The walk to the grand staircase felt long. Even with Warlock's demeanor being the exact same, Kev felt a bit naked without Talon keeping an eye on him.
"So, Mr. Kev," Warlock said, "feel free to deny me, but I was curious about the little visit Captain Romulus paid to Mr. Fang and you yesterday. Could you illuminate me in any way?"
Kev tried to hide his vulnerability and brought back his cheerful tour-guide tone. "Well, I'm not sure what you've heard. As you know, anything that happens on these grounds is merely speculation. I can't say I spoke with any of the enforcers personally to ask why they were here."
"Really?" Warlock pushed. "Mr. Maffa had a very engaged phone call with the Captain after you escorted Mr. Fang away last night. He probably did not think anyone could hear him, but Bruno had a microphone hidden."
Kev continued on. He didn't need to say anything. But would it be rude if he didn't? Nothing he had done in his life had prepared him to answer these kinds of questions, especially not from someone as potentially dangerous as this otter.
"Nice job, Bruno," Kev said weakly, before stopping at the bottom of the grand stairs. "From what I've heard, Maffa is trying to hurt Fang by targeting me."
Warlock frowned and nodded. "It did sound like that was the case."
Kev gestured up the stairs and began climbing. "Do you think they will keep trying?" he asked, curious about the otter's more worldly opinion.
"If they do," Warlock said, walking his fingers up the railing, "it is at their own peril. I told the cheetah that Fang was my brother last night, did I not?"
Kev was surprised. The Mafia was even powerful enough to give them a bit of cover from the city enforcers. That was great. He had dreaded what it might mean to be the cause of countless daytime interruptions. How long would Fang consider Kev "lucky" if the human was hurting the business? Now, as long as the meeting tonight went smoothly, it sounded like he would have one less thing to worry about.
He only glanced at the now-shut and locked door that held the mysterious blue bedroom before pointing out the large double doors at the top of the steps. "That is Fang's office," he said, before turning left and heading towards his apartment. "It was in the middle of getting... redecorated yesterday, so you'll have to see it some other time."
"Oh, I love rearranging things!" Warlock exclaimed as he followed the small human. "It's one of Bruno and my favorite pastimes."
Kev quickly found himself standing in front of his apartment door... he hoped he hadn't left his underwear out somewhere.
"Home sweet home," Kev said as he quickly stepped in. His eyes roamed over the room and, to his relief, it was quite presentable. His tidying for the potential Cindy visits had kept everything organized. Even a glance into his bedroom reminded him that he had put his dirty clothes in a small basket in the closet. "Come in and relax for a few minutes before heading back down to the club."
Warlock sniffed the air as he walked in, his hands immediately touching the back of the armchair. "That is a bit odd," he said, closing his eyes and once again raising his nose. "I do not smell Mr. Fang as much as I would have expected."
Kev froze and tried to think of some response to the invasive question. Even with all the practice he had done answering Lanon's creepy quandaries the day before hadn't fully prepared him. He could tell Lanon to shut up, or even just walk away from the sexually inclined shrink, but he couldn't hide or run from Warlock, not without potentially hurting Fang.
Warlock, however, gave a knowing look over to the human before he could say anything. "I am glad you are not the type to bring a guest to your personal training grounds without asking. So many out there forget what their own beds smell like." The otter sighed and walked towards the kitchen, pulling open drawers and looking inside the cupboards. "It does not impress me how many someone has... laid claim to. It is the mark of a sophisticated man to keep his appetites separate from one another."
"It is so rare for me to find a kindred spirit in these regards," the otter said, wandering back towards the living space. "And someone that also appreciates how a... singular focus of one's attention... can be so much more fulfilling than sampling every new flavor that presents itself."
Kev could only nod. His room was supposed to be his sanctuary within the sanctuary, but with Warlock rummaging through his bread box and Bruno standing blocking his door, he just hoped they would grow bored of the room quickly and stop assuming things about his and Fang's relationship.
"Would either of you like a glass of water?" Kev asked, still hoping to be a good host. "Like I mentioned, I need to get ready for work soon..."
"I am all set," Warlock said. "Now that the club is opening so soon, I'll have the chance to order an apéritif."
