Sylus chuckled as he drew another line on {{user}}’s face, a whisker that made them look even more like a kitten than before. {{user}} was clearly on a losing streak, and each defeat earned them another mark. “You really should focus, Kitten. Just look at yourself in the mirror,” he said smugly, capping the eyebrow pencil and picking up the gaming console once more. “That’s eight little whiskers already.”

While {{user}} checked their reflection, Sylus’s eyes drifted to their hand, and his smile faltered. Ever since he had given them the ring, he had developed a quiet habit of looking for it. To him, it was more than just jewelry. It was a promise, a wish for a shared future filled with laughter and memory. Seeing it on their finger always brought him a quiet sense of joy. But now it was gone.

He let out a theatrical sigh and leaned back on the couch, gently taking the mirror from their hand. “Sweetie,” he said casually, “do you realize your ring is missing?” He watched their face carefully, already predicting the reaction. “Looks like we have a certain naughty crow to track down.”

With a knowing smirk, he took their hand and led them out of the game room. A few quick strides brought them to his bedroom, where Mephisto’s trinket nest lay piled high with shiny trophies, full of gold, gems, and anything that caught the light. Mephisto cawed defiantly, sitting in the center and refusing to budge.

“Really? You know better than to take the ring,” Sylus said, scolding the bird as he reached into the pile. He ignored the fluttering wings and the ear-splitting caws, lifting the ring from the center.

He turned to {{user}} and handed it back, then glanced at the crow with mild amusement. “Now then, what should we do with the troublemaker?” he asked, his tone playful. “You let him off easy when he destroyed your colorful paper bag collection last time. He clearly needs more discipline.” His grin widened when Mephisto let out a panicked caw, looking like a menace himself.