Throughout the night, Zane had been constantly jarred awake by the sounds of coughing. At certain points, when the human was completely unconscious, he would reach over and put his hand to his forehead. He was certainly feverish. The falcon worried a little, but did not let it interrupt his sleep. As soon as he felt it was a good time to get up, he immediately checked his partner's temperature one more time before grabbing some medicine from the bathroom cabinet. Kai soon came plodding from the bedroom, dark circles under his eyes and a dreary look on his face.
"Are you feeling healthy?" Zane fretted, setting down breakfast in front of him. "I noticed that you were coughing a lot last night."
"I won't lie, I don't feel good," Kai sighed in response, gingerly eating some fruit. "Funny. You were in bed all day yesterday. Now I guess it's my turn."
"Oh dear, I knew I should have refrained from taking you out so late. It is flu season, after all, and now you have most likely contracted the ailment that has been going around," the half-bird worried over his husband. "I have some medicine here." He stepped over to the counter and grabbed the bottle of remedy, pulling out the rubber stopper and pouring the thick liquid onto a spoon. Kai gave the dark substance a squeamish look, then reluctantly grabbed the silver handle and swallowed the medication with a grimace.
"Once you have finished eating, head straight to bed," the yokai instructed, his tone going slightly nurturing. "I shall call Echo to take care of you while I am gone. He said that he wants to meet you anyway, and I know that he's not busy..." The hunter looked confused, and the falcon felt the need to ask what was wrong.
"What is it?"
"Who's Echo?" The question befuddled the winged boy. He had met Echo already, at their forging ceremony.
"My younger sibling," Zane clarified. "He was the one that asked you to dance as a member of my family. He offered his blessings to us in place of my father." The sick human just quirked his brow and squinted, obviously racking his brain for a recollection of the bird he was describing.
"Sorry," Kai shrugged. "That night was kind of a blur. Can't remember much."
"I see," the taller boy muttered, placing his hand over his chin in thought. "Well, I suppose there is no better time than now to truly meet him." Kai nodded, and finished his meal as the falcon prepared for his departure. He ushered the hunter away so he could rest, using his pendant to call his brother. The other falcon was eager to come see the person his older sibling had forged a bond with, and assured him that he would be over right away before disconnecting the communication link. As the human nestled under the covers again, Zane strode over to him with a soft smile.
"I need to leave, however my brother will be here soon. I will leave the door unlocked for him, so you do not have to move, alright?" he told his partner, who nodded back to him. "As soon as I finish my work, I will come back home as soon as I can with some special bath oils. They work wonders on your skin, and have always been my cure-all."
"Sounds good," Kai hummed.
"I will see you this afternoon." The falcon leaned down and brushed his mate's tousled hair away from his forehead, pressing a tender and devotion-filled kiss on the newly exposed area.
"Goodbye." Zane was thoroughly surprised that he did not try to shy away. In fact, his husband even held his gaze, despite his flushed expression. A flutter of hope sparked in his stomach, and he wished with all his heart that he was truly beginning to accept him, especially after the heated experience of the previous night. However, his current time crunch prevented him from delving too deep into frivolous thoughts such as that.
He stepped to the window, opening it to let some fresh, mild air into the room. There was no breeze, but the temperature was cool enough to allow him to rest peacefully while also helping to bring his fever down. Finally, he waved goodbye to his partner as he left, walking in a straight line so that he would not be tempted to look back at him one last time. He swiftly marched outside and spread his wings, stretching them before he flew off.
On his way to work, he could not help but overthink how Echo would handle his fluffy human. His younger brother was very fit for the job, however he tended to be a tad overzealous around new things he had never seen before. It was why he had decided to take over their father's old lab work. Kai was very tentative to be open around yokai, and Echo liked to converse with everyone he met, possibly in some hope that he may learn something new. He shook the discordant thoughts away, ready to focus on his daily archival jobs.
It was only about ten minutes later when Kai heard the front door open again. The sound was faint because of the distance, but he knew that Zane's brother had arrived. His body refused, at first, to get up from the wonderfully comfortable bed. The drive to be cordial with his soul partner's brother was what got him moving, however. He remembered that he was still in his pajamas, but decided that he might as well get comfortable around him.
