Chapter 6
Two voices grew in volume outside, signaling the approach of Yuki and Goya. The girl's tenuous, mellow tones seemed vaguely familiar to Kaito. If she had healed him, it probably was to be expected.
Goya's clawed hands moved the curtain aside, and his big furry head peeked inside. He sniffed the air almost imperceptibly, as he glanced suspiciously from Kaito to Gakupo and back, and then moved aside to let Yuki walk into the room. Presumably due to his size, he made no move to go inside.
The pale girl that entered was wrapped in an embroidered white robe, immaculate but well worn. It clearly had once belonged to someone much larger, and even though it had been mended and tailored to fit her small frame, the hem and sleeves still trailed after her, sweeping the floor. Her black hair was sprinkled with tiny snow crystals, catching the light.
"Good day, Kaito, I'm Yuki. How are you feeling today?" The girl spoke in Japanese, with the ease of a native speaker.
"Hm, fine, thank you for your interest," Kaito replied, barely bothering to hide his surprise. Was she a snow woman? How did she end up here in the west?
"I was born across the sea, as you can probably guess. My father was a human researcher, he brought me here before he passed away," the girl explained anticipating his questions.
"Ah, sorry about your loss."
"It's okay. Let me examine you. Please remove your shirt."
Yuki's hands were unpleasantly cold, but she only needed the briefest of touches before she stepped back, satisfied. "You're doing quite well. I think Prima should be able to start the process tomorrow."
"You guys seem pretty sure I'd join you," Kaito commented, rubbing the icy spots of skin where Yuki had touched him.
The girl looked at him quizzically. "Why wouldn't you? The Pale Line are villains."
"All the more reason someone would be wary of approaching them, if they are so dangerous.
"I saw you rushing to defend Gakupo against an enemy you had no hope of defeating. You aren't the type to simply stand aside and watch others suffer. Yuki said with conviction, and a rather surprising grasp of vocabulary for someone of her apparent age.
"You were there? Then it had been her voice, calling out to him before he passed out.
"Goya asked me to come with him to retrieve Gakupo, in case he was hurt. Yuki glanced at the fae, who was looking at them with a look of burning curiosity.
"You saved me, I'm truly thankful. Kaito bowed, but the girl just waved a hand, dismissing the gesture with a smile.
"Goya overreacted. I'm glad I was there to prevent something terrible from happening. She opened her little bag and handed him a small potion vial. Drink this and rest. Try not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day, ok? Her tone of voice and another glance at Gakupo immediately clarified what she meant by those words.
"If you don't mind me saying this, you don't sound like a small girl," Kaito remarked.
"You'd be surprised if I told you how old I am." Yuki smiled mischievously. "My body develops at a much slower rate than a human child."
"I'll be a gentleman and not ask your age, then."
The snow woman chuckled, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve, before shaking her head. "I'm starting to see why Gakupo likes you so much..."
Kaito stole a glance at Gakupo, whose tail had perked up upon hearing his name mentioned again. He was starting to look very much like a kitten watching a prey just out of reach. "What did he say about me?" Kaito asked, blushing slightly.
"Oh, you completely swept him off his feet, coming to save him from the cage of silence like you did. Goya almost exploded when he heard him speak of you!" Yuki laughed again.
"How so?" Kaito felt his cheeks burning, as his blood rushed violently through his body. But Yuki just shook her head.
"I'm sure the words will taste sweeter coming from him." With another little laugh, she approached the door. "Take good care of Gakupo out there in the world of man, Kaito Fuuga. He's more important than it seems."
"I'll stake my life on it."
"That's good to hear. Every king needs a faithful knight." Yuki then spoke a few lines of islander language directed at Gakupo, nodded at them both and exited the room.
King? She didn't mean that literally, did she? Kaito stared at the door, perplexed. He was about to make a comment to Gakupo about it when Goya again peeked inside. The wolf-man showed his teeth at Kaito, before saying something in a guttural tone to Gakupo. The fae reluctantly stood up and went to the doorway.
"I'll come back later, rest." Gakupo said with a quick glance before disappearing past the doorframe. Goya gave Kaito a sneer before drawing the curtain back in place.
