Cole sat back with a disgruntled expression, watching as Jay helped Lloyd wrap his injuries. He still felt so enraged that the rabbit had come so close to being severely injured or killed, despite the presumably innocent intentions the pair of humans had. The blue-clad bunny sat the two unwanted guests on the sofa, placing himself next to his mate and preparing to talk. The bear pulled him back with one arm around his waist and another over his upper arms, securing him in a tight hold that dared either of the attackers to draw closer. He kept him in even more of a deadlock than he had when Kai had attacked him.
"Why don't we start from the beginning?" Jay began, wiggling his elbow until he could softly stroke Cole's forearm. It was a calming gesture, but did not lessen the tension in his partner's shoulders.
"My brother, Kai, was kidnapped a few days ago," Nya replied, crossing her legs and glancing at her friend's condition. "We were able to figure out that it was a yokai that took him. One with wings."
"Zane didn't kidnap him," Cole muttered with a harsh tone. "Kai chose to be his mate." The huntress gazed at him with pure confusion. Lloyd scooted closer to her and warily eyed him as well.
"Mate?" he wondered, sticking close to his human companion. "What does that mean?"
"Kai's been bonded to Zane for life," Jay informed the young sage. He wriggled so he could press his palm to his partner's chest. "Through his soul. Cole and I are bonded. Your brother told us that bonding is like... marry... marriage? Whatever it is, I guess it's the human version of soulmates? But... without the spiritual part." The taller beast took the half-rabbit's hand in his own, resting it at his side instead of on his sternum. Jay continued to speak with the humans as if they were close friends or family, confidence only wavering a few times. Personally, the bear could not stand it. These people had tied him up and cut off his airflow with magic. Why should he be so sympathetic to such hostile strangers?
This thinking had been building up ever since the night that Jay had almost been killed by that arrow. He was so full of pent up anger and aggression that he just needed to get out of his system. Kai's attempt on the freckled boy's life had allowed a flood of hostility to enter his mind, and this new assault on his mate filled his senses with unbearable displeasure. The dam that was his self-control was nearly bursting.
"-so why don't you stay here for a few days while we sort this out?" The rabbit's sudden proposal shook Cole from his irate trance, causing him to prickle with disbelief. He snuggled his partner closer, heart pounding with a mixture of loathing and indecisiveness. Jay squirmed and broke his arms free again, much to the black-haired boy's displeasure. Nya and Lloyd looked at each other, then shot him a cautious grin.
"Sure," Lloyd smiled, sitting up a little taller. "As long as it's okay with you... Cade, right?"
"Cole," the bear corrected him.
"Right, Cole," the sage repeated bashfully. Jay stood up, but the taller yokai grabbed his hand with a face of disdain. However, he sighed and let him go when the bunny gave him those doll eyes that never ceased to make him melt on his command.
"I'll go set up the guest room... again," Jay chuckled, stepping out of the room. His footsteps faded into silence, leaving nothing but the tiny noise of the clock behind him.
Cole spun and eyed the humans, who had dropped their facade. It was more than apparent that everyone wanted to keep the sweet rabbit from worrying, but when he was not in their presence they were free to express their true feelings. Nya locked eyes with him, an air of opportunity resting on her brow.
"I believe we can agree that neither of us want to be in the same house for any amount of time," she said, and the bear nodded. He crossed his legs and folded his arms, appearing as closed off as he felt towards them. "So this Zane guy, you know where he lives?"
"Yeah," Cole responded gruffly. "How 'bout I give you the directions, and you two scram."
"We'll never look back," the huntress smiled, a sly nature in her lips. She extended her arm to him, and he shook her hand as Lloyd flipped the pages of his book to a map. The bear pointed to where they were, and where they needed to go, showing them which areas were known for dangers and which towns had inns. The magic user wrote out notes and circled the more important locations, then snapped the pen shut when they were finished. Cole stood and showed them to the door, a final act of disingenuous kindness before they left.
