Rogue Huntsman
Shattered
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Kit hissed with a silent whimper as Arex pressed an ice pack into her side. There was a lot of bruising over her body from her fight with Niro, and to fight someone who wasn't even trying and come out this battered wasn't a great feeling.
But to have fought him… and for him to have actually fought back? It was the first she'd even seen that much of his fighting style.
If it was even his actual style to begin with.
Ow ow ow ow owww-! Kitsuki tried to roll over as her tails tightened into a twisted knot, trying to stave off the pain that swelled across her body where her pale skin darkened into deep purple.
Her aura shield having done absolutely nothing against any of his strikes.
"S-sorry. But if I leave the bruises untended, you and I both know they'll only get worse before they get better," Arex muttered, keeping the chilled pack pressed into the fox's side as she rested her hand on the girl's shoulder.
A gentle pressure was added there, wanting to keep Kit from moving as she handled her wounds.
The kitsune let out another silent whimper as the cold flared against her skin, her body never capable of dealing with colder temperatures too well.
Her one weakness… of many, actually.
"Here."
Kit opened her marigold eyes in time to see Arex lean over her, the phoenix letting out a light breath before crawling overtop of the kitsune.
After a moment, the raven-haired girl rested her knees on either side of the kitsune's body before lifting the ice pack into view.
"I need you to hold still for just a few more minutes," Arex started, glancing down at Kitsuki beneath her as the kitsune stopped wiggling so much, "If you don't mind, I might be able to distract your body from the pain with a little heat. Where's your body most se-"
Arex flushed a little red after realizing what she was about to ask, so instead she quickly changed her wording with an admittedly slightly higher voice.
"I-is there anywhere you think that can distract you enou-"
The girl stopped talking again as a soft weight settled across her legs, white fur brushing against the cloth of her pants as she looked down. Three white tails slowly unraveled from how tightly they'd been pressed together, lightly flicking back and forth at the tips.
"T-that'll work."
Arex ignored the fact that Kit was suddenly incredibly still beneath her, taking her own deep breath to both settle her nerves and begin to channel a steady flow of hot aura into her hand.
With a gentle glow swirling around her hand and wrist, she carefully and slowly reached down and started running her slim fingers through the fur of Kitsuki's tails.
The fluffy appendages immediately quivered beneath her touch, Arex holding her breath as she pressed the ice pack against the mute's largest bruise.
A frozen hiss emanated through the dorm room as the ice Dust transitioned from the pack to Kitsuki's skin, sheening over with a soft crackle as the particles clung to the bruised, once pale flesh.
This time, Kitsuki didn't flinch. Instead, the kitsune kept golden-orange eyes locked on Arex's as the phoenix looked down at where she was applying the ice.
A small shiver ran through the kitsune's spine, but it wasn't one from the cold. The same shiver traveled through her tails just as Arex's heated fingers brushed over their tips, the girl's slim hand moving back through Kit's fur to run up their lengths again and back to their bases.
With Arex's knees pressed into the bed and her hands busy, she hadn't really noticed the fact that she was leaning down close to Kitsuki's own body from her straddled position at the kitsune's waist. She was more worried about the injuries right now than their proximity.
And that was something Kit didn't mind.
"The Dust coating helps with mending, so don't wash it off until it's at least been on for an hour or two," Arex spoke softly, her attention focused on her ministrations as the time slowly ticked by, "It comes off pretty easily. Just make sure you get it all off when you do."
Kit slowly nodded to the warning, one of her fox ears flicking on her head in affirmation. That and Arex's hot touch grazed up closer to the base of her tails.
She wanted it to go up further, but the phoenix didn't go all the way, Arex's hand turning to run back through Kit's fur once it's digits almost reached where Kit wanted them to go.
"Alright, that should do it. It'll feel weird at first, but I think you can get used to it," Arex sighed, flicking off the thin medical device in her hand before reaching over and resting it on the nightstand.
With her weight already a bit shifted, she started to move to get off Kitsuki now that she was done. But the tails resting across her legs suddenly tightened around her.
