He follows cautiously around the bend of a building, carefully circumventing the hard edge of its brick and moving with an untold quietness. Even his tail stills, perched in a curl along the small of his back and only giving the most uncontrollable of twitches - anticipation getting the better of his vaulted self-control, but as restrained as he could muster! A hand holds one of his wolflike ears, smoothing down the length and pressing it to his skull as if cupping it for better hearing (or simply as a handle on his nerves).

His attention couldn't be brought from the objective before him. His eyes finally crest mottled red and brown stone, catching sight first of a seemingly empty alley before scanning with a rose-coated gaze over the items that inhabit it. Trashcans and spilling boxes empty of anything but grime and more garbage, a single dumpster halfway down the darkness but far still from the light that breaks at the other end. That's what they'd like you to think - abandoned trash, innocent shadows. Nikolai knew better!

It was difficult for his nose, the scent biting back at his canid senses and then his more acute draconic ones, and he fought a gag at diving into its sources. Then a sneeze, threatened by the scrunch of his snout, and he spared precious seconds shaking that off with a hand at his mouth.

Relaxed, again, but tense at his shoulders that hitch and guide his pensive movements. He pressed on. One long step ... another ... he was creeping about now, a sight for sure if not for the regimental uniform he wore today on duty. Mayhaps the young dog could be mistaken for a stray performing lascivious voyeurism in the alley's welcoming shade: but he was clearly emboldened as a Rune Knight to any concerned passersby, and this was a serious assignment he had taken on.

Something rattles. He almost hops, steeling his whole body, but the furious wag of his tail had been unsettled from its vigilance and he was practically thrust into the alley by the propulsion regardless. He took this chance to bark out a 'Got'cha!' and barrel into the closest suspicious cardboard shelter, narrowly missing the suspect as it darted from its hiding place and made way down the damp corridor.

"Awh, dangit! Wait! No! Stop! ... Criminal!"

He takes chase after the cat, furiously.

A lost dog twitched his ears to the beats of footsteps that splashed like raindrops, shrouded by the faceless bystanders traversing the bustling cobblestone streets. The sun shines too brightly, and his head borders on chaos, the clamor of a regular tone causing his head to throb in agony. One too many drinks and lack of sleep made this patrol utter torture for the wolf, squinting through sunken, smoky eyes - so dark you'd mistake him for a burglar. His weary bones carry him forward nonetheless, and the damage from his nightly hobbies also collects their toll, the piercing throb in his ribcage, the dull ache of every concealed bruise on his torso chafing against the soft linen and wool of his pinstripe suit - every sensation cranked to the extreme.

Luka finds himself at his post near a secluded area notorious for violent crime, grateful for a moment of peace. Presence was usually enough of a deterrent in these areas, especially in broad daylight, with countless witnesses in direct earshot should any situation escalate. Not that Luka would particularly mind a spot of violence, but today, he was tired. So, so tired. A deep sigh and a raspy growl as he cleared his throat, thumbing open his breast pocket to pick at the rectangular box held within, scraping away at paper and film, finally claiming his prize. He leans back against the wall, sloped as he lifts his leg to rest against a sturdy brick building, grinding his heel to wipe away the dirt, and presses the cigarette between his sore lips - still scarred from last night's brawl, and ignites, inhaling with the first semblance of tranquility he's had in ages.

And that's when he hears it. A lawful decree shouted blaringly loud and the kerfuffle of clashing tin cans and cardboard trampled by chase and struggle. "I really can't catch a break, huh?" Luka groans, kicking off the ramparts with vigor, biting down on his cigarette as his ears wave, flicking to locate the crime scene and the knight that must surely be in hot pursuit of a dastardly criminal.

Luka enters the alleyway, bursting into a jog, every single step forcing a wince through grit teeth. The alleyway gets tighter, more cluttered as he paths towards the echo of hurried steps and, even that hinders his already rattled senses. He finally turns the corner and collides with the frame of a smaller wolf with a mane of purest white and wide-eyed determination. Luka reels, stumbles, and finally slams backward into the graffiti-plastered wall.

"Watch where you're going, kid! You got a death wish? It's dangerous for you to be running around here! There's a criminal on the loose... So run along, please. I'm too bloody knackered to deal with you right now." He growls, clutching at his head with a scowl and hazy green eyes that dilate, trying to focus on the other.

"Yowch!"

