"I have meant to ask. How do you change your fur color?" Cassia asks.

Kuro smiles while they keep playing away from last night. "It's a nifty little device my friend made to do it. I can change my fur color and patterns even."

"Really? Could it work on me?" Cassia asks.

Kuro hums and scratches his chin. "Maybe. Though, you seem more of a summer color girl with a complete color change. Patterns don't seem to fit you even," he analyzes and looks over Cassia.

"I want to mess with Clove is all," Cassia informs, smirking having paused the game.

Kuro was silent for a while, thinking this over before smirking. "Oh, we will get along well," Kuro informs, bringing the device out. "I have an idea on the color to mess with her too."

Cassia sticks her tongue out and smiles. "What are you thinking? Zombie green?" she quips.

"Thinking more reddish-brown, like a cherry blossom," Kuro says, attaching it to Cassia's arm before she sees her fur start to change colors and starts to get some goosebumps from the feeling.

Cassia shivers and feels her fur stand on end as the color changes and spreads out from the device. "It feels funny. This happens every time?"

"Yeah, go give her a shock?" Kuro asks while smirking.

Cassia giggles, before noticing her robotic head parts also changes color to match the style of her natural fur. "Oh, I like that feature. Never knew I had it," she notes, looking in the mirror.

"Do they, though? I wonder if that is the implants or the device?" Kuro questions.

Cassia smiles and rubs at various parts of her changed fur. "Does it matter? Now we have to prank my big sis."

"I wish I could see it, but I can't be seen without my fur color changed. A rule your sis insisted on so no one realizes who I am," Kuro says a bit disappointed.

Cassia looks worried at him in the mirror before smiling. "I'll record everything. The perk of my robotic eyes," she says happily, and her eyes whir as it focuses on him.

"She said I couldn't be seen…so," Kuro says before dropping a smoke pellet, and when it clears, Cassia sees he is gone.

Cassia grins before rushing out to Clove's office. "Sis!" she calls, knocking on the door before opening it to Clove, looking at some papers.

"Yes, Cassia?" Clove asks, not looking up at her yet.

Cassia giggles before putting on another expression and being calm and like a soldier for this moment. "Clove, the guards are talking about leaving to go to the bar tonight," she lies, using another tone to her voice.

"So?" Clove asks.

"Every guard," Cassia reiterates. Clove sighs and looks up before stopping cold, seeing Cassia now. "Like my new look?" Cassia quips, smirking.

Clove stutters while gesturing to her little sister. "Wha…how…where did you get the makeup for this, and how much money are we down?" she finally asks, holding a deep frown.

"None and none," Cassia informs snickering, getting a skeptical look from her sister.

Clove slowly stands from her seat, and Cassia's snickering falters. "Right. How and how much?" Clove demands.

"Nothing that your fiance lent it to me," Cassia assures.

Clove frowns and gains a very pissed off expression. "He is not my fiance."

"He proposed, and you didn't say no," Cassia reminds.

"He did not!"

"Um…fifty-fifty," Kuro's voice says from behind her. Clove keeps holding her frowns before throwing a punch behind her and hits a wall that bends to her punch. "Ow…" Clove huffs and grabs the 'wall' before yanking the blanket off of Kuro that is the same color as the wall. "You hit hard," Kuro observes with a nasal voice as he holds his nose.

"Domestic abuse," Cassia jokes.

"Shut…it…" Clove warns, pointing at Cassia. She then turns to Kuro as he holds a silly grin. "And you better wipe that off your face. I agreed to hide you here. Not give you free rein to do what you want."

"Sis, can we even stop him if we try?" Cassia asks seriously.

Kuro chuckles before Clove grabs his nose and pinches his muzzle. "Ow, ow, ow, ow…" Kuro groans, trying to follow her grasp.

"I don't know. Can we?" Clove asks, giving Kuro a look.

Kuro slowly looks apologetic. "Don't worry. I'll behave…if you let me go," he adds, looking to her strong hand holding him. "Actually…" Kuro says, getting a brightish idea before hugging Clove.

"Aw," Cassia swoons. "You're so cute together."

"I do feel loved," Kuro says with no hint of sarcasm or joking.

Clove groans and slouches in his hold. "Dang it."

"Also, that was a proposal, but you never answered directly, so took it as a no," Kuro informs.

"Keep it that way," Clove warns, slowly pushing him away. "I don't have time to deal with this mess."

"Someone is coming," Kuro says before blinking away, and Cassia takes off the device, and Clove watches as her sister returns to normal.

