The morning after, the world had decided to enter a mild phase to contrast against the chaos from yesterday. Upon waking up, Adon heard the birds tweeting and the nearby town rising early. Instead of following their example, he yawned and turned in bed, resting against a massive body pressed against his own. He shuddered from warm breath tickling the back of his neck and the broad arm wrapped around his stomach.

"Do you know what today is?" Sagat asked, just as tired from the sounds of it. He drew a deep breath, blowing warm air against Adon's skin

"Nope,"

"The lantern festival,"

"Oh yeah," it had been many years since Adon had seen a sky filled with hundreds of lanterns floating to the heavens. He couldn't remember the last time he ever saw such a festival. It had probably been when he was in that awkward stage between childhood and adulthood without a clue of what to do with his life other than ''fight and hope for the best''. To this day, he still struggled with something other than that singular purpose.

Almost.

Moreover, Sagat had brought it up for reasons, one could assume. Reasons that made Adon ask; "Was that your incredibly ham-fisted way of asking me out on a date or something?"

Sagat stiffened, silent for longer than what was usual. Only when Adon wriggled around to see him, did he answer with a reserved; "…Yes,"

A subtle crimson had spread over his cheeks, more visible in the light that came peering through the windows with their ragged curtains. His lips thinned, his brow furrowed, releasing a bit when Adon put a hand on the large scar that marred his chest.

"All right, I accept if you stop pouting at me for calling you out," Adon traced the length of the scar, snapping his gaze upwards to meet Sagat's. Something resembling a smile formed on his lips, but it vanished in an instance when the old tiger grabbed him by the jaw and kissed him, intense and dominating like in the Khmer Ruins.

From then on, the morning transcended to something golden, ending in sex with Adon laying on his stomach, clutching the pillow in his hands, Sagat behind him, holding him by the hips. All in a lazy, pleasant pace. Still drunk with sleep, Adon let himself be steered, giving himself the comfort to lift himself onto his healthy arm, hearing the noises he was making. How he frantically gasped and whined, mindful that Namupun was probably somewhere, either sleeping or wide awake. Sagat did not consider such conditions, picking up the pace, and subjugating Adon further.

Somewhere the faint sound of a cat meowing could be heard but Adon couldn't concentrate on it, his mind-melting from the feeling surging inside of him, just as merciless as the night before. Sagat, probably celibate for some years, strong diligent warrior that he was, had a great dick.

Maybe that was why he enjoyed doing this so often. One had to wonder if he was even aware of it. When he put it to good use, it was warm and thick, ridiculously well-equipped to pry Adon open and wear him down to a shivering, lascivious mess, with slow but brutal, powerful thrusts.

All it took to send him over the gates of the seventh heaven was Sagat reaching underneath and stroking him, sending waves of heat through his body like being submerged in white molten iron, until he came, leaving him shuddering, yelping, muffled into the fabric of a pillow. Yep, Adon thought, he was not at all fully recovered from yesterday.

Not helping was Sagat, that bastard, screwing him right through it as if it never occurred at all, steady until Adon could feel his rhythm stagger, hear him grunt deeply as he came, the force of which Adon also felt. Sagat wasn't as heavy as he was big, Adon found out when he felt the weight of the old tiger press down on him. At least this time, there was room to breathe.

In the afterglow, a pleasant buzz arrived, settling over Adon's body as he closed his eyes, catching a glimpse of the fading sunlight. The euphoria was enough to knock a man to sleep. Sagat stayed with him, shifting, then dropping onto the empty space of the bed, just as dazed.

He wrapped an arm around Adon, who only grumbled something indecipherable, only in the mood for cuddling. Sagat had exhausted him before the day even began and now, he felt like going back to sleep. He almost would have with Sagat pulling the blanket over them both if not for the door to the room that suddenly flew open. Tiny feet thumped against the floor before a shrill voice called out to them.

"There you are!"

Adon opened one eye, staring directly at Namupun, holding Sunti in her arms. He felt Sagat shifting under the blanket before slipping out of bed, fully dressed. He greeted the kitten in the little girl's arms, and it purred at his touch. It seemed that the kitten had stopped hating Sagat, how quaint.

"Why are you sweaty and red in the head? Are you sick?" Namupun gave the kitten to Sagat, skipping towards the bed.

"Let's say we had a sparring match," Adon rolled around in the bed, using one hand to pull his pants up. He should have asked the kid to leave so she wouldn't see his bare ass.

Namupun's eyes lit up like fireworks, "Wow, next time, can I watch?"

"Uh..," he trailed off, shifting his eyes to Sagat, secretly asking for help. Instead of saying anything, the old tiger sent a knowing glance, slipping out of the room without a single word. His absence awoke Willa Maiu, the feline holy angel of mercy. The big cat lay and stretched, yawning and licking the corners of her mouth. She rolled around for a bit, then stood up, pacing to the bed, bringing the conversation to a turning point.

"Hey, beastie…" he scratched the tigress by the jaw and she chuffed in response. Even more so when Namupun patted her head.

"Anyway, I made breakfast so you should come right away! Gotta eat well because today is special! I'll be going with my mom. Are you going with Sagat? Will we see you there?" the little girl asked with a bright smile, fitting her age.

"Mm, I guess I am," he answered with a yawn, his hand getting licked by Willa Maiu. Soon after, Sagat returned with three cups of tea. In his large hands, carrying them didn't seem like such an issue.

