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With enough practice, getting rid of the occasional trash beast became as easy as breathing. Well, for the most part. Rudo's sensitive cat ears were usually left ringing for a while after the trash beasts met their end. After all, those monstrosities tended to be loud. Swatting his short white tail from side to side as if to signal his restlessness, he followed the rest of team Akuta to the usual bar. According to Enjin, they were in desperate need of some cold drinks and a warm meal.
“You know, I've never asked before,” Enjin started, having parked the car. Thankfully, the rest of team Akuta had made it in one piece. This time Gris hadn't accompanied them, and Enjin's driving left much to be desired. “But I think we're past the awkward, first-time introductions phase. Rudo, what’s up with your ear and tail? No one here on the ground has those traits.” Enjin finished his question by doing air quotes.
“Is it important? Maybe everyone up in the Sphere has them,” Zanka grumbled, for once sticking out for Rudo, even if only because he was miffed his junior was getting all of Enjin's attention. He stepped inside the bar first, leaving his Lovely Assistaff by the door where he could easily retrieve it if need be.
Now in their usual booth, Rudo dropped into his seat, resting his elbows on the table. The bar was unusually quiet, save for a couple of tables also occupied by other teams back from their own assignments. One of said tables was presently occupied by Team Eager, Delmon's boisterous voice immediately recognizable through the chattering of the other patrons. By his side, Tamsy nodded and took tiny sips from his beer.
“I'm just curious!” Enjin defended himself while dropping next to Rudo and shaking him by the shoulders. Like a dog unwilling to let go of his prey, he wasn't likely to abandon this line of questioning. In front of them, Riyo giggled. She slapped a hand over her mouth to try and hide her amusement, but it was painted all over her face.
“I don't know! Alright? Yes, all the Sphereites my age have cat ears and tails,” Rudo trailed off, his voice dropping as he considered how none of the older tribe folk appeared to have any feline traits. Regto had choked on his noodles that one time Rudo had asked him about it, and only explained that losing the ears and tail was considered a sign of reaching adulthood. Rudo had suspected there was more to it than that, but didn't press the matter.
“Well, turns out the answer to your question was way more mundane than you expected, isn't it? Enjin?” Tamsy’s soft voice interrupted them just as Enjin had opened his mouth again — surely to mock Rudo for taking things so personally all the time. With Delmon in tow, they had apparently finished their dinner and were about to head back to HQ.
“Eh? Where did you come from? Come on, grab a chair and let's have a beer together. You too, Delmon!” Enjin added this last part as if it were an afterthought, briefly nodding at the gentle (yet loud) giant, then his gaze flicked back to Tamsy. Tamsy, however, didn't seem too concerned with Enjin.
“Oh, no, we've just finished a rather grueling job in Penta, and we have orders to report back to Corvus. Maybe some other time…” He said, his eyes crinkling as he offered Enjin one of his more apologetic smiles.
Tamsy stood right behind Rudo, his white hair tassels brushing against Rudo's back as he motioned for the exit. Catching everyone unaware, he ruffled Rudo's hair and rubbed his cat ears by way of goodbye.
Zanka had been sneezing more than usual, and, after careful consideration on Enjin's part, it was determined that Rudo was likely the culprit. Zanka's coughing fits began right after training one-on-one with Rudo, and, while his condition was better when they sparred out in the open, he still got the sniffles. This only served to create a wedge between trainer and trainee, with Zanka feeling outright annoyed (and congested) and Rudo in need of a new mentor.
At least until Eishia figured out what kind of allergy meds to put Zanka on so things could go back to normal.
Riyo had attempted to sub for Zanka, but her teaching style was more aggressive and purely based on gut instinct. Enjin, on his part, would have been a perfect choice if not for his conflicting schedule and his routine escapades to the bar right in the middle of the day.
So that left Rudo directionless, staring into the bottom of his cup of cocoa in Mess Hall while everyone was enjoying some downtime. His ears twitched when he heard the distinctive creak of the door opening, and, turning his head towards it, he caught sight of Tamsy sneaking in.
“Rudo! I didn't expect to catch you here so early in the morning!” Tamsy sounded genuinely surprised as he made his way to him; his soft steps would have been inaudible if not for Rudo's overdeveloped sense of hearing. Besides that, Tamsy always carried a certain lavender scent that effectively calmed Rudo down and put him in an invariably good mood.
