Chapter 19: A Sight for Sore Eyes

Saigo and Yura rang the doorbell to Iko's apartment. It was far from the Black Market, where the both of them had to take the public transport to travel. During the journey, Yura had to wear at least three layers of clothing to prevent any herbivores or carnivores from getting her scent. The human nose was by far, the weakest sense in her biology.

"I can't wait to get out of these clothes," she gestured, clearly sweating underneath. Saigo rubbed her back to assure her. Thankfully, the door was answered by Qandeel, who looked a bit dishevelled but still invited them inside.

Saigo doesn't have to be a canine to know what the Komodo dragon and his human had been up too.

Unlike his shithole of an apartment, Iko's was very stark clean with the latest furniture and appliances. Then again, he was a teacher at a prestigious school, so his salary could cover for all of this and at LEAST provide the both of them with a secure future.

'What can I give Yura?' Saigo thought to himself as the said human entered the premise with wide eyes full of wonder. Hell, he could barely give her a decent blanket to warm her up every night. Not that he doesn't mind the fact that she cuddles into him...

"Please don't be shy," Iko called over from the kitchen. "You don't have to hide your identities here."

It was a relief for both Saigo and Yura as they shed their layers of clothing to hide from unexpected carnivores or anyone from the Black Market's shady clinic. As much as Saigo is comfortable, a feeling of doubt was gnawing at the back of his head.

How long was this going to last? What if someone or something could shatter their moments of peace anytime without warning?

"I hope you are not allergic to potatoes," said Qandeel, ladling a bowl of what seems to be potato gratin with cheese. Yura laid out the food she cooked: grilled leeks and some warm vegetable soup. Although carnivores were forbidden to eat meat, Saigo couldn't help but salivate at the scent of delicious food wafting the apartment.

Before he could sit to join the two humans, Iko beckoned him to come into the kitchen. Puzzled, he entered the stark cleaned kitchen to find the Komodo dragon preparing some drinks. A mixture of mango, ice and some yoghurt in a blender. "You need help with anything?"

"Have you tried out the strap -on?" he asked nonchalantly, causing the caiman to almost drop the plate he was carrying. He was so taken aback by the question which caused Iko to laugh. "Oh, sorry to bring it up but it's between us males, if you know what I mean..."

The caiman bit back a remark, hoping that the two human women do not hear their conversations. "Don't brag about this at a time like this. And yes, I DO enjoyed doing t with Yura, even if it's not the real deal. Then again, why should I take about it? Anyways, do you need help with anything?"

"Saigo-"

"Don't even start," Saigo growled, cutting off Iko from finishing his sentence. He doesn't want to hear about it. Thankfully, Iko stopped but it doesn't helped that he was giving Saigo a sympathetic glance. 'I don't need your pity! I picked this shitty life for myself. I just feel bad that I can't provide a future here with Yura unlike you. I wished I was you...'

He decided to help out by bringing out the food onto the table. He smiled a bit when he saw Yura talking with Qandeel in a mixture of their own language along with the common beast tongue. Making himself busy helped him from having a sense of envy gnawing his entire being.

'Iko's amazing at everything,' he thought to himself miserably. 'I have no right to hate him.'

Yet why does he feel this way? Iko was not horrible, nor was his human lover. He offered a hand even when Saigo refused it at first. How could he hate the Komodo dragon when he had showed nothing but kindness and generosity? His heart was pounding at the thought of 'what-ifs' scenarios playing into his head.

"Saigo," a gentle voiced called him back to reality. It was Yura, who was standing beside him at the table. "You looked lost and almost dropped this plate. Are you okay?"

He flashed her an assured smile. He could tell that she wasn't convinced by his expression. "I'm fine, Yura. Don't worry about me, okay? So what were you and Qandeel talking about?"

Yura squeezed her hand against his large, scaly one. "Qandeel just announced to me that she's..." she made a gesture to her stomach, making Saigo's eye wide.

"S-she's pregnant?" he asked in a hushed tone. He had heard of hybrids but never a human and an animal. He wondered if the child might be a mixture of them or-

"The baby's going to look like Iko," Yura's voice interrupted his deep thoughts. Giving her a quizzical look, she elaborated, "remember how Qandeel and I hid outside of a hospital? We overheard a doctor telling a nurse about how humans mated with beasts tend to have their children to look EXACTLY like the beast. So in this case..."

"...it will be a Komodo dragon," Saigo answered with a small smile. A small part of him was relief that the child won't face any discrimination but another part of him was concerned with how Qandeel was going to deliver it.

The both of them had not said a word but Saigo could tell that Yura was upset about something. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close. "I'm sorry. Guess I'm just jealous that I can't give you the life Iko provides for Qandeel. A safe place, comfortable beds; let alone clean clothes."

He was restraining himself from crying since he couldn't feel any more pathetic than he was now. But Yura hugged him, resting her head onto his chest. "Saigo, I'm already comfortable here with you. No matter what happens, I'll be here. You want to know something?"

"Hmm?"

Yura gestured him to sit down on one of the chairs with her as she spoke. "Well...after Qandeel and I ran from that hospital, all I could think about was the undergrounds. The memories of the place that I grew up began to fade. I can hardly remember anyone's faces, let alone our language with bits and pieces I mumble out. I-I wasn't sure whether to tell you about how I was a coward running away instead of saving the humans at the hospital or undergrounds..."

Saigo cupped her cheek tenderly. Leaning into his touch, she gazed up at him with those huge dark brown eyes. It warmed his heart to know that he was not alone in this world and he would do anything to make sure she was safe and loved.

"Heh, I guessed we're both pathetic lots," he chuckled to himself, causing her to giggle. He kissed her on top of her head, taking in her scent. If he was going to provide a better life for the both of them, he better buck up and do what he could with the best of his abilities.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips. Yura's face was flushed, causing her to hide her face behind her long hair. "I love you too," she whispered, those words opened the floodgates of tears trickling down his face.

Crying may give him some relief but he must do something to prevent this self-pity misery he had made of himself.

"Shall I get you anything to to drink?" Qandeel spoke up, breaking his little moment with Yura. Saigo turned around to give her a warm smile.

"Congratulations, Qandeel. Both you and Iko are blessed to have a new addition to your life."

Hi everyone, I'm back. First, I want to say that I'm so sorry for the slow updates because of work and a lot of things I'm going through with my life so my updates can be slow for all of my stories, including my motivation.

Second, Saigo's dilemma is sort of based on my own crisis minus the whole Black Market fiasco. But I'm okay for now so don't worry. This story will have a happy ending