Ryon jerked awake, his heart pounding. He swallowed and grimaced at the dryness in his throat. Pushing himself up, he looked around for Mia.
She looked at him carefully before getting up from her chair and handing him a bottle. "Drink."
He raised an eyebrow but followed instructions, grimacing at the taste. "Hope this doesn't turn me into a frog."
She chuckled, "It won't. You should feel better soon."
He smiled. "Good. Cause they can't sing for shit. And thank you."
She chuckled, "You're welcome. We'll go whenever you're ready."
"Kinda sad. I really like this place. But I'll go wherever you lead."
"Maybe we can come back sometime after everything blows over," she smiled.
"You can come back. I'll just be a payment received notation on your tax form." He grabbed his jacket and bag.
She sighed, "You mean more to me than just a payment."
"I'm just a client. After this, we'll go our separate ways and you'll forget all about me. Maybe remember if you hear a song on the radio."
She looked away, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes, "If that's what you want."
He froze. "No. I thought.." His voice was soft. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me after this ended."
"I wouldn't have just offered you to come over if I didn't want to see you," she said quietly.
His lips curled in a tiny smile. "Sorry. I just don't know why you're interested."
She gave him a small smile, "I care about you." She approached and held her arm out to him, "Close your eyes."
He chuckled, then did.
Wind rushed around them for a few seconds before she said, "Open."
They stood in front of a large ancient mansion with vines growing up the sides.
"Woahhh." He said in awe, his eyes wide. "This yours too?"
"It belongs to the whole clan."
"Clan?" He turned to stare. "You're.."
"A witch? I said I was only kind of a healer."
He looked embarrassed. "I wasn't really thinking."
"Is me being a witch okay?"
"If it keeps me alive, you can be a seven foot monster for all I care." He grinned teasingly.
She chuckled slightly before heading up to the door and unlocking it with a spell.
"Question." He followed her inside quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Do I emit some kind of signal? They couldn't have possibly known I'd be at that hospital. It wasn't the closest to the studio. And they couldn't have followed my bus everywhere. Or am I over paranoid?"
"There are tracking spells.." she looked thoughtful. "They'd be blocked here though so don't worry."
He exhaled in relief. "Tired of looking over my shoulder."
"This is one of the safest places you can ever go."
He grinned at her. "Nope. You are the safest place."
She chuckled and was about to speak when a young man came out of a room and waved at her, "Didn't expect you to be so fast."
She smiled, "Ryon, meet Hikaru."
"So you're the one she's protecting. Was kind of surprised to hear she was interacting with shifters again."
Mia went slightly red and looked down, "He's not affiliated with any of the other shifters."
"Am I missing something?" He glanced between them in confusion.
"I kind of had a thing against shifters for a while.." she admitted. "A group of them killed my brother."
Ryon went pale.
She sighed, "It's in the past, doesn't matter."
"I can't be here.." Ryon fled out the front door.
She quickly followed him and said a spell to stop him in his tracks. She approached slowly, "Ryon? It's alright. You're safe here."
"I think..I killed him.."
She froze, "What..? How?"
"Three years ago, I was on break. I'd seen someone following me around town and I was jumpy because the other protection I had at the time had intercepted some threats. I led the man down an alley, then…" His voice broke. "I ran. Called Naoto who put me on a flight out of country just in case I'd been seen.."
She took a deep breath and just nodded silently. After a minute she unfroze him, "Just come on inside, it's safer in there with the protection spells."
"I killed your brother! I-I can't.." He ran as fast as he could and disappeared.
She shook her head and closed her eyes, focusing on him and saying a teleportation spell. She appeared right beside him, "I'm going to protect you, okay?"
He jumped, then backed away. "You should be angry.."
"You were scared and someone followed you. It makes sense to lash out.." she said quietly.
"Still..I am so sorry." He dropped to his knees. "You should hand me over, get your revenge. I wouldn't blame you."
She shook her head and crouched down, "I'm not going to do that."
"You like making things hard for yourself, don't you? You could tell my manager I ran. He already paid you, so it's not like you'd be losing money.." Ryon's voice was despairing. "Anyone else would do it. Or worse."
She took a deep breath before slowly wrapping her arms around him silently.
"I don't deserve protection.."
"Well, you're getting it anyway," she said softly.
He buried his face in her shoulder. "I just..want to be free.."
"I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen."
He gave a deep sigh. "Is your friend going to have a problem with me?"
She shook her head and gave him a small smile, "You're going to be protected by everyone there."
"Alright. I surrender." He chuckled slightly.
She held a hand out to him.
He took it and rose. He swayed, then straightened. "Let's go back, I guess."
She watched him carefully as she led him back to the mansion.
He gave her a small smile. "I'm fine. Just a little worn out. You know this is the longest 'vacation' I've had in five years?"
She chuckled slightly, "Too bad you aren't actually doing anything fun."
"I don't know about that." His eyes twinkled. "Having a beautiful woman taking care of me isn't a bad way to spend time."
She blushed before reopening the door to the mansion.
Ryon laughed softly and kissed her cheek.
She led him down the hall and double checked the rooms before pointing to a door, "This is yours for now, if you need to rest."
"Where's yours?" His green eyes darkened, his voice going husky.
"Right next door," she answered.
He cupped her cheek, then kissed her softly.
She kissed back gently.
After another minute, he drew back. "Why do I feel like I'm home when I'm with you?"
She smiled softly, "I don't know, but I feel the same."
He reached for the door handle. "Stay with me?"
She nodded, "Why don't we go to my room?" She opened the door, the smell of incense pouring out.
He gave an appreciative smile. "That smells nice."
"I charmed an incense stick to never end.." she admitted with a chuckle.
"You have to teach me. Mine always burns too fast." He grinned, then kissed her again.
She entered, pictures hanging on a board on the wall and a large bed with purple blankets was in the middle of the room.
He took it all in. "It fits you."
She smiled before going to a small table and feeding the fish in the tank on it.
"That's surprising." He tapped the tank with a thoughtful look. "Didn't take you for a fish person."
She grinned, "What did you expect? I do have another pet.."
"Let me guess. A cat?"
"I do want one, but no." She opened the closet and revealed another large tank. There was a white and red snake inside.
His eyes lit up as he approached. "It's beautiful.."
Mia smiled and opened the tank, holding her hand out. The snake slithered up her arm before looking Ryon over.
He petted it gently, a broad smile on his face. "I used to have a python. It's been years though."
"His name is Lux." She smiled to the snake, "Has Hikaru taken good care of you?"
The snake gave a small nod as if understanding her words.
Ryon chuckled. "Hello Lux."
The snake slithered on her arm to get closer to him then gently gave Ryon a small lick on his arm.
He grinned and ran a hand over Lux's head.
Mia sat down on the bed and watched as Lux slithered off her and onto an empty coat rack.
"He likes to hang there," she chuckled.
"Unique. Just like you."
She smiled slightly then asked, "Hungry? Or thirsty? Or would you rather rest? I'm fine with whatever you want to do."
"Do you count as food?" He wiggled his eyebrows.
She laughed lightly in response then took his hand and pulled him to the bed.