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The afternoon rested heavily over their farm, the kind of summer heat that made the air feel thick and slow.
Sunlight poured across the fields in a warm golden haze, soaking into the dark soil and the weathered wooden fences.
The rows of crops stood quietly in place, leaves drooping slightly under the weight of the humidity. Even the wind seemed too tired to move, leaving the world wrapped in a stillness of heat.
It was the kind of afternoon where doing nothing felt like too much work.
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Lomedy sat on the wooden steps outside their farmhouse, shoulders slouched and legs stretched out in front of him. His yellow leathered shirt clung slightly to him from the heat, and his hair stuck to his forehead in uneven strands. He had taken off his straw hat earlier and waved it slowly in front of his face, hoping to create even the smallest breeze.
“Why is summer like this…” Lomedy groaned tiredly, dragging his voice as he lazily fanned himself with the straw hat. “It feels like the air is wet.”
He kept fanning himself with slow, hopeless motions, but nothing about the thick heat seemed to change.
Beside him, Flame leaned comfortably against the wooden frame behind them, completely at ease.
If someone compared the two visually, Lomedy looked drained while Flame looked peaceful. The warmth didn’t bother him at all—if anything, it suited him. His shoulders were loose, his posture relaxed, and Lomedy suspected his eyes were half-lidded in quiet contentment behind the blindfold. The humid air seemed to settle around Flame like a familiar blanket.
Being a demon–tiger hybrid had its advantages.
The heat sank pleasantly into his fur and skin while he breathed slowly and steadily.
Behind him, his tail swayed lazily from side to side in calm, rhythmic motions.
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Flame’s tail continued its slow movement, swinging in relaxed arcs behind him.
It brushed lightly against the wooden step every now and then with a faint thump… thump… thump.
Flame didn’t seem aware of it at all.
Lomedy wiped sweat from his forehead and glanced sideways.
Then blinked.
“…Flame,” Lomedy said slowly, staring at the tail with puzzled curiosity.
“Hm?” Flame answered lazily, barely lifting his head as he remained comfortably leaned back.
“…Your tail is moving,” Lomedy pointed out cautiously while nodding toward the swaying fur behind him.
Flame paused briefly before tilting his head and lazily glancing behind himself.
The tail was still swaying.
“…Oh,” he said simply with quiet indifference.
“Oh?” Lomedy echoed in disbelief, raising an eyebrow while still staring at the tail. “That’s your reaction?”
“It does that sometimes,” Flame replied casually, shrugging his shoulders without concern.
That was not enough of an explanation.
Lomedy leaned closer to inspect it.
The tail looked soft—thick fur layered neatly along it, shifting slightly with each slow movement. The tip curled faintly before relaxing again.
“Does it mean something?” Lomedy asked curiously, squinting slightly as he watched the movement.
Flame shrugged again in a relaxed motion. “Usually comfort,” he answered calmly.
Lomedy squinted harder, sweat continuing to run down his face.
“…You’re enjoying this type of weather?!” Lomedy asked incredulously, gesturing dramatically at the blazing heat around them.
“Yes,” Flame replied simply, sounding completely sincere.
“Bro, you’re not real,” Lomedy muttered exhaustedly while wiping sweat from his cheek.
Flame let out a quiet amused laugh.
“Pfft—Hey bro, look at me,” Flame said lightly, gesturing to himself with relaxed confidence. “Does it look like I get bothered by heat?”
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For a while, Lomedy said nothing.
Then he leaned slightly closer again.
“..Hey Flame—?,” Lomedy said carefully, eyes still fixed on the tail with growing curiosity.
Flame didn’t even look up. “No,” he answered immediately in a flat, knowing tone.
“I didn’t even ask yet!?” Lomedy protested with mild frustration.
“You’re looking at my tail,” Flame replied knowingly while flicking it once behind him.
“…Okay fair,” Lomedy admitted reluctantly with a small sigh.
Flame’s tail flicked again in a slow motion.
Lomedy rested his chin on his hand, still staring at the tail swaying back and forth.
“So… hypothetically,” Lomedy began carefully, raising a finger like he was about to make a reasonable point.
“No,” Flame interrupted instantly, not even turning his head.
“Flam—” Lomedy tried again.
“No,” Flame repeated firmly.
“Ugh,” Lomedy huffed in disbelief, crossing his arms dramatically because Flame wouldn’t even let him finish his sentence.
Lomedy sat there in silence for a few minutes before trying again.
“Can I touch it?” Lomedy finally asked cautiously, glancing over and noticing Flame briefly scrunch his face because he thought the questions had stopped.
Flame finally turned his head toward him, his expression flat as his tail curled slightly closer behind him.
“…Why?” Flame asked suspiciously while narrowing his eyes slightly.
“Curiosity has gotten the best of me,” Lomedy reasoned defensively while shrugging.
“That is not a reason,” Flame replied immediately with mild disbelief.
“It is to me…!” Lomedy argued stubbornly.
Flame sighed deeply, rubbing the side of his face in annoyance.
“Just this once, please!!” Lomedy added quickly, leaning forward with hopeful persistence.
Flame looked at him for a long moment, clearly debating whether this was a terrible idea.
“…Go ahead,” he said at last with reluctant acceptance.