"You're such a heartbreaker sis," Cassia teases.

Clove groans and throws her head back in annoyance. "He is like the annoying brother we never had."

"Except he is serious. So brother-in-law for me," Cassia informs.

Clove drops her head onto her desk. "Damn it all."

"You could do much worse, but he cares for you and isn't put off," Cassia adds, making her sister go quiet. "He also when he had nothing to gain came and helped us sniff out the traitor and saved us."

Clove sighs and leans on her arm at this point. "He is still the enemy and wanted by the Empire."

"Is he really an enemy? He seems more neutral," Cassia points out.

Clove shakes her head. "Is it best to still be wary of everything."

"Hey, boss Eggman sent a message. He will be looking into Silver Tongue to see if he was working with any more traitors," one of her men informs.

Clove drops head onto the table again. "Dammit."

"Is he starting here?" Cassia asks.

"No, starting where the guy came from," the guy informs.

"Oh, good news, at least, huh, sis?" Cassia asks.

Clove groans into the desk. "Do we have any drinks?"

"I think I can have someone get some," Cassia says, signaling the guy it was best to leave.

The guard leaves, eyeing both girls before the door shuts close. Kuro hums and reappears from behind a file cabinet and locks the door. "You girls really should move all this stuff against the wall," Kuro observes.

"So, what did you bring to drink?" Cassia asks, smirking.

Kuro grins and lifts a few bottles of wine. "Hard or soft?"

Clove looks up, thinking of which to take. Cassia smiles and reaches toward the hard bottle before Kuro holds it out of her reach. Cassia frowns and tries to reach for it again before a fruit juice bottle is shoved into her hands. "Sorry beautiful. Don't want a repeat of last time."

"One of the conditions of staying here for him," Clove adds.

Cassia groans like a little doe and grumbles to herself. "No fair."

"I am drinking fruit juice as well as it tastes better," Kuro informs.

Clove raises an eyebrow at the bottles on the table before sighing. "Get me a glass too. Maybe I shouldn't drink at this time."

"Heh, yeah. Brother-in-law," Cassia says, smirking.

Kuro smiles and pours her a glass too with her sister. "I consider it being a family member."

"Yep, Clove's fiance," Cassia adds while Clove facepalms.

Kuro chuckles and leans against Cassia. "And she's like the sister I never had. A very cute one too," he remarks before chugging down a glass.

"Welcome to the family," Cassia says happily.

Kuro laughs and kisses Cassia's cheek. "See? Cute," he says, looking at Clove.

Clove breathes in deep and starts drinking. "Sis likes it," Cassia says, speaking for her sister.

Kuro smirks now. "Then this is for her with the last one for you," he says before giving another kiss to Cassia's cheek. "Hope you two like it."

Cassia giggles at that. "I meant you are acknowledging she is your girl."

"Why not? It's fun playing with your girls. One of the best in my life, and that's beside messing with Storm," Kuro quips and drowns another shot. "Wow. Who knew you could treat fruit juice like wine or beer?"

"Does this mean you will be moving into sis's room?" Cassia asks, making Clove do a spit take.

Kuro hums and looks playfully up in thought. "Maybe…if needed."

"Absolutely not you two!" Clove yells at them, making Kuro chuckle while Cassia laughs.

Cassia giggles. "You are so cute when you are mad, sister."

"Ok, that's enough. Let's cut back on the teasing for her," Kuro says, smiling at Clove.

Cassia gives a playful hum. "No. My sister needs more relaxation. Maybe you can keep her company?"

"Speaking of that, some company is coming again," Kuro says before blinking away, and moments later, there was a knock on the door.

Clove sighs and puts her glass away as a guard steps in with a pile of paperwork in his arms. "Paperwork is here," he speaks up, muffled behind the massive tower of paper.

"This is for rebuilding and replacing, right?" Clove asks tiredly.

Cassia questionably takes the paper on the top before placing it in front of her older sister. "Rebuilding and Replacing papers," she says, pointing to the only words on the paper.

Clove sighs, taking a seat and starts to go through them as Cassia gets out her paddleball and starts playing. After a bit, Clove starts to feel more relaxed before noticing someone is rubbing her shoulders.

Kuro leans his head against Clove's head, still rubbing her shoulders. "Just keep working. I have you. I have been told I have magical claws," he boasts, grinning.

"Cassia, how long has he been doing this?" Clove inquires, considering how she should respond to this.

Cassia shrugs, still paddling away. "A while. I thought you noticed at the first touch."

