heirs were all busy with their own duties at the moment, and he saw that as an advantage to get some alone time with you.

He walked; all the while, he quietly talked to himself. As if trying to rehearse his words to you. He groaned in frustration, shaking his head as he continued to walk towards the Garden of Life.

He initially walked slowly, giving himself extra time to mentally prepare. But the closer he got to you, the faster he walked, and it eventually became a full-blown sprint.

Mydei couldn't help it; he was too excited to see you again. To see your eyes light up, your handsome face, and that breathtaking smile of yours—he wanted to experience it all again.

Sun rays suddenly attacked his face as he reached the garden. His eyes squinted, adjusting to the light outside. Once his eyes adapted to the daylight, he looked around. And there you were. Sitting down on the grass floor as chimeras surrounded you like clingy cats.

Your back was turned against him, making it hard for Mydei to even look at your face at this distance. He took a deep and long breath before slowly making his way towards you.

As he came closer to you, he could hear you singing a gentle lullaby to the chimeras. Your voice instantly sent a wave of warmth into Mydei's body.

Mydei must've stepped on a tree branch because his lover abruptly stopped their lullaby and turned around slowly. You were expecting a civilian to ask about the chimeras, but of course, that wouldn't be the case as you laid your eyes on the Kremnoan prince, the demigod of strife, and the lover you thought you wouldn't see again.

You froze, eyes lighting up immediately as you tried to come up with words to say. "...Mydei?" You asked, making sure that none of this was a dream.

Mydei, amused by how clueless you were when it came to news, merely chuckled at your reaction and crossed his arms. Trying to keep himself from doing anything befitting.

"It seems you still haven't heard the news." Mydei huffed. "Haven't changed from your old habits, have you?"

You laughed at his comment. Mydei's gaze softened upon hearing your laugh; he couldn't remember the last time he saw you smile and heard your laughter. And it made his heart swell with love.

Looking down at the chimera sleeping peacefully on your lap, you carefully lifted it up and placed it back down on the soft grass floor. Mydei watched as you stood up and walked closer to him.

"So it really is you, Dei." You exclaimed, a look of relief plastered on your face. Mydei smiled softly before speaking to you once more.

"Did you think I was all in your head?" Mydei joked. He placed an armored hand on your cheek, letting you feel that he's real and that he's here with you. "See? I'm real."

You smiled, leaning into his touch. Rough but gentle, just like old times. Even you can't remember the last time you felt his touch. You missed this, he missed this, and both of you missed all of it.

Suddenly, the two of you heard multiple little yawns from behind. You looked over your shoulder to see that the chimeras are waking up from their slumber. You chuckled before looking back at Mydei.

"They had a long and eventful day today. So I had to put them to sleep." You explained. You turned around towards the now awake chimeras and crouched down, giving each one of them gentle head pats.

You looked over your shoulder, looking directly at the prince. "Join me. It's been a long time since they've seen you, but...I'm sure it's fine." You reassured him.

Mydei nodded before walking towards the group of chimeras. However, right when he was about to crouch down, a doozy chimera looked up at him, confused at first, but its expression quickly turned into a terrified one as it ran towards his lover's lap. Squirming and whimpering in fear.

Mydei stopped in confusion while you were stunned over how bizarre the chimera acted. Soon after, the other chimeras acted the same way, albeit differently. Some chimeras quickly hid behind you or joined the other chimera in your lap; some circled around you and growled at Mydei as if trying to protect you from nothing at all, while the rest were still sound asleep.

You blinked, looking up at Mydei in equal confusion. The prince rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to understand what's happening. "...Did I do anything wrong?" He asked. You shook your head gently. "No, I don't think so."

Mydei frowned; he stepped back a little to hopefully calm down the chimeras. "I suppose it's been so long since they last saw me that they don't recognize me at all anymore."

You frowned as well, "Perhaps..." After a few seconds of awkward silence, you gently took one of the scared chimeras and slowly stood up.

After you and Mydei were at a certain distance, you slowly held the chimera towards your lover. The prince was obviously taken aback by what you were doing, but you merely smiled. "Here, let this one know that you're not a threat to any of them." You reassured him.

Mydei raised a brow. "And how exactly can I do that?" He asked.

"Just give it a pat on the head. Slowly." You instructed. You lifted the chimera closer to him; the chimera quickly squirmed against your hands, but you were strong enough to not let go until Mydei did what you told him to.

