Bird of a Nest - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Fetmar was sitting growling. It was almost amusing to watch. The human young man making noises that k'nairi younglings also made. Dyn'ad resisted the urge to tease the man, knowing this was not the time to do. Dyn'ad felt like growling too. The situation was not good and they were both helpless in it. They were warriors. He sat next to the human on the balcony and offered a bottle of beer idly. Fetmar looked it for a moment but took it, crossing his arms and looking out into the distance. It was early in the evening and the sun was starting to set, making the sky light up in oranges and reds.
"Missing Yerir'o?" Dyn'ad asked, not sure where to start on this one. Eyeri was under review. Even with all their promised Eyeri would be able to learn how to heal, if Pol'ar decided Eyeri was not worthy too, that was it. And Ryraso would be in danger of losing his license too. Yerir'o had gone to be Loror's left-hand man leaving Fetmar alone with people he didn't trust and the ones he cared for in trouble in ways he couldn't help with.
"It's been less than 24 hours," Fetmar said gruffly, taking a sip of the beer. "He spent every second next to me. I'm enjoying being able to move at the moment," he admitted softly. "Still, it is strange to not have him here."
Dyn'ad smirked and bumped Fetmar's shoulder. "We'll keep you safe. Its a shame he had to leave," he hummed.
"Couldn't be helped. He's still D'mar," Fetmar breathed.
"We are," Dyn'ad agreed. "Pol'ar's not. He's neutral," he mused thinking over who had declared their intentions for the war effort. Pol'ar had refused to leave Navat or join the D'mar. With his age, no one had complained. The healer's circle and the priests had tried to remain neutral and not take sides. Though Dyn'ad was pretty much Ton'eath was D'mar technically or at least had shown favour to that side.
"That so?" Fetmar growled. "Still an asshole for doing this."
"He doesn't know Eyeri's past. Even if he did, it's his job to weed out people not suited for the job and I'm not saying Eyeri isn't," Dyn'ad defended as Fetmar glared at him. "But Eyeri maybe did start for the wrong reasons. He never really had any choices, did he?" Dyn'ad pointed out. "Might not be the worse thing in the world if he has to find a path from scratch."
"Choice? You mean like any of us in the war?" Fetmar said darkly. "We were all forced to become soldiers. Even Oira. He's a scientist first but even that path wasn't the one he wanted to take. He actually did have dreams of being a healer before our village was burned to the ground. Instead, life took him down a different path. Makio wanted to be a musician, not that our parents took much notice of that." Fetmar stretched his shoulders. "I was meant to be a farmer. I can't say I regret not being so but none of us got choices, Royal Bonded."
Dyn'ad grimaced, the boy not realising the implications behind him calling him that. He had a choice and he had forced it. It didn't help that Fetmar was entirely correct.  The younger generation had suffered more than one way because of the war. "Now he does," he offered. "But first, we need to get him through this week."
---x---
Ryraso walked through the gardens, trying not to worry too much about his sons as the sunset. Gar'kin and his workers had done a good job and even at this weird time of the year, there were flowers blooming and the sounds of insects and birds surrounded him. He was alone for the most part. The odd movement betrayed the guards that he wasn't truly alone but that was impossible now. The k'nairi were not going to let him go but they could respect that he needed a moment of peace.
His sons were struggling. Eyeri was almost frantic trying to remember everything he should know and Aw'endo was trying but didn't know anything about healing. He had no skills for it. Dyn'ad was guarding Fetmar and Nel'os. Well Nel'os was with Ang'as.
The wind blew around him, blowing with it sounds of people kissing. Ryraso frowned, something in him pushing him forwards to check just who it was. He looked around the corner and found some guard pushing Zaro up again the wall, sitting on a ledge, the two kissing passionately. Zaro was grinding up against the guard and the guard seemed more than happy to respond.
Zaro. He had almost forgotten about the man and it seemed that Zaro had already gotten himself wrapped up in something without truly knowing anything yet. Ryraso reacted, stepping forward and making his presence known. The guard turned, clearly to tell him to piss off when he realised just who was interrupting them. Zaro looked at him and slumped disappointed.
"Is this wise?" Ryraso asked, looking at the two with a lifted eyebrow. The guard flushed and shifted uncomfortably but Zaro looked unconcerned. The guard had rings on, and Ryraso zoomed in on them. The man shrugged, hiding his hand before bowing and leaving. Leaving was too kind a word. The man fled, feathers practically left behind in his rush. Ryraso resisted the urge to smile and instead just looked at Zaro.
"Probably not," Zaro allowed, swinging his legs. "But I'll admit to not really caring currently."
