Sentio tried to ignore the sounds of Akija and Char coming home and rough-housing around in the kitchen, frowning at the book in front of him that he was supposed to be translating. Why he'd decided to sit in the downstairs living room instead of the upstairs one was beyond him; it was much quieter upstairs, even if people came home and started being loud and teasing.

Except he hadn't managed more than a sentence of translation in the past hour. Which might well be why he's down here, hoping to be distracted, because he can't focus on what he's supposed to be doing.

"So why shouldn't I dump this over yer head right now?" Akija was demanding, after having poured two cups of something from the fridge, judging from the sounds and the comment.

"Outside of making a mess in the kitchen, I'll just jump on you again and get you all juice-sticky, too," Char countered impishly. "Hate to ruin your duds, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

"Thought as much," Akija grumbled, but with amusement, as she closed the fridge door again.

"No making messes in the kitchen!" Sentio called in. "Cacopheny spent most of the morning cleaning it."

"Ouch!" came Char's exclamation from the kitchen, which probably meant Akija had kicked him for some unheard comment, or maybe pinched him.

"Deserved that," he heard Akija say, and both came into view, hovering in the doorway to the living room. Sentio looked up at the flash of red, black, and green that marked their appearance.

"All right," Akija drawled, "who wants to trade bonds?"

Sentio knew better than to answer that question. Even insane, he still thought he'd prefer Cacopheny for a bond. Akija would overwhelm him.

"I go through all this trouble," Char sighed, slinging an arm around her shoulders from behind, "to get her a special present, when it's not even her birthday, and this is the thanks I get."

"Hell, forget a trade," Akija grumbled into her cup, "take him, please."

"Rasser have you," Cacopheny said, poking his head out of his own bedroom. He'd been rather surly all morning, cleaning aside, for whatever reason, but he did at least smile a bit at their appearance. "Tchario is too--" He broke off, smile turning into a frown remarkably quickly. "Vat issat?"

Akija looked at him sideways, annoyed or embarrassed or... something. Sentio, having not noticed anything different, gave her a closer look, and this time saw a black collar with a little silver charm or tag or something around her neck that Char had apparently been toying with. The gift he'd mentioned? Why would he get her a collar, like a-- a pet? Cacopheny, of course, had noticed it immediately. 

"Do I know my audience, or what?" Char murmured in Akija's ear.

"Yer so digging yer own grave here," she muttered back.

"You put it on," Char continued brightly, to Cacopheny's obvious annoyance, "you're fair game. --Just something I got her so that if Aki ever gets lost, whoever finds her will know exactly who to send her back to," he added in explanation before Cacopheny could make a cross comment about being ignored. It was hovering around in his thoughts, though, Sentio could hear it.

Instead, he said, "I esspect Akija can rook after herself if zhe kets rost." Curiosity overrode irritation, though, and he grudgingly asked, "Vat is it, essactly?"

Akija's response was to elbow Char enough to at least warn him of Cacopheny's obvious mood. He wasn't stupid; he calmed down enough to answer plainly instead of dancing around the issue, as he was wont to do. "A collar," he said simply, ruffling Akija's hair, plucking free a strand of grass-- the rough-housing had probably taken place outside, as well-- and then letting her go. "When we were up on Star City, I saw some people wearing them and thought Akija should have one to match her station clothes, too."

"How does a collar help if zhe gets rost?" Cacopheny asked as Akija dropped into her usual basket-chair, looking baffled and unhappy about being baffled.

"Well," Char said after taking a drink from his juice, "collars usually go on pets, and the tag on the front says where they live. So, if they get lost and somebody finds them, that person can read the tag and figure out who to take them back to."

Cacopheny blinked, seemed to relax a little, and actually came all the way out of his room. "Oh." He focused on Akija. "Do you rike it?"

Before answering, Akija glanced at her bond, playing with the charm, running a claw over the back with a series of tiny clicks, while he winked and smirked and looked smug. "I did put it on," she finally said. "Not that I'm planning on getting lost anytime soon, but it is pretty funny."

"Make her show you what's on the back, Cacoph," Char grinned, mock-polishing his nails on his shirt proudly. "I think you'll get a kick out of it, too."

"Now I'm curious," Sentio spoke up, craning his neck in an attempt to get a better look at the charm without actually getting up. All he could make out was an A on the front.

Less concerned with not moving, Cacopheny came further in and settled, as usual, at Akija's feet. "May I?" he asked her deferentially.

With a theatric sigh, Akija let go and leaned forward, letting the charm dangle freely. "I guess there's no getting out of it, now," she said, smirking in amusement. Cacopheny tilted his head in an attempt to get a better look, and Sentio craned his neck even further.

If found, please

return to Cacopheny.

Watcher Clan

Sanctuary

Sentio broke into sudden, surprised, and still somewhat embarrassed laughter. "Oh, that's fitting," he choked.

"Well, I couldn't very well have put my name there," Char pointed out, grinning even more broadly. "She is trying to get rid of me, after all."

"And you just watch, yourself, brother: y'ain't out of the woods yet."

Akija's warning comment seemed appropriately echoed by Cacopheny shooting a glare and a wordless growl in Chario's direction-- the dragon just ducked his head with a smile that only tried to look chastised. Then he looked back up at Akija and said very quietly, almost too quietly for Sentio to hear-- asked, more like, with a mixture of humble affection and pleasure that made Sentio squirm a little and look away: "And you put it on?"

"The buckle was a pain and a half," Akija answered, trying to sound nonchalant and succeeding about as well as Char had succeeded at looking contrite. "But yeah. It's a good fit."

When Sentio snuck a look again, she was half-smiling and half-smirking. Cacopheny was just smiling, looking happier and more agreeable than he had all morning, and brushed his fingers over the fur on her chest, just under the charm. "Good. As rongk as you rike it."

"I think he does, too, hmm?" Char interrupted, amused, and Cacopheny shot him another glare. "Knew he would."

"Don't make me come over there," Akija threatened, though she didn't look much like she was going to move.

"Aw, I know, I know... you're happier right where you are." Chario escaped to the kitchen, grinning broadly, before Cacopheny could do more than growl again and make an abortive twitch towards getting up. "So who wants lunch?" he called back.

"Lunch is good," Sentio called, back, half-hiding behind his book now, as Cacopheny dropped back down again, sharing Akija's exasperated huff. Both expressions went back to content as they looked at each other again, though, and both settled back-- Akija with Cacopheny's hand to her chest and Cacopheny with his head on her knee, stroking her jeans absently-- while Char handled lunch.

Looked like everything was still as normal as it ever got around this house, amusing gifts or no amusing gifts.