Mydei looked down at the fearful chimera, taking a deep breath before slowly raising a hand towards it. He flinched as he heard it cry as a protest, but he eventually managed to lay his hands on the creature's head. Slowly and gently, he stroked its fur.

After a few seconds, the chimera calmed down. It slowly melted into the prince's touch and purred happily, much to the relief of both of you.

The other chimeras carefully watched as Mydei proved to them that he wasn't an enemy of theirs. Shortly after, they circled around you and Mydei happily. You laughed softly, "See? It worked."

Mydei couldn't help but smile as well. He watched as the chimeras purred around him, silently asking him for attention too. He lifted up a few more chimeras before looking back at you. "You really are a lifesaver, angel."

Before you could say anything, Mydei closed the distance between you and him. He leaned down towards your face and planted a soft, lingering kiss on your forehead. A blush quickly crept onto your face, and you laughed shyly.

"Mydei!" You yelped. You held on to his shoulders as he continued to pamper you with short but loving kisses.

You managed to grasp his face amidst his assault; you can clearly see the amused smirk on his devastatingly handsome face. Mydei chuckled, "Too much?"

You shook your head, leaning closer to his face. Your face was now merely inches away from his. "Not at all."

With that, you kissed him. Pouring all of your feelings into it. Mydei kissed you back with equal favor before hesitantly breaking it and pressed his forehead against yours, sighing contently.

"I missed you." He declared. Your smile widened as you gently slid your hands down towards his arms. "I missed you too, Mydei."

For a moment, the two of you stayed like that. Simply enjoying each other's company up close. Until you hesitantly broke the peaceful silence.

"Are you...free during Parting Hour?" You asked the prince. Mydei smiled gently, already aware as to why you asked that.

"Of course. We can talk more in my chambers if you'd like." He replied.

Your eyes lingered towards the clothing store next to you, staring at the Halloween costumes displayed in the front.

As you became lost in your thoughts, a familiar voice snapped you back to reality. Your body shook up in surprise, but you immediately calmed down when you turned around to see him.

Your one and only love.

You had nearly forgotten that he was fetching something of his own importance and that he requested you to wait outside for a bit.

His gaze followed yours, taking a quick look at the displayed costumes and looking back at you.

"My apologies, master. It seems that I've kept you waiting." He said. You shook your head in response.

"It's fine, Lycaon; you didn't take that long."

You reassured him. Before you could say anything else, your eyes lingered towards the displayed costumes again. Lycaon took notice of this.

"Something in your mind, master?" Lycaon asked.

You snap back to reality once more and shake your head, assuring your thiren butler that everything's okay.

As the two of you were walking towards the parking lot of Lumina Mall, you couldn't help but wonder. A thought that stayed with you ever since October rolled in. You suddenly stopped, standing there as you continued to be deep in your own thoughts. Of course Lycaon became confused and worried by your actions.

He approached you, carefully grabbing your face and pulling your gaze over to him.

"Master, if you need anything else, there's no need to hesitate. Just tell it to me; I've reminded you of this many times already." Lycaon said.

"Im okay! I just...thought about something." You looked away in embarrassment.

"There's no need to hide, master. I will not shame you for what you have in mind."

You hesitate, inhaling and exhaling until you finally build the courage to speak up. You could tell that Lycaon is very focused on you; oh, what a gentleman he is.

"Ive been wondering, Lycaon. What...do you usually dress as during Halloween?"

You finally asked. While you can't see it because of his restraints, you can tell he raised his brows in confusion.

You suddenly felt embarrassed from asking such a question, and the air became heavier for you. It doesn't help the fact that Lycaon was just standing there...menacingly.

But just as you opened your mouth to apologize, Lycaon laughed softly. You looked back at him to see his cheeky little smile.

"Now what brought up that question, love?"

Lycaon takes a few steps towards you as you try and answer his question.

You hesitated again, completely scrambled by your own thoughts. Is it really okay to tell him this? Yes. No. Absolutely. Not at all.

Lycaon slightly titled his head as he waited patiently for your answer, his eyes straightening in case he doesn't hear you well enough.

"I just..." Breathe. Just breathe.

"Saw a big bad wolf costume earlier, from the fairytales, y'know? And I thought it'd..."

You looked back at him. Weirdly enough, he reminded you of those cute dog pictures where they tilt their heads in the same manner.

