The previous day and night were all a giant swirl, especially as Rou quickly realized he /could/ get drunk in this body. Sure, his other body could get drunk as well, but it took much, much more effort.

  At the moment?

  Rou was a lightweight.

  And woke up the next day, naked in W'elma's bed - something that hadn't happened in years. Both W'elma and Ellie were cuddled up with him under the covers, the two also equally so.

  His head hurt and he wasn't quite able to recall what happened, but laid there comfortably and enjoying this far more than he realized as he very much needed the warmth after the previous day.

  'You're awake?'

  Rou was confused before realizing the voice in his head was Ellie, who was looking at him from quite up close.

  He nodded slightly as she added, 'Don't wake up W'elma please. And us talking like this? A talent from my adventuring days. You can think back my way whatever you want to share.'

  It was Rou's first time being quite this intimate with Ellie. Not that they were remotely physically intimate with each other, but having gotten used to her standoffish attitude, having her nearly nose to nose with him, looking him right in the eyes and even holding onto him as he was being spooned by W'elma from behind?

  Ellie was quite amused by how embarrassed Rou was at the moment.

  'And no, Rou, we did not have sex. I may find you cuter now but last night was just… drinking and sleeping.'

  Rou snorted but nodded and admitted, 'Thank you for confirming. I was worried you might have done something you might regret.'

  'Regret?' Ellie seemed especially confused. 'I thought you were exclusively into women?'

  The stoic tabby burst into laughter, unintentionally waking W'elma who yawned and suddenly squeezed Rou. Poor Rou's weak body was quickly at risk of actually being hurt before Ellie realized and promptly grabbed W'elma's forearms, helping to pry them open slightly.

  "Oh, hell, are you okay Rou?" she asked as Rou whined and tried to breathe, never having been that scared of a hug before. After the initial panic, all three wound up laughing at things and Rou just turned and hugged W'elma back, appreciating the strangeness of the moment.

  "And no, Rou, I'm not exclusively into women. What gave you that idea?" Ellie asked, W'elma simply having assumed they were conversing while she slept.

  "Well, you used to look at me like I was a sore on someone's ass, and even when you started being more reasonable around me, you always seemed annoyed that W'elma and I spent time together. Even after you two started sharing a bed, you were still… overly formal."

  Ellie snorted softly at that and reached up to poke Rou's nose. "Just because I insist on maintaining a certain image doesn't mean that's the only thing I like. But you're right, just a little. I despise most men because I dislike the whorish personality most, including you, have. But to be fair I have the same problem with W'elma. Just… I have a soft spot for her, so I push it aside."

  W'elma didn't disagree. "I am indeed a bit whorish when I am stressed, yes."

  Rou smiled slightly and asked, "And now that you think I'm pathetic, you approve of me more?"

  Ellie nodded. "Yes, I find pathetic things cute. Small creatures and the likes."

  It was a strange sensation feeling grateful at being seen as pathetic for once in a while.

  W'elma stretched and leaned over to kiss Ellie, and Rou both in turn rather fully and without any qualms about doing so in front of the other before standing up and stretching. "I will go clean up and prepare for my day. You two enjoy the peace, I don't need help with anything." And with that she was off to use the washroom that Rou had seen several times.

  Leaving Ellie and Rou in bed. Still unsure how to treat Ellie, it wasn't until Ellie quietly slipped her arms around Rou and pulled the covers over themselves that he relaxed into her warmth with a soft 'thank you' and closed his eyes.

  Never would he have thought Ellie of everyone he knew would be the one supporting him at the moment with his thoughts and emotions being such a mess.

  –

  Though when W'elma finished her bath and started to step out of the room, she noticed out of the corner of her eye the covers moving with Ellie's back showing as she knelt over Rou. W'elma just snorted and quietly opened the door and shut it in turn to go about her business.

