Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Should you really have come in to work today?” Rubi asked, her voice laced with concern, as she neared the register to find Zeki with his fur heavily disheveled and his nose looking far more moist than usual.

“Are ya trying to dictate how I run my day? I’m not an unweaned kitten and ya ain’t my Ma.” His voice rang out as if he had a nose plug.

Rubi wasn’t dissuaded by the sour demeanor and playfully responded back. “Thank Embra I’m not!” She giggled thinking about the logistics if that were to be true.

Zeki didn’t say anything, just pressed his lips together as if holding back on something.

Rubi pressed on timidly. She cleared her throat. “We’ll, I’m your pal,” her cheeks grew warm thinking on how Zeki called her that so often. “so it does stand to reason I’m a little worried. I care about you.”

Zeki made a sound that almost sounded like a hiss. Did she really have to say that when his shop was this busy? Maybe it wasn’t busy enough. A little more crowded and perhaps Rubi’s words could have been muffled out instead of heavily overheard. He felt some of his fur push against the rich fabric of his tunic as his embarrassment spread. He broke the feeling as best he could.

“I shouldn’t be surprised at your softness seeing as you are stuck with the incurable condition of being a hairless human.”

It wasn’t a kind statement but Rubi couldn’t help smiling in response, unable to hide her amusement at his cheekiness even while in his ill state. Zeki continued more callous now, “But for the sake of my malki heart, save that for a later time, will ya?”

Rubi blinked and her smile finally dropped as Zeki’s annoyance hit her.

“Oh. Of course.” Her voice lost its luster alongside the shift in atmosphere. She glanced around and found herself growing embarrassed as she felt the line behind her. It had always been there but suddenly it was as if she could feel every eye and breath boring into her back. And in front of her Zeki’s pupils suddenly looked extra sharp.

Rubi grabbed her paid for goods, a single piece of garlic, and sheepishly cast her eyes down. She couldn’t even find it in herself to give Zeki a farewell glance as she left the counter and finally, move out of the line. As the distance grew between them a slight twitch in Zeki’s one visible eyebrow and an almost indiscernible softening of his eye surfaced as he watched Rubi head towards the exit. He quickly swallowed any feeling of regret as he put on an optimistic mask for the next customer.

As Rubi neared the door Delaila appeared beside her.

“Dearie, don’t you worry your head over that. Ya know, It’s nothin personal. And Don’t think I hadn’t tried to convince him to wrap up his day and head home.”

“He should at least be conscious of getting others ill.” Rubi replied stiffly forgetting she wasn’t actually talking to him.

“It’s a Malki cold! Ya humans and Majiri have nothing to worry about.“ Zeki replied easily overhearing the conversation across the room.

Rubi turned back and narrowed her eyes at him.

Delaila put a hand on her shoulder and flipped her back around. “Maybe its best we chat outside. There will be no escaping those four ears in here.”

Rubi turned one last time to glance at him. The customer currently being attended pulled back slightly, not quite convinced that Zeki wasn’t contagious. Rubi hadn’t said a word to Zeki but somehow he quickly turned his gaze away from the customer knowing she was looking at him. A fleeting pleading in his eye met hers and she couldn’t keep her gaze hardened for long.

Ultimately she knew his business was far too important for a sick day, so Rubi followed Delaila outside. They moved out of the shop, onto the deck, and out of the entrance way.

“Ya chose a stubborn and blunt one didn’t ya.”

As Delaila’s words reached Rubi’s ears they, along with her cheeks, grew warm. She hoped her blush wouldn’t show through her brown skin.

“I’m not really sure I had a choice…err what do we mean by the word choice here anyway?” Rubi added nervously as she over thought her words. She continued rambling. “I-I know how committed he is to his business. It’s only natural for a friend to worry the way I do…isn’t it?”

Delaila grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a warm one armed embrace. “With matters of the heart we never really have a choice, do we? Ya don’t need to explain yourself my girl.” Rubi didn’t know what to say to that but instinctively reached over to one of the two bags of items Delaila had exited the shop with. Her small piece of garlic tucked away in her pocket, hardly gave her a reason not to be able to help.

Delaila continued, “Look I don’t know what your plans are with that one but…I may know of a recipe that may make him happier than a freshly brushed ormuu, especially right now. He tries not to show it but that Zeki is a sentimental one.” Rubi gently bit her lip trying to hide her smile, as she grew hopeful now.

“I definitely wouldn’t mind learning a new dish.” Rubi replied.

Delila grabbed the other half of her things.

“Reth says you’re quite the cook so you should have as much problem as Auni does when it comes to catching stink bugs with this recipe.” Delaila laughed.

Rubi smiled confidently now, as they both proceed off the shop steps and headed on the path towards Delaila’s family ranch.

Chapter Text

Besides being a human, Rubi was very different from any Grimalkin Zeki had ever crossed paths with. Right out of the void she was focused on getting to know the residents, settling and making a home for herself right here in Kilima. Any respectable Grimalkin in her shoes would work on getting the heck out of this one rifroc town if some mysterious portal spit them out here. One sniff of the place and you could tell you weren’t gonna get very far if you carried aspirations of the Grimalkin variety. Unless you were an especially clever Grimalkin…or one without a choice.

To add, Rubi could also be well..quite a rube sometimes. She was too trusting and it made her easy prey. Zeki knew she was easy pickings because he had used her gullibility to his advantage before. He felt no shame in it but he was surprised that as a human she wasn’t one for holding much of a grudge either. The human re-emergence was quite new so his experience with humans was limited but he knew a few of them could hold grudges! After experiencing a bit of a negative haggling experience with some of these re-emerged humans, they vowed to never return to his shop after requesting to speak with something called a manager. He wasn’t quite sure what that was but assumed it was a relic term.

Rubi insisted on being a soft and sensitive creature with him. Yet somehow, she could also spend all day laughing at his jabber. And he hated that the sound never felt forced either. She genuinely would listen to him when he was silly and the rare times when he…wasn’t. She was a little quiet but never stayed that way with him. As he lay in bed slowly waking, a smile tugged at his lips as he recalled the sound of her giggles the day before. His smile wore out as he recalled how he shut the sound down quickly. He had brushed her off a little more rudely than usual. He sighed. She knew he was busy though. Why did she have to get so mushy while he was on the clock? Why did she have to get like that at all? He hated to admit it even in the confines of his own mind but a part of him craved that about her. A part of him yearned for those moments when she treated him so tenderly. Zeki groaned. The nature of these morning thoughts already had his fur prickly. He wanted to hate them. But he didn’t want to actually put in the effort to reach that feeling.

He stretched and quickly filed those stinking soft thoughts somewhere he could hopefully forget about…someday.

He yawned. As he swallowed disappointment marred his brows as he felt the tightness in his throat still. The good news, today was the day he had the general store closed. He wouldn’t be caught hanging out at the Ormuus Horn today either. But he could not let business at the underground get hampered down. More good news however, was that he had at least half a sun cycle before he had to make his appearance down there. So he could just rest for now. As the stress of the oncoming day temporarily was pushed forward he allowed himself to melt back into his silk cushioned linens. The tension in his bones lifted and he was one exhale away from returning to a dream he could not recall. A soft tapping at the door suddenly had his ears twitch ever so slightly though. The sound was hardly noticeable to someone without the extra set of ears. Zeki couldn’t stop the involuntary but momentary bristling of his fur at the mild surprise. Oddly, no groan of annoyance came to his lips. There was a warmth planting itself inside him and at the same time a wave of dread washed over him. Ignoring the part of himself that felt an impending downfall to his name, he quickly lifted his head off its silk pillowcase. The room suddenly spun around him. He took a breath and slowed down. Answering the door late was better than not answering at all. Rubi wouldn’t hold it against him. Er…or whoever was at the door.

As he sat at the edge of his bed and collected himself he glanced at his fallen nightcap sitting on his pillow. It didn’t have any real use for him. Except for completing his, currently two piece, dark blue pajama set. Somewhere inside himself he once again faltered, so he reached for it. He stood up with it in his hands and walked over to the standing mirror by his room’s door. In an almost calculative manner he placed the night cap on his head once again.

