Chapter Text
The first time she meets Arlecchino, she's late for the job – which 1) never happens and is absolutely terrible for her rating and 2) is extra terrible because the delivery is for Chiori of all people. Chiori is her friend, yes, and she's very dear to her heart, that much is true… but she also isn't one to accept lateness. To make it worse, Kirara just knows she looks like a mess from all this running and fighting. Last time this happened, Chiori went out of her way to tailor her a brand-new outfit because, from her own words: "I'd be embarrassed to let anyone see you walking out of my shop looking like that!". It's not her fault bandits are terrible people, though! She really hopes she doesn't have to go through anything like that today, because right now she's feeling extremely stressed out, guilty, and like she hasn't slept in three days. She's running with everything she has, her paws burning from the constant friction against the fontainian's asphalt, and her voice hoarse from meowing warnings to passersby.
"Careful! Get out of the way, thank you!" she yells, just before climbing on a shop's roof.
It's big, the purveyor's building she gets on top of afterwards even bigger, and the wall behind even more so — but nothing that is truly challenging for her climbing skills. Hopefully though, that effort will not only save her time on her delivery, but also slow down the bandits she knows are following her from afar. The wall turns out to be the last obstacle separating her from her destination: she recognizes Chioriya Boutique's right as her paws touch the ground of the Quartier Lyonnais. It fills her with immediate relief and pride. That delivery has been one hell of a kind: she got attacked as soon as she left Inazuma, and has been tailed non-stop all the way to Fontaine since. Defending herself, the parcel, and avoiding putting locals in danger has forced her to make much more detours than she's ever done before, and she's sure hoping finishing the job will grant her a well-deserved break.
With a last push of her tired paws, she changes in her human form right as she gets to the front door and opens it without a second to spare.
"Delivery has arrived!" she meows joyfully between two unsteady breaths as the door closes behind her.
Facing her is Chiori — of course, the shop wouldn't be open if she wasn't here – and facing Chiori, back turned to Kirara, is a woman she's never seen before. She has black and white hair cascading her back in a low ponytail, with sharp jaws Kirara is sure are matching with her eyes. Both of them turn around upon hearing the characteristic jingle of the door's bell, and all Kirara can think at that moment is that the stranger is tall. Like, super freaking tall– the kind of tall that has her towering over the whole room. At least, she does so until she notices the sharp heels the woman is standing on. Ah. So she is tall, but not that tall.
Chiori speaks up:
"Kirara, you're here! We were waiting for you."
"We?" Package in hands, she raises her stare towards the unknown woman.
"Yes," said woman replies. "I'm actually the one who commissioned this delivery. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
Her strange eyes, both adorned with a red cross, are examining Kirara with a patience and an understanding that make it obvious she knows what kind of hassle it's been. And, well, Kirara could lie despite it all — and she would, except it really wouldn't be convincing with the state she's in: out of breath, dehydrated, and paws bleeding from running for so long.
"'s part of the job," she breathes instead, tongue heavy in her mouth. "Though a warning would have been nice."
"My apologies. It was actually safer not to." The stranger extends her hand with a polite smile. Kirara shakes it with uncertainty, not really surprised by the firmness of the handshake, but still taken aback by how warm it feels — and wait– are her hands black? "My name is Arlecchino. I work for the Tsaritsa. Feel free to demand appropriate compensation would the payment already sent not suffice — either through Chiori, or by stopping by at the House of Hearth and requesting to see me. Things should calm down for you now, but you can also contact us if more trouble comes your way."
Well, for a first, that is a first. She's never had clients suggest her to ask for more payment before, especially not after the job's done. Sure, it was a particularly difficult commission, but still… Well, if Chiori is allowing to be used as the middlewoman, then that Arlecchino is definitely more trustworthy than not — there are two things Kirara trusts blindly in life: her granny's storytelling talents, and Chiori's judge of character.
"Okay, thanks!" she replies, and adds with a bow: "And thank you for choosing Komaniya Express!"
"I'm glad I followed Chiori's recommendations," comments Arlecchino then. "The parcel looks in good shape, and it arrived on the announced day. That's better than I was hoping."
"Huh, are you so used to bad service?"
Traces of her cat past: her mouth is often quicker than her brain. She doesn't even have time to realize that she's spoken out of turn before Chiori then Arlecchino laugh in turn — it's a polite laugh on Arlecchino part, sure, but amusement is laced in her voice when she replies:
"I guess you could say that," is what she says, but then she adds: "Let's just say my usual couriers aren't so delicate with the parcels."