Kaito leaned back on the bed, frustrated, but his bad mood only last for a while. Gakupo was coming back to the city with him, after all. Mission or not, the two of them were going to be well beyond the reach of Goya's meddling. He could afford to be patient. With a shrug, he sat back up and reached for his bag. He would read for a while until Gakupo returned.
As it turned out, Goya managed to keep Gakupo away from Kaito until the next day, when it was time to return to Prima's chamber below. Both fae and human rested on stone slabs, while Prima chanted over them in what probably was the draconic tongue. If anything, the process was kind of tedious. Kaito had vaguely wondered if magic would sting or tingle, and there was something of that effect, but nothing dramatic seemed to be happening. At best, it felt like being in the middle of an electrically charged room. He even napped from time to time, lulled by the seemingly endless stream of mysterious words.
Hours passed by. There were no meals, but the fae and him were allowed to sip some water in complete silence. Kaito's hunger grew more and more ravenous, until it strangely seemed to mellow out, as if his body was tired of making the same demands. Down in Prima's cave, there was no way to measure time; Kaito soon lost any notion of day and night.
How could doing nothing be so exhausting? Kaito had no idea, but soon enough all he wanted was a bowl of hot soup and to crawl back in bed. Even his intermittent naps on the stone slab seemed only to tire him further. By the time Prima finally stood back, he felt so wobbly he doubted he could walk away on his own.
"That's enough for today." Prima turned her massive head to the right; the wolf-man was there, seated under one of the stone arches that lead into her cavern. "Take them back to the upper level. We'll continue tomorrow."
Goya nodded and carefully lifted Gakupo from the slab, cradling him against his wide chest. Gakupo seemed to be dozing off; he mumbled something unintelligible but didn't open his eyes. The wolf-man approached Kaito with an expression of distaste, giving the human ample time to wonder if he was going to be dragged by the muffler all the way back to the lake. But no, Goya just held Gakupo with one arm, a task simple enough given their respective sizes, and placed Kaito under his other arm.
"I'm not a sack of potatoes, you know," Kaito feebly protested.
The wolf-man didn't bother with a reply; after nodding to Prima, he turned and began walking.
Due to his size, he used a different path to the underground lake, although Kaito had little opportunity to examine the surroundings, given the lack of light and the fact he was forced to stare at the ground, hanging from Goya's furry arm like a ragdoll.
They emerged from one of the dark doorways next to the lake, and a few minutes later Goya nonchalantly dumped Kaito before his temporary bedroom. The beast man resumed walking without any parting words, not interested in whether Kaito had the strength to reach his bed or not.
"No worries, I'll get in there somehow..." Kaito said, again to no effect- Goya seemed to be determined to ignore him. Of course, the youth had experience with this kind of treatment back home, but this time around he wasn't about to roll over and take it without at least a comment.
Once we go back to the city, I'll have Gakupo all to myself, Kaito thought as the big figure retreated along the side of the lake. You might be as well get used to the idea, furball.
Cautiously, Kaito made his way inside the bedroom leaning on the wall. Dragging his feet like a sloth, he finally reached the bed; a small pause to kick off his shoes and then Kaito got under the covers, yawning.
After what seemed only a second, he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. Gakupo was sitting next to him, with a basket on his lap. Goya's enormous head was staring sourly at them through the door.
"Good morning, how are you feeling?" Gakupo asked, handing him an apple and a jug of milk.
"Good morning," Kaito replied before taking a big bite. After swallowing, he added, "Thanks, I really needed that. I feel fine, I guess. Sort of ...I don't know, restless?"
"I know. Magic wants to come out."
"Hmm." Kaito hummed and took another bite. Admittedly, he would've preferred one of his father's Japanese-style breakfasts, but fruit would have to do. He shrugged internally and finished the apple with several quick bites. He next drank from the jug of milk, making a face. It tasted kind of odd, and it wasn't sweetened at all.
"Is something wrong?" Gakupo asked.
"No, no...It's fine, this- this isn't cow milk, right?"
"We don't have cows." Gakupo frowned. "No grazing land."
"Yeah, I guess that would be difficult. And you can't exactly fly over to the closest supermarket. Sorry, I don't want to seem picky."
