When The Day Met The Night [Fin]

[Vyn]

Seki smiled gently. Andrei really was so very nice, about everything. No one outside of his family had really shown an interest in listening to him... At least, not since he'd been back. Once upon a time he'd had friends, or at least a couple of nice people that he'd pretended were friends, but they'd all disappeared over time. Seki didn't blame them, he really didn't like himself that much either.

Seki stared at his food for a long while, studying it as if it might eat him before he got the chance to eat it, but really he was worried about what Andrei would think if he saw him eating. What would he say? It made his stomach twist and his appetite drop but, he also knew that Andrei was treating him to this and there was probably no kind way to escape looking like a pig now that he'd accepted.

So, slowly, he started to eat.

He'd pick at this, or nibble at that, taking dainty bites or fussing over crumbs... Procrastinating with every bite and relishing in every moment of conversation that could interrupt his eating. Except for the subject of where because, well, he rarely stayed in once place.

"Well, I move around a lot..." He didn't even have Xylia to rely on, not since she'd moved out into Avington... Absently the feline rubbed the back of his neck, looking abashed once more. "Wherever a friend will take me for the night, or with family when they're in the City..." That had so many connotations that even he didn't want to think of it.

Usually none of this phased him, it was just another thing to try and forget, but for some reason explaining it all to Andrei made him feel dirty.

[Satra]

Watching Seki be all antsy made Andrei feel antsy. He had to consciously stop himself from saying something... yet. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable by telling him what to do or questioning him... but at the same time he was clearly uncomfortable to begin with and if Andrei was the cause of it, he wanted to know.

Then what actually came out of Seki mouth made his jaw drop. The first of it was fine. So he liked to move around a lot, but the part about staying with friends if they'll take him in made something inside him twist. He caught himself, but not before the expression was made very clear. He just... slept at friend's houses? From the sound of it, it wasn't something he could really depend on. Hills...

"I... uh... Well," Andrei cleared his throat, trying to wrap his head around the thought. Being born and raised in he lap of luxury, he couldn't even imagine such a thing.

"These friends sound like good people," was all he was able to say. Did... did he really mean what he thought? Was he... homeless?

"I hope you don't think of me as forward, but would you like to stay at my place for the evening? I'm not... trying to imply anything, I just prefer..." not to have the thought of someone so broken on the street if I can help it "some company. I've been here for some time and it just feels a little lonely not having a familiar face around..." Well that was horrendously awkward, he blushed.

[Vyn]

Oh... Suits.

Seki should have realized that if the statement had sounded bad to his ears than they more than likely sounded worse to Andrei's. He was a boy from the Courts, probably raised like a Prince... What could he possibly think of someone like him?

The feline blushed hard underneath his fur and tried with desperation not to let any nervous tears well in his eyes.

Andrei was quick to try and recover, but his words came out almost as awkwardly as everything that came out of Seki's mouth and the feline slowly began to feel awful for making Andrei feel like that. These friends sound like good people, Seki humored Andrei with a weak nod when that was far from the truth.

They were unreliable, most of them were just guys he'd slept with and that kept him until morning, the few that kept him for more than that often got bored after a while and locked him out. It was unpredictable, but he usually found someone...

And, apparently, he'd done it again without even trying to. "I... That, no... You're not too forward, it... it's kind, very kind." The feline stumbled awkwardly over his words before shaking himself and beaming quietly. "I'd love to keep you company, Andrei! It's the least I can do after you've been so nice, and..." he pulled himself up short, trying not to say anything more about his sleeping arrangements. "Thank you."

To keep from saying anything else that was potentially stupid, Seki absently grabbed a cookie and started eating without thinking. For a brief moment his smile widened a little and he let out a happy noise that slowly melted into a purr. Oh Suits he loved sweets! Especially when, in those rare moments, he didn't think before he ate.<3

[Satra]

Andrei's spirits lifted as he watched Seki eat without any strangeness... and even purr a little! There was hope for this!

"Well, thank you, Seki. I'd appreciate that a lot."

Both of his dishes were everything he remembered them being. He tried to pace himself to Seki's speed. The man ate... remarkably slow to the point that he slowed the pace of their conversation so they could finish. The cafe was closing soon and Andrei got the feeling that packing food to go would be something of a pain. Besides, there would be plenty of time to talk throughout the night. Eventually they were on their way. The cafe was on the same side of town as his hotel room. It fit with his tastes. Andrei thanked whatever deity he could name at the moment that he had decided to go with his "adventurous" side and opted for a hotel that was not overly opulent. Granted, this one was still on the high-end of things, but it made Andrei feel much less ostentatious than the others he had in mind.

"This is where I'm staying for the next few days. I only got one bed since I wasn't really expecting company... but the couch is rather large and comfortable. The wash room is right in there," he gestured toward the door to the left, "It also has a rather sizable shower/bath. It's quite lovely, really." He very much wanted the Feline to wash himself. Maybe that would help him look a little.. healthier.

"Do you like wine? I have a bottle or two stashed away."

[Vyn]

Despite being close to homeless presently, Seki was not completely unaware of the social upper-worlds. This wasn't as high up on the list as some, but it was clean and comfortable and a good size... Seki liked it without feeling entirely out of place, and he was happy to be there with someone that was both nice and managed to keep his mind from wandering into bad places.