The strangled yelp of a dog falling over his own paws and the mangy form of another in fate's crossing, spiraling the other way from the impact. He tumbles over, arms waving in the air, and skirts on his back for one bounce - two - and settling on the third, tail thumping at the ground. Impossible to silence, that. "Woah - hey!" All sounds off instinct and reaction, his eyes still un-centered before he's able to zero in their peach-tint on the ... well, victim, he'd reckon, of his own hurry. Still, his tail sweeps as he quickly looks away from the shape of the man, craning his head and using the pat of his hands on the dank floor to stretch his vision.

He had lost the offending party down the other side of the alley, easily confirmed by even that glance, and his throat catches in a whine that twitches both of his wolf-like ears. He scrabbles up, wiping himself down and any grime off his palms to his pants, and then thrusts the hand toward the other -- finally getting a real look at him. "Oh... oh!" It's immediate, another type of instinct, and his eyes widen with the similar part of his lips. His face seems to glow, brightening to localized sunshine in the dark of their setting. "Oh!!"

His tail is a flurry. It goes so far as to take his frame with it, and his task is forgotten - albeit briefly. An ear lilts on a swivel, sparkles overlaying on his canid twin. "You're like me! That's so freakin' cool! Hi! Hey there!" A blur of energy until he prances a step closer, taking a hand in a heavy, trained-like shake even if it wasn't previously accepted. He forgets himself - or he's in tune with it to a degree he hadn't been before. "I'm Niko! Nikolai von Mardt, Rune Knight Private! Sorry 'bout all that, was just -- oh, crap! Frick! Bupkis!"

He stamps his foot, attention yanked from the ostensibly agitated figure in front of him with his grip going loose. "The -- the cat! Darnit! I've gotta race, pal, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run into you - well, literally 'n all, not that I mind that we did, 'cause, WOW, look at you! The ears! The tail!! Freak yeah!" He catches himself again when he looks back, blinking away the marvel of his gaze having trailed over those mentioned features. "My bad, partner! I just haven't met someone like me in Fiore yet. Or ever, I'm guessin'? Just my ma back home. Well, bless 'er--"

Again, he's brought back to reality, shaking out his head and sending those fluffed appendages in every direction. "Crap! Here I am, yappin' up a storm. Really, I gotta get back to work. Thanks for the chat! So cool to see you! Leave this to me, citizen!" A big, brimming grin, flashing a thumbs up.

Another growl ripples in the undertow, body keening to soften the blow and relieve the sharp pain in his chest, and he's slow to rise; even slower to fully realize who exactly he was looking at. His expression must have looked downright vicious, scornful eyes pounding in his sockets and glowing viridescent adjusting still to trace the outline of the smaller frame as his brow furrows. His fangs grind, a hiss, and then Luka hears a voice cry out in the darkness. Far too loud for addled wolves, but just excited enough for Luka's body to freeze in astonishment, tail straightening out as ears flicker and settle in on the sound.

The taste of copper and iron, the gory mess of a poorly stitched wound reopening beneath layers of cotton and wool, but that ache is insignificant in the face of whatever this creature was - a puppy. A slight wag of his tail betrays his dumbfounded expression that borders on tongue-tied dizziness. The kid was a whirlwind. Luka is hypnotized by the chalky vortex, flapping wildly as he frolics to and fro, and before he knows it the warmth of a tiny paw embraces his own, clutches tightly and shaken so vigorously. His eyebrow twitches and a soft sound slips from his maw as he swiftly retracts his hand. "What do you mean!? You? You're a Rune Knight? No offense, mate. You just seem a tad wet behind the ears." A paw flits to ruffle his jet-black mane, and even that simple motion causes him to wince in pain that he tries to conceal under the strained cough of inhaled smoke.

"Bupkis..." A whisper in disbelief, hidden in a short breath. His heart felt torn from his chest, mere scraps torn asunder by the pure innocence of a supposed Rune Knight that seemingly refused to stain the world with his curses, and a quick flick of a spent cigarette butt is trampled on in a display of aggression to quell these warm feelings that seem to percolate in the abyss of his heart. There can be none of that in the line of duty. "Don't worry about it. Honestly- It's no big deal, mate. Anyways, I'm Luka and-" His hand slowly lowers to wave away any doubts and silence the yap of an excitable puppy, but there is something Niko said that causes the wolf to pause. "The fuck do you mean, 'the cat'? A cat!? A CAT!? You're takin' the piss, mate. There's no way... No, no, no. You definitely said criminal. I heard it." There's a ragged tremor that creeps in when he barks, walking towards the arctic wolf, so strangely fluffy... Ahem! Luka's tail whips, nails struggling to rend through his gloves as they clench Niko's shoulders and shake him.