"It'd look good on you...maybe?" You awkwardly laughed to yourself.

Silence followed, and oh, did you feel like you wanted to throw yourself into a companion hollow and get ether corrupted—You hated every second of it.

Lycaon merely chuckled, walked up to you, and guided your gaze onto him.

"Well, would you like to go back and see how it looks on me then?" Lycaon suggested.

"Huh?"

"I'm no fan of having to act as a villainous character when it comes to these. However, I do find myself...enjoying dressing up as that antagonist in particular for some odd reason."

You weren't showing it, but you suddenly felt all giddy when you heard those words come out of his mouth. You gently took his hand and pulled him back towards the mall entrance.

Breathing. All you could hear was your intense breathing.

You didn't know how long you were running for, but that didn't matter. What matters is getting out of this hollow ASAP. The only problem being that you were being chased by a highly dangerous ethereal.

You recall the moment Wise warned you about the beast. A very fast ethereal capable of slashing its prey in seconds—putting your guard down even for a single second could lead to your demise.

The two of you were terrified, but compared to the small bangboo tightly locked in your arms, deep down—you were the most terrified.

Never have you dealt with this kind of situation before. Sure, Yaoshi's abominations are tough to deal with, but they were more annoying than anything.

This? This was out of your league. You've only fought Ethereals once or twice since you've been here, so you basically had little experience on how to fight them.

But as you were overthinking about the situation, you heard Wise talking from Eous' little body.

"There it is! It's the exit!" It's a small hand/arm pointed forward. 

You looked towards the direction it was pointing at; sure enough, the exit of the hollow was in front of you.

You picked up the pace, hoping that Thanatos would give up chasing you. Out of pure instinct, you threw the poor bangboo towards the exit before you could make it there yourself. Unbeknownst to you, Thanatos had created a scar on the back of your neck the second you got out of the hollow.

You trip and fall to the ground beneath you; your body slides against the pavement, creating some minor scratches on your body. But it was nothing you couldn't handle.

You tightly closed your eyes, now feeling the scar that the Ethereal created on the back of your neck.

You heard someone rushing towards you; soon after, you felt as if two people were looming over you.

"Belle, take them to the staff room. I'll recharge Eous in my room."

You heard a familiar voice, and you smiled gently when you realized who it was. You felt your tail wagging, sweeping dirt from the ground.

It was embarrassing to show this type of behavior in public, but you were too tired to care.

You sat up to see Belle in front of you, trying her best to help you. She took your arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, lifting you up to help you stand. But as you tried to listen to what she was saying, your vision became blurry, and then you passed out.

—

Your fingers played with your horns as you stared at the television in front of you. A blanket was moved aside to give you some space on the couch you were sitting on.

You've woken up 10 minutes prior, confused about what happened. Fortunately, Belle was here when you woke up and explained everything to you. She was always nice to talk to; she's optimistic and cheerful no matter the situation—its great.

But after a few minutes, she stood up from the couch and told you that she's going on a girls night out with Nicole and Anby. As she approached the door to leave the room, she looked at you and winked.

"Wise's making you some tea upstairs. Good luck with him, you hear?~" You heard her whisper.

And here you are now, sitting nervously as you overthink about Belle's words. Other than the bangboos inhabiting the store, it was only you and wise. You and wise. Your heart started to beat rapidly, and you looked to your side to see that your tail was wagging ever so slightly.

You tried to calm down, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Just as you were calming down though, you heard footsteps from upstairs...then they walked down the stairs.

Calm down, calm down. You can't let wise see you like this. It'll be embarr—

"Oh, hey, you're awake."

You jumped and snapped your head towards the door to see wisely at the doorway. He became concerned as he saw you breathing heavily, putting the two glass cups on the table behind the couch, and rushed to you.

"Sorry...did I scare you? Here. I made you tea."

He carefully picked up the cup and gave it to you. Still stunned by his presence, you shakingly accepted it. The cup felt warm; it wasn't too hot to the point where it could burn you. You smiled, and your tail wagged once more.

"It's nothing fancy. I don't know if the tea they serve on the Loufu is any different, but I hope you like it." Wise said.

You nodded, taking a sip of the tea he made. Your eyes closed as your taste buds danced with how good it was. Wise giggled at your reaction.

"I'm guessing that you enjoy it?"

"Mhm. It tastes slightly different than the ones from the Loufu...but still as delicious as any tea I've tried so far."

