Warning: The following chapter contains an adult scene. Because Tsuyo deserves it. And so does KS. Actually, the first scene is for the Hunkateers – because you ladies are AMAZING!

In my part of the world, we call those flashing bugs fireflies. My Aunt and Uncle call them lightening bugs, and it seemed more appropriate for this world.

It would be very nice to know if people are enjoying the story. I know people are reading, but I am curious - are you reading because you feel you need to or are like the story?

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsuyoshi pushed away from the table where his current project lay in pieces to pace around the room. The last month had passed swiftly, but he could no longer put off returning back to the castle. His assistant did a great of job of day to day maintenance and keeping the rest of his crew in line, but several projects waited his return, progress stalled until he could put his hands on the pieces and feel what they told him. Plus, truth be told, he missed the collaborative environment; the way an offhand remark could send his mind on a new tangent to either fix a problem or give an idea for improvement or a new way of doing something. The restless feeling increased, and he wandered into the kitchen to see what his wife had done for the morning.

Tsuyo found Saria in the kitchen balanced on one leg on a stool trying to reach something in the top cupboard. In a movie, she would have slipped just as he entered the kitchen. He would have miraculously caught her and a romantic moment would have followed. Instead, he just admired his wife's backside and thought about ways of convincing her to take the afternoon off for a romantic picnic for two.

"I can feel you staring, Yoshi."

"Can't blame a man for admiring the sights."

"But I can blame the man for staring in silence instead of waxing rapturously over the sights."

The man smiled and wandered over to stand behind his wife. With a quick look around, he did one better, and let his hands cup her backside in a caress before letting them wander around to the front to tease.

Saria gasped and gripped the shelf as Yoshi's hand dipped into her pants to tease her. The other hand wandered under her shirt to caress and cup her breast as his teeth grazed against her neck, nipping and kissing from her ear to her shoulder.

"Are you super busy, Sar?" He asked with another subtle movement of his hand.

"I think I could be enticed into taking a break." She responded a little breathlessly.

"Good." Hunk removed his hands to turn Saria around on the stool and then lift her so her legs straddled his waist. Gripping her under her bottom with one hand, he used his other to grip her behind her neck and lower his mouth to hers. Saria slid her hands under his shirt, and used the leverage to rub herself against her husband. With an appreciative sound, Tsuyo pressed her even harder against his front and started to walk in the direction of their bedroom. He barely had the presence of mind to take her there and not simply press his wife against the wall of the kitchen.

Dimly, as he walked the fifty feet to their bedroom, he heard Cady's voice.

"Daddy, they are kissing again!"

Male laugher greeted the pronouncement, "Well, Cady, they just married a few months ago, and most people who have only been married a short time like to kiss a lot."

"Oh. Well then, I am never going to be married. Kisses are gross!"

"All kisses? Even special Daddy kisses."

"We-eeeel, no. But kisses from boys. That are not Uncles or Daddy."

"C'mon Cady, I think I hear Black calling."

"Can we fly?"

"We can talk to Black. . ."

Keith's voice faded as the Yellow Pilot reached his and Saria's room. The door closed automatically behind them, and Tsuyo walked the last few steps to the bed, before laying Saria down on it. He paused a moment in his assault on her mouth, to push up on his forearms. She took advantage of his position to slip her hands into his pants. His breath hissed out as she let her fingers dance up and down. "Saria. . . "

"Less talking, more doing."

Tsuyo laughed. "As my lady commands."

The rest of the afternoon proved the very best way to combat boredom and restlessness.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cady bounced out of the cabin and jumped down the stairs before turning to watch her Dad walk through the door. He walked with a smile on his face and hands in his pockets, with the look on his face that told Cady he and Black had started having a discussion. She smiled, humming under her breath as she started down the path to where Black had claimed his landing spot. He loved the glade and enjoyed watching the wildlife in the mornings. Spinning in a circle, Cady watched her Dad in snippets as he strolled down the path behind her. No one except Black had believed her when she said her Dad would recover. Cady had known. She did not doubt for one minute that her Dad would come back to her. The adults had all tried to tell her different. Cady did not understand how the adults could not see. Black had tried to explain it to her once, but his explanation did not make any sense. Black had finally sighed and told Cady that he hoped she never learned to understand, that her belief made her powerful in many ways.

Becoming dizzy, Cady plopped down in a particularly soft looking piece of grass and watched the sky as it spun above her head. Her Dad's head blocked the sun as he leaned over her. "Done spinning yet?"

"Yes. I am really dizzy, now."

"Too dizzy for a ride? Black says it is particularly fine flying weather."

Cady promptly tried to jump to her feet, only to lurch sideways. Her Dad caught her and swung her up into a bear hug. "Whoops-a-daisy."

Hugging him as tight as she could, Cady felt happy. They had spent over a month at the cabin, and her Dad looked so much better. He did not run out of breath so fast, and they had started sparring together about a week before. Uncle Tsuyo told Cady to still take care, because her Dad still had a long way to go before he could do everything like he had before the RoBeast. So Cady did what Uncle 'Yo asked, and slowed down to her Dad's speed and made sure to watch how hard she hit. Her Dad had taken them back to the basics, to help his body remember the movements. Cady knew he spent a lot of time doing other things, therapy, her Dad said, when she worked with Nanny M. in the kitchen or at her lessons. Aunt Saria spent a lot of time with Dad as well, and Cady had heard her Aunt yelling at her Dad several times when he did something she had not approved.

