Page 156 of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate
“Are you jealous?”
“No.” Suuzu plucked and smoothed, gaze downcast. “I do not begrudge Brother his new bondmate.”
“It’s pretty amazing, if you think about it.” Akira poked Suuzu’s arm, trying for eye contact. “Both of you growing up in a grove. Both of you getting attached to tree-kin.”
Suuzu frowned. “I did not know …! And that is not why I …!”
“How could we even guess?” Folding back the quilt, Akira said, “Come on. Zuzu went to the trouble to smuggle me up here. And I saved you a spot.”
Side by side, they stared up through the leaves. Akira knew it was up to him, so he started with something simple. “This is nice. Being in a tree. I could get used to it.”
“Mmm.”
“If we had a treehouse, we could live in a tree. Do you think any of the ones on the estate are big enough?”
Suuzu turned his head. “Perhaps.”
“Maybe while I’m away, you could find a good tree. Put dibs on it or something.”
“You want a treehouse?”
“Well, a hammock is good for summer, but it’s a little precarious. Four walls and a ceiling, may be a few windows … it would be more like a home.” Akira kept his eyes on the stars above. “Maybe something like the house we stayed in while we were visiting your colony. The one in Letik’s branches.”
“Are you asking me to build you a house?”
“Couldn’t we build it together? When I get back?”
Suuzu sighed softly. “Do you know what you are asking?”
“Enough to know you probably want to.” Akira rolled toward him. “I’ve got my room in Stately House, but it might be nice to have our own place, too. Kind of like Ginkgo’s bolt holes, but … off the ground.”
Easing onto his side, Suuzu pulled him close and quietly declared, “I sing for you.”
“I know.”
“I would build for you.”
“I know that, too. And once I’m home for good, we can figure out what shape our home should take.”
Suuzu asked, “How long will you be away?”
“Nobody’s said,” Akira admitted. “I mean, if we’re going by the amount of Uncle Jackie’s luggage, it’ll be months.”
“I do not think he should be used as any kind of standard.”
Akira snorted. “It’s going to be a while. Boats are slow, and once we get there, I’m sure there are a lot of things to organize or synchronize or something. If Tabi-otosan thought he needed the Four Gentlemen to pull this off, it can’t be easy.”
Suuzu warbled unhappily.
“Hey,” said Akira. “Suuzu, you know I love you, right?”
“As friends.”
“We’re more than friends,” protested Akira.
“Best friends.”
“Well, yeah. That’s how this started. But wouldn’t you say we’re more than that?”