You held the cup up, inspecting it as if it were some piece of treasure. Wise laughed, but his attention was quickly stolen by your tail wagging constantly beside you. He smiled.

"Are you that happy to see me? Every time we meet in person, your tail always wags."

You paused your drinking, suddenly feeling embarrassed at your own behavior. You avert your gaze, trying to hide your red face from wise. He moved closer to you upon seeing your reaction.

"Hey, it's okay! I'm happy to see you as well; you shouldn't be risking your life in that hollow though..." He reminded you. You looked at him straight in the eyes, opening and closing your mouth as you struggled to get a word out.

"I-i just wanted to keep you safe...and Eous. Yeah." You awkwardly explained to him. Wise sighed, grabbing the blanket behind him and throwing it over your shoulders.

"Get some rest before you leave. You deserve it." Wise said. His voice was so comforting to you; it was soft and pleasant to your ears. You quietly purred.

"Oh right. Forgot to ask; did you bring back the videotape you rented a while back?" Wise asked. You froze in place.

You've completely forgotten that you rented a videotape from here a few weeks ago. And today was the deadline.

"I...may have forgotten it back in the Loufu. Haha."

You paced back and forth. Completely deep in your thoughts. You looked absolutely ridiculous in public, but people were too busy minding their own business to look at you weird.

In your hands was a box that looked like nothing from this world.

Of course it wasn't; it's a box containing the finest souvenirs from the Xianzhou Loufu. You held it close to your chest, preventing anyone from potentially stealing it. Or even worse, breaking the precious and fragile souvenirs inside. That would be a disaster. You'd have to pay a good amount of money to the seller you bought these from.

Sitting on the bench behind you, you quickly pulled out your phone. Looking at your contacts to find a specific person, he was the reason you came here in the first place.

A smile formed on your face when you saw his name; your scaled tail wagged simultaneously. But as you hovered your finger on the screen to click on his profile, you hesitated.

It was already late at night by the time you were here, so contacting him now wouldn't be ideal. You sighed, putting your phone back in your pocket, and stood up. Simply accepting that tomorrow morning would be a more appropriate time to give him the box.

You turned around to pick up the box, only to realize that it was gone. Your eyes widen at the sight, and your heart beats fast as you panic. You frantically looked around to see if anyone had taken it purposely or mistakenly.

That's when you heard it. From your pointy ears, you heard the echoes of rapid footsteps coming from your left. You snapped your head in the direction of the sound; sure enough, you saw a figure running towards the gross alleyways of lumina square.

"STOP. STOP IT. YOU THIEF."

You quickly chased him down as confused bystanders backed away in fear. The hooded man with your box created all sorts of obstacles to slow you down, from kicking down stacks of empty boxes to straight up pushing down a dumpster.

Unfortunately for him, this was nothing to you. Like any of the other Vidyadhara from the Loufu, you were athletic. Easily dodging the obstacles the man created.

He looked over his shoulder to see that you were almost caught up to him. He whimpered in fear, but just as he was about to pick up the pace to lose you, he tripped on something heavy and metallic. The impact nearly broke his foot in the process.

The box flung upwards, but thankfully someone effortlessly caught it with one hand. As you ran closer to the scene, you frozen. Tail wagging once more as you saw a tall, well-dressed wolf thiren standing in front of you. One of his prosthetic legs was stepping on the thief's back as a way to restrain him.

"Oh?" The man said. It was a familiar voice—the voice that makes you fall to your knees mentally every time you hear it.

"L-lycaon! I didn't expect you to be here at this hour." You expressed your shock to him.

"The same would apply to you. I wouldn't have expected to see you here in Eridu-47." 

As Lycaon said that, he felt the man below him wiggling himself to try and escape. The thiren's eye glowed as a warning, and the hooded man squealed in fear as he finally pleaded guilty for his actions.

"I-i-im sorry! It won't happen again! I promise! I swear! I-i—" 

The hooded man begged. Lycaon crouched and leaned towards the side of the man's face, whispering something directly to his ear.

You couldn't hear it, but you know Lycaon said something terrible when the man screamed in fear and quickly ran away the second Lycaon removed his leg from his back.

You were kind of scared, of course, but it was Lycaon. You trusted him dearly, and he has proved his sincerity many times before. So, you didn't question anything. Lycaon looked at you in relief, now holding the box full of goods with both of his hands.