He waved to them as they trudged off into the snow, then shut the door with a satisfied huff. The yokai marched back over to the couch and sat in the same spot, humming to himself. He hoped that he would never have to deal with any crazy humans ever again, especially not if the safety of his companion was concerned.
"Okay, all set..." Jay trailed off as he hopped back into the living room. "Where'd they go?"
"They left," Cole told him with a triumphant smile. He continued to hum, staring out the window and looking at the birds that flitted around in the branches. Suddenly, he felt the soft touch of the partial bunny's hand on his jaw, pulling his head to face his anxious expression.
"What happened to them?" he barely spoke. The bear stopped the music, standing and taking the deft fingers away from his cheek.
"I didn't lay a single hand on them," he assured his partner, still grinning slyly. "They just... left." Jay's brows were knitted in puzzlement, eyes downcast until he spontaneously gasped and wheeled on him.
"You kicked them out!" he cried, pointing an accusing finger at Cole. The yokai's nose crinkled, seeing as the notion was only half true.
"Wha- no I didn't!" the bear puffed, shifting his stance. "I told you, they just left!"
"Oh, I knew you wouldn't just let them stay!" Jay pushed away from him, hands carding through his hair and over his white ears. "I mean, you didn't even wanna sit down and talk to them! And after that night that Kai stayed... Where'd they go? Where'd you send them?"
"They just left!" he insisted, throwing up his hands. "Why would you wanna keep them around anyway? They'd probably just cause trouble." His mate spun around, giving him a look that made it seem like something should be obvious.
"We could've just called Zane with our crystals and told Kai that they were here!" the bunny explained with exasperation. "It could've been so easy!" Cole took in a quick breath, frowning. He felt a spark of some rich emotion in the pit of his stomach, feeling it just barely simmering. He could not have possibly known that his adrenaline and instincts were beginning to boil all over again.
"Look, I was just protecting you," he grumbled as he placed his hands on his hips. "I didn't want those humans lurking around here, especially not if that blond one had that book on him. He could've killed us." Jay groaned and slumped backwards, knees bending to form an exaggerated pose.
"You don't need to protect me all the time!" he moaned. "I don't need to be babysat, I'm your mate! You should just trust me!"
"What?" Cole burst, bewildered. That heat started to burn a little more, anger beginning to grace his features. "You were the one who almost let a huntress and a boy with magical abilities stay in our house!"
"They're Kai's family!"
"Mhm, yeah! He almost killed you too!" the bear growled. He remembered following Jay's scent all the way into the human territory, a little worried for his safety. Then there was the human, poised with his bowstring drawn and ready to murder the yokai. If Zane had not swooped in, the boy before him would have been dead right now. "This is why I have to protect you! You make bad calls sometimes, maybe even most of the time when it comes to trusting people!" The rabbit's face contorted with irritation as he flexed his fingers.
"That's not true!" he shouted back. "I can take care of myself!"
"No you can't! You're physically weaker than most yokai! That's one of the main reasons why we all forge bonds in the first place: to find a stronger mate!"
"Ugh!" Jay yelled to the ceiling before marching to the window. "Why'd you have to kick them out? Hopefully I can still catch them before they get too far away. I didn't have much time to learn their scents..."
"No," the taller beast barked, marching over to him. "We can't trust them!" Cole reached out to rest his palm on his shoulder, but Jay backhanded his arm away.
"Why are you being so... so... gah, I dunno... hostile?" the half-bunny chided. "They just wanna find Kai because they're his family!"
"But they don't care who they hurt to find him!" he responded. The dull rage in his system had risen in boldness, pulling a new level of chagrin into his tone.
"Gods above, you're acting like a-!" Jay stopped himself, turning and crossing his arms in vexation before he said anything else. The partial bear growled low and cocked his head.