Kirara thinks she recognizes some affection in her voice, but isn't sure she wants to know the details. The simple idea some people may fuck up the parcels badly is making her fur stand on her neck. Brr. No one could ever catch her not taking her job seriously! She likes it too much for that — she loves the smile on people's face when they see their parcel has arrived, and she loves the way their eyes shine when they open the package. She loves when they thank her, and she loves that it makes her giddy. She also loves the traveling – even if tiring at times – because it allows her to see so much of a world she's never seen before. Big buildings with apartments topped on top of each other, houses in trees, or houses on stilts… Just yesterday, she tasted a poissonchant pie for the first time, and she hopes to taste it again in the upcoming weeks. She also hopes to try even more new things.
"Is that everything you needed, Peruere?"
Lost in her thoughts and distracted by Chiori's intervention, Kirara almost topples over when Arlecchino takes the package from her hands. Archons, she is so, so tired. Do her legs even exist still?
"Yes, thank you. I'm in your debt."
"Hah. Sure thing, Fatui girl. See you around."
"Take care, Chiori." Package now comfortably settled under her arm, she opens the door and turns to Kirara. "Miss Kirara." She bows her head, ready to leave, but then takes a second glance at the youkai and adds: "Rest well." She leaves right after.
Kirara has many questions lingering in her mind — for example, what's with this "peruere" thing? How long has Chiori been friend with a Fatui agent? Does Chevreuse know? Should Kirara be concerned? Should she say something about it? What if the package was something very illegal, very dangerous? Well, being in this job means discretion towards clients… it's probably best to take it to the grave. She chooses not to mention any of it for now. Instead of worrying about any of this, she goes to her friend, surrounding her shoulders with her arms in a hug.
"Chiori! It's been so long, you're gonna feed me, right?"
"I don't have time for this," she replies in her usual direct, almost cold tone. She doesn't hug her back, but she also doesn't walk away from the contact, and her voice softens just a tiny bit when she says: "I can offer you water though… and time to rest and compose yourself. You look like you need it."
Chiori is always so caring to her. It's something most people don't see, she knows, so she takes the time to tuck that knowledge and the affection coming with it in a corner of her mind. She smiles, forced to be nonchalant with what's left of her energy.
"Ugh, you bet I do! I'm exhausted," she meows as she stretches. "Do you mind if I take a nap?"
Chiori rolls her eyes. "Of course you can. Just sleep on there." She points to a chaise lounge in the corner before she goes to the back room.
"Ehh, no box?"
Chiori doesn't answer right away. Kirara listens to her in the other room — she hears her footsteps on the ground, the sound of the cupboards being opened; she hears the clinging sound of knocking glass, and finally she listens to the faucet running, hearing the splashes so distinctly she could almost taste the water on her tongue. Her throat is really parched. Chiori comes back barely one minute later, a large glass of water in hand.
"No," she replies at last. "Don't get your fur on my fabric or I'll kick you out."
Kirara is too busy hurrying to quench her thirst to complain or even react to the threat at all. She sits on the couch and watches as Chiori goes back to her working station. She drinks a bit more; watches her friend take out a meter tape. She puts the glass away; watches Chiori focus as she cuts through fabric in one straight line; feels the telltale signs of sleep run through her body; how her brain slows down; how her body gets heavier. She changes back into a cat, but instead of curling up on the couch, she walks around the counter and ignores Chiori's previous instruction to jump on the cutting table. That's where she curls up, right in the corner, in a box filled with what she recognizes are scraps and offcuts. She knows Chiori is frowning at her, yet she doesn't say a thing. Instead, she notices Chiori's scent grow stronger, and Kirara immediately purrs when she feels her fingers scratching at her favorite spot, right beneath her ear.
"You cats, I swear…" Chiori grumbles.
Despite her disapproval, she leaves her be and goes back to work in comfortable silence. Kirara falls asleep to the sound of cloth getting cut, the smell of markers on fabric, and the comforting presence of Chiori.
It's because she's deep asleep, snuggled so comfortably in Morpheus arms, that she doesn't hear when the bell jingles again; that she doesn't feel Chiori walking away; that she doesn't hear her voice in the otherwise still shop.
"Lynette? If you're searching for your father, she left a while ago now."