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It was a stormy day. The coratorium was full of people for some reason, which startled Ashru.
"Mreow," Ashru purred against Jahoda's boot.
"Boss Nef! Ashru needs food!" Jahoda yelled, as if Nefer could hear her.
On the other side of the coratorium, Boss Nefer was busy with paperwork. Her sharp green eyes scanned the room before falling right back onto her papers. Her hand stopped as Lauma the moonchanter placed a hand on Nefer's paper.
"Miss Nefer. When was the last time you talked with people?" Lauma sighed.
"I talked to Jahoda five minutes ago." Nefer stared up slowly, before her eyes snapped to the space behind Lauma. There stood the almighty Grandmaster, and the lightkeeper—who didn't know that half of the people in that room knew he was a Fae.
"Nefer."
"What."
"You're staring..." Lauma frowned.
Nefer didn't know what was going on in that moment; time froze. She looked back at her papers for a minute while Lauma just sighed and murmured under her breath.
"Ah, Nefer!" Varka spoke, his loud and obnoxious voice cutting through the crowd of talking people. He stepped over with Flins, slapping a hand on Nefer's back and causing her to flinch.
"Varka. What did I tell you about slapping people?" Nefer stood up, shaking his hand off her back.Varka only laughed, completely ignoring the signs of leave me alone, I'm busy.
Flins chuckled and smiled softly. "My deepest apologies, Miss Nefer. He's clearly tipsy and needs to go home. I'll be escorting him out soon, my lady," Flins purred with that gentlemanly voice and sweet smile, completely different from Varka's loud voice and huge grin.
"I—yes, go, I suppose." The nickname only caught her off guard a little... just a little, right? Though she turned away and sat back down, she tried to hide the obvious, slight blush on her cheeks.
"That's my Fae! Always taking care of me," Varka grinned. Nefer's "hidden" blush was not going unnoticed by him, so he used this time to make her a little jealous—just a little.
"Oh. Yours. I see. Well, I have work to do." Nefer stood up and turned away, walking off toward Jahoda, her heels clicking softly on the ground.
Flins's eyes widened in surprise. He extended his hand to catch hers but dropped it. "Miss Nefer—" He sighed and turned away. "Ready to go home, Grandmaster? You're scaring the people away," Flins murmured, seeing Varka's slow sways and dazed eyes from the alcohol.
"No, my friend! I'm fine to stay longer!" Varka spoke loudly. Flins sighed and shook his head.
Ashru the cat walked over to Nefer and rubbed against her sharp heel.
"Meow..." Ashru purred.
"Jahoda, stop talking to your—girlfriend, and feed the cat." Nefer placed a hand on Jahoda's shoulder and patted it."Boss Nef! Ineffa is NOT my girlfriend! You're just jealous F—"Jahoda's eyes widened as Nefer quickly slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Hush."
"Sorry, Boss Nef!" Jahoda scrambled to the cat bowl and quickly poured some food.
Ineffa stared. She didn't question it; it had been like this for a month, ever since Columbina was rescued.
"Miss Nefer, have you thought of taking a break?" Ineffa spoke softly.
Nefer only sighed. "Yes, Ineffa. I've taken... breaks."
"Standing up and feeding the cat doesn't count." Ineffa raised a brow.
Nefer groaned and turned away. "I know. I've been taking breaks, though." She sighed. "You know what? Everyone out." Nefer's sharp voice cut through the talking. She didn't even know how half the people in the room had actually gotten inside.
"Boo," Columbina whispered.
Nefer turned slowly. "You too, Lady Kuutar."
After everyone piled out—Jahoda went with Ineffa and Aino, Miss Columbina left with Lauma, and so on—Nefer finally sat down on the couch. Rubbing her temples to soothe a clear headache, she watched as Ashru jumped onto the coffee table, trying to get her attention.
"What now, Ashru?" Nefer tilted her head.Ashru just meowed and purred by the door. Getting the hint, Nef stood up and walked to the entrance. "What now—"
She froze. A lantern. "Flins," she said calmly.
"Ah, you finally opened the door." He appeared in front of her, patting her head.
"I'm not short. Stop it," Nefer murmured, catching his hand.
"Yes, you are."
"Do not start." Nef yanked him inside, closing the door before Ashru could escape again.
"Your cat loves me," Flins said as he followed her, picking up the black cat.
