Maxi rushed up the stairs to her bedroom, cradling Roy to her chest. She tried her best to keep her steps even so that she wouldn't disturb the kitten, while still moving quickly. She didn't want to miss the moment that she was trying to show Riftan.

She was so focused on the cat in her arms that she nearly bumped into her husband as he was coming down the stairs. She looked up as her shoulders were gently cushioned by large, rough hands. The deep voice of her husband greeted her. "Slow down there, Max. Are you all right?"

She grinned up at him, thrilled to have found him so quickly. "Y-yes, Riftan, I'm fine."

"I was coming down to find you since it was starting to get late, but were you already headed up to bed?" As Riftan spoke, his hands slid down to her arms, gripping softly around her elbows.

Maxi blushed inadvertently as she returned his gaze, not missing his mention of bed. She mumbled, "W-well, I do w-want to go to bed…"

A wolfish grin spread over her husband's features. He took a step forward and leaned down closer to her, his breath hot on her cheek as he murmured, "Then let's go."

She shuddered at the invitation, but tried her best to refocus her attention on her original mission. "R-Riftan, wait. I wanted to sh-show you something."

He looked at her impassively, not bothering to put any distance between them. She was very conscious of his large, muscular body that was nearly pressed up against hers in the middle of the stairwell. His added advantage of being a step above her made him loom over her small frame even more than usual, but Maxi found that she didn't dislike this. Rather, she had to redouble her efforts to pull her attention to the kitten in her arms.

Smiling shakily, she looked down at Roy and tried her best to show her husband what she had been rushing up the stairs for. "L-look at this, Riftan. I-if you put your h-hand on Roy's chest l-like this…I mean, if y-you do this to h-him…" She trailed off as she realized that she was going to have a hard time showing her husband what she wanted. When she had noticed the adorable trait earlier, Roy had been sitting in her lap, and she'd had the benefit of both hands being free. But now they were occupied with holding the sleepy kitten, and she couldn't figure out how to free one up to demonstrate what she wanted to. She awkwardly tried to shift the kitten's body as she continued to fall over her words. "H-here, if I can j-just get h-him adjusted…ah, no, n-not like that…oh, d-darn it, he was so c-cute earlier, if I can just…"

She was so focused on her plight that she was taken by surprise when her body suddenly lifted into the air. She squealed a little as she experienced the heady sensation of movement, then calmed as she realized that she was cradled against her husband's chest. She lifted her head to meet his eyes as he said, "There, now you can use your hands better."

Maxi smiled happily at his problem-solving skills, thrilled to have the use of her hands. She returned her attention to the kitten in her arms, shifting him down to her stomach. "S-see, Riftan, if you p-put your hand on h-his chest like this, when h-he's sleepy…" She slid her fingers down the kitten's chest, and his paw flexed widely, tiny claws splaying out. She grinned, and moved her hand back up. The paw relaxed until she repeated the motion, rubbing Roy's chest, and his tiny foot flexed once again. Maxi giggled, and looked up at her husband, inviting him to join in her amusement.

When she met Riftan's eyes, they were trained directly on her face. She stared back at him for a moment, startled, then asked, "R-Riftan, did you s-see it?"

"Mm." He grunted noncommittally.

"Hey! R-Riftan, you didn't even l-look, did you?" Maxi did her best to give her husband the impression of anger, but it was difficult when his rugged face was so close to her own.

He smiled at her, and she shivered at the heat that played around his lips. "Sure I did, Max. It was adorable. So adorable, in fact, that I really would like to take you to bed now." Maxi huddled into his chest, her face flushing red. Roy was almost totally forgotten as Riftan turned and began climbing back up the staircase. She smiled a little to herself. Even though her husband had barely acknowledged Roy's cuteness, she couldn't say she was dissatisfied with his reaction. Happily, she settled into his arms, content to allow herself to be carried to the bedroom.