Shouta shifts so his fur falls over his face and obscures his eyes before he opens them.
Hitoshi is finally sleeping, after long tones of restless moving and turning. At one point, he even started walking around his resting quarter, although he thankfully didn't cross the hatch between their dens.
Unfortunately, this is a torture of Shouta's own making. After realizing that they would have to sleep in the same den while visiting the flock, Shouta had suggested leaving the doors between their rooms open so he could get used to Hitoshi's presence before then.
It isn't as bad as he feared. Hitoshi moves a lot in his sleep and wakes just as often, but he's silent, and once Shouta learns to ignore the fifth set of breathing and the soft pacing that interrupts the quiet, he knows he'll sleep as soundly as an Eer'ahseer can with a new sleeping companion. He hasn't woken up to the Human standing menacingly over their cots yet, and the smell between their rooms has already started to reach an equilibrium, so Shouta estimates he'll need two cycles more before he can withstand laying Hitoshi's cot next to theirs. It's a slower process than when they did it with Nemuri and Tensei—and Oboro, on whom Shouta fell asleep without even having to habituate himself, and the sharp barely-dulled grief at the thought of him makes Shouta curl further into Hizashi's wings and tail—but Shouta is certain they'll be ready by then.
Truthfully, repairing the door had been the most difficult part of this. Hitoshi had a hard time calling on his extraordinary strength to pop the dent back into place. Shouta has a theory it has to do with the absence of any threat; the surge of adrenaline must play a part, an evolutionary response that allows higher muscle contractility in short-timed bursts so Humans can fight danger, but not have to maintain the high metabolism such strength would require when doing small tasks.
Shouta can admit he misjudged Hitoshi. He thought it would only be a matter of time before the Human snapped and injured them, accidentally or not, but after Hitoshi's emotional outburst, Shouta realizes he's been worrying about the wrong people. He's been right in thinking Hitoshi will turn to violence before talking it out when he's upset, but he got the target wrong. Instead of harming Shouta, or Hizashi, or even his mèos, Hitoshi takes his frustration onto himself.
It's worrying. They already fill his schedule as much as they can to keep him occupied. It isn't hard, not when Hitoshi needs to start from zero in almost everything, but it does take over the time Hizashi and Shouta usually use to track down ships and their leisure moments.
Turning his head away from the open door, Shouta rubs his cheeks over Hizashi's until he smells even more like him, their scent potent and permeating the cot's cloth. His partner cheeps in his sleep, pulling on their twined tails lightly, before he settles back into a deep rest.
Shouta can't fall back asleep, but he finds he doesn't mind. There's only a tone or two left before Hizashi wakes, and he can easily spend it admiring his partner's feathers and the curve of his beak. The cot is toasty, almost overly so, and if it were anyone but Hizashi beside him, Shouta would have crawled out of the cot a long time ago. Instead, he gets to press against his partner, who stays comfortably lukewarm.
His chest rumbles lightly when Hizashi tries to move closer to him in his sleep. Hitoshi's soft, even breathing indicates his rest is peaceful and devoid of any nightmares. Shouta's glad.
Time passes in short bursts as he blinks, slow and tender, at Hizashi. Sometimes, he opens his eyes after keeping them closed for such a long time that he isn't sure if he fell asleep in between, but he barely gives it a thought before letting his lids fall again. At one point, when Shouta's resting his eyes, Hizashi starts to shift, feathers puffing out and flaring as he approaches consciousness.
He doesn't move to open his eyes, not until claws run down his shoulders lightly.
"Slept well, lovely?"
Shouta makes a sound in the back of his throat that neither denies nor confirms his question. He casts a look at Hitoshi, whose tuft of fur is the only visible part of himself, the rest wrapped tight in his cot, the edges pulled under himself. The Human isn't awake.
Hizashi sleepily grooms the top of his head, the spot behind his ears, and the fur that trails on the underside of his jaws and down to his stomach. He returns the favour by smoothing out Hizashi's crest, drawing circles on the side of his face, where the feathers are thin and more alike fur. His partner's wings and torso are next, to mimic the way bonded See'krtsh preen each other. It always pleases Hizashi, who croons and looks on the edge of falling back to sleep, and while it's not quite what an Eer'ahseer would do, Shouta likes to touch his partner and he'll take advantage of every occasion to scent him thoroughly.
When Hizashi's finishes 'preening' him, he clumsily knocks their heads together and goes to continue the rest of his routine, making a deliberate effort to be quieter than usual. Shouta follows him out of the cot, letting his paws sink in the bedding around him while he stretches with a yawn, tongue curling slightly as he tenses every muscle before relaxing with a satisfied huff. Hizashi goes through his routine, oiling his feathers, pulling the ones that are old or bent, and then oiling them again with a different product he swears makes his plumage appear more lustrous. Metal clinks against metal as Hizashi goes through his jewelry boxes. His partner brandishes his bonding bracelet with an exaggerated flourish that pulls an exasperated smile out of Shouta, before he moves to inspecting his beak and himself in the mirror kept hidden in a cabinet—Shouta had once woken up and tackled Hizashi when he caught movement in the den before he realized he only saw his own reflection.
Shouta's routine isn't as elaborate as Hizashi's, and he certainly doesn't spend tones strutting and admiring his reflection, but it still takes as much time to groom all of his fur.
When they're both done, they move out of the den to go through the usual checks to assure everything is up and running, and that nothing has broken down while they were sleeping. They're a well oiled machine, not needing to talk as they circle each other to get to a screen or a pipe. It would probably take less time if they were more than two, but experience and habit makes the ship inspection as quick and efficient as if they had a slightly bigger crew.
He could accomplish the task of cleaning the panel buttons and switches faster, but Shouta leaves it to Hitoshi. His furless hands allow him to hold the cleaning putty without the fear of it ripping out fur or feathers, which inevitably happens even with every precaution taken. Shouta also noticed he enjoy playing with the putty when he walks from panel to panel, stretching it and poking it with his fingers so it makes popping noises.
