Damon chuckled again. "I know, you were stuck. Next time just stand up on two feet, okay?" He put the towel on the side of the sink, leading Tavi out of the bathroom and sitting him on the bed across from the other. "I'll get food and water, Tavi." He promised. "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute."

He left the room again, checking the door as he had before. It was about dinnertime, so the dining room downstairs would have plenty of options. The buffet line did indeed, including disposable containers for food that could be taken upstairs as desired, so long as one paid before leaving the area. Damon gathered two of the containers, which were separated into two sides. In one, for Tavi, he placed a large steak, and the other side he filled with whole fruit---strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, since he seemed to like the sweetness, and the small amount would do no harm. He did the same to his, closing up the containers and paying at the counter before he left. He stopped at a machine that deposited ice on his way up, grabbing only a bucket from the floor beside it to be filled with water, and returned to the room quickly.

Tavi was at the door waiting for Damon to return. He mewed hello and rubbed against him, sniffing the scent of hot meat in the air around him. "Food?" he asked, mewing again and purring, rubbing against Damon some more. He followed the man to a table, climbing up on a seat next to him and sniffing the food offered. Meat from a strange animal, cooked as Damon's kind tend to eat it, and various sweet berries. He purred some more, chewing on the steak instantly and drinking from the water provided.

Damon smiled, setting down his container for later and going back to his bed, studying his handiwork. Not bad, the clothes didn't look to have been made by someone with only six fingers, and seemed more or less worthy to be seen in a shop or store. The red belt did add a bit of color to the overall white color, which wouldn't allow the sun to soak into the material and make the wearer uncomfortable. The cloth was light, as well, as he picked it up and tested it. "Tavi, come here when you're done." Damon asked. He had stuck to the measurements to the number, and the clothing had seams, but they wouldn't pinch as overly handled materials would, or heavy denim. He was dying to see how Tavi liked them.

Tavi's ears acknowledged that he had heard Damon speak, but he didn't look up from his food, slowly chewing his way through the steak and then nibbling on the berries. He really did enjoy sweet fruit and it made him happy to know Damon knew what he liked best. Another round of lapping up fresh cool water and then he jumped down from the chair, making his way over to his friend. It seemed that he had made clothes out of that material. He eyed them warily. "Tavi don't like clothes," he said again with a frown. He sniffed them, smelling Damon's hard work. He couldn't turn them down now, he'd hurt his friend's feelings.

He sighed. "I know." Damon said again. "But Tavi, if you want to come with me tomorrow, or any other day, you have to wear them. I promise they don't hurt, or feel bad or scratchy." He folded the shirt a bit, making it short in the body and tugging it over Tavi's head. Its neck was low, and wouldn't restrict him, and the sleeves were nonexistent as only several inches of fabric on the shoulders. The body was a bit larger, allowing for free movement, but not appearing baggy or uncomfortably laden.

The pants were large in the legs and the waist wasn't tight. He was able to control the snugness with the red silk that acted as a belt, and he made sure to cinch it so it didn't hurt or hug too heavily. His tail was pulled free, and given its usual range of motion without hindrance. Damon studied him. "Are you okay now, Tavi?" He asked in concern. Hopefully the creature would accept them. He had made the clothes as loose and light as he could, after all.

Tavi walked about a bit, sneezing slightly at the strange smells on his clothes. He didn't like wearing them. It felt unnatural and he wished he could just be naked like he always had been. But the way Damon asked him made him feel bad. He had to say he liked them and he had to wear them for his sake. "Nice," he replied, sitting down and trying not to look too concerned. They were nice and light, and his tail didn't feel confined in any way.

"Damon make for Tavi. Tavi like." He sighed and shook himself slightly, going back to the plate that still had a few berries left. He nibbled on them, his ears listening to the outside world. It was night time now, but the people outside never ceased their noise and walking. "Damon. Tavi safe, in home, Tavi no wear clothes?" He wanted to know if he was allowed to be naked while at Damon's place.

