Submission (#6330) Approved

The Cliffside Inn is exactly what it sounds like; a smattering of houses attached to the side of one of the many cliff sides decorating Ealei. While most lodgings are located in the treetops or in Wharf cities near the water’s edge, The Cliffside Inn boasts a much more private experience. The inn sits over top an orchard filled to the brim with fruit bearing mangrove patches. The Eldertree, Yggdrasil, can be seen over the top of the cliff, but in order to truly appreciate it, one must climb the winding rope and plank stairwells to the top.

Anatoliy explores his and Knife’s rented rooms with a keen eye. The splendor of the getaway suite is almost too much, especially given the extravagant view from their window. A million pillows pile high on the beds, and ornate decorations top almost every surface with winding vines and bowls of fruit. Most prominently featured are Manaberries, the sweet, blue berries popping pleasantly on his tongue when he tries one.

Their bags seem to have been moved into the rooms earlier that day. Anatoliy has never been more thankful for chauffeurs, though he still doesn’t quite like the thought of a stranger handling his personal belongings.

Moving towards his smaller bundle of belongings, Anatoliy begins unpacking. He can hear Knife doing the same with his own stuff in the background. As he starts pulling out his clothing and various vacation items to put away in drawers, he hears Knife take in a small breath from right behind his shoulder.

“Are those…” Knife begins.

Suddenly Anatoliy knows exactly what the older Elnin is asking. He hurries to shuffle the clothing into a drawer, leaving the bits and baubles behind. It doesn’t do very well to hide what he’s doing, though. It’s obvious enough to Knife even at a single glance.

“Lozhka,” Knife breathes out, messing up Anatoliy's hair. “Are those my clothes you’re trying to hide away?”

Anatoliy puffs out his cheeks. “I suppose it’s stupid to think I could’ve hid it for long…”

“Aw, don’t be embarrassed Tolechka,” Knife whines. “You're like a hamster hoarding food.”

“Shut up,” Anatoliy mutters.

He doesn’t know when he started pilfering outer clothes from Knife’s drawers, but he’s been steadily growing a collection of over sized shirts, jackets, and scarves. Maybe a couple mittens and ear muffs have also found their way into Anatoliy’s stash, but it’s not something he’s particularly proud of.

They just… remind Anatoliy of Knife when the Elnin is away, alright? He’s not doing anything weird with them—at least if you don’t consider burrowing in the large, baggy clothing when he's shivering with cold that weird overall.

He knows that Knife will be unbearably smug about this, so Anatoliy ignores the Elnin. There’s one main dresser in the suite, and Anatoliy takes the lower shelves for his belongings. The stolen goods end up tucked behind his own clothing.

Knife settles a hand on Anatoliy’s shoulder. He turns the kittom around with a small tug. Refusing to look up of his own will—Anatoliy’s not scared of what he’ll see, per se, but still—Knife’s hand tugs on Anatoliy's fringe.

“You can take anything of mine that you’d like. Clothing, food, books; whatever’s mine is yours, too. I didn't take you in just to abandon you."

“That’s not how normal Elnin do things, you know,” Anatoliy pipes up against his better judgment. He finally looks into Knife’s eyes. “Someone could take advantage of you.”

“Are you implying you'll take advantage of me?”

“No!”

“Then what do I have to worry about?” Knife asks, smile soft and fond. “When you’re here to protect me from swindlers.”

Anatoliy groans, giving up and tearing away from Knife. He pads back over to the window to look outside again. The sun is slowly setting on mangrove shores, Elnin going back and forth from docked boats to lively shops nestled into huge tree roots. Lantern lights are slowly set alight in the windows of treetop homes, the last of the hustle and bustle of families living above dying as the night scene takes off down below.

“C’mere,” Anatoliy says, making grabby paws at his benefactor. “Let’s watch the sunset.”

Knife obliges without comment, stepping up beside Anatoliy and  settling on the windowsill. There’s nothing quite like watching the sun die on the horizon while the world holds its breath. Knife taps a silent beat on the floorboards, sometimes stepping on Anatoliy's paws.

As the last of the sunlight fades away, Anatoliy chances another look at Knife..

“It’s really okay?” He asks.

“Of course it is,” Knife answers. And he repeats, “Whatever’s mine is yours.”

Anatoliy hadn’t meant for this to become a thing, his weird ‘hoarding.’ It just happened. Stealing a garment here or there, mostly to use for warmth and comfort whenever Knife went away on jobs where Anatoliy wasn’t allowed to follow. Clothing tended to make the best nesting material, too.

“Do you have anything to add to my collection?” Anatoliy asks shamelessly, pouting. “Nothing I have in there smells nice anymore.”

Knife sputters, before letting out a loud peal of laughter. “I'll let you use my cologne if you like it that much, Lozhka!”

“Not when you’re away,” Anatoliy murmurs.

“Then I suppose I should never leave you alone, then? Will that appease my little lord majesty?”

And of course the answer to that is a big, fat yes, but Anatoliy can’t exactly say that, so he just jabs his elbow into Knife's side before dragging him away from the window.