"Like a what?" he snarled. "No, no, go ahead! I wanna hear what ya have to say!" The rabbit whirled and showed him an unbelievably bitter expression.
"Like a predator!" he nearly shrieked, scowling deep with acidity.
"Oh-ho-ho! There it is!" Cole snapped in return. "Yup, I'm just a vicious bear, right? I don't care about anything that's weaker than me! I just do as I please, am I right?" The jab had certainly stung him, and being the instigator that he naturally was he just had to fan his own flames out of resentment. Jay, on the other hand, looked remorseful. He shuffled his feet and clasped his hands behind his back, fair skin growing pale as he looked at the floor.
"No... No, I didn't mean it like that. You know that," he mumbled, fully displaying his apologetic attitude. Despite his sudden mood change, it was too late. Cole was not having it anymore, and his aggravation was about to be voiced, loud and clear.
"Then what did you mean? Huh? Explain to me what you could've possibly meant by that!" he shot back at him. Jay dared to meet his eyes, but then quickly stared back at the wood below him.
"I just meant that... y'know, you can sometimes think more with your instincts than your head when something happens to me..."
"Oh really?" the black-clad yokai yelled, bristling at the irony that Jay failed to realize. How could he call him headstrong after he invited those humans to stay over? He was practically handing them knives and asking them to murder him in his sleep! "Is it a crime to wanna protect my mate?"
"No! Of course not!" The bunny started to squirm, taking in a sharp breath. Cole was infuriated now, eyes going black- although he could not see it -in his new state of anger. All he could register was his mate's sudden fearfulness.
"Are you sure?" he fumed. "It sure seems like it is!" Jay began to take baby steps backwards, a meek presence in front of him. His jaw tightened as he stepped forward a tad, closing the distance between them just a little bit. This seemed to startle the rabbit.
"N-No, I'm just-" The bear took another step, and the freckled yokai silenced himself as he moved away from him again.
"Tell me, then, why do you always hold me back when I try to keep you safe?" Cole demanded. He squeezed his hands into fists out of habit, then released the tension again.
"I-I don't want you to do something you'll regret."
"Something I'll regret? Something I'll regret? I don't ever put you in harm's way! There is nothing that I do that I ever regret later! I at least try to think before I act!" In his attempt to scramble backwards, Jay bumped into the couch and fell, landing on the cushions and cornering himself. The bear got as close as possible and growled in his face, listening to his quick, shallow breathing under his own. The bunny somewhat curled into a ball, bringing up his knees only to have Cole push them back down. It was rather forceful, although he did not completely register the action.
"But yesterday, w-when you attacked Kai... You could've hurt him... I just had to make sure that you didn't, uh... sever Zane's bond with him." Cole was shaken by that statement, and he became utterly livid. He felt a huff of air pass through his teeth, pressing past his revealed fangs.
"Are you saying I would've killed him if you hadn't stepped in?" he barked and flexed his claws. "You'd better watch whatcha say next, sunshine!" Jay timidly put his hands up, holding out his palms to take his face into them.
"Shh, no, it's fine," he whispered with a breathy confidence. "You just need to cool off." Cole swiftly pulled his head to the side and practically roared, causing the prey before him to yank his arms back to his sides.
"Oh no! No no no no no you are not playing that card again!" the bear raged. "I am done with you trying to hold me back!"
"Cole... you're scaring me," Jay squeaked, just barely audible. The taller yokai froze, looking down at his soul partner. He was a trembling mess, normally bright blue eyes glazed over with terror. He was almost hyperventilating, breathing rapidly through his nose as he clenched his teeth.
With a final, deep growl, he rose and stormed out of the house, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He did not look back, pressing onward through the woods in his fit. He scowled and thought deeply about the whole ordeal he had just been through.
They had never argued like that. Sure, they had always been natural squabblers, but their fights were always either playful or over little things that did not mean anything. Every time they had one of these quarrels, they would always apologize to each other. However, this time Cole did not want to take anything back. His mate's safety was his top priority, but how was he supposed to keep him out of danger if he kept deterring him from doing so?