"No issue," Gakupo said shaking his head with a smile. He handed some sweet berries to Kaito that did a good job of removing the odd taste from his mouth, thankfully.
Suddenly, Goya spat out some irascible words; despite his ignorance of the language, Kaito could clearly feel the impatience in his tone. "We shouldn't keep Prima waiting," Gakupo added hurriedly, "Are you done?"
"I don't know if this can keep me going all day, to be honest. Can't we at least have a break for lunch?"
"I'll ask Prima. Come on." Gakupo stood and moved away to let Kaito get up.
"Gah, I shouldn't have slept with my clothes on. I feel…not so fresh." Kaito patted his white jacket, cringing. "I don't suppose you have showers around here?"
The endling shook his head.
"And I don't have time to wash myself in the lake or something?"
Goya growled.
"Ok, ok, let's go!" Kaito waved his arms, resisting the urge to respond in a more sarcastic fashion.
Placated, Goya disappeared from the doorway. Gakupo gave Kaito a quick kiss then trotted after his adoptive father.
And that also isn't enough to satisfy me, Kaito thought to himself with a small smile and followed them.
Hours later (perhaps it was the afternoon, perhaps already night), Prima finally declared them ready to return to the city. "Aside from the transportation spell, I've given you both glamour spells. Try it, little human."
Kaito sat on the slab, feeling extraordinarily woozy. What was he supposed to do, exactly?
"Listen." Gakupo sat up as well and strung together five notes in a short melody. Like a reflection on a disturbed pool, his image rippled and shifted into one of a dark-haired human. His long ponytail had just a touch of his normal purple hue.
Kaito tried to replicate the tune. After a couple of tries, he felt an odd flash of heat on his hands and forehead. In a blink of an eye, his human hands had changed, gaining a rough appearance and long vicious nails. He rubbed the skin of one with the other, and it felt different as well, but it was hard to pinpoint why. He then touched his head gingerly, and found two small horns pushing his blue locks aside.
"This is not a true transformation. Don't be too confident or overuse it." Prima warned them. "If a human already knows of your true identity and is really perceptive, they will be able to see through the disguise if you directly confront them."
"But what about him? I know that Gakupo isn't human, but-" Kaito gestured towards the endling; immediately, the spell over Gakupo dissipated. The fae chuckled and bated his wings.
"Exactly like that," Prima remarked. "As much as possible, try to avoid thinking about it or you'll affect the spell."
"And how do I make these go away?" Kaito rubbed one of the horns.
"Sing the melody backwards," Prima scoffed, sounding almost incredulous of the fact she had to explain such a thing.
Kaito tried it, and immediately his hands and forehead returned to normal. "I'm not sure something this flimsy is going to help," Kaito grumbled.
"Then use whatever tools you prefer," the dragon replied without a drop of interest. "We are done here. You leave in the morning."
Goya stepped forward to carry them to the upper floors in the same manner as the day before: Gakupo carefully cradled against his chest, Kaito hanging from his arm. This time the blue-haired youth didn't bother commenting. Clearly nothing aside from imprudent behavior was going to make Goya react to him, and he wasn't about to insult Gakupo's father (to his face).
After a night of dreamless sleep, Kaito woke up feeling rather excited. Despite the cold of the lake outside, he gave himself a proper bath and returned shivering to the room. He couldn't change his complete outfit, but just having a clean body and fresh shirt and undergarments was enough to keep him from feeling like a complete bum. Around half an hour later, Goya and Gakupo showed up; this time, the basket in Gakupo's hands was almost bursting with food, probably for the journey ahead, and Goya was carrying a tray with a hearty breakfast. Perhaps they were finally catching on how much food a human needed to survive.
"Do you miss the city?" Gakupo asked Kaito over breakfast.
"Living there is pretty convenient, I gotta say. Not that this place is horrible or anything, it just needs a good cleanup."
"I wish I saw it when dark fae were here," the endling stated, playing with the feathers at the end of his tail.
"I bet it was quite the sight." Kaito then finished his salad. "Oh, I've been meaning to ask- how are we going to get back, how far is the city?"