Pulling up a chair, he took a seat and propped his elbows on the table, his face in his hand and eyes searching Rudo as if studying a painting. With his hair down and dressed in casual clothes — as far as casual goes when it comes to Tamsy Caines — he looked remarkably younger. One might even mistake him for being around Rudo's age.
“What?” Rudo asked, aiming for standoffish but instead sounding just tired. He'd been up for most of the night, turning in bed and unable to sleep a wink. But none of that was Tamsy's fault. “Sorry… Just worried I won't be useful now that no one in Team Akuta will train me. You know? It's so annoying that turdface’s allergies kicked in now of all times! I'm not a real cat! I don't shed!”
Tamsy brought a long red sleeve to his mouth, seemingly lost in thought. Then, humming as if having reached a satisfactory conclusion, he dropped his hand and nodded more to himself than at Rudo. “Sounds like maybe you need a friend. And, pardon me for saying this, but you could use some time away from Team Akuta. Oftentimes, teams can become asphyxiating if we don't take a breather every so often.”
Rudo frowned, mulling over the suggestion in his head. A breather. Well, it did sound logical, but he'd just started working for the cleaners, and he was yet to make some headway regarding Regto's murderer. How could he even ask for a few days off, given his circumstances?
“Rudooo,” Tamsy whined, drawing out that last ‘o’. It was then that Rudo noticed how his tail, usually so well-behaved, had curled around Tamsy in a mockery of a hug. Feeling heat rush to his cheeks, he quickly let Tamsy go. Thankfully, being the good-natured guy that he was, Tamsy didn't appear to be the least bit miffed. Maybe as retaliation, he snaked one arm over Rudo's shoulders.
“I'll tell you what,” he started in a secretive tone, some loose strands of hair tickling Rudo's sensitive cat ears, making them twitch. “You can ask Enjin about letting you join Team Eager for our next assignment. Just as a personal favor to me. Enjin owes me a favor or two and won't be opposed. How about it? Hmm? Kitten?”
Rudo jumped up at the idea, the new nickname not registering in his head due to the excitement. He returned Tamsy's half-hearted hug with so much enthusiasm they almost toppled over. Tamsy chuckled and patted him on the back. “Really? You mean it? Do you guys know when that will be? Should I go back to my room and pack?”
“No, nothing like that, dear me!” Tamsy exclaimed but he didn't sound the least bit annoyed. In fact, Rudo could have sworn he looked ecstatic, with his grin stretched far wider than usual and his eyes shining. “Let me talk to your team leader tomorrow, yeah? And maybe the boss too. Now that I think about it, we do need his seal of approval, so to speak.”
Rudo had scarcely been able to rest, but, for once, it wasn't due to the nightmares. Like a kid the night before his birthday, he wondered just how useful he might prove to be. He eagerly awaited a chance to see Tamsy's jinki in action and maybe see how, exactly, Tamsy and Delmon worked together. Rudo was looking at it purely from a learning perspective. He wasn't just inordinately, unfairly keyed up because of Tamsy's new nickname for him.
Kitten. He'd taken to calling him that as of late. Rudo still hadn't decided how he felt about it, which, he supposed, was enough of an answer in and of itself.
Thankfully, getting Enjin on board with their improvised plan was supposed to be as easy as pie. Tamsy had knocked on Rudo's door in the morning, something they'd previously agreed on. He tentatively turned on the doorknob and slipped inside with an expression between bewildered and mildly put off. “You really ought to start locking yourself in at night. Headquarters is as safe as it gets, but it's a good habit to keep so as not to forget to do it when away on long assignments. So far, you've only stayed away for a day at most, correct?”
Rudo’s tail puffed up — a reaction to having been caught unawares — but he perked up immediately after realizing the intruder was none other than Tamsy. Nodding, he grabbed his crossbody bag (which he'd packed right after dinner the night before) and slung it over his shoulder. In addition to his uniform-issued messenger bag, it would provide him with enough extra space for one more change of clothes and some toiletries. The basics.
“I promise to be more careful in the future! Can we go now? Is Enjin waiting for you— for us? Do we have to speak to the boss first?” Rudo couldn't stop the questions from tumbling out of his mouth in quick succession, his anxiety skyrocketing at the idea that the cleaners’ boss might not approve of Tamsy's exchange idea.
