The days passed in a comfortable rhythm. Lumine continued her routine of school and study while Scaramoucheâstill masquerading as "Kuni" the catâgrew used to the odd quiet that surrounded her life. She came home every day with storiesâmuttered complaints about her teachers, jokes about her friends, and the occasional quiet sigh when she thought no one was listening.
But Scaramouche was listening. He didnât know why, but the girl who saved himâsmiling brightly even in her exhaustionâkept pulling at the walls heâd built around himself.
One late afternoon, Lumine sat cross-legged on the couch with textbooks spread around her, chewing absentmindedly on the end of a pen. She looked deep in thought, staring at an open notebook, until her golden eyes flicked toward the cat curled up nearby.
âKuni,â she said, a smile tugging at her lips. âAre you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to help me solve this math problem?â
Scaramoucheâs tail flicked. As if Iâd lower myself to helping with human schoolwork.
âThought so,â she teased with a soft chuckle before returning to her notes. âYouâre lucky youâre cute, or Iâd kick you out for freeloading.â
He pretended not to hear, but there was a strange comfort in hearing her voice.
---
That night, the moonlight spilled through the window, bathing the apartment in silver. Lumine had long since fallen asleep, her soft breathing the only sound breaking the silence. Scaramouche lay at the edge of her bed in cat form, staring at nothing in particular. The faint glow of the streetlights outside reflected off his midnight fur, his sharp violet eyes unfocused as his thoughts churned.
The same questions haunted him every night.
Why had she saved him? Why did she care so much about a stray?
And⦠why was he still here?
He didnât owe her anything. He could have left days ago. Yet here he was, curled up at her side like some helpless creature.
With a low growl, he shook his head and let his magic ripple over him. His small cat form gave way to his human one, indigo hair falling over his sharp eyes as he sat up at the edge of the bed. The cool air of the apartment wrapped around him, and he stared down at the sleeping girl.
Lumine lay curled up on her side, her golden hair splayed across the pillow like silk. Her face was relaxed, her expression peacefulâcompletely unaware of the midnight-haired stranger now sitting on her bed. Scaramoucheâs scowl softened just slightly as he watched her.
âWhy did you save me that night?â he murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible. âYouâre a fool.â
Still, he didnât move. Something about her kindness unsettled him. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like thatâlike he wasnât something to be feared or dismissed.
His hand lifted hesitantly, almost as though to brush a lock of hair from her face, when Lumine suddenly stirred.
Scaramouche froze, his breath catching as her eyelids fluttered. She shifted slightly, murmuring softly in her sleep.
â...Kuniâ¦?â
Her voice was soft and full of sleep, but it was enough to jolt him into action. With a surge of magic, he shifted back into his cat form just as Lumineâs eyes cracked open. She blinked blearily, the room dark and quiet save for the faint glow of the moonlight.
âKuni?â she mumbled again, pushing herself up on her elbows. Her sleepy gaze fell on the small, midnight-furred cat curled at the edge of the bed.
Scaramouche let out a soft, annoyed meow for effect.
Lumine stared at him for a moment before sighing with relief. âOh⦠itâs just you.â She flopped back against the pillow, mumbling quietly. âI must be imagining thingsâ¦â
He watched her carefully, his heart still pounding from the close call. After a few minutes, her breathing slowed once again as she drifted back into sleep.
That was close, he thought bitterly, his tail flicking. I canât afford to slip up again.
But as he curled back up at the foot of the bed, pretending to sleep, he couldnât shake the strange warmth spreading in his chest. Lumineâs soft voiceâcalling out for him, even in her dreamsâlingered in his thoughts long after the room fell silent again.
---
The next day, Lumine left for school as usual, humming quietly as she pulled on her shoes. âBe good, Kuni! Iâll bring you something nice when I get back,â she called over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her.
As soon as she was gone, Scaramouche shifted back to his human form and slumped onto the couch. The small apartment, though cozy, was starting to feel too small for him. He didnât understand why he was still hereâwhy he hadnât simply left while she was away.
She doesnât even know who I really am, he thought with a scowl, running a hand through his indigo hair. If she did, she wouldnât be smiling like that.
His violet eyes flicked toward Lumineâs desk. Her schoolbooks were scattered across the surface, alongside a half-finished cup of tea sheâd forgotten. Scaramouche approached the desk, his gaze falling on an open notebook filled with scribbled notes and small doodles in the marginsâdoodles of a tiny cat with familiar midnight fur.
He stared at the drawings for a long moment, his scowl softening slightly.
âTch. What an idiot,â he muttered, though his voice lacked its usual bitterness.
Unable to stop himself, he reached for the pencil on her desk and added a small, indigo-haired figure beside one of her cat sketches. He frowned at his own handiwork before tossing the pencil aside and collapsing back onto the couch.
Sheâs going to figure me out eventually, he thought, staring up at the ceiling. And when she does, sheâll regret ever bringing me home.
But even as the words echoed in his mind, Scaramouche couldnât shake the thought of Lumineâs smileâor the strange warmth that seemed to linger wherever she was.
---
Later that afternoon, Lumine returned home as usual, her cheerful voice breaking the quiet.
âIâm home, Kuni!â she called, dropping her bag by the door. She kicked off her shoes and made her way to the couch, where the midnight-furred cat was curled up as always. âDid you miss me?â
Scaramouche cracked one eye open as she scooped him into her arms, holding him close against her chest.
âGuess what? I aced my history quiz today,â she said proudly, her voice filled with excitement. âI told you studying with me would bring good luck!â
Scaramouche let out a quiet sigh, settling reluctantly into her embrace.
Maybe⦠just for now, he thought as her warmth surrounded him, Iâll stay.