"Uhh, Mi'ten?" Zami called from where he was crouched beside Jazax's potion, "Could ya, uh, come here a second?"

Mythene perked an eyebrow from where she stood by the entrance to the inn, but approached after a moment.

"I got no idea what I'm doin' here," He admitted frankly, gesturing to the bubbling potion.

It was frothing and shaking and near ready to explode, presumably-it was Jazax's creation, after all. Mythene's eyes widened and she quickly knelt down beside the bubbling pot.

"Okay, let me see…" She mumbled, eyeing the collection of Jazax's various ingredients.

Zami anxiously looked between Mythene and the pot. After a moment, she gave a determined nod and picked up a few different leaves.

"It looks like the mixture is too acidic, so we'll have to balance the acid level. This peacebloom should work," She explained as she quickly looked around for something.

When she didn't find what she was looking for, she rolled her eyes and removed her own pack from her back. She dug into it before pulling out a little wooden bowl-a mortar, presumably. She put the peacebloom leaves into the bowl and quickly pulled a little stone pestle from her vest pocket. Zami perked an eyebrow, impressed at how prepared she was. So that was what she kept in there. Once the leaves were ground, she dumped them into the pot. At once, the brew began to settle down.

"Where is Jazax?" Mythene asked, looking around, "He should be watching this."

"Syrise had to talk to him bout something, said it were important," Zami shrugged.

"Oh, hm, alright. I guess we will have to oversee this potion until he returns, then."

Mythene sat down beside Zami, placing her mortar and pestle on the floor in front of her. Zami stared into the pot, stealing occasional glances at her. As much as he wanted to ignore all of those age concerns, thanks to Jazax, death was now the only thing he could think about. And thoughts of death made him think of Bwonsamdi. And the deal.

After a moment, Mythene glanced over back at him.

"What is it?" She asked quietly.

"I-er, huh?" Zami blinked.

"You look like you have something on your mind, thero'shan," Mythene said as she turned to him in full, "What is it?"

Zami sighed, bringing a hand up to his eyepatch on instinct.

"Mi'ten," He said slowly, turning back towards her, "Ya know I don't got time for stuff like dis."

"I know," She huffed, "This is the goblin's responsibility."

"No, no, not dat," Zami shook his head, frowning.

"Hm?" Mythene turned back to him, "Then wh…"

Her words trailed off as she looked at him, hand over his eyepatch.

"If I don't kill Jumi soon, den Bwonsamdi gonna take back our deal," He frowned, "And I'll go to da Other Side. For real, dis time."

Mythene pressed her lips together in a frown, but nodded.

"Yes, thero'shan, I know," She said quietly, "But we cannot simply ignore this matter with Keeper Remulos. We can't just let him remain-"

"Yeah," Zami interrupted, glancing down, "...You can't."

Mythene paused, scanning his expression for the meaning behind his words. When she caught it, she frowned even more.

"Zami," She began slowly, her voice low, "My place is with the Cenarion Circle right now..."

She reached out, gently setting a lavender hand atop his blue one.

"...As is yours."

Her hand squeezed his gently, white eyes searching for some sign of agreement in his own. Zami frowned and reluctantly pulled his hand away from hers, casting his gaze down.

"Da Loa be tellin' me otherwise, Mi'ten," He sighed, doing his best not to sound bitter.

Mythene hesitated for a moment longer before Zami felt her hand on his cheek. He turned back, heart skipping a beat when he turned to her directly in front of him.

"Then don't listen," She whispered, eyes locked with his, an unspoken pleading in them that was absent from her tone.

"Mi'ten…" Zami furrowed his brow, "I can't just ignore da Loa. Ya know dat."

He snaked his hand up between them both, setting it atop his eyepatch once more. He tapped it, the hollow sound from within being a tacit reminder to them both what would happen if he tried.

Mythene's hand at his cheek slackened, her eyes cast down in defeat. She sighed quietly and began to lean away. Before he realized what he was doing, Zami reached out and grabbed her hand as she went to remove it. He didn't know why, it was merely an impulse. One he couldn't quite understand in himself.

Mythene looked up, eyes shining with a glimmer of hope. That maybe he'd reconsidered.

He hadn't.

Zami knew he had no choice in the matter. For many moons now, he had known. His life was hardly his own. He came and went at the whim of the Loa. From the moment that panther first took his eye, his path was set by forces outside of himself. He didn't have a say in where he went or what he did, and didn't suspect it would change any time soon.

But he still could control how he felt.

Mythene opened her mouth to say something, perhaps to implore him not to leave. But whatever she intended to say would remain a mystery to him. Because before she could speak, he leaned forward and pressed his own lips to hers.

Though they had technically kissed once before, back in Darnassus, this time was different. It was no awkward accident, nor was it a tenuous test. It was deliberate and certain. At least, from his side.

Mythene was certainly caught off-guard by the kiss. At least, at first. After the initial surprise wore off, she leaned into it and reciprocated.

It was a passionate kiss, but not one of burning desire cut free at last. But rather a simple, chaste kiss. And it was somber. Bittersweet. One of affection and tenderness, but also one of sorrow and regret. It was a kiss that was long-awaited, yet dreaded too. It was wanted yet not in these circumstances.

Because it was a kiss goodbye.