A feather-light touch roused him from his slumber. After Kai had steeled himself and told himself that he could see his fellow villagers again, he had crawled back under the covers and slept soundly. He opened his eyes and saw Zane standing over him with kind eyes and a gentle smile.

"Good morning," he said in a sing-song voice. "How are you feeling?" The hunter sat up and swung his legs over the side of the nest-mattress without standing. He took in a deep breath then let it back out.

"Ready," the hunter replied dryly.

"Let's get some breakfast. The ceremony starts at noon," Zane hummed, holding out his hand. Kai took it and stood. He walked, zombie-like, into the kitchen. He was given a surprisingly hearty breakfast, and was shocked to learn that yokai actually preferred human foods instead of foraging, like he had been told. "I must inform you that it is traditional that we do not see each other when we get to the palace. The handmaids will help us change and ready the ceremony. Just follow the instructions that Harumi gives us, and everything will run smoothly."

"Alright," Kai mumbled, taking a bite of toast. The falcon yokai's shoulders dropped a tad, and he placed a hand on top of the human's head. It was a sign of solidarity that the huntsman really appreciated at a time like this.

"That is correct," the hybrid assured him. "Everything will be alright." Kai tried to smile, but all he managed was a huff of thankfulness.

They finished their meal and stepped out onto the porch, watching the sun complete rising for a few minutes until Zane nudged him. He surrendered to the hold this time and made sure to focus on not feeling anxious as they jumped off the wooden platform. They flew through the air, back towards the castle that they had been in just one day earlier. This time, when they landed, the guards let them inside without a single word.

Harumi was standing in the center of the room, purposefully holding the stance of a ruler. Her helpers walked towards them, once more separating him. Kai saw the bird that had given him a somewhat confusing speech yesterday. She gave him a smirk before taking out the suit from a nearby closet.

"Ladies, I want three of you to get the dust ready. Find something... hmm... sunny," the leader instructed, and a trio moved off towards one side of the large room. "Aisha, bring me the shoes. You two, stand by for hair." The human allowed the handmaidens to dress him, somewhat happy to be back in that beautiful suit. As soon as he was fully clothed, the yokai named Aisha brought him a pair of white shoes. He slipped them on, finding them to fit him perfectly.

"Dust," the chief called out, and the three who had scurried away moved back towards him with a palette in hand. They dipped a brush into the sparkling pigment and applied it to his face. There was a golden color that was brushed near his eyes and his cheeks were tinted with rouge. "Ah, that's perfect." The final designated pair walked up to him and helped straighten out his bedhead, something that made him embarrassed compared to everything else. It must have made them think that he did not take care of himself. However, another look and he realized that they did not seem to mind at all.

The group stepped back and looked at him with smiles. He took this as a choice to stand, and looked at himself in the mirror. The makeup on his face outlined his features to made him look almost elven. Kai grinned despite himself.

"Are you ready?" said the head of the maids. He paused, then nodded, ready to face the decision head on. He felt like he had spent enough time moping, and whatever would come, he would attempt to be ready for it. "Then you may wait here." The women all sat down and chatted while the leader left, and Kai paced around the room, wondering what the event would be like. How many people did Zane know? He was somewhat downtrodden that nobody from Jamonikai would be attending his wedding, if he could really call it that.

As time passed, he became less nervous. Kai remained patient, and about an hour later the woman returned.

"Follow me," she beckoned, and the hunter smoothed out his suit one last time. He let her lead him through the palace halls, and eventually she poised him in front of a door set. "Good luck." The woman left him there, motionless with his heart in his throat. Suddenly, the eruption of cheers jarred him from his anxiety. The doors were opened by guards, and he saw that he was perpendicular to the front altar. Everything was the same as yesterday, although there was a large crowd of yokai. Some were peaceful looking hybrids, others were deformed or terrifying creatures. Some of them were spirits that did not have the ability to fly, and that puzzled the human. Directly across the room from him he saw Zane, standing in the same place he was in reference to Princess Harumi, who stood in the center of the raised floor.