What was his name again? he thought, trying and failing to remember. When he opened the door, he saw a boy humming to himself as he set a bag down in the kitchen, taking out some ingredients while he made up a melody. The yokai's wings were almost identical to Zane's, however they seemed to be decorated with what looked like brass, beaded strings draped over them in a fashion that held them securely over the feathers. He was dressed in a cider-colored button up, and dark jeans. The falcon's skin tone was darker and warmer than Zane's by a fair margin. His hair was styled similarly to the older boy, but it was fuller and less immaculate, tinted dusty strawberry-blonde. On his ears, he sported some small gold studs. He did not appear as neat and tidy as Zane, but still pulled off a look of warmth. Kai tried to speak, but found his throat so hoarse that he needed to cough, startling the bird in front of him with the sudden cacophonous noise.
"Greetings," the younger falcon beamed softly. "It is good to see you again Kai." The hunter scrambled for something to say, trying to tiptoe around the fact that he had completely forgotten about his existence.
"Uh, yeah," the human rasped. He figured that he should be honest, and readied his voice again to speak. "Look, I don't wanna be rude, but… I don't know you. Zane told me that I met you at our wedding, but I drank a bit too much and you're just one of the people I can't remember."
"Ah, I figured as much. You were rather intoxicated that evening," he continued to smile almost shyly. "During our dance you kept asking me about yokai delicacies, something about dijon and apricots." Kai blushed, embarrassed that he could not recall a single moment of their encounter. He prayed to the deities that he had not said anything overly humiliating, promising himself to watch his alcohol intake at a later date.
"In any case, my name is Echo Julien. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance again," the bird grinned, shaking the hunter's hand. "I have received news that you are feeling ill today. Has Zane given you medicine?" Kai nodded, shifting his weight as he remembered the unpleasant taste.
"What about Oni's Miracle?" Echo asked, causing Kai some confusion. "Judging by your expression, I would say not. He never remembers that step." He gestured towards a chair, and the human took a seat while he pulled an ornate, glass bottle from his bag. The liquid inside was clear, but had a quartz-like hue about it. The falcon grabbed a small cup from a cabinet and poured some of the drink into it. Then, surprisingly, he dropped an amethyst crystal inside.
"Sip this slowly, and please do not ingest the stone," the yokai told him. "This will help alleviate your mind of the symptoms, like a numbing agent, however you will be glad to know that your bodily functions will not be impaired." Kai grabbed the elixir and sloshed the questionably prepared drought around in its glass. After another moment of contemplation, he shrugged and carefully downed the contents without drinking the crystal. It was sweet, and tasted like warm cinnamon and apples.
"What's in this stuff?" Kai inquired as he set the empty cup down. Echo chuckled and took the amethyst out before rinsing the glass.
"The components are different for every person," he replied. "The key ingredients are a mixture of magical cures, but the flavor is denoted by the soul of whoever drinks it." The hunter threw up his brows, eyes darting to the enchanted medicine. The intricate glass engravings pictured multiple animals and dragons, befitting a potion straight out of a fairy tale. He hummed with interest, feeling a little better already. The falcon across from him leaned over the counter, handed him a cookie from his care package, and propped himself on his elbow, placing his jaw in his palm.
"I can see why Zane was so worried over your well-being. You are pretty," Echo smiled nonchalantly. Kai coughed, nearly choking on the treat that he had been given. "And rather naive of yokai culture, it seems. He must be simply infatuated with your innocence."
"What are you talking about?" the hunter spluttered. "I'm not innocent, and Zane's not infatuated with me."
"I must inform you that you are wrong," the falcon replied, holding up a finger. "Where my father experimented with health and bodily functions, I studied the intricacies of souls. I do not mean to brag, but I have quite the knack for sensing the traits and minute details of each person's existence. You are loved, held dear to my brother's heart. And yet… there is deliberation in your mind. You are unsure if you reciprocate the feelings. Tell me, is there something troubling you?" The human reeled, suddenly very insecure about his most private issues. He put a hand over his heart, as if that would shield the bird's prying eyes from reading further into him.