He crossed into a thinner patch of trees, stumbling upon the stream that ran between the two territories. He thought over Jay's words. Like a predator... think more with your instincts than your head... I don't want you to do something you'll regret... you just need to cool off. The bear made an audible snarl and stopped in his tracks.
Oh sure, I'll cool off! he thought as he raised his hand. In a fit of seething rage he hooked his claws into a nearby aspen tree. With the sheer force of his strength, he managed to tear the bark enough so that the trunk snapped when he yanked his hand away from it. The tall, skinny timber fell almost silently into the white banks that covered the forest floor. The yokai whirled around and stomped towards the frozen surface of the brook. He slammed his foot into the ice until it broke off in huge chunks and floated away.
He gasped and jumped backwards, falling into the snow. After a few deep breaths, he slowly inched back towards the stream's bank. Cole looked at his reflection, and saw those pupil-less eyes that Jay had once described to him. Those black pits staring back at him were cold, unfeeling, and soulless.
Cole... you're scaring me.
Gods above, who would not want to run from those eyes? How could the bunny have stayed in his vicinity while he was like this: so angered and threatening? Jay was terribly skittish at times, considering he had the instincts of a rabbit, so soldiering on through the looks he must have given him was a feat on its own. He snapped his jaws and tore off the cloth that served as his headband, untying the bun in the back so that his hair could fall over his eyes.
He should be scared of me! That oughta teach him to not just trust everyone! he reasoned. A surprising pang of regret rocked his system. No, you're his mate. He's supposed to trust you... He does trust you. Jay isn't that impulsive. Cole shook those thoughts away, feeling the warmth of his fury return.
He asked for it! He should've listened to me! he told himself, crunching some snow in his fists. He should've... No. No Jay didn't ask for that he doesn't deserve that. He stared back into the water, thankfully shielding himself from that dark gaze of his with his long locks.
"What is wrong with you?" he hissed at himself, more defeated than mad at this point.
But Jay was being reckless! He had to physically shake his head to ward off the ill-will of the reflection. No. You were being reckless. How could you snap at him like that? Jay is the nearest, dearest thing to your heart. It was true. Cole had thought- over many nights -about what he would ever do without the rabbit by his side. The results added up to almost nothing. They did everything together, often finding common interests they never knew they had with each activity.
Jay had looked at him like a beast cornering its meal, and to an extent he was right. His stupid instincts had been hyping him up so much and he was almost to the point of taking it out on the poor bunny. The bear stood with resolve, pulling his hair back up again.
I am not going to be that monster, Cole said inwardly. His eyes started to shift again, the dilation of his pupils decreasing until he was back to normal. He followed his own footsteps back to their home, ready to form an apology. He still wanted to make sure Jay knew where he had been coming from with his anger, but was prepared to double back if necessary.
The front door was still wide open, so he closed it on his way back in. Gazing over at the sofa, he found that Jay was no longer there. He figured the best place to look was their bedroom, and stepped back into their shared space. However, everything was the same. The sheets were still strewn as they were when they had both woken up, and one of his pillows was still on his mate's side of the bed. The rabbit had a tendency to take them in the middle of the night, most likely mistaking them for Cole as he slept, seeing as he ended up wrapping himself around the object. If he was woken up by the sudden theft, the bear usually just stole the cushion back and replaced it with his own body, allowing the smaller yokai to cling to him.
"Jay?" he called back into the house. "Jay, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have yelled at you like that! Where are you?" He checked everywhere, but found no sign of the partial animal. The pantry was even clear, and that was a very typical spot for him to hide in, usually munching on some snacks while he calmed himself down.
Finally, he saw that the back door was slightly ajar. Cole went outside and surveyed the yard, looking for his partner.
