sheep go to heaven; goats go to hell

[willowed]

It's been weeks since Nuriko was discovered at the cat café and she still hasn't spoken to anyone about the encounter. The holidays have been too much, too loud, too busy for her to focus on anything more than doing a good job at work and coming home to make the space comfortable for Rin during the difficult time. With school on break, she's afraid of leaving him to his own devices for too long, unsure where his thoughts will take him.

When Christmas passes, she finally finds the space to think of herself again, slightly distracted as business slows and fiddling restlessly with her smartphone. Only when she notices Robin passing through the restaurant does she put the phone away, firing off one more animated heart in Rin's direction before trailing quickly after Robin in time to slip through his office door before it shuts.

Robin's been kind to her since they met, but still Nuriko feels her pulse quicken nervously. It's been a while since she's asked for a favor like this, potentially dangerous and definitely completely outside of her comfort zone.

And if there's anyone who knows the value of that, it's Robin.

"Hey, boss," she says, tone hesitant and wheedling as she knocks belatedly, offering a smile. "Do you have a minute?"

Comments

[willowed]

"Ah, and it's not just for show, either," Nuriko says, brightening with an amused grin, though her cheeks blush in modesty, hand plastered against her face to try and lower the temperature. "It seems to have almost a mind of its own, or maybe it's just instinct. He wraps it around me without thinking, sometimes. Especially during that."

She leans back, cheeky once again.

"It's kind of nice. Being wanted."

[goodfella]

If Robin was ever one to blush, he'd lost that kind of shame at least a million years ago, and only rests his cheek in one hand propped up by an elbow on his desk, offering a smile, lascivious and full of too many teeth, across the table at Nuriko. It's just the kind of gossip he likes to muse on the best. The dirty kind.

At any rate, he can relate. There's something about Ishiah. His habit of wrapping his wings around what he wants to keep safe like some nervous mother bird. He gives a snort of laughter.

"If only everyone in the world could feel so wanted. Maybe there'd be fewer strifes. As much as I like a good, hard tussle, I could get behind that, I think."

[willowed]

Nuriko stares across the table for a few seconds before huffing an amused laugh, reaching out to pat the crook of Robin's elbow, deeply fond. She's never before had a guardian or boss quite so capable of laughing over the more intimate aspects of her life, nor seen anything quite as bright as the gaze he gives her now, making her feel as though she's been stripped bare directly in front of him.

"Pervert," she says with a laugh, reaching behind herself to start pinning her hair back up in preparation for heading out to the floor again. "But you're right. If everyone had a little time in their day to focus on things like this... maybe we'd care less about fights and wars. Maybe. There are worse vices."

Standing from her chair and pressing both of her hands against the edge of the desk, Nuriko smiles and bows her head in gratitude.

"Thank you again. Truly. I know I'll feel much safer having you there. And maybe you'll find a thing or two to interest you during the meeting. He's an interesting man, that shopkeeper."