"Well, it matters to me, anyway, but it may not matter to you. At any rate, Maru’Chi is quite fond of you and doesn’t want you to die doing something reckless. You costed their family a lot of money to commission, after all. They don’t want to own…” he swallowed as if the words he were saying tasted bad in his mouth. “Damaged goods. Just be more careful, okay?” his father suggested. 

Joseph didn’t know what to say. The whole conversation was making him squirm--as if he were being wrapped in a blanket full of nettles that were scraping his skin off. He said bluntly. “Okay.”

His father gave him a sidelong glance, and Joseph looked away at the same moment. His father stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. “Anyway. I’m very proud of you, Joseph. You’ve caught the most criminals so far this month of any of the Guard, and you’ve also killed the most enemy Erulanites. Great job. Your record is spotless, and you’re dedicated to the job as evidenced by the fact that you never request time off. I’ve brought you something special for the occasion.” his father reached into his pocket and brought out a needle and thread. “I brought you some fabric to work with as well as this needle and thread. I suggested to Maru’Chi that you could use a hobby to decompress and keep you occupied when you’re not working… and so that you can have a reason to take time off every now and again.”

Joseph was silent again. He felt like his father was speaking a different language to him, and he didn’t comprehend a word. He retained a stoic, unchanging frown as he looked at the needle and thread. He stated, “I don’t know how to sew.”

His father nodded. “I’m aware, but Maru’Chi is willing to teach you, and some of the servants in the House are, too. Take it.” his father wiggled the thread and needle at him, and Joseph stiffly took it from him. He examined the pink thread without curiosity, and then he nodded at his father. “Thank you for the gift.” 

His father returned the nod and bobbed his head in return, and then he said, “Alright. I’ll see you later; have a good day.” 

Joseph returned the sentiment, “Have a good day.” his father left, then, and Joseph placed the threat and needle on top of his dresser drawer hastily. He left his room after that, and then headed down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, Maru’Chi was waiting for him. She resembled a furious stormcloud. Joseph stopped in his tracks, wondering why she was scowling. “Hello Maru’Chi. Are you well?”

Maru’Chi glowered with anger, and then she took a deep breath. “No. I am not well. Your father came by, right?” Maru’chi probed. 

“He did.” Joseph answered shortly. 

“Did he give you a needle and thread?” she continued. 

“He did.” Joseph was beginning to feel agitated. His routine was getting interrupted, and he was afraid he would not be able to work a full day. Everyone scolding him for reasons he didn’t understand was beginning to agitate him. He felt like he was getting bitten by a fly every ten steps of his routine. 

“Did he tell you to stop being a reckless fool?” Maru’Chi continued, raising her voice. 

Her unnecessarily rude words gave him pause, and then he said, “He did.” 

Maru’Chi favored him with a smile. “Good. I expect no more self-destructive idiocy from you, then. Next time a useless teenager is about to get mauled by a car, let him.” she demanded. 

“It’s my job to protect the humans and Erulanites of our city” Joseph replied, barely hiding slight agitation in his voice. “I’m supposed to throw myself in the way of cars.”

Maru’Chi shook with anger, her mouth moved, but she was so furious that no words came out. “You are our property. Do you know how expensive it was to buy you as our personal guard? It cost an arm and a leg! You need to be careful with yourself, or else…”

The words or else with the inflection of a question lay defiantly on his lips, daring for her to follow through on the threat, but he bit his tongue. Instead, he swallowed and then waited for her to continue.

“Or else I won’t let you work for a week! I’ll force you to take a long break!” she said threateningly. 

The thought of it gave him a jolt of terror that he wasn’t expecting. For once, he thought forwards--into the future--something he never did, and he imagined a whole week of nothing to do but… laze about, and the sense of aimlessness it would crush him with. He said calmly but quickly, “Very well. I will be more careful.”

Maru’Chi grinned. “Good. Now get back out there.” 

The Erulanite girl returned to her dinner after that, blessedly leaving him be. He strode forward into the kitchen and saw that the dinner table was vacated. He looked to his right and saw that the Erulanite family was having dinner inside of their giant, watery tank rather than at the table. Joseph took a moment to watch Maru’Chi dive in through the top of the tank and join her family in the middle of it, pumping her tentacles gracefully. 

Joseph found himself unusually drawn to the fauna inside the tank. He cocked his head to the side, admiring the bright shades of pink on the coral as they bobbed energetically in the flow of the water. The fact that he took the time to notice and appreciate such a thing bothered him to no end. He shook his head as if he were shaking off the spell the coral and then he went outside.