"Jay, are you out there?" he yelled through cupped hands. Worry gnawed at his stomach, although he was not quite panicking yet. The shed door was open, and when he looked inside he found that a certain object was gone. Each of the two yokai had a special magical object called an infinibag, which was a satchel that had a seemingly endless amount of space. They only took them when they went on trips. Cole ran back inside and opened their cupboards, finding the bunny's favorite foods to be gone.
He sprinted to the coat closet and saw that Jay's winter jacket and boots were missing. Cole cursed, rushing around until he located his communication crystal. He attempted to speak to Jay, clutching the pendant and sending out a signal. There was no response.
"No!" the bear shouted. He grabbed his own coat before running back out to the shed and snatching his infinibag. In a few minutes, he threw enough food to last him for a week into the sack and was out the door. He drank in Jay's scent, almost immediately locating his sweet smell of vanilla and berries. It had been a long time since they had first been bonded, so the feelings in the corners of his conscience were mere background noise. He had to dig deep and truly sense his mate's emotions. Jay was scared and uncertain, but he was resolved with whatever he was doing.
He decided to leave a message as he followed the trail of footprints and comforting scent. Time was of the essence. Jay was much faster than him, so he had to really get moving in order to catch up with his mate. Hopefully, he would reach him before the rabbit got to the humans. That had to be where he was going.
"Jay, I know I acted... I was way out of line, but that doesn't mean that you need to run away. I don't want you to get hurt, so please just come back home! I'm already on my way just in case but just... turn around!" He paused, true fear creeping into his pulse. "Please come back." His voice cracked just a tad, and he had to fight back tears at the mere notion of never seeing Jay again.
"Please come back," he repeated, more urgently this time. "Please come home. I promise I'll never yell at you like that again, I... I love you, Jay. You know that, I... I love you so much." He sent it off, wiping away a couple frustrating drops from his eyes as he did so. He knew that even if Jay did not hear the message now, he would see his crystal around his neck occasionally pulse with light, a signal that he had received a message while he was busy. With a few shaky breaths, he jogged down the trail that lead from their yard.
Afternoon light glowed in the treehouse, illuminating the living room as Kai drew. Zane had finished his work a little earlier than anticipated, and had brought home a sketchbook and pencil set upon the hunter's request. With nothing truly constructive to do after he had given the supplies to his mate, he asked if it was alright to just sit and watch him. His new companion was a little reluctant, but complied.
Now, the falcon was more than content with their relaxed position. He was sitting in the corner of the sofa while Kai sketched, hip to hip with him. The brunet drew with lazy strokes, only occasionally erasing minute details as he completed small sketch after small sketch. Zane took notice of the talent that his fluffy human possessed, tracing each line with a curious eye. He was astounded when he saw the plain shapes he started with turn into brilliant designs as he connected them.
Kai began to draw a rose with a shockingly distinct attention to how the petals curled in nature. Once he completed the first bloom he drew another one, smaller and less open, right next to the first. A third was added, positioned behind the original two. Soon he was closing the gaps between the flowers and drawing an entire bouquet. Zane could nearly count the rhythm that he was moving the pencil to.
Swish, scratch, scratch. Swish, scratch, scratch.
Quiet minutes passed, little sounds of the lead against paper filling the space that they shared. The yokai was proud that he was partnered with such an artistic being, human or otherwise, and felt the need to express his appreciation. He moved his arms ever so slowly, not wishing to disturb the boy in front of him, and tentatively reached forward. His hands hovered just slightly over Kai's form as he considered whether or not he was crossing any boundaries that they had established. The hunter did not seem to take notice, continuing to scribble tiny features into the plants he had drawn. Finally, Zane took in a breath and looped his arms around his companion's front, very gradually pulling him towards him until the back of the shorter boy's head rested against his chest.