Arex couldn't help but let out a surprised yelp as Kit's hands found their way around her waist, slipping just beneath the hem of her shirt to encircle her bare lower back and stomach.
The kitsune's cold touch brought a slight shiver to Arex's spine, but the confusion and embarrassment only rose when the kitsune rolled the both of them over in their shared beds and buried her face into the cloth of Arex's sweater.
"C-cold, I-I'd imagine?" Arex managed to squeak out, face flushing back into the red as she felt Kitsuki's lithe body press fully against her own.
Kit's arms encircling Arex's slim waist pulled more securely as the kitsune nodded, pressing herself more into the heat of her partner as she shivered.
"Y-yeah, it can get a bit cold…" Arex said idly, her voice light and airy again as she rested her head back.
Her gaze watched as Kit's ears went from folded to just drooping, twitching every so often on top of her head. The phoenix rolled her eyes at the adorable display, reaching an unpinned hand up to lightly scratch the ears before her.
It's cute how easily you get cold… Arex felt the kitsune relax into her as she evened out her own breathing, this position not an unfamiliar one by now for the two of them.
It took more than a few nights to accept the fact that Kit liked sleeping this way, but it was comforting to know that the kitsune actually got sleep when she was in this position.
Maybe it was a security thing, or a trust thing, but there was a variable involved that Arex wasn't really too sure about. Whatever it was, it was actually helping the girl sleep, so the phoenix just learned to get used to it.
It helped that she found it adorable too, if also strangely reassuring on her end as well. To hold her like that.
"Warm yet?" Arex asked, glancing down as she lightly rubbed the velvety tips of Kitsuki's ears.
The phoenix felt Kit shake her head, face still pressed into her sweater. She couldn't help but smile lightly at that.
"Of course not. Think you'll be anytime soon?"
She wasn't surprised to get another shake of the head, so she just sighed and switched ears, feeling Kit's body shudder at the transition of her still slightly heated fingers.
Part of Arex was wondering if Kit was actually cold in all this, and to the kitsune's defense, Arex knew for a fact that Kitsuki got cold incredibly easily. But a part of her also realized how scary it must have been to go up against Niro like that.
It looked like he really did have the intent to kill, and he leveled his punches and abilities to Kitsuki's own likely dodging prowess on top of that.
It… must've been terrifying… fighting at your highest limit while your opponent controlled every tiny moment of the match.
Still, Arex was impressed by what Kit did in there. That was another reason why she wasn't being too reluctant about Kit's hold right now.
She deserved it.
'Went a little hard on her, don't you think?'
'Going easy on someone is hardly classed as hard.'
'Even better! She's fine now, though. Arex said she'd take care of her. Isn't that sweet?' Anoel sent with a smile, leaning back in her booth as she glanced to the bar.
She watched Niro mix another drink before glancing down to his own scroll just behind the wooden countertop, his face retaining that permanent neutrality she'd grown to like.
'"Sweet" isn't the term I'd use for that. Horny would work better.'
Anoel's smile widened, 'You're right. We should get them together.'
'Why "we"?'
'Come on! You and I both know that you're just a bundle of love and joy.' The info-broker couldn't help but giggle to herself as she sent that, taking a sip from her Lyra to hide her amusement.
'Maybe in another lifetime.'
'You can if you really wanted to.' Anoel replied. Niro had a big heart, he just hadn't realized it yet. At least, that's how Anoel saw it.
She saw a lot of things in a different light.
'Refill?' she asked, glancing up with a smirk to find a new glass lowering from a stream of lime green wires out of the light-emitting aura of the ceiling.
He was always fast with that.
With a quick, wordlessly mouthed 'thank you' to Niro behind the bar, she slid her empty glass to the edge of the table and mindlessly stirred the new drink in front of her.
The liquid brushed up against the edges as she played with the glass, but none of it spilled. It was a habit she needed to drop eventually, just not now.
It was fun to do it for now.
