Page 44 of All That Has Flown Beyond
“What about Kaiyo, Junpei? I think he smells pretty good.” Mori looked at Kaiyo mischievously. Kaiyo narrowed his eyes at him.
“That’s rude, Mori.”
“I said he smeltgood.”
“You shouldn’t talk about someone’s scent in front of them,” Junpei insisted. Mori looked at Kaiyo, who shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m with the kid,” he said again, trying to hide his smile.
“Ah. You reallyareganging up against me,” Mori said mournfully. Kaiyo rolled his eyes at him.
“Why don’t you make yourself useful and help us out?” Kaiyo suggested.
“As you wish,” Mori said with a teasing grin. Kaiyo snorted, shaking his head.
They worked for the next hour to the soundtrack of Junpei’s anecdotes and observations, from not being able to wait for watermelon season in summer to wondering how the rice fields would turn out in spring. Kaiyo and Mori exchanged amused glances over his head.
“You can go if you want, Junpei. We’ll clean up,” Kaiyo suggested as they finished, knowing the boy wasn’t keen on this part and grateful for the work he had offered in the first place.
“Okay! Thanks!” Junpei said, wise enough not to argue.
“Close the door on your way out,” Mori said as Junpei crossed the threshold. The paper door slid shut as Kaiyo threw Mori a look.
“Do we need privacy all of a sudden?”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt,” Mori teased.
Kaiyo had gotten to know Mori well in the intervening weeks since his arrival. Hanaki, being busy with running the pack, had left Mori as her second to help Kaiyo with his work, letting him assist in the clearing of the land, the setting up of the wards, and the gathering of information for necromancers on appropriate protocol.
It was a little strange to become so immersed in a pack. It had been almost eight years since he was kicked out of the Garrow pack, but he realized there had been a part of him that still thought of himself as a Garrow. There would probably be fragments of him which would always belong there, but Kaiyo wondered if it was time to move on.
“All done,” Mori said as they put away the last ingredient, leaving the moulds to set. Mori passed Kaiyo one of the damp towels which had been left warming in an insulated case.
“Thanks,” Kaiyo said, taking the towel and pressing it against his fingers to clear it from traces of shavings and paste.
“You really do smell good, you know. Although you would smell better without that amulet,” Mori said as they left the towels at the edge of the table they had been working on.
Kaiyo looked at Mori, his back pressed against the edge of the table. He let himself feel the fluttering that had become commonplace. He had missed the feeling, the infatuation of it, the heat those tiny wings fanned.
“Would I?” Kaiyo asked softly. Mori went to stand in front of him, eye level with Kaiyo.
“Should we find out?” Mori asked. Kaiyo remained silent and watchful.
Dusk seeped through the rice paper, painting them in the colours of the approaching night. Kaiyo didn’t move as Mori’s hands lifted slowly to his neck, tracing the skin there for a moment before taking the necklace out from under his sweater. Kaiyo shivered at the touch. His eyes closed as the amulet was lifted, removing itself from his body, his Ousía, leaving the wild horses of his scent and heartbeat to run through the room.
Mori took a deep breath. Kaiyo couldn’t open his eyes.
“Mm. I was right,” Mori’s voice murmured.
Kaiyo parted his lips as he felt Mori step closer. Heard the rustle of his kimono, the heat of his body. Then, a whisper, the ghost of his lips against Kaiyo’s neck.
“Come to my room?” Mori requested softly.
“So it can smell like me?”
“So I can, as well.”
Their hands laced together. Kaiyo followed Mori to his room, the doors sliding shut behind them with a click of wood.