Tamsy giggled, and that unusually cute sound distracted Rudo from the frenzy he'd worked himself into. For the first time, he took his senior in. Tamsy was dressed in his uniform, but instead of his usual bun and white tassels combo, he'd styled his hair in two blond and blue braids. “Oh, you like it? Riyo wanted to do my hair, and I was in too much of a hurry to refuse. I figured she wouldn't be deterred no matter what…”
Rudo swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yeah, she can be intense,” he lamely agreed as warmth crawled up his neck.
Breaching the distance between them with just a couple of strides, Tamsy squeezed Rudo's shoulder, his eyes shining with an undecipherable feeling. “I've already got the go ahead from the boss himself. Judging by the time of the day, Enjin must be trying to sober himself up right about now. He'll meet us outside. Come on, kitten, let's go.” Tamsy ushered Rudo out of his room, clicking the door shut behind them.
Enjin had, predictably, spent his free time drinking at the local bar he occasionally dragged his teammates to and hitting on random women. By the looks of it, he'd had a rough night. His clothes disheveled and face pale white, he tried to regain his composure when Tamsy approached him. His eyes lit up, and he rose to his feet a bit too suddenly because he almost tripped over himself in his rush to greet his colleagues.
With his back to Gob’s last mural, he waved at them with a shit eating grin on his face. “Well! Look what the cat brought in!”
Rudo frowned. Ah, another word play. Cool.
“Rudo…” Tamsy gently nudged him, his voice lowering a bit so as not to be heard by an approaching Enjin, “your ears give you away too easily,” he said, patting Rudo on his head, his long sleeve providing some cover. Rudo concentrated on turning his ears, which were flat and turned to the sides, back to normal. He wanted to appear approachable — not that Enjin would have noticed with the way he only appeared to have eyes for Tamsy.
For whatever reason, Enjin's attitude towards Tamsy Caines —who he once treated merely as a co-worker from another team— had changed after the two had been forced to weather a trash storm on their way back from Canvas Town. Enjin's opinion on Tamsy had shifted so drastically that it gave everyone at HQ whiplash. Right now, Enjin dropped both hands on Tamsy's shoulders.
“I hear you wanted to ask for a favor! Is it about Rudo?” Tamsy nodded, his kind eyes still fixed on Rudo, who only clung closer. His tail swaying from side to side, Rudo caught it in his hand so as not to call attention to it.
“Now, before I ask, I just wanted to say I've already gotten the all clear from the boss himself, but I thought it'd be only right to tell you.” Tamsy took a tiny step back, disentangling himself from Enjin's drunken hold. He smiled down at Rudo, and Enjin redirected his stare to him as well. “Rudo here will be tagging along for Team Eager's next mission. It'll be kind of an exchange to give Zanka some time to recover. I think it'll be in everyone's best interest, no? Delmon, too,” Tamsy added before Enjin could cut him off, “is really interested in watching Rudo kick some trash beast's butt.”
The sun was hidden behind a couple of clouds, as it often was with the terrible pollution as a sure cause. After his time spent on the Ground, Rudo had already begun to forget what a clear, sunny day looked like. More worryingly still, he'd started to have trouble picturing Regto's face in his sleep — only that last surprised look in his eyes, blood in his mouth as he turned towards him.
“Rudo! You really don't pay attention to your team leader, huh?” Enjin interrupted his recollection. He seemed tired and ready to make a beeline to his room, where he could sleep off his hangover. “If the boss is okay with it, why wouldn't I be? I'll let Riyo and Zanka know. Ah, when are you leaving?”
Tamsy squeezed Rudo's shoulders with a little bit more force than necessary before dropping his hand. Rudo looked at him out of the corner of his eye, but there was no outward sign indicating Tamsy was losing his patience. He remained the same old friendly man everyone at HQ knew.
“We’ll be leaving today, in fact. Ahhh, as soon as Delmon decides to join us. He still hasn't finished his breakfast, I believe.”
Delmon Gates was the most senior cleaner among the senior cleaners, but his earnestness and loud disposition made it difficult for others to get close to him. All except Tamsy, who he appeared to listen to more than anyone else. From an outside perspective, it was hard to discern who was the leader — their teamwork spoke for itself. Almost no words were exchanged, but they managed to reduce a Trash Beast into nothing in a matter of minutes.
“Your help won't be needed just yet, dear Rudo,” Tamsy had told him, scratching behind Rudo's ears as he'd taken to do. Rudo caught himself purring and, mortified, cleared his throat in an attempt to hide it. “Just watch us deal with it and try to take notes. We'll be needing you and your 3R later on, once we reach the North Ward. For now, keep your eyes peeled,” Tamsy had instructed him, and Rudo was helpless to do anything but nod.