She beckoned them to step forward, and with nervous steps Kai obliged. They met in the middle, watching as wings fluttered in his peripheral vision. The Jade Princess grinned and told them, "Mirror my movements." She crossed her arms in an X, and the pair did the same.

"Take each other's hands," she instructed, and they followed her orders. He looked at the shimmering, bright aquamarine dust that was painted on the yokai's face. He was wearing a similar suit to his, although it had shorter sleeves and different buttons, along with accommodations for his wings. "Subjects, today is the day that these two beings shall share their souls for the first time. As mates, they shall be inseparable, hearts beating as one until their time comes at the end of their lives." Kai's hand twitched, and Zane shot him a look of encouragement.

I can't do this, he panicked in his mind. No! I can! I just have to stay calm. I'll see Nya again, it'll just take some time. As long as I finish this, I'll be able to see everyone back at home I just know it.

"Divine spirits, come forth and forge a bond that shall stand the tests of time," Harumi called out with her palms raised to the sky. Kai felt something rush from his chest, and soon two glowing orbs glistened above them. The assembly "oohed" and "aahed", and the princess gave them one last confident grin before placing her fingers on the shoulders that faced her. "Forever, linked. Forever, loved. Forever, bonded." Something crackled, and saw the two bright souls flicker before clashing. Another second later and they twitched as they accepted their vital forces again.

He saw Zane's hand begin to glow with some sort of white light, and cast a glance down at his own fingers to see a ring appear. It was a simple band, but appeared to have certain engravings on it that he would have time to inspect later.

Kai could feel something alien in the back of his mind, a second presence of unease. He remembered the princess's brief explanation, and told himself that this was the connection that he could feel with Zane. There was no doubt that his partner could feel his anxiety as well. The gathered yokai whooped and clapped. Harumi allowed them to let go of each other, and they slumped a bit, suddenly weighted with a second consciousness.

"These rings signify your pact of loyalty," the princess continued. "Go forth, and claim your new life with joy."

"Are you set for the festivities?" the falcon hybrid grinned. Kai cleared his throat and smiled back warily. He had gone through with it.

"Yeah," he finally choked out, almost falling against his new significant other. He swiftly regained his balance to avoid looking like an idiot, and the whole room stacked their chairs as they stepped over to the banquet table. Zane milled about with a few of the people in the crowd, and Kai introduced himself to the yokai as they came up to congratulate him. They were all suspicious because he was human, unlike them, but still made merry with him.

Soon everyone was talking at once, filling the palace with revelry. Zane eventually stuck next to Kai, ushering him to and fro. No matter what he tried to tell himself, he was having a good time. They cut the cake and ate it, danced, played traditional games, and even drank. The white-haired boy did not seem to be affected by all the sake, but it hit Kai hard. He convinced himself that he was only drinking socially, but it certainly helped offset the distress inside of him.

"Are you feeling, well... alright?" the winged yokai asked after a few rounds of the sweet beverage. Kai snorted with laughter, looping an arm around Zane's shoulders.

"I'm fine!" he laughed. "Never better!"

"Are you sure?" Zane asked charily. The human pressed his nose into the falcon's jawline with a chuckle.

"Why would I lie to my new husband?" Kai drawled. The statement made Zane's feathers physically ruffle. Under the influence, the huntsman laughed again. He felt something sting at his eyes. "Whoops."

"You are nearly crying," the beast pointed out. "It has been a few hours since the party began. I should get you home." Kai did not want to relinquish his drink, but Zane coaxed it away from him after a couple minutes. They snuck out, casually mentioning that everyone should continue having fun in their absence.

The pair made their way up to the marble dais and flew off. Kai locked his fingers into the fabric of Zane's outfit. He felt that if he moved too far to the side, he would fall out of the cradling hold and plummet to the ground miles below.

"Can I sleep?" the human asked. Zane sighed and tucked him closer.

"Go ahead," said the yokai. "Do you want me to fly around for a while? It might help you fall asleep faster."