"Naaaah. I've half a mind to arrest you for making me run around all busted up and hungover! Put that thumb down or I'll bite it!" Luka leans over, fangs clashing in a quick snap as he lunges forward playfully with a snarl. "I refuse to believe you're real. Just a figment of my sleep-addled brain." What made you like this? A curious question indeed, piqued in the throes of a rotten alley, discovering something that seems to blossom despite this wretched world.

"Alright, fine. Fine! Y'know what? I'm game. I'll assist you in chasing down the dastardly criminal~!" He finally releases the pup, tidying his wrinkled shirt, ruffled from a desperate grip to make an illusion fade, but this creature was tangible - real. With a few weary steps, sharp clacks of leather dress shoes, and Luka's neck cranes to look behind, a ripple of onyx fluff and a wry grin creases his lips. "Come, little pup. Let's go chase some tail~"

The most nominal impression Nikolai von Mardt could share of himself to Luka Rossweise on their first meeting was that nothing the other man could say was able to phase him as anything but presumed camaraderie. He was too excited and too earnest about that point. He beams, his smile overtaking and lifting the squishy pouches of his cheeks, and that bushy-black tail gave a resounding swish. It all but framed him, somehow bigger from the vantage of Niko facing his kin. It endlessly fiddles through the air, snaking about itself only to flare out again. "Yup! Well, you got me there."

His grin conspired, as if the two were in on the humor together. "The Rune Knights took me in... gee, a month and some change back now? Woof! Time's sure passin'! That makes you on the money, 'course, but I'm not too shabby at my job. You're safe with me!" His cardinal sin was the way his hands dropped and moved to his sides, balling fists at his hips and puffing out his chest. A hero, he offered. That dumbass smile plastered, undisturbed by any lick of smoke, but he seemed to regard his canid companion with pride as the cigarette disappeared beneath his boot.

He'd let the man respond, polite despite his hurry (and helped little by his own yapping), but he'd find his chance throughout to pick up around them - including the discarded cig - and clear their direct scene of litter just to keep busy when he wasn't talking. The broad lift of inhuman ears, taking their space with perched - fuzzy - canals, made sure to alert Luka to the smaller dog's continued attention.

He's stalled by the hands on his shoulders, and his head ragdolls with a little dizzied puff of breath until the man works out whatever frustrations Niko had strained in him. "Well - uh - yeah, so -" He had to try not to laugh at himself, worried it'd ring as laughter at the other's expense, and the offending thumb is retracted to messy through his locks of black and white while he returns a bashful grin. He pats the side of his neck, just around the back, and lifts his shoulders before dropping them again. A helpless shrug. "He's on the run, you understand. I gotta... well, it's my job to get him back! If it's not me, it's animal control, and it just seems better this way."

A wave of his hands, palm out, and he titters. "He's a real fiery bugger, and it's not really his fault, but he's the last of the escapees that I gotta get home! I took on the assignment volunteer-like, and the grump is just too old to be outside the shelter like this. You get it, right? 'Right?" Appealing to their shared natures, Nikolai's eyes widen and sparkle with the little dip of his head, too big for his face in their pleading.

It's rewarded by the immediate way both poofed ears and a similar tail lift to a high stand, lifting Niko off the ground for a hop of surprised joy. "Wow! ...Well, wait, I dunno if -" He almost tries, but the attempt seems paltry in the face of the sharp wolf's aura and the commanding way he's already turned to go. His voice drops. Somewhat dazed, Niko paws down the dissaray of his uniform, and smartly takes off after him. His arms toss up and then clamp behind the small of his back, hurrying his feet.

"Why the heck not! Nikolai von Mardt and mysterious new friend, reportin'! Howdy! "

It's been so long since Luka Rossweisse had encountered a person so strictly whimsical, flowing exuberance and fluctuation illuminating that halcyon glow that made the gruffer wolf want to snap his jaws. There was no reason to doubt his partner here, the uniform certainly fits the description, and it's not like the organization was left wanting for colorful characters, but this is a bit much innit?  Luka's mouth hangs open, a twitch of his brow as keen canines peek from beneath, glinting like silver ready to crunch down on gold, another scoff and he finds himself toying with the steel-plated lighter in his pocket. Something to with idle hands, while he collects himself for this unexpected adventure.

Luka laughs, and it startles him, because it's devoid of any sarcastic irony or ichor, and before he knows it his lips part to spill, "Cheers, pup! I'm counting on you to keep me nice and snug in this crime-ridden slum!" He can't help himself, Niko is too genuine - a swivel in place with a click of his heels to tap against the pavement, sloped over to split the difference of their height and stare him dead in the eye, inquisitively - searching for some acknowledgment that he was talking to a fellow knight. It was more than implied! A scoff that breaks into a husky chuckle as he turns away.