The Reindeer-like beast had barreled towards the cleaners, rushing past their jeep, which shook as the creature aimed to stab Tamsy with its horns. With his heart in his throat, Rudo stood beside the supporters. But Tamsy turned his head towards him, his countenance calm and composed. By his side, Delmon had already aimed his jinki at the beast, shouting something about justice and whatnot. It was in everyone's mind that there was no way Team Eager would crumble that easily.
With everyone tired after their run-in with the beast, Rudo got back into the car last, right after Tamsy. With Gris behind the wheel and certain they would arrive at their destination in one piece, Rudo yawned and curled up next to Tamsy. His ears twitched when meeting Tamsy's braids; his sweet scent lulled Rudo to sleep.
After what must have been hours, Rudo couldn't be sure since he remained asleep throughout the whole ride, they reached the farthest town in the North Ward, a place surrounded by a tall wall — presumably to keep the trash beasts at bay. Tamsy helped a groggy Rudo out of the car, his cheeks tinted pink on account of the cold, and his breath came out in white puffs of air.
“Did you rest some? Good! We'll be here for a couple of days at most. If it doesn't snow…” Here, Tamsy clicked his tongue. Rudo stared at his hand, even under the outer layer provided by his 3R, he still missed the warmth of Tamsy's hand in his.
“How long have you two been working together? I kind of liked how you trapped that trash beast in a spool of thread. That was awesome! I think,” Rudo told Tamsy, his excitement petering as he kept on rambling under Tamsy's gaze. For whatever reason, he could feel his whole body warm up even in the cold. He sneezed, regretting not having packed in accordance with the weather. Tamsy broke into a laugh and dropped his own cleaner jacket over Rudo's shoulders.
“It's getting quite chilly out here, isn't it? Follow me, kitten,” he said, walking towards Delmon, Gris and the rest of their crew, who were talking to one of the locals. Follo, who had stayed behind to get some of the supporters’ equipment from the back of the car, cleared his throat. Rudo hadn't expected it, so staggered back a few steps and almost slipped. His footwear, it seemed, wasn't fit for the snow.
Follo stared at Tamsy's back with furrowed brows, but soon redirected his attention back to Rudo and offered his shoulder for Rudo to grab onto. That way, they began inching their way forward.
“We need to hurry and secure our lodgings for the night. The snow is toxic, and it looks like there's going to be a blizzard tonight. I don't care what Tamsy told you, but we're probably going to be stuck here for more than two days.” Follo encouraged Rudo to climb on his back, which he did after almost losing his balance again. His tail curled inward, and Rudo felt his face grow warmer.
“Right…You're from the North Ward. Figures you'd know your way around these parts,” Rudo mumbled, trying to distract himself from the fever. At least, that's what he thought it was.
“Yeah… Never thought I'd ever come back here, to be honest. Kind of swore I wouldn't,” Follo added with bated breath, the biting wind rustling his clothes.
“Why did you volunteer for this particular job, then?” Rudo asked and Follo didn't reply. The back of his neck tinged pink, probably on account of the low temperatures of the North.
“There you are! You two had me worried for a little bit,” Tamsy rushed back, looking cool as a cucumber even without his jacket on. A feat only someone used to inclement climates could accomplish. “I'll help Rudo from here on out. Thanks, Follo, you're a good friend to those in need. Come on,” he said, lifting Rudo in his arms and holding him close to his chest. “Let's get you into your room. My, you look exhausted!”
The walled city had been fending off the occasional trash beast since their humble origins, but, apparently, they'd requested the help of the cleaners as a preventative measure. The city's centennial celebration would take place in the next couple of days, and they only needed the help of the cleaners to keep the place secure until then. Which meant there was hardly any place to house them since people from neighboring settlements had come into the city for the festivities. Luckily, the mayor had kindly offered up his place for the tired cleaners in need of a shower and a place to sleep.
The only problem was, there were only a few rooms for the visitors to choose from, forcing them to sleep in groups of two or three.
“Oh, Rudo, you missed dinner… Are you not feeling well? Maybe you should get some more rest. I'll keep you company,” Tamsy said, entering their shared bedroom and closing the door. Rudo, whose fever had not let up since they arrived a couple of hours earlier, tossed in his sheets. At the sound of Tamsy's voice, his ears perked up. Turning towards Tamsy, he struggled to make up his silhouette in the dim light of the room.
