The Ceremony Hall had tall ceilings and smooth, ivory-hued floors, with large potted plants and intricately painted solid wood folding screens for privacy. Velvet armchairs were placed in each private sitting area creating a cozy space for meetings between pet and owner. Felix passed by several that were occupied by other Regal Ones meeting their new human pets for the first time. Some were stiff and formal, others warm and affectionate. Felix couldn’t help making the matchmaking connection again. This place also did not help matters with its cozy, date-like ambiance and illusion of privacy.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

A Pet Bureau official waved them toward their own sectioned corner, and Felix immediately tensed in apprehension as he spotted a figure already sitting in one of the armchairs around a round mahogany table, elegantly sipping tea from a dainty porcelain teacup. A jar of milk, a sugar canister, thick folded napkins and a teapot with steam wafting from it was already set out on the table.

Felix recognized him immediately from the profile. He was tall—it was obvious even while sitting—his posture straight and commanding, one leg crossed over the other and a long-fingered, manicured hand resting lightly on the armrest. His charcoal-gray three-piece suit fit him perfectly, the deep wine-red tie adding a touch of color to his otherwise muted attire. The long black peacoat draped over the back of his chair only added to his imposing presence.

Thel looked up, dark, carnelian eyes locking onto Felix with an assessing gaze that felt like a blade scraping against his skin. Those high cheekbones and hollowed cheeks framed by coiffed raven curls neatly parted to the side only added to the handsome severity of his countenance.

“You’re late,” Thel said, his voice low and clipped.

Virgil, who had been in the middle of a joke, stopped short, blinking. “Eh? We’re—”

“Seven minutes and thirty-six seconds past the scheduled time,” Thel interrupted, his tone flat. “Punctuality is a sign of respect, and this is hardly an auspicious start to our arrangement.”

Albrecht plopped down on a cognac leather armchair, casually helping himself to the tea on the table. “Relax, boyo. We were held up by unforeseen circumstances. If anything, you should commend our dearest for his heroics rather than nitpicking trivialities.”

Thel pressed his thin but shapely lips into a tight line of displeasure. “Do not address me that way. My name is Thel Malvolio Rosary.” All the while, his gaze did not leave Felix. “I hope you understand the importance of discipline, Felix—may I call you Felix?—I would expect nothing less from my owner.”

Felix, feeling conspicuously trapped under that intense gaze, managed a tight smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He moved to take his seat at the head of the table, Virgil flopping into the chair next to his like a ragdoll, slouching dramatically.

Awkward silence followed.

There was one chair still noticeably empty and Felix could see just how unimpressed Thel became the more the seconds ticked by. It was not helped with Virgil attempting to build what looked like an igloo with the sugar cubes and Albrecht muttering about the lack of wine.

Felix was a bit suspicious that the armchair he was sitting on was defective. Despite its cushy appearance, he felt like he was actually sitting on pins and needles instead.

After a few more torturous minutes that passed in the same vein but with an increasingly moody Thel, a bored Virgil and a complaining Albrecht, Felix leaped to his feet.

“Sorry, I’ll be right back!”

Turning on his heel, he quickly made a tactical retreat.

*

The moment Felix stepped past the folding screen, the quiet hum of pleasant conversation from the rest of the hall hit him like a balm. The interactions varied: some pets appeared shy, others eager, and a few were already laughing with their new owners. All of it decidedly going much better than his own. 

He stood nearly hidden next to a large potted shrub with tiny white flowers, letting his head fall back against the wall as he inhaled deeply. Felix never thought of himself as being socially awkward, but the experiences of the last few minutes were beginning to make him doubt.

The next second, he quickly shook his head. Clearly, he wasn’t the problem here. Exasperating personalities compounded by the fact that they were literal strangers made it hard for any connecting to happen. Funny enough, despite how different these men were they all shared a similar self-centered ego. It was just his luck he would be stuck with three, maybe even four, oversized infants. By the state of things, he wasn’t counting on his original self not screwing him over with the fourth one as well.

Suddenly, his ears, thankfully now human, twitched at a spike in voices and movement. Curious, Felix pushed off the wall and peered around the shrub he was not hiding behind. 

