Page 84 of Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
Chest tight, eyes stinging, he asked, “What were you planning to do? I mean, do we have a plan?”
“No.” Suuzu’s hold tightened fractionally. “I do not know what to do.”
“Is this why you agreed to Michael’s offer? So you could learn about tending?”
“Hmm. Perhaps.”
Akira had been there—at Suuzu’s insistence—for the phoenix’s first taste and subsequent tendings. The whole thing had seemed pretty uneventful. From Akira’s perspective, all Michael had done was hold Suuzu’s hand. Nothing much happened, except that afterward Suuzu was quieter than usual. And clingy.
“Could we start a nest?” Akira blurted.
Suuzu’s quick intake of air came out in a funny little series of notes.
But Akira seized on the idea. “It can be one like Juuyu’s. We can start collecting the things you’ll need.”
For when he was gone.
Still, Suuzu didn’t answer.
“We’ll find the perfect things. For stars and tides and everything that matters.” Akira coaxed the only way he knew how, pushing his fingers through Suuzu’s hair. Mussing and messing until the curls were loose enough to preen. “We’ll collect everything, you and me together. That way, it’ll be ours. Always ours. Do you want to?”
“I want to.” Suuzu leaned into his touch. “Build with me.”
Good. This was good. It felt all kinds of right, and it would give the phoenix something to hold onto. Smiling, Akira kept right on twisting his fingers through the dark tangle of Suuzu’s hair. Peace. Finally.
Akira started at a sudden noise. A thud overhead that rattled the glass of their skylight. “Something’s on the roof,” he whispered.
Whatever it was struck with greater force.
“Juuyu’s barrier.” Suuzu narrowed his eyes at the darkened glass overhead. Then with a hiss, he scooped up Akira and dove for the corner. Just in time.
With a crash, the skylight shattered, and a bundled figure plunged through.
THIRTY-FIVE
Cloak and Dagger
Akira wasn’t sure if he was shaking because of adrenalin or because of the cold air pouring into their room. Glass tinkled, and someone groaned. Peeking out past Suuzu’s shoulder, he tried to see who’d invaded their supposedly impenetrable fortress.
“A little help here?”
He moved to assist, but Suuzu held him back.
“Sorry, sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you boys.”
Their intruder slowly eased to a hunched sitting position, tutting to himself as if he were in pain and favoring his left side. A hooded cloak hid his face, and the voice didn’t sound familiar. But it was a nice voice. Akira’s gut was telling him to trust this person.
“I swear, I have a good reason for bashing in like this.” A pale hand with gold-tipped claws pushed away the hood. “I wish I could explain, but then I’d be breaking rules in addition to the window. Then again, some things are obvious. Help me, Suuzu?”
Akira asked, “You know him?”
“I do not.”
The person pouted. “Only becausesomepeople are obnoxiously strict about rules and regulations.”
Okay. Claws, fangs, and ears were the trademark features, but Akira could have pegged this guy as an Amaranthine on hair alone. Crazy-long hair had been woven into a complex braid that looked more like basket-weaving than a hairstyle. And it was a weird pale yellow-green, shot through with blond streaks.
“Really? Right.” With a weary gesture, the guy said, “Willyouhelp, Akira?”