"Don't drop me," Kai murmured. "I'm sorry. Just... don't drop me. I drank too much, I'm sorry. I'm not having fun. I dunno how I... I feel about having a husband." He felt Zane give a heaving breath and swiftly change direction.

"I am getting you back home," the falcon told him. Kai nodded, and pressed his cheek into the yokai's chest.

"I'm scared."

"I know, Kai."

"What am I now that we forged... ah... the uh..."

"Bond?"

"Mhm." There was a pause. Zane began to sink in altitude, then they stopped moving with a few powerful wing motions and a soft pat sound as his shoes landed on the wood. Kai felt him hold him up with his wings for a split second as he opened the front door. When the half-bird held him in his arms again, he felt safer.

"You're my mate," Zane finally said. "For life." Kai furrowed his brows and refused to open his eyes, even when he was lowered onto something soft. It had to be the bed he had now spent two nights in. This was his room now, right?

He surrendered to the soothing hands of sleep, feeling them tug at his mind and body. Soon, he drifted away.

Kai shuddered when he woke, suddenly jolting from his dreams. He opened his eyes and winced, adjusting to the light. In front of him was a figure sleeping. He was able to deduce that it was Zane. That meant that he was no longer in the guest room. Wrapped over them both was a fur blanket, and draped over only him was one large falcon wing. He wriggled away and attempted to get out of the nest-like bed. However, this only roused his sleeping soul partner. The yokai's bright blue eyes slowly opened and a smile graced his pale pink lips.

"Good morning, darling," Zane smiled. Kai sprung backwards and to his feet.

"Don't call me that," he told him, coming off more aggressive than he had planned. However, he did mean that. Zane yawned and stretched his wings out.

"Apologies," the half-bird said, lacking the disappointment that Kai thought he would receive. The hunter looked down and saw that he was still wearing the white and gold bonding outfit whereas the yokai was in a simple set of bedclothes. "Sadly, I have to get a few artifacts decoded today. Breakfast will be lighter than yesterday." Kai ran a hand through his hair, feeling the domestic tone in his heart. The sweetness that dripped from his words became sickening, and he had to force himself to get a grip. Today was the first day that he would be living with the yokai, and he was going to at least try to accept that fact without unnecessary malice.

"That's fine," he grumbled, still shaking off his drowsiness. The taller boy stood and crossed the room, wings flexing and rolling in order to get proper feeling back in them, Kai supposed.

"Ah, I should take you to the market when I get back this afternoon," Zane sighed. "I forgot that you do not have new clothes to change into. Please forgive me, but I am afraid that what you wore when you arrived will have to do for today."

"Fine," the human huffed. He crossed his arms and went to retrieve those garments, which a handmaiden had dropped by at the doorstep some time last night. In their rush to leave they had completely forgotten about the clothes that they left behind while getting made up for the ceremony.

He went back to the guest room to change, in no mood to be intimate with this practical stranger. The thoughts in his mind were sour, contrasting everything he should have felt after pledging his life to someone else. The large, tree-top cottage felt like a prison, especially considering that he had found no way of getting down the exceedingly large trunks of the Kyoboku Forest. How those flightless yokai had made it to the forging, he did not yet understand, but he attempted to convince himself that eventually he would and might even be able to mimic whatever they had done.

When he was finished dressing for the day, he joined his partner in the kitchen. The beast's movements were very calculating, they almost seemed mechanical. Then again, a lot of birds of prey were known to still themselves until the perfect time to strike. Bacon and an assortment of fruit was set out in front of him, and even though he did not have much hunger he still ate.

Zane finished long before he did, and as the human slowly finished his meal he leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded hands. It was difficult to focus on the food when someone was staring at him blankly. When he finally met his new companion's leer, the falcon's expression softened into a look of adoration.

If his kind attitude was not enough to make Kai feel awful about wanting to leave, his features were definitely another huge factor. The boy was handsome, in a charming and innocent way. He had already washed off the shiny aquamarine dust, but his cheeks were still fairly accentuated. Zane appeared well-kept, with a tidiness to his appearance not unlike a bird who preened itself often to maintain its health.

