[temehika] something different

When Temenos had gotten back to the campsite, a bundle of firewood on hand, Hikari was asleep. 

 

It shouldn't have been an unusual sight; their accommodations usually didn't allow for much privacy, meaning he had to get comfortable with his new travel companions rather quickly. Because of this, he had known Hikari to be rather… unsettled in his slumber at times, and would frequently wake in the middle of the night. Temenos, never having been a very deep sleeper himself, often found himself as Hikari’s companion during these troubled nights. But before dawn broke, Hikari would murmur a small word of thanks, and they would return to their respective beddings. 

 

Today was not one of those nights. In fact, the sun was still high in the air, and, most unusually—the tents that Hikari had been tasked to prepare were untouched. 

 

Temenos couldn’t possibly imagine that Hikari had trouble setting them up. He had instructed him briefly before attending to his own duties, but Hikari had always been a fast learner, and diligent enough to manage any issues he might have run into, in any case. He examined the scene a little more closely: nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Hikari was asleep in too natural a position to consider the possibility of being knocked unconscious by an assailant. And had it been anyone but Hikari, sleeping on the job could have been a very realistic scenario. 

 

…Though, to be precise, if he had to point out an abnormality, it would have to be the cat ears and tail adorning Hikari’s body. He had no idea that a job licence would be capable of transforming one’s body in such a way, and the occasional twitch of his pointed ears were a clear indication that they were no mere decorations. 

 

As quietly as he could, Temenos placed the firewood onto the clearing next to the fire pit. He hadn't been quiet enough, it seemed, because Hikari awoke with a jolt. 

 

“T-Temenos. You're back.” It sounded halfway between a question and a remark, but Temenos decided to answer it regardless. 

 

“Indeed, though there's no need to disrupt your naptime on my accord. I will say, however, that the tents will be more comfortable to sleep on once properly constructed.” 

 

“Ah… that’s…” Hikari looked down at the pile of disordered remains of their tents below him, then at the empty campsite around them. He appeared to take a breath to compose himself before speaking again, though his face was still slightly flustered. “My apologies, I don't know what's come across me lately… I’ll prepare the tents posthaste.” 

 

Temenos chuckled. “There's no need to apologize. The others haven't returned yet, and we won't be needing the tents built for another few hours.” 

 

“Yes, but such was my duty…” Hikari hurriedly began assembling the tents, his tail twitching slightly at the tip. Temenos couldn't help but stare at it sway behind the young man. It suited him, strangely enough, the same way the expressiveness of Ochette's bushy tail brought life to the little beastling. 

 

“...It is rare to see you act even the least bit negligent. Could it be that your sleepless nights have finally caught up to you?” 

 

Hikari stopped in his tracks. “That’s certainly a possibility, but I’ve gotten plenty of sleep in the past few days. Yet it's only been making me more prone to fatigue throughout the day…” 

 

His tail was lashing more violently now as he finished up the rest of the tents. As reluctant as Temenos was to belittle Hikari’s troubles, it was amusing to see the young man’s emotions so openly displayed thanks to his new animal features. He watched as Hikari sat down with a sigh, and soon found himself seated next to him. At this distance, the allure was no longer resistable; he reached out and patted Hikari’s head, earning Temenos a bewildered gaze from him. 

 

“...Temenos?” 

 

“There, there. Everyone makes mistakes, and the consequences for this particular one are laughably benign,” Temenos hummed, marveling at the silkiness of his hair, despite the way Ochette had mussed it up. A low rumbling sound rang out when he scratched at the base of those soft cat ears.

 

“Er, this is…” Hikari’s ear twitched.

 

Temenos blinked, retracting his hand. He noticed the rumbling noise stopped immediately and chuckled to himself. “Apologies, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that you seem… different like this.”

 

“Like… this?”

 

“Well, no matter how adept you are at keeping your emotions in check, your newfound animal features seem to tell a different story,” Temenos smirked. “You were purring just now.”

 

Hikari’s hand flew to his neck, his cheeks dusted slightly pink. “I… I see. I didn't notice it myself.” 

 

“It seems that licence has done far more than grant you a hunter’s skill. Or perhaps it's all part of the process? Ochette does rely heavily on her sense of smell and hearing during a hunt.” 

 

The young man merely hummed in agreement, though his expression remained perturbed. 

 

There was something else on Hikari’s mind, he could tell. Though the young prince never displayed his emotions much, he could still notice when an extra wrinkle was added to his brow. 

 

“...Do you like animals, Temenos?” Hikari spoke suddenly, and the question caught him a little off guard. 

 

“Hm? I’ve never thought too much on the matter. I have no particular inclination nor disinterest towards them,” and indeed, he was not as intrigued by Ochette’s unusual appearance as much as other members of the group like Throné, whose background as an assassin came strangely in handy for her attempts to touch the beastling’s fluffy tail. “My hometown doubled as a herding village, if you recall. Sheep are the only animals I had a regular encounter with, so I suppose I have a soft spot for them.”

 

Hikari nodded wordlessly at him, though he looked unsatisfied with his reply. 

 

After another brief silence, he spoke again. “I don't think I've ever seen you touch Ochette’s ears before. Are mine… really so different?” 

 

Ah. So that's what it was. 

 

Temenos mulled on it for a moment. “Well, I suppose it isn't every day you witness someone grow a different pair of ears. If I had known it would bother you this much, I would have stayed my hand,” he chuckled. 

 

“It isn't that it bothered me,” Hikari quickly corrected. “It was just a very novel experience for me, I suppose…”

 

“That makes two of us. I think I can begin to see why Throné is so fond of dogs.”

 

“Perhaps… if a day comes when you don the hunter’s licence, you’ll allow me the same honour.”

 

Temenos was partly taken aback by the possibility of him wearing that outfit – ears and tail and all – and partly about to burst out laughing at the seriousness in which Hikari had worded the request. He restrained himself, not wanting to confuse the poor prince more than he already had. 

 

“Hehe. Yes, that seems only right. I don't believe I would make much of a hunter, in neither appearance nor skill, but who knows what the future will hold?” 

 

Hikari smiled, seemingly satisfied with that. He stood up, making his way to his tent; his tail was high in the air this time. 

Quietly, he sighed at the prospect of making good on his promise. The shirtless look had certainly worked for Hikari, but Temenos had reservations about matching the look, if the robes covering his entire body were any indication. Perhaps he could speak to Ochette about a less exposing outfit…