Hitoshi definitely isn't the worst shipmate. He tries to help where he can, even if it isn't much right now. They give him harmless tasks that are difficult to mess up to keep him occupied and make him feel useful. It's akin to the observational learning events, where, instead of students straight out of the academy following pilots or engineers or health officers around and being assigned trivial tasks to get a feel of the job, Shouta gets to teach the basics of space faring to an illiterate Deathworlder. It's admittedly enjoyable to finally apply what he learned in those Education classes, and Hitoshi is a lot more tolerable than those rich underclassmates he used to tutor back at the Academy.
When everything's been inspected and nothing's about to blow up, Shouta and Hizashi go to the scullery, the clicking mèos hot on their tails as they demand to be fed.
They prepare a quick meal, something easy to eat and easier even to sneak into Hizashi's plate. It's almost a game at this point; how much food can Shouta switch before Hizashi pecks his scarf in annoyance?
This cycle, he isn't the only player. He doesn't know how Hizashi does it, but half of what he tries to sneak into his partner's plate ends up back on his own. Hizashi only flares his crest mockingly when Shouta glares at the slice of fruit he's been trying to give Hizashi since the beginning of the meal.
The time they usually take to board smuggling ships and getting ready for raids on the Interplanetary Safety Commission—just to keep them on their toes and perhaps steal back an artefact the ISC shouldn't have in their paws—has been occupied with showing Hitoshi everything he needs to know to function independently, although they've put the piloting lessons aside in favour of preparing him for the Yamada flock visit. It's a welcome change of routine; with the added Humanish lessons to break up the monotony of teaching, it's almost similar to a vacation.
It doesn't mean Shouta isn't waiting in anticipation for the alone time he gets to spend with his partner. He's been afforded more, as either Hitoshi's been sleeping better with the doors between their dens open, or the time spent doing everything other than sleeping are finally catching up to him. No matter the reason, it results in Hitoshi sleeping in.
This cycle, Hitoshi comes out almost two entire tones later, rubbing his eyes with the tip of his fingers. He greets them while he coos and pets Lamp, who's dozing off on top of her sister.
Letting Hitoshi play with Lamp and Engine has the unintentional result of making him smell more like the ship. It's not strong enough to be off putting, but it's enough that Shouta unconsciously doesn't see him as an intruder anymore. He has to rub his scarf over his mèos more often since they won't stop wiping his smell off on Hitoshi's garments, but he doesn't mind scooping them up midrun to scent them back to his liking.
"Come here, listener," Hizashi calls out, patting the spot beside him. Hitoshi has been hesitant to come close to any of them since the incident, which has led to a lot of insisting reassurances from Hizashi's part. Hitoshi yielded a few cycles ago, right before Hizashi verged on the edge of pushy, for which Shouta is glad, as it was a pitiful sight to witness his partner try to lure Hitoshi back to the table everytime they ate.
Hitoshi looks at the assortment of food they've replicated with clear curiosity as he rounds the table. Hizashi enthusiastically pushes the small dishes around Hitoshi, small twitters escaping him as he nudges the samples he wants Hitoshi to taste first, which seems to be every one of them.
"Just put a little in your mouth and we'll wait five 'minutes' in between each." Shouta slides a bucket at Hitoshi's feet and pushes a few sample plates away so the water dish is within his reach. He waves the portable medrepair he's holding. "Tell us immediately if you start getting itchy or anything."
Hitoshi pokes cut up ondeeves as Hizashi chatters about the most common ways it's prepared in his flock. Shouta keeps his eyes on him, feeling slightly uncomfortable at how much he's staring, but Hitoshi doesn't show any indication he minds. They've mostly stuck with ingredients the vast majority of mammals could eat until now, so Shouta is careful to watch for any adverse reactions Hizashi's home plane's foods might cause. The completely exposed skin, while puzzling in terms of protection, offers Shouta an unrestricted view to any coloured blotches or swelling that might appear.
Hitoshi sniffs a piece as he squishes it slightly to inspect the texture, before plopping it in his mouth. "It tastes like - on Dirt. But green. And more sweet."
Hizashi asks more questions about his non-green human version of ondeeves to pass the time. Shouta's more interested in Hitoshi's ability to taste sweetness. He assumed Hitoshi's palate was similar to his, as they're both mammals, but Hitoshi's perceivable range of flavours is more similar to Hizashi's.
When the five 'minutes' pass and Hitoshi looks fine, they make him try another ingredient. It goes on for almost three tones in total, not counting the break they take in the middle to eat an actual meal, and by then, all of them are bored out of their minds. Even Hizashi's chatter about anything tangentially related to the sample Hitoshi's eating is losing its steam after Hitoshi isn't more impressed by the fried food or the sweets Hizashi and his flock rave about. Apparently, he has something similar on his planet.
"We'll continue next cycle, but tell us immediately if you feel nauseous or itchy, or you start having trouble breathing," Hizashi reminds him.
"Yes, yes, I tell you," Hitoshi waves him off, immediately getting up and stretching out, articulations giving sickening little pops. Hizashi's lucky he doesn't have to be subjected to those.
They go strap down for the end of the warp and the beginning of the next one. Hitoshi does as well as he can to put into practice everything they've taught him, strapping himself into his seat as fast as Shouta expects and rattling the entire warp procedure checklist for a standard vessel, even if he has no idea how to even read the fuel gauge yet. They're working on building good piloting habits. Shouta isn't going to let Hitoshi be one of those pilots that explode docking areas because they forgot to verify the state of their lift-off thrusters.
They enter their fourth warp without a hitch, putting them closer to Hizashi's home planet.