“Zeki, you charmer.” His voice, still abnormally husky from the morning air, touted. He wouldn’t say he was handsome, at least not in this moment with disheveled fur and shadow cast under his eyes, but he could venture far enough to say someone might think he looked pretty cute.

He quickly combed out his whiskers and breathed into his hand. His pink nose gave a few twitches. He was positive that at least on one occasion he had left Rubi with the impression that she could reel in the trout heavy on his breath. Minnow's breath was not nearly half as bad.

The usual pep in his step, though lackluster these last few days, followed him out of his room and to his front door.

As he opened the door his face lit up.

“Oh, look who it is. I had a feeling it would be the walking starstone herself!”

“You are always on the nose.“ Rubi playfully replied.

“Well I got THE nose.”

Rubi giggled. A quiet moment followed as her expression slowly changed. Zeki braced himself as familiar lines of worry materialized on Rubi’s brow.

“It’s still wet. I mean wetter than normal.” Zeki refrained from slipping in a wisecrack. “How are you feeling compared to yesterday?”

“See I’m not one for getting self conscious about my looks but we all know I’m sick here, ya gonna be pointing out every little unkempt thing about me?”

“Your nightcap is on sideways but I think that was your attempt at a style choice so I won’t bring that up again.” Rubi smiled teasingly.

There was a sting at his chest and then the mental reprimand of, What was all that fiddling in front of the mirror for?

“I’ll make sure of it!” he replied as he hid all signs of hesitation. He pulled it off his head and tossed it past the open door behind himself. He would rather forget about all that effort he had put into thinking about the word cute.

Zeki turned back around to look at her, his ears dropping slightly giving himself a more sympathetic facade. His tone was not much softer than usual though.

“Back on the topic of yesterday, Ya know I was a bit of an asshole to ya.” he paused as his ears perked up again. “More than usual.” he added matter of factly.

Rubi shook her head dismissively in response. “You don’t need to call yourself that…I know you weren’t feeling good.”

“Doesn’t matter how I was feelin. I was out of line brushing you off like that. You shouldn’t be treated like that by your good old pal Zeki either way.”

He spoke in platonic terms but it meant so much to Rubi. Feeling wanted and feeling loved even if it wasn’t at the magnitude she dreamed of still felt amazing when you were someone who very abruptly appeared into this world.

“Oh…well, thank you.” Rubi smiled contentedly as her dark crimson eyes clung on to Zeki’s Emerald ones a little too sentimentally. Before Zeki could tell her to cut it out, Rubi shifted her torso to one side and lowered her shoulder as she removed the backpack she carried. It was cube shaped and had a reflective metallic sheen to it from the inside. She lowered herself on one knee and pulled out a hefty pot. She was carrying that the whole time? She stood back up with black pot in hand.

“Well I didn’t just bring myself. I wanted to stop by to give you this.”

The pot had a lid on it but Zeki could tell from the smell that there was something savory waiting for him within. Rubi uncovered the pot presenting it right under his chin.

“Ah! You made this for me??” Zeki’s eyes grew into a soft mess as he stared at the savory stew. A purple claw, striking against the orange thick broth of the gumbo, sent his stomach rumbling and his heart suddenly racing. This was not only his favorite dish but Rubi had used one of his favorite ingredients too. His heart continued to pound furiously. But not in a romantic way or nothing like that.

“Sorry I ,” Rubi bit her lip, suddenly embarrassed. “Actually I might have made a mistake.”

Rubi quickly fitted the lid back onto the gumbo pot and pulled it back towards her and away from Zeki. His ears dropped in disappointment.

“This is actually for someone else but I’ve got some lettuce soup in my pack for you!” She said trying to fix the situation as she set the pot down and began to fumble in her cube shaped backpack again.

“Huh?” Zeki raised a brow. “Look, hey don’t bother. Truth is I have never and will never dip my whiskers in that lettuce juice Reth passes off as soup at the Ormuu’s Horn.” Rubi giggled again and Zeki’s ears couldn’t help but tilt upwards in delight at the sound. His face remained stern however. “You gotta be kidding right?”

“Yes I’m joking with you.” Rubi quickly added as she returned to her previous confident tone. She handed the pot over to Zeki this time, smiling. Now she would have to pry it out of his orange grip if she pulled a stunt like that again. Zeki shook his head. “Pranks aren’t your forte huh? I knew you were kidding. Ya gotta work on your timing. Ya barely gave me time to sit with it. You are too soft”

“Too soft? Well I think you like it.” Rubi flashed him a small smile. The flirtatious manner of it was palpabale. Zeki softly growled at that, mildly annoyed but unable to verbally deny it. “You like it soft. But if you would prefer, I can get hard just for you?” He didn’t stifle the snort that escaped him as Rubi continued flashing him that same flirty smile dumbly unaware of how that sounded for a few moments.

Zeki was going to take full advantage of that.

“That’s what HE said.” He snickered as her cheeks suddenly burned with embarassment as he did nothing to suppress his chortling.

“I uh, didn’t mean- that didn’t come out the way I intended.” Rubi nervously laughed alongside him now as Zeki grabbed at his shaking belly.

“Ya gave me a laugh.” He wiped a tear. “That’s all that matters.” His tone had calmed now, no longer chuckling. It reassured Rubi and a bit of her embarrassment lifted away at how unbothered Zeki was.

“They do say laughter is the best medicine!” She added perking up again.

“And what do they say about company?” Zeki asked turning the tables and leaving Rubi stunned. He gave her a small mischievous smile before he stepped to the side and gave a motion with his head signaling her to get inside. Rubi shyly but eagerly returned the smile. She gingerly stepped forward.

Chapter Text

A wash of warmth embraced Rubi, not only from Zeki’s cozy living room but because of how casually he had invited her in.

He didn’t ask her but since he was walking around barefooted in his home she quickly slipped out of her ankle high boots. She decided she was most comfortable leaving her bright pink socks on rather than go the Zeki route however.

“Now don’t blame me if ya get sick.” He said as he meandered ahead of her to his kitchen.

“What happened to, “it’s just a Malki cold”?” Rubi neared the couch in his living room but didn’t take a seat. The back of rubis knees were nearly kissing the edge of the black sofa cushions. The hesitation was not from a fear of contracting his cold but instead it stemmed from some proper need to hold on just a bit longer for permission. She felt compelled to at least wait until Zeki returned and sat down first.

As he set the pot she had brought him on the kitchen counter he replied, “It still is but I may have stretched the truth a little on the part that humans and majiri can’t contract it.” He unexpectedly popped back into the living room. “It's a very slim probability but sometimes these kinds of risks just got to be taken when it comes to business, am I right?” Zeki emphasized, leaning his head toward her and sending Rubi plopping down onto the couch finally.

Permission Granted.

She was too focused on his words to allow herself to get flustered by his burst in proximity.

Instead, disagreement pressed Rubi’s lips together.

Zeki pulled back and sat in his chair beside the black sofa. The wooden arched top gave it a nice cozy feeling and he nestled in.

“Would one day off really have taken that much of a toll on your chance at fiscal freedom?” There was no real hope in asking. She knew he couldn’t be swayed to pause and let his body heal at its own pace. It was no good but the words had already been spilled.

“If I tie myself to the bed just cuz of a little cold, I’ll know nothing of freedom even as I grow old. Parents used to tell us to repeat that little phrase over and over when we felt like staying in bed because of some sniffles. To tell ya the truth it still kind of feels like I’m cheatin myself even though I’d normally be at the Ormuu’s Horn right about now.”

“What’s a little cheating to you anyways?” Rubi jabbed.

“Hmph, there is one person a Grimalkin should never cheat and that’s themselves. Come on Rubi I know they don’t make a class for this stuff but that’s 101.”

“Maybe it looks and even feels like cheating but it’s still within the rules. What about the long run? Have you ever thought about things outside 101?” She countered.

“It's just how it’s gotta be.”