Lomedy lit up immediately with excitement.
“Wait, really?” Lomedy asked quickly, leaning forward in surprise.
“Don’t make me change my mind,” Flame warned flatly.
Lomedy carefully reached out, moving slowly and cautiously as if approaching something fragile.
His fingers hovered briefly before lightly brushing the soft fur of Flame’s tail.
Flame stiffened instantly.
His tail flicked once in surprise.
“…Woah,” Lomedy muttered quietly in awe.
Lomedy grinned widely. “It’s so warm and soft..!”
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Lomedy continued lightly brushing the soft fur between his fingers with obvious fascination.
“It’s sooo soft,” Lomedy said happily while clearly enjoying the discovery.
Flame’s tail flicked again, sharper this time.
“…Bro,” Flame muttered in warning.
Lomedy paused for a moment, his fingers hovering in place as his attention slowly shifted upward. What had started as simple curiosity about Flame’s tail suddenly caught his focus elsewhere.
That was when he noticed something else.
Flame’s ears.
They twitched faintly, almost reacting to something subtle, the small movement just noticeable enough to make Lomedy stare a little closer in quiet realization.
“…Wait,” Lomedy said slowly, eyes widening with realization.
Flame immediately narrowed his eyes. “What,” he asked suspiciously.
Lomedy leaned closer, studying him carefully now instead of the tail.
“Flame—” Lomedy began thoughtfully.
“What??” Flame replied irritably, already sensing trouble.
“Your ears,” Lomedy said while pointing slightly upward.
Flame’s ears twitched again as if reacting to the attention.
“…What about them,” Flame asked defensively.
“They move when I touch your tail,” Lomedy explained with growing curiosity.
Flame looked away slightly. “…They do not,” he denied quickly.
Lomedy reached down and brushed the tail again.
Flick.
At the same time, Flame’s ears twitched backward.
Lomedy’s eyes widened.
“Bro,” Lomedy whispered in amazed disbelief.
Flame’s expression flattened immediately. “Stop saying bro like that,” he said dryly.
“You felt that,” Lomedy insisted excitedly.
“…I have nerves, so does everyone else,” Flame replied defensively.
“No but like—” Lomedy gestured enthusiastically. “Your ears reacted.”
Flame rubbed the back of his neck, clearly annoyed at being analyzed.
“…It’s just a reflex thing,” he muttered reluctantly.
Lomedy stared at him for another moment before a grin slowly spread across his face.
“Bro that’s actually kinda cool,” Lomedy said with clear admiration.
Flame crossed his arms and pretended to be unimpressed, though his ears flicked again when Lomedy moved his hand.
“…You’re enjoying this too much,” Flame muttered.
“Very much so!” Lomedy answered cheerfully.
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“So can I—“ Lomedy began eagerly while leaning forward with another idea forming.
“No,” Flame interrupted immediately with firm certainty.
“You didn’t let me finish!” Lomedy complained dramatically.
“I know what you were going to say—or rather ask,” Flame replied flatly.
Lomedy leaned closer anyway with stubborn curiosity written all over his face. “Please?” he asked hopefully.
“No,” Flame repeated with growing irritation.
“Pleeease?” Lomedy stretched the word with exaggerated persistence.
Flame rubbed the bridge of his nose, his tail flicking in short annoyed movements.
“Dude—you’re annoying,” Flame muttered tiredly.
“Why, thank you..!” Lomedy replied proudly.
“That wasn’t a compliment,” Flame clarified dryly.
Lomedy only grinned and asked again. “Pleaaaase?”
Eventually, after far too many requests, Flame sighed deeply in defeat.
“…Fine,” Flame said reluctantly. “Just this once.”
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Lomedy raised his hand carefully like he was approaching something fragile before gently placing it on top of Flame’s head. His fingers pressed softly into Flame’s hair before lifting away again.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Flame crossed his arms confidently.
“See?” Flame said smugly.
Lomedy blinked curiously before trying again, giving another soft pat.
That was when something changed.
Deep in Flame’s chest, a faint vibration stirred—so quiet it almost went unnoticed.
“…Don’t,” Flame muttered uneasily.
Lomedy froze mid-motion. “Flame are you—”
“I said don’t,” Flame repeated quickly.
But the sound had already begun.
The faint vibration grew into a soft, steady purr rolling through Flame’s chest. He immediately looked away, clearly refusing to acknowledge it.
Despite his attempt to stay composed, his posture slowly relaxed and his tail began swaying in slow rhythmic taps against the wood.
Lomedy leaned closer with fascinated excitement.
“You’re literally purring..!” Lomedy exclaimed happily.
“I am not,” Flame denied immediately.
Another pat landed gently on his head, and the quiet rumble deepened despite his protest.
Flame dragged a hand across his face in defeat.
“…This stays between us, alright..?” Flame muttered quietly.
“Oh absolutely,” Lomedy replied, trying—and failing—not to smile.
Flame tried very hard to pretend nothing unusual was happening, even though the soft purring continued in steady waves.
By the end of it, Lomedy looked extremely pleased with himself.
Flame, on the other hand, simply accepted his defeat in silence—though the quiet purring made it clear he wasn’t nearly as bothered as he wanted to seem.
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