"Apologies for my unbefitting behavior just now. I believe this belongs to you."

He handed you the box; he looked at you so softly that you couldn't help but stare at his face for a few seconds.

But you snapped out of your thoughts and declined. Lightly pushing the box back towards him. Of course, he was confused. Then you explained to him.

"It's for you, silly! No need to give it back to me." You giggled; you could see his one eye widen in surprise.

"My...you're too kind. I don't deserve such treatment from the likes of you." He said. You saw his ears twitching and his tail ever so slightly wagging from this; you smiled. Holding back a laugh.

He looked down at the box, now noticing that it's tightly sealed. Preventing anything from falling out.

"And what awaits me inside this box, may I ask?" He asked you.

One hand was gently placed on top of the box while the other held the bottom part so as not to let it fall to the break.

You walked closer to him, looking upwards to his face as you smiled widely.

"Inside are exclusive items from the Xianzhou Loufu. How about you open it and see for yourself? W-well, maybe not in this dirty alleyway at least." You awkwardly laughed. The thiren merely chuckled, gently taking your hand.

"Then I know just the place. If I may?" Your eyes widen when he offers you this; your horns glowed brightly as you felt your tail wagging. You smiled, nodding at his offer.

"Lead the way, dear attendant." You playful said. He laughed.

"Please. Just call me Lycaon."

Then the two of you walked out of the alleyway, admiring the nightly scenes of lumina square as Lycaon guided you to the rooftop of a building.

You smiled widely; tonight turned out better than you expected it to be. You couldn't wait to see his reaction to the items inside the box, and quite frankly, you were just very happy to be by his side.

Faint footsteps can be heard approaching your bedroom. Soon after, the door gently opened. It made a quiet but noticeable squeak. But you were too deep in your sleep to hear any of it. The footsteps walked across the room and stopped.

Clawed hands grabbed the curtains and drew them open, revealing the morning view outside. You were suddenly hit by the sensation of warmth on your bare skin. You whined in protest. Knowing exactly what that meant.

You opened your eyes to see the blurry environment around you, folding the pillow you were laying on as a way to tell your beloved butler that you didn't want to get up just yet.

You hear a chuckle from your left ear, the bed sheets folded as you felt someone sitting on the edge of the bed. Then you felt someone breathing close to your neck; you couldn't help but giggle at how it feels.

"It's time to wake up, dear." Lycaon whispered.

You adjusted your position to face him, trying your best find his face with your hands. He chuckled once more and guided your hands to his fluffy cheeks. Immediately after you moved your fingers to feel his fur, he smiled.

"Mm...enjoying yourself?" The thiren asked. You merely nodded as you were still too sleepy to say anything just yet. You felt something brush against your legs, assuming that it's Lycaon's tail wagging.

You kept running your fingers against his fur for what seemed like minutes until you felt arms behind your back, lifting you up from your land of peace. "Lycaon nooo..." You lazily protested.

"Come on now. I've made you breakfast, fresh and warm for you to enjoy." He explains as he approaches the dining room.

The dining table was neatly organized, and the floors were spotless—a perfect start to your day. Oh, if only you could appreciate the effort he has put into cleaning this area...

He carefully put you down and guided you to your seat. As soon as you sat down, you smelt a delicious scent in front of you. You couldn't help but smile big when you realized what it was.

"I've made your favorite; french toast with a few slices of bacon."

You heard utensils being grabbed by the thiren; a hand gently moved your head in his direction. All you could see was a blurry white figure in front of you, but nevertheless you smiled softly.

"Open your mouth, love."

You obliged, happily receiving the food he's feeding you. Once you tasted the sweetness of the French toast and the salty bacon, you felt like you were sent to heaven. Lycaon's cooking is always so good.

As he was feeding you, he begins to reminisce about the past. Back when the two of you were merely friends.

—

"Master, you mustn't walk too far."

You heard him warning you; all you gave him was a smile and a giggle. One step...two step...You walked forward. Shoes removed to feel the concrete floor beneath your foot, and the cold air touched your face gently...It was soothing.

"Don't worry, Lycaon. I'm just going to stay right here." You assured him. His mouth opened, clearly wanting to say something, but he didn't. He merely stood there, waiting for you to finish your moment.

"The rooftop of this building...it's my favorite. Open spaces like these in general are a delight to be in."

