Page 101 of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate
He listened, but not to Akira’s words. Rubbing his thumb back and forth across the young man’s tattoo, Juuyu searched for his soul. He let the facts slide past and clung to the feelings they’d inspired. This chick in his nest—grown though he was—radiated urgency and confusion and fear. Yet deep under Akira’s restless uncertainty, Juuyu found something unforeseen.
A soft gleam. A subtle … something.
“What are you hiding?” Juuyu murmured.
Akira stopped talking. “Huh?”
Uncertain what to say, Juuyu placed his hand low over Akira’s abdomen.
“Oh. Is it more noticeable now?” Akira rested his hand over Juuyu’s. “We showed Michael, and Argent knows. Before that, Suuzu was the only one who ever looked close enough.”
“What is it?”
“Nobody knows. Yet.” Akira smiled crookedly. “You know how Argent gets when he’s interested in something. He’ll figure it out.”
Juuyu hummed.
Looking at him slightly cross-eyed because of their closeness, Akira asked, “How much of what I said do you remember?”
With a wry warble, Juuyu said, “You enjoyed sandwiches with ties to notable Amaranthine.”
“That’s all you got?”
“No.” Juuyu quietly listed, “Something surprised you. Something frightened you. Something worries you. And … you are impatient, but I interrupted before you could explain why.”
“Oh! I was about to show you this.” Akira held his phone so they could both see the screen. “Argent had to take the slow way. And he’s not alone.”
The messages were from Jacques Smythe, who’d sent through a series of photos, interspersed with snappy asides and nonsensical hashtags.
In the first selfie, Jacques posed on a steamer trunk surrounded by a small mountain of luggage in a rainbow of glossy pastels.
Fortunately for all parties,
I started packing *weeks ago*
#AllPraisePosey
“He knew he would be coming?” Akira asked.
Juuyu hummed noncommittally. It wasn’t his place to say.
Akira scrolled to the next picture, and Juuyu’s focus tightened on the scene Jacques had captured. They were inside an airplane now, likely a private jet.
Suuzu almost looked small, curled as he was against the broad chest of Merit Starmark. Argent bent over Suuzu, knuckles brushing dark curls from his forehead.
Special delivery <3
#HandleWithCare
“They’re moving him while he’s asleep?” Akira searched Juuyu’s face. “Is that safe?”
“His rest is imperiled, but he is likely lost in a fox dream.”
Akira frowned. “Suuzu doesn’t usually like anyone but us with him when he sleeps. And he can’t have given permission first.”
“I believe my brother would have counted it a greater betrayal to be left behind.”
“He’ll be here sometime tomorrow.” Akira looked out toward the ocean.
