Chapter Twenty-Four: Playful Kisses


A kiss seals two souls for a moment in time. Levende Waters

Kyran played with a vossball, batting it against a wall. He could have played with some of the other kids but he was amusing himself at the current moment just bouncing the ball alone.

He caught a flicker of something purple out of the corner of his eye and he turned to find his good friend Nuri Aiyden coming towards him. "Hi Ky," she said as she came over to him. "What are you doing?" she asked eying the ball in his hand.

"Nothing," he said with a shrug. "Just bouncing the ball," he explained.

"Why don't we play a game?" She suggested. "We could play three squares, or hops ball?"

Kyran brightened. "Hops ball sounds fun," he agreed. "But we would need another player," he pointed out.

"Shane could play," Nuri suggested. "And we could ask Zedriff and Ryu if they want to play? They like hops ball," she pointed out.

"Yeah but I don't think they'll play with us, let's just ask Shane," he suggested.

"But they might not like being left out," Nuri pointed out and Kyran had to admit she had a point. "Okay then, you go ask them and I'll see if I can talk Shane into coming down."

She nodded and sauntered off heading for her targets.

Kyran watched her go for a minute before he turned to his bondmate. "Shane?" he said uncertainly coming over to where he was perched.

Watching the outside world, it took Shane a moment to realize he was being called. He had earlier gone to perch himself near the windows, not really feeling up to the games Kyran's group was playing. Glancing down, he smiled a little at his bondmate, "Yes, Ky?"

He looked vaguely unsure as to if he should ask him, sensing that his bondmate merely wanted to be left alone. "Will you play with me?" he asked hopefully. "We need one more person."

Seeming to consider it, Shane leapt down finally, unable to resist that tone in his bondmate's voice.

Kyran was surprised, but pleased, that his bondmate had agreed to play. He beamed at him and Nuri came back shaking her head. "They don't want to play with us," she said throwing Zedriff a disgusted look. "That's okay, we don't need them anyways. Are you going to play then? "She asked Shane. "We're going to play hops ball."

Shane shrugged, and nodded as in answer.

She looped her arm through his, ignoring his discomfiture and pulled him over to an area big enough to where they could play. "You played this before?" she asked. Kyran tagged along after them, amused at how Nuri was dragging his bondmate along.

Looking a bit unsettled at being dragged around by a girl, Shane swiftly took back his arm, the first chance he got. He shook his head in answer. In truth, he hadn't played much of anything in the last two weeks, still getting used to the whole concept of the Crèche itself. 'Play', he still didn't understand.

"The object of the game is to not get hit by the ball," She said waving the vossball in his face. "While Ky and I throw them and try to hit you."

He swatted a bit at the ball, to get it out of his face, as one eyebrow raised, "Where are the boundaries?" He had heard of it before, in other games he had watched in the crèche.

Kyran took a stick of a white drawing stylus and drew on the tiled floors to mark the out of bounds lines. "Here," he said pointing.

It was a small space, but Shane knew he could manage it. Really, this type of game looked like the exercise he did as a younger child. Except instead of a ball, it was blaster fire and claws.

Nuri frowned slightly seeming to consider something. "On second thought, I could go first. That way you can see how to play better," she suggested.

Shane nodded, deferring to her to see how to do so, not really caring what he did.

Nuri handed the ball to Shane and glanced at Kyran quizzically as if to ask 'is he always this moody?' before she went to the center of Kyran's boundary lines to wait for them to start throwing the ball at her.

Shane waited for Kyran to go first, watching them both to be sure of the game, while checking himself, to make sure he didn't do anything to hurt either of them. He had already realized early on that he was far stronger then most of his age mates.

Kyran threw the ball first aiming to hit Nuri in the gut. She danced out of the way. "Is that the best you can do?' she taunted.

Figuring it from there, Shane tossed his own ball, already knowing she would avoid it. He wasn't trying really, not yet, drawing out the game as they both repeated their actions.

Nuri decided she would have to take more direct action if she wanted Shane to enjoy the game. She reached for two more balls calling them to her and she threw them both at Shane, hitting him hard in the side. "Got you!" she said gleefully.

There was a loud giggle from Kyran. "Nuri, that's not how you're supposed to play," he chided.