Gakupo turned his gaze to Goya, who was sitting just outside the bedroom. "Goya carries."
"Really?" Kaito eyed the wolf-man with barely concealed skepticism. Goya bared his fangs at him soundlessly.
"Can't carry you all way," Gakupo explained pointing to his own chest.
"Oh, yes, no problem, I understand," Kaito replied quickly. It's just going to be pretty slow getting there.
"Goya is very fast," the fae reassured him, catching on to Kaito's expression.
"Well, let's see how it goes." Kaito pushed aside the empty plate and stood up.
Goya lead the way towards yet another dark doorway by the lake. One of the dancing fires dangled over his head, painting his fur with red tones. The ascent was unremarkable, and before Kaito knew it, he was under a clear blue sky, enjoying a mild breeze. The landscape was very mountainous, and he couldn't see any signs of civilization. Incongruously, to the right of the exit was a small snowy patch of earth, surrounded by bushes glittering with frost. Yuki stood in the center; she bowed slightly with she saw the trio gaze in her direction.
"I came to see you off, my friends." She then spoke in islander, presumably to repeat the phrase for Goya and Gakupo.
Each of the three responded in some fashion: a curt nod from Goya, excited muttering and a brief bow from Gakupo and a more formal salute from Kaito.
Yuki walked towards the human, making crunching sounds due to the snow under her feet. In her hands there was a small silk pouch. She handed it over to Kaito with a smile.
"Healing powder; it hastens a body's recovery if you make an infusion with it."
"Thank you."
"I hope you don't need to use it, but it's better to be prepared."
Kaito spared a glance at Gakupo, waiting near the wolf-man. "I'll keep him safe, I promise."
"Take care of yourself as well, young man," Yuki replied teasingly. "I don't want to see Gakupo sad."
"Yes, ma'am. We'll return before you know it."
"I'll be waiting. Now go before Goya gnashes his teeth into dust."
"See you soon." Kaito tucked the small pouch inside his pocket and returned to the fae and beast man. "How are we going to do this?" He asked to Gakupo. He didn't relish the idea of Goya carrying him under one arm for hours.
"See the harness?" Gakupo waved his hand in Goya's direction. Now that he mentioned it, he was wearing something like a backpack of leather, fur and sticks. Goya silently turned away from them and kneeled.
"We are going to ride him?!" Kaito sputtered, almost laughing.
"Is problem?" Gakupo asked innocently.
"Erm…No, if he doesn't mind. Hm, how do I get inside that?" Kaito recovered from his surprise.
"Here," Gakupo opened the 'backpack' and helped the human get inside, then climbed after him. It was unlike any form of transportation Kaito had ever experienced, undoubtedly. Once the straps were back in place, it felt a bit like being inside a fur-lined basket. Perhaps to reassure Kaito, Gakupo placed the basket of food near his feet, then hugged Kaito from behind and curled his tail around them both. Having the fae's body rubbing against his in that confined space was going to be anything but soothing, though.
Gakupo said something out loud, presumably to let Goya know they were ready. The wolf-man adopted the pose of a sprinter at the start of a race; then, without any warning, he took off running. Kaito gasped, almost expecting for the cocoon of fur and sticks to fall off the beast man's back due to the speed. But it held tightly, almost without any bouncing. It actually felt somewhat exhilarating: the scenery moved swiftly past them and the wind touched his hair and made Gakupo's feathers murmur.
Gakupo's arm felt pleasantly warm around Kaito's waist; his other hand was tightly grasping the fur of Goya's back, and Kaito imitated him after a while. Perhaps this is what riding a wild horse feels like, he thought, but one hundred times better. He actually hooted with excitement when Goya leaped across a gorge, despite his earlier vertigo when flying with Gakupo, and was rewarded with a laugh and a kiss on the neck from behind.
Goya was crossing a mountain range, using paths that Kaito could barely make out from the wild foliage. He jumped over several streams, went under tall trees, crossed a couple of natural caverns until they reached what seemed to be a more civilized area. Close to midday, he began to sprint across cultivated fields and carefully planted lines of fruit trees, zigzagging past herds of goats and sheep. For a beast of his size and corpulence, he truly could move in a stealthy way. Finally, he came to a stop inside a small group of trees, kept more or less undisturbed by the work of man. Kaito could hear the highway nearby.