You closed your eyes, strengthening your other senses. Being blind is not easy by any means. You remember the day you cried your eyes out as a child over the fact that you couldn't recognize simple shapes and figures. 

Your parents did everything in their power to help you; of course you were grateful for their efforts. But they knew that someday they couldn't help you anymore; that's why they hired the best servant they know: Von Lycaon from Victoria Housekeeping Co.

Someone who could help you with everyday needs, someone who could keep you safe from the dangers of the outside world—you were truly thankful for all he has done.

Despite your early disappointments and everyday struggles, you learned to accept how you are and enjoy your life with the things you already had. You were born with this condition. You couldn't change anything, and that's okay, even if you wanted to enjoy life like the rest of the world.

The thiren stayed silent, admiring you from afar. You were always the cheerful type, but hearing you say such optimistic words despite the disability you were given with...it was inspiring.

Lycaon smiled, and he walked towards you. You felt a hand on your shoulder.

"Then I'll bring you here more frequently if you'd like." Lycaon suggested.

You smiled big, nodding vigorously.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Billy dropped his guns and quickly ran towards you; your anxious bangboo followed. You were hurt badly. The two of you didn't realize that there was going to be so many Ethereals in one area. If you knew earlier, you wouldn't have separated from Nicole and the others.

Yet here you two were, covered in bruises and scratches.

"Oh god, oh god!" The robot kneels beside you, panicking. You were lying on the ground, staring at the gloomy sky. Trying to process what happened.

"Are you okay?! Did the giant Ethereal hurt you anywhere?! Ah, I should've helped you earlier!" Billy carefully inspected your body, noticing the light bruises and scars on your arms and legs. You lightly grabbed his metallic arm; he looked at you. Those yellow eyes looked so tearful. If he wasn't a robot, he would be crying right now.

"It's okay, Billy...im—" As you tried to get up and calm him down, you let out a hiss. Forcing yourself back down as you felt a painful sting on your back.

"You are hurt! Hang on, let me see how bad it is." He carefully helped you sit up; your bangboo jumped on your lap as you did. Absolutely worried about what happened to you.

You assured the bangboo that you were fine, trying to bite back any noises you made from the pain you were experiencing.

Billy slowly lifted up your shirt, revealing a large scar that ran from your shoulder to your hip. He gasped.

"B-billy, how bad is it?" You asked your robotic partner. He quickly stood up, scanning the area to see if there's anything he can use to patch you up.

"Bad! Like really bad!" He ran towards every corner of the area you two were in, hoping that there would be anything to help you.

"Damnit! There's nothing here! Agh, what would Nicole do in this situation?!" He started to panic again. You slowly and carefully stand up, setting down your bangboo on the floor. Noticing what you're doing, he ran to you. Putting your arm around his shoulder to prevent you from falling. You were so exhausted from fighting; if he wasn't supporting you, you would've fallen to the ground.

"It's okay, Billy. The exit should be across here... Let's just get out of here before more ethereals appear—" you let out another hiss. Billy stutters, still panicked by your condition. With a scar like that, you should be treated immediately. But knowing that there's nothing to treat you with, he just hopes that Nicole and the others are already outside the hollow to help you two.

You felt something being thrown to your shoulders; it was Billy's jacket.

"Do not fret! For I, the legendary Starlight Knight, shall protect you til the very end!" You heard him exclaim. You chuckled; you're glad that Billy is still the same as ever.

You were trembling.

You pointed your weapon towards the tall Ethereal that was cornering you, waving it around as a way to threaten the monster. Unfortunately, that did not work.

It slowly walked towards you, like a predator hunting its poor prey. Run, run, run. Your mind begged you to do something, but you just couldn't. You couldn't move your legs, so you were practically crawling backwards as the Ethereal approached you. Your breathing pattern was a mess; you couldn't think straight. All you knew was fear.

The Ethereal raised its blade, ready to tear you to shreds. You closed your eyes, preparing for the worst. You're going to die right here in the ballet twins, where no one could hear you scream. No one would find your body unless they sent public security to fin—

You heard the monster cry in pain, followed by a sudden breeze of cold air. Just as you were about to open your eyes to see what happened, you heard a familiar voice whispering close to your ear.

"I apologize for what I'm about to do, master. This is for your safety."

Before you could even process anything, Lycaon lifted you up effortlessly. You gasped in surprise, holding on to his shoulders for support. Soon after, he ran as quickly as he could from the Ethereal. You looked up to see his focused face; your mind calmed down knowing that Lycaon is here to save you.