Luka wonders just what exactly is going on in that adorable little head of his, filled to the brim with rainbows and happily-ever-afters, undoubtedly. - brimming with an infectious optimism.  Or maybe he lives only in the moment, always tackling what's directly in front of him with boundless energy. It makes Luka sick with envy. "HUH!? Animal control? Niko... You do realize that escaping animal control isn't a crime, yeah?" He bursts open, splitting his sides quite literally in raucous laughter, but it's all worth it "Cheers, mate, but honestly- You'll be the death of me yet. You're more dangerous than the other blokes I usually deal with. A real killer~ I can tell~" A smarmy little grin is plastered on Luka's face, flicking his fingers up to imitate guns and fire them off as the little wolf he follows, bushy tail swaying eagerly behind. "Where the bloody hell did they find you? You're like from another world!"

"This is out of my wheelhouse, but I've always liked cats - or rather, they always seem to fancy me. I should frighten them, don'tcha think?" Luka chimes, speaking more in this brief encounter than he has in... He can't remember. He's been so absorbed in his secret night shifts, cleaning up the city in any way he can, that sweet, subtle affection of a simple conversion felt unfamiliar and new.

Luka clicks his tongue and swallows his shame, stealing a glimpse of fluffy ears flitting so excitedly in between a mane of white, an audible groan and grimace, and vibrant jade would flourish for a moment and plead at the other knight to not chide him too hard for what comes next. "Here kitty kitty~ Pspspspst!" His ears droop down, and his nose scrunches as the pitch tone of his voice makes him keen. He repeats it once more before clapping his hands together. "Oh, right- What the hell is the cat's name?"

There was nothing but an eager glint in Niko's eyes when he snaps to salute, Luka's words echoing playfully or not. He exuded a casual confidence that couldn't be further than ego but couldn't be closer to a cherishment of his fellows. Nikolai von Mardt would stand between this man and any ne'er-do-wells to a bitterless end. That's all his smile said, tapping smartly off his heel in a sway of excitement; he didn't turn at a regimental about-face, closer to a dancer's pirouette with arm outstretched. "Yeeeessir!~"

He meets the older dog's tempo, scampering alongside, naturally making longer, sloping movements to keep up with the difference in height and therefore pace between the two. "Awrrr...," the boy rumbles off in a plaintive sound, peeking at Luka - just out of the corner of an eye, obscured by the floppy droop of an ear. It masked a bashful sort of expression, embarrassment lighting the wolf's cheeks. He was caught. "It's like -- well, it's not like -- you just gotta --" He doesn't deflate so much as release some of that endless air from the bubble of his lips, letting his head loll back with the 'pbbbhhht'. His eyes leave their path, leaving the other to lead the two for the time being. "It was just a bit'a fun, 'tween the kitcat 'n I! He got it! Honest, meant no trouble!"

He'd wave his hands, breaking their clasp, and rolled his wrist forward in the air as if saying 'you understand...'. "And besides all'at, he's makin' this much more of a chase than the other little'uns gave me! Troublemaker that he -- hey!"

He lights up, ears flicking away from his face's lilt to perch in standing vigilance. His mouth is caught between a shocked 'o' and a broad grin, giving a dopey sort of smile in its middle. "You called me Niko!" Luka lost him, paws tapping together in muffled applause from the build-up of energy that flushed through Niko's system like static electricity. Almost too literally, but he's able to work out the enthusiasm with a hop. "We must be fast friends, eh? That's cool! I think you're aces, too!"

He still hadn't caught his new friend's name, but as he moves to ask his thought is interrupted and he loses it to the ether. "Y'know..." His eyes narrow, considering his kin's ears, but his gaze trails off to the side when he comes to an agreement. "I actually had the same thought, back home! We had all these strays on the grounds - farmland, yeah?, so open acres to the closest civilization and just ma, pa 'n I and the critters that'd roost with us. Tons of cat out there, 'specially in Minstrel. Kinda a thing, I reckon. Not many other dogs. Not like us," and there's that conspiracy again, grinning. "But it never seemed to bother any of 'em. If anythin', I think it helped. 'Specially with the sheep, yeah? Hah!"

"... Oh. Right! Shoot! Fudgin' berry sticks, how'd I -- er...," He had been brought to attention by Luka's attempt to corral the delinquent feline and was instead ensnared by the same trick, having to shake down one of his ears when he realized it wasn't meant to catch him, too. His tail's wagging. "Sorry, pal! Almost forgot! Real nice talkin' to you, but I've got this job, too, and I never leave anythin' half-finished. Lemme!"

