Her Moth, His Flame - emilyxrevenge (2024)

Chapter 1: Lost

Chapter Text

There’s something that doesn’t quite sit right about waking up suddenly in a surge of adrenaline, not knowing where or even when you were. This seemed to be happening a lot to her lately.

Time. The concept of past, present, future, minutes, seconds, and hours. She knew what these things were intrinsically, but trying to think of how she learnedthis only drew a blank, leaving her head feeling overheated and though her brain would explode out of her skull.

She sighed out, shakily, the tension and stale air she had within her. She stood for two seconds not breathing, just being, before taking in another full breath filling first her stomach and holding again when the breath reached the apex of her lungs. Another two seconds and she resumed breathing naturally, glad to have averted completely falling apart in some…. cave?

Indeed, as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she could see the rough-hewn walls around her.

******
Acclimating to life in Kilima was not an easy task. The days were long and tiring. Everyone seemed already so close knitted, she felt like her existence was an intrusion on their lives. An unwelcome burden no one had asked for.

She had just finished bringing a rather shiny pebble she found to Einar, the Galdur who spent his days fishing at the docks. Somehow, the Galdur seemed to be more human than the Majiri. They felt familiar and welcoming, lacking the capability to even have alterior motives based on her research at the library.

Caleri even seemed to somewhat tolerate her presence as she leafed through page after page, desperate to close the gap between now and her origins, but careful to not dog ear any of the pages. Not much existed in the children’s section that she was currently allowed access to, but she continued reading all she could mentally bear anyway.

She passed Jel and Hodari on her way through town, exchanged pleasantries with the respective designer and miner, and ducked into the Inn. The morning was rising to its peak as everyone was busy starting their day, stocking up on supplies and helping the locals with their requests.

Chatter and utensils clanking were the most present sounds this morning, with the smells of chapaa bacon and oatmeal breakfast married with steak and searing meat on the grill.

There were other humans running around, trying their best to flirt with and woo the man standing behind the bar in the corner but all she could do was roll her eyes. She didn’t know much, only existing for a few weeks and all, but she did know that none of the humans knew anything about their lives before showing up here. Nothing about who they are themselves.

What is the point of trying to get close to someone else when you don’t even know yourself?

Not that she was keen on trying to know herself, fear of the unknown was heavy and ever present in her mind. What if she didn’t like what she found out?

She wasn’t paying attention as she zoned out, just taking in the sight of the Inn from her lone table in the corner. She was looking nowhere specific, perhaps an interesting knot in the wood graining, wishing that the void would choose to swallow her back up at any moment.

That is, until she recognized a slight shift in her left peripheral, and noticed Reth smirking in her direction before playfully tossing a wink. He was the Majiri cook, taller than herself but shorter than Jel or Nai’o, dark auburn hair twisted and pulled back with a cloth. His eyes were piercing and impossibly sea-foam green. Her body reacted opposite her thoughts as her face flushed bright red, almost turning the same color as his own skin, as though she had been caught staring at him instead of just trying to not exist.

“Sorry…,” was the only thing she could choke out, hating being the center of attention when moments ago it had seemed so empty. “Try your luck again next time, pretty boy.” She stood, trying to retain composure and exude confidence and control.

It worked for two steps until she promptly tripped on a pile of air and tripped, falling straight onto her elbow.

That’s it, give ‘em the ‘ol razzle dazzle.

Ashura must have still been upstairs getting his workout routine in, because unfortunately for her when she finally sat up, the hand outstretched to her belonged to the cook.

She winced, placing weight onto the elbow she had just fallen onto and standing on her own. She was nothing if not self sufficient.

His face underwent a series of emotions, starting with horror and landing somewhere between disappointment and nervousness. A hand reached to his neck instinctively as he chuckled and muttered something about not needing a hand after all.

She dusted herself off, pulling down the side of her skirt which had become stuck to the front of her shirt by a splinter from the wood floor. Yep. The very embodiment of beauty and grace, it was clear by this moment alone she was a great chosen one of Embra.

Kehda stood to his neck when face-to-face, shorter copper hair falling to her shoulders in loose curls and blue grey eyes that were framed by black eyeliner.

“Listen,” he started quietly, voice both sensitive and musical, “I know you don’t seem to want any help, but that elbow looks bad. I’m no stranger to injuries myself and I know fixing your elbow alone is nothow you want to live your life. “

He gestured animatedly as he spoke and she couldn’t help but chuckle, smiling for the first time since she had walked in.

Reth seemed to spring back to life at the sounds of a laugh, however small, and a warm comforting smile spread across his face.

She held out her uninjured arm in his direction as a truce.

“As far as I know, my name is Kehda.”

“And as far as I know, mines Reth! At least that’s what they keep calling me. Does that mean something bad?”

Kehda laughed again as they shook hands, his warm calloused hand in her own. It may not have been the one she fell onto, but it was stinging brightly from catching (or attempting to catch, rather) her gracefulfall.

She allowed him to lead her to the back of the inn behind the bar where a first aid kit was available. It was clear he was not lying earlier, the case was tattered and worn with age. Half the supplies in the wooden box were already missing, and…

“Um… quick question. Why is there a spoon in there?”

He shrugged.

“Soup emergencies.”

She raised an eyebrow as he placed a disinfectant and bandage on her scraped elbow.

“Wouldn’t a straw be better for soup emergencies?”

He froze in place and his eyes went wide.

“Well, now we don’t pass safety inspection this month. Gonna have to get that emergency soup straw before next month.”

He beamed at the exchange and she felt at peace too. This was not the pompous salesman she had pegged him to be. He seemed pure, different somehow than anyone else in town she had met. She felt an unexplained kinship woven between the two like a knotted string. What was she being woven into, though?