Golden eyes flicked to the side curiously, the seat in front of her having been empty for a while now. Ly had some business to deal with, so she was making a few dealings with two tables just in Ano's peripherals.
That girl was good at what she did… And it didn't help that gems and jewels were Ly's obsession on top of that.
After a moment of watching some haggling, her focus turned back to her scroll as she danced a slim few touches across the keyboard.
'Why'd you do it?'
'Do what?'
The response was pretty immediate, another smile making its way to the elder sister's face, 'Why'd you actually put a little effort forward? You could've done anything to walk away from that.'
Despite her mirth, she was curious. Something she rarely ever wasn't feeling. But, this time was a little different. Of all the other times she's ever felt curious, which were too many to count, she couldn't remember any of them being paired with a pang of worry to coincide with that curiosity.
She was… a little worried. If someone was finally able to get Niro to do something he didn't want to do, that was bad.
Really bad…
'Wanted answers. Got them.'
Anoel's brow furrowed slightly at that. It was times like this where she hated the fact that she couldn't read Niro like she could everyone else.
All she could do was take his words for it. Everything else about him was unreadable… and she was among the best in that department in its entirety.
'Did you like what you found out?' Anoel asked, stopping her stirring of her glass for just a moment. His response… wasn't so immediate.
'No.'
She'd have to talk to him personally about what he found out. But, she knew there was a good chance he wasn't going to tell her if she did. He rarely did.
He rarely told anyone the truth.
She'd been trying to get through that wall of his for both of their shared lives now. Despite that, her progress was minimal, more than a little noticeable at least, but still not enough to see through him.
'I'll tell you later. It'll interest you more than it does me.'
The message came as a surprise, Anoel quirking a brow as she read it, 'When?'
'Sooner is better than later.'
"Oh really? If it wasn't fake, I wouldn't be able to do this."
Anoel glanced over just in time to see Ly smash a faux ruby on the table she was sat at, the teens in front of her staring in shock as the fragments scattered across the tabletop and onto the floor.
The ringleader, a boy who looked no older than 16, was desperately struggling to comprehend what the woman had just done.
"Y-You…"
"Are you trying to fuck me, boy?" Ly asked, glaring at him through harsh blue eyes, "Because it looks like you're trying to fuck me."
"That's my job!" Anoel called out, giving a wave to the table and to the boys.
One of the teens was quick to draw a gun, though, leveling it on Ly's head as the girl rolled her eyes.
"Put that thing away before you hurt yourself."
When the boy didn't listen, Ly's only response was to sigh before cloaking.
Within the span of a few but incredibly short seconds the teenager had been disarmed, thrown to the floor, and had his own gun pointed at him by a now visible Lylac.
A loud thump cracked into the silenced room as the magazine of the gun was flung across the floor, the girl priming the slide back to eject its loaded round soon after before courteously dropping the firearm onto his crotch.
"If you have the balls to draw your weapon, you should at least have the decency to pull the trigger too."
Anoel couldn't help but smirk as she watched.
"Now fuck off."
Golden eyes watched the table rattle beneath the conjoined effort of several kids in over their heads standing up and grabbing their things. In the time Ly took to stand back up from having her knee pressed into the kid's chest, they were all gone.
The boy on the floor being the last one out.
As the last one ungracefully scrambled out the door, Ly released a deep sigh of relief as she spun around and glanced at Niro.
"Drink, alcoholic, price doesn't matter, as soon as possible, thanks."
"Try not to get shot in my bar either," he deadpanned, starting work on a quick drink, "The only one I'll legally take credit for is a white sandbag."
"If you say so, kid," Ly replied, "I'm not exactly a stranger to pulling bullets out of people, myself included."
"Nobody in this bar is."
His point was emphasized by a stifled scream in the corner before the unmistakable sound of a crushed bullet getting dropped into a metal tin rung into the room.
"Just get me my drink."
"Already did," Niro replied, letting a hard Lyra move through the system before dropping it lightly onto the table just across from Anoel, who was waving to the girl with a smile.