Kai pushed the chair back and stood. The yokai took the dishes and insisted that he washed them while the human scrubbed off the ceremonial pigment. He reluctantly agreed, inching around him to walk to the bathroom. Once he closed the door behind him, he took a long look in the mirror.

Everything that had happened the previous day was still attached to him. His makeup and hair were still somehow immaculate. He scowled at the reflection and how wrong it seemed to look like this. He should not be standing there, all dolled up while Nya was probably looking for him without a chance in the world of finding her brother. The boy intentionally screwed up his hair and got rid of the powder on his skin.

As he held the sides of the sink, he made eye contact with himself, daring his image to move. Surrendering to his own icy glare, his gaze flew down to the ring on his finger. It's small engravings showed snowy patterns and a flowing, wintery dragon. The band was a symbol for his link to Zane, and in a flash of fury he attempted to take it off. The metal shocked him, as if trying to keep him from getting rid of it. However, he yanked the jewelry away from him and held it up to the light. It felt accursed in his iron grip.

As if on cue the little feelings in the back of his mind blossomed again. Amidst his own anger he felt foreign fear. Why was Zane scared? Incoming footsteps triggered some sort of reaction, causing him to quickly put the ring back on. The most logical reasoning for this was that he wanted to spare his partner's feelings on the matter. Although he had a feeling that with this new bond the yokai probably already knew just how unwilling Kai was to go through with this.

"Is everything alright?" asked Zane as he stopped at the door. Kai forced his anger down so that he could reply. There was no need to be bitter towards this kind stranger.

"Yeah," he puffed, crossing his arms. It was obvious that his new husband did not believe him, but he still gave him a halfway genuine smile.

"Well, I'm heading out," the half-falcon told him. "Be sure that you eat something when lunch time rolls around. I'll be back this afternoon." The hunter shied away slightly when the yokai wrapped his arms around him, but then forced himself to remain still. The more complaisant he was, the more appeased Zane would be, and the less guilty he would feel about asking to see his old home again. However, he instinctively wriggled out of the beast's grip when he felt him plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Bye," Kai burst as he broke from the unwanted contact. He turned a bit away from his new housemate, waiting for him to leave. Zane's connection slowly welled up with hurt.

Well what'd he expect? the human reasoned with himself. Not everyone likes to be kissed by someone they just met a few days ago! He crossed his arms and let his gaze drop to the floor. If it was always going to be like this, being constantly unassertive would never get him anywhere. He refused to compromise his boundaries because of some stupid pact that he was never supposed to take part in in the first place.

"Right," the white-haired boy mumbled. With that, he stepped outside, and Kai waited until he heard the front entrance click shut before exiting the washroom. He walked out into the living room and stood in the center. What was he supposed to do all day? He looked around, gaze finally landing on a bookshelf. The hunter stepped over to the collection of novels, and skimmed through the titles until he found one that would, surprisingly, help him: A Compendium of Avian Spirits. He supposed that this was a fitting distraction for the time being.

Pixal had always been rather excitable, seeing that she was a dragon yokai. Today, however, she was bouncing off the walls, hardly able to stay in one place for more than a moment. The violet markings on her pure white skin glowed and flickered as she hopped around.

"Oh, I'm so proud of you!" she squealed, hugging Zane tightly. "I hardly got to see him last night, you both left so fast-" She stopped in her tracks, tufted tail pausing mid-twirl. Pixal pressed her palms to his cheeks, looking him dead in the eye with an invasive, sly grin.

"Did you... nest?" she gasped, and the falcon pulled away with an embarrassed laugh.

"Of course not!" he called out to his friend. "He's a human, Pixal. Plus, he's a tad... standoffish."

"Oh?" The silver-haired girl jumped up and sat on one of the desks. "How so?"

"He apparently does not enjoy physical contact," Zane replied, taking out a bell that they had been trying to archive for a few days. His companion gave him a sympathetic grin as she picked up a few textbooks that would assist in figuring out just how old the metal of the instrument was.