"Is too!" She shot back. "He's not thinking of playing. He's thinking of other stuff. He needs to learn to have a little fun," she said matter-of-factly.

"Hear that?" She added to him. "Have fun or else," she threatened throwing two more balls at him.

He almost looked semi amused, as he caught both balls, and shot them back to her, "Or else what?"

She ducked the balls and they sailed into the wall. "Or else, I'll..." she looked mischievous. "I'll paint your feathers pink," she said smirking.

There was a snort of laughter from Kyran at the idea of his bondmate with pink wings. His face was red from trying to stop laughing at his bondmate.

Shane looked mockingly horrified, before moved to grab two balls from the floor nearby, and shot them at her again, "You never could."

"I could too," she taunted. "Ky will help me wouldn't you?" She glanced at Kyran who was looking amused.

"Uh-uh. You're not getting me in this," he said.

Shane glanced to his godling, before smirking at her, "He wouldn't."

"That's what you think," She smirked. "I can bribe him better than you," she threw balls back at him.

Catching them again, with a bit of a twist, he shot them back with his words, "My own wouldn't do it."

She dodged daintily, spinning in the air as she avoided his balls. "Hah! Missed me missed me now you have to kiss me," she chirped, sticking her tongue out at him.

Shane paused, thinking that through. He had never heard the expression, though he understood that losers of games gave up something to the winner. Was that really what she wanted...Unsure, he moved a little closer to her, hesitant for a moment, before he lightly pecked her cheek,

She blinked a little in surprise and stared up at him. That had taken her totally by surprise. "What was that for?"

He looked a bit confused himself, "You told me to kiss you."

She didn't know quite what to say; in truth she rather had liked it. She smiled at him.

"You didn't really have to," Kyran tried to explain. "It's just a saying."

Shane shrugged a little, and couldn't help the slightest shy smile he gave her, half ignoring Kyran, "Shouldn't say what you don't want," it was more a tease than anything.

She laughed at that. "I'll keep that in mind," she said tweaking a piece of his hair.

Kyran arched a brow at his bondmate who was ignoring him and the two of them. "Can we get back to the game now?" he asked loudly.

Breaking his gaze from her crimson one, Shane scampered back faithfully to his godling's side, "Guess we still have to catch her," he smirked just the slightest bit, glancing back to her.

"Yep, looks like it, " Kyran agreed grinning. He handed Shane some extra balls. "Think we can get her with this many?"

Shane nodded, taking them, "I know we can."

"Just try it," Nuri said slyly.

"You're on!" Kyran chirped, raising the ball.

It was rare, the immortal had to admit, to see the little boy in front of him so alone. Normally, he was surrounded by much of his age group, laughing, running, playing games that Zamir vaguely remembered from another life. Or he was always with his bondmate, who Zamir knew was in his classes at the moment. It didn't make sense, why the boy would choose to be alone, throwing rocks into a lake, instead of with his friends, who were off playing their own games..

In some ways, he was vaguely reminded of his brother. Divan had aways drew people to him. He had the type of soul that lit up the room. Just like this child. Though, the immortal had to admit, perhaps the child needed time alone once in a while. Divan had...

He sighed, leaning against the tree at his back, content to watch, as he had been instructed to.

The little one seemed to realize he was being watched at some point for he turned and glanced directly at Zamir. He blinked a little in surprise at the newcomer. "Hi," he said shyly.

Zamir blinked, coming from his thoughts as he looked around, finding no one near them. Frowning, he pointed to himself wordlessly, as if to ask if the kid meant him. As he shouldn't have been seeing him to begin with.

The child wandered over to where he had seen the odd boy appear from nowhere. "How did you do that?" he asked curiously. "You weren't there a minute ago."

So it was him. Frowning a little, he tried to figure out how he could have become visible, while he answered the poor boy, "I tend to move silently, so it looks like I just appear," it was the best he could come up with at the moment.

The child gave him a skeptical look. "I saw it," he said stubbornly. He frowned at him and then moved slightly closer. "And you look awfully white. Do you need a healer?" he asked worriedly. "I can go get one..."