"Thanks," Ly spoke, his hand rising to catch a tossed black gem over the bar's countertop, "That's for the drink… And the window."
Lime green eyes glanced down before dropping the gem into his pile of lien behind the bar, "That's worth 2 mil, you know."
"Don't care, just keep my glass full," Ly muttered, making her way across the room to rejoin Ano.
"Anything else need to stay full?" Anoel asked with a small smirk, tipping her glass up as Ly took her drink and moved it over to Ano's side of the booth.
The info-broker slid over with amusement, letting Ly slide in just after her with a lengthy sigh leaving her lips.
"My purse would be nice," Ly replied, taking a sip of her drink, "hence why I'm here making deals with people who can't tell the difference between crystals and glass…"
"You know… there's another way to get paid for your services," Anoel lowered the tone of her voice just a bit, emphasizing the tease before resting her head on Ly's shoulder, "Most people can't tell that kind of difference, you know. You're more skilled than you think you are."
"For a second there, I thought you were suggesting prostitution, Ano." Ly smirked.
"Well, if you want to think of it like that… yes. But I like to see it as casual sex with benefits," Anoel returned. But, despite her words, it was a job she wished no woman ever had to do.
"My body is a temple. None of these goons are worthy," Ly replied bluntly, puffing out her chest with pride.
"Never said it had to be with just anyone. There's one goon sitting here who really enjoys your company," Anoel said with a mock pout, idly lifting her glass by the tips of her fingers and swirling the liquid inside.
Ly glanced down and gave the info-broker a small smirk, "You're the rare exception, but don't tell them that."
Anoel smiled at that, "Never."
The glass in her hand found its way back to the table as Ano leaned over and pecked Ly's cheek, but her eyes glanced to the window to see someone she didn't expect to see just outside.
Why is…? Confused eyes glanced over to Niro to see him looking in the same direction, calmly regarding the door as it opened before he went back to what he was doing.
Why was Inuba Kitsukami strolling into the Black Stallion with Elisia Fey, their new TA at Beacon…?
"Man...!" was the first word out of Elisia's mouth as she stretched her arms at the entrance, "That was a good meal wasn't it?"
"It was, but… why are we here again?" the kitsune asked.
"This, my fluffy tailed friend, is our last stop for the night. Part of the whole de-stressing process. Relax, I'm here with you, so it'll be fine. That, and he owns this place," she said, casually gesturing toward Niro.
Inuba seemed surprised to see him here of all places, Anoel as well, once her gaze swept over to the back corner booth.
"Hey guys! What might you all be doing here?" the rabbit faunus continued, practically dragging Inuba across the room toward them.
"Nothing nefarious, I promise," Anoel called back, giving the girl a quirked smile as she leaned away from Ly's neck, "Just fantasizing sexually."
"Oh? Who about?" she asked taking a seat with her friend across from Anoel and Ly, "Tall and brooding behind the counter?"
"Whenever I feel adventurous. I have sexual fantasies about most people I see," Anoel replied with a teasing smile, "Just in case I ever come across a mind reader."
A small chortle from Anoel's side debunked that horrible lie.
"Oh~? Am I perhaps eye-catching enough for such an honor?"
"Your flirting game is weak," Ly rejected.
Anoel rolled her eyes at Ly's quick retort before eyeing the curvy faunus across the way, "Depends. I'm already picturing you in lingerie."
"Lucky me, I'm wearing my best right now."
"Lovely. May I see?" Anoel asked.
"This enough?" Elisia replied, tugging down the collar of her shirt low enough for Anoel and Ly to see, showing her milky collarbone and shoulder to peek what she was hiding.
Anoel let a soft reverberation resonate in the back of her throat before tilting her head, eyes slipping down over the curves of Elisia's heat signature, "Makes me wonder what else you're hiding."
"Santo dio…" Ly murmured as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
Ano slipped a hand down over Ly's thigh as she smirked a bit at the comment, eyes transitioning over to Inuba, "So, what're you wearing?"
"M-Me?!" she asked in surprise as she went rigid.