"No!" Kai almost shouted. The strain on his voice caused him to cough again. Echo shook his head with a sigh, then reached forward and pressed his hands against the hunter's temples. "What're you-?" He fell silent, feeling a surge go through his system, as if he were suddenly frozen in place. He could not move, he could hardly breathe, and his nerves were crackling with a chilled sensation. With furrowed brows, the partial falcon leapt backwards. Kai took a deep breath, thankful that warmth was coming back to his body.
"You… you want to leave Zane?" Echo mumbled with a mystified expression. His bright, golden eyes suddenly turned cold, his features becoming stern. "You have not told him that you are going to be stolen from him? What has he done to you to deserve that?"
"Why the hell would you read my mind without my permission?" the human hissed in reply. "It's none of your business!" Suddenly, the wings of the yokai spread, feathers ruffling as they nearly knocked into furniture.
"My brother means the world to me. Just as you do to him," the falcon growled, as if warning him to watch his step. "How dare you even think about leaving him!" Kai almost fell off the chair, leaning back from the half-beast in front of him. Instead, he stood and tried to move away from him. He felt the same sense of dread as he had the night that Zane had landed in front of him. Those black wings nearly blotted out the kitchen lights, and Echo became a mirror image of that silhouette that had caused him to faint those few days ago.
"I-I wanna stay!" Kai suddenly yelled. The tension in the air snapped, and they both shared an astonished expression.
I... Did I mean that? the human thought to himself. I wanna go back home, but Zane's been so nice to me. I don't want to leave him all alone, but Nya's not gonna stop until I'm back in Jamonikai. She's just too stubborn and caring. And Lloyd's on his way too... There's probably a lot of people worried about me... But Zane... His head tipped down towards the floor, and for the first time in a very long while he was so conflicted that the stress was causing him to break down. Echo staggered, immediately folding his wings and making his way over to his brother's companion.
"I apologize," he mumbled, patting his shoulder cautiously. "I did not mean to appear so cross with you. I just deeply care about Zane, is all. He's all I have, and if I were to see him become one of the Bondless..." He trailed off when Kai nodded. Although he did not know what a Bondless was, he remembered that a yokai only forged a bond once in a lifetime, and it was always a perfect match. It sounded stupid, like he was trapped in a fantasy, but Harumi spoke with such a truthful quality to her voice that she could not possibly have lied.
...you are where you rightfully belong. Your soul is where it desires to be.
"I realize that you are human, and you have not had much time to get used to living here, but Zane... Towards you, he is..." Echo tried to explain, but it appeared as though he could not find the right words to pad the harsh truth.
"I get it," Kai chuckled hopelessly before drawing his brows in dejection. "He's in love with me." The falcon sighed with true sadness, shoulders slumping at the defeat in the hunter's tone.
"Precisely," the bird murmured. "And it is only natural for him to be. You are destined to love each other, after all. From what I saw, you are rather conflicted about this process. Being a human, it may be difficult to feel this amorous connection, but... I did see potential. It was not too distant of an outcome, but your realization may be further in the future than Zane may hope." Those words created a knot in Kai's stomach. It was always out of his control, now, and Echo's decisive tone accentuated the fact that he was supposed to fall in line with this unforeseen plot that had been thrust upon him.
"That's just it. What if I never fall in love with him?" the hunter muttered, turning his head up to face the winged boy. "I mean, I feel something. It's just... I don't know if it's love. I don't think so, at least." He had no idea why he was saying all this to a stranger, but it felt wonderful to finally have some closure.
"It may not be love now, but it will be," Echo assured him, although he did not look too certain, himself. "It has to be. The spirits always align you with your perfect match, as long as you can find them. The bond is only forged if you were meant to be in a bond in the first place." The human wanted to argue, but he knew that it would be pointless. Even if he was not a yokai, the princess had told him that everything would work out. However, his impatient nature caused him to be overly anxious about the whole ordeal.
He thought back to the previous night, where the fairies had insinuated that he had a 'secret'. At the time, he just shook it off and refused to think about it. But now, he had a feeling that they were somehow referencing his far-off desire to continue living with Zane and even requite his love. The notion took root and soon replayed over and over in his mind. All that he wanted was for everyone around him to be happy so that he could be at peace, but he had reached a junction where there was no compromise. He never meant to upset anyone, however the chips had fallen in fate's favor, and he was stuck waiting for his sister. There was a glimmer of optimism that he would be able to quell her aspiration to bring him home, although it was faint.