It really didn’t have to be that way but Rubi understood. Memories were elusive things for Rubi. She had heard stories of some humans having stores of them. With many things within them not making the most sense. For her, there wasn’t much but there were sensations. Forgotten beliefs still echoed somewhere within her. Old trainings on how to be, whispered in her ear and she understood.

We grew up a certain way. We were compelled to be a certain way. Even if we didn’t want to actually follow the paths or teachings of our people most of us still did.

Zeki felt he didn’t deserve an extra break in times of illness. That’s just how he was raised. Whatever rest time he had allotted himself normally, was all he felt he should be afforded.

If Zeki felt that way she wouldn’t argue. What was the use in telling him he was wrong? Maybe Rubi was wrong? Perhaps she was actually being selfish by asking him to give up work time and stay home? It wouldn’t benefit him business wise obviously but she would be happy to visit him longer. Rubi would be the only benefitting party.
She would let it go and just enjoy her time with him now.

“And the Gumbo?” Rubi looked around searching for the goods. “Did I do a bad job?” She ventured.

“Doubt YA did! It’s just that our little chat here pulled me out of the kitchen. But I’ll be sure to give it a taste test sooner rather than later!” Zeki stretched his leg down. His furry toes quietly met the floor one by one. Before he could put his full weight down Rubi jumped in front of him, sending him back into his seat.

“Oh I can serve you!”

He curled his legs back into his sheltered chair looking a little startled.

“Relax pal, I ain’t royalty. I mean I wish I was then maybe I’d be a little closer to my fiscal freedom we were just talking about right?”

“We’ll for today we can pretend. Let me grab you that bowl alright? No need for your little bare toes to touch the cold ground.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that last bit. But fine if you insist on grabbing my bowl for me ya better grab yourself a bowl too. That stuff is the bestest when ya eat it hot off the stove.”

Rubi just nodded.

Right before she entered the kitchen she spotted his nightcap he had tossed into the room earlier. The fabric of the hat sat flat and sad on the ground.

Zeki noticed her noticing it.

“Oh don’t worry about that, I'll grab it later…”

She bent down to pick it up anyway Ignoring him.

Zeki couldn’t help gawk for a single moment.

Her clothes were not particularly form fitting but her hips and rump were ample against the blue fabric of her pants. Especially as she bent down.

Yup. He had definitely been in Kilima for too long.

He quickly looked away but still felt the need to try to focus on something new.

He didn’t have to try hard however.

The murmured swing of a cabinet opening followed by a halted low thud as it shut caught his attention. Another murmured swing proceeded but this time when it shut closed it was a little sharper. He didn’t have to turn around to see her in his mind's eyes, her hands still pressed onto the cabinet door, eyes positioned in his direction as if waiting to be scolded for the loud noise. Her pause eventually subsided and the low murmur of a cabinet swinging open began once again.

Before she could shut the third attempt, Zeki’s voice swooped in.

“By the way, the bowls are in the lower cabinet furthest to the left and the drawer to the side hoards the silverware.” He released a small chuckle as he settled further in his seat.

He stole his eyes shut while Rubi continued in the kitchen.

Just before he could reach some blank serenity his nose wrinkled. A small grin followed. Clearly it had a good smell. It had a delicious smell.

And it quickly entered the living room and got him to stir. Green eyes quickly reopened just before Rubi could return and see they had been shut.

They opened just in time to see her gently placing his bowl down on the coffee table. It was a deep bowl filled to the brim with gumbo. Purple pieces of crab meat were beautifully strewn across the sea of stew. And in the North east reaches of that sea a modestly sized island of jasmine rice rose from the depths. It was a glorious sight and Zeki couldn’t wait to set sail.

“You know I won’t hold back and I’ll tell ya if this is ormuu dookie right?” Rubi just laughed and brought her own bowl closer to her mouth getting ready for the first spoonful.

Zeki wasn’t far behind now as he grabbed a big spoonful of equal consistency rice , sauce and crab meat not at all worried about burning himself. He dropped it in his mouth.

There was barely any chewing and swallowing came quickly. Despite that Rubi had glanced over just in time to notice Zek’s lips pulled up slightly in the corners just before the stew in his mouth disappeared.

“Ah now this will get me back to my old self in no time. I, uh, really appreciate ya making this for me…it must have taken some time of yours right?”

“I don’t mind putting time in for my friends.”

“And I don’t mind telling my friends the truth so here it is. It’s not like ma used to make.”

Rubi couldn’t keep her face from dropping.

“but don’t get your tail all in a knot…I kind of like that it’s not like my Ma’s.”

“Really?” Rubis disappointment lifted a little.

“Oh yeah! Its a little warmer, a litter tangier, a little more… Rubi.” Zeki’s voice had softened on her name.

Rubi had caught it and she couldn’t help playing coy. “A little more me?”

Zeki brushed it off quickly but not rudely today.

“Uh nothing nothing just it’s good. I ain’t lying. My point is that Delaila thought it was fine to share it with ya and I don’t disagree!”

Rubi’s cheeks grew warm as the feeling of some secret reaching the surface spilled over.

“I know the idea for Crab Gumbo didn’t just crash down from space and hit your head. I thought Delaila and I could collaborate a little and expand each other’s menu items during a future maji market. Either way she is someone I trust with a family recipe like that.”

“I’m glad you find me worthy of something precious like that too.” Rubi giggled, finally accepting Zeki’s meal rating and compliment.

Zeki could have easily told her to can it. But he found a gentler manner wouldn’t hurt.

“Eh please keep words like that within walls like this alright?”

“I will!” Rubi smiled giddily as she drew up another spoonful.

A quiet entered the room. A pleasant silence wrapped around the two as they filled their yearning bellies with the comfort of gumbo. Until, Rubi eventually broke the silence as she absent mindedly thought of Zeki things.

“You know, I’d like to meet your Mom.” As soon as she stated it she recoiled, quickly shoving a spoon of gumbo in her mouth. She had been too careless.

“HA!” Zeki let out as he suddenly released a quick round of chuckles. “You're gonna have to get in line for that. That line is longer than the secret letters Eshe writes to the duchess on the cusp of sunrise after a record breaking summer day.”

Rubi couldn’t help snort in laughter at that.

She once again was relieved to find Zeki hadn’t taken her for being forward. Sometimes she could forget grimalkin cultural norms because most majiri (and she supposed humans included) were closely bound to their families. If by some luck a relationship was in their future…meeting parents wasn’t part of that equation.

“But by any chance ya do get to meet my ma do remember not to buy anything offa her alright. Unless ya really want something for an unfair price just for the sake of getting to say you met her.”

“Noted.” Rubi smiled.

Chapter Text

Empty bowls were strewn on the coffee table. Goodbye felt like it was arriving too soon. There had to be a way to prolong the inevitable and avoid farewell. Every passing second seemed to make Rubi’s skin itch with apprehension.

Zeki had brightened up significantly since Rubi first saw him at the door but the warmth from the food and the company couldn’t last forever.

When Rubi finally stood up, eyeing the bowls on the coffee table, Zeki, alarmed, jumped off the sofa as well. He noticed her gaze and quickly reached for the empty bowls before she had a chance to even extend an arm.

“Take a seat will ya?” he blurted out.

Rubi sighed, her plan tarnished. Goodbye was fast approaching.

“You shouldn’t be moving so abruptly, Zeki.”

“Whaddaya talking about?” Zeki said as he stacked the bowls together. “Look at me! I think this stuff right here is what I needed. Thanks to you, I didn’t need to reach out to Tamala and risk any more dangerous side effects from her concoctions.” He shuddered so hard that Rubi noticed his tail puff up.

“I don’t know…I think you could rock the purple fur look.” Rubi poked as she recalled the time he had tried some of Tamala’s beauty cream.

“Eh I should've never let that slip…” Zeki grumbled as all four ears plastered flat against his head.

Rubi sat down as Zeki had already beat her to pick up their dishes.

He quickly took them to the kitchen sink eager to return to her.

Rubi still didn’t feel like she had found a viable and casual solution to stretch the time they had together. Her benevolent phoenix was on her side however. Zeki had already thought of a plan to keep her a bit longer…

When he returned he wrapped around the couch and leaned over it beside her. For once Rubi had to look up at him.

