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€ÅЙ'Ŧ ¥ΘŲ لܧŦ PŖ∑ŦξŅĐ ŦØ ßĘ ЙĮ€Ξ?
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Cymon nodded solemnly. He supposed it really wasn't a lie... But still, he didn't want a reputation for his preferences in bed! And the maids were going to make assumptions. Because Arius was big, Cymon liked feeling small. Because Arius was pale, Cymon liked the contrast of their bare skin against each other. Because Arius had claw marks on his back...
You get the drift.
Blowing out an exhausted sigh, Cymon merely let the human pull him close. He didn't realize how uncharacteristically affectionate the motion was until that arm slid around him and those lips pressed to his head. On of his ears brushed Arius' cheek as it flicked in curiosity. Then it twitched away shyly as Cymon nuzzled into the slave's chest and breathed in deep. His scent, no longer dark and dank from the slave shop, was reassuring.
Cymon's tail began to sway in comfort, but he stopped himself before the purring began. Stepping back, Cymon glanced up at Arius for a moment, just looking at him. He wanted to blame it on something cheesy like fate, this feeling he was getting that Arius was truly supposed to be here. More specifically, with Cymon.
But he was a shapeshifter. Only humans were supposed to believe in fairytales like that. Cymon gave a shy little smile and began to lead Arius out, "Um... Yes. Let's do that."
He led Arius down the hall to where some clanking could be heard. And gruff voice called out from the room, "Shauna, you not get this spot! You miss a spot!" Scurried steps, "Sorry, Chef!" "Is okay, is okay, but no more again. Yes?" "Yes, sir."
Cymon pushed open the door and peeked his head in, still holding Arius' hand, "Chef Ochi?" A thin Asian man in a chef's coat turned from the sink, frowning as he looked around, "I hear my name..." Cymon stepped further in, waving a hand sheepishly, "Good afternoon."
The chef's eyes finally found Cymon and his face practically lit up. "Ahhh, young masterrr!" Ochi's accent was well-hidden most times. But he did tend to get a little enthusiastic with his 'r's. What gave him away all the time, though, was the broken sentences and missing words. At least his pronunciation was up to par.
"I can help for you today?" The chef made his way toward the shapeshifter, grabbing a towel to dry his hands, "You come to see me or eat my chocolate?" He asked knowingly, watching Cymon smile in that way he did when he'd been caught in his cravings. The chef ruffled the top of Cymon's head with a laugh, "I put in frrridge. I know you come today."
Tugging a little, Cymon led Arius into the room and watched Ochi's face change. He'd turned his head to see what Cymon was doing with that other hand, only to come face-to-face with a shirt. His eyes traveled up the row of buttons, to the collar, the pale neck, sharp chin, fine lips, straight nose and right into those clear-as-crystal eyes. His jaw dropped.
"This is my new friend, Januarius. He'd like some chocolate, too." Cymon murmured. Ochi looked between the two, the 12 inches of height difference... "Chef Ochi is not machine." He said plainly. Cymon looked confused, "... Machine?" "I make one box of chocolate on one day." Ochi pointed to Arius, "One box of chocolate what he eat for appetizerrrr!"
Cymon took a moment to figure it out. When he realized Chef Ochi was insinuating that he'd need to be a chocolate making machine in order to keep up with how much chocolate a man as big as Arius would need to eat to be satisfied... Well, he could call it a giggle. But it was more like outright laughter. Cymon clapped a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stop but the image of an Ochi machine and Arius at the end of a conveyer belt just devouring all the chocolates was too hilarious.
((Got a little carried away with Chef Ochi... Side characters always get me, gah... Oh, and you can control Ochi if you want him to interact with Arius without having to wait for me. XD))