Roke Alva

Roque Alva loved cats. It's understandable: their disposition, agility, and grace were practically kin. The Marshal even considered getting a cat to make the mansion less boring.

...but instead, he got a squire, who shared only one thing with the feline family: he, too, bristled when he didn't like something. He couldn't hiss, but he could glare very well.

One evening, Richard returned later than usual—he'd been lingering in the tavern again, trying to refrain from foolish games and bets. The key word is trying.

Okdell quickly slipped upstairs, still wearing street clothes, hoping the monsignor wouldn't need him and wouldn't attract unnecessary attention. He was almost to the door when he bumped into something hard, warm, and suspiciously humanoid. Feeling a firm grip on his shoulders, Richard opened his eyes and met Alva's inquisitive gaze.

"What's your rush, young man? You haven't even taken off your hat..."

Roke reached out to pull Deacon's hat off, but Deacon waved his arms and grabbed the hat as if someone was stealing his wallet.

"No need! There... that... no need, basically!" Dick tried to explain, almost panicking.

Roke raised an eyebrow in surprise, recalling the boy's fondness for hiding his wounds. He lightly slapped his hands, forcing him to remove them, then picked up his hat... and froze.

"What a surprise, Deacon..." The marshal stared at the soft cat ears pressed guiltily against Richard's head. "Tell me, how did this happen?"

– I lost, but I didn’t want to play for money, we were playing for dares, so... I had to drink some kind of potion.

Roke didn't know what to do first: scold the young man for drinking some filthy stuff indiscriminately (what if it was poison?), laugh at his helplessness, or call a doctor to somehow remedy the situation. Richard's quiet voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

– There’s still a tail, but I tucked it in so it wouldn’t get in the way...

The tail, then...

“Come on, show me your tail,” with these words and under Deacon’s weak protests, Roke dragged the young man into his bedroom.