The thiren made a quick and harsh turn to a dark corner; it was fast enough for the Ethereal to lose sight of you two. Lycaon carefully puts you down on the floor, laying your head on the wall.

"Don't move." He instructed.

He stood up and carefully scanned the outside area to see if the Ethereal was gone. Fortunately, it was. He sighed in relief, adjusting his clothes as he turned around and approached you. You were gasping for air, your heart beating fast from what had happened. Lycaon crouched to get on your eye level, looking at you so softly.

"Are you hurt, master?" He asked. Having no idea what to say, you nodded. pointing at your right leg. Lycaon carefully grabbed your leg, and before he could do anything, he looked at you for permission. You nodded again.

Lycaon gently removed your shoe, revealing a bruise on your ankle.

"It seems that you sprained your ankle. Not to worry, I can do some physical therapy to help ease the pain if you'd like." The thiren suggested. Your voice was quiet, but he could still hear you saying "please" thanks to his canine abilities.

"Very well then. You might experience discomfort, but I assure you I shall be quick with the treatment." You nodded at his statement, tightly closing your eyes as you felt his hands around your leg.

—

After a few minutes of pain, Lycaon stopped. He carefully sets down your leg on the floor, looking at you to see if you were uncomfortable in any way.

"How do you feel?" He asked. "Weird, but I feel better now. Thank you, Lycaon." The thiren smiled softly; he gently held your hand to comfort you. Only to then grab his pocket watch to check the time. It was getting late.

"Master, there should be an exit not far from here. Since you cannot walk because of your condition, I will escort you there." As Lycaon begins to stand up, you protest by tugging on his arm. He looks at you in confusion.

"Can we just...stay here for a few minutes? I need a moment to fully relax." You shyly requested. As much as Lycaon wanted to protest, he couldn't disobey his master's orders. He sighed, walking to your side and sat next to you. Removing the weapon from your hands, his thumb caress your hand to once again comfort you.

"...I'm sorry you had to see me like this, Lycaon. It was a foolish decision of mine to fight that monster alone." You felt so guilty over the fact that you were powerless against the tall Ethereal; you didn't want anyone to save you. You've dealt worse, so having to be saved all because you sprained your ankle was embarrassing.

"Nonsense. It is simply my duty to keep you safe from anything that tries to harm you." Lycaon said. You looked at him, tears in your eyes as you tried your hardest not to cry.

The thiren took notice of this and carefully wiped your tears with his thumb.

Being such a well-known artist in New Eridu is tough work. Not only do you have to keep up with your clients' demands and expectations, you also have to deal with thieves trying to steal your work. 

You were thankful that some of your most valuable artworks were in museums that had incredible security, but even so, those bastards are still trying to break into your mansion and steal your canvases that have yet to be delivered or even unfinished.

Understandably, you grew tired of all the stuff you went through, slowly becoming restless from the amount of sleepless nights you had to fight through. To the point where you wanted to quit art completely but you just couldn't. Art was your passion. You've been drawing for nearly your entire life; you couldn't quit now.

Thankfully, a kind client of yours took notice of your situation and recommended Victoria Housekeeping to you. At first you were skeptical; there's no way a housekeeping company could help you with these problems, right?

—

"I don't think they'll be able to help me..." you kindly said. The client merely smiled and gave you a pat on the shoulder.

"Just give them a call. Trust me."

—

And here you are now, constantly being served and protected by the members of Victoria Housekeeping. You were extremely grateful for their service; they've made your life so much better than you expected. 

You've grown so close to them that you became one of their most respected clients, having to be close friends with each of the members. You didn't want to say that you had a favorite attendant, but you do have a preferred one. 

Rina, although her general services are incredible and you'd always find yourself having a great time with her, her culinary skills are...questionable at best, but still, you didn't want to upset her by any means. 

Corin is a sweet girl. When the two of you became acquainted, you saw her as a little sister. Although you were surprised at how strong she is for her age, you didn't think much of it. The problem with her is how much she doubts herself; you'd have to constantly remind her that she's not doing anything wrong, and as much as you hate to admit it, you were pretty annoyed.

Ellen, well...she isn't too enthusiastic about regular housekeeping jobs, not to mention she's always low-energy. But the number of times she saved you from the most dangerous situations was enough for her to gain your respect. Plus, talking about internet trends with her is always fun.