"Why don't we discuss some other matters over some tea? You can even lay down, if you want," the half-beast asked. Kai nodded, and waited until his drink was prepared the way he liked it before trudging back to the bedroom. Echo pulled up a side chair and sat down as the hunter propped himself up on the pillows. The warm liquid helped his hands cease shaking and allowed his nerves to calm. "I have yet to see your bond ring. May I look at it?"
"Sure," said Kai, pulling the band off his finger. Echo marveled at the item, as the hunter himself had done many times. It was a comfortingly beautiful object, with all the ornate lines that made up a picturesque engraving. "Never thought my wedding ring would just appear already personalized, but I think it's pretty."
"The initial manifestation is not the only magical thing that your bond ring does, you know," the falcon smiled. "You can heat it to make your mate feel warm, you can cool it off for the opposite effect, you can whisper through it if you are close enough, or you can kiss it's symbol." The bird continued to study each little mark in the metal, grinning at the gorgeous ring that represented his brother. He handed the accessory back to Kai, who observed it with newfound curiosity. The world of enchanted objects was still new and fascinating to him, and now he had another item to investigate.
"Ah, this needs a little more sugar," Echo mumbled, standing and crossing to the door. "I'll be back." The room was silent, other than the sweet callings of birds and other yokai from outside the window. Kai turned the ring over in his fingers, feeling the patterns of the engravings on the pad of his thumb. As an experiment, he tentatively pulled it up to his lips and pressed a peck to the metal. He had no idea what would happen, considering that the yokai had not told him. After a long pause, however, he felt a small force on his cheek, which set his heart beating rapidly. It was so sudden and ghost-like, yet also so endearing that it had to be Zane that sent him the little kiss. Shuddering, Kai placed the ring back on his finger, trying to force the chilling sensation from his skin. The last thing he needed right now were affectionate actions from the very yokai who was causing him such painstaking deliberation. Thankfully, Echo returned not a moment later, happily engaging him in another distracting conversation.
Closer and closer and closer the humans came to his location, trailed not far behind by two yokai. However, the tiger was not afraid of them. He scratched at the scruffier fur that made up a beard of sorts on his chin. He had a knife in his hand, and even two swords if it came to it. His tail lashed, his ears twitched, his whiskers quivered with excitement. It had been a long time since anyone around this village had seen humans, especially ones who looked so lavishly equipped. The thin ginger and black-striped coat that covered his entire body raised on end when the black bear sniffed the air. The thief ducked and twirled the blade he was holding, wondering if it would be enough to just frighten the seemingly harmless yokai away before dashing in and grabbing the humans. He bunched his hind legs, which were that of a big cat's, ready to leap at any moment.
"So, we're about half-way through the village," said a high, almost shrill-sounding voice. He had no idea who had said that, but he would bet money on either the rabbit or the green human. "I think we should take you at least another half-mile outside the city before Cole and I leave. Just to be safe, y'know?"
"That'd be great, Jay," the young woman's voice replied. There was a growl of disapproval, most likely coming from the bear.
"Oh, it's just another half-mile, ya big grump," the same sharp voice chuckled.
"No, it's not that," said a lower, more cautious voice. "I just have a bad feeling." A new tensity filled the air, and the predator could feel it. He drank in the scents of the four, looking around with his nose and pinpointing their position. Finally, he sprang, using his humanoid arms to power him forward, with extra strength from his feline legs. He was in front of the group in a flash, skidding to a halt with his claws and the knife. Through his one eye, he could see the shocked expressions of the group. He observed the sudden protective hold of the bear around the bunny and the snarl that followed, and stood, one hand holding out the knife menacingly while the other reached for one of his blades.
"Roar," he smirked slow and threateningly. "So, how'd you two find such fine humans?"
"Get behind me, Jay," the other predator growled.
"Uh, c-can't really do that if you're holding me," the partial rabbit squeaked in response.