Damon pulled a face, finding Tavi's movements rather halted. He hadn't worn clothes in a long time, no doubt, wouldn't find them comfortable. Even if he did say they were nice, that he liked them, Damon knew better. Humans were a strange bunch, even more than Tavi, and they certainly would find good reason to be offended or shocked if Tavi went with nothing in public. He went around to put everything away and throw the extra scraps in the garbage near the door.

He paused at the words. People were in and out of his house on a weekly basis at least, most for details on some obscure location he might visit next or information relating to something he'd recently accomplished. But it was, after all, his house, and his rules were applied since he lived by himself. And while it was rather tempting to allow a naked man to wander his house freely, Damon shook his head. "You don't have to wear much, but it'd be better to have something on most of the time." He said, half-regretfully. "But not as often as you do around others." He added quickly, opening his largest bag and pulling lightweight sleeping clothes out. "Stay here, Tavi, I'll be back." He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door, lying the clean clothes on the side of the sink. It would certainly feel better to have a real shower for the first time in a month and a half.

Tavi frowned more, sitting by the bathroom door and waiting for Damon to come out. He heard the water running and panicked, hoping his friend wasn't stuck in that basin with the loud water raining down on him. He tried to open the door, but couldn't, mewing in distress. "Damon stuck?" he asked loudly, so Damon could hear over the loud rush of water. He paced back and forwards, waiting for the reply. Maybe he could try the door again?

This time he manages to turn the knob, pushing the door open and rushing into the bathroom. He stopped in his tracks when he saw that Damon wasn't in trouble at all and was just using the water to clean himself. It seemed his kind couldn't groom themselves like Tavi could. He sat and watched for a bit.

Damon's high squeak was cut short as he convinced himself he wasn't going to fall in the midst of surprise. Tavi had managed to open the door though Damon hadn't quite taught him about the concept yet, and Damon had gathered up the opaque curtain to hold in front of him before figuring out what had happened. With a half-relieved, half-annoyed huff, Damon shook the water and hair from his eyes. "Tavi, I'm fine! You go back out there, I'll be back in a few minutes!" Retreating into the bathtub, Damon shivered under he warm water at the sudden chill, and put his hands through his hair, releasing what remained of the tough tangles that had formed from having neglected it.

Tavi decided to stay for a bit longer, watching him clean his hair with some strange smelling bubbles. He turned around and went back to the window, looking at the city at night. He purred to himself and settled down, his tail swinging from side to side off the sill. Soon he had fallen asleep, keeping mildly awake for when Damon returned. In his dreams he was back in the jungle, chasing butterflies and splashing in the water. For many years he lived like this, all alone and with no care in the world. Now he had a new life, one that consisted of the strange creature that called himself Damon.

Clean and dressed again, Damon didn't immediately leave the bathroom. He stared at himself in the damp mirror and turned his head from left to right. How was it that Tavi resembled, if slightly, a cat? How was it that M'u had as well? They had to be related in some way, they had to have come from the same string of genes. Running a brush through his hair, he left it at that and stepped back into the room, shutting off the light as he did and studying Tavi. An involuntary twitch of the ear indicated he was awake, if a bit. Going around to the table, Damon gathered the two disposable plates and deposited them in the trash again, reminding himself to take it down to the dumpster in the morning. Switching off the bedside table between the two beds, Damon slithered under the covers of one and curled up. It was nice to be in a regular bed again, but still, it felt of others that had been here before, others that passed through. He wanted to be back home, but there was still much to do. "Good night, Tavi..." He muttered, curling a little tighter under the blanket. It was a pale night, with humanity never slowing, but they were far enough away that one couldn't hear the activity.

Tavi climbed down from the hard sill, jumping onto the bed with Damon and leaning against him, facing the wall. He sighed and closed his eyes again, purring himself into a deeper sleep. He had decided to join Damon, to learn the ways of his people, to not be alone anymore. Damon was very smart and clever and he would solve the mystery of who he was and where he came from. Maybe he had come from a line of kings, maybe he was a God... Tavi screwed his nose up and let his thoughts wonder back to the jungle.