Once fae and human were back on the ground, Kaito walked back and forth to get rid of the slight stiffness of his limbs. Nearby, Goya and Gakupo were discussing something in a serious tone. Kaito glanced back at them discreetly, without stopping their steps, just in time to see Goya point directly at him, and Gakupo's offended expression.
With my luck, Goya's making him promise not to touch me while we are on our own, Kaito thought.
Gakupo seemed about to stalk off, but stopped when Goya stretched one of his massive arms before him. The wolf-man said something in a softer tone, the mildest sound Kaito had heard coming from that big snout. Gakupo keep his face lowered, but his tail easily betrayed his turmoil, lashing the ground. Goya spoke again, almost pleading. Gakupo sighed and muttered something, then briefly touched the arm cutting off his path. With his other hand, the wolf-man delicately touched his son's head. A second later, he dropped his arms to his sides and began walking away, without saying a word.
"…Are you ok?" Kaito asked, once the wolf-man disappeared in the distance. Gakupo hadn't changed position at all.
"I said I'm still angry…" Gakupo muttered.
"Huh?"
The fae shook his head. "No matter." He considered Kaito with a strange expression for a few seconds, before he smiled impishly.
"What are you thinking?" Kaito had an inkling of the thoughts inside Gakupo's head, since they likely mirrored his own, but he wanted to hear it said out loud.
"I can take you good now." The fae moved forward and pinned Kaito against a tree. Kaito opened his mouth to laugh, but instead found himself tasting Gakupo's mouth. The fae's tongue teased his, demanding a response just as passionate. One of his hands kept pushing Kaito against the tree, but the other moved downwards, to stroke him through his clothes. The human tilted his back, moaning, but Gakupo claimed his mouth again, almost possessively.
Did the endling intended to make love to him right there? Was it just to defy his father? The questions briefly surfaced in Kaito's mind, before he decided they were meaningless. Gakupo could do whatever he wanted to him.
But Gakupo stepped back a moment later, breathing heavily. The strange expression returned to his face, and he walked towards the sound of moving vehicles, with a casual "let's go."
Kaito watched him wide-eyed, panting and blushing. He almost begged Gakupo to continue, shamelessly, before thinking better off it. Truth be told, this wasn't the best place for intimacy, unless one found dirt, stones and dry pine needles the pinnacles of romance. Shaking his head, Kaito tried to cool off his impulses and followed Gakupo.
"You should change into a human, the road is really close," Kaito suggested after a couple of minutes of walking.
Gakupo nodded and sang. Now he looked almost normal, although his clothes were still an issue.
"I'll have to buy you something else, no one dresses like-" Kaito began to say, before the fae took a step forward and promptly fell to the ground.
Gakupo lifted himself on his elbows, more surprised than hurt. Kaito hurried to help him up, but as soon as the human let go and Gakupo tried to move, he crumbled back down.
"What's wrong?!"
"I can't- it doesn't feel right!" Gakupo exclaimed, wobbling as Kaito helped him up again. This time, Kaito kept his arms around the fae.
"Did Prima botch the spell?" Kaito asked. Or maybe it was the loss of the wings and tail. After all, Gakupo was used to walking with all that extra weight on his back. His sense of equilibrium had to be affected by the sudden change.
"What do I do?" Gakupo sounded almost scared.
"You might need to get used to a human body. How about this? I help you get to the road, and when we get to the city I'll get you crutches or a cane. If you still can't walk in a couple of days, we'll think of something else, ok?"
Gakupo again nodded, looking more youthful than ever in his nervousness.
"Hmmm, wait a minute. This might help us get a ride." Kaito made Gakupo on the ground and then pulled a bandage from his backpack. He tied it around one of the fae's bare feet, as he explained his idea: "We'll tell the driver that you sprained your ankle, and that's why you can't walk. Maybe, maybe you fell while were hiking, and your backpack is at the bottom of a river somewhere." The landscape was still hilly enough to make an accident such as that believable.