So far so good, and his stomach was even handling the sweets he'd eaten earlier better than he'd expected.

His fingers grazed his binding absently as he peeked around, taking in Andrei's verbal tour. "It's all very nice, Andrei." He offered lightly and smiled reassuringly. "The couch would be just fine, I'm sure." He offered a second glance to the washroom, glancing briefly at his fur... He hadn't had a good thorough shower in a while...

"Wine? ...Yeah, a little is good." Seki could get drunk fast if he drank, but then he'd probably make a fool of himself and that was the very last thing he wanted.

[Satra]

Andrei smiled even though Seki seemed tentative. Had Seki been a Heart, Andrei would have thought to offer him the bed while he, himself, took the couch. Prejudices he wasn't entirely aware of blocked out thoughts of hospitality from even crossing his mind.

"Thank you. I'll wait on the wine. I would prefer a shower before anything else. It's been a bit of a long day for me. How about you?" He hoped the Feline accepted the offer... then again, if he didn't it would make Seki less tempting. He shut the door behind them and walked in further to the room.

"Make yourself at home, Seki," he offered then flapped over to one of the windows to open it. The cool, fresh night air was quite invigorating to the room he found slightly stuffy. Then again, it could just be the heritage he received from his father.

"Let me know if you get too cold... I'm part Solandrian, so the conditions I prefer tend to make other people a little uncomfortable, temperature-wise."

[Vyn]

A shower...

Seki glanced down at himself and couldn't help but feel a wave of embarrassment when he realized just how he looked. It'd been a good few days since he'd gotten a chance to have a nice, warm shower and it was really starting to show. The feline blushed softly. "A shower would really be nice..." Oh, but Andrei said he'd been in need of a shower, hadn't he? Seki absently rubbed his neck, blushing more heavily. "Well, of course, after you... I wouldn't wan to impose..."

Quietly Seki moved over to lean against the couch, looking adorably uncertain as he watched Andrei leaning against the window. It had the potential to get cold, especially so for one as scrawny as he was, but for now Seki was fine. "So long as I have some extra blankets, I'll be fine. T-Thank you very much, Andrei." He was so considerate, Seki barely knew what to do with himself.

[Satra]

Andrei grinned and refrained from clapped the wrists of his wings together. He didn't need to look too pleased that the Feline was actually going to clean himself. He came down from the window and crouched on the couch that was in front of it as he looked at Seki.

"Nono! I insist you go first! I wasn't expecting company, so it'll give me a chance to tidy up a bit before you have see too much of my slovenliness," he laughed. It was entirely untrue. Andrei was a neat freak, he just wanted Seki to shower first... he also almost winced at the thought of the slightly grungy-looking male sitting on the furniture. Him leaning against the couch already made his fur puff out slightly. However... that expression on his face. Seki had gone from being pathetically uncertain to rather cute. It poked at the adventure-novel reading teenage boy with a chivalry complex's protective side. Seki needed to be protected. That was a novel concept. Noble. Good. Honorable.

So why was it sparking something more carnal in him?

"You go shower first, I'll find some extra blankets for you."

[Vyn]

Seki really liked Andrei's laugh. It was warm, not like the laughter that was usually directed at him, and Andrei himself always seemed to be such a gentleman. Seki barely knew what to do with himself, aside from thanking him... but more and more he was aware of how often those words stumbled off his lips.

"A-Alright, I guess I'll go shower then... I won't be too long." Long enough to get the tangles out of his mane, and the dirt out of his fur... The feline's attention drifted from what he was saying to the sloppy mess that was his mane and he ran his fingers through it briefly. "Maybe, I might... Err, but I'll try to be quick."

For a moment it felt like being at home again, with everyone giving him that look like he was just unimaginably filthy... Really he knew everyone was concerned, that they didn't care what sort of filth he rolled in so long as he came home in one piece but it was still hard to pretend that they didn't know what a filthy person he was.

An odd expression crept onto the feline's face and his meek smile twisted into one of uncertainty, a little less genuine as if he was smiling simply to keep from frowning.

"T-Thanks."

Blushing to himself, Seki hurried into the room directed as the bathroom and sighed heavily. He didn't deserve Andrei's hospitality... and if he did, the least he could do was get some of the grime that was his life off of him before showing his face again. How had he not noticed earlier?

[Satra]

"Take your time," Andrei simply offered. He felt he could say that with little fear. He doubted Seki would be more than a half hour. Even if he did take advantage of it, what's an hour of his life waiting for someone else to some more insight as to who this person really is? "I'll be here."

While Seki was washing up, Andrei set about looking for an extra blanket. Thankfully there was an extra one in the closet. He would have very much disliked to have to explain why there was an extra person in his room that was not checked in. Hmm... then again, it would probably be best if Andrei notified the hotel. Best pay the extra fee than risk getting caught. He didn't much feel like leaving the room. There was still a small part of him that didn't trust this strangely fully to leave him alone with all of his personal effects unattended. He called up some room service to take his money for his "unexpected guest" for him to the register.

He shut the door after the young lady left as he heard the water being turned off. Oh good, now it was his turn. He put the extra blanket on the couch next to the open window. He would probably be cold with damp fur.