His sleep was dreamless, thankfully. Damon always woke hard when he dreamed, always worried, scared, annoyed. But when he woke in the morning it was somewhat before dawn, and he had woken up on his own. Tavi had fallen asleep long ago, it seemed, and was no longer purring. In the darkness Damon slid out of bed, going about a very quiet morning routine and sliding into more business-oriented clothing---a light brown buttondown shirt, slacks of the same color, and a black belt that matched the black loafers. Tying his hair back, he stepped out of the room silently and crept down the hall, to where he heard Carver would be staying in a slightly smaller, one-bed room. He was on the balls of his feet, footsteps utterly silent, and he stayed low. Carver had a bad habit of keeping doors unlocked for quick leaving, or quick escapes depending on how much trouble he, Damon, and the other consistent players in their exploration lifestyles earned them.

The door opened smoothly, and Damon was in. Carver was still dead asleep, a thought justified by the way he snored softly. Stifling a giggle, Damon half-crawled to the single bed and carefully lifted himself up. Carver was on his back, rather sprawled as if he had fallen from a great height to be where he was now. Straddling him, Damon leaned forward. "Caaaaarver... Is time to wake up..." He was so close to the slightly older man that his nose was almost touching Carver's. "We're burning morning-light, Carver..." Damon's voice never made it above a hushed whisper. "Caaaarver..."

Tavi didn't stir when Damon left the room. All the excitement from the day's journey had truly worn him out. He would be asleep for most of the day at this rate, dead to the world.

-

Carver snorted, moving a bit in his sleep until he found some resistance. Moaning slightly, he heard his name being whispered and felt someone on top of him. His eyes snapped open and he screamed, flailing his arms and hitting the person in the face. Kicking them off, he moved quickly to the end of the bed, leaning against the wall and panting heavily. "Whossere?" he asked roughly, blinking the sleep from his eyes. When he saw Damon he screwed his face up. "Damon! Why must you do that?!" he cried, as this wasn't the first time his friend had woken him like this.

Carver didn't hit hard when he was half asleep. As such Damon had landed softly on the other side of the twin bed and was laughing crazily. "Carver! You ought to know how much I love your reactions! You sleep like the dead, you have no idea what I do to you before I wake you." Damon stuck his tongue out, standing and brushing back his hair that had loosened slightly in the suddenness of Carver's movements. "Not that I think you'd protest, mmm?" Chuckling still, Damon went to the window and flung open the dark drapes. The sun was just beginning to rise and cast its weak gold glow through several larger buildings, into the room.

Carver's mouth fell open as it did every time Damon hinted at that sort of stuff. He was always speechless and had no idea how to react. "What... What you do to me?!" He shuddered, feeling used and dirty. He flinched as his friend opened the dark curtains, the light hurting his eyes as they adjusted to the sudden influx of light. "What are you even doing?" he demanded, crawling out of bed and looking over his body to make sure everything looked alright.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Carver, really? To think you believe I'm serious... It hurts my heart." He turned and put a hand to his chest. "I didn't do anything to you, I promise. Now go get dressed, early day today! You, Lily and I are going to the museum to finalize things relating to the mummies and the burial chambers, and we're to collect our fees for the findings and handover." He crossed his arms. "I expect you at my room in an hour! We'll meet up with Lily and head on out to meet the others involved with excavation and extraction before meeting with the curator of the museum itself. Ah, and the media will be there, too, we'll probably be pulled into a commentary."

Carver opened and closed his mouth several times, like a fish out of water, before spluttering back into life. "I'm the botanist. I wasn't even present for the tomb's opening... Why do I have to go?" he whined, hating all this work. He had his own schedule to do, including categorising the plants found in the jungle and presenting his new findings. It sounded as though Damon was trying to drag him along for the thrill of it. Carver always hated talking to the media. He crossed his arms in a huff.