"You always were a bit of a hugger," she sighed. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come around. No. I know he will. You forged a bond with him, and that means that you are meant to be together. The spirits will draw him to you eventually." The half-bird knew this fact already, but the way that Kai had turned him away that morning definitely tugged at his heartstrings. He looked at the pages of the volumes in front of him and focused with all his might, yet could not shake that memory off.

"Oh Zane," Pixal chuckled, ruffling his hair. "You're already head over heels, hmm? I figured that when you found your match you'd fall in love instantly. It's certainly in your nature." While his feelings were a little more complicated than that, he was only asking for a little reciprocation of affection, he dropped his shoulders.

"What if it takes him a long time to warm up to me?" the falcon worried. "What if it takes a month, or a year, or more? I don't know how human courtship works." His friend placed one hand on his shoulder and the other on her chin, leaning against him while she thought.

"You are very patient, but I know that even you can't wait that long," said the dragon. "Perhaps you should ask him what human romances entail. Ooh, that would be some interesting research." The winged boy considered this, toying with the idea for a while as he worked. He thought it would be fun to discover how Kai preferred the courting process to work. There was a wide gap between their two ways of life, but he figured that in order to be a better mate he must learn to meet his partner halfway. He cracked a smile.

"I'm taking Kai to the market later," Zane beamed. "Perhaps he and I should discuss the terms of our relationship over dinner."

"Ever the romantic," Pixal laughed. She marked down a few more notes on the object before them, looking up her observations in the encyclopedia she was holding.

He fell into thoughts of what the future held, daydreams blossoming so vividly that if he closed his eyes for a moment he could spend a second or two in that world. The human that he had brought into his life acted aloof, and yet he was irresistibly... there was no better word than "fluffy". His hair was silky to the touch, his facial attributes strong against the soft, sun kissed skin that he sported. His eyes held an undeniable and alluring glitter, his lips were distractingly expressive. He wondered what it would be like if the human would allow him to feel them against his own.

"If I could kiss him," he mumbled blissfully, leaning against the desk with a dreamy sigh. He heard his friend giggle beside him. Zane whirled and held up a finger with a wide-eyed smile. "Just once!" Pixal grinned and completed the scribblings that she needed in order to formulate a proper description.

"Simple dreamer, eh?" she said, and Zane lazily fell back to his work with a grin. As he continued to observe the artifacts, he reflected on the small explanation Kai had given him about the human concept of 'marriage'. It was a foreign term, to be sure, but the word felt so right to him. He was the hunter's 'husband'- yet another unfamiliar expression -and he wanted to live up to that definition to the best of his abilities.

Kai hated to admit it, but he was instantly enchanted by the yokai marketplace. It was held between quite a few trees, with rope bridges connecting each large platform. Atop those platforms were a multitude of shops and restaurants, one of which he and his recently bonded partner were seated at now. They were about halfway through their meal, a bizarre dish that he never would have thought to have been even remotely edible had Zane not explained what it was. There was obviously something on the partial falcon's mind, as he was squirming in his seat and constantly darting his gaze back to his companion while he silently bit his lip.

"What's up?" Kai finally asked, and the yokai ceased his fidgeting. "Is there something you wanna talk about?" Zane nodded without speaking, refraining from softly gnawing on his bottom lip. It must have been a habit of his.

"I was thinking about what you said during our ceremony preparations," he spoke up. "And... this morning." Kai sucked in air through his teeth. Hopefully the poor guy did not feel too bad about his rejection of the displays of affection. During the day he had used the plentiful time to reflect on the acidic thoughts he had possessed after the encounter. The peck had been unwanted, but that was because he had not known it was coming. Receiving such endearment from someone he did not know anything about made him panic.

He had come to the realization that because Zane had grown up with the custom of strictly yokai relationships, he was just acting accordingly. Kai wanted to tell him to take it slow because he was human, but he also wanted to tell him that he would try to think on his desires from his point of view as well. However, his stubbornness caused him to hold his tongue.

