#boozebuddies

[rokachan]

Defend — I’ll write a drabble of my character protecting yours. For Ren

Roka sighed, leaning heavily on the edge of Ren’s desk. Claws played over the metal surface of battered tin, before she gently set it front and center, atop a small mess of what she assumed was terribly important paperwork he had procrastinated. She could relate to that. Bemused, the little catte fussed at the tin, never quite satisfied with where she set it, or how it was turned.

Inside were assorted macarons. Half of which were tiramisu. The rest were a variety. None given anything but the utmost care in craft.

She was certainly procrastinating. Stalling for time as she stood there in the otherwise empty office.

Twelve she missed the closeness they had.

This was better though. This was smarter.

Narrow shoulders slumped, and she retrieved the other part of her offering from the depths of her travelling cloak. A new bottle of Proud Creek Reserve settled beside the battered tin, and Roka nodded to herself. Fingers pressed to her lips, carrying an unspoken apology to the top of the bottle before she slunk out of the room.

Distance was best, she could protect Ren this way. He didn’t need to see what she’d become, or worry for her. She could make appearances, leave him gifts and pass him tins of sweets, offer up smiles from arm’s length or a passing nudge of her head in parting. She could do all that and still keep herself away from where he might learn anything.

She could protect him that way, even if she was too selfish to drive herself full and well gone.

[rokachan]

💓  - And a name to ask if they would start a relationship with them. [Ren]⇕ - And a name to ask if they would sleep with them. [Certo]✮- And a name to hear their real feelings for them. [Ilan] -A.S.

Roka stared.

Glowered.

Puffed her tail up and pinned her ears, rumbling an unhappy growl at the probing questions.

"I would sleep with Certo. I have curled up with him numerous times in the past. He has been a source of immense comfort when I was restless or unwell or simply did not want to be alone. I trust him, and know he would not press something I did not invite or initiate."

Lips pursed, wishing to avoid answering the other questions, but ultimately the catte heaved a defeated sigh.

"I do not know if I would pursue a relationship beyond what I have with Ren. He is... Good. Truly good in a way I could never forgive myself if I were to corrupt him. Hurt him. I cherish him as a friend but... There would have to be a long conversation about a great many things for anything more to be on the table."

Claws plucked at her coat, finding a loose string and picking at it listlessly.

"As for my feelings for Ilan? I showed him how to tell me he loves me without showing him the differences in context which was a mistake I suppose, but I unless he says otherwise I will ultimately assume he means it in close friendship. He is my doctor and one of my dearest friends. He accepted me without batting an eye when I came to him with... Problems. He cared for me in some of my lowest points. I would do anything he asked of me without question, and at this point? I... I might be willing to live for him."

[rokachan]

FMK- Certo, Ren, Ilan -A.S.

"Ah... Hmm... I think I might be the most nervous around Certo. I do not know... I would not know how to act, and... Well it is a good thing he has always been good at reading body language. I would sit near Ilan and hope he might hold my hand. His touch is comforting and I enjoy his hugs and when he takes my hand while we talk. That leaves a kiss for Ren, on the corner of his lips. It would not be the first time."

[rokachan]

20. my muse [Ren] pleading for no more blood shed from your muse [Roka]. For Ren -A.S.

She couldn't keep it a secret forever, not from the people she was closest to.

Not from the ones she refused to tell lies. Not from the ones who were clever and pieced together the puzzle enough to have an idea of the real picture.

"Cookie, please. I'm beggin' ya, this can't continue darlin'."

Ren towered, even hunched with her icy hands clasped in his. He didn't understand though. When she failed to respond, lips drawn tight and gaze averted to stare at a wall the sharp snapped at her, snaring her chin between thumb and index to haul her eerie eyes to him.

"Roka! I mean it. Ya can't do this. Ya can't just... Hurt people."

How was she supposed to argue with those emerald eyes, so intensely desperate for her compliance?