“Hey I got an idea.” His voice was almost sultry. It caught Rubi by surprise but she was confident at the moment and she was able to keep herself from falling into a shy mess. She met his emerald gaze and even gave him a soft smile, eager to hear what he had to say. He pulled away from the couch slowly walking backwards towards the room divider at the back of the living room. He lifted his index finger, “just give me uh second.” The tone sounded heavy with flirtation. To top it off, he gave her a confident, alluring gaze and Rubi didn’t realize how potent that could be when he wasn’t wearing his loupe goggle. Those walls of confidence fell. She was about to say his name, questions brewing, as she was left completely befuddled. Heart rate had risen but she kept her head as level as possible because she wanted answers to this sudden and blatant toying. But before she could interrogate him, he quickly disappeared behind the divider.

Rubi heard a bit of shuffling. By the time he had reappeared she had managed to get her head to stop spinning. There were two hand held devices in Zeki’s grip.

“Since ya happen to be here why don’t we try out my work in progress double player mode for heavy metal chappa?”

His tone had relaxed again. The seductive air to his voice had lifted. Despite Rubi composing herself, it was still quite jarring.

Rubi had been playful with him. Yes, flirty, call it what it was but what he had done was different. That was potent. Did he even mean any of that? Rubi had never asked him about his past love life. He was the kind of person that would probably only tell ya if it had resulted in a funny story that he could add to his lifelong compilation of “life’s funny that way” stories. Was she just something to toy with while he was marooned here? The idea stung a little bit but she wouldn’t put it past him.

He curved around towards her and she couldn’t help but tap the empty spot beside her with the palm of her hand despite the flurry of commotion in her head. Zeki plopped down on that spot.

“So the game is a little different for two player mode. The screen doesn’t automatically move. Our characters can move at their own pace but there are more enemies. Its a work in progress.”

There was a pause as Rubi ruminated on his words.

“The datapads are synced so all ya gotta do is select two player mode. So whaddaya say?” Zeki offered the spare datapad to Rubi. She let him hover it over her lap for a moment. Fully collecting herself she proceeded to push all her previous bewilderment away.

Rubi grabbed the tablet.

“I can’t think of anything better than you, me and heavy metal chappa.”

Zeki smiled in satisfaction.

“That’s music to these ears pal!”

Golden tooth gleamed as Zeki laughed. He laughed often. It was not an elusive sound but it usually burned the ears of those it was directed to. There was no one taking the brunt of the joke here. Rubi and Zeki both laughed.

Alongside the pair’s laughter, passionate outbursts to each other, to the screen, to no one in particular rang out all through Zeki’s living room.

“Ya gotta cover my tail!”

The demand was met with the fast repetitive tapping of Zeki’s thumbs on the glass screen.

“I’m doing my best so your fluffy little tail doesn’t get fried by those robots but you're going to join me in hairlessness if you don’t tap faster!”

Zeki chuckled then shrugged.

“Eh, I've been there once before.”

“We’ll for my sake, let’s try not to get you back to that point.”

“Fair enough.”

The density of enemies began to wither again and they both sighed in relief.

“That was the swarming I mentioned earlier by the way. Its a bit of challenge aint it?” Zeki added with an accomplished smile.

He looked so cute in Rubis eyes when he grinned proudly, she had to bite her lip to hide her smile at seeing it.

Before Zeki could notice her ogling him, she pulled her eyes away and back on the screen.

There were still no enemies and that felt strange.

“So ya liking th-“

She normally wasn’t one to interrupt but Rubi was absorbed.

“Wait.” She put a hand up to halt him as if they were actually proceeding through the wearisome corridor in the game.

“Stay alert Zeki.”

Zeki didn’t stay alert though. He was too distracted by her mannerisms. He wanted to see her surprise at what came next.

Rubi stayed quiet until the screen turned a red hue.

She couldn’t help yelp in surprise.

Zeki cackled.

“This is it pal!”

“Wait what?!”

“Yup, It’s time to shine and show me your true colors starstone.”

A huge robot entered the screen

“You can’t leave me now?!”

“Ya got this! Ya gotta at least try before ya give up right?”

Rubi hesitated to agree and looked at her screen just in time to see the boss one shot her virtual chapaa.

“Well, that’s why ya have more than one life right.”

They both laughed.

Rubi decided she would try to defeat the boss Zeki had created for the game. So she buckled in.

Her grip on the datapad grew fierce and her brows became furrowed. She couldn’t help the sudden determination she felt and her tongue poked out slightly at the corner of her mouth as a result.

“Hey ya startin to get the hang of it!”

Zeki couldn’t help leaning over, almost brushing against her, as he became absorbed at the newbie gamer's durability.

“Yeah! Keep dodging by jumping quickly and keep your distance.” Zeki encourage.

Rubi stayed focused but the pattern of fighting began to drag on. She wished she could just make quick work of the boss. Quickly she looked around the screen to see if there was anything else she could interact with. There was a metal box. In the original Heavy Metal Chapaa you had to leap over them or lose the game if you touched them. Many things were different in the sequel however.

“Whatttaya doing?”

“Just trying something.”

Rubis' little chapaa quickly jumped on top of the metal box near the boss. It gave enough height that she could hypothetically hop on top of the boss. She had no reason not to test it. Her little chapaa hopped on to the giant robot and started blasting from above.

“It’s working! I thought I might be able to do more damage from above and it does work!”

Zeki couldn’t scrub away the dumbfounded look in his face, at least not for a moment. He hadn’t really meant for the boss to be destroyed that way and it was surprising Rubi had found a loophole.

“I guess I gotta make a harder mode for the annihilator over here.”

Rubi giggled as the Robot finally exploded into various metallic bits on the screen.

Zeki had pulled out of the game for a while now. High scores idly glowed across his screen.

“Why don’t we play single player mode and see who gets a higher score just for a change of pace?”

“Can’t handle the heat?” Rubi’s eyes were still glued to her screen waiting to see what came next.

“What? That's nothin. I was plannin to increase the difficulty anyway,”

“Yeah okay I’ll humor you, if you feel like the gameplay is a little tough.

Zeki tilted his head slightly a bit in awe at her responses. They measured a little bold from what he was used to hearing out of her. Eyes narrowed contemplatively for a moment.

“Alright okay, I see what’s going on here. You are a pro. There, ya heard it.” He shook his head a bit and turned back to the screen. “I know that's what you wanted to hear, So there ya got it outta me.”

A smug smile just for Zeki appeared on Rubis lips.

They had drawn closer, completely unaware.
A slight brush here and a slight brush there until it felt deliberate. And Rubi couldn’t help glance in his direction. The back of his hand still connected to Rubi's. He never once glanced at her but he had to have felt it. Their connection.

Zeki’s throat grew tighter but not from his cold. The air grew unbearably warm. He wished he could jump out of his fur at how uncomfortable it became. He was letting stupid emotions swoop in and control him. He had to figure out how to get back to steering the proverbial ship.

It was so easy in his youth. Talking to anyone that drew his attention. But that was the thing Rubi didn’t draw his attention in the way that others had done for him in the past. His chest grew warm at the thought and sight of her. With any past endeavors those feelings came later if they came at all. They never lasted long. It was always a conquest for him. He was sure his partners in the past had seen it that way as well. He would never imagine he would be shaking in his boots at the prospect of holding hands. The idea of it danced in his mind and it left him breathless without using a single muscle.

He could still feel Rubis eyes on him but he couldn’t look at her. There would be a softness in his eyes, one that he would not be able to explain away, if he turned his gaze at her now. It was enough touching her like this. Anything more than the pressing of the back of their hands would compromise their gameplay anyway. If she wanted to pull away she could do so. Instead She eventually turned her gaze back to her screen leaving her hand where it was. A pleasant surprise.

Zeki still couldn't help and wonder if some of that shyness that he felt chewing away at him from the inside could be seen scattered across her eyes and cheeks. He could only hope that the tender creature inside of him would eventually leave his system. The idea of touching her would be set free and perhaps he could move on.