"I wish to ask you about how humans go about romantic interactions," Zane told him, face tilted slightly downwards in a timid nature. "And what your boundaries are regarding physicality." The hunter was more than relieved. He was ready to get things off his chest.

"Well, for starters, we humans don't get hitched after we meet the person we think is 'the one'," he began. "I guess that's how it works with yokai, but it usually takes a year, at the very least. Normally three years or more is good grounds for marriage. When two people become boyfriend and girlfriend- or boyfriend and boyfriend or y'know whatever, they take each other out on dates. Like right now. This is a date." Zane nodded, and he was thankful that the beast at least knew what a date was.

"Well, you never wanna get married to someone you won't end up loving until you die," Kai pointed out. "Marriages can be broken, and that is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone." The falcon leaned forward, eyes sparkling with interest.

"That's what I don't understand," said Zane. "Why would humans pledge their lives to somebody that they might not love forever? Why take the risk? A yokai knows that they have found their soulmate when they forge their bond. Lifelong affection sounds like what a marriage should be, but that is not always the case."

"Right," said the hunter. "Harumi told me that we will never break apart, and that I'll love you no matter what... so..." He trailed off, clearing his throat and attempting to hide his red face with a hand. He could not bear to gaze at the pure look of hope on Zane's face for much longer than a second. It was too pure and ecstatic.

"Anyway, you wanted to talk about boundaries?" he went on, changing the subject. The half-bird straightened his spine, and Kai could feel his embarrassment as he tried to find the right words.

"Perhaps it is best if I ask you questions and you tell me your honest belief," the blue-eyed boy finally pushed out. When the human nodded, Zane took a moment, clearly fumbling for something to ask. "Um, what is your opinion on hand holding?"

"That's fine," Kai shrugged. That one was easy to get used to.

"Are hugs allowed right now?" Zane asked, and the hunter grinned just barely at his shyness.

"Yeah, hugs are okay," he replied. There was that glimmer of hope in the yokai's eyes again.

"May I kiss you?" the winged boy said, anticipation potent in his voice. Kai took another deep breath, really considering this one. It was quite obvious that Zane was a person who liked to show his love through physical contact, and the hunter was on the fence about his own feelings. Back in Jamonikai, he had really just kept to himself and focused on catching game for the village and Nya. He had never really experimented with relationships, and was deeply considering where he stood on the matter.

"Just not on the lips... for now," he mumbled bashfully, furrowing his brow at the fact that he was even having this discussion. Zane's wings flapped just slightly, but then he suppressed the movement. "And, um... that's it for me. I don't wanna go any further. Understand?"

"Yes!" Zane beamed, placing a hand on Kai's shoulder. "Of course. I will respect your limits." The fact that his soulmate was so reverent towards him was reassuring. They sat there in silence, taking in this moment of clarity that they were sharing.

After a little while longer some storm clouds started to move in. Kai remembered that the Kyoboku Forest was also called the Soaring Paradise, aptly named because of its constant mild temperature that was induced by an enchantment. It would rain soon, but he knew that back at his home snow was on its way.

"We've got a lot of bags," the hunter noticed as they exited the restaurant. Kai needed a fair amount of clothes, so they had purchased a startling amount. "I'll hold them while we fly back."

"You don't have to," the yokai replied. The human stepped between him and the items before he could grab them.

"It's okay, I'll carry 'em," he said, looping the handles over his forearms and holding the smaller items with his hands. The falcon scurried to catch up with the shorter boy as he made his way over to the edge of the large platform.

"Oh, you are simply angelic," Zane gushed. He pressed his lips to Kai's cheek before scooping him into his arms.

"Woah there," the huntsman warned, tone going sharp. "Nothing romantic in public." The half-bird went stark, clutching his companion a little tighter.

"Sorry, darling," he mumbled, flexing his wings in preparation for the flight ahead.

"And no nicknames," Kai grumbled without true hostility. He had already nixed the 'darling' thing that morning, and the mere word left a pang of discomfiture in his stomach. Zane looked like he would buckle at any second, smiling wide and a prominent blush on his paler cheeks.

"Right," he chuckled, taking off.