When he kisses her goodnight and retreats, she only manages an inarticulate murmur in reply. It feels quite natural, but even so, the small shock of it denies her the easy, imminent slide into slumber. Kasumi rolls onto her side with a sigh and pets the beastkin's luxuriously soft hair, slow strokes passing back over his temples, skull, brushing sideburns. The rhythm is consistent but the path strays. Her hand eventually finds his ear, and the texture of the skin beneath the fur reminds her of a thick rose petal. Kasumi pinches the base between her index finger and the pad of her thumb, applying a bit of pressure and feeling the muscles there react.

Hozysh flicks his ear once, then submits to the nocturnal exploration. His breathing evens out and he curls in tightly, gnawing on a knuckle in his sleep. The prelude to grota's cold steals in through the shutters and under the door, but can't approach the pair nestled together.