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Nothing is What it Seems... (Degu x Shadow)

'Bearable,' hm? Well, he supposed it could be worse... And right now, he'd take whatever little bit of good-will he could.

He had to agree with her, though... Not just because yes- it was difficult to seem intimidating when someone so adorable insisted on riding around on his shoulder (or on top of his head), but more-so that money really didn't buy happiness. Gods knew he'd tried more than once. It wasn't until he'd met Eiya and Zach, that he'd started to figure out what was truly important..

"Touché... Growing up, 'heart' had little to do with anything. 'Emotions' were considered signs of weakness and any form of play was frivolous at best; Time better off spent learning 'more important' things. Economics, politics, ballroom dancing... Fine arts and business portfolios... The only 'socializing' allowed was at Galas and House Parties where I was paraded around and expected to remain silent unless directly addressed. Caged and forced to perform on cue like some pet... Perfect manners. Perfect posture. Perfect grades. 'Perfectly perfect'..." He snorted inelegantly, rolling his eyes slightly. "More like 'perfectly miserable'."
 
"Why didn't you just leave, then?" She turned just enough to peer at him curiously. "If there was so much money even as a child, why didn't you just run? A lot of us do it. We do what we need to survive." She could relate to bits of what he was saying, almost to uncomfortable level.

"I think I would die if I had to attend parties. So I hope you don't expect me to attend any such events here. I'll sooner lock myself in a room, thanks. Dresses and heels?" She snorted with laughter. "If you see me in either of those I'm either hammered or dying." She moved around the grass and began to hum quietly.

"I wouldn't mind getting some new boots, though," She eventually paused to lift a leg and look at the worn shoe in disgust. "I think these are about destroyed. Or is going to the store out of the question?"
 
He shook his head from where he was laying in the grass still; Immediately regretting it as the world warped around him.

Okay, so finishing off the rest of the bottle all at once probably hadn't been his best idea...

"No, we can go. I have people I trust. We can get whatever you need there. Clothes too, if there's anything you're missing." He inhaled deeply, savoring the natural scents one last time before sitting up (much more slowly and awkwardly than he would have liked) and gathering up the remains from their impromptu picnic. "I- I didn't leave because... I just felt that I couldn't. I had - have - a duty to uphold and as the only heir, I needed to learn these things for when I was put in charge. I've never been one to shirk responsibility, even if it was inconvenient. That aside- If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else. And as I'm sure you've guessed, that wasn't an option to me. Most of the closest candidates are selfish, greedy, and cruel. With so many lives in the balance, I couldn't put that kind of power in their hands, no matter how much I hate the politics..."

"It may not look like it, but I'm no freer than the next person. Money, hierarchy, responsibility, honor, love...." Slipping the strap over his shoulder, he gently picked Ao up from her place in the grass and smiled tenderly as she burrowed against his palm in her sleep- the large fluffy tail covering her and shielding her from the bright sunlight. "We all have our limitations. A cage- something that keeps us trapped and dictates what we can or can't do. It's just a matter of finding the one you can live with."

Checking one more time to make sure they had everything, he led the way up the hill to the rear entrance of the house. "I've found that... it's more about making the most of the life you're given. Some times we escape our cages, just briefly - just to stretch our wings and feel the open air. But no one can fly forever. Sooner or later, we return to the safety of our cages... or gravity will send us plummeting into the abyss."

He made his way up the back steps- sitting on a bench and managing to not lose his balance as he untied his shoes and picked them up to take inside. He'd need a few minutes before he could drive, after all. By the time he took a shower and put on a change of clothes, he'd be nearly sober again, but right now... He was just enjoying the light, almost bubbly feeling in his chest that even the morose topic couldn't dampen.

"If we have to live in cages though... At least we don't have to live in them alone." He halted for a moment- one hand resting on the door handle as he glanced through the window at the two figures still sitting at the table with a tender look in his eyes... Simply watching them discuss whatever it was they were working on now. "It's important to remember that... it's okay to stop looking at the bars. That it's not what we do or don't have... but who we share it with."
 