"And you?" Kev said, glancing over at the silent brown bear.
Bruno, as always, looked over to Warlock without answering.
"Oh, Bruno," Warlock said, glancing over from where he was looking out the window and feeling the drapes, "you've been a good boy. If you're thirsty, you may drink."
Bruno looked back at Kev and slowly nodded.
Kev quickly passed over a cold glass to the bear and gave him a smile. "Thanks for keeping an eye on us," he offered, not really sure of the best way to interact with such a... unique bodyguard. "You can leave it on the counter when you're finished," he added, before turning to see Warlock molesting his player piano.
"So this is where it ended up," Warlock said, his hands tracing the opening where the scrolls were inserted. "It was a real surprise when Fang bid on it."
"You were at the auction too?" Kev said, stepping over and grabbing a scroll from the basket on top of the instrument. "I can have it play a song for you."
"Oh, please!" Warlock clapped his hands lightly. "This was the only thing I wanted to try, other than the sword."
"Haha," Kev laughed lightly, remembering Fang suggesting that he get the sword. "So you really were there. Sorry we didn't see you. Fang had been busy talking with a few different people, and we left before the ending."
"Oh, I know," Warlock said while watching Kev replace the old scroll with the new one and begin to turn the crank. "Ophelia was quite mesmerized with you, and even Jasper had some things to say."
Kev winced. He had forgotten about Jasper. He hoped the cardinal had recovered from his encounter with Rex in the fighting pit. "So, did you get anything at the auction, then? There really were some... unique offerings."
"Oh no," Warlock said, pausing to enjoy the jaunty sea shanty that was now coming from the piano. "Why would the auction house buy its own goods? That doesn't make much sense."
"I guess it doesn't," Kev said, a dawning realization on his face. "I didn't realize it was a Mafia-hosted event."
"For goods and services so unique, no one else in the city could do it." Warlock sat at the piano bench and watched the keys move up and down before hovering his hands over them and beginning to mime like he was playing. "Those wealthy patrons would be too scared to show their faces if it wasn't ours."
Did the otter mean to say that the wealthy of the city were not scared of the Mafia? That the black market auction was seen as somewhat legitimate, or at least that the wealthy clientele felt safe enough with the crime family that they were not scared of being filmed or getting caught by the enforcers? Kev's understanding of the city's power dynamics shifted once again.
"And of course," Warlock turned his head over his shoulder to give Kev a big, sharp-toothed smile, "we greatly appreciate Fang's donation to the auction, too. The funds that sale brought in will actually fund our next project."
"That is good to hear," Kev said, and then turned quickly to hide the disgust on his face. The money from selling Pedro was going to be funneled into a new Mafia project. Great. Now Kev could be reminded of the horrible action by even more things. He pushed these feelings down and forced out one more cheerful comment. "I, however, need to get ready for work, so please, feel free to see yourselves out whenever."
When Kev looked back, the gangster duo did not seem to get the hint. Warlock had actually taken a seat on Kev's couch and was flipping through the macroeconomics book on his coffee table. Without looking up, the otter responded, "Enjoy your shower, Mr. Kev."
"Will do," Kev murmured, before grabbing his clothes and quickly closing himself in his bathroom.
Kev did not rush his shower, nor did he rush changing. He hoped that the dominant and submissive duo had vacated his room. Yet, as he was adjusting his steely-blue suit's collar in the mirror, he heard his door slam open, followed by Bruno's loud, deep growl.
Kev quickly rushed from the bathroom, hoping that Talon had not stumbled into the room and been too eager to introduce himself. He stopped, and the already forming apology for the eagle's actions died on his lips.
Horns was standing in the middle of the living room, effortlessly holding Bruno at bay with a single, outstretched arm. The mooseman's hand was clamped firmly on the bear's shoulder, his sheer size and reach keeping the snarling bodyguard at a distance. The bear was growling deeply, a guttural, furious sound, his own massive paws wrapped around Horns's wrist, straining to break the iron grip. It was a tableau of immense, static force, a battle of titans frozen in his small apartment.
"You're not allowed up here," the moose bellowed.