It would not be easy because the feeling was intoxicating. When she would finally decide to depart, the warmth she caused him would still linger. For now he would relish the light brushing of skin and fur.

Rubi had become so invested in the original Heavy Metal Chapaa that she hadn’t noticed Zeki wasn’t participating anymore. The news arrived to her when she felt his head softly thud against her bare shoulder.

That Zeki looked younger as he dozed on Rubi’s shoulder wasn’t a surprise. That could be said of mostly everyone. There was usually a peace and innocence that fell upon people’s faces while they slept. Again not always, but it was fairly common.

What was strange to her was just how different he looked. He could pass off as a completely different Grimalkin. One that she had never met before. If he opened his eyes now and spoke she would be shocked if it had the same timbre from just moments ago.

She could not help feeling bad. She wouldn’t mind staying here as long as it took for him to wake. A desire to cuddle and hug him as he slept nibbled away at her soft edges. she could never but the embarrassment from just the thought still came to her. If he woke in this moment to find himself collapsed onto her like this the utter distress it would cause him would be immeasurable. So she grabbed a neighboring pillow and slid it beside her and summoned the strength to gently peel him away from her shoulder. The side of Zeki’s head slowly slid down the side of her arm until it softly plopped onto the sofa pillow.

She scanned the room for something to cover him with. Zeki wasn’t the one to have blankets lying around. Perhaps he didn’t actually need one with all that fur but the desire to cover him couldn't be shaken. She did notice his bedroom door was ajar.

She withheld just for a moment but remembered how casually Zeki allowed her to move around his home. It would feel worse to her to walk out of his house leaving him almost abandoned on the couch. At least laying a blanket over him would feel like a physical representation of a warm goodbye. As warm as a goodbye could be.

A quick little venture to his room should do the trick. She had been there before when he had revealed the duplicator to her. She was pleasantly surprised to see an extra blanket folded by the pillows. Easy. She didn’t have to do any digging. As she reached the bedside she heard a slight crunch. She felt the reason behind the sound under her pink socks too. Glancing down, it was an open letter. Luckily Rubi hadn’t torn it by stepping on it. She picked it up and couldn’t help notice it was a letter. All she wanted to do was set it down on the nightstand but she glanced at it just for a moment. That moment trickled into a few seconds. Those few seconds unfortunately became enough time to read the whole thing.

It had read;

Hey Zeki, my man, finally I get a response outta ya. Glad Kilima hasn’t killed ya with boredom yet. We both ain’t getting any younger. I'm glad ya realize that now. It wouldn’t hurt to try to get back into the swing of things like the old days. I’d love to talk about it over sushi. I don’t mind stopping into Kilima and giving the folks a little show to liven up the place neither.

Yours anyway you slice it,
Zyla

The heart, that thing within your rib cage that keeps you going, can’t actually sink into your stomach. But what else could have happened to it? It was not in Rubis rib cage. It was lost deep in the abyss of her gut. It weighed her down and kept her frozen. The shock of the words written and now read by her eyes and mind chained her in place. She wanted to think, to make sense of the lines that spoke in a way that implied a history between Zeki and this Zyla. But she also just wanted her brain to stop that process and pretend that Zyla’s words had never met paper.

No. What she wished most of all was for Zeki to have never begun a correspondence of this nature with the traveling bard.

He didn’t owe her an explanation. This was a private letter that he probably hadn’t realized had fallen here. But boy did it feel like a slap on her face to find out in this way. Again he didn’t owe her anything. She was the one storming into his room to begin with. As hard as the sting felt, maybe she was wrong to think the blow would have been softer hearing the words spill out of him rather than seeing them inked on paper.

Rubi placed the paper back down on the floor. She would rather it be where she found it to avoid any inkling that she had seen it. She quickly grabbed the blanket she had found and carefully stepped out of his room. Unfolding the blanket she placed it over his body. He stirred a bit and clung onto the blanket suddenly. Rubi feared he might wake but all he did was curl in a little tighter. She wanted to give him a reassuring stroke but she hesitated.

A dirty feeling came over her. She couldn’t shake it off. A sudden wave of alienation swamped her. She couldn’t help feeling like she didn’t belong here despite how welcoming Zeki had been.

So, Rubi let him be.

“Bye Zeki.”

The words drifted towards his ears but the dream in his mind kept them from entering.

Chapter Text

A half dressed Zeki stood over an aged but sturdy dresser. The surface of it had a few scratch marks. He could recognize the pattern left by his nails but he was sure some other grimalkins had scuffed it in passing. He reached for his copper rings, which he had removed the night before, and thoughtfully slid them on his heavy fingers. He was slimmer around the waist but the weight on his bones gave the illusion of a heavier build. A satisfied smile greeted the young Tom in the mirror as he curled and uncurled his fingers trying to get conditioned to the feeling of having the rings on again.

The sudden sound of someone shifting behind him gave his ears a quick short bounce. It was the unmistakable sliding of sheets against sheets as his conquest from the night before rustled awake.

“Ya don’t have to leave ya know.” Zeki’s voice broke out.

“That was hardly my intention, fish cakes.”

He turned away from himself finally to find Zyla, that was her name right, shining her large hypnotizing yellow orbs at him. He couldn’t help leap towards her, still infatuated and glowing from the previous night.

Zyla squealed in delight at the attention.

Orange hands tried to bury themselves in her black velvety fur but the shortness of it didn’t offer any shelter. With his grip on her, Zeki pulled her closer to him in the bed. He nestled his chin in the crook of her neck and she giggled as he nibbled the area. Lifting his head up slightly he couldn’t help giving her a lick on the orange little smudge of fur on her cheek.

In the safe confines of the underbelly of the golden catfish, he allowed himself to be soft. Plus they had just had rough sex, so really it just balanced out.

All that astrology hooey meant nothing for the most part, but maybe there was something to it? His birthstone was the citrine and that gals eyes shone with the most charming yellow hue he had ever seen. Maybe there was something to the signs in the stars? He felt something deeper than the squirrely piquant itch that pestered him often at this age. If not deeper, at least different than simple urges.

“So where’s the party gonna be tonight?” He asked playfully.

“You don’t have plans of your own?”

“Thats not what I said bu if you don’t happen to have any, I just thought I could help my girl out?”

Zyla’s face crumpled up in disgust for a fleeting moment. It was enough time for the green eyes beside her to catch a glimpse.

“I just thought I could help A gal out. Got my tongue twisted there didn’t I.” he chuckled trying to brush the previous words away.

Zyla pulled away then. Zeki didn’t show any resistance. He couldn’t. Not after faltering that hard the morning after. Of all times to flounder with a lover, it had to be this most crucial point!

She put her feet down and sat herself up at the edge of his bed.

She ran her nails, like a comb, over the short fur of her head, giving herself a nice little massage at the same time.

“I got a little job I’m trying to make out in Inyrevn. If you're heading that way I wouldn’t mind the lift and,” she looked over her shoulder at him seductively, “company?”

Zeki’s ears wanted to pull up in excitement at the prospect of Zyla the traveling Bard touring to Inyrevn along with him on his ship. They also wanted to pull down in dismay at the thought of the swaths of humidity at every corner. Lucky for Zeki, it canceled out and his ears didn’t move giving him the cool facade he wanted. The isles of Inyrevn had the most amazing food! But it was as if the Chimera had decided it would be the best prank in the world to make most Grimalkin the long furry coat variety and then place the best seafood on the planet where they would find it most intolerable. Maybe the best seafood on homeworld isn’t out of reach like it is here though? Maybe it was just the luck of the draw being born on Palia.

He wasn’t necessarily a fan of Zyla’s. He had not even heard of her until last night but there was something just so mesmerizing about her.

He really needed to dial down the clinginess though. There would be some risk with his next choice of words but all great wins come with great risks.

“Well, we will be doing a stop at the Elderwoods first. But some of those cats on deck get up to acting like scaredy kittens. I’m sure just the idea of all those fine dishes in Inyrevn would lift their spirits and provide some motivation.”

Zyla raised a brow, curious and a little in awe at the mention of the mysterious and high fabled forest.

“Elderwoods huh? What big game are you trafficking Mr. Big Stuff?”