The alcohol was clearly taking its toll on him and he was starting to look unwell. Where she'd only drank about a third of her bottle, he'd downed an entire one by himself.

"What good is duty if your kingdom falls from heartbreak?" She didn't like that the empathy she felt created an ache in her chest. "A cage is a cage," She said simply, "it doesn't matter what or who is around you, nothing's the same. And if the ones held there with you have the freedom to come and go as they please, it only makes it more painful to stare from behind the bars." She chuckled almost bitterly before stretching and following him, then shook her head sadly.

"I don't think we need to go anywhere just yet. You need to sober up first. Come on, let's get you some water." She surprised even herself by grabbing at his hand and tugging him through the door, navigating the home surprisingly well for someone who'd just drank a third of high proof spirits.

"Sit, before you fall over." She nudged him toward the others in the room and into a chair, then plopped into the one beside him and thudded her head on the table with a groan.

"My liver is going to be screaming at me for the next week."
 
Green and blue eyes watched with identical looks of bewilderment as she forced him into a chair before sitting directly next to him. Not only was the small human (who had been screaming at them just that morning) ordering one of the most powerful creatures in the world around like he was an errant child... Was he actually drunk?! The two exchanged a look as the sweet smell of rum and the tang of whiskey drifted by, wondering how a tour outside had turned into them both getting hammered... Shin-ah was always careful with his alcohol; In over 500 years, neither had ever seen him even lightly buzzed, let alone so intoxicated that it visibly affected him. Zach opened his mouth to say something but Eiya kicked him under the table, shooting him a warning look before looking back over at the woman curiously; Wondering how she'd managed to get him to loosen his meticulously maintained self-control...

And how they could get her to stay.

Shin-ah meanwhile looked like he was seconds away from pouting as he narrowed his eyes on the petite figure next to him. "I'll be fine in a few minutes.. I just need to shower and change. My metablisms.. Metablism...."

".. Metabolism?" Eiya interjected, trying not to grin lest she embarrass him and cause him to withdraw- ruining all the fun.

"Yes.. Metabolism.." He nodded thanks at the red-head before turning back to Alexai. "My metabolism works quickly. Plus, I 'run warm' so to speak. So I burn through it faster than most. See?" He took her hand and held it to the side of his neck. Where the internal temperature of most humans held steady around 97F, his fluctuated.. ranging from 110 to upwards of 150, depending on different variables. To her, he would have felt like he was running a high fever currently, when in actuality, he was currently at the lower end of the scale.
 
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"Shut up." She groaned from inside the safety of her arms and reached out to pat him awkwardly on his own. "Stop being so stubborn, fuck." Her voice had picked up a hint of a slur as she raised her head, staring at the other two people with bleary eyes.

"Is he always this uncooperative?" She couldn't help but to laugh at the way he was stumbling over his words.

"Shin-ah, fuck, was that it? You need a nap, that's what you need. I think we both do." She found herself unable to stop from laughing, her head sagging to the side to rest against his shoulder. "God, you are warm!" She jolted back with a scowl, shaking her hand off after the brief contact with his skin.

"Yeah, you need a shower, and a nap. Come on." She stood from the chair with a slight screeching of the legs, then tugged at his arm and paused. "I don't even know where your room is." She turned to give Eiya a sheepish expression and chewed on her lip. "Wanna help me drag this big bastard back to his room? I don't think I could do it myself right now."
 
"Well.. I can try." She slid out of her chair, tilting her head to the side with a sheepish grin. At a petite 5'3", she was tiny compared to the rest of the group. She made a show of trying to 'pull' him to his feet. She could carry him, awkward as his size would be, but that wouldn't be 'normal'.

Shin-ah just huffed, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes. He was perfectly aware of what she was doing and it was entirely unnecessary in his mind. "I am not being stubborn." He protested, still not budging an inch, even as Eiya started to use more force. "I'm perfectly capable of moving myself. I made it here, didn't I?"