He claps his hands together, jumping back a step and rolling back his shoulders; just to crane, using the stretch to shove his nose in the air and sniff with accompanying bobs from his ears. He draws from something deeper than his canine instincts, willing his draconic senses up to bat. "Maxie... where'd you get to now, silly kit..."

His head snaps, a reflexive crouch slanting him and further exaggerating the flurry of his tail. He's pointing with his body in a new direction, down the other side of the street, and he flicks his eyes from it to Luka with the frame of his alert ears. "Found 'em, partner!" His lips curled, barely lifting from his semi-four'ed legs before he'd wave Luka to chase up with him.

An eyebrow raised at the young wolf's enthusiastic twirl, the slight twist of a lip curving sky-bound, a tiny flap at how easily flustered and tongue-tied he gets over the slightest tease. Luka raises his paw, ruffling the little wolf, so red in the cheeks, with a smothering touch as if to quell a flame igniting. A smug expression colors his expression, and a guffaw echoes within the alleyway. "Just tuggin' your leg a bit, pup. I get it." Luka tries to reinvigorate Nikolai, so swept up in his incessant barking, so akin to yelps, but Luka is not so kind to do it without a price paid at the little wolf's expense. "You could say I have a newfound appreciation for playin' with little fluffy creatures, mate. Something about today made me wanna go to the shelter and get a puppy." Luka leans over to stare into his companion's eyes, a toothy grin, ever-so condescending and vain, and the urge to click his tongue overwhelms what little wits remain.

Not too soon to be overtaken by an intense desire to chomp down with keen fangs and shake, shake, shake the little one. Stunned again at the declaration so boldly voiced with fiery zeal, each clap of Nikolai's hands rang in Luka's ears, but it didn't bother him. Luka's tail betrays him again, a flutter of his ears dancing to the steady rhythm of his beating heat. "Please have mercy... I don't think I've ever felt this helpless before. How am I supposed to remain calm when you're like this! A shy flit of a hand ruffling through his hair, growling in a defeated tone. A friend? How long has it been? It's not a word in his vocabulary anymore. It hasn't been for far too long. He's tired, defeated, and with an exaggerated heave of addled lungs and aching bones, he pipes up.

"Friends, huh?" His heart seizes, and his nose scrunches with a furrow of his brow. "Luka. The name's Luka." He quickens his pace, pushing ahead to conceal his face from the other, but no matter what he does, he can't stop the traitor whipping steadily behind.

The kid loves to yap, adorably so. Luka finds comfort in basking in radiant energy that never seems to cease - an endless abundance of whatever this Nikolai was made of. It is the foreignness of this innocence that becomes too blinding, an uncontrollable urge to squeeze it tight - never let it go. "A farmboy, huh? Yeah, y'know what? That certainly tracks. An excitable little shepherd dog like you would be... what was it that you said before? Aces? Yeah, aces, mate!" Silly. Far too much silliness to be contained in a creature. And easily distracted, amusingly so. "How precious~" It was the only thing Luka could offer, sloping up against the wall as he just listened to the little one yammer on, taking full advantage of the downtime to rest his weary bones with an arm crossing against his torso, cupping his cheek until it was time to continue their mission.

"And there it is~" A smarmy smile dripped in sarcasm. " And the world starts spinning again. Shame. I was rather enjoying myself."

With a puzzled look from a sideways glance, the kid's senses seem more finely tuned than any regular old wolf boy. Like a bolt of lightning, he whips into a frenzy, wagging his adorably fluffy tail with no inhibitions to speak of - zero shame, and Luka tries so desperately to keep pace, crouching down with creaky ribs and zoning in on the direction Nikolai was looking. "Good boy!" He exclaims, dripping with sardonic saccharine in how drawn out the words linger, but the cheekiness of his tenor should throw off the innocent wolf. "Let's be off and find Maxie then, shall we? I'd say sic 'em, boy... But something tells me that's what got us into this situation... y'know what!? Fuck it, sic 'em, boy! Yeehaw! Get him, doggy an' all that." He'd wave his hands to and fro, to motion for Nikolai to push ahead. "You get that kit, and I'll come nab my shepherd dog..." A sigh, bated breath as his body screams for rest that goes ignored in favor of the soft smirk splitting his flushed lips.

Luka follows his partner.

"Let's get 'em, pardner.." A soft murmur and attempt to mimic the other wolf's tenor and accent as his tail sweeps across strewn debris.