"Ready to go for a flight, now?"

Cady nodded, and squirmed until her Dad set her down to run the rest of the way toward Black. Looking over her shoulder, she saw her Dad chasing after her, and with a squeal, she tried to run even faster. Behind her, she heard her Dad laugh, but she made it to Black first. Whirling around, she saw her Dad slow down the last few steps, panting a little bit. "I won!"

"You won." He joined her on the elevator, which Black started.

When they came to the Cabin, Cady put on her Helmet and then pulled out the co-pilot seat. Uncle Darrell had designed it for training purposes and to allow a passenger or observer. He could not understand why the original designers of the Lions had overlooked that detail, so he had fixed it. He had even changed the restraint system, so that it could and did adjust better to the size of the person in the seat. Cady fastened the restraints then turned to watch her Dad do the pre-flight checks.

"No turtle suit, today, Cady, so Black says we will have to take it easy."

Cady nodded. Aunt Saria had explained how her Dad's bones had lost their strength, and would have to build up again. Until then, he had to have protection from the pressure of flying so they would not break. She did not care if they flew easy today, as long as they flew.

After the pre-flight check, they launched into the air. Cady could not stop the grin on her face as the world grew small under them. She exchanged a laugh with her Dad as they went higher and higher. Black purred in contentment as the three just enjoyed their time together.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keith rocked on the porch in "his" chair, simply enjoying the quiet. He would never admit it to Mikko, but he had enjoyed his forced vacation from the world. The screen door opened with a small creak that Tsuyo refused to fix. "A front screen door to the porch is supposed to creak. Otherwise, it's not right."

Magda came out on the porch, two mugs in her hands. She handed one to Keith and then went to sit at her spot on the porch swing. "I do not think we will see the newlyweds until morning, and Cady went out like a light."

"We had a busy day today."

"I saw."

The pair sat in quiet for some time, sipping their tea and enjoying the company. Finally, Magda sighed and set aside her mug. "We need to have a talk."

"About?"

"Allura."

"Ah." Keith did not say anything for several minutes, and Magda waited patiently for his response. She knew not to push the conversation, but to wait until Keith had sorted his thoughts for a few minutes. Finally, Keith ran a hand through his hair, and looked at Magda, "What sort of talk?"

"Keith."

"Magda."

"Do I need to spell it out?"

The young groom put his head back against the head rest, and closed his eyes. "No." He stayed that way for several minutes, before sighing and looking at Magda. "I did not look for this. I thought that part of my life had ended."

He stood up, setting his mug down, before going to stand on the porch looking out on the darkness occasionally lit by a lightening bug. "I know Allura had a crush. But I was an off-worlder, a divorced father. I did my best to redirect that crush elsewhere. . . I know she loves me, Magda. I know she adores Cady, and sees Cady as her daughter, too. She loves Cady without reservation."

"And you?"

"I don't know. I love Allura, no question there. But I never looked on her in a romantic way. I couldn't because she is the Crown Princess of Arus, and I am, or was, just an outlander."

"And what about now? Can you see her in a romantic way?"

"I am trying. Honestly, until this last month, I could not see beyond how much I hurt all the time. Every day seemed to blur together where either I felt drugged, or artificially good when Mikko would let me have an Agappon booster, or just tired and in pain."

"Forgive an old woman for being blunt, but did you consummate your marriage?"

Keith startled and turned to look at Magda. "Noooo" he began reluctantly.

"Because you couldn't or didn't want to?"

He gave Magda a wry smile, "Allura is a beautiful, intelligent, desirable woman."

"Ah. Couldn't then." She gave him a considering look, "And now?"

He shrugged one shoulder, "I do not see why 'couldn't' would be a factor now. I have tried to show Allura she is desirable, and tried to woo her as best I could. . . " he trailed off.

"But it is hard to focus on someone else, when you have not quite joined the real world?"

Keith felt his mouth drop open, "What? How? I thought. . ." he stuttered.

"That you were the only one the lions talk to? Or that no one would notice?"

"Wait. What? The lions talk to you?" Keith reached out to grab one of the porch beams.

Magda only chuckled, "Boy, you may know much about the lions, but you do not know all. Of course I talk with the lions. How else do you think I keep abreast of everything? How else can I pry information out of you? Of course, I do not talk to the them like you do. You are rather unique in that regard, but we do communicate. Black often lets me know when you need to stop, take a break, or otherwise need to talk. We have had a conspiracy for years to take care of you and the rest of the boys. It took a while, but between the lions and myself, we found a way to support each of you boys whether I needed to bully, bribe, or cajole you to what you needed."

Keith felt like someone had hit him with a 2x4 to the back of the head. He could feel Black's amusement. How had he never figured it out?

"Because you did not need to, m'boy. You had enough on your plate, that we could do this thing for you because you are loved."

Stumbling a bit, Keith went to kneel in front of Magda, and take both her hands in his before kissing her cheek. "I know you have watched out for me, but this." He shook his head, "Thank you."

Magda pulled one of her hands free to pat his cheek, "I love you, Keith. You have become something like a son to me, and I am very proud of you."

After a few moments, Magda shook her head and gave Keith a sharp pat on the face. "Enough of being maudlin. Sit here and we are going to plot on how you can seduce your bride and build the relationship you should have."

Keith levered himself to his feet, and then sat next to Magda.

"Ok then, the first thing we are going to do. . . ."