The pace of his pencil slowed, gradually becoming more sluggish. The falcon sensed Kai's apprehension as it blossomed, feeling his own nerves light up when he stopped drawing entirely and set the pencil against the pad in his hands. The human turned his head over his shoulder at a snail's pace, not shying away. His expression was full of some brand of confusion that he could not name. It was not quite perturbation, and he did not seem like he did not necessarily want the contact, so he simply called the look 'unsettled'. Zane held his gaze to the best of his ability, feeling both anxious because he had never held someone close like this before, and satisfied because he was finally holding his mate. He could not help but gnaw his bottom lip in his stir of excitement.
Meanwhile, Kai sat and stared back at him, unmoving and hardly blinking. His charming green eyes roamed over the bird's face. Zane wondered with glee if there was some form of adoration held in those beautiful emerald irises. The hunter pursed his lips and cut off their eye contact in favor of several other places around the room. Their faces were so terribly close to each other, their breathing was mingled. His heart beat rapidly with exhilaration as he came to a stunning conclusion.
Is he considering whether or not to kiss me? he thought. He felt his wings rustle and attempt to spread a little due to the sudden jolt of adrenaline, and Kai definitely took notice. The human in his arms swallowed hard and turned back around, placing the sketchbook on the coffee table and standing. The yokai immediately drew his hands away, shying from his mate and trying to calm himself down.
"Sorry," he mumbled, accidentally biting his lip so hard that he swore he broke the skin. Kai grabbed their empty cups from the coasters that they sat on, just barely turning to his partner to reply.
"It's fine," he said, shuffling away. "I'm getting some more tea. Do you want anything?"
"I can do that for you."
"Nah, it's fine," Kai told him. "Do you take sugar?" The partial falcon adjusted his posture and cleared his throat.
"A little," he responded with a tiny grin. "Thank you."
"No problem." The human rushed off and tilted his face to the floor as he marched into the kitchen. Zane watched him leave with a peaceful nature, then flopped back against the couch, bringing his legs up so that he was laying haphazardly over the cushions. He brought his hands up to cover his face, blushing like mad.
Oh, why did I get so excited? he chastised himself. He told me he wasn't comfortable with fully kissing just yet, and I still believed... Childish, that's just childish of me. I shouldn't think like that. It's not what he wants, and I should respect that. He sat up and looked over the side of the couch, thankful that he was far enough away from Kai that he was undetected. The brunet was waiting for the liquid to heat up, leaning back against the counter and sliding his hand through his hair. Zane slid back down and sighed. Pixal was right. He was already in love.
Every bonded yokai had this tug towards their selected spouse, an urge that helped speed up the process of courtship. It was the instinct of a soulmate to feel such unbridled happiness around their significant other, and the falcon was definitely swooning over the human who had chosen to stay with him.
How can I resist him when he's so adorable? Zane asked inwardly. He would never say that out loud. After analyzing the hunter's personality, he was able to deduce that he was not the type to willingly be called 'cute'.
He heard the sound of footsteps drawing near, and slowly sat back up, striving to appear casual as he accepted the warm beverage. He nodded his thanks to Kai as the human sat down. At least two feet of distance was between them now, and Zane tried to convince himself that was alright. His husband brought his cup to his lips and drank deeply, then set it back down. However, Kai let his hand hang over the object for a little longer. He appeared to be contemplating something for a while.
The silence swiftly became unbearable. It was far too awkward.
Kai took the coaster and glass, sliding them closer to his partner's. Then, he did the same with his body, closing the gap between them and gently leaning against Zane's left side. The half-bird was overjoyed, despite his fake tranquil appearance. Beside him, the hunter leisurely picked up his cup again and drank more of the beverage. Thinking fast, the blond outstretched his wing and let it rest over Kai's right shoulder. Once more, silence enveloped the couple, although this time there was no tense mood.
Zane counted his lucky stars and smiled as he sipped the tea. It was a little sweeter than he usually preferred, but he still relished in the moment they were sharing. He may not have been able to kiss Kai yet, but for now this was more than enough to keep him content.