A partner, huh... That wouldn't be so bad.

Luka's teasing wasn't lost on Niko: it was just effective in all the right ways and ineffective in all the wrong. He couldn't really get one over on the young wolf - too bouncy between the pads of his paws, tail batting away any negative feedback from the universe - but he could bring a rosy little burn to his cheeks. Nikolai didn't have much practice with others... he was somewhat socially awkward, bubbly nature and burning eagerness to close that gap aside. His hand rubbed the back of his neck, as if he could scrub away the flush of his embarrassment. "Awh, geez, pal! C-c'mon now... Y'know, I'm a big dog! I'll show you!!"

He had half a mind, and half of one to howl. Weighing this option, Luka was instead given a cheeky grin and a flick of one of those black-furred ears. He'd just have to prove himself through the invigoration of his scampering, occasionally running in place when they stalled - remaining in unanxious motion. "If you're feelin' helpless, citizen, you can count on Nikolai to come to your aid! Worry not, friend!! You got one in me!" He had to levy how much he could tease back, but moderation wasn't one of Nikolai's strongest qualities. He beamed, hopping from foot to foot, and waved his arm in the air with the declaration. He would only be brought to a still when Luka shared his name for ostensibly their first time since meeting, choosing to gratify it as a step closer between them and a deepening of their friendship.

He hoots. "Luka!" His other arm had taken the space from his first with a fist in the air, one more hop-step off his weight. "Wowie! Got'cha, partner! Luks it is! We're really unstoppable now!" Luka couldn't trick him out of not reading deeper into their short time together -- the larger man's tail was as much a Judas as Niko's own, and his was flurrying as they talked. Always having to be brought back to earth, but he was beginning to orbit Luka more than ever touching the ground. "Yeeh--"

Aces they are, surely, for Nikolai was reminded of his duty and both brought from their brief reverie & the palling they had fallen in-step to: and Nikolai von Mardt - therefore Ace Detective - was back on the scene. "No worries, 'bud. I've got this!"

Sparks that raise along Nikolai's spine when he zeroes in on their target are dispersed by simple praise from Luka, the slit of a draconic gaze dispelled when he glances back - replaced by the bright-eyed pupil of the wolf's own sparkle, further highlighting the brightness that takes over his teeth in the grin he returns. Awruf ~ He's wagging, a paw scuffing the street, and he shrugs his shoulder forward to indicate the bigger dog's need to chase him now. "Gettin' 'em~" He barks back, seemingly and genuinely unphased by the jokes at his expense, and the sheep-herder that he is obediently follows through. He's blushing, sure, but it's a freeing feeling, and an earnestness that mars his ruddy cheeks with no less joy than his expression shares.

He doesn't catch Luka's mutterings - his ears flat against his head in the course of his sprint - but he's pleased to have his partner-in-... justice?? keeping up with him even now. Truth be told, Niko knew Luka had no reason to stick with him to see this through, and it was a fuzzying feeling to have him playing along besides. It was a sort of current that carried him forward and down a few more bends, ending with them out the end a maze of streets and Niko coming to a warbling stop at a final alley opening.

Lazy, yellow eyes greet them back, a rose-colored gaze returning it with little threat but a glint of a smirk through the darkness. They receive only a tired 'miau?' in response when Nikolai dives in with a holler of victory, laughing while about stumbling over his own gangly limbs. He does manage to make it to Maxie despite his ... robust bounding forward, and triumphantly present the worn-out old creature to Luka; between the sloping grip of both hands, while the cat manages to look as if he's melting through his fingers. The fat gray thing is unperturbed, hanging. The wolfboy peeks over the top of Maxie's head, the cat blinking languidly - then yawning - and the dwindling afternoon sun closes just over his glowing smile. Wagwagwag. "See? See?"

A big dog? It was adorable that he thought of himself as such, the sprightly creature, untamable as lightning and fettered by nothing but his whimsical impulses. No, Nikolai was a puppy through and through, and Luka's adoration grows in the same manner one's heart usually melts in the presence of one. A wry grin upturns the entirety of the older wolf's muzzle, lifting a paw to rub at the aching joints of his jaw. He'd smiled entirely too much for one day - a welcome miracle "Mhmhm, yes- yes, little pup. We're all havin' a laugh. Your darling little barks are selling the act~" He giggles. Luka never giggles. Perhaps his mental state truly was crumbling under the constant strain of his nightly activities - the depravity in each massacre and drunken stupor that follows, or maybe bouncy optimism was that infectious. It mattered not to the young wolf, happily wagging his tail as he tried to conceal his grin and struggled equally to stifle his laughs. "I'm sorry, mate. I'm only teasing. It's just been a while since I've enjoyed myself so much. I almost forgot what it's like." Luka strides over, pitched to lean down and wrap an arm around Nikolai's slighter frame, and lowers his head to stare into eyes with a glimmer of a rippling meadow that swells in excitement. "Niko, never change. Got it?" Luka's other hand flits to trace a circle in the center of his forehead, nudging into the center with a steady recline. "Now, where were we?"