The rest of their cycle goes as usual; they rest, leaving Hitoshi with unrestricted access to modeling compound and other objects to pass the time such as small puzzles and single player games Hizashi has been teaching him how to play. Shouta also printed out easy reading material and practice sheets he can scribble on.
After, when Shouta and Hizashi wake, they show Hitoshi how to cook cheap and easy meals for himself, prepare Hitoshi for the rapidly approaching flock visit, take care of chores, run ship maintenance, fit a Humanish lesson in between, and then they all go rest.
(He's been wracking his mind about the way they'll introduce writing systems to Hitoshi for nothing, as Hitoshi's home region has both a logographic and a phonemic writing system for some reason. Even if it's slightly overkill, it makes Shouta's job easier, and once he spotted what the early signs of frustration and boredom for Humans are—bouncing lowerlimbs and blank stares that last over twenty clicks—he found that Hitoshi is a better student than expected. Even if Hitoshi doesn't like to admit when he doesn't remember a symbol, he at least tried, which is already s'phars better than the rich underclassmates he used to tutor back when he was at the Academy, who seemed to think they could throw credits at the slightest problem.
Although it's annoying that Hitoshi keeps silent instead of asking for help, his pupils are so visible that it's easy to see the quick way he looks from Shouta to the sheet he's reading from and back to Shouta again when he gets confused. It hadn't been more work than when he had to learn how to read Engine and Lamp's sounds and body language. He also responded well to positive reinforcement and treats, which only served to reinforce the similarities between him and Shouta's mèos.
(It's easier to deal with the whole Deathworlder aspect if he approaches Hitoshi the same way he would any injured and frightened animal they rescue from smuggling ships, whose bite stems from fear and not cruelty; slow, steady, and by projecting every intention.)
Their lessons usually took place when Hizashi got sunwarmed and Hitoshi didn't feel like joining him or when Hizashi holovid his flock.)
They're making good time with the ship. The see'krtsh kits' colours haven't come in yet, and while Hizashi tells him they have time to arrive, his partner still spends his cycles holocalling his flock, just in case. Shouta thinks that if he misses another naming ceremony, he'll personally track down every involved in his capture, revive them, and kill them himself.
Fortunately for the Feczoits, they arrive right as the new kits' scales start whiting, announcing the beginning of their first shed. When they enter Hizashi's planet's orbit, a weight is relieved from his partner's body, instead replaced with giddy anticipation. His partner's joy is contagious, and Shouta finds Hitoshi baring his teeth a few times when Hizashi goes on about his home planet's life while he threads beads and charms and feathers into Shouta's fur.
One of the advantage of Hitoshi's presence is that Hizashi's fretting is now divided between both of them instead of falling solely on Shouta. He gets to apply the sunscreen on his own while Hitoshi has to submit himself to Hizashi telling him immediately when a single atom of skin isn't covered in sun protection quick enough for his partner's taste. He has the time to slip a few bracelets on and to put his bonding necklace before Hizashi realizes he isn't giving enough attention to Shouta and starts fussing over the placement of his braids.
They previously touched down to buy gifts, feet wear—the sole ones who fitted the Human only came in sets of three and Hitoshi loathes them, face skin pulled in all types of direction every time he looks at them—and a large rectangle of thin cloth a stall vendor showed Hitoshi how to turn into multiple garments with a few brooches and belts, similar to what Nemuri has to wear when she visits Hizashi's flock. Hitoshi's other garments are far too heavy for the sweltering heat, more prone to cause heat strokes than to give purchase from the sun. They chose one that's big enough to cover his entire body, in parts to hide his identity as a human, but mostly so Hitoshi doesn't lose all of his water from his exposed skin. Hitoshi's fur peeks out from under the large hood, but his human nature isn't recognizable from that feature alone so they let it be.
While Hitoshi tries to convince Hizashi he has enough layers of sunscreen to last the whole season, Shouta pulls on his own white and yellow garment with a grimace. They purchased it a long time ago, specially tailored out of the lightest textile available at the time, thin and breathable, but Shouta always needs a few tones to get used to it. He has his own set of boots on, the ones with a thicker sole to protect the underside of his paws from the burning ground.
Hitoshi doesn't look convinced about the eye protection until Shouta tells him about the risk of his eyes drying out and getting scratched by the particles of sands that gusts of winds throw against their faces at the most inconvenient moment. He's quick to put them on, although he stares enviously at Hizashi's third eyelids.
When Hizashi makes sure they're all well dressed, he moves on to wetting face coverings, wringing them out over the tub so they don't drip everywhere. He packs a few in a hydroproof bag so they won't need to constantly wet them as they walk around. Hizashi's home atmosphere is perfectly breathable, but it's a lot drier than what Shouta is used to. Hitoshi tells them it's fine, that his planet has deserts too, but he needs to hide his face whether he can withstand dry atmospheres or not, so he'll have to endure having a damp cloth over his lower face, even if he thinks it's redundant.
As time crawls by, Shouta's ability to withstand the ship's dry atmosphere has steadily declined, until his eyes and nose—especially after he scared that acid-spitting kit—now constantly itch and dry out if he doesn't keep up with the regiment of nasal sprays and eye drops they stock up on. He knows Hizashi wishes they could raise the ship's humidity levels, and Shouta won't lie and say it isn't inconvenient to constantly have to use the sprays and drops, but his partner's health is more important; after a few cycles, Hizashi's breaths get labored and wheezy, and his lungs get more prone to infections. Hizashi not putting up too much of a fight when Shouta sets the dehumidifier on high is a testament to how much it's painful for his partner.
Shouta is aware that both their threshold to environmental changes are going to decrease further as time goes on, until they might not even be able to breathe the same air, but Shouta has made peace with that reality. If it comes to it, he'll wear those ugly environnement-controlled suits so he can stay in the same space as Hizashi.
