That last battle had done more damage to him than Niles had originally thought. Half his body ached. Though he could stand and walk, being asked to do anything beyond collect any spoils would be too much. He may have been one of the best when it came to taking out enemy magics, that didn't mean their magic didn't take its toll on his flesh, fire singing his cloths, wind cutting across his face, and darkness draining his energy. Had it not been for Hayato tossing him a protective talisman there'd be no doubt that any lightning spell could have put him in an early grave.
Now? He was just hunched forward, shirtless in the middle of camp with the others waiting to have their wounds treated by any of the medical staff. Tho to Niles's bad luck, he had been called to be attended to by Jakob. The ever smug butler wasn't one of Niles's more favored company, but he was in no condition to say no to aid. He'd just have to grit his teeth and bare with it until he was good enough to walk on his own. "It's only a few minutes. We can handle him for that long," he told himself.
He was wrong. Niles knew Jakob would take any opportunity to to be blunt, speak sharply and scold him for "not thinking of avoid attacks" or "why not just kill them faster?" It was annoying to him, never mind that Jakob's healing was inferior to almost everyone who ever bothered to perform such. Elise could do better. Sakura could do better. Even the Hoshidan monk who Jakob hated could perform a basic healing spell with greater skill. Yet...here he was, having to be tended to by the worst person for the job with the worst personality.
It was a moment of great relief when he had stepped out to fetch a new staff. Niles just sat on his medical cot with his shirt off, waiting for Jakob to return. He shut his eye for a moment, rested his chin on the palm of his hand, as he sighed. Well, at least he no longer was feeling any pain, but the wounds and cuts were still very prevalent over his body. No doubt that the other healers had already seen two, if not three injured soldiers in the time he had been in this recovery tent.
Niles sighed and on a whim, decided he might as well get comfy and removed his eye patch. He blinked a few times, letting the area around the socket feel the cool air of the tent kiss the humid, sweaty pores often blocked from normal exposure. With summertime present, there was even an embarrassing tan line starting to form. Though he had no mirror to see it, he knew it was there, having gone years of experiencing the same ordeals in the past. He could already hearing Jakob's comment ringing in his head if he let him see it. "Just a minute or so and then we'll put it back on," he muttered to himself.
"Put what back on?" A voice called out as the tent flaps swung open. "Oh good, you're still here. I figured you would be when they pointed me to Jakob's tent! HA! Guy takes forever to heal anyone. What's that guy's name? Guy with the funky hair? Uhhh...Asama! Yeah! He fixed me up in no time flat! Not a scar or anything." Keaton was practically gloating, having gotten lucky with who had had seen, irritating Niles as he quickly shuffled to put his patch back over his eye.
Of all the people who come visit him, he had expected Odin or Leo, maybe even Subaki , but not his tentmate. He saw enough of the mangled mut as it was every night when neither of them were on guard duty. "What do you want?" he asked bluntly with a bored expression on his face.
"Sheesh, I can tell Jakob's attitude is rubbin' off on ya, already! We gotta get you over to a different tent, and fast! HA! Where is the guy, anyway? What, did his staff break or something?" Keaton raised a hand over his eyes and looked around, as if there was anywhere Jakob could hide in a medical tent. There weren't any extra walls for him to be hiding behind,and even so, the entire structure was made of cloth. If not him, then Jakob's shadow would surely be cast on any part of the tent, wouldn't it?
"You are correct," Niles responded in a slightly more relaxed tone. His head remained rested on his palm, gazing at Keaton. At least one of them was in high spirits. "Now again, why are you here, exactly?"
The wolf put both hands on his hips as he tilted his head, giving a confused, slightly angered look. "Whaaa? I can't come check-in on my tentmate when he's not feelin' so well? That's all there is to it! I just came by to make sure you were okay!"
"How flattering. And here I thought you were assigned as the new healer all of a sudden." he sighed, but a sat up slightly as Keaton entered the tent further.
"Well...magic ain't ever really been my strong point, but I can share with ya some salve that Asama gave me! Should help those cuts of yours pretty quick!"
"Ohhh? Is that it?" So that was the real reason. A peace offering. Or, so Niles thought. This must have been a way for the Keaton to apologize for their spats when they had first been assigned a tent together earlier in the month. He saw no other reason for him to be performing such a gesture, and had since actually long forgotten about that first week. Still...that didn't mean he wouldn't accept it for the sake of getting along with him, more so if it meant him escaping Jakob's healing hut a lot faster. "Well who am I turn down such generosity when it's offered like this? Come, let's see it now."
Keaton wasted no time or effort to approach Niles and sit down on the cot next to him as he pulled out a little container of the stuff, removed his gloves, and scooped out a small amount on his finger. "Asama said it was made of some kinda special herbs and blessed by a mountain spirit friend of his. I don't really know about that last part, but it already fixed me up real fast! I'm sure you'll be good to leave this hut in no time!" He rubbed it directly on a small cut along Niles's arm, careful to not let the point of his nails poke at the man's already tattered skin, and within seconds they both watched as the cut began to close up on itself. Whatever Asama had given really was magic in a vile!
