It occurred to me when I wrote this chapter that some people might have a real problem with the way I depict Karst and Felix's relationship, and I think that's a valid opinion to hold. If anyone does get that sense that what I've done here is skirting a very important line, then I welcome any comments or concerns. Reviews and PMs are excellent ways to open up a dialogue on the matter, and if I don't respond right away it's a result of school, not backing out of my word.

I'm always in the mood for an intelligent discussion, so post away!

Consent

Chapter 4

"Your doing it all crooked. Here."

Jumping a little as Jenna spoke, Kay looked down at the braid in her hands and frowned at the bends that kept cropping up. The bed shifted a little as her friend climbed onto the sheets behind her, drawing the rest of Kay's apple-red hair over her back and reaching around for the brush to undo the poor work.

They'd rented two rooms for their stay in Loho, Kay and Jenna sharing this one while Isaac stayed in the one across the hall. There was only one big bed for them to sleep in together, but Kay didn't mind it so much. There was a lantern on the wall and they'd lit the candles on the small table in front of the room's mirror. Other than that there wasn't very much to talk about: the plastered walls were free of any odd stains, and the beds were probably over-used and not very comfortable. A single window looked out at Luna and the tops of the old stone town.

"Do you think tonight went well?" She asked softly, picking up a lock of hair Jenna had tossed back over her shoulder and running her hands over the red length. She could partially see her reflection on the bubbled glass, like a fire-lit ghost watching over Loho.

"Mmm..." Jenna seemed to be thinking pretty hard, running the soft bristles through her hair a bit more before answering. "I don't think it went bad. He hugged you today when he saw you, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't think there's a problem."

"Okay." Feeling the familiar tug on her scalp as Jenna started braiding, Kay let the silence stretch a little as the lock was dragged out of her her hands and woven into the cord. "Has he gotten... thinner?"

"Kirin yes! Isaac said he looked fine but there's no way he's been eating enough. Maybe he should change inns." A few more quick tugs, and little harder this time, showed a little frustration on Jenna's part. "He probably hasn't had a good meal since he left home. I'm sure Hamma's a good host but the Shamans don't eat enough bread." That's right, Felix had gone off to Hesperia to help Ivan and Sheba with something. He just hadn't come home afterwards.

"Do you think I should make him something?"

"Of course you should! Dora gave me one of her recipes for spiced bread, and every-time Isaac gets something in his head I just make one for him." She could hear her friend grinning and giggled a little in reply.

"Sort of like Aaron and candied nuts."

"Exactly. Besides," A tap on her shoulder meant Kay could turn around now, kicking one ankle up under her so she could sit comfortably on the bed facing Jenna. It was like they were sisters now, or almost-sisters, sitting in their night-gowns as Jenna worked a little piece of blue ribbon into the end of the braid and used that to tie it off. "What happened the last time you two met?"

"Well, I invited him to have lunch at our home." She answered slowly, frowning as she thought back. It felt like a long time ago, but she could remember that afternoon so clearly. "But then after I saw him he'd had some kind of loud argument with Isaac, and Garet said he didn't know what really happened." And then the next day Felix had been gone. Fiddling with the ends of her hair, Kay looked up and saw Jenna picking at the pilled top of the quilt.

"Do you think Isaac...?"

"No, he wouldn't." Jenna answered quickly, but the look was there and they both felt it. Isaac had been furious when Felix had left, so it wasn't like he'd told him to go in the first place. "I don't think they ever... agreed."

"On what?"

"The quest." Jenna was staring off into one of the candle flames now, the yellow light reflecting off her eyes like she was in some kind of trance. Kay made sure not to say anything: it was so rare to hear about the Golden Sun Event from anyone who wasn't Isaac or Garet. And they only told it one way. "I don't think Felix ever saw it like an adventure. I think of him when the tidal wave hit Dalia. I remember how he hated Briggs but couldn't bring himself to really stop him." Another quiet moment, more silence. Jenna's lips moved a few times but without sound, a bit of pain worrying her features and giving her eyes a bit too much shine. "I guess he still felt like the villain."

The words felt unkind, but with the memory of the earthquakes and the Golden Sun Event itself... Maybe they were true.

"Do you think we'll be able to get him to come home?" It was a question she didn't want to ask, but... Felix had been fine the entire time they spoke of what was happening to the Valeans, he'd sat next to Kay and smiled at her, been someone important to her again. But at the mention of going back he just...

"Even if we don't, Loho's not so bad." Jenna answered, laughing a little around a quick tear. Her friend wiped it away with one hand before Kay could move for a handkerchief, sniffling quickly and straightening herself up with a brisk shake. "I mean, the ocean's right there, Kay. Did you ever think you'd see it, for real?"

"To be honest, it kinda scares me." She smiled because it was infectious, laughing a little like it would make those dark thoughts disappear. Nodding her head, Kay really didn't know if she could handle that endless blue stretching out from Loho to the west and south. It was so vast.