(Part of himself scoffs for even entertaining the idea that they'll survive long enough for age to catch up to their bodies. Their careers aren't known to lend itself to long lived lives.
Another side of him, softer and more alike Hizashi, dreams of growing gray and ashy with his beloved.)
By chance, Humans being sturdy and able to adapt to a wide range of climates is one of the only rumors that is turning out to be true. Hitoshi hasn't shown any of the usual signs the dry ship's atmosphere usually brings Shouta, and Hitoshi had seemed to breathe fine for someone who spent so much time in those feczoit cells, where the humidity had thankfully been at the limit of what Hizashi's lungs are capable of enduring. If Hitoshi had needed to use Shouta's dwindling supplies—he's barely more than halfway through, which, in space, means he should have gone to restock half a season ago, they're going to have to drop by Chiyo's soon after this—they would have run out.
Shouta harnesses his mèos in preparation for their exit, placing them in their carrier pouches and clipping them in place. Hitoshi slings a carrying bag over his shoulder, another purchase, that Hizashi filled with water and some snacks, alongside a whole bottle of sunscreen.
When they step out into the private docking area, the dry air immediately sucks all of the humidity in the ship. Shouta sags, his energy sapped away by the sweltering heat. He can't see Hitoshi's face, but his head is twisting around to look at their surroundings. With a quick touch, he makes sure the pouches carrying Lamp and Engine are still cool enough to counteract the temperature.
Sector 9 of this particular port isn't the closest docking area from Hizashi's flock's settlement, but the custom officers here are as bribable as ever, giving them free passage in exchange for a combination of credits, a few shiny trinkets Hizashi collected for this specific occasion, and his partner's charming personality.
It's mostly open rooms, with the occasional resting spot or perching furniture pushed against the walls. They go through security far easier than they should. Hitoshi and Shouta are barely given a second glance, and no one comes flying to arrest them, though they did take off the symbol on the underside of their ship.
Shouta is always a little caught off guard even if he knows that many aliens pass through here, all covered similarly as him and Hitoshi. It's not uncommon to encounter people without ISC registration even now. Despite being set up a few decades ago, the practice has only gained popularity until the edges of ISC centrals, where their prominent governing bodies have an easier time controlling and manipulating the trade and traveling by geographical proximity alone. Here, tucked away from the ISC's reach, those registrations are barely used, and the systems that scan them haven't even been installed in the operating boots. People come and go without much trouble, as long as they don't advertise obvious ill-intentions and are willing to part with a few hundred credits.
Hizashi gets caught talking with one of the custom officer, whose flockmate's broodmate's young bonded into Hizashi's flock a decade and a half ago. Shouta has to discreetly nudge him so they stop holding up the line.
When they arrive to the meet-up terminal, the air starts to vibrate. Hitoshi puts his hands over his chest, taken aback despite being told about what he should expect. Hizashi pauses, before he lights up in recognition and immediately takes off in the sky. He flies loops over them, the vibrations growing more intense until a cloud of beating wings and enthusiastic whistling and thrumming swarms his partner. The two stars' light flickers behind the shadows cast by Hizashi's flock, and Shouta has to stop looking up from the strobe light effect.
A body detaches itself from the swarm overhead, freefalling until wings snap open to catch them. Blue scales, paler yellow feathers, a chirp that sounds lower than his partner's. His second oldest littermate, Playful. "Shou, Hizashi's bonded! Ya remember me, don't ya?"
"I could never forget," he answers, deadpan.
Playful laughs, slapping his front limb with her wing. "Good, good, and you, stranger, ya remember me?"
Hitoshi pauses as he deciphers what was said. She signs quickly, in a way that's unfamiliar enough to give Hitoshi pause, but they've practiced with another of Hizashi's littermates over holocall. "Give it time, and we'll see if we met before," he recites, sagging in relief when Playful tilts his head forward in approval. "You can call me—" he hesitantly signs the name sign for 'Purple'. Hitoshi had only blinked when Hizashi had explained the meaning of it with a sheepish flutter of his wings.
She pushes him playfully, signing his name and making the sound for 'stranger' at the same time, before giving out her own name. Turning to Shouta, she says, "Hizashi's bringing in another member to the flock? He like them warmblooded, doesn't he?"
She times it intentionally so that Hizashi sees her when he swoops down. He lands fast, talons sinking into the sand and sliding a little from the momentum.
"It's not like that!" Hizashi signs, scandalized. "I owe my friend Hitoshi a life debt. He's got nowhere to go right now, so he's staying with us."
Playful falls silent, her wings twitching out before being brought back to her torso. Even if they already know why Hitoshi's here, the flock doesn't like reminders of the risks Hizashi's job poses. "Listen, you're cooped up all the time in that ship of yours," she says suddenly, demeanor entirely shifted to the side so fast, Hizashi looks dizzy from the change. "Bet ya can't duo with me."
She immediately darts away, her mocking laugh snapping Hizashi into movement. Hizashi joins her in a flurry of feathers, all semblance of grace tossed aside in the name of speed. Shouta follows his partner's quick dips and loops, at first a split of a click late compared to Playful, but Hizashi quickly gains his rhythm and starts predicting her moves, until they both fly at the exact same time and Shouta can't discern who's copying who. More bodies follow after them, joining in on their game until Hizashi disappears after a dive, melting into the mass of whirling colours, and Shouta loses sight of him.
A long chirp brings his attention back to the ground. A few elders wave at him from the tame yellow shuttle they use to transport him to their homes. It glides leisurely through the sanded-over magnetic roads, its occupants going at a slower pace than those who chose to fly. A few lose patience and launch themselves from the roof windows and side sills to go greet Hizashi, but most are content to stay in the climate controlled space and rest their old bones on soft mats.
When the shuttle comes within reasonable distance to them, Shouta leads Hitoshi to it, clambering inside and sighting in relief when cooler air greets him. He pushes the goggles up on his forehead and unties his garment for the time being, letting his scarf uncoil.