---

Luka feels as if he should astonished by the shameless barking - the little Rune Knight eagerly playing along with every single command regardless of how embarrassing or silly they are. But it's only resonated endearingly. A good boy. Far too good. But the role of the dog's owner had been suddenly bestowed upon the knackered black wolf, his tail still swaying softly behind even as he bursts into a slightly meandering jog. Luka knows he can't keep up with the whirlwind as he is now, spiraling toward their quarry with reckless abandon, sweeping away everything in its path as it howls wildly like a dog that escapes its leash. In a way, that's precisely what the command represented. "Let's hope this hound is trained..." His brows soften again, a chuckle slipping from his pursed lips that maintain steady breaths as he catches up.

"Well, well, well~ Look at what we have here!" Luka's arms lift in a flamboyant pose, sharp motions that lead to a finger pointed directly at the caught fugitive, scruffed and detained by his partner. "You thought you could just bust out of the slammer, evade the long arm of the law, but you were sorely mistaken, weren't you...? Maxie! You're looking at at least fifteen years now. Collar this felonious feline, Niko!" He fumbles about in his jacket pocket, retrieving his Rune Knight identification to reveal to the culprit and fellow Knight. It's a flair of theatrics for the thrill of it, not unlike his usual antics concerning those he knew he'd never see on this earth again. But this was different. It was fun. And that makes Luka shrink away for a moment."Alright, enough of that now..." He thumbs around the edges, turning away to clear his throat with a subdued cough as his cheeks bloom into a rosy tint.

Luka shyly avoids eye contact after his "sensational" performance, stepping forward even still to reach out his hand and gently pat the old, pudgy grey cat to settle, his smile glowing so warmly it could set the entire city ablaze.

Luka's head tilts, ears fluttering atop tangled tresses that swallow the sun's infinite glow in pitch black, his vision filled only with the wag of an excited puppy. He sighs. "Don't worry, Niko~ I didn't forget about you. Good boy~! You did such a good job nabbin' that kitty. Would you like a treat?" His hand trails away from the cat's chin, rising to ruffle through Niko's wintry mane and scritching just behind his ear. "Are you sure you're not part retriever or something, mate? Your tail hasn't stopped wagging... And don't think I didn't catch that barking, Ni-ko~ Ruff~ Ruff~." He can't help but tease and play along when someone wears their heart on their sleeve like this.

"Let's get the little man all settled in for the night, shall we?" Luka peels himself away, much to his chagrin, taking the lead with a sideways glance that gazed back at his partner expectedly with the single claw raised to beckon him to follow.

"Coming along, partner?"

There was a newfound brightness in Nikolai's eyes - a solar eclipse, threatening the boundlessness that had already caught Luka in their rose-colored spotlight. It wasn't pyrotechnic sparkling; but something much warmer and overtaking than momentary fireworks, a shaft of sunlight breaking through the slant of a windowpane and highlighting one singular image. It glints and refracts off on the older man's edges, contrasting him against the dim alley walls, and Niko's gaze on him widens. He wags. He's always wagging, surely, but it's slower, more poignant. Tasting, testing. The dark-black fur surrenders to its vibrations in little twitches, and each subsequent urges and edges a bigger smile from Niko's lips - stretching out the firm, sun-scorched tips of his cheekbones and replacing kissed skin with the darling white of his canines.

Then he cackles, more alike to a hyena then a well-behaved dog. "Hahahaha!" He about doubles over, out of nothing and into the scene, pawing at the cat in his unsteady grasp with both hands as it jostles - unperturbed - and he squeezes it into his arms, half in concern and the other in total thoughtlessness while his laughter robs him of most sense. "Hahahaha!! Hahahahaha...! Luks! Holy forkin' bajeebers, you're a dork! Hahaha!" He's trembling, feet rocking off the turned stone of their sidepath, and he's barely able to remain upright. He hoots and hollers, his voice cracking in a more pitched giggle when one hand surrenders the cat and the other dangles it -- rubbing at his cheek, his eyes, until he can see Luka clearly through their dew-stained squint. "Y'know, he's not really a criminal! He's just a kitten-cat!"