"I mean, I can already see your lovely body's curves just fine, this is just for curiosities sake," Anoel commented, giving Inuba an amused smirk.
"She's wearing monochrome underwear," Ly answered for the kitsune, "Is that string tie I sense?"
"You're quite right, Ly," Ano added, her smirk turning devious, "Perfect for… quickly disrobing."
Inuba couldn't cope with the verbal game, the poor girl hiding her face behind her hands as she flushed red.
"What are you...?" Elisia paused for a moment, a sudden epiphany hitting her, "Oh my goodness… Aren't you just adorable?" she said, hugging the shamed Kitsune.
'Our's is cuter.' Niro pinged in, Anoel glancing down before smirking.
'You checking her out?' Anoel responded with a quick few taps, her attention staying on the conversation in front of her.
'Half the bar is.'
She rolled her eyes at that, 'Of course.'
"Perverts…" Ly whispered in Ano's ear.
"Hardly anything new, love," Ano whispered back, turning her gaze back to Elisia, "Aside from asking you about sexual escapades, I am curious why you're here. And with Inuba, of all people."
"Well, I certainly needed a good way to unwind. He may not seem like it, but Professor Gladian can be a real slave driver sometimes. I kinda have to pick up the slack in terms of work he leaves unfinished. Like grading papers. As for this one… well… boy troubles, kinda my fault."
"Is it the hot and bothered kind of problem? If it is, I have a pretty good idea of who this boy is," Anoel responded, eyes glancing to the kitsune.
"After the whole panties thing, I do too now. Didn't quite understand her reaction when I 'accidentally' ripped his shirt during class and made him eye candy for a few of the others. Now I do," Elisia commented.
"Well, doing that in front of the entire class really makes a statement, you know. I think some girls even swooned. Inuba came very close…"
"This is why I never want to attend Beacon Academy," Ly sighed.
"Honey, I can rip your clothes off whenever I want."
"Only because I gave you unconditional permission."
"In any case," Elisia interjected, "My fault for stressing her out, so we've been out all day as my way of repaying her. And now we're here."
"Oh? So all I have to do is get a little hot and bothered in class and I get to go out on a date with you?" Ano asked.
"For you? Maybe. But really, she was more stressed out about the swooning more than anything."
"Hmm… if you're having this kind of jealousy problem, I guess this really is a big issue. It's only natural though," Anoel pointed out, "They're all young adults crammed into a singular setting surrounded by bodies attractively sculpted by aura and training regimes."
"Well… mostly," Ly idly commented.
All of a sudden, a blonde walking by suddenly tripped on nothing and slammed onto the floor, getting a rise out of the drunkards around him.
It reminded her of someone…
"Well don't you worry. I'll knock the competition down, when there's any, if that makes you feel a little better," Elisia offered.
"A little…" replied Inuba.
Anoel quietly sighed, "You're head over tails for him, aren't you…?"
"V-very much so," Inuba muttered back, "Many people have had… different reasons for focusing their attention on him. Some not for the best reasons or intentions."
Inuba's voice grew quieter, embarrassment somewhere in there slowly rising.
"I… may not have the purest thoughts about him at times, but with how long we've known each other, what we've been through, and how much he's suffered on my behalf… I can't help but feel as intensely as I-I… do… a-about… him. E-excuse me?"
Inuba's eyes leveled on Ly's gaze and couldn't help but notice where it was directed that whole time.
"Are they real?" Ly asked, her eyes having been staring at Inuba's bust while seemingly not interested in her entire monologue.
"W-what?"
"Your breasts," Anoel clarified.
She immediately hid her chest from view while Elisia answered for her with an "ok" gesture, "One hundred percent authentic."
Ly took a sip from her drink before replying, "Interesting."
Anoel's gaze quickly switched back to Elisia with a flash of intrigue, "You've felt them?" She almost looked disappointed. Feeling left out like that.
"Pounced her in the locker room today out of curiosity. The results? Satisfying..."
"And you didn't invite me?" Anoel asked, looking genuinely hurt.
