Aoba was no musclebound soldier and the bag was hefty, but he hauled it up and took the whole thing with him to the bathroom after another round of grateful thanks. Ren followed him at first, automatically and unthinking, but when Aoba realized his furry little partner had followed him into the bathroom, he recalled something and smiled with a sudden thought.

A minute later, Ren padded back out into the living area, Aoba shutting the door behind him before getting to that shower. The Allmate remained quiet and seated on the floor while Declan puttered about -- until finally, opportunity. While Declan sat there on the couch, almost statuesque, Ren padded over and sat in front of the Guardian's feet.

"Declan," he said, wagging his tail a little to counter the general lack of emotional inflection in his voice. "May I sit up there as well?"