"Aww, is that your mate?" the rogue grinned, a wicked thought crossing his mind. The blue-clad yokai was just as weak- if not weaker than -the humans, and he could be sold nicely to the Bondless heathens outside the peaceful yokai borders. The humans would be the perfect gift as a possible trade proposal, but the bunny would be the piece de resistance. Such a young, pretty prey beast would be held dearly in captivity. In fact, he might be a good fit for the royal mate circle. "Why don't you hand 'em over, bear? I oughta take the rabbit off your shoulders, too. He's a cute lil' thing, and I'd make sure he's nice and comfortable."
"No way in hell," the taller yokai barked. "I just got him back, and I'm not losing him again. So you'd better think twice about trying to take my mate before you lose another eye."
"Aw, c'mon now," the tiger crooned. "Can't see why you'd wanna keep 'im around, even if you're bonded. If he's a rabbit, not to mention a man, ya can't have cubs now, can you?"
"I don't care about cubs," the stranger snapped right back. "I care about Jay, and you're not gonna take him from me." The bear dropped just slightly, adjusting his body into a battle stance. The thief laughed, pulling out one of his swords and holding it out in front of him as a warning.
"Don't see a weapon on you," he noted, observing and remaining wary of his strength and snapping fangs. "Don't see any armor, either. You think you can pick a fight with me?"
"Without a doubt," the black bear hissed through clenched teeth. The smaller yokai began to panic, running his hands over his partner's arms in a manner that appeared as if he was trying to soothe the predator. "No, Jay. I have to protect you."
"You'll get hurt, though," Jay whimpered. "Cole, you're gonna get yourself killed."
"Don't worry about me," Cole assured his partner with a calm tone, although he was still readying a strike and kept his eyes trained on the tiger. He pushed his little rabbit behind him, and even ushered the two humans out of the way.
"We can fight, too," the girl said to him, pulling a survival knife from a pocket of her bag as she shouldered back in line with him. The blond flipped through the pages of a spell book, weary and terrified eyes scanning the pages with immense speed.
"C'mon and fight me, then," the big cat snarled, a little bit of hair falling in front of his gleaming eye. "It'll be fun taking y'all by force- Ghk!" Suddenly, He was yanked off his feet by his red bandanna and scruff, causing his hat to fall off.
"What are you doing?" said a gruff, thickly accented man behind him. He had no reason to look backwards to see who it was, he already knew who was there.
Crap, the tiger thought, defeat filling his senses as he slumped forward.
"Karlof!" Cole grinned, surprise in his tone.
"Cole! Is good to see!" the grey-coated centaur bellowed. "Karlof hope Ronin not trouble you."
"Lemme down, you big, dumb oaf!" the thief snarled. With a toss, Karlof released him, and Ronin landed on his backside with a huff. "I wasn't gonna hurt 'em. I just saw… y'know… a trade opportunity."
"Biggest crap of bull," the half-horse grumbled. "You are nothing but thieving cat looking for fish in market. Always getting into trouble."
"You know this guy?" asked the bear. Karlof folded his arms over his iron samurai armor and pawed at the snow with a hoof, dark eyes glinting with watchfulness under the shadow of his helmet and hair.
"Works with Karlof on trade jobs through river system," he replied. "Live together, but no bond." The orange humanoid dusted the snow off his clothes and fur as he stood, tucking away his weapons and picking up his crimson hat. He brushed off a few flakes before securing it over his ears again, making sure that they properly poked through the holes in the woven straw.
"It's peachy," Ronin growled. "I'm guessin' this is that Cole guy you were supposed to hang out with a few days ago?"
"Yes," the centaur nodded. "Was worried when you not show up. But with humans with you, think Karlof can see why you did not come."
"Yeah, sorry about that, buddy," Cole sighed. "Things have been more than complicated, recently. How come you're here? I thought you didn't like this town."
"Good sake here, come to pick up shipment then head for northern cities," Karlof told him with a smile. His eyes turned to the bunny, who was still holding onto his bonded mate's arm while he peeked out from behind him. "Hello, Jay. Long time and no seeing."
"Hi," the rabbit smiled shyly, sluggishly releasing his grip on Cole. Ronin looked to the side of the bear, and saw the humans gawking at the scene before them, still with weapons raised. In an attempt to smooth things over, he stuck out his hand with a wry grin.