Clove says nothing and tries to get back to work.

Kuro smiles and nuzzles his muzzle against Clove's head between her antlers. "You need to get out more. Maybe I can leave a flamethrower," he teases into her ear.

Clove raises her hand before flicking the end of his snout in response.

Kuro chuckles. "Flamethrower is it. I'll get you the one with the biggest fuel tank."

"Just kiss him already, Clove. He is working so hard for some love," Cassia says.

Clove reaches up and flicks Kuro's muzzle again. "He doesn't deserve it…not yet."

"What do I need to do?" Kuro asks, switching out papers while she is distracted.

Clove rubs her eyes and shakes her head. "A lot more than this. And I will not say it."

"You are hard to get, but I think that makes it all the more worth it," Kuro informs.

Clove groans before sighing and going back to her papers. "Don't get your hopes up," she retorts, signing in the wrong areas of the documents he switched out. "Seriously. Don't."

Kuro smirks before leaning down and, to her surprise, kisses her right where she gave him a peck on the cheek.

Clove slowly rubs her head before looking at him. "So, what were you trying to get?"

"Read it, and you will see," Kuro informs.

"Really? An upgrade to the lounge?" Clove asks after scanning the contents.

Kuro sticks his tongue out and grins. "Yep. You could use it. Just relax and sleep. But I can promise, my fur coat is soft and warm to sleep to," Kuro entices. "Cassia can argue for it too."

"What?" Clove asks, starting to frown after hearing that.

Cassia hums happily. "Yeah. Even his tail is poofy and so huggable," she swoons to herself, hugging herself now.

Clove hearing that stood right up and turned on Kuro, glaring hard.

Kuro chuckles nervously and backs away, holding his hands up in surrender. "Now, now…I didn't do anything wrong."

"Then explain what she means," Clove growls out.

Kuro sweatdrops as Cassia keeps hugging herself behind them. "She just thought my tail was a pillow, and it went from there," he explains before realizing what he said. 'Shit! Not what I meant to say!'

Clove hearing that grabs her scythe and activates the energy blade. "Come again?"

Cassis blinks and notices the situation. "Uh…sis…what are you doing?"

"She thinks I slept with you," Kuro whispers quickly to Cassia.

Cassia starts to think that through before catching on. "Oh. We didn't," she says simply. "I mean…him? I would be glowing if that's the case," she giggles at the idea.

Clove, hearing that, start to wind up to swing the scythe.

"I swear! We didn't do anything! She just cuddled my tail!" Kuro cries out, trying to be hopeful she won't slice him open like a pinata.

Clove glares at him for a while, contemplating this before, to Kuro's relief, deactivates the scythe.

Kuro sighs in relief and sits on the window sill. "Dammit it all."

"You know what? I have reconsidered. I need to keep an eye on you, so you sleep in my room now," Clove informs in a very mom-like way.

Kuro turns his sharp gaze to Cassia and sees her surprised. "Uhhh…okay. You know what you are getting yourself into, right?"

"Oh, I know," Clove says, activating the scythe again for a moment.

Kuro groans and slouches. "Yep. Dang, it."

Cassia snickers at this. "About time, sis."

"Shut…it…" Clove warns, pointing at her before sighing. "I am so exhausted at this point."

"Need to rest?" Kuro asks.

"Away from you," Clove replies, annoyed and sits down back at her desk.

"Cassia, where is her room exactly?" Kuro inquires.

"Why do I have a feeling she won't tell you?" Cassia wonders to herself.

"Just tell me," Kuro requests before Cassia smirks and tells him where it is. "Alright then," Kuro says, walking up to Clove before putting a hand on her shoulder, blinking them both to the room with Clove appearing on the bed.

Clove looks around for a second before frowning at him. "You want something," she says dryly.

"You are running yourself ragged. Now before you try to deny it, I know because I have worked with several people who do the same thing," Kuro informs.

Clove sighs and stares him down, not saying anything at this point. Mostly, it's her expression that tells Kuro she is not amused or happy at all with what he did with her.

"Look, I know you don't want to, but you need to rest. What would happen if you just collapsed on the job?" Kuro asks.

"Cassia," Clove notes dryly, without any hesitation even. "Despite it all, she can hold out for a few days."

"But do you want her to have to run everything by herself if you can help it?" Kuro asks.

"Hardly. Most times, it's quiet enough," Clove explains, frowning before raising an eyebrow as he goes to the table in her room and lays down on it. "Good. Stay that way."