As if to emphasize his point, he stood up, using the table to steady himself for a moment before turning to look down at his two friends with a small smile. "I don't think I've told you guys.. But thanks for sticking with me all these years. I really 'preciate it." Enveloping them in a giant hug, he gave them a squeeze before backing away, almost backing into Alexai in the process before Eiya managed to grab his arm in time to keep him from tripping back into the counter. Unable to suppress a wide grin, she gave in and laughed outright- Zach snickering into his fist behind her as he watched the fiasco unfold, discreetly holding his phone to one side as he recorded the whole thing. There was no way in all the hells he was going to let this chance pass by. Who knew when, or if, it would ever happen again?

"The Master's suite is through the door by the TV. The bathroom is inside and to the right, which leads to the closet, then his room." She wasn't about to say that no one besides him had ever been back there before. It was his personal space and, being the reclusive person he was, he had always insisted on maintaining that privacy.

As if sensing her thoughts, he pointed an unsteady finger in his friends' direction, eyes narrowed. "You two stay here... You're nosy and get into things."

Eiya pouted, but knew arguing was pointless, even in this state. "Fine.. But I'm at least helping her get you to the door.. If you fall over, you'll squish the gal." Not to mention Alexai wasn't looking all that steady right now either, but since they were at a tentative truce, she didn't want to push their luck by teasing her too much right now. She wrapped an arm as far around his back as she could, using all the strength she dared to keep him steady. His hand rested on her outer shoulder and she could feel him using her to balance so as to not accidentally hurt the human. Even wasted as he was, he was still so careful... So worried about harming someone, even if it was unintentional.

Eiya helped them to the doorway, waiting while his hand moved from her to the door frame before backing away hesitantly. "Are you sure you two will be fine?"

A large hand reached out and patted her head. "I'll be fine. She's tougher than she looks. I'm sure we can get across one room without an incident, right Alexai?"
 
"Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't think." Both women were of similar height, after all. It seemed that Eiya could handle herself fine though, and it made her wonder if this wasn't the woman's first time hauling a drunk Shin-ah somewhere.

"Aw. That's sweet." Her cheeks stung as she grinned wide watching the interaction, then shielded her face the moment she spotted the phone aimed in their direction. "Hey! No, keep me out of that!" She ducked behind the tall man beside her momentarily, then bounced alongside them as they made their way.

"Oh, is this room going to have an even fancier bath than the last one?! That sounds amazing!" Her tone had become drastically more sing-song at the thought of a fancy bath, her hand wrapping around Shin-ah's arm as Eiya released him.

"It's just one room," She agreed, tugging him along with a giggle, although she nearly stumbled on the way through before looking over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't falling over.

"OH MY GOD. Look at this bed!" Alexai was shamelessly stripping her boots off her feet, diving onto the bed and rolling around. "Oh my god this is so comfortable. I just want to live here!"
 
He managed to shut the door, hearing Eiya pout through the door as she was prevented from sneaking in for a peak. "Nosy fox!" He called back over his shoulder as he stumbled along after Alexai. They passed by the bathroom, with the jacuzzi style spa-tub and separate walk-in shower, then through his closet before reaching the bedroom. When she finally released him, he leaned against the wall and watched her play on the bed, a grin of his own on his face. Here in his space was where he was always the most relaxed.

And damn if that didn't look fun.

Hesitating for only a few moments, he made his way to the head of the bed and grabbed one of the pillows and looked it over... Then looked up with a predatory grin- slitted pupils narrowing on her as he lightly tossed a second pillow at her.
 
"What are you smiling at?" Alexai rolled onto her back, draping her hair to the side as her tongue darted out. "Oh god, what are you going to do?" Her eyes went wide before she shrieked, throwing her hands over her face as the pillow came soaring toward her.

"What the hell was that?" She caught the pillow and threw it back at him before wiggling off the bed. "Are we going to play games like children, now?" She stood on her tiptoes to poke at his chest, holding a serious expression for a mere second before beginning to giggle.

"Oh, fuck it. Seriously, can I just live in your bed?" She jumped back up and stretched out, cuddling one of the remaining pillows to her chest. "And you get this all to yourself?"
 