He greets the elders, supervising Hitoshi's introduction. He does well, although Shouta can sense his nervousness through his shifting weight. They're all used to Shouta's less socially inclined behaviour, which gives him some time to get used to the amount of people around him as they leave him be to talk with each other, only occasionally giving Hitoshi a curious look. Hitoshi seems equally overwhelmed, and a short moment of understanding passes between them.
Hitoshi startles at the sound of a body landing on the shuttle. Shouta curls the tip of his tail when he sees that his partner has come by to knock on the transparent ceiling. He's glowing from joy, the sun right behind him illuminating his silhouette and giving him an ethereal glow. His feathers are almost gold against the blue backdrop, and the intricate pattern of his talon sheaths seem to move and sway, taking a life of their own and ready to strike any threat down. He's smiling with his feathers all puffed out, and his crest is wind blown to the right.
Shouta blinks slowly at him, his chest warm from fondness when Hizashi signs, "Hello pretty stranger, are you partnered already?"
Shouta's about to play along, but the moment is broken when two shapes come down to knock Hizashi over with taunting calls that rattles the shuttle. Hizashi gets roped back into the race (or the flight dance or whatever game they're playing). He twirls to face Shouta while he freefalls to sign 'follow you in every lives', the see'krtsh equivalent of 'tomorrow, with you'. His wings snap open to catch himself right before he slams into the ground, and he goes to chase after his flock.
Shouta almost hisses when he sees Hitoshi staring intently at him. He discovers the reason for the staring when the Human turns to the elders and signs, "Yes, his eyes are very big."
The elders cackle, whistling breathy from age. One of them pipes up, "I told ya! It happens even when his partner isn't present. If he has blown pupils, chances are that he's thinking of his partner."
At that, they all laugh at Shouta's embarrassment. He lowers his nose into his scarf when even Hitoshi joins them. Should have left him at the trading center the first time around.
The elders take Hitoshi's amusement as a signal that they've been left alone long enough. They immediately try to interact with them, elder Chatty gesturing at Hitoshi to come closer so they can strike a conversation. He's awkward at first, and Shouta takes care to help smooth everything out, but quickly, Hitoshi's finds his footing when the elders ignore his stuttering and grammatically incorrect sentences. By the time they arrive, Hitoshi's been fed embarrassing stories about Hizashi and somehow managed to gain the promise of elder Chatty showing him how to make an easy baked good.
Even if he goes along with the elders, Hitoshi sticks to Shouta's side as soon as they leave the relative silence of the shuttle and step into the cacophonic outside. Shouta doesn't say anything about being used as an inadequate shield, and thankfully, most of Hizashi's flock is crowding Shouta's partner while the rest are taking see'krtsh kits somewhere out of view.
A few See'krtshes come greet them and his mèos left in the shuttle they've programmed to be a cooler temperature, but they mostly aim their conversation at Shouta, probably thinking Hitoshi doesn't know See'krtshish. If it bothers the Human, he doesn't show any indication of it.
"Let's go," he says, after it's apparent Hizashi won't be free for the rest of the cycle. He turns to walk away without looking back to see if Hitoshi will follow.
The Human jogs to catch up, head twisting to look back. "Hizashi?"
And Shouta gets the sentiment, he wants to stay and keep his eyes on his partner too, but it's getting really hot outside and Hizashi is surrounded by at least twenty other See'krtshes. He deserves some time with his flock without having to worry about Hitoshi. "He's fine."
Shouta can feel the dubiousness through the layers of cloth, but he treks on. The share center comes into view, the brightly coloured walls and ramp carved from a rock greeting them. "This is one of the only places with conditioned air, so if you start getting uncomfortable with the temperature, come here."
The double hatches open to let them in, the fresher air immediately soothing him. It's not as cold as it is on the ship, but it's s'phars better than the outside heat.
A few people are here to find relief from the beating suns, chittering with each other, but the one who gets Shouta's attention is none other than elder Mellow. "If it isn't Hizashi's bondmate, finally coming to visit me." She huff when one of the flock's Ss'lhs slithers closer to her and coils around her ankle. She frowns, but still pats its head. "Tell me, where's my scoundrel?"
Before Shouta can answer her, she notices Hitoshi. "Another outsider?"
Shouta represses his wince. There's no way she didn't know about Hitoshi, not with how much Hizashi has been talking about him over the holocalls. "Hizashi owes him a life-debt," he signs quickly, hoping that reminding her of the reasons for the 'outsider's' presence will settle her hostility.
It doesn't. She flares what's left of their feathers out in a scowl. "Always getting in trouble, always risking his life, that one." She rattles her beak in disapproval. "Listen here, you were supposed to mellow him out, not get dragged into whatever whimsy he wants. He's such a good singer, he could have been part of the Choir, but instead, he's flying around and doing whatever catches his eye. Such talent, wasted."
Shouta tunes out the usual speech. He knows she's only worried about Hizashi, but he already knows what she'll say. He's subjected to it everytime he visits her. Shouta always had difficulties understanding the Yamada flock dynamic, but this is something that's closer to what his species' is familiar with. Her ire is only natural; she's not only Hizashi's old singing instructor, but also Hizashi's egg bearer's egg bearer. It must be disappointing to have spent so much time cultivating Hizahsi's voice, only for him to never try for the Choir.
Unfortunately, she senses his inattention and instead of going on like she usually does, she turns her attention to Hitoshi. "You. Come here."
Hitoshi's head turns toward Shouta, silently begging for help. Shouta pushes him forward and ignores the small noise the Human makes at his betrayal.
Hitoshi stays deadly still while she inspects him, upper limbs instantly going limp when she lifts them with a frown. The Ss'lh bumps against Hitoshi's feet wear and starts trying to climb his lower limb. She scolds it while detaching it from Hitoshi, but the effect is dampened by the gentleness of her touch when she brings it close to her front and pets it.