"Only if you get some rest," Kuro informs.

Clove shakes her head before slowly laying back into her bed. "Stupid dog."

"Hey, I am a wolf. Very different," Kuro corrects.

"Still a dog," Clove retorts.

"That is an insult. Wolves are superior to any mangy mutt dogs," Kuro informs.

"Then you are a mangy dog," Clove adds.

Kuro jolts up, hearing that and glares at her with his fur bristling on end.

Clove smiles now, finally able to know what gets under his fur. "Perfect."

"Don't call me that again. We wolves have a blood feud going on with the dogs," Kuro warns.

"You watch yourself, or this deal is off," Clove warns, holding a frown now.

"You calling me a dog is like if I called you a moose. How would that make you feel?" Kuro asks.

Clove growls and sits up from her bed to glare at him in return. "You better watch your mouth."

"See?" Kuro asks.

Clove takes out her scythe again before she is bowled over and lands back onto her bed. She groans and sees Kuro holding her arms down, pinning her in place. "As I said, watch yourself. And if you go near Cassia again, I will make your life the worst in the known existence."

"You can't do anything worse to me than what was already done," Kuro informs not as a taunt, but to Clove's shock more than anything, as the truth.

Clove stares him down as he keeps glaring before he breaks first and lets go of his grip, but he doesn't get off of her and sits back down on her lap. "Just…get off and go to sleep," she requests, slightly annoyed but wonders if this is why he treats Cassia like a true sister.

"Fine," Kuro says, getting off and brushing her with his tail as he went.

Clove groans when his tail whips by to brush against her nose, which fills her full of his scent. 'Dammit. Now he's becoming a tease.'

"By the way. Cassia taught me that one," Kuro informs.

'DAMMIT CASSIA!' Clove curses.


The next morning Clove slowly starts to awake, feeling something soft and bushing as her pillow. She smiles and snuggles into the pillow before she opens her eyes and blinks she sees not white fabric, but gray fur…and it's moving. 'The…what…' Clove slowly follows what is under her head and looks to see it is a gray tail that leads down below her bed. She slowly cranes her head and looks to see Kuro snoring as he sleeps on the ground while his tail strains against him from being pulled. Clove looks at this before spotting the carpet, and it seems like he was dragged across it, and the gears in her head started to turn.

Clove slowly settles back into her back and stares up at the ceiling. There is only one way Kuro got to her bed like this, and that is she pulled him to her. What's more, what could he say if he finds out she used his tail as a pillow? Not only that, Cassia! She will never live this down if she finds out.

'What's wrong with me?' Clove questions.

Kuro finally snorts and catches himself awake when he does so. "What…what is going on?" he groans, trying to move his hips and get rid of the hold on his tail.

Clove, seeing this, quickly moves away, letting him pull his tail back as she acts like she was getting ready for the day.

Kuro yawns as he feels his tail coil behind him, but very sore. "Jeez, what's up with my tail today? I can barely feel it."

Clove says nothing as she hastily wants to leave the room before he could question her about this.

"Have fun sleeping on my tail?" Kuro suddenly asks, freezing her in place.

Shoot. She is too late. How is he so calm and collected about any of this anyway? Clove groans before she turns to look at his smirking face. "Do you ever take no enjoyment from messing around?"

"Yes, but with you…I think that I will be serious in pursuing a relationship," Kuro says seriously.

Clove blushes but turns away just enough that he can see a hint of red on her cheeks. "You go after either of us; I will kill you."

"Clove, you need to be more honest with yourself," Kuro informs, getting up.

Clove waves him off before grabbing some clothes and walks away. "Stay here until Cassia comes for you."

"Even if I left, none of your guys could find me. I mean, can you right now?" Kuro asks, making Clove turn around to see him nowhere in sight.

Clove slaps a hand over her face as she hears him rummaging on the ceiling. "Get…off…my…dresser. And stay out of my clothes," she calls and turns her head to Kuro sitting on top of the furniture.

"Not that kind of person, and you see what I mean? If I don't want to be found, it will be hard to find me," Kuro informs.

Clove scoffs and leaves her room while Kuro decides to jump around the base. He even grabs a snack when he appears behind a guard on the counter and takes a few donuts while he watches the filled room. Kuro disappears as the guard goes to grab more donuts but notices the box is empty. Kuro snickers before appearing in Cassia's place as she yawns and stretches in some long blouse nightwear. "Hey, beautiful. Got you breakfast," he offers, holding out the donuts.

"Oh room service," Cassia jokes, taking the donut.