How was she supposed to say no to someone she'd do anything for? Who she owed her very life?

"Ren, you do not know what you are asking of me..."

"I know exactly what the fuck I'm askin' of you. I'm askin' you to stop killing people."

Nostril flared, jaw clenched beneath his fingers. He released her hands, and she saw the brief flicker. The hesitation. The itch of dark fingers toward where she knew Justice sat holstered. He wouldn't.

Would he?

Claws slowly rose, circling the wrist of the hand still holding her chin, still keeping her gaze on him. Claws rested there, watching one of the people dearest to her flinch. It was tiny. Barely a tic of the muscles in the corner of his eyes, but she caught it.

"Fine. You may condemn me, then. Do I get to tell Ilan he has a shortened time frame to find a sustainable option, or would you rather put me down now, that you need not worry that I might forget who is friend and who is food?"

Roka ripped herself out of his grasp, turning away to stalk on unnaturally silent feet across the room, toward the door. He... Didn't stop her. She half expected him to do exactly that, put a bullet in her and figure out the rest later. At the door, the waif paused, casting a betrayed look back at Ren.

"I would never lay a finger on my people, you know that Ren. You know me better than that, but you... Flinched."

Maybe he needed time to digest what he'd figured out. Maybe he'd approached her too hastily in his worry. Maybe he was genuinely afraid of her now. It didn't matter, and Roka didn't wait to see if he had anything else to say, fleeing the building to find somewhere to think.

@shroudwayman because our dear anon loves you

[rokachan]

[ 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ] My muse takes your muse’s hand and slow dances with them without music playing for Ren -A.S.

When did Ren get so stealthy?!

How out of it was she that she hadn't heard him approach and made a swift escape?

Why were they dancing??!?!?!

Roka's ears were pinned back, hands trapped by Ren's far larger grasp, and tail batting at the floor behind her with utter futility. Well, she was stuck, and he seemed intent on having a dance. Her refusal to budge more than swaying? Wasn't deterring her friend.

He hadn't recoiled from her chilled skin either, so... She might as well enjoy the moment while it lasted.

Up onto his boots she stepped, casting a single mock-sour look up at his beaming grin before softening to return with her own small smile.

"You get one song, Ren, and then I do need to go."

"Cookie? There ain't any music playin'."

Roka didn't immediately respond, shaking her trapped hands free that she might find better placement for them, and his own could settle to help keep her from falling off his boots.

When she finally answered, it was with a voice muffled against his belly, where she'd buried her face.

"I suppose that just means it can be a very long song then."

@shroudwayman

[rokachan]

Send “Deep Azure” to find My Muse in a Hot Spring.. For Ren -A.S.

"Cookie?!"

Oh crap.

Roka knew that voice. Even with her eyes closed, head tipped back and resting on the stones that rimmed the little spring and halfway asleep, she knew it. A sluggish ear twitched to Ren's voice, and Roka pried her eyes open a crack. She could try and flee, but... The water was warm and the air was cold, and ultimately? It was Ren. The most she had to fear from the sharp was him gently asking what was up with her.

The poor Elezen looked like he wanted to soak, and she was sure he could use it for all those stiff joints and aching muscles she knew he sported. Bless him though, for not wanting to do something that would send her running into the cold.

Eyes fell closed again and the little catte offered a muted hum.

"You are going to freeze if you stand around in the winter air like that, and then Ilan will be furious with me for letting you. There is a bottle of bourbon by my towel though if you would grab it?"

She paused, waited while she listened for any hint of movement.

"If you are quick about it I will even rub your shoulders for you."

She hoped the hot waters would suffice to hide the chill of her skin, and if not? Well... It was just the air, obviously. Nothing unusual. Please ignore the lack of metal limb sitting on the side of the spring anywhere, Ren. She's glamoured it in place, but you can't remove a limb that way, it just doesn't work. See? There it is in the water! Perfectly normal here.