She tilts her head the same way Hizashi does when he inspects something. Hitoshi straightens, prepared to give out his introduction, but she interrupts it by pulling him down to sit next to her. He goes down even if Shouta knows he could easily resist her pull.
She scoffs at the garment's fabric when she feels it between her talons, and squints at Hitoshi's gloved hands. Hitoshi sends him what Shouta interprets as a helpless look. Finally, her verdict falls. "You should feed him more."
Shouta lets out a long breath, both in relief and in preparation for the incoming lecture on how to take care of someone to whom a life debt is owed. This is going to be long.
Hizashi is home, his flock within reach and the sandy dunes bordering his sides.
He croons at little Gabby and littler Sundown Red, his hatchmate's mate's sibling's first and third clutch nestlings respectively. They're both tucked under his wings, feathers all fluffed up to keep warm, their tails intertwined together. There are more youngs to his right, sandwiched between his cuddle neighbours. He didn't catch who they were, the juveniles having slithered away too quickly for him to see them properly.
Shouta and Hitoshi are staying in one of the share building, where it's cooler. The unnamed nestlings aren't out of the healing center yet, so only the elders have been allowed to visit. Preparing for the ceremony when they haven't finished their shed isn't traditional by any means, but it's been a while since a young's death has befallen them.
The unnamed nestlings' nesters—a trio composed of Whistle, Rakish, and someone from a northern flock—have kept their beaks shut about their youngs' progress, not wanting to jinx anything. It builds the nervous energy around the flock, but no news is good news.
The new youngs are strong. They pecked their egg in less than a cycle, and came out slightly over the average weight. The chances of them not surviving are low, even without taking into account the technological advancements time and desperation has brought.
The tail his head is laid on shakes him lightly. "You think too loud. Listen, they're nearing the end of their molt, so stop overthinking. They're all Whistle's clutch and they've never lost a hatchling before."
Hizashi lets out a low thrum of acknowledgement-thankful-reassured even though he doesn't quite feel it. Zip is younger, was born almost a decade after the boon of youngs the new hatching procedures have brought. It's easy to trace the line between who grew Before and After it. There's excitement and trips to trading centers for those who are After, while uneasiness keeps those from Before from celebrating too soon, held breaths as they await a long mournful cry to pierce the sky.
(He has memories of hatchlings wandering around their settlement and being carried by flockmembers. He longs for those times when he could cuddle hatchlings and watch them sing their first song and coo at their little twitters, but he'll take the strict monitoring and the controlled coming-and-goings at the healer's building over mourning for another little soul.
He'd been to more funerals than ceremonies, although the number of naming ceremonies are quickly catching up to the losses, and so he lets himself hope. It's a dangerous thing.)
Zip's tail is smooth under his head. He hasn't been able to see the new nestlings in person yet. The healers only allow off-world visitors after three cycles of confirmed health and a myriad of check-ups, to which Hizashi is going to subject himself next cycle.
He settles around Gabby and Sundown Red, pushing his tail over where theirs is buried in the sand. He's careful to keep his wings over their head, to shade their eyes and keep them in comforting darkness.
They're soft under his beak. He preens the back of their heads, down to their shoulders, leaving the discarded feathers in a pile on the side. In between, he rubs circles over their brows and the side of their heads, scratching lightly when they lean into his touch.
It barely feels like a feep has passed when a few flock members start to shift, and before he knows it, half the pile has woken up.
He reluctantly let go of the youngs, who immediately get pulled under another wing. He's going to help with the preparation and see how Shouta and Hitoshi are faring.
The platform is new.
It stands high, metal rods holding it off the ground. The top is covered in wooden planks, glossy from varnish. Stylized See'krtshes running and flying after each other have been carved onto the panels.
They're decorating. Hizashi's tying ribbons and garlands while Shouta's cleaning perches and tables. To his right, a group of the older fledglings are teaching nestlings how to weave twigs into baskets to keep them away from everyone's wings while making them feel like they're contributing to the festivities. Squeaky peeps and crows sometimes erupt from their corner, announcing to everyone the completion of a slightly wonky basket that'll soon be carrying treats and small gifts.
Hizashi shakes his wing at Hitoshi when he stops by to catch his breath. The others have discovered Hitoshi could lift heavy loads easily, so he's helping there, carrying crates upon crates to sculleries and back, basically running errands. From time to time, he'll place whatever he's carrying down and bend in the middle to rest his hands on the middle of his hind limbs, the movement making the small ornament bells weaved into his fur jingle. Mellow has apparently taken offense to the lack of colour or decorative adornment, and took it upon herself to cover Hitoshi in bracelets and bright strings, which compelled a few others to add jewelry on his friend. Hizashi has been keeping track; he'll have to have a talk with all of them, just to make sure they aren't trying to 'help' him pay his debt.
The 'hello' he gets back is half-hearted, but Hizashi isn't deterred. "Drink, listener!" he reminds Hitoshi. The heat is making him more sluggishly than usual, and still, Hizashi has only seen him drink when asked to. "Are you tired? I can bring you to the share building if you need to take a break."
Hitoshi is already stubbornly shaking his head from side to side, although he thankfully listens to Hizashi's request to stay hydrated, even if it's by pointedly taking exaggerated sips from his water container by slipping the nozzle under his face covering. Hizashi thought Hitoshi would spent the visit in the share buildings, but he balked at the idea of not helping, although Hizashi has the suspicion Hitoshi didn't want to be separated from them. He's been taking routes that pass by Hizashi and Shouta too much for it to be mere coincidence.
