Work Text:
Some of the Cleaners were gathered in the common room, sprawled across couches and armchairs in a loose circle. The lights were low, the atmosphere easy and warm.
“So, Fu and Amo,” Enjin began confidently, leaning back with his arms crossed behind his head, “you’ve both been here a few days now. I think it’s really time we get to know each other properly.”
Amo nodded eagerly. Amo loved new friends. Amo loved talking. This was perfect.
“Let’s keep it simple,” Enjin continued. “We’ll go around and say our age, hobbies, and hybrid. Basic stuff.”
“I’ll start,” Gris offered.
He shifted forward slightly, his large frame creaking the armchair cushion. “I’m thirty. I enjoy reading and cooking…” He paused thoughtfully. “And I’m a grizzly hybrid.”
He smiled warmly, soft, steady, reassuring. It completely transformed the image of a grizzly bear from something fearsome into something closer to a giant teddy bear.
Fu relaxed a little.
The Raiders had never done anything like this. They hadn’t tried to know him. They’d known what hybrid he was, sure, but they never talked about it. And whenever his ears or tail slipped out when he got startled, which happened far too often, they gave him strange looks.
“Amo next!” Amo announced, bouncing slightly in her seat.
“I’m sixteen. Amo thinks… time really flies in the tower.” She giggled at herself. “Amo loves baking. The smell is just too good. Amo also loves drawing and playing with dolls. And Amo is a fox! A red fox!”
That earned several nods. It made perfect sense.
With dramatic flair, Amo let her ears pop out first, soft and triangular and then her tail, thick and bright orange. She turned slightly so everyone could see it properly.
“It’s very fluffy, Amo,” Riyo complimented.
Amo beamed. “Thank you!” She immediately began brushing through the orange strands with her fingers, preening under the praise.
“Alright, I’ll go,” Zanka said calmly. “I like reading and meditating.” Long ears slowly emerged from his hair, tall and elegant. No tail visible.
“I’m a hare.”
Fu’s eyes traveled upward, studying the ears. They were the same color as Zanka’s hair, darkening toward the tips.
“Isn’t that the same as a bunny though?” Rudo asked.
Zanka froze.
The glare he sent could have burned a hole through the wall.
“No.”
Rudo visibly shrank.
“They’re similar,” Gris explained, “but hares are generally bigger and stronger.”
“Got it,” Rudo waved it off before puffing up proudly. “Well, I’m a wolf.”
He shot Zanka a smug look.
“Oh, don’t you dare-” Zanka started.
Too late.
They launched at each other across the couch.
Unfortunately, Fu was sitting in the middle.
There was a tangle of limbs, shouting, and dramatic growling. A heel caught Fu in the hip, someone’s shoulder slammed into his back, and suddenly he was sliding off the couch entirely.
He hit the floor with a soft thud.
Gris leaned over the armrest and gave him a sympathetic smile before patting the narrow space beside him in the armchair. Fu quickly scrambled up and squeezed in. One of Gris’s arms settled protectively around his waist.
Enjin was already hauling Zanka off Rudo by the collar. “Both of you, knock it off!”
While the scolding continued, Riyo cleared her throat.
“I’ll just go next,” she said smoothly. “I’m sixteen. I love fixing and styling hair. Amo, I would love to try some styles on your long pretty hair sometime.”
Amo nodded eagerly. “Yes! Amo would love that!”
Riyo grinned. “And I’m a-… Actually, let’s make it fun. Amo, Fu, guess what hybrid I am.”
“Hey! I don’t even know what hybrid you are,” Rudo protested, finally freed from Enjin’s grip.
“Fine,” she agreed reluctantly.
Amo tapped her chin dramatically. “Amo thinks… you’re an animal with long red hair. But Amo can’t think of one.”
“Are you a cat of some sort?” Fu asked quietly.
He was half in Gris’s lap now, leaning forward with genuine focus.
“Ding-ding-ding! Correct!”
“A lion? Tiger? Leopard? Puma?” Rudo began rapid-firing guesses, his voice climbing higher with each one. “Lynx?!”
“Correct!” Riyo laughed. “One point to Rudo.”
Rudo jumped to his feet in triumph, fist pumping.
“Whoa, calm down,” Enjin said, amused. “Want to guess mine?”
Rudo narrowed his eyes. “You give off major cat vibes too.”
“Ha! No.”
Rudo dramatically threw his head back as if the world had betrayed him.
Across the room, Fu shifted slightly. He thought he knew.
But what if Rudo got mad? What if he hated losing? What if-
His fingers curled into the fabric of his hoodie.
Gris noticed immediately. The large hand on Fu’s back began slow, steady pats. When Fu glanced up, Gris gave him an encouraging smile.
Fu swallowed.
“Are you a bird?” he asked carefully.
Enjin’s smirk widened. He nodded.
Rudo blinked. Then Enjin turned to Fu. “Damn, kid. You’re good.”
Warmth spread through Fu’s chest.
“Owl?” Fu added quickly, before Rudo could list every bird in existence.
“That’s right,” Enjin said. “Nice one, Fu.”
Rudo gasped dramatically. “I was gonna say that!”
“You were not,” Zanka muttered.
“Amo,” Riyo teased, “why didn’t you even try guessing?”
Amo crossed her arms and pointed accusingly at Enjin. “Amo does not like that guy.”
The entire room burst into laughter.
Even Enjin.
When the noise finally settled, Rudo leaned forward eagerly. “Okay, okay, can we guess yours too, Fu?”
Fu nodded.
“Well,” Gris said thoughtfully from behind him, “since none of us know… I’ll guess raccoon.”
The sudden voice right by his ear made Fu jump. His ears and tail almost popped out from the shock.
He quickly shook his head.
Several of the others groaned in disappointment. Apparently, raccoon had been the leading theory.
“Tanuki?” Zanka asked suddenly, eyes bright.
Fu blinked.
Then he let his ears slip free.
His tail followed, curling slightly as he nodded. “Yeah. How did you know?”
“There aren’t that many animals with a mask like yours,” Zanka replied nonchalantly.
Enjin snorted. Zanka shot him a look.
“My old house had a small tanuki family living nearby,” Zanka added more softly. “I used to feed them sometimes.”
Fu’s ears twitched. His tail bounced lightly against Gris’s leg.
“Also,” Gris said gently, “how old are you, Fu? And what do you like to do?”
“I’m seventeen,” Fu answered.
He hesitated at the second question.
What did he like?
“I… I don’t really know.”
Silence, but not uncomfortable.
“I liked drawing with Remling and Guita,” he said slowly. “Helping Amo bake was fun. Training with Zanka and Rudo was really fun.”
His tail was bouncing wildly now.
“So you like drawing, baking, and training?” Gris clarified.
Fu thought hard.
“No. Not really.”
The room burst into laughter.
Fu blinked, confused.
“I mean,” he tried to explain, smiling, “I liked doing those things with you.”
That softened the laughter into something warmer.
Later, as they were getting ready to head to bed, Enjin spoke up again.
“Oh, and Fu. Amo. You don’t have to hide your ears or tails here. Don’t hesitate to let them out.”
Both of them nodded.
Fu followed the others down the hallway, his steps lighter than usual. Tail slightly bouncing with each step and ears twitching lazily with each creaking floorboard.
A weight had lifted from his shoulders.
The Cleaners had asked about him. Listened to him. Guessed wrong and laughed and tried again. No one had shamed him when his tail betrayed his excitement. No one had stared when his ears twitched.
The Raiders hadn’t even known he was a tanuki. They’d probably still think he was a raccoon.
But here-
Here, someone had recognized him immediately.
And somehow, that small thing meant everything