"Think about it, your kids could grow up swimming in the ocean!"

"My kids... You're right." She really was right.

Unlike before, this time when he got back to the house every flame had been doused. This was as bad a sign as it was good, especially when he came through the door and found the log he'd placed on the flames only half-consumed, the few scattered candles were healthy stubs of wax, not sad puddles incapable of light. It took a mad woman to put out a hearth-fire.

Felix wisely avoided the kitchen to his left as he came in the door, aware that he should avoid any place where there were- by memory at least -any obstructions to block his path or cause trouble for him. His sense of the earth helped navigate walls and stairs- not that the latter existed in their home -but didn't save him from the heavy bucket of dry mortar that struck his foot and sent up a clatter. The sound startled him into a coughing fit as the chalky powder launched itself into the air, chasing after him as he stumbled to get away from the cloud. Next came the timber planks set up against the wall that he half-remembered being there when he left.

"Mars' breath, what are you doing!"

"Swearing!" And if they'd had any neighbours near their property, waking them up. Felix shut his eyes as red light flared up around the room, free-standing flames licking at the stone ceiling and giving him enough light to figure out how badly tangled he'd gotten himself. He wasn't injured, continuing to swear out of frustration as he kicked one of the planks away from his ankles where it had tripped him up, batting the green-grey dust out of his hair with one hand and yanking his scarf off as he stood up.

"I can hear that, how much did you drink?"

"A pint. Not even."

"Really?" Critical was a toned down description of her voice, Felix turning to see her standing there in the door-frame leading back into their room. There was no actual door, but a proper, angry woman didn't need to whip something open or slam it shut to make her entrance. Her arms were folded briskly under her modest chest, or at least the general location- even his imagination couldn't quite pin-point her attributes under the thick, heavy, shapeless sweater she had on, it matched the formless, scratchy-looking long pants that fell straight from the edge of the sweater down to the floor like an angry brick.

"Since when do you get mad when I go out?" He felt himself getting defensive now, calling her on the bad mood.

"When you don't have any money!" She shouted, bringing her voice to a sharp yell and causing his spine to snap up like a rod. "Did you have any tonight? How the hell did you pay?"

"I didn't." He winced even as he said it, watching her hands come up with fingers curled like claws, gripping her head. "I'll pay him back tomorrow!"

"No! You'll pay him back and then you'll buy him a round! Why would you do that?"

"You collected my pay!"

"You told me to!" Her hands came down like fists, pink cheeks flushed with hot, angry red. He could see her teeth flashing like white fangs behind her blood-red lips and her rose coloured hair was tossed around her face with all the order of a torch. Felix could feel his blood getting hot, his martian heritage worming its way to the surface as he filled his lungs and boomed back at her.

"Food or beer, you stupid bitch!" He was bigger than her, louder by far. She set the bar with her bad temper so he paid it back double. When she turned and ducked back inside the other room he followed with footsteps that should have rocked the house off its new foundations. The lights behind him dropped out of existence, only a few slim bands of moonlight keeping the house from dropping into total darkness.

"Beer!" The black mass he was following moved and her palm sent a hot crack across his face. "We'll go hungry before we go into debt you-!" He aimed and swung out with his fist, missing wide but reaching out with his other hand and getting a hold on part of her shirt. He heard her feet skid over the stone floor and a yelp escape when her back hit the wall. Pouncing with one hand and slamming it against her shoulder. Her leg came up and sent a forceful kick into his side before he answered with a solid blow to her ribs, winding her with a cough and making sure she stayed in her place.

"Shut up." He hissed, breathing through his teeth as he used both hands to hold her arms now, just above the elbows. "I'll pay him back tomorrow." But that didn't mean he'd let go of her now, or that he'd ease up on the pressure forcing her back against the stones. Felix could feel the heat radiating out through her clothes, hear her breathing as quick as he was. Her heartbeat was so strong he could almost hear it, feel it pulsing along her arms. It drew him in like a trap, and he forced his mouth over hers, pushing until he heard her relent with a sound that meant if he went any further he'd hurt her.

"Then I'll just take half." He swore loudly when she bit him, almost drawing blood from his lip. He got a hand around her slender throat by the time she finished speaking, snarling at her in the dark until those slivers of moonlight let him catch a flash of waist and hip. He let go so she could finish drawing her arms up and that horrible wool smock over her head, Felix not waiting before he attacked the matching lower half. Her fingers worked like hot little flames, singeing buttons off his shirt and branding his skin through the cloth. He shoved her back against the wall when she tried twining herself around him, forcing her to stay put and feeling her nails rake across his scalp and shoulder in defiance.

"Strong men don't have debts." Her possessive words sizzled over his ear. Pressing his thumb down over the soft bend in her throat, he answered.

"Shut up, woman."

At the moment I have no idea when I'll be posting the next chapter. I'm dealing with some mid-terms this week, so, yay. Hopefully I'll be able to keep working on it though, these chapters've been fun :3