"I…" Fèi Míng cut in. "You could have misheard me." he lowered his head, his palm still covering the kitten's face. "I only want a room. I keep to my word that I won't cause any trouble." He tried smiling.
Clearing her throat, the woman replied, "pardon my rudeness. My name's Wven! I am glad we have more loyal customers. Would you be interested in other services?"
"Lowest courtesan I can at least afford, with tea service. I do apologize…" he raised his stolen coins. "...but I only have this much and only seek comfort."
Wven tilted her head, a bit skeptical about him. He was a bit taller than her, yet he looked harmless enough, if lucky enough to have money to burn. She gestured towards the inner brothel, smiling. "This way, kind sir."
The room given to him smelled of perfume. He set the kitten down, which immediately began sniffing every corner, tail high.
He took a moment, scanning the space.
Later, when he undressed for a bath, the kitten mewed pitifully, circling around as he scratched the bathroom door continuously. "Meowww! Where… is— are you? I need to— see! me… see! See! You…"
Fèi Míng sighed, cracking the door enough for the tiny creature to hop inside. "Fine. You're coming in," he muttered. The water sloshed softly, rippling as the kitten's tiny paws splashed at the edges, claws catching in the thin washcloth he tossed over it.
"You're dirty. Sit still," he warned. Wriggling around, the kitten hissed, and ended up splashing him instead.
Fèi Míng scowled but couldn't help a small grunt of annoyance that almost sounded like laughter. "Stubborn little demon."
"You kill people. Me… not demon."
Fei Ming splashed more water on the honest kitten. 'I couldn't care less for a handicapped mute soldier…'
Minutes later, both wet, the kitten curled on his chest, amber eyes half-lidded, as Fèi Míng leaned back against the smooth porcelain. The water dripped from his hair, letting himself linger in the brief calm.
"I'm hungry. Food." The kitten announced.
'I still can't believe I'm talking to a cat. A cat who ate my price.'
Putting the kitten aside and standing up from his tub, his hands reached out for a robe. He left the bathroom, wiping off the water droplets off his hair and face. "I should really give you a name, kitty. Cheshire sounds good, doesn't it?"
"...hate it," the kitten replied.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Fèi Míng's shoulders tensed as he straightened, his fingers tightening around the edge of the robe while the ginger kitten lifted its head, ears pricked, tail flicking once in irritation.
"Tea service," came a woman's voice from the other side.
Fèi Míng crossed the room barefoot. When he opened the wooden door, a woman stood there holding a lacquered tray balanced neatly against her forearm. An iron kettle steamed faintly, heat curling into the air, accompanied by two porcelain cups, narrow tongs, and neatly wrapped bundles of dried tea leaves.
Her clothing was modest—soft blue fabric drawn close to her body—yet it only emphasized the calm confidence in the way she stood, chin level, eyes lowered as she entered the room.
"I'll place it here," she hummed, carefully setting the tray on the table, not a single clink of porcelain out of place.
The scent of tea leaves bloomed faintly as the kettle shifted.
Fèi Míng's gaze followed her hands, then drifted to the widely opened door.
His eyes narrowed slightly. 'Shit. I… should close it.'
She glanced at him over her shoulder, lips curving just enough to be polite. "Your scars… they're lovely," she stated, her eyes shifting back to the door. "That also won't be necessary."
Just then, a man stumbled in, laughing loudly, his silk sleeves flaring as he leaned his weight against the frame. Two women clung to his arms, giggling as they tried to steady him, their thick wave of perfume rushing in ahead of them.
"Ah—wrong room?" the man slurred, eyes roaming freely, across the space. "Heh. Or maybe not!"
Squinting to take in the intruder's posture, Fei Ming muttered inaudibly: "This is annoying, yet familiar." The careless sprawl of his movements, the familiar rhythm of his insufferable laugh…
Worst that stood out was how this 'man' shone like a nauseating disco light ball.
'Wait…'
"…Keres?" he muttered.
The man froze mid-laugh.
Slowly, he straightened, shaking the women off his arms as his eyes focused at last. The grin on his face spread even wider. Fateless could have sworn he saw sparkles and stars emit from this guy, who was no longer covered in pins but in fine silky clothes nobles wore.
"Well," Keres drawled. "Look what the cat dropped by! It's you! Fateless, right? You came for me? How so very thoughtful of you! I was very worried about you after our last Game. Some weirdos came up to me and like, I saw your cool face on a poster and— and…"
Fei Ming's eye twitched, resisting the urge to hit this overexcited blabbermouth.
Keres' attention shifted toward the orange kitten dramatically sprawled on the floor. "Is that a cat? Your cat? Wow… How can you not get any cooler?"