  –

  Rou stayed with W'elma and Ellie for several days, not especially because of any one reason or another so much as he was soaking up the feeling of being safe and wanted and not feeling the judgment he had found around others. That, and with Ellie having lowered her guard quite a bit, the two of them had gotten close. Certainly no 'love' was shared, but that long-standing bristliness on Ellie's part was altogether gone.

  Eventually Rou left, going to see Affection and spend time with her as he hadn't for a while and it was really odd for him. Affection and Rou's time was strange, but eventually Affection forced herself to get over it and quickly realized that it wasn't that bad. Rou was certainly not as strong anymore, couldn't be… quite as physical with her as he used to be, but it wasn't unpleasant. Just meant they were a bit more emotionally connected than physically for a time.

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  –

  Slowly life began to return to normal for Rou, as days turned into weeks and there was a long period of peace where the Gods and Mortals both got along. Even Vitor, who thought he'd never be interested in Rou further, soon realized that it wasn't all that bad and he was still flattered that his dear Fluff Sage had that interest in him. But what surprised Rou the most? Was that Vitor and Laughter had gotten quite close. Apparently, despite Laughter's hideous visage by normal standards, Vitor thought he was quite attractive regardless and this amused Rou greatly. It didn't help that Laughter was equally amused by this, used to most thinking he was intimidating.

  Sure, it wasn't as close as Rou and Vitor was, nothing physical. …not that Vitor hadn't tried but Laughter had no interest in him in that fashion. But having a friend who didn't treat him strangely for his appearance and, at that, arguably was even uglier? Vitor had already forgotten Laughter as a god and simply treated him as a best friend.

  But much to Rou's surprise? Laughter was quite interested in /him/. Though the high-dimensional beings took on the names and looks of the pantheon that this worlds people had created, they didn't necessarily share those personalities and restrictions. For instance, Affection wasn't a goddess of love even if she humored them. But Laughter? Was actually quite close. That's why he chose this moniker. And those who made him laugh he treasured.

  Of course, Affection and Laughter had a brief spat before Rou stepped in. Rou was going to leave it to Affection, as their connection wasn't going to change, and eventually Affection's bristling relaxed and she relented. After all, Laughter had saved him, if it wasn't for Laughter? Rou wouldn't even be there.

  So instead of just sharing the bed of one god?

  Rou found himself in the other side of someone's desires in this fashion for the first time.

  And it was actually quite comforting, much to his surprise.

  Once again, Rou couldn't help but wonder if Celia was affecting him in some way emotionally.

  –

  "I didn't take you for the type."

  A familiar voice rang in Rou's soul, Rou having been sitting quietly with his parents at a little cafe in the noble district of the capital, along with Millet at his side. Things had mostly gone back to normal even if there was still an understated awkwardness.

  "Well, look who's awake. Had a good nap?"

  "Mm. I did, yes. Thank you for noticing. Best sleep I've had in my life. Who knew that not having a body meant I'd feel so weightless. No tossing, no turning, just… no longer feeling tired at all. At least, not too much."

  Those at the table noticed the faint smile and his mother was the one to ask. "What's got you smiling?" she sounded genuinely curious, having let go of that initial frustration, having accepted that there was nothing that could be done to help it.

  "Oh, Celia's awake. She, uh… I don't know if the details were ever explained? But the long and short of it was Borgain discarded her soul at me, and now her soul's buddied up with me. She doesn't have a body anymore, but she doesn't mind at all. Strange to me, but if she's happy… who am I to argue I guess."

  His parents and Millet seemed surprised before nodding, as if just accepting what they couldn't change or understand. Naturally Celia was amused by this but Rou, while eating, just talked with Celia lightly as they hadn't spoken for a while and he'd been a bit worried about her.

  "You know, I am starting to believe that stupid excuse you came up with a while back."

  "Excuse? Whatever are you talking about?"

  "That the happier you are, the sadder I am. The idea that our experiences are somehow… inverted. You probably couldn't be happier right now, right?"