And there's Lycaon. Oh, did you have so many words about him. To keep it simple, he was just right. His services are always near perfect; he has saved you countless times from hollows and thieves; he is elegant; he is a gentleman; you could ramble about him all day for all you cared.

To be perfectly honest, you grew a crush on him. Every time he'd lean behind you to see what you're working on, you'd always freeze in place. Too flustered by what was happening. Every time you'd hear his voice, you'd melt. The way he acts just makes your heart flutter...He was perfect.

As your own personal request for him, you wished he'd spend more time with you. Be it in the mansion or outside. He smiled, bowing down in front of you.

—

"As you wish, master. I'm more than happy to spend time with an amazing artist such as yourself." He said. You saw his tail wagging ever so slightly, but decided to say nothing; you merely smiled.

—

Every now and then he'd come to your office to check on you; he'd bring you food every time you lost track of time; he'd give you a massage whenever you had free time.

"It's always important to maintain a good posture, master." As he would say.

But being an attendant for a full-time artist comes with its own challenges. Other than having to constantly be on guard at night for possible thieves, he'd always let out an irritated sigh whenever he saw your workspace covered in paint. Especially when you're making abstract art. But he understands that art can be messy sometimes, and that's fine.

Every time you get a commission to make abstract art, you'd always rent a workspace outside of the mansion. Just so Lycaon doesn't have to deal with the mess.

But other than that, the two of you were grateful for each other's company.

Much to your dismay, however, your feelings for him grew the longer you spent time with him. You became so close to Lycaon than any of the other attendants; he knew your weakness, he knew your strengths, and he even knew some of your secrets.

You couldn't express your feelings for him with words, and so you did what you knew best: to draw. As a request, you asked Lycaon if you could take a few pictures of him. Of course he obliged. Amidst the photography, he asked.

"If I were to be bold to ask, master, what is the purpose of this?"

You merely smiled at him, saying that it's nothing important. A part of him knew about what you're planning, but he decided to keep quiet and merely chuckled.

After the interaction, you quickly but stealthily took a small canvas and a few of your painting supplies.

—

Days passed, and the painting was finally ready. You have pulled many all-nighters to finish this; you spent so much time carefully adding details and capturing his looks to the formerly blank canvas. And you couldn't be happier with the results; you just hope it was enough to make him understand the message you're trying to pass.

You took a deep breath and finally called for him. He quickly arrives at your workspace, noticing the medium-sized easel and the small paint stains on the floor. Your back was facing towards him, trying to hide the painting from his view. Realizing what to do, you flipped the canvas and turned towards him. He was understandably confused, and you were too nervous to say anything. You quickly walked up to him and handed the canvas to him.

"Here. I...made this for you." You said in such a shaky voice, he was almost concerned. But he gently grabs the canvas, and finally, he turns it to reveal the drawing. He was... speechless. Absolutely speechless. Just standing there, appreciating what he's seeing. You stuttered, trying to get words out of your mouth.

"...as a way to express how much I'm thankful for everything you've done. You're an amazing attendant, and I wanted to repay you somehow. W-well, other than using money." You awkwardly laughed, fidgeting with your fingers.

Lycaon continues to silently admire your work of him. You captured his features so well; the colors were so nice to look at, the pose, the lighting... it was so beautiful. He always appreciates the time and effort you put into your artwork. Secretly, he has been going to your workspace at night to admire all of the work you've done. He couldn't help but laugh once he saw how red your face was.

"My sincere apologies, master. But if I may ask, what are you trying to say?" He asked, almost in a teasing matter. Oh, he knows.

You panicked, so overwhelmed by the situation at hand. A part of you is trying to come up with lies, but ultimately, you gave in.

After taking a deep breath, you officially admitted your true feelings. Well, in the simplest way possible. You couldn't help but cringe at what you've said. This is so embarrassing, you thought.

Lycaon smiled, looking back at the painting to caress the sides of the canvas. He chuckled once more.

"What an astonishing way to express such feelings towards someone. I must say, master, I'm truly impressed."

The thiren carefully puts the canvas on a small table next to him, then he walks towards you. Gently grabbing your hand.

"As for what are my thoughts regarding all of this," he then proceeds to kiss the back of your hand. You jumped to his action, watching every move he made. He looked back at you softly.

There you heard it—the words that'd make you fall to the ground instantly.