Damon raised a brow, leaning against the wall behind him. "Because we found fossilized plants as well, Carver. Plants that were otherwise unheard of. That which you've already identified. They'll be in the flora areas of the museum, for people to see, and learn of, and you have to be there to inform the writers. Think you can handle that, at least?" He stood straight, walking halfway across the room and pausing. "You won't have much talking to do otherwise if you inform them you were at the campsite documenting the newfound plants. I don't think they'll find that too interesting." Damon wasn't too keen on being in front of a camera either. He'd never enjoyed it much, but he did it, because it was necessary. "An hour." He said sternly, and left the room as quietly as he entered.

Carver groaned and got himself ready in a sluggish manner. He really couldn't be bothered and wished that the other botanist, Kyle, could do it for him. Though, he supposed as he got into some clothes, Kyle didn't find anything when the group split up. It was Carver that had. He sighed heavily and groaned again, doing other chores in his morning routine.

-

Tavi had woken up earlier than expected and now paced the room, unsure where he could relieve himself. In the jungle, while he was naked, there was never a problem. He mewed in distress, waiting for Damon to return from where ever he had gone to.

Damon returned quickly to the room, opening the door to find Tavi up and about. "Ah..." He sighed. Where could he take Tavi...? He knew that look, offhandedly. And toilet training was probably going to be a necessity sometime or another. "Okay, Tavi, come with me, okay?" He ushered the creature out of the room, in the simple pair of pants and the shirt, and took him downstairs. He'd seen a small patch of woody earth around the hotel yesterday and felt the short walk would do a little good. Karo's streets were kept impeccably clean, and Tavi's feet were tough after being barefoot most of his life. And it was quiet there, too. If he put himself as a makeshift shield in case anyone wandered by, it'd be a good enough place for Tavi's bladder issues until he could get the concept of an indoor bathroom through his head.

Tavi followed, not getting distracted by the different smells as they exited the building and went outside. He was presented a with a small garden, with a bush that smelt like flowers. He did his business, glad that Damon shielded him from any unsuspecting passerby. He struggled a bit with his pants, moving closer to Damon to get the man to help him do the red belt back up. "Help, Damon," he said, showing his friend his pants.

Once they were put on properly, he ran about the street in front of the hotel, sniffing everything he could get his nose by and rubbing against poles, fences and trees to mark his territory. There weren't many people about in this hour of the morning, so Tavi could do this without the constant stares of the people.

Damon followed along as the creature moved about, doing as a cat would do, marking things with his scent. Damon had to doubt the scent would remain when everyone was out and about, walking, touching, talking, leaning against everything they could. "Tavi!" He called after a while, waiting for the creature to return to him. "I have some things to tell you, okay? We'll be going to a big building later." He spoke while walking back to the hotel. "We'll be around strangers, but they're good people. Would you like to come too, or stay behind?" Damon hadn't asked that, he believed. It was Tavi's decision and he would have to leave food and water in the room if he wanted to remain.

Tavi tilted his head, listening to Damon speak. He understood mostly what his friend was saying, though the question at the end made no sense. Why would Tavi not go with him? He mewed and rubbed against Damon, licking the fabric of his sleep wear. "Tavi come with Damon always," he said, hoping the man would understand that he wasn't about to be left behind. Tavi would try his hardest to fit in with society and to not draw too much attention to himself. Besides, where they were going was where M'u and Ami would remain for the rest of eternity. Tavi had to see it for himself.

Damon laughed, hugging the creature lightly. "Okay, you can come with us." They entered the quiet lobby and Damon paused. "But people will want to get close to you. They might want to see you and talk to you, okay? I want you to be calm as you can, Tavi. I'll keep them away as much as I can, but they have to know what you are. You can't try to hurt them." He was afraid Tavi would swipe at someone or try to bite them if they neared too much. He'd have to ask Ren to come with them as a guard for the creature, in that case. His intimidating presence would make the media think twice about doing anything too drastic.