  "...well, yes, I don't think I could be. Are you really that upset with how things are currently?"

  "Mm. It's not enjoyable at all. And I don't think there's anything that can be done about it, because you were also right on something else. I'm too good-natured and I'd never do anything to bring you down just so I could be happier."

  Rou could picture Celia rolling her eyes, but felt a strange warmth on his soul. What before felt like he and Celia were simply sharing the same body, close but separate, at the moment it almost felt like she was hugging him? "What about if you took a nap for a change and let me out to have fun in your body?"

  The idea worried Rou of course. Not that he was opposed to it, he had been feeling tired, but just… giving up his body? Such a strange concept.

  "You three, I'm going to step out for a bit." Rou spoke to his parents and Millet, reaching over to hug Millet gently, having held off on kisses as that was the workaround the two had come to an agreement on. She needed time and he understood.

  Naturally his parents were similar, though his mother was quicker to get over it and stood to walk over and hug Rou. Still feeling bad about how she behaved after his time in the crystal and his return, she couldn't bring herself to do that to him again. Ironically, Dominic was the one who was still a bit bristly. He couldn't put his finger on why, but the arrangements with Rou just didn't settle right with him.

  –

  "So you want to have a go at things for a bit?"

  "Well, if you don't mind. At the end of the day, I'm happy to just be a buddy for you, I get to see your life through your eyes anyways, feel it, taste it, hear it and all. I just thought perhaps you might enjoy letting go for a change if you're so worked up."

  Letting go didn't sound so bad. Though Rou poked Affection gently, mentally.

  "Keep an eye on us will you? If this doesn't work, I trust you to help sort it out."

  "Mm, yes dears."

  Dears. An amusement on Affection's part as she now knew it wasn't just Rou in there. Sure, she could talk to each of them separately but she couldn't bring herself to warm up to one and leave the other out.

  It was too cruel for her after everything that happened.

  Stepping into an alley and taking a seat near an aether node, Rou relaxed back and closed his eyes, trying to feel out how to let Celia have a go at taking control. But instead? He didn't even have a chance to process more than one or two thoughts before he experienced something he hadn't felt in what felt like an age. The very same feeling he had when he was a spirit trapped between death and rebirth. Watching the world through someone elses eyes, but from a third-person perspective of that first-person view. Like a TV show that was only from the perspective of the eyes of the main character.

  "There we go~" Celia took the chance to stand up and twirled around happily, dancing lightly in the alley where no one watched.

  "That was strangely quick. You've been wanting that for a while haven't you."

  "Eh heh… just a bit. Don't worry, I'm not going to go out and throw your tail around to the first one I see. All told I never really even enjoyed all that, it just helped me take my mind off things."

  Rou smiled a bit and wanted to hug her but couldn't really. Instead he just saw Celia's soul nearby and while he hadn't figured out how to move slightly or buddy up with her as she had him, Rou finally just gave his soft confirmation.

  "Good to know you never enjoyed any of our time together."

  "Hey! You know that's not what I meant, jerk! I was talking about–"

  But when she heard Rou laughing at her, she puffed up slightly, realizing he knew full well what she meant. "Just for that, I'm going to go drink some cobbleberry juice!"

  "Ah, no, it tastes terrible! Why would you want to hurt us both!"

  Affection cackled and appeared next to Celia in Rou's body, taking their hand and bumping them with her hip lightly. "Well, unlike you two, I adore the stuff. Shall we go?"

  Rou felt like complaining, but feeling how happy Celia was and equally knowing Affection was there to keep them safe, he began to slowly get tired and realized quickly just how nice it felt to fall asleep inside where it was warm, with no cares, no body, no bed, just… awake to asleep.

  "Even if you never loved me back, Celia… I love you both."

  Affection and Celia snorted, though clearly Celia was a bit embarrassed hearing that, tail flicking as she held onto Affection's hand. As much as she protested the idea of being loved or in love, it wasn't such a bad feeling.