"Zaro," Ryraso exhaled, moving to sit next to him. "He's mated."
"I know. He told me. Before. Explained that this would just be for fun and the second his mates came he'd drop me. I don't care," Zaro shrugged. Ryraso's eyes narrowed, not missing how Zaro couldn't meet his eyes. Zaro was lying. He cared. "I wasn't looking for anything serious. Wasn't really looking at all but you know when an opportunity falls in your lap..." he drifted off, clearly trying to pull off the air of someone celebrating being able to sleep around without consequences.
"You should have said no," Ryraso shook his head. This was already a big mess and Ryraso could tell. Maybe Zaro hadn't cared, or wanted to care, but it was already starting to become apparent that he did. "He shouldn't have offered."
"Stop. You're not my father nor my brother Ryraso. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I am an adult," Zaro snapped. "I don't need a lecture."
"You're in a foreign city in a culture you don't understand. You need someone watching your back," Ryraso argued.
"You mean like you?" Zaro challenged darkly.
"I am your friend, Zaro," Ryraso pointed out, feeling cut by those words.
Zaro snorted. "Loosely. Ryraso, you can't protect everyone and you are far too busy with your boys to worry about me too. Don't worry. I can look after myself," he declared firmly.
"I doubt it," Ryraso hummed, looking Zaro up and down. Zaro was not Eyeri, nor Aw'endo. He was an adult, no doubts there. He was still young enough that he needed someone to look after him and not get himself into knife edge situations. Ryraso couldn't help but see the image of k'nairi wings trembling on Zaro's back despite his very distinct lack of wings. Whatever that guard had planned could not be good. A few k'nairi nests were fine with their members sleeping around when they weren't together, most weren't. The guard was setting Zaro up and Ryraso didn't like it.
The look Zaro gave could kill but Ryraso was too used to stroppy boys to really take much notice. Ryraso tentatively put a hand on Zaro's shoulder, watching as Zaro shrunk away from him, looking almost afraid suddenly. "Ry..." Zaro breathed. "I am fine," he reassured, pushing Ryraso's hand off his shoulder.
"You're sleeping with a guy you've known for less than two weeks, who is using you in some kind of game with his mates. You are not fine," Ryraso said firmly.
"You're sleeping with people who betrayed you and have hurt you physically numerous times over the past four years after kidnapping you to brand you. How long did that take exactly?" Zaro asked darkly.
"Well, it's almost been a month," Ryraso mused. That was something he was going to have to deal with soon too. Now his back was no longer hurting, they would start pushing again and despite the rather enjoyable night they had barely a week ago, Ryraso's stomach was curling at the idea again. He trusted them, he did. It was just. Something felt wrong and he wasn't sure what.
"Wait? You haven't..." Zaro trailed off, blushing slightly as he realised just who was demanding information on his sexual adventures from.
"No," Ryraso shook his head, not embarrassed by this in the least. "Tai'ray has a rule that anyone being claimed is not allowed to be messed with until after the brand. Anyone who breaks the rule, loses the right to claim the caw. And well, my back has only just healed up," he explained softly. He could almost feel the guards who were on duty nearby having a eureka moment. Guards they were, deaf or subtle, they were not.
"Oh. That's... I guess that makes sense," Zaro frowned not looking like he understood it at all. "Isn't that kind of the best bit of the entire situation though?"
"Depends," Ryraso snorted, musing from what little he knew about Zaro's appetites, the man would think that. The twins had enjoyed him for a reason. The same wasn't true of everyone, however. "Still. How long did it take you?" he asked dryly. Zaro hadn't had that much experience. He had pretty much just fallen into bed with the twins and that was it but the twins had made comments to suggest Zaro was quite aggressive in getting what he wanted.
"A day?" Zaro offered quietly. "I still thought I was going to Fiant and well," he looked away again, his body language screaming embarrassment. "It was fun. I wanted it. Then it kept happening." There was an air of 'and I'd like it to keep happening' around him. Still...
"And?" Ryraso asked, feeling distinctly like there was an 'and'.
"It stopped working. It's still fun but," Zaro looked slightly lost. Like he was questioning a lot of what he knew about sex and the effects thereof.
"It isn't helping you get over the twins," Ryraso acknowledged. He knew he was right by how Zaro flinched at the mention of them. "Zaro..." he said sadly. He really was going to have to get to the bottom of just what had happened between Zaro and the twins. And possibly get Nel'os to be friends with Zaro. The two would get along and Ryraso apparently needed to be keeping an eye on him.
"It will be fine," Zaro said firmly. "I'll have a few weeks of fun and then be alone with my thought again. I'll live."