Ly cleared her throat, getting another smile out of Ano.
"Let's swap numbers and I'll let you know when I plan my next 'attack'."
"Honey, just announce it in class. It's not like it's a secret or anything where her true interests lie," Anoel's eyes slowly traced over to Inuba as a smile formed, "Everybody already knows."
"I… can't quite tell him yet…" Inuba replied meekly.
"Of course not," Anoel's smirk remained, her hand finding her way to her glass as she lifted it to drink, "But I can."
"P-please don't! I have no doubt you know why by now given your… ability…"
"It's quite easy to know why, honey," Anoel responded evenly, setting her glass back down.
"Just write it on your boobs and flash him, easy," Ly mischievously suggested.
"I-I can't do that! That's...!"
"Lewd?" Ly interjected, flashing the girl a toothy grin.
"She's worried they'll bounce too much and distract him," Anoel offered, "That's why I prefer your size, Ly."
"Trust me, that's already a thing. It's honestly adorable how hard he tries to look away," Elisia cut in.
"Does he snap his neck trying to face the other direction then?" Ly wondered.
"It's hard to miss when he's the only guy in the room looking elsewhere," Anoel added, "And trust me, you may have also turned a couple girls bi by strolling into this school."
"Alright alright, we've had our fun. Let's leave her be for now. Can we get two of what you're having?" Elisia asked.
"Speaking of which, I need a refill. Niro! Make yourself useful!" Ly called out, only for Niro to point down.
A new drink was already sitting in front of her.
"You said to keep it topped off," he commented idly, moving onto the other two drinks. They were in front of Inuba and Elisia just as quickly.
"Much appreciated," Ly responded, giving him a thumbs up.
"What sort of beverage is this?" Elisia asked.
Anoel stirred her glass as she glanced down into it, "Whiskey, bourbon, ice."
"A drink that makes you happy," Ly added, downing hers in one hit and watching amusedly as it refilled before her eyes.
Inuba watched the others for a few moments before she began slowly drinking her own in one go.
"That's the spirit!"
Anoel chortled at the raw sarcasm in Ly's voice, "Triple pun. That's horrible."
Ly nudged Ano's elbow with her own with a satisfied smirk on her face.
"Ah! That was good," Elisia's own glass sat empty, a pleasant sigh leaving her lips.
"Laugh all you want…" the kitsune replied with a hiccup afterwards, "It doesn't matter to me in the slightest."
The hiccup caught Anoel's attention, her gaze glancing over in question of something, "Are you a lightweight?"
"God, I hope so…" Ly commented.
"N-No...!" Inuba replied with another hiccup, a pout forming, "Most certainly not…"
Anoel hummed in response to that, "Well, while you're easing away from sobriety, might as well ask you a few questions. With Dante always on your mind, I take it you've never kissed anyone yet? Saving it for him?"
She nodded rapidly in response, swaying back and forth slightly.
"Are you ever afraid someone might steal your first kiss?" Anoel continued.
"Mmmmm… Yes...? I don't know…"
"But what if Dante steals it?" Ly questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"He can… steal it whenever he wishes to…"
"Do you think he'd stop anyone else who would try?" Anoel asked.
"Probably… I… don't really know what he thinks anymore…"
Anoel shook her head at that, "Trust me, you don't want to know. But there's really only one way to find out."
"H-how...?"
The phoenix sighed in response to that as she slid her way around the booth's interior, making her way over to Elisia's side before looking over her to Inuba, "If he's as fast as I think he is, I think he can stop me from kissing you. Right?"
"Wha...?"
Anoel's eyes glanced to the door for a moment before smirking, leaning over a happily grinning Elisia to get closer to the kitsune, "Best to not question the logic, just as long as it works."
The phoenix reached a hand over and lightly turned Inuba's face toward her own, the two of them only a few inches apart as Anoel smiled.
"I'm very good at stealing things… so don't be surprised if I can actually steal this," Ano commented, just before leaning forward with the very real intention of capturing Inuba's lips with her own.