Kuro sheepishly smiles. "Don't expect this every day," he warns, watching her chew away happily.

"So you and sis hook up?" Cassia asks.

"Nope, your sister doesn't want to admit to anything. It's kinda adorable, in its own ways," Kuro says, half-joking.

Cassia giggles and smiles. "Yeah. Big sis really doesn't want to admit to life-changing things without being sure. And even then," she points out before grinning. "So…did she like your tail?"

"While asleep, she got up and pulled me by it across the floor so that she could use it as a pillow," Kuro informs, knowing full well the mileage Cassia would get out of this.

Cassia snarks and tries to hide her smile behind a hand. "Seriously?" she squeaks.

"No joke. She has it bad, but doesn't want to admit it," Kuro says smirking.

Cassia keeps trying to hold her laughter but fails miserably. "This is gold," she whispers evilly behind her hands.

"Now, here is something for you for being so cute," Kuro says before kissing her forehead.

Cassia blushes before smiling. "And you're cute too."

"So, what do you want to do today as I got nothing funny lined up?" Kuro says.


Several Days Later

"You are sure about this?" Clove asks, looking up to the soldier.

The soldier nods grimly. "Unfortunately. Should I tell everyone to prepare for her?"

"So she doesn't start beating on them, yes," Clove informs, and the soldier leaves. "You were right. She follows you everywhere."

"See? I told you," Kuro starts, suddenly appearing beside her chair as she returns to some paperwork. "I swear, anytime I am on a mission or a job, she sets up right next door," Kuro argues as he paces around her. "Then she waltzes right into my place of work and finds me. It's like she has a mini radar just to track only me in the world," he groans and pulls at his ears. "She gives me such a headache," he mutters before letting go of his ears, snapping them back into place. "Ow," he complains at the end and rubs at his head.

"This is called marriage," Clove teases.

"You do not joke about that!" Kuro yells as he leans over Clove's desk at her.

"So, you going to run now?" Clove asks, looking up.

"Yes, I think I will go with an escape plan forty-eight," Kuro informs.

"I want to ask why you have that many escape plans, but I think the answer will keep me here all week," Clove says after taking a minute to take in that statement.

"Exactly!" Kuro yells before noticing her stare. "I will say goodbye to Cassia. Don't worry, I will leave a gift," promises and blinks while his tail stands on end. "I sense something dark approaching," he whispers grimly.

"I will try to keep my sister's spirits up," Clove says, trying to hide she was sad to see him go.

Kuro looks to the door, and they hear the knock on the other end. "Come on, Clove. I know you're in there. Your sign on the side here says you're in," Storm calls out.

Kuro blinks and reappears next to Clove. "Thanks and give this to her from me," he thanks and kisses Clove's cheek before disappearing.

"The code for the door is four, five, four, six," Clove calls.

Storm seemingly presses the numbers before the door unlocks and opens to the lynx and lets herself in. "Can you even guess why I am here?" she asks, noticing the tinted cheeks on the pronghorn.

"The one you have been chasing all this time was in my territory?" Clove asks.

Storm hums before looking around and pacing around the office. "He has to have snuck in here and stole something."

"He left you something," Clove says before tossing a folded paper to Storm.

"What is…oh. He thinks he is cheeky enough to taunt me now, is he?" Storm says as she reads the letter.

Clove raises an eyebrow at what this can be before Storm reaches up to her hat and takes off the flower that Clove now notices is there. "Camellia flower. I take it this flower means something different to you than just a gift?" Clove asks curiously and now wonders if he left a flower for Cassia.

Storm frowns before huffing. "Mostly with love and if not, death," she replies simply before glaring at Clove. "I need access to your security systems to track him."

"Fine, but why are you wearing a flower?" Clove asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I was not!" Storm states as she turns beet red at Clove. "And he put it there. Part of his sick joke," she scoffs to the side, clearly annoyed by Kuro.

"Or he is showing affection. That is what flowers usually mean," Clove points out, getting up.

"Not this one," Storm mutters, tossing the flower into the trash.

"So how long have you been chasing him?" Clove inquires.

Storm growls under her breath and glares at Clove as she leads her to the security room. "Nearly half a year at this point. He has been a thorn in Eggman's side, and I am best to handle this wild wolf."

"Has it occurred to you to try and just hire him? I have read his file, and what little is in there seems like it could work," Clove informs.

"He has already joined the freedom fighters. It would seem to be too late to get him to join us," Storm points out.

'I am not so sure,' Clove thinks.