They both smiled, and got to work, each taking turns in applying small bits of the salve to every mark on Niles's body. One by one each little stab, cut, puncture wound would vanish almost as soon as the stuff was applied. Not even a scar was left. Then Keaton's hand went to Niles's face to touch at a scar just under his eyepatch. The archer smacked it away without any thought. "What are you doing?!" he demanded, glaring at the wolf.
"Uh...nothing? I was just going to get your eye for you. Ya gonna take off your patch or-?"
"I'd rather get that area myself." Niles turned around so that his back was facing the Keaton, now. "Just...focus on any area I can't reach on my own. Don't worry about my front," he said coldly.
"Erh...right. Sorry. I didn't mean to overstep." He was hesitant to even touch any part of Niles's body after that, but slowly went about getting the tiny spots on his back, and at Niles's sides and shoulders. The mood was a bit tense as he watched from behind as the other's hands came up to his face, lifting the patch off Niles's eye and rub some quick salve around and over the lid.
"Say, Keaton, I have questions for you. Do you mind?" His voice was a tad more relaxed, now.
He looked up, staring at the back of Niles's head for a moment. Ears perked for a moment. "I guess not. What is it?"
Niles smirked from the other side. He had intended to antagonize the other during nightfall, right before they both were to go to sleep, but now seemed as good a time as any, unless Jakob had finally found a new staff to do the job that he otherwise, would continue to fail at. "I saw you on the battlefield today, doing something rather peculiar. Something was, I dare say...in your jaws."
"..." He knew where this was going, and yet he hoped this conversation would end right here without another word. Keaton's finger remained pressed against Niles's backside, claw poking at the tissues that had just been restored. He wanted to just get up and leave, to leave Asama's magic healing lotion for Niles to finish up with and just return it before bed. Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't-
"Do you actually like the taste people?"
Keaton shuddered and gritted his teeth, but nodded his head, aware that Niles was facing away from him, unable to see. He knew this kind of conversation would have happened with his tentmate eventually, just as it had with Peri and Laslow at their own respective times. How many others would have seen him do such to the enemy unit and were now just too afraid to even approach him? Surely half the Hoshidans already that Nohrian's were savages, him included. But, so far those who had actually heard him out seemed to understand. Why wouldn't Niles? "Okay, so yeah...I do."
And there it was, tho not exactly hard for Niles to figure out on his own. His lips twisted in a crooked smile, his next question already loaded. "Would you eat us if given the chance? Does all these cuts on my body get you excited?"
His stomach turned, and for a seconded Niles could hear him lick his lips. Keaton's finger stopped moving for a moment. "I mean…" It was complicated, and a bit humiliating having to talk about things, especially with someone as sly and manipulative as Niles could be, but it also wasn't like it was a conversation he could avoid, pretend didn't need to be had. This wasn't the first or the second time, nor would it be the last so long as he was part of a human majority. "...you smell good, but no! Everyone here is a friend. I wouldn't hurt you guys unless I had reason to." Half of this already felt scripted, having explained himself to two other people prior. After this talk with Peri it felt like it'd be something that came up with everyone he ever bonded with here, so why not think of the best way to explain it ahead of time? "I don't just kill for the sake of killing. I kill out of protection and then just sorta...don't want ta let it go to waste, ya know?"
Niles chuckled. "I suppose that makes plenty sense. You make it sound no different then when I raid someone's body for their weapon or any money they might have on them. Not like they'll be needed it if their dead." It wasn't a hard conclusion to reach, nor a reasoning that Niles couldn't believe. Afterall, Keaton had been a part of the army for some time now, and no such incident had ever been a matter of worry, so why make it such now?
The majority of his wounds were all marked up by now, skin looking fresher than ever. "All done," he stated.
Quickly, Keaton swiped his finger across the archer's backside. "And you're all fixed up in the back, too. Looks like you're all healed!"
Niles reached a hand up to rub at his shoulder, rocking them both back and forth all the while massaging the tissue out. "Not completely. I think a niiiiice soak in the castle bath is in order, don't you think?" He looked behind him, already seeing the sense of disgust all over the wolf. Niles laughed. "No, that's right. You hate bath time, not like that ever glamorous kitsune friend of yours, still I think a treat is in order for you."
He stood up so that he could turn around and sit beside Keaton, facing him once again as the wolf's ears perked up.
"A treat? W-what am I, some child? I told ya ta stop treating me like that! Jus' put your clothes on and let's get outta here already." His words didn't match any of his body language. Keaton's cheeks were flushed pink, tail sweeping the surface of the cot. His voice was eager and excited.
Niles chose to ignore Keaton's whining and took hold of one of his fingers. "Really, now. Consider it a thank you gift, Keaton. It's only fair that I repay the generosity." His eye was fixated on the point of the nail, sharp and white. Slowly, Niles brought one of his own fingers up to it and pressed. Hardly any pressure was needed to make his life bloomed from tip. The red liquid was warm and thin, flooding the canons of his skin, outlining his fingerprint before staining his skin. "Go on. I trust a taste is more than satisfactory."