That was until she was stopped by a hand moving in between their faces.
"Now just what might you be thinking of doing?" asked a familiar and completely expected voice.
He managed to cross the room rather quickly, she admitted.
Anoel's smile quickly grew as she leaned away, lightly tapping Inuba's cheek before bringing her hand back into her lap.
"The boyfriend's here. Oh sorry, I was a little late," Ly informed them, her voice ever so slightly tainted with covetousness.
"Mind explaining to me just what you were about to do?" Dante asked.
Ano glanced toward him with an innocent gaze, "Afraid she might've liked kissing a girl?"
"No… I'm more than sure she likely would've been mortified that she did something like that without remembering."
"Awe, comments like that hurt you know," Anoel pouted, moving back to sitting closely beside Ly and leaning against her, "And what if I actually kissed her?"
His eyes closed for a moment as a smile formed on his face, "Well…" he started as he leaned in closer to them, eyes opening to reveal they had changed, "I'd probably have to do something unpleasant."
Despite the air slowly getting colder from his darker eyes, Anoel gazed back with a widening smile, "Worked like a charm, then."
Before any other action was taken, everyone turned their heads toward a quiet chomping noise, hearing a silent wince from Dante as he glanced down.
Inuba had her lips clasped onto his arm as she gnawed on him, a muffled "don't be mean" slipping out from her biting and perked ears.
He just let out a sigh and sat down, helping Inuba scoot over as Elisia made them room in the booth.
'Still cuter.' Ano's scroll pinged again, her eyes glancing over to see Niro hard at work doing nothing behind the bar.
'You wanna get Kit drunk?' she asked in response.
'It'd be better than this.'
She followed his gesture and looked around, finding most of the bar's attention centered on their table.
She didn't mind that.
"Ouch! Alright!" Dante said as his eyes returned to normal, Inuba's teeth sinking in deeper, "I get it. If you're gonna keep doing that, can you at least take it easy?"
A muffled "sorry" slipped out now as she switched to playful nibbling, trying to apologize for biting too hard while her fox tail whipped about.
"I mean… biting can be pretty kinky. We've tried it. But, I don't see the appeal," Anoel commented, resting her head against Ly's shoulder now as she looked at the three across from her.
Beneath the table, she silently slipped her hand into Ly's grasp and squeezed it, glancing up with an apologetic gaze for the girl.
"You finally remembered I was sat here? How considerate," murmured the blonde as she took a sip from her bottomless drink.
Anoel felt a pang of genuine guilt as she leaned up and brought her lips close to Lylac's ear, making an almost inaudible response, "I can make up for it, if you'll let me."
"Depends on how busy you are," Ly responded in an even volume.
"I'll find a workaround in my schedule. Just for you," Anoel returned, "I can make it an all-day thing."
A small smile crossed Ly's lips, "Do you promise?"
Anoel hummed in affirmation as she lightly nipped the edge of Ly's ear, "Promise."
Elisia suddenly cleared her throat just ahead of them, "So… what brings you here handsome?" she said, looking Dante's way.
"I needed a drink, so I drove down here for one. Then I felt all of you clustered up in here, felt this one's aura signature spike a little…" he said nodding towards Inuba, "Then I saw you trying to kiss her. So… can I assume this was your harebrained scheme to bring her here?"
"Caught me red-handed officer. Wanna cuff me just for safety?" the rabbit faunus asked, her arms extending toward him with a rather sly smile.
"Not in the slightest. Why'd you come here with her?"
"Girls night out. Hence why it's us girls here only until you showed up."
"We're actually innocent in this mess," Anoel commented lightly, "She joined us."
"Right…" he said glancing over them all, now finally noticing the new face amongst them he'd never seen before, "Who are you again?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," Ly responded evenly.
"I always love to know," Anoel slipped in.
"Of course you do," Ly retorted, "but you know more than just my name…"
"True… I know your favorite position…" Anoel said with a smile.
"Okay," Dante said quickly interrupting, "I asked for a name, not how you get kinky with each other. Do us the honors? Please?"