"And you are?" he asked the blond first, only gaining a perturbed look. "Not much of a talker, huh?"
"What is with you yokai and acting all coy after you almost kill us?" the girl suddenly shouted. "I can't take this anymore." The big cat looked up at his business partner, whose face was painted with a quizzical expression. Cole shuffled his feet and brought a hand to the back of his neck.
"Long story," he sighed. Jay chuckled and stood completely beside him, taking the chance to intertwine their fingers.
Disgusting, the tiger thought with a grimace. He was never one for forging a bond, and had not gotten the chance thus far. Every yokai had their time, and Ronin was more than glad that his had not come yet. He had too many jobs to do, and moved around too much. A mate would just waste his time with lovey-dovey garbage. Until he paid his debts and found a way to occupy himself without leaving town every few days, he was not going to even consider a bond. Now, he would accept a partner if he was given the opportunity, but hoped with all his heart that his forging ceremony was years down the road.
"Come, we have wine back at hotel," Karlof smiled warmly. "We catch up, and hear story behind the humans."
"Oh, no can do," Cole stopped him. "We have to get these two to Kyoboku… tomorrow? Is that right, Nya?"
"Tomorrow," the huntress nodded. "That's when I promised Kai we'd be there." Ronin saw the centaur beside him light up. His short black, bun-styled tail flicked just once, and the cat yokai knew exactly what he was thinking.
"No. I'm putting a stop to this right now," he hissed, ears barely flattening with the hat in the way. Karlof's shoulders sagged a bit, and he turned his torso to face his travelling companion.
"Oh, come now," the half-horse said, putting his hands on his hips. "Is least we can do. You threatened to kidnap, you make up with free passage."
"No way, I ain't letting humans on my boat." His tail swished in anger, even though he knew that the taller beast was right. "Not for free anyway." Nya perked up at the mention of a boat, and turned with a hopeful face towards the sage.
"You can get us to Kyoboku?" the boy asked. Ronin shook his head while Karlof nodded.
"Here," Nya called out, swiftly pulling a pouch from her belongings and pulling out a string of coins. Ronin's tail ceased its angry lashing, pausing to twitch with curiosity. Clearly it was not everything in the bag, but it would certainly do for the moment. The noirette tossed the string, and after checking the authenticity of the currency, the thief rolled his eyes and stuck the coins in his pocket.
"Alright, fine," the tiger growled. "But you'd better not cause any trouble." Karlof pushed the front side of the red hat forward, much to his partner's frustration.
"What he means is, you are in good hands, especially if you come as guests of Cole. Karlof take pride in vessel, right Cole?" he asked, causing the bear to grin.
"Of course," he replied, nodding to the humans. "I've known him for years. He's a man of his word. Keep an eye on stabby-McGee over there though." Ronin glared at him with his one eye. How could the centaur be friends with him? He was so full of himself and over-confident.
"Ah, that means you leave now?" Karlof inquired sadly. The bear reached up and locked hands with the partial equine, a solid gesture that showed their fraternity. "Karlof have long talk another day with you."
"Yeah, and keep that wine on you," Cole smiled. The quadrupedal yokai laughed, picking up one of his front hooves and stomping into the white powder below.
"Karlof keep, Karlof keep," he chuckled before turning and beckoning the two new pests to follow them. The humans thanked their beastly acquaintances one last time before joining Ronin and Karlof.
"Bye Nya! Bye Lloyd!" Jay waved after them. "Stay safe and stick to the map!" So that was the boy's name: Lloyd. Ronin let that little piece of knowledge sink in, but refrained from speaking to the green-clad urchin that was about to board his lovely ship.
He had always preferred to be on his own, but Karlof had this stern yet friendly air about him that made him impossible to say no to. In the end, he always ceded to him, which was something that kept him up at night. Now, he was allowing humans to ride on R.E.X., and that was something that he could hardly stand. Was he losing his edge? He did not have much time to think on it, for soon he and the others arrived at the docks, and the centaur was already going over the basic safety procedures.
I am not gonna like this, Ronin thought to himself, huffing as he climbed aboard the deck. With a strong grip and a fierce gaze, he hoped he got his displeasure across as he helped the passengers up as well. Not one bit.