With her tail pointedly curled into her lap and over her legs beneath the surface, she lifted her hands, giving her claws a friendly wiggle in the promise of massage and, maybe, playing with his hair while he soaked.

@shroudwayman

[rokachan]

Send 🌿 to meet my muse under the mistletoe for Ren -A.S.

No.

Nope.

Menphina help her...

Of course, Ren would be parading about with a sprig of mistletoe tucked behind his ear.

It was Ren.

Roka contemplated bolting. She was pretty sure he hadn't seen her, and she was as silent as the gravy when she made no effort to announce herself. She could just...

No.

That wouldn't be... Right? Yes, she supposed that was the word she wanted. She wasn't going to go and flee from Ren just because of a plant.

"Cooooookie~!"

The sing-songed nickname sealed her fate, he'd seen her. Ears gave a little involuntary wiggle, lips curving in a hesitant but soft smile while she watched him approach.

"Merry starlight! Wasn' sure we were even gonna see you, but I'm glad you came out of hiding."

He dipped to her height, offering his cheek and pointing to the spring of green. Offering her an easy out with a peck on the cheek. She could cry for how well he knew her sometimes.

"You look good Ren, though you always do."

Roka leaned in, examining Ren's cheek for a moment. Lifted her hand to wipe the pad of her thumb across the dark skin before pinching his chin between her thumb and the crook of her index finger to catch the sharp by surprise and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. Hopefully, he'd just... Keep attributing her chill to the weather. It was obvious she just had poor circulation and it was so very cold outside, right?

Her boldness didn't hold out though, and as she stepped away eyes dropped to her boots and her tail curled around her legs.

"Ah... I should... The laundry... I need to frost it."

And off she darted. Hopefully, she wasn't... Actually planning on frosting anyone's laundry...

@shroudwayman

[rokachan]

send 🍪 for our muses to bake cookies for santa together . For Ren -A.S.

Of all the people who might wander into the kitchen, and promptly be run right back out by a snarling catte, Ren was not in that vast number. In fact, when the sharp ambled in to grab himself a snack and spied Roka in the midst of working her kitchen sorcery, he half expected her to be the one to bolt. She was apt enough lately, keeping out of sight and reach most of the time.

Roka didn't even really expect her own actions, looking up from the dough to find Ren staring.

"Could you bring me the vanilla?"

It was, technically, within her reach. The little brown bottle could have been grabbed if she took all of two steps to her left. It was an invitation into one of those moments few people were accepted into, much less welcomed.

So he brought the vanilla.

And he helped roll the dough out.

Roka let him pick which cookie cutters to use, though she forbade him from actually cutting the shapes because 'they need to be perfect'. Whenever he was close enough the abundant wealth of her tail swept to press against the backs of his calves. She wasn't even aware she was doing it, it was the subconscious need to touch her people at work. But it was reassuring because that meant whatever else was going on?

Ren was still her people.

When the cookies were out of the ovens and cooled, Roka set up a station for them to decorate at a booth, nudging him over that she might sit beside him and rest her tail across his lap while they worked. She didn't talk much beyond instructions, and Ren didn't press for more. She'd talk when she was ready, she usually did, but this? This was something he wouldn't risk ruining.

At least until he tried to munch on a cookie.

A small hand swatted at him and Roka huffed a scolding grumble at him.

"Those are for the Saint of Nymia, Ren. So unless you plan on sneaking into my home in the middle of night on Starlight, you can have the regular cookies like everyone else."

"Aw... C'mon Cookie! Quality control, gotta make sure they's good, yeah?"

Roka pursed her lips, squinted, and siiiiighed dramatically before handing the sharp the cookie he'd been after.

"One then, just one." She collected the rest while he munched happily. They were good. Of course they were, Roka had a hand in it. "Hey, Ren? Merry Starlight, in case I am not back here by then." And off she went, leaving Ren to enjoy the spoils of his labor while she disappeared to Twelve only knew where.

@shroudwayman