Once he was done, Kaito lifted Gakupo up, circling his waist with an arm. "Just don't put your weight on that foot too much."
Gakupo surrounded Kaito's shoulders with one arm and grabbed a fistful of his jacket with the other. "Okay," he smiled. He seemed a bit embarrassed by this earlier panic.
"Come on."
They ungainly covered the last few meters, and soon found themselves standing at one side of the wide road. Just then, a huge truck was speeding away from them. A few cars could be seen in the distance, closing in.
Kaito had never hitchhiked in his life. It sounded more than a little dangerous, specially here in the West, but thankfully it was a sunny day, and they could warp away if a creep tried anything. On the other hand, would anyone bother to pick up two strangers?
The question was answered soon enough. Not a quarter hour later, a red pickup truck slowed down to a stop next to them, and a big bearded fellow poked his head out. "You kids ok?" He examined Gakupo's bandaged feet with concern.
"We had a little accident." Kaito managed to sound contrite.
The man shook his head. "Never underestimate nature, I keep saying. Kids like you, with your electronic doodads…" He sighed dramatically. "Wait a sec." He climbed down and effortlessly lifted Gakupo, carrying him bridal-style to the car. "What's this, some kind of costume? Were you playing wizards or something?"
"Costume?" Gakupo repeated, lost.
"Ah, well…" Kaito tried to cut in, before he realized he didn't know what to say.
"You two are a bit old for that sort of thing, don't you think?" The man clicked his tongue, but then shrugged. "At least you didn't get badly hurt, that's what matters. I guess you lost your bag too?"
"Yes, sir." Kaito replied after Gakupo failed to react. Perhaps he was having difficulty adapting to the man's thick accent.
"That's Louis, kid. Never been a sir, never will. Or Mister Marshall if you're feeling fancy." He carefully placed Gakupo on the rear seats. "Lay down, you seem a bit dazed." The endling obeyed without a word.
Kaito sat on the passenger seat, after smiling to Gakupo. "I'm Kaito, Mr. Marshall."
"Nice to meet you, Kaito. What about the white prince back there?"
"Erm…he's Gakupo." Kaito hesitated for a moment. But was the harm in telling this man their names? It was better than to invent something and risk slipping out the true name later.
"That's foreigner names for you… Well, no matter. Where do I take you kids? Did you call your family?" Marshall asked after he climbed back behind the wheel.
"They'll be waiting for us at the Metropolitan, you know, the hospital downtown?" Kaito lied. He imagined his father waiting anxiously for news of him, and his stomach churned. He had to call Mr. Fuuga as soon as possible.
"I think I know which one you mean. Ok, let's go." The pickup truck roared back to life and they were off on their way.
Kaito had chosen that particular hospital more or less at random, but it actually was a good choice. It was close to the shopping district, and there were a few cheap hotels nearby where he could hide Gakupo for a few hours while he went to investigate his apartment.
Marshall didn't ask too many questions during their journey. After he arrived at a conclusion he liked regarding the 'accident', he seemed to be doing a great job at filling the blanks himself. He lectured Kaito all the way on the follies of the young and the city folk, probably a topic he greatly enjoyed.
"You sure you don't want me to wait here with you for a while? Or get you inside?" Marshall asked for the third or fourth time after he parked in front of the entrance of the hospital. There were a few neatly trimmed bushes and neat benches lining the grey walls. A couple of cabs waited nearby for clients.
"My parents should be here any minute, and I said we'd wait out here." Kaito replied.
"All righty then, let me get your bud to one of those benches." Marshall jump down and opened the door of the rear seats. "Did you fall asleep, kid? You haven't said a word for a while."
"No…" Gakupo said quietly.
Marshall carried him to one of the benches and laid him down gently. He then grabbed Kaito by the shoulders and whispered into his ear, "He might have a concussion, make sure the doctors check his head, alright?"
"Right, s-Mr. Marshall." Kaito mumbled; Gakupo actually looked a little off to him, maybe he was carsick.
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be alright."
Right about then, another vehicle began honking its horn to get Marshall to move his truck. The man gave them a rude gesture and ruffled Kaito's hair. "Gotta go."