Zamir swiftly shook his head, dropping the thought of why for the moment. It could have been anything, from the shift of Merrick's soul against his, where he felt his lover resting for the moment, to him burying himself too deep in his own thoughts, and reacting as if he would with Divan. Though it still seemed so odd, "No, I'm fine. This is just how I normally look," he assured, "And are you sure? I've been told I can be practically a ghost."

The little one looked at him oddly. "You can't be a ghost," he said reaching out and touching him. "You can't touch ghosts." He nodded as if that settled the matter. "What is your name?" he asked curiously.

Deciding not to correct the boy, the immortal decided to answer, glad to know his Lord was yet unaware of this shift, "its Zamir."

The little one tilted his head. "Zamir?" He held his hand out for the other to shake. "I'm Kyran."

Zamir hesitantly offered his cold hand to the little one, and felt a spark of something warm and bright as he briefly shook his hand. He was swift to draw back, as soon as the boy released him.

"Why are you so cold?" Kyran asked. He looked shy and began to take off his robe and handed it to Zamir. "You can use this to wrap with if you need it," he offered.

Zamir shook his head lightly, smiling a little, in amusement, "I'm fine, kid. I'm always cold, I just don't feel it."

Kyran pursed his lips. "Need blanket," he insisted. "You're just as bad as Me'," he went about tucking his robe around Zamir's shoulders.

Zamir relented, seeing no point in arguing with a child over the fact that he was dead, and therefore didn't feel such things as warmth or cold, except in blood, and in the soul, "Thank you."

Kyran looked satisfied with himself at that. "You're welcome," he beamed happily. "So what are you doing watching me for?" he asked. "I've never seen you before now."

Zamir shrugged, "I'm always around. And who's to say I was watching you?"

Kyran gave him a perturbed glance. "There's nobody else here," he pointed out. "And you just appeared."

"I just wanted to be near the lake," Zamir's shoulders lifted again.

Kyran looked slightly crestfallen. "You mean you weren't watching me?"

Looking a little surprised at this reaction, Zamir wagered a guess, "I was wondering why a little one like you was so alone out here."

Kyran glanced away at that. "Didn't do so well in class," he admitted after a few minutes of silence. "And waiting for Me'."

Zamir remembered it, though he hadn't thought it such a big deal at the time, "What did you not do so well on?"
Kyran shifted uneasily. "Maths," he said looking away. "We had a surprise test and I failed it and Zedriff laughed at me."

The immortal tried to look sympathetic, but he truly didn't understand. It seemed like such a minor thing, "You'll find that you won't even remember this embarrassment, a year down the line."

Kyran shrugged a little, not sure he believed him. He fiddled with his rock and turned it over in his hands and he handed it to Zamir. "For you."

Zamir took it, looking it over, and mildly considering its age to his, before he smiled to the boy, "Thank you."

Kyran smiled shyly. "You're welcome. Think it's pretty? I thought it was."

"It's very pretty," Zamir assured, for the boy's sake.

Kyran nodded at that and glanced at him. "Why don't you come play with me?" he asked hopefully.

Zamir cocked his head a little, and tried to think of a good way out of that, only to smile a little instead, "I suppose I could, while you wait for your friend."

Kyran beamed and reached for Zamir's hand, pulling him to his feet.

Getting off the low branch, Zamir allowed himself to be pulled along, while he inwardly checked Merrick's sense, still noting he hadn't stirred, and he was vaguely thankful for that for once,

Kyran skipped a rock across the lake and laughed as it bounced across the water. "See how far yours can go!"

Lightly picking a rock up, having unconsciously pocketed the other, Zamir couldn't help but be reminded of being alive once. How odd, the memories stirred so easily around this boy... He cocked his wrist, and sent it flying.

He made sure to curve his strength though, enough to keep from tossing it on the other side of the lake.

"Now my turn," he said as he picked up yet another stone, throwing it as hard as he could off the lake. He frowned as it didn't go but half as far as his previous one. "That wasn't very good," he complained.

"Try again," Zamir offered, assuringly, "Perhaps it'll do better."

"But your turn now," Kyran pointed out.

Zamir relented, and did as requested, picking up another rock, and easily tossing it. It skipped further than his last, sailing over the lake to splash near the other side.

