Little Red Robin Hood

XXVIII - Pet

After our second breakfast, Cloud helped me set up my new laptop, along with a new email, in my room. My room. It felt so... strange. Strange, yet right. It was weird to call it mine. My own room. For my first time in my entire life, I had my own room. My own phone. My own computer. My own email.

My own life.

I curled up on my chair, "Think I should call Eli?"

"Hm? Who?" Cloud asked, looking up at me.

"My friend, Eli," I said. "He's one of the caretakers at the orphanage, practically raised me. I told him about... about what happened to me, and about you. He's pagan, so, I know he believes me to some extent. I think I should just... check in."

"Yeah, he's probably worried about you," Cloud nodded. "Especially if you told him about... what happened."

I sighed and opened Eli's contact.

I listened to the line ring.

"Hey, Raine," Eli answered.

"Hi," I whispered. "Uh.... Fuck, I don't know what to say. I-I just wanted to check in. Things have calmed down here. I'm living with a couple friends who... happen to be gods. And, no, I'm not on anything."

He lightly chuckled, "I know. I'm glad you called, I was debating calling. How've you been?"

"A-are you just gonna ignore what I said about living with gods?" I nervously asked. Cloud took my hand and put it on his head. I smiled and ruffled his messy grey hair. "I am ruffling the hair of one right now. He's smiling like a dork."

"I am a dork," Cloud smiled.

"I'm pagan and polytheistic, Raine," Eli chuckled. "I've seen gods in dreams and contacted them on occasion. But, I'll be honest, I am a bit doubtful about you living with them. May I ask what their home is like?"

"It's... really nice," I sighed. "It's this little cabin in the forest, really cozy." I stroked Cloud's hair. He closed his eyes, dipping his head. A smile formed on his face. "And, they're not like other gods. They're really sweet. Really sweet." I found myself enamored with Cloud's beauty once more. Even if he was half asleep and still in his pajamas, he was still beautiful.

He smirked, "You're beautiful, too."

I sighed, "I swear, if this dork keeps reading my mind...."

"They read your mind?" Eli asked.

"Yeah, it's kinda annoying," I scoffed. "But, for the most part, I forget that they're gods." I pulled away from Cloud, curling up on the desk chair. "They're just so... human." Cloud pouted and tried to put my hand back on his head. "Goddamn, why do you like headpats so much?!"

"I am a literal dog, Raine," Cloud pouted.

"What is going on over there?" Eli laughed through the phone.

"He wants more pets," I sighed, reluctantly petting Cloud's head. "And, you're not a dog, you're a wolf, there's a difference."

"Canine," he stuck his tongue out at me.

"The god is a wolf?" Eli asked. "Like, Egyptian god style?"

"No, no, his head is not that of a wolf," I chuckled. "He can turn into one, though, and he has some--" I scratched behind Cloud's ear, "--wolf-like features. Makes it really easy to figure out his emotions."

"Raine, we literally feel each others emotions," Cloud snorted.

"Well, I'm happy you're happy," Eli told me over the phone. "I think this is one of the first times I've heard you genuinely cheerful."

"This is one of the first times I've felt genuinely cheerful," I chuckled. "I even managed to keep my job at the mechanic shop, so I'm continuing work on Monday. Things actually feel... nice. Kinda... normal. Like, a proper, normal life. If we ignore all the magic and the fact that I'm technically dating a god."

A tiny smile appeared on Cloud's face, although he tried to hide it.

"Damn, that's gonna take me some getting used to," Eli breathed. "A-an actual god? Like, an immortal, powerful god?"

"An immortal, powerful god who likes headpats," I chuckled, scratching behind Cloud's right ear.

"Again, I am a literal dog," Cloud muttered.

"Again, a wolf is different from a dog," I smirked.

"Again, it's still a canine," he mumbled, moving to sit on the floor. I pet his head and scratched his ear. He nuzzled against my hand.

"Oh, okay, I gotta go," Eli sighed over the phone. "I'm sorry, Raine. Call again soon or I'm calling you. Keep me informed about what's going on up there."

I nodded, "I will."

"And be safe, take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Will you?" He sounded skeptical.

"Well, I have a stubborn god to make sure I do, so, yes, I will," I chuckled, looking down at Cloud. I hung up and put my phone on my desk. I took his face in my hands, then whispered, "Cloud, are you into pet play?"

He stared up at me, then diverted his gaze. "...Maybe? Why? Are you?"

I frowned, "Well, I'm kinda used to being the pet, not the other way around."

"Well, we could try to change that," he sat up on his knees, tail wagging. "We don't even have to do anything, I could just sit here and you could pet me."

"Are...," I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Are you suggesting that I be the dominant in this relationship? I-I'm not sure if I could do something like that, psychologically speaking. B-but... maybe w-we could... try something like that."

"There's no rush," Cloud smiled. The smile turned into a smirk, "You just called it a relationship. Does that mean you're okay with this? Do you believe in your feelings for me?"

I sighed, "Yeah, I guess it does." I pushed his hair away from his face. My tiny smile wavered, "Do you think the story's ended yet?"

He paused, brows furrowing, "What do you mean?"

I shook my head, "Just... something I think of from time to time. If we were all in a book... would it end here? When did it begin? Maybe it would've ended with our kiss. Or maybe there's still a dozen chapters left." I sighed, releasing his face and leaning back in the chair.

"Well, that's the interesting thing about stories," Cloud replied. "Even if the book ends, you know the characters are still there, going about their business. Storytellers may end the story, but the story... never really ends. So, maybe. Maybe it would've ended with our kiss. Maybe it ended when you left your hometown." He smiled, standing up and taking my face in his hands. "Or maybe it would end with me showing you the Winter Alliance."