"Thank you, Mr. Marshall! " Kaito said at the retreating figure. The man waved at him, already starting the engine. A moment later, the pickup truck joined the traffic of the avenue and disappeared from sight.
"I feel a bit guilty about lying to him," the blue-haired youth commented in a low tone, as he sat on the bench near Gakupo's head. "Are you alright? You look pale."
"I don't like car. Bad air," Gakupo replied. He sniffed and added, "the city smells bad too."
"Yeah, well…" Kaito shrugged. His lungs were probably as grungy as the ones of any inhabitant of a modern city. If anything, the sweetness of the air back at Gakupo's hideout seemed strange to him. "Just relax here for a moment. There's a pharmacy and a medical supplies store next to the hospital, I'll get you a crutch and we can get going. Ah, I'll need the data assistant to pay."
Gakupo untied the satchel from his belt and handed it over.
"Don't talk to anyone. If anyone from the hospital comes out, tell them you're waiting for someone."
Kaito ran to the nearest store, as he turned the data assistant on. It was still working, despite the cracked screen. Hopefully the payment sensor in the store would detect it without trouble. As it came back online, a veritable fountain of notifications began to claim for his attention. Now that he was back in a zone covered by the net, the device was once more his tether to the world. He decided to keep focused on the present and ignore the notifications for the time being.
As he crossed the threshold of the medical supplies store, Kaito casually passed the data assistant over the queue box. It chimed happily and told him his expected waiting time was five minutes. Those apparatuses were as infamously unreliable as weathermen, but this time the machine was correct, since the shop was almost empty. Only eight minutes later Kaito jogged back to the bench, crutch in hand.
"Here." He helped Gakupo stand up and coached him for a while on the use of the crutch. Finally, with Kaito holding the fae tightly, they managed to get going at a slow but regular pace.
"Where are we going? Your home?" Gakupo asked, carefully keeping his eyes on the road.
"No, I don't want to take you there just yet. The Pale Line could be aware of who I am and where I live. If that's the case, they could have someone watching and- oh crap."
"What?" Gakupo asked, barely keeping himself upright after Kaito stopped abruptly.
"If they know who I am, they could be tracing my net activity. If so, they'll know I just paid for something using this." Kaito waved the data assistant around. "Great, I'll have to take out as much cash as I can later, if I can find an ATM. Now that I think about this… love hotels apparently disguise their transactions well…"
"I don't understand."
"I'll explain later. Let's take this street." Kaito pointed to the right, where the avenue branched into a smaller, quieter street. If he remembered Hiroshi's ramblings correctly, there were a couple of love hotels nearby that could make for a decent hiding spot.
"Yeah, here we go." Within mercifully close distance, Kaito saw a building with no windows. That had to be one of them. Given the activities that usually happened inside this sort of places, natural light was an acceptable loss.
I wonder if this can be considered a date…Kaito smiled crookedly as he almost dragged Gakupo inside one of the faintly lit entrances of the hotel. It seemed to have two, but the other was closed. As Kaito expected, the entrance hall had a big touchscreen with a selection of rooms and prices, the familiar payment sensor and a slot for cash and a waiting elevator. Nothing and -more importantly- no one else could be seen.
Once Kaito and Gakupo stood before the screen, the door seamlessly closed behind them. It was likely to keep them from running into other couples visiting the building. Still, it was a little creepy to be caged inside this poorly lit place. Kaito passed the data assistant over the sensor and the touchscreen lit up, highlighting the current available rooms. He selected the option for 'unlimited stay' and turned towards the fae.
"Do you want any room in particular?" He asked jokingly, to ease his nerves.
"Room?"
"We are staying here for a while. Just pick one." Kaito pointed at the screen.
Gakupo blinked at him in confusion, then examined the screen. He touched it gingerly, and withdrew the hand quickly when a disembodied voice piped up.
"Thank you for your selection. Your room is indicated with a red light. Please enjoy your stay."
"Oh, wow. Hmm..." Kaito blushed. "Sure, if that's what you want." Though honestly, he was the one overthinking things, if Gakupo's expression was any indication.
Once they were on the elevator, the fae asked innocently, "What's a 'deviant's dungeon'?"