Kyran's eyes were wide as he saw how far the rock had gone. "Wow! That went a long way!" He picked up another rock and angled it like Zamir had as he tried to make his go as far.

Watching him, Zamir moved to kneel behind and to the side of him, "Would you like me to help?"

"How could you do that?" Kyran asked eagerly.

"Here, I'll show you how," Zamir offered, lightly touching his hands, angling them as one enclosed around the back of the hand holding the rock, "All right, go with my movements, and we'll throw it together, okay?"

"Okay," he said brightly.

Taking a slight, unneeded breath, Zamir lightly pulled both of their hands back, aiming, before he shot both forward, letting loose his fingers as the boy did. The rock sailed, skipping fast and hard over the water before there was a distant thud of it hitting the shore on the other side.

He hadn't watched his strength as much, too caught up in the familiar feel of that moment.

Kyran laughed as the rock hit all the way on the other side. "That's good one!" he crowed, delighted. Just then he felt Shane's presence coming towards him.

"Shane's coming back," he informed Zamir.

"Then I had best be going," Zamir said easily, as he stood, graceful and just slightly slow.

"Why?" Kyran asked. "You don't hafta go. Can stay and play with us," he added.

"I wish I could, but I have to go," Zamir wouldn't really explain why. But it was best not to reveal himself to both, and he was starting to feel Merrick waken in him,

Kyran sighed heavily at that. "All right," he said as if he were granting Zamir a huge favor. "Will see you later?"

"You most certainly will," Zamir assured, then considered something. Silently, he slipped off a necklace from about his neck, and placed it around the boy's, "I'll give you this, as a promise that I will," he rested a hand on the teal gem resting in its silver cage, before he tucked it into the boy's tunic, hidden, "Keep this secret, and safe for me, till we see each other again."

He didn't know why he would give up one of his greatest and few possessions, but he oddly felt it was right.

Kyran looked at him in awe. "It's pretty," he said as he slipped it on over his neck. "I keep it safe," he beamed.

"Make sure you do that. It's very old,' Zamir's smile turned a little sad for a moment, "I shall see you, kidling."

Kyran waved at him. "Can I tell Me'?" he asked quickly before Zamir left.

Zamir paused, considering, "It's best you keep it to yourself for now. Just between us two." It wasn't the boy he feared finding out this, though that other reminded him so much of the demon. It was again Merrick he feared, on his own level.

"Oh," his face fell slightly even as he nodded. "Okay."

Zamir sighed inwardly, and turned back, to lightly reach out to caress the boy's hair, "You'll see why later."

Just then, Shane came through the bushes, looking a little miffed, though his look eased as he caught sight of Kyran, and smiled a little.

Kyran turned towards him, waving. "What are you miffed about?" He could feel the traces of his bondmate's irritation under the surface of their bond.

As soon as Shane had entered, Zamir had vanished, leaving the boys alone, at least physically.

Shane lightly ran a clawed hand through his hair, frowning a little, mumbling something that sounded close to 'girls are confusing'.

Kyran noticed Zamir missing and blinked and looked around for him. "Hey!" he said ,frowning wondering how he had just managed to vanish.

Shane blinked at that, and raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong, Ky?"

Kyran was bewildered. "I was talking to somebody before you got here. And he vanished." He realized how odd that sounded before he said, "Really," he added, hoping his bondmate wouldn't think he was making it up.

Shane eyed him for a moment, before he nodded, "I believe you, Ky." He had no reason not to.

He shook his head slightly still confused wondering how he had disappeared so quickly. He shrugged. "Oh well," he felt for the necklace under his tunic. It was still there. He hadn't just imagined it. Satisfied at finding it in place, he decided to change the subject, "Girls are confusing? What girls?"

Following his train of though, Shane flushed again, 'Nuri...and her friends."

Kyran threw an arm around his bondmate. "Girls are silly," he said matter-of-factly.

Shane nodded. He really couldn't agree more with that, especially after that day in class.

"I've been skipping rocks," Kyran announced. "You should play with me," he said pulling his bondmate over by the lake.

Shane nodded, letting himself be dragged by his bondmate, willing to forget the confusion for the moment and just enjoy being with Kyran.