"Very well, since you're the only one that's actually taken the time to ask that question, my name is Lylac."
Anoel leaned her head back against Ly's shoulder as she hugged the thief's arm with her own, "I like to call her Ly."
"Can I call her that?" Dante asked.
"No. She's mine." Anoel's hold only grew more protective at that.
"Alright. Keep her then. You said that as if I actually wanted her or something."
"I'm just being careful. It's hard not to want her," Ano responded earnestly, getting a blush out of the girl wrapped in her arms.
"In your case maybe. Either way, not interested."
They all heard a happy giggle from the kitsune at the table as she finally released her hold on Dante's arm, plopping her head into his lap to make herself comfortable.
A single tail flicked happily about in slow motions against the booth as she nuzzled her cheek into his leg.
"I swear… Sometimes I don't know which one of us is the actual devil…" Dante muttered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ly asked with a slightly defensive tone.
"Figure of speech in a sense. That, and it was part of a nickname I used to have."
"Nicknames aren't the same as titles, Dante," Anoel corrected.
"Yeah, well, it's not one I like too much. Or wanted for that matter. It's easy to make people afraid of you. It's a lot harder to make them smile when you're present. Personally, I'd prefer people smiling rather than running."
"Were you demonized or something? I don't know you, but I feel like that was the case," Ly spoke curiously.
"Well… Sort of if I think about it. Don't really know what people were afraid of most though. The person, or the power. Or maybe even both. Who knows?"
"There's a lot of things people are afraid of…" Anoel sighed quietly. She'd had her fair share of life living in direct relation to that, her life having been spent at Niro's side for almost its full entirety.
"Sorry, but I think people would be more likely to run from a Devil rather than a flaming bird."
Anoel couldn't help but breathe out softly and turn away, "I wasn't talking about me."
"Huntsmen are living proof that there's always someone stupid enough to take that devil on…" Ly stated.
Anoel's gaze tracked back to the hand she was holding, fingers lightly squeezing against her own as she looked to Ly.
Someone stupid enough, huh? There was… resentment, hidden in that.
Ly sighed before lightly grasping at her glass, swirling the glowing amber liquid around before slowly bringing it to her lips to take a sip.
But before the rim of the glass could touch her mouth she froze, her eyes suddenly widening as she dropped the glass.
"No…"
Fragments of glass scattered across the wooden floorboards underneath the table, its contents spilling in between the cracks as her fingers shook.
Slowly, her head turned to glance at a table across the room, her entire body beginning to tremble.
It was… the first time Anoel's felt an overwhelming surge of fear course through the girl at her side. Ly was a lot of things to her, but one thing she hated seeing in anyone she ever cared about…
Was fear.
She was terrified, and Anoel's gaze slowly tracked toward the table Ly's eyes turned to, ignoring the seeping liquid pooling across the tabletop in front of them.
A woman silently gazed back at them, sitting alone at the back of her own booth. The burning light of a cigarette illuminated her face for just a passing second.
And even from this distance, Anoel could see the traces of a small smile curling across the woman's face.
A bit of a chaotic chapter, a long one too, so hopefully you enjoyed the clash that happens when us three throw ourselves into a scene to lead up to a singular event.
The introduction of Ly and Ray's antagonist.
In any case, next chapter will cover the woman, and will also bring in some more interactions between Anoel and Niro. I want them to interact more directly.
Hopefully the scroll messages were a nice little touch to enforce their interactions a bit more.
I do have one thing to mention. Could you imagine how terrifying it would be to fight at the peak of your potential against someone controlling every tiny moment of the battle? *pets Kit* rest, kitsune. You deserve it.
Thoughts on the chapter?
Anyway, sorry for the long delay on the chapter. Been writing for Flame and haven't been too motivated to write due to the weightedness of college assignments/early midterms.
For now, Favorite and Follow.
I look forward to seeing REVIEWS for this. You'll be introduced to a LOT of concepts of mine. Feel free to give me your thoughts.
Cya XP