Page 32 of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate
“I know. I’ll go back, but …!” Tugging him insistently, Akira begged, “Don’t go that way. Or over there, either. In fact, it’d be best if you just go out the window.”
Juuyu turned to face the young man. “In my sleeping attire?”
Akira’s posture shifted into that of a supplicant. “Just this once, could you hold off on the usual preening? And … maybe dress with your eyes closed?”
He trilled softly. “Akira, this is absurd.”
“I promise I’ll tidy up today. Give me time to get this ready.”
Juuyu resisted the urge to look around. Closing his eyes, he pulled Akira close and said, “I will comply.”
Having proven—to both Akira and himself—that he could dress with his eyes closed, Juuyu strode purposefully along the sand, his gaze upon the surf. When Sinder came up for air, Juuyu warbled a shrill summons, to which his partner fluted an answer.
Moments later, Sinder sloshed onto the beach in speaking form.
“Antigone tells me they don’t usually eat fish for breakfast. Thought I’d make a little fire on the beach for these.” Holding up the three wriggling fish he’d caught so far, Sinder asked, “How many do you want?”
“You are not sharing the morning meal with our hosts?”
“No. You are not sharing the morning meal with our hosts. Colt’s orders. We already let the ladies know that you’d just take a tray.”
Juuyu raised his hands in surrender. “I need to borrow your phone.”
“Sure. It’s charging.”
He indicated the house, and they strolled that way.
“Is everything set up to your satisfaction?” checked Juuyu.
“All good. So I can start poking around the museum today. Oh! And we heard from Moon. He’ll be here by evening.”
“Is his room ready?”
“All but the warding.”
Juuyu nodded. “I will take care of it after I make a call.”
“Checking in with … Argent?”
“I need to call my sister.”
Sinder eyed him curiously, but only asked, “Do they even have phones on that island you’re from?”
“One.”
Lights were on in the guesthouse, and as they neared the door, Hallow stepped through the front gate. Being a crosser, he needed sleep more often than the rest of them. Hallow’s wellbeing technically fell under Colt’s purview, but Juuyu searched his gait and countenance for signs of weariness. The bat crosser’s heritage made him an ideal night watchman, but he wasn’t actually nocturnal.
“Anything to report?” asked Juuyu.
“Oh, indeed.” Hallow cut a small bow. “Felines like to toy with their prey.”
Sinder’s grip tightened on the fish hooked over his fingers. “You saw the Gentleman Bandit?”
With an apologetic posture and a light laugh, Hallow said, “Allow me to clarify. Felines like to toy with me.”
“And vice versa?” guessed Juuyu.
Hallow dimpled. “Lash, Tuft, and I passed an otherwise uneventful night pleasantly enough. No signs of mischief.”