Zeki crossed his arms behind his head and settled into the bed more, quite satisfied with the prize he had just hooked.

“Why dontcha stick around if ya want to find out.”

Zyla was met with a perfectly white smile.

Zeki awoke with a start. The rise and fall of his chest ran abnormally fast. It was the kind of rude awakening your body did when your mind came to the conclusion that ya hadn’t really meant to fall asleep had ya, pal?

It gave him enough distraction to not think too deeply of the sweet gesture Rubi had pulled by finding a stray blanket to cover him with. Despite trying to keep his flurry of thoughts all business he knew the day had been special enough that the memory of it would be stored somewhere safe despite his ego’s attempt at denial.

Either way he awoke just in time to quickly get dressed in the usuals to make his appearance down under.

He rushed over to the store keys in hand to unlock it since it was after hours and hadn’t been open all day anyway.

As he made his way down the stairs, for once he wasn’t bombarded by a sleuth of humans trying to strike a bargain on some of his inventory for the night. He could thank Reth for scrounging up the hot pot tables and getting the humans readdicted to the dang things. Whatever got the coin flowing again and the volume up in this place.

He made his way to the main floor past the sales area and paused there taking it all in. He couldn’t help sigh with pleasure. He gripped the lapels of his coat and straightened himself out as he often did. It felt good to be free of that foggy mess of a cold. He knew tomorrow he would be in perfect condition.

Talking about perfect condition, he couldn’t help notice a familiar backside poking out erratically as the rest of the body it was connected to fidgeted in front of a heavy metal chaapa arcade. They had just spent the day together but he couldn’t find anything better to distract himself with. The urge to go to her couldn’t be beat.

Despite being super engrossed in the new round of HMC, Rubi didn’t even flinch in surprise as Zeki’s whiskers poked into her peripheral vision and onto the edge of her arcade screen.

She was pretty positive it was Zeki based on the whiskers. There weren’t many whiskered fellows around these parts. At least at this time. The voice breaking into her focus was a sure fire confirmation.

“Don’t forget to blast them to get those extra points.”

Rubi tapped away but glanced at Zeki unamused and uneager to hear the chatter that would undoubtedly follow.

“No no, ya gotta jump first, Rubi.”

“I know how to do it.” she muttered.

“Doesn’t look like it too much.” Zeki prodded

“I’m trying!” Rubi yelped out frustrated.

“That’s trying?!”

Rubi gritted her teeth.

“I ain’t gonna hold your hand.” Zeki continued teasingly.

But you really wanted to earlier didn’t you?

Rubi kept that thought to herself.

“I never asked you to "pal "!" She let out in a tone that didn’t carry any of the playfulness that Zeki’s did.

There was a slight pause and Rubi momentarily came to her senses worried that she was being a little harsh.

“Hey now, are we getting a little broiled there Starstone?” The unscathed Zeki jabbed with a heavy smirk drawn across his face. He didn’t show it but there was some concern to his question. This behavior was unusual for her.

“No no of course not.” Rubi became suddenly aware of the furrows in her brows. They quickly faded and her forehead grew smooth once more. She wished the frustration she still felt internally could dissipate just as easily.

Releasing her grip from the joy stick of the arcade machine she stepped backwards, immersing herself back into the overall hum of the underground.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Rubi said a little coarsely still, despite having adjusted her demeanor. It would need a little more calibrating yet.

“Woah ho oh” Zeki erupted in a belly laugh. Her eyes glazed over in irritation from the sound.
Vanquishing the reactivity that boiled over from her emotional frustrations at the moment wasn’t easy. Zeki continued however, “I kind of run the place missy.”

She knew if she didn’t want to see Zeki she probably shouldn’t have gone to the underground but she thought for reasons made clear earlier he wouldn’t show.

Chapter Text

“The poor dear. But you have to know most Grimalkin are emotionally constipated.”

Rubi’s laughter could barely be decipherable behind the tears and small cries. There was a slight ache in the guilt for laughing but Delaila’s statement did feel like a verified fact at times.

Delaila rubbed Rubi’s back as they sat on the sofa of the Daiya family’s living room.

“I’ll make you some sweet leaf tea and you can tell me all the more I know there is to say.”

Rubi just nodded as Delaila picked herself off the couch.

She had her face in her palms and proceeded to drag her fingers down stretching her skin with it.

Rubi couldn’t help notice how still the house suddenly felt as she sat alone. The warmth that had wrapped itself around her had clinged onto Delaila and left the room also. The quiet left Rubi questioning whether Delaila had actually vanished from the house completely instead of putting together the tea she had promised.

“Would you like some extra sugar in yours?”

The question was loud and launched its way from the kitchen to the living room, erasing the notion that Delaila had forgotten her emotionally distraught guest.

“No, thank you.” Rubis' voice came out gravelly from the run of tears she had just passed.

She grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and tried to eliminate some of the problem. A slight creaking came as she blew hard. She stopped, ears perked in curiosity. Before she continued she gave some time for the sound to start once more. It never came.

She continued blowing her nose. The stillness in the living room remained. Something eerie about it poked at her. Naoi was most likely out with Kenyatta. Badruu was normally in the man cave/barn at this hour. Young Auni was most likely in his treehouse because Rubi too, couldn’t imagine being on the cusp of teenagehood and sharing a bedroom with a young adult sibling. But hey, the family was close. Evidently that came with the need for a lot of space in between. She lived alone so she was used to getting plenty of space and personal time. It was plenty of time to consider where her own family may have found themselves. Did they perchance awaken in a different nation than she had? Or were they still in the void? Did they happen to make it to the void? What if she had never actually had a family before the events that led her into the void? These thoughts and the discomfort from the sudden “abandonment” sent her racing to the kitchen.

She bid her time at the doorway as Delaila stood by the stove waiting for the water containing the sweet leaf to boil.

“It’s gettin a little warm here isn’t it?”

“I don’t mind if you want to pop the door open. All this crying has me flushed.” Rubi gave an embarrassed smile.

“Sometimes we need to get a few good tears out of us. Better to let it out. Don't be embarrassed. I’m glad you came to me.” Delaila assured.

Rubi smiled tenderly and looked down trying to hide the extra tears that were beginning to well up.

“And I am so very grateful to you but please don’t make me cry more from such kind words.”

A sudden furious bubbling of water beat Delaila to reply.

“Alright we can focus on drinkin up this tea instead of dwellin on tears.” Delaila reassured Rubi.

She reached upwards to a nearby shelf to pull down two mugs. One was a chappa faced mug that was popular around town while the other looked handmade…by a child.

The kiln had frozen tiny fingerprints across the mug's ceramic. Evidence of the mugs' little creator. It varied in thickness across the cup and handle. The final touches had been a thorough paint brushing with a light spring green, a crudely drawn raspberry beetle on the side, along with some sloppily written out runes. From what Rubi could make out, they spelled Mama.

Next Delaila grabbed a small strainer to put over the mugs as she poured the hot tea. She handed the chappa one to Rubi.

Delaila’s warmth returned to Rubis' side as they made their way back to the living room.

“I’ll go ahead and pop open that door for us.” Rubi said as she set her mug down just before making her way to the front door.

“The cool breeze of an autumn night will make the tea perfect.’

Rubi nodded in agreement.

As she swung the door open Rubi jumped backwards as a sharp yelp ripped itself from her lungs. Thank the Phoenix she had not been holding her hot mug.

She was faced with a big cheesy grin as Auni stood on the porch right in front of her.

From behind her Delaila only grumbled at her son.

“Auni! Don’t be scaring Rubi with your little antics. Get inside already!”

“Sorry.” The sound was forced as Auni stifled a laugh.

Now that the initial fright had subsided Rubi couldn’t help but playfully reassure Auni she wasn’t as irked as his mom.

Rubi almost whispered.

“I would have laughed too. I admit you got me good, ya little goof.” She couldn’t help herself from booping his nose. She wouldn’t dare ever do that to Najuma but she could tell Auni actually liked being treated like a child…at times. He was not a teenager yet.