Hitoshi picks the crate back up—this time filled with dishes and talon sheaths—and goes on his way. Hizashi waits a few click and isn't disappointed when fledglings come out of their hiding spots to follow after Hitoshi, chirps and cheeps falling out their beak every time Hitoshi turns to look at them, although his friend has started to ignore them when he keeps being brought back to his task by any See'krtsh near him. It has been going on for a while, and the fledglings aren't deterred even when they keep being shooed away as soon as Hitoshi's back is turned. To Hizashi's amusement and light exasperation, they keep coming back with childish bets daring each other to touch the hem of the outsider's garments, persistent in satisfying their curiosity, but the flock is even more persistent in keeping any young away. Despite Hitoshi being owed a life debt and having Hizashi as his pack mate, Hitoshi isn't flock.
Eventually, an elder pulls the gaggle of fledglings to the side. They wilt visibly as the elder scolds them, and when they're dismissed, they all look contrite, feathers puffed up. Hizashi winces, remembering the particularly effective scoldings he's faced with this elder.
Chatty drops by to tell them Engine and Lamp are doing well in the shuttle. Shouta flicks his ear gratefully. If it weren't for the mèo update brought every tone or the cameras set up around the shuttle Shouta occasionally looks through, Hizashi's mate would be spending his time in the shuttle, glaring at the temperature meter.
A few excited juveniles come up to them to yell about Lamp and Engine, still wrapped in cloth from their visit in the shuttle, before food is brought out right before second sundown.
Long tables have been set up under awnings, in close proximity to each other to celebrate Hizashi's and Shouta's safe return. While Hizashi tries to stem the flow of food being piled on his and Shouta's plate while also serving his flockmates, his bondmate is directing Hitoshi toward food they've deemed safe.
Some of Hizashi's flockmates are piled on top of each other in their enthusiasm to be close to them, their excited whistling songs gaining in volume in an attempt to be heard over the cacophony.
Hizashi's complimenting Chatty's bondmate on his new stew recipe when he catches a few of his clutchmates swooping down. Before he can tell them to give Hitoshi space, they grab his hands and slip more bracelets on his wrists, unnoticing the way Shouta and Hizashi tenses or the way Hitoshi freezes under their sudden touch.
"Hey, hey, hey, let's not crowd my friend, yeah?" He throws a wing between them and Hitoshi, a little irked at their forwardness. He warned his flock to take it easy with Hitoshi, spending every holocalls to remind them to keep a wing's distance between themselves and his friend. Hitoshi discreetly moves a step behind Hizashi.
"You alright?" he signs to Hitoshi after he manages to get his clutchmates to move farther down the table. Surprisingly, Mellow is the one to call them away. "We can head back to the shuttle and eat there if it's too much for you."
"I am fine," Hitoshi responds. He grabs a piece of Sh'il covered Am'ff off his plate and sneaks it under his face cloth as if to emphasize his point. Under Hizashi's doubtful feather ruffle, he squirms on his seat and gestures at his wrists, leaning forward to hide his signing. "What do I do with this?"
"Don't worry about it. Have you tried this?" When Hitoshi shakes his head in negative, Hizashi puts the sweet clumped grain in his dish.
The rest of their meal goes on the same way; Hizashi and Shouta run interference for Hitoshi, while Hitoshi tries new dishes. They retire earlier than they usually would, mostly to Hitoshi's benefit, who has grown silent and whose feet Hizashi keeps accidentally stepping on from how close his friend is standing.
The path to the shuttle seems a lot farther out. Shouta's middle limbs drag on the ground, head drooped low and social battery depleted. The worst is Hitoshi, who stumbles every few often on invisible dunes, forced to pause midway to catch his breath lest he falls too far back. They're going to have to implement an exercise regimen for Hitoshi once they're back on the ship.
Shouta wraps his scarf around Hizashi's shoulders when they enter the cooled down shuttle, to help him fight the shivers the difference of temperature always brings. As soon as every entry is closed off, Hitoshi rips off his goggles and face covering, letting them fall to the ground unceremoniously with an exaggerated exhale, fanning his face with his hands. A red imprint is left around his eyes where the goggles rested, and his face is pink from heat. He pulls his cloth away from his upper limbs to expose them. His fur stays flattened on top of his skull, where it's glossy from his damp brow.
"Hitoshi?"
"Hmm?" He wipes the water that collected under his nose while looking down at the garments crumpled around his feet, his brow fur tilting down. "I need to put back?"
"No, no, don't worry, I just…" Hizashi's at a loss for words. He doesn't know how to express how weird it is that Hitoshi's face is damp without offending him. Has he been leaking water all day? He's never done this before.
Shouta's playing with Lamp and is of no help. Hizashi decides it's better to offend than to risk Hitoshi's health. "Why are you leaking water from your scalp?"
"Leaking…?" He touches his head and squints at his hand. "It is only, uhm, when it is hot. Water come out so it is less hot. It is normal for Humans. You don't have the leaking water?"
"No?" Hizashi doesn't leak water when it's too warm, he lives in a desert. He turns to Shouta, slightly hysterical. "Do you leak?"
Why does Shouta need to take a moment to think about it? Hizashi's crest rises the longer it takes for his mate to answer. "I don't think there's a word for it in See'krtshish, but we call it -". He lifts a paw up to show its pads. "I only - a little bit here though, and it doesn't help much. Spreading my scarf out does a better job cooling me down." He pauses to look at Hizashi, ears pinned back. "How have you never noticed?"
"I don't know, your paws are never wet when I look at them!" he signs, a little hysterical. He's lived with Shouta for more than half his life, how has he never noticed? "I just thought you washed them or dipped them in water to cool them off, or you stepped on a puddle or something, not that you leaked water."
Shouta rubs the space between his eyes. "First, it's not 'leaking water'. It's just glands secreting water and salt amongst other things. Second,"—he shakes his head in disbelief, tail lashing out—"why would I ever dip any part of my body in water?"