He rubbed his eyes with a closed fist, but that did little to improve the situation. Rudo whined. Even speaking was proving to be a bit much as he kicked the sheets away from his sweaty body. He'd undressed, even discarding his underwear, the second he'd been left alone and everyone left to enjoy a warm meal — courtesy of their generous patron. Only Tamsy had returned early, for which Rudo was grateful.
He'd been thinking about Tamsy as he drifted in and out of sleep, his hands trembling as he tried searching his body for the source of the heat. Tamsy dropped next to him, unbuttoning his shirt and shrugging it off his shoulders. His demeanor exuded calmness and composure as he took off his pants, staying in only his underwear and his knee-high socks. Scooting closer, he rounded Rudo's waist with one arm, his hand splayed below Rudo's navel.
“I know how to make you all better,” he whispered into Rudo's ear, his hair falling forward and tickling Rudo's sensitive neck. “Do you trust me?”
Rudo barely registered the words, his head nursing a killer headache. Every sound was muffled as if Rudo were submerged underwater with Tamsy as his only lifeline. Instinctively, he rolled on his stomach, raising his butt with his tail held to one side. His dick was painfully hard, but, for some unknown reason, all Rudo wanted was to be filled. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Tamsy didn't waste a second and correctly took Rudo's purring as enough of an answer.
Rudo tilted his head to the side, peering at Tamsy over his shoulder. His deep yellow eyes pierced through him as if staring directly into Rudo's soul. Even in the relative darkness of their room, Rudo could still see every scar left in Tamsy's skin. Going for the kill, Tamsy offered Rudo a tiny smile right before pressing a finger into Rudo's puckered rim. To his surprise, it went easily.
“Well, don't be so surprised… Everyone up there goes through the same once they reach your age, kitten. Even if I stuff you full now,” Tamsy explained, although Rudo was unlikely to hear a thing, distracted as he was by something way bigger breaching him. “You won't even notice. Ahhh, Rudo, isn't this beautiful?”
Tamsy's voice was a soothing rumble, cutting through the haze in Rudo's mind like a gentle anchor. He pushed forward steadily, the heat of Rudo's body welcoming him in. Inch by inch, he filled the feverish boy beneath him, feeling the tight walls clench and flutter around his length. Rudo's tail twitched erratically, brushing against Tamsy's thigh as he let out a low, needy moan that vibrated through his chest.
Tamsy leaned down, his chest pressing against Rudo's sweat-slicked skin, and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, lips grazing that sensitive spot just below the ear. Rudo shivered violently, looking at Tamsy's face from over his shoulder with a mix of desperation and trust.
"Don't worry, leave it all to me," Tamsy murmured. Rudo's body burned, but not just from the fever now—this intrusion was a balm, chasing away his ache with waves of pleasure that made his toes curl against the rumpled sheets. He pushed back instinctively, grinding against Tamsy, his tail now curling around the man's calf in a silent plea for more. Words escaped him, lost in the fog, but his purring grew louder, a rhythmic hum that filled the small room.
The sound of skin meeting skin echoed softly in the confined space, mingling with Rudo's breathy pants. Each plunge was deep and purposeful, Tamsy's cock dragging against that spot inside that made Rudo's vision blur with stars.
"Oh, Rudo," Tamsy whispered, his voice laced with affection as he quickened his pace, the caring edge never fading from his touch. He braced himself on one elbow to better angle his thrusts. Rudo's world narrowed to the sensation of being stretched, claimed, and cared for. The fever made everything sharper—the slide of Tamsy's cock, the press of his body, the faint scent of their shared arousal hanging heavy in the air. He clawed at the sheets, knuckles white, as pressure built low in his belly. A broken sob escaped his lips. Tamsy's relentless rhythm pushed him over the edge, his orgasm crashing through him like a fever breaking.
Follo didn't sleep all that well. Cleaners and supporters alike had decided to draw straws to determine their sleeping arrangements. Each straw had one name, except for the name of the person picking them, and Tamsy Caines had offered to hold them until only one straw was left. As such, Follo had been stuck with Delmon (who yelled in his sleep) and Gris (who was an absolute sheet hoarder).
Being the last to arrive at the breakfast table, he was greeted with the sight of a flustered Rudo, surrounded by everyone else. His cat ears and tail were nowhere to be seen.
“All Sphereites lose their animal traits as they grow up,” he grumbled by way of an explanation, scratching the back of his neck.