He fumbled the pillow for a moment before catching it with his free hand; Holding it to one side as she walked up and began poking him in the chest. Bemused, he blinked in surprise before chuckling, more at the situation than the feeling itself. After all, here was a human poking a dragon in it's own den, though he doubted she'd do the same if she ever saw what he truly looked like...

...

Or maybe she would...

The idea alone made him laugh harder as he moved to the bed and laid back. The mental image of her little face glaring up at him, scolding him as she poked at him was just too much... "I'd trade you, but none of the other beds are long enough. I'm kind of big, in case you hadn't noticed." He gestured down at the rest of him wryly. "So if you want to sleep here, you'll have to share."

He moved a bit, pulling back the blankets before covering up with a yawn. Now that he was laying down, he realized he really was tired. He'd been up for almost a week now and it was starting to take a toll on him. While it wasn't uncommon for demons to go days or even weeks without rest, the lack of energy reduced their healing and other abilities tremendously. "I think I'm going to take that nap after all... I'll let you use my bathroom, since you seemed to like it more. Towels are under the sink." He carefully eased Ao out of his pocket and laid her in a small nest he'd made for her that hung from the headboard before tossing the decorative pillows into a pile on the floor. "Don't forget to get some sleep yourself. We can go get those shoes when you wake up, if you still want to go."
 
"None of my clothes are in here." She made a face. "I'll take a shower later. I need to brush this whiskey from my mouth anyway." Her face flushed red at the mention of his largeness, her mind running to places it definitely should not have been running. "You are big." Shifting out of the way so he could pull back the sheets and stretch out, she eyed him curiously.

Taking a nap did sound fantastic, and the bed was big enough. That, and he was radiating warmth like a damn space heater. After sitting there for a long minute contemplating, she yanked up the covers and burrowed under, popping her head up against his chest with a sound akin to a purr.

"You're sharing. I'm tired, this is deliciously comfortable. And you're warm." She wiggled herself closer, tucking her head against the crook of is neck and then flung both an arm and a leg over him. "God, you are so fucking hot--I mean--Oh, whatever. You know what I mean." She closed her eyes and tried to relax, allowing herself to drift off slowly into the bliss of sleep.
 
He froze, face going scarlet as he stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment; His temperature rising another few degrees as his anxiety kicked in. Sure, they were on better terms than they had been this morning, but he hadn't expected her to *actually* sleep in his bed. Wide golden eyes darted around the room helplessly, but there was nothing he could see that would help his situation without disturbing the sleeping woman. Feeling his heart racing in his chest, he took several long, slow breaths to try and calm it, attempting to focus on something besides the panic of having her pressed against him.

It had been a long, long time since anyone had gotten so close- several decades at least. He hated how insecure he felt; The vulnerability of trying to sleep with someone nearby. Someone he scarcely knew at that. While he'd asked Eiya to check for anything concerning, he himself hadn't actually read any of her findings, trusting that she'd tell him if there was anything important. Not that he was worried about anything she might do. She was just a human after all, and even if he had only just met her, he highly doubted she would try something so underhanded as trying to kill him in his sleep.

No... The only one he was worried about was himself. While he'd never stoop so low as the males from her work place (he had to fight back a growl, worried the noise would wake her), he'd have to be blind or very stupid to not see that she was quite attractive. Thinking back (now that she didn't hate every cell of his being)- Even in the midst of one of her tempers, she was rather cute. Adorable even. But looks alone wouldn't have gotten her in his door, let alone Into his personal space. She was different from the demonesses that had always been paraded around in front of him. She wasn't just pretty...

She had spirit.

She wasn't some demure, lifeless doll raised to do whatever they were told without question. She had thoughts and opinions, convictions, and she wasn't afraid to stand by them. Even against him, though she'd seen him strangle a guy with his bare hand. She knew he was deadly - that he could easily kill her - but that hadn't stopped her from verbally laying into him more than once. And if she wouldn't be cowed by him, then no one in the court would be able to sway her either. They certainly couldn't buy her and there was nothing they could bribe her with. He didn't have to worry about hidden agendas or betrayal with her since she knew nothing of the shadow world that paralleled her own. And for the first time, he was torn...