"For fun? It was kind of weird, but I didn't want to question it."
Shouta signs something about Hizashi's observational skills, or lack thereof, with the low exasperation that comes with living with someone.
What a dangerous thermoregulation method. Hizashi has been waiting for a benefit for the whole fleshy deal, but all he's witnessed is a bigger amount of bruises from the lack of any protective layer and this—this water leakage.
The mèos interrupt Hizashi's further questioning by running at him. Engine barrels into his side, her leap failing half-way through when she overextends, resulting in her flopping sadly on her back with a slightly confused flick of her tongue, while Lamp gracefully sits on the base of his tail with a haughty look, demanding some attention and scorning it at the same time. He scratches Engine's head, unwilling to upset Lamp and risk getting clicked at and scraped by her teeth.
Hitoshi has no qualms about that, calling her to him. When Lamp struts to him, he lifts her up without any hesitation nor fear for his exposed upper limbs. Of course, Lamp only flicks her tongue smugly and buries herself further into his hold. If Hizashi ever dared do that, she would have fought like he was torturing her.
The shuttle's washing room is tiny, in a way that's reminiscent of the cell even with the warm light and clean walls. Hitoshi seems to think the same, leaving the hatch ajar a few clicks after shutting it with shaky hands. Hizashi keeps his gaze away to let Hitoshi have the pretense of privacy.
He laughs before shutting his beak when he sees the tangled mess of strings and bells in Hitoshi's fur when his friend steps out. Shouta doesn't even try to hide his amusement. "Listener, you need help there?"
Hitoshi sits down next to him with a sullen expression and Hizashi has to hold another laugh back. He'll have to braid them back in the morning, so Mellow doesn't scold him.
He's careful not to yank when he cards his talons through Hitoshi's fur. The ribbons are easy to pull out, but a few strands are stuck through the bells. Shouta has to step in to untangle those, his scarf giving him more precise handling than Hizashi's talons or beak.
"Maybe you need to pull more?"
Hizashi strokes Hitoshi's freed fur to settle his impatience. "There's only a few bits left, there's no need for that, listener."
Hitoshi grumbles but stops squirming. His eyelids have come down, to the point where he looks like he's glaring, but Hizashi knows he's falling asleep. He's already changed into his sleeping garments, so when Hizashi drops the last bell Shouta hands him in a jewelry dish, he immediately rolls into his cot, dragging the edges over himself. "Thank you."
Shouta flicks his ears to acknowledge Hitoshi's words as he crawls into their cot. Hizashi joins him once he places his own bracelets next to Hitoshi's, burrowing into his bondmate's warmth with a pleased chirp. He closes his eyes, waiting for the main lights to shut off, but Shouta doesn't move. He cracks his eyes open to see what Shouta's waiting for, following his mate's gaze to see what the object of his concentration is.
Instead of going to rest, Engine has climbed onto Hitoshi to lay on his shoulder. In the cot, Shouta's tail, which was questioningly flicking against Hizashi's hind limbs, stills when Lamp starts clicking at Hitoshi's face until he pets her behind her ears. "Do you feel unwell?"
Now that he's looking for it, he notices Hitoshi's weird expression, half longing, half something else. The muscles around his eyes are tense, like he's glaring but isn't, and the skin around his mouth is pressed tightly together.
Hizashi wants to slap himself for not understanding the scene before him sooner. Mèos are bred for sensing distress, and bringing comfort is one of the intrinsic instincts they barely need training for, alongside hunting pests and making those alarming screaming sounds when there's an accumulation of carbon monoxide.
"Hey, what's wrong? Was this cycle too much? You can stay here next cycle, everyone will understand."
Hitoshi shake his head from side to side. He bumps his mouth against Lamp and pulls the cot tighter around himself, careful not to dislodge Engine. He signs, quiet and unsure and vulnerable, "I miss Dirt."
"Oh."
Hitoshi's mouth does an odd thing, before he turns his head into the pillow, rubbing the skin of his face in the fabric. When he lifts his head back up, his skin is pink from friction. "Sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about." Hizashi warbles sadly. "If we could bring you back to your home planet, we would. It's just that it's so far away, and even with the best ship, we don't have the resources to sneak past and outfly the ISC perimeter or the poachers, let alone find a way to drop you down without being noticed by any Humans."
Hitoshi's upper limbs tighten around the cover of his cot, his next breaths shudder and shake, and he shuts his eyes until his skin wrinkle at the edges. "It is fine. I know already that I cannot go back."
Hizashi reaches outside the warmth of his nest to hook his talons into the edge of Hitoshi's cot. He pulls lightly, until Hitoshi gets the message and scoots closer. He feels Hitoshi jolt when he throws his wing over him, but he's quick to relax, curling into himself.
There are very few cases where Hizashi and Shouta couldn't return someone back to their home planet or colony, and there has never been a case where there was absolutely nowhere for them to go.
The small noise Shouta makes is intended for their mèos, but Hitoshi tilts his head slightly in attention. Shouta makes a gesture, one that doesn't mean anything to anyone but Engine and Lamp, accompanied with an eer'ahseerish word too high pitched for Hizashi to sense. The mèos immediately follow his command, Engine climbing down in the crook of Hitoshi's neck and draping herself on his head while Lamp squirms into the cot to lay against his chest. They'll move back to their sleeping area right before Hitoshi falls asleep.
Shouta sits up slightly, waving his scarf to catch Hitoshi's attention. "The homesickness won't go away, not completely," he starts slowly. Hizashi aches for them both. He's unbelievably lucky to be able to return to his flock. "But while Dirt will always be where you come from, you'll find yourself calling another place home."
Shouta's scarf is flushed, and he deliberately doesn't look at Hizashi when he dims the lights.
A/N: If you find typos or weird grammar, just leave a comment and I'll fix it :) Tell me what you think! I appreciate everyone who has left a review