The day passed by in a blur, brought on by the festival with everyone being busy preparing for it. For Adon, his injury wasn't so severe once he got the blessing of pain-relieving herbs. Somehow, he could walk, although with a crutch, making basic living a challenge that didn't stretch beyond herculean. And live he did, eventually making his way to the field with the firefly cave by nightfall, sitting down at its tallest point.

From where he sat, he could see the endless lanterns being carried into the depths of the night sky. With the sky lit up by thousands of the things, he hardly needed a flashlight to navigate. By his side, Willa Maiu walked, silent like a predator observing its dinner except well fed on some carcass dragged from the forest.

It seemed that she had grown fond of traveling with Adon ever since he was moderately nice to her. He hated to think that Namupun had been right all along. The tigress lay down, yawning, looking at the sky before rolling in the grass, seeming content with her surroundings.

Sagat, the old tiger, had asked to meet here and of course, he was missing. Thus Adon sat and stared at the lanterns floating him by, hardly noticing footsteps on in the grass. He imagined it was some of the townsfolk trying to find a better spot to view the sky. Something sprinted in Adon's direction, meowing, and purring until it climbed into his lap. In the pale light of the lantern, he saw a tiny furball with a pair of kitten eyes glistening right back at him.

"I'd imagine you'd like to send one as well. I needed supplies" Sagat now stood in front of Adon, unfolding the lantern in his hands. His massive size blocked out the sky like a mountain and obscured his face until he knelt and Adon could actually see his face and the box of matches that was passed his way.

"Why do people do this again?" he asked as he struck a match, catching a brief whiff of sulfur and red phosphorus. He was astute enough to light the fuse in the lamp without being told to, blowing out the match when the lamp was alit.

"It's a celebration for the release of negative energy. In its place, there's a wish for good luck and fortune in the coming year, among other things,"

Negative energy. That was frighteningly apt. It probably applied to the both of them.

Sagat stood up, and let go of the lamp like someone let go of a bad memory. Sudden and irreversible. Probably for the better, Adon would reckon. He hated to be so maudlin but there was a part of him that recognized an odd sense of relief washing over him. On the hill they then sat, pressed close for warmth. It wasn't that cold but with a chill breeze, it was better to keep oneself heated. Adon, taking a seat in Sagat's lap, tucked his feet under the old tiger's thigh, and tugged his hands under his pits for warmth, then curled into Sagat. It was an awkward position if not somewhat cozy and comforting.

"Damn, it feels like ages since I've done this, sending lanterns into the air and stuff," Adon mused, losing track of their lantern blending in with its brethren. It struck a strangely nostalgic note with him.

"Yes…me as well," Sagat answered.

Then silence. Sweet quiet to give a moment's reflection. Peaceful reticence for Adon to gather his thoughts, "I feel like I've come to a point where…I don't know, I don't have to feel like my self-esteem hit the shitter,"

Sagat grunted something that resembled perplexity. He swung an arm around Adon, mindful of the kitten in his lap.

"I don't think you needed me for that,"

"I think I do. Because it ties down to you. I'm not gonna say I'm fixed but…I'm doing better," Adon paused, feeling his cheeks redden – almost set ablaze against the cold. His heart pounded hard and fast in ways, he wasn't used to, almost bursting out of his chest. All this so he could finish his confession with a meek; "…with you"

"That's good,"

Silence once again as the lanterns reached so far up in the sky that they began to resemble stars.

"So about…" Adon began, thinking about the events of yesterday. In this moment of reflection, they weighed on his mind.

"Satsui no Hado," Sagat finished, taking one long look at him, "Our deal still stands. Don't headbutt me though,"

He gestured to the bandage on his nose and Adon shrugged, ever so slightly flustered. The old jaguar would be proud of such a thing, but that same beast wouldn't also be sitting here in the lap of a tiger.

"Okay. Then I'll just nuke your fucking balls next time instead," he quipped, hoping that such a day would never come. The vaunt in his voice was hopefully enough of a hint to convey the promise as a joke.

Sagat sighed, more stolid than miffed. Adon took a guess and assumed the old tiger was giving up trying to curb swearing.

"No language?" he asked, inquisitive enough to not relish in this victory.

"Nothing I'd say would ever change that. When we're alone, that is. I suppose I've grown fond of that quirk," Sagat said, mellow and casual, definitely having given up on trying to correct his former student and Adon took it as affectionate acceptance.

Which was ironic because he recalled Sagat dropping a scarce number of F-bombs when he still worked for Shadaloo. Guess cursing, even conservatively, was out of bounds for a fierce and proud warrior. But fierce and proud warriors also knew when the battle was lost and accepted defeat, just as he did now.

"You fucking bet!" Adon grinned, aware that the old jaguar hadn't quite left him yet. He shuddered in tender exhilaration when the arm around his waist pulled him closer.

Next to them, the firefly cave began glowing, as a new generation began new life but the smile, the actual genuine smile that rested on Sagat's face was far more enchanting to look at. From the foot of the hill, voices were coming closer and Adon assumed it was those opportunistic townsfolks.

It turned out to be half right as Namupun came trekking through the grass, carrying a bowl of something in her hands. She thought absolutely nothing of Adon sitting on Sagat's lap, taking a seat right next to them.

"My mom made shrimp chips," she offered with a bright smile, inching closer to Sagat for warmth. As the glow from the lanterns turned dimmer, a fleeting thought about navigation began pressing in Adon's mind but he trusted the navigation skills of the big cats in his life and nestled against Sagat's broad chest.

Yes, he wouldn't mind staying like this for a little longer.

And thus ends our story. If you made it so far, thank you!

Peace out.