He knew he would need to tell her about who he was - what he was - and about the beings that hid among her kind that, in their natural forms, would resemble so many amazing and fantastical beasts... but should they ever show their true natures, could easily wipe humans off the face of the planet, if they so chose... He wanted her to know. She deserved to know why she was put into hiding and why she would have to live with a shadow hanging over her for the remainder of her very short existence... But he wished he didn't have to. He wished he could just send her back home and write it off as a misunderstanding. Wished for nothing more than for her to be able to go back and live in ignorant bliss...

Her breathing was slow and even by the time his mind finished wandering, her heart beating a soft, steady rhythm. Focusing on that, he felt the earlier panic recede, the hammering in his chest slowing to match hers. As it did, he noticed two things... First being that she still smelled like outside from when she'd laid on the ground. But second...

He enjoyed this... Now that the initial shock was over and the awkwardness was fading, it felt... Kind of nice...

He really was an odd dragon. Or maybe he'd just been alone too long... What ever the reason, he was too drunk to care right now. Easing his arm out from between them, he let it wrap gently around her waist, burying his nose in her hair as he let the smell of sun-warmed grass and the sweet scent of roses lull him off to sleep. Just for a few hours...
 
She pressed closer to him in her sleep, humming happily at the touch on her waist. It was a peaceful, albeit drunk slumber, one that left her with a pounding head when she woke several hours later.

"Oh for--Fuck." She glanced at the man sleeping beside her, rubbing her eyes before sliding carefully out of the bed. "Why did I drink so much?" She whined softly to herself, smoothing down her hair before leaving the room.

"Water." Her socks slid across the floor as she rasped out the word, forcing herself back to the kitchen and digging around for two cups. "Oh god, I need aspirin. Is he going to need aspirin with this? Fuck, I don't even know." She paused to stretch and smooth her hair down again, then filled the glasses before wordlessly padding back into the bedroom. Shin-ah was still asleep in the bed, and she took a sip of her water before setting the glasses down.

What the fuck are you doing, Alexai?

Her brain screamed how stupid she was as she climbed back into the bed, giving the sleeping man a tired look before settling in. She pressed her head firmly against his chest, fingers tracing absently over the designs marking his face.

Such a strange man. Still better than the people in the city though, I suppose.

Nothing made sense anymore. The man she'd watch easily kill another was being kinder to her than most, from taking her outside to offering endless amounts of money. The money meant nothing to her, but the small amount of freedom she'd been granted meant everything.

"There's water for you." Turning her face against his skin, Alexai mumbled the words with a groan. "Fuck, am I hungover."
 
Neither of them dared to speak as the woman finally emerged from the room hours later, mumbling to herself as she rummaged around. If they thought that him not kicking her out had been surprising, they were soon proven wrong as she grabbed a second glass of water and went right back into the room, the door closing softly behind her once more. The two stared at the door for a few seconds before looking at each other, Kouga bewildered that Shin-ah had somehow managed to win the girl over before he'd even had a chance, and Eiya grinning mischievously as she started plotting her next round of shenanigans.

Meanwhile, Shin-ah had barely stirred as she got out of bed- completely dead to the world. It wasn't until she touched his face that he roused slightly; The feeling of her fingers gliding over his cheeks tickling and causing him to rub his face with his right hand in his sleep before rolling over onto his side and tightening his arms around the smaller form. Holding her to him, he nuzzled the soft hair- a soft rumble periodically resounded through his chest as he continued to slumber.
 
"Are--Are you snoring? Oh god, you are way too heavy for this!" Alexai grunted and tried to pull herself away before relenting for a moment. "Come on... Shin-ah. SHIN-AH. You're going to crush me, so please get up. I need some aspirin, and you need to drink the water I brought you." She twisted her body around until she had finally freed herself, then scooted to the edge of the bed and held her head.

"God, kill me now please." She massaged her pounding temples and reached for the water to gulp it down. How Shin-ah was still sleeping so soundly was beyond her, and after a moment she flopped back on her side to watch him.

"Hey, get up." She sighed, then stretched out one leg and poked at him.
 
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