Keaton's nose flared, followed by his brows rising, eyes opening wide and then his spine shiver. It smelled amazing, and Niles was right. It was a treat he'd want all too easily, like a kid being offered his favorite snack. He could tell that the other was doing this on purpose; baiting him into his more animalistic instinct. Keaton's mouth opened, and then just as quickly his jaw shut tight, teeth grinding together, still exposed with his lips pulled back in scowl. Eyes leered at the other's sinister, yet calm expression, still holding the bleeding finger tip up for him to take. "You're a rotten man, Niles," he spat out before taking hold around his palm.
"You're too kind, Keaton." Niles watched as his finger was guided up to Keaton's welcoming jaw, opening once more and his tongue emerging. It was hot, and wet, but that was expected. The real treat was for Niles getting to see this person drooling over something as trivial as a bloody finger tip, sopping up every last morsel of his blood all while trying his best to not just rip the very limp from his body. Then his finger vanished into the sloppy cavern of the wolf's maw, slurped up by Keaton to rub every inch of his tongue of the small puncture wound.
To Niles, anyone's blood just tasted like metal, powerful enough to leave a sharp feeling caught in his mouth and throat for the whole day. Watching Keaton suck on his finger almost made him second guess his taste buds. More importantly, he was surprised getting to see him in such a heated state, yet so in control of himself. Surely by now all that was felt for him to taste was skin and dirt under his nail, yet he didn't stop. In fact, he was enjoying the show, more than daring to try and slip a second, completely clean finger past Keaton's lips to join the other.
"Sorry I took so long. Turns out a physic staff is a lot harder to fi- wh-WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?" Jakob had returned the tent, and dropped the staff he had spent so long in retrieving upon seeing such a foul, disgusting act happening in his own healing hut. The two froze, Niles quick to pull his fingers from Keaton's mouth and jump to his feet. The other just sat there, panting all the while licking his lips to savor any remaining flavor on him.
"Oh, just repaying a friend a little debt I owed him," he said with a cheeky grin as he gathered his clothes. "I'll be sure to let to next person know you're ready for them." He winked.
"What are you talking about? What kind of debt? I haven't even done my job! Sit back down this instant!" Jakob was confused, already channeling his magical energy to use the staff's power.
"Ahh, zip it, Jakob. The job's already done!" Keaton chimed in, hands on his hips and a frown on his face. "You were takin' too long so I gave him some medicine from that monk in the other hut. Fixed him right up!" As blunt as Niles would have been had he not needed to depend on Jakob to do the healing earlier. He just cocked his head and looked in Niles's direction. He smiled. "Now let's get a move on. He needs a bath more than anything else, right now!"
"You're one to talk," Niles commented with a huff while getting his tunic on, and tie his belt. "Between the two of us I'd think anyone would say it's you who needs a-"
"Okay, we'll be going, now! Later, Jakob!"
Niles hardly had a chance to tie his cloak properly before he was being tugged out of the healing hut by his arm. "Thanks for that," he said once he was allowed to stand on his own. "I had been meaning to stick something nice and big into him after he finished the job, but I suppose there's always next time."
"Don't sweat it." Keaton just smiled as he patted the archer on his shoulder. "Maybe next time you can let me see your eye? I mean uh...your...well, you know, I'm sure. Come on, please! I really wanna see it." There was a spark in his eye and a small, subtle plead in his voice when he spoke. His tail hung low, visible between his thighs, moved slowly, waiting patiently for an answer.
Niles saw this, and stared at him. At first, he thought the wolfskin had been joking until he enough time had passed and Keaton still looked as though he would answer his request any second. He raised a brow at him and brought his thumb up to cup his own chin. "You...want to see my eye that badly?" he asked. Keaton's tail was spotted wagging a little fasted as he nodded, and the archer pondered for a moment.
Open my eye for someone? Someone other than Leo or the castle healer? That would certainly be a first. Yet… Niles's thoughts trailed of to a fantasy of watching Keaton frightened by, as a child would be. He could see him already acting disgusted, backing away and holding up his hand to try and block it out as he'd use the empty socket to wink at Keaton. The very idea amused him, and he smirked. "Hmmm...if I'm in a good mood, then alright. I'll show you it."
Keaton's entire face just lit up. "Ya mean it?! Alright then! I'll be sure come bug ya when you're in the best mood I've seen ya in all week, if that's what it takes! Just you wait. You're going to have extra treasure left under your bed tonight to make sure it happens right away." He was beyond ecstatic.
"That will not be necessary. Just come find me after I've had a bath or something."
"If that's all it takes then it's a deal." He dashed off, no doubt to make due on the promise Niles had already insisted wouldn't win his favor any faster, but it was the thought that counted right?
Niles just sighed for a moment and rolled his shoulders, massaging them as he started in his own direction. A hand came up to trace along the edge of his eye patch, replaying the conversation in his head for a moment. "Yes...a bath is definitely in order, now…."