“Rubi did I tell you I saw a fire breathing dragonfly yesterday? I almost caught it until I remembered that my mom doesn’t want me to bring them in the house anymore. Then I almost let it go when I remembered that I have my own treehouse. Then! I almost caught it again but I ran out of bug bombs. And I know I was just one bug bomb short too!” Auni did not sound a lick out of breath.

“That's exciting! Why don’t I help you catch that elusive little bugger sometime?”

As Auni pondered that. Rubi glanced up at Delaila to find an annoyed expression drawn across her face.

“Or, or,” Rubi quickly tried to redirect as she eyed Delaila’s mug just before returning to Auni. “Why don’t we up the challenge and combine forces to catch a raspberry beetle.”

“Too close to home…What about a spotted mantis over by Maji's Hollow? I would say something found in Bahari Bay but I know my mom basically grounded me from going over there.”

“Let's go with the spotted mantis then.”

Delaia interrupted their not so secret planning.

“Perhaps mom might be alright with Auni going to Bahari Bay if he went with Rubi. But maybe Auni can continue discussing that tomorrow.”

“Fine I’ll go up to my room and leave Rubi alone until later! Can’t wait for bug catching with you Rubi!”

“Bye Auni.”

The words trailed far behind him as he suddenly rushed up the stairs.

“Hopefully he wasn’t rushing up to leave any surprises for Naio.”

Delaila beckoned Rubi to return to her spot on the couch..

“Come and start drinking your tea before it gets too cold.”

Rubi sank into the sofa again. She pulled the mug towards herself and clasped it with both hands. The ceramic warmed them. Neither spoke for a moment. Rubi drew the mug upwards toward her lips and drank from it gingerly. The little distraction with Auni had made the tea just warm enough not to burn her tongue. Perfect.

“That letter wasn’t very clear at all.” Delaila seemed confident about it despite only having heard what Rubi had told her. She took a bigger sip of her tea.

“Zyla called him her man though.”

“Perhaps she was just hyping him up?”

“The tone of writing was odd though. He is expecting her. And I just…don’t want to cause any trouble. Not that there is anything happening between Zeki and I.”

“At the moment?” Delaila ventured

“It's true I had hoped something would come of our visits and conversations.”

“Hoped? Why the past tense? Plus, I don’t see any trouble, especially since this imaginary suitor is nowhere in sight.”

“Well either way I think this confirms that he doesn’t feel the way I would like him to feel.”

“You know very well that doesn’t confirm anything. You’ve been here almost a year. I’m sure you are no stranger to the two pin system.”

Rubi blushed suddenly. She may have worn two pins for a brief time several months ago. At the moment she was pinless however.

“I may have been a little eager when I first sprouted out of the void. Maybe a little lonely too.”

“I’m not judging, far from it. I’m just not positive on Grimalkin customs. I’m a Majiri but I know I’m not the sharing type. Dearie what I’m trying to get to is if ya are serious about this you need to communicate with him instead of just dancing around the- those darn little critters!”

“I’ll scoop him out!” Rubi jumped in verbally and physically.

A cricket had squeezed its way in attempting to go undetected amidst their conversation it seemed.

Rubi grabbed a tissue as she hopped off the couch.

“I see why you and Auni get along.”

There was no reach for her empty mug as she thought Delaila might not like the idea even if the mug was washable. The movements towards the door became slow as Rubi tried not to frighten the insect. Somehow the cricket still ventured forward despite the giant in front of it. Rubi squatted down and readied herself to drop the tissue over it before grabbing it with her hand. Her breath slowed trying to maintain the calm nature the cricket still carried.

Rubi dropped the tissue, quickly nabbed it and ran out the front door.

She made her way past the footpath in front of the house to make the cricket’s return journey a little more challenging. Rubi sighed in satisfaction. Before she could turn around to head back into the house, Auni’s voice rang loud.

“NO WAY! Zyla the Younger is coming to Kilima!” Squeals of excitement followed after. “Auni! What are you doing out here? Again?” Auni laughed. “This is the perfect time to catch Kiliima night moths.” He turned to look up to the sky prompting Rubi to do the same. “See how big Ignus and Luna are? Our little moth buddies love that!” She smiled at Palia's moons and then rested that grin on Auni. It slowly faded.

“Auni but you can’t be sharing the Zyla thing. I shouldn’t even know myself. I found out by accident.”

“Sorry Rubi, I overheard but don’t worry I’ll keep it under wraps. I’m so excited about the news though!” Rubi felt bad that she couldn’t pretend to be excited about it. Auni caught on quickly though. “Oh yeah sorry about the Zeki thing Rubi. But um why are ya worried anyway? I know Zyla is super cool, she can sing and is like the least boring adult in the universe and could probably get old man Zeki back to his former glory but you are cool too.”

Rubi lightheartedly laughed.

“Thanks Auni. Being called cool by you has truly been the highlight of my day.” She genuinely did appreciate Aunis' attempt at making her feel better.

“Well let's find a discreet way to get you back inside.”

She put a motherly arm on his back to guide him forward.

Where was she?

The question formed before he could even realize who he was thinking about. Who else could he have been thinking about?

Seven sun cycles and she couldn’t be bothered to make a peep. Even just running past his shop door to humor him with a quick wave and a meeting of their eyes behind the counter would suffice. Then she could go back to running around all across Kilima doing Dragon knows what. But no, she had him retracing his steps, replaying their conversations, overthinking simple gestures because Dragon forbid he offend the sensitive human. His wrist was not the only thing twisting around as he locked up the general store.

Could he have really been contagious enough to get Rubi sick?

Dropping his key within a very secure pocket he straightened his attire out and shook the thought out. He was positive she was not ill. As he began to make his usual path home he neared the fountain behind the shops. He couldn’t help but pause to look at Palia’s two moons. They were both full. His ears dropped. He dearly hoped he had not offended Rubi.

Chapter Text

“Zeki?” The question failed to tame the excitement imbued into its tone. Rubi, surprised at how bright her voice had erupted, put a hand on her chest for a moment as leverage.

Orange fur bristled in alarm. Zeki had also encountered failure. He had not gone undetected as he had hoped.

“Heya Rubi!” The words rushed out as he flipped around in the midst of departing her plot. He found himself leaning against the mailbox.

“What are you doing out there?” The human asked leaning out from the window of her personally constructed house.

“Just spreadin out some of my flyers.” Blue cuffed Arms shot up with papers in hand to show her the truth of his words.

All Rubi could do was look at him for a minute, hoping he would explain himself further. She supposed she should have asked why, not what, if that's what she was looking for.

As Zeki pulled off her mailbox, he gave her a smile. It didn’t stretch towards his cheeks naturally. It was odd to look at. Odd because of its awkward placement. Odd because Rubi had never seen Zeki carry an awkward smile in all the months she had been here.

A quiet moment followed. Her form left the window and a few seconds later Zeki heard the gears of the front door knob shifting.

“Is Auni on a bug scout trip or something?”

A very valid question. Why else would the stout merchant be here?

“No no nothing like that! I just wanted to make sure these things here got into the right places. Business has been a little slow so just want to get some of my ole customers back ya know?.” He threw in a wink hoping to get Rubis butterflies fluttering.

“Seems like a lot of work for you. Lots of walking. Surprised you didn’t try to get me to help you”

She answered rather quickly as she crossed her arms. He hardly left her swooning.

“Hey now, I still got some spryness in me.”

“Not when it comes to venturing into the wilds of Bahari though, right.”

Rubi challenged with a smirk that almost left Zeki speechless were it not for the slip of a chuckle.

The Grimalkin was rubbing off on her. Not a bad look in his mind.

“Ya know you wanted to pick that stuff up for me out in Bahari. I saw your eyes light up like a plume pup’s.”

“It just…sounded fun. Exploring…” her face grew warm as her voice faltered now unable to keep up the cool front.

“I don’t know if I would call the hiking around part fun but ya do have a point with the exploring bit. You would have loved the golden catfish then. Too bad you were in some void huh?”

Rubi’s face grew even warmer as she fancied the idea that he ever would have WANTED her on HIS ship back in the day.

