Page 20 of Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
Suuzu kept fidgeting, so Akira casually messed up his own hair. His roommate’s exasperated glance turned sheepish. Akira just grinned and tilted his head forward, inviting him to preen. That sort of thing usually calmed Suuzu down.
Phoenixes disliked clutter, so their room echoed slightly with the drastic minimalism of their belongings. They had a fold-away table to use for either snacks or studying, but that was currently stored in their futon cupboard. A low bookcase just inside the door held textbooks, student ID, spare change, and Akira’s phone charger.
Few needs and fewer wants.
Akira had come to appreciate a life unburdened by extraneous stuff. Just as he’d learned what mattered most to Suuzu, because a phoenix’s needs might be simple … but desperate. Air and light, a view of the sky and the ready means to reach it. Privacy, safety, orderliness, and stability. And closeness, but only in the presence of mutual trust.
He’d often wondered why the Farroost clan had sent Suuzu away from home. This whole ambassador thing didn’t really seem to suit anyone from their colony. Yet Suuzu endured it. As did Juuyu, who worked for some unmentionable section of the In-between.
Akira suspected that Juuyu was an international spy. He certainly looked the part.
In their speaking form—as in their truest form—the brothers bore a strong family resemblance. But where Suuzu kept his hair short, Juuyu’s riot of black curls was somewhat contained by a series of golden hoops descending to the base of his spine. The hooked nose was the same, but Juuyu’s managed to be much more imposing. Unlike most Amaranthine Akira had met—and that included every one of the Five—this one actually felt dangerous. He couldn’t have explained why. Juuyu just seemed capable of anything.
Juuyu finally turned to study them.
“You came,” murmured Suuzu.
“You are mine. Of course I came. Are you well?”
“Well enough.”
“Hmm.” Juuyu’s gaze swung to Akira. “How is he faring?”
Leaning supportively into his best friend’s side, he said, “Pretty much what you’d expect.”
With a grumbling huff, Juuyu sank to the floor. “While I appreciate your commitment to your duty, I would rather you showed me more than your brave face. Our circumstances are similar, brother mine.”
“Are you homesick, too?” asked Akira.
“Not as such.” Juuyu hunched his shoulders, then relaxed them with a purposeful shake, as if settling his feathers. “My superiors are well aware of my instinctual idiosyncrasies; indeed, they have reason to appreciate my sensitivity to minutia. So I have learned to cope with … necessary disarray.”
Suuzu shuffled forward on his knees. “How?”
Juuyu inclined his head. “Routines that can be maintained no matter where I may find myself.”
“Like … a morning jog? Or always packing your own pillow?” asked Akira.
The phoenix’s lips twitched. “In my line of work, those are not always convenient, but that is the general idea.”
“Okay, but what kinds of routines?” Akira pressed. “Can you be more specific?”
“By necessity, they are small things.” Juuyu riffled through his pockets and withdrew an old-fashioned pocket watch, a slim packet of pistachios, two clemantines, and a green glass bottle with a stopper. “I keep the basics of a nest about my person.”
Akira tapped the timepiece. “I thought Amaranthine didn’t use clocks.”
“A concession.” Juuyu loosened his necktie and undid a few buttons. “I have always worked closely with humans, and I confess to appreciating the precision offered by clockwork. Punctuality has become something of a hobby.”
“Wouldn’t a phone be handier?” asked Akira.
“I prefer to leave such things to my partner. But here, Suuzu. This has become my nest.” From around his neck, Juuyu unknotted a fine braided cord to which several items had been secured.
Suuzu scooted so close, his knees touched Juuyu’s. Akira crowded in, saying, “That’s almost like the sort of things wolves wear.”
“One of my teammates came from the packs. He helped.”
“May we?” Suuzu asked plaintively, ready to snatch back his hands.
Juuyu’s low trill was almost like a purr. “That is our purpose, brother mine. Am I not your mentor in such things?”