"He loves everyone." Nefer narrowed her eyes and sat down on the couch again. "What do you need?"
"Nothing." Flins slid onto the couch across from her, still holding Ashru.
"What do you mean, nothing?" She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.
"Just came to see you."
His words made her freeze. Her eyes opened slowly. "No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did," Flins murmured before standing up and moving closer. He grabbed her hand, making her stand up again, before leaning down with one hand behind his back. He pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.
"Flins."
"Nefer." He kept her hand up to his lips, gently stroking it with his gloved one. "I am sorry for the inconvenience my dear Grandmaster made for you earlier. He was... unfortunately not sober."
Flins looked up at her, his bright yellow eyes shimmering slightly as they locked onto Nefer's teal, catlike eyes.She cleared her throat once, then twice, before pulling her hand back. "It was nothing. Now, what do you need, Fae?" She crossed her arms again, falling back down onto the couch.
"Ah, so you know. Ahem. I need the new Wild Hunt reports, please." Flins fixed his coat and stood up straight again with his soft smile. It wasn't to charm her; it was just his Fae nature.
"On my desk." Nefer's voice was sharp again. She pointed to the desk and gently picked Ashru up, focusing her attention on him instead.
With a gentle nod, the lightkeeper stepped over to the desk. The soft thudding of his boots on the floor filled the awkward silence. He picked a paper up; it said Report: Dottore. Then another: Report: Rerir. Now, he wasn't one for snooping, but he was surprised to see them after they had already defeated both Rerir and Dottore. He brushed it off, grabbing the new Wild Hunt patterns.
"Ah, I see. Not much new. You won't mind if I take this to show Master Illuga, would you?" Flins looked back over at the couch.
"Go ahead." Nefer didn't even look back. She grabbed her cup of tea and rubbed her temple.
"Headache, Miss Nefer?" He tapped her shoulder, making Nef jump slightly. He had moved too fast, making the headache flash worse.
"Yes,"
"May I help you?" He tilted his head, the Fae's long hair falling to the left with the small movement.There was a pause. A long, awkward pause.
"Flins. Could you please help me?" She narrowed her sharp eyes and looked at him, crossing her arms and tapping her elbow.
flins smiled and nodded. "Of course," with that he walked out to the café next door, ordered tea. And brought it right back.
"Tea for the lady," Flins gently grabbed her hands, and put her fingers through the cup handle. Before stepping back, and walking out. Now Nefer wasn't flabbergasted, or flustered: this was a Fae, a creature who manages to get everyone's attention or heart racing. No she didnt put the tea down to message Lauma and act like a crazy fangirl, instead Nefer sat down, and took a sip of her tea.
"Ashru," Nefer put the tea down. And picked the cat up, "would you choose me or him?"
Ashru just simply meowed, and jumped out her arms to the cracked open door. Nefer sighed and waved the cat off.
The next day came by quickly. Nefer was already up and finishing reports, Ashru on the other hand wasn't at the coratorium this morning. It didnt bother Nefer, he does this alot. And with in a few seconds the door swings open,
— Jahoda. And then Lauma. —
"Boss Nef!!!! I cant find ashru... please don't be mad at me !!" Jahoda slid across the floor to Nefers heels. Lauma laughed softly at Jahodas dramatic entrance.
"Jahoda dear, I told you we will find him." Lauma stepped over and gently helped Jahoda off the floor. Nefer didnt look up from the papers,
"Ashrus probably with Varka. Or Flins, dont bring me into anything. Those two can have ashru for all I care." Nefer sighed. Jahoda and Lauma both froze and looked at her, this was the first time Nefers every said something about someone else keeping Ashru. Ashru was hers, not the fae's, not the grand master's.
"Miss, Nefer... are you sure your okay?" Lauma frowned.
"Im fine." Nefer looked up from her papers, "i-", before she could finish the sentence Varka walked in, Flins after; with Ashru.
"I Heard Ashru meow from the lighthouse. He was inside a coat." Flins put Ashru onto Nefers desk right in front of her.
"Thanks." Nefer took Ashru. And went back to the reports.
Flins smiled softly, He ruffled her hair gently then lifted her chin. The room gasped, Jahoda just giggled; like a child getting candy.
"Coffee?" Flins whispered, Nefer just nodded. And with in seconds the room was empty, only Flins, Nefer and the cat. Who is now biting Nefers ankle.