Her shoulders lifted as they tried to shrug her growing blush away.

“Yeah. I guess I’m making up for lost time.”

“I don’t blame ya for that. I would probably still be touring most of Palia if it weren’t for my little situation.”

“I would like to do that too. Travel. Just want to know what home feels like first.” The air grew quiet with Rubi’s sudden hesitation. But the subtle rustle of Zeki’s ears as they shifted forward, focused and attentive, gave her the push to continue. His eyes were rather soft too.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling of suddenly just existing and not knowing all that’s happened before. I feel like there was a before but it’s like I can’t put my finger on the memories. Either way I’m assuming all of this.”

“Ya don’t gotta stress out about having all the words for it. Being born as an adult don’t sound fun. But hey you have a great start and debt free to boot!”

They both laughed rather softly at that.

Zeki pulled away from the mailbox and drew a little closer to her porch now.

“And ya know it’s not really Grimalkin’s style to have a home base and all that but after living it here in Kilima I can see the charm in it.”

“Do you want to see the charm from inside?”

Rubi blurted it out before she could test the question in her mind.

“I know your busy with the flyers and all but-”

The shyness caught up to her again as her cheeks became itchy with heat. Zeki couldn’t hide the delight in his smirk at seeing her flustered once again. He was already leaning forward ready to take a step towards Rubi’s humble home.

“Ya got it all wrong starstone, I was actually wrapping up here. These are just some extra fliers I brought with me.” Zeki lied as he shoved the other flyers into his coat. “Ya happen to be the last house on my roster.” he offered an accomplished smile.

Rubi whipped up her best attempt at confidence. “Great! I’d love to have you inside…inside the house.”

“Ya don’t have to ask me twice.” Zeki strode over and entered as Rubi held the door open.

“I don’t have much in the form of entertainment, oh and you can leave your shoes on if you want. Only really take them off in the bedroom.”

“Makes sense.” Zeki shrugged.

“And we probably aren’t going in there. Not that there was a chance and not that it would be bad but…” Rubi held her breath. Why did everything she say sound like that?

“Definitely wouldn’t be bad at all, Starstone.”

Zeki’s eyebrows danced.

Rubi was starting to look like the gem she was named after.

Before Rubi could discombobulate, Zeki added, “I’m sure we can entertain ourselves out here though.”

“How about a little tea party?” Rubi quickly followed suit in changing subjects.

“I could do with the last half of that phrase.” Zeki said as he got comfortable on the sofa. He glanced behind it as Rubi fussed over a cabinet there.

She came around the couch with a bottle of wine to Zeki’s surprise.

“You are getting good at the fooling bit now.”

“Well I learned from the best.” Rubi handed him a glass.

“That’s sweet. Might need to get another filling because of you.”
Zeki was quite amazed at how Rubi so easily pulled the cork off. It not only showcased her strength but perhaps revealed a little more of the types of hobbies she dabbled in. Zeki wasn’t judging.

“I was hoping I’d be good for your health, not bad for it.”

He held out the glass for her to fill.

“ Oh, Ya are.”

His head came forward. As if expecting something he remained leaned in like that. To her own surprise Rubi felt her arm pull towards him. Hand halted momentarily, uncertainty clasped onto her forearm. She gave a slight halt, unsure for a moment that she may offend him but this was clearly what he wanted right? She re-examined his posture against hers. Clearly he did.

Rubi grabbed his fluffy face promptly. Her hands sunk into the ocean of shiny well cared for fur.. Only the stiffness of his whiskers put up any resistance as they poked at her fingers angrily. It was as if they spoke the words Zeki wanted to speak because for some odd reason he could not find them of his own will. Even if they had been scrounged together, the words would hardly be fueled by any real substance. Those words, if spoken, would be a futile attempt to create some distance. so he let his whiskers do the talking. They carried a stronger will to do the pushing because he was lost to do anything truly meaningful to get her to release him. Unable to resist the pull of the warmth from her palms, Zeki sunk into her caress.

The discomfort from the wiry jabs was negligible in Rubi’s eyes but she would still embrace him tenfold if they had done more than scratch her palms.

A smile blossomed on her face as she caught the momentary curl of his brows as he felt himself melt into her touch along with a mental chuckle at witnessing the quick shift from reluctance to acceptance. Brows smoothed over almost instantly as Zeki realized he really did not want to fight her hold.

Grimalkin did not have an inclination for sharing but perhaps this was better than not having her at all. It might be worth a shot to dabble in the polyamorous nature of the Majiri just to receive a taste of Rubi’s affections. Zeki was hungry for such tenderness. Quite starved actually.

Rubi sighed, fingers still cupping his face. “Ah Zeki, you're just the best you know that?” The wine had her more relaxed

His cheeks suddenly grew warm. Warmer than they had been in a long time

“Ya gotta stop with the…blatant adoration.” The words were lazily strewn together. It was comical how meaningless they weighed on Rubis ears.

“I don’t think you really want me too.” Rubi softly said to him. A whisper perhaps, Zeki’s ears caught them as clear as the strong but gentle winds of the Bahari coast.

“What makes you think I enjoy any of this?” he chuckled.

Rubi blinked a few times, a bit astounded at the sudden urge to laugh in his face.

“I have a few ideas on the matter.”

Zeki remained silent.

There was no verbal or bodily protests and Rubi took the opportunity to thoughtfully dip her fingers into the dark brown fur of his head. It was funny how it resembled the hair on the head of a majiri or human.

“And you just know everything that goes on in my head.”

“I really don’t. Actually.”

Rubis fingers slipped away from him completely. Disappointment grew in his gut suddenly.

Her suddenly sober eyes lingered on his.

“Not the slightest idea.” The words came out softly.

A wave of nervousness crashed down suddenly as well. He could feel, see the question of hers on the horizon. Despite his warning system he could not flee.

He knew he had put himself in this situation of his own free will.

He would face the tsunami head on.

But Rubi could not hold his gaze for long. The strength she had mustered evaporated before her. She turned around. The courage to ask, now that she wasn’t facing him, reinstilled.

“Could you truly have envisioned me aboard the golden catfish with you those years ago? If our paths had happened to cross?”

“Of course!”

Rubis' heart rose in pace and her body grew warmer.

“We had all sorts on the ship. Even a couple of Majiri. Would of had some humans too if ya were a little more common back then I’m sure.”

And just like that her body suddenly felt cold. That's not exactly what she meant.

“But that’s all in the past. Important thing is we are on the proverbial ship now! Together…”

Rubi pondered that for a moment.

“Well where is this ship going?”

“Do we need to have a destination in mind?” He offered a playful smile.

“I suppose we don't…” unease tinged her voice.

“Important thing is we are on it together. Zeki reassured as he leaned in again.

Expectant despite the distance in his words.

Rubi felt compelled to caress him again in the face of it all. She was unsatisfied with his answer but she couldn’t refuse him. She didn’t want to think about it too deeply at the moment because at that moment she had him. For now that was enough.

Eyelids lazily drooped shut. She gently pulled him in towards herself and leaned into the sofa. The alcohol feeding a sudden hazy venture into dreamland. She was losing herself to sleep suddenly. The warmth of Zeki beside her nudged her forward. Before she could give in to dreams she couldn’t help pull back to consciousness as she felt a slight damp touch to her cheek.

The apology rang before Rubi could process what had even happened.

“I shoulda asked. Sorry starstone…but you’re really cute for a human ya know that?”

“Did you just lick me? Do Grimalkin…?”

Rubi smiled quietly.

“Kindaa…yeah I did. I shoulda asked.” He repeated drunkenly.

He nuzzled into her side and his last bit of words were muffled.

The wine had made Zeki deeply comfortable. More comfortable than he had dared to be on their last foray on a couch.

Rubi could not say she had a problem with it. She joined him in his wine fueled confidence and gently embraced him closer to her. She nuzzled her cheek against the fur on the top of his head.

The best plushie in the house! She didn’t dare say that out loud!

Her next words came out in a whisper.

“I’m glad you didn’t ask. I do like surprises.”

She placed a fleeting kiss to the top of his head.

A content sigh escaped Zeki..