He's teasing, of course. Probably. "And you really're a dog too! Woof!" He's still laughing, pulling his bouncy stare from the other just to get a more nuanced look at Maxie. He sticks out his bottom lip in thought - narrowing his eyes as much as he could make a difference to their mirthfully wrinkled state - and regards the unphased feline, who blinks slowly in response and lolls out an old, pale tongue. ... Niko follows suit, in challenge, returning a blep of his own. "Rrrrr." He plays, swaying (not shaking!) the kitty, his tail unconsciously following the rhythm. "Well, he has been a naughty lil' critter. Maybe the slammer'll do him some good, eh, partner? Kennel time?" He grins, first at Maxie and then in a slant of his head to bring Luka back into his attention. Twinkles.

Not the most adept at reading social cues, especially in his excitement, Niko is slow to catch on to the taller wolf's embarrassment - but he attempts to dispel it by slinking closer, Maxie in tow between arms that are now interlocked across his chest and hugging the top half of the slinky escapee. "This'll have to do 'til we get 'em back, Ser Luks!" He nods towards his hug forming its 'cage.'

He's near-immediately broken out of this by the hand on his head, a furred ear twitching out of his tresses of white and shyly flicking back at the touch. His breath hitches, cheeks dusting with warmth - comeuppance, really - and he rumbles a purr despite himself, a pleased half-growl caught in his throat that he swallows down with the heavy thwap of his tail at the earth. "H-hey! I ain't no lapdog, Luks -- I'm a real beast!" His jaw tightens with the semi-playful clench of his teeth, showing fangs with the wicked uptick of his tail's ferocity. Wagwagwag. "'n you're one to talk, mate. Might wanna check that wagger of yours ~"

His tongue extends from his cheeky growlgrin, poking between the fanged smirk. "But, hey! Y'know what - we did do a pretty good job 'ere, partner! Maybe the praise isn't unwarranted. So -- thanks! Really! You made the case of the feline caper lots more fun." His tongue only recedes to broaden his smile, looking the long distance up to meet Luka's own gaze and an ear perched. He's obviously pleased. "Let's corral this guy back home, yeah? And maybe you too, while we're at it!"

He's not waiting for a response - skipping ahead, with just his tail greeting Luka in its gleeful wave. "Ruff, ruff, yeah~?"

How long had it been since he'd felt so relaxed in the presence of another?

How long had it been since he'd genuinely made somebody laugh?

How long had it been since his face ached so terribly from the strain of a smile that never yields?

Luka's eyes widen in abrupt astonishment, glimmering emeralds that sweep to catch the little knight in all of his sprightly splendor, mouth ajar for only a moment before the smile that adorns his complexion broadens to new horizons, and a hand flits to caress his cheek, scratching at the side with fidgety motions. "Me? Fun? I don't think I did anything particularly special, mate... If anything..." The wolf meekly murmurs, but his tail reacts with the same steady flourish. "You're the one that brightened my day!" The wolf didn't particularly mind if his hushed barks were overheard, but the courage to boldly howl remains smothered in the face of the white wolf's infectious jubilation.

Every step forward brings Luka closer to the sun and, with it, a reprieve from the solitude of darkness that lingers in his heart. Bright enough for a better tomorrow and a stark reminder of why he became a Rune Knight. He jogs to catch up to Niko, sloped down to rest his arm on his shoulder as he leans in. "Oi, Niko. Don't think I didn't catch that cheeky 'mate' there, pardner~ And mind your own wagger! I don't think it's stopped for a moment. Not that I'm complaining or nothin'. I find it quite adorable that a little beastie like you is always so excitable~" Luka snorts, bursting out into impish laughter as his fangs peek beneath his grin.

Luka strums along the cardboard of a cigarette carton, drawing out a single stick to settle between pursed lips. He ignites it with a quick flick of his finger, casting a little spell instead of fumbling about his jacket for a lighter. Exhaustion is setting in for the wolf, but a sense of fulfillment makes his tired eyes glow and twinkle just a bit more vividly. "Careful. If I take you home with me... I might not want to let you wander out of sight. I think a lapdog suits you just fine, too." He winks, a droll tenor tinging his words as he reaches over to ruffle and pet the younger wolf's head again, scritching just behind the ear as he rolls his fingertips against his cigarette in his other paw, holding it away from the embodiment of purity that was his companion.

"Awooo~" A soft grin graced his expression, craning his neck to crack his bones and rolling his shoulders to do the same as he played along with a soft howl. "Fortunately, I have a feelin' we're going to be seeing each other a lot. Partner~"