The sound of a commotion heading this way drew his attention. From Felix’s position, it looked like a small moving crowd of humans and Regal Ones.

Striding this way in the center of them was a man. His dark waves of hair fell just to his shoulders, artfully disheveled as if he’d just stepped out of a photo shoot. Pale blue eyes, sharp and bright as that of a Siberian husky’s stood out against an olive complexion. Currently, they were scanning the crowd with lazy indifference, as if idly searching for something. 

In one gloved hand, he casually held a motorcycle helmet, and along with his black leather jacket with a luxurious fox-fur collar and calf-high laced boots, he looked like a stereotypical rebellious biker boy.

Felix couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly the man drew attention. His fellow humans were outright staring, some tittering among themselves with suspicious spots of color on their cheeks. Even a few Regal Ones were watching him with varying degrees of interest.

The man, however, seemed utterly unimpressed by the attention. He wore a faintly amused smirk, the kind that said he was used to this.

Felix furrowed his brow. There was something familiar about him.

The man’s pale blue eyes swept the gathered crowd, and then they landed on Felix. For a brief moment, their gazes locked. Felix felt a strange jolt, though whether it was recognition or alarm, he couldn’t tell.

The man’s smirk widened, and before Felix could process it, he was moving—heading directly toward him.

“Oh no,” Felix muttered under his breath.

The crowd surrounding him parted as if by instinct, their murmurs following him all the way to Felix.

When he reached Felix, the man tilted his head slightly, examining him with a gaze that felt far too knowing.

“So,” the man drawled, his voice raspy with a hint of playfulness. “You must be Felix Bloodstone.”

Felix straightened, subtly stepping away from the shrub next to him. “And you are?”

The man grinned, the kind of grin that could melt hearts or break them, depending on his intent. His eyes flickered briefly between Felix and the potted shrub and if it was even possible, that grin became a fractional wider.

“Sorath,” he said, offering his gloved hand. “Your pet, as of today.”

With his suspicions confirmed, Felix could only reluctantly take the offered hand. Sorath’s grip was firm but not overbearing, his hand warm even through the leather glove.

“You’re late,” Felix blurted. Somehow he could only recall Thel’s condescending remark at that moment.

Sorath’s grin turned into a lazy smirk. “Am I? Must have lost track of the time.”

“Clearly,” Felix glanced at the few lingering humans that threw subtle looks their way, feeling a headache coming on.

Before he could say more, Sorath leaned in slightly, his pale blue eyes sparkling with mischievous charm. “You’re exactly how I imagined you’d be.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?” Felix asked, suspicious.

Sorath stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender. “Relax, boss. It’s a compliment. You’re not like the others.”

Felix frowned, unsure if he should feel flattered or wary. He wasn’t given much time to ponder over it as Sorath leaned in close again, this time lowering his voice.

“You’re even better looking in person,” Sorath said, his tone conspiratorial, as if sharing a secret.

Felix stiffened, an unexpected flush creeping up his neck. “What—”

Before he could finish, Sorath leaned in further and kissed the corner of Felix’s eye.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment.

Felix’s brain short-circuited. His thoughts scrambled to make sense of what had just happened, but nothing coherent formed.

Sorath stepped back, his grin now downright roguish. “Greeting kiss,” he said simply, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Felix blinked, still processing, as Sorath turned on his heel and sauntered toward their corner area.

It wasn’t until that audacious man reached the folding screens that Felix snapped out of his stupor.

“Hey!” Felix called, hurrying after him. “You can’t just—”

Sorath paused at the screen, glancing over his shoulder. “No worries, boss. We can finish where we left off later.”

Felix’s mouth opened and closed, words failing him entirely.

With a wink, Sorath stepped around the screen, leaving Felix standing on the other side, red-faced and seething.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Unbelievable,” Felix muttered, rubbing the corner of his eye as if trying to erase the lingering sensation of the kiss.

He took a moment to compose himself before following after.

AN: Updates are now caught up with AO3! Please continue to let me know what you think! I enjoy hearing speculations, ideas, even wishes on what readers might want to see more of!