She left the inn once he had finished up the first aid, thanking him again for his help and promising fresh carrots from her next harvest for his next batch of creamy carrot soup.

******

Sleep came fitfully that night in the summer heat. Kehda was so tired from mining and chopping trees all day that her body hurt everywhere and nothing was comfortable. This was the consequence of trying to distance herself from the mornings feelings of hopelessness at the Inn. Before she fell on her face. Kehda groaned with her face in the pillow, musky from sweat and the humidity.

She made a mental note to see Tamala for any sleep potions she may have.

Her body tossed and turned fitfully and with one blink she was dreaming vividly and suddenly.

She felt the sensation of air rushing all around her as though she was flying. She didn’t know where she was going but took in the way the world looked underneath of her basked in the glow of the moon and stars. She felt freer then than at any moment she could remember.

Slowly she drifted slower and slower closer to the moon soaked ground, but the ground started shaking and crumbling away from underneath her, right in the spot she was heading for. She was heading right for the void.

Kehda screamed as she flew into the void.

******

“Hey! Kehda, hey, snap out of it you’re going to fall in.”

Reth had just finished his second shift for Zeki and was doing his best to inconspicuously climb through the gate by the southern docks. The world felt fuzzy, as though everything was charged with static in his current sleep deprived state. Was he hallucinating, or was that the girl from the Inn earlier, Kehda?

She was walking with determination towards the dock but showed no intention of slowing down as she got closer, only staring straight into the sea ahead.

Reth called out to her in the hopes she would take heed and realize she was in danger but she didn’t even react. Her expression was pained and absolutely terrified in a way that was too easy for Reth to understand and relate to.

“sh*t.”

He was tired but he had to do something, anything. Something was very wrong here. His chest tightened with pangs of concern and empathy for her current state. He didn’t have time to think as he ran over and grabbed her by the waist to pull her back from walking straight into the sea. She screamed as they fell back onto the dock, and the only thing Reth could do was hold her gently but firmly until she regained her bearings, not wanting her to accidentally fall off the dock when he had only just stopped that once.

The void she was falling through slowly lightened and was replaced by warmth and the pleasing sound of crickets and frogs in the early morning. Her throat suddenly stung and she understood she must have been screaming for real.

The realization suddenly hit that this was definitely not her bed and she attempted to sit up quickly and take in her surroundings. She met resistance as soon as she tried to move and the ground under her groaned.

Kehda looked down and saw there were hands around her waist and another set of legs next to her own. Waves gently lapped against the rocks with the morning tide. Chapaas nearby squeaked eagerly to catch the first meal of the day. The docks?

She turned her head to the side and saw a concerned set of eyes bluer than the sea in front of her.

“Reth? What are you doing here?”

Her question was genuine, but Reth couldn’t help but to laugh causing them to both gently shake from his laughter despite his concern.

“What am I doing here? Good Dragon, Kehda, you were one step away from forgetting where the dock ends. Were you trying to hurt yourself?”

His eyes welled briefly with empathetic concern.

“I don’t know honestly… I was trying to fall asleep. I blinked and then I was flying. But the ground crumbled away to nothing and then I was falling into nothingness.”

Reths grip had loosened as she spoke and she sat up.

“I’m really sorry. Really. I didn’t mean to be a bother. I’m fine and I’ll get myself back home. Thank you, Reth.”

Before he could even protest she was up and walking back up the hill towards the human plots. His heart ached to hear her speak the words replaying in his own mind each day.

Reth didn’t wish that pain on his worst enemy, and he had already decided this was most certainly his friend. He looked around and took in the morning view. Einar waved joyfully from the dock in the distance, unaware of the chaos. Reth groaned, layed back down against the cool wooden dock, and tried to remember what day it was.

Chapter 2: The Mystery

Chapter Text

Kehda worked hard in the following weeks, gardening, mining, and woodcutting until she had enough raw resources to upgrade her house.

She had seen Tamala about making a sleep potion after the dock incident, and Tamala seemed eager to help. She seemed interested in Kehda’s concerns, even.

Kehda thought of the warning she had received from those piercing eyes as she stepped out of the incense soaked cottage, “Remember, human, that Fate is stronger than any magic, flow or otherwise. This will only make you fall asleep, not stop you from being where you are meant to be.”

She pondered what Tamala could have possibly meant by that. Surely she wasn’t meant to be at the bottom of the ocean. At least she hoped that wasn’t what Tamala had meant.

She formed a routine after that day, finding ways to keep herself continuously busy. She had quickly found fast friends with a few of the locals. Kehda expected them to be unwelcoming towards her for reasons she couldn’t explain, and was surprised to find she could relate to them each in one way or another.

It was hard to overthink when there wasn’t any time to do that. Especially not when a majority of that time was spent doing manual labor. She had also began taking the potions nightly and had felt better.

The routine grew comforting -

6AM: check the mail, weed and water the garden

7AM: head into town to talk to Reth before he started work at the Inn. She would bring him blueberries and carrots she had grown herself. Partly because she knew he loved the ingredients for experimenting in the kitchen, but also in part to ensure he was actually eating himself.

8AM: after talking to Reth, she would head in the direction of the mayor’s estate. Stopping for a quick good morning to Jel on her way to see Kenyatta

8:30AM: update Kenyatta on any new plans and/or gossip

9AM - 6PM: resource gathering.

7PM: return home, check the mail, get ready for bed

9PM: sleep. Repeat.

She saw a lot of other humans spending gold on the resources instead of gathering themselves. She wondered what it was like to have that kind of confidence, not to need the comfort of gathering the materials in peace and comfort. Not to mention, how did they have so much gold? She looked in her bag and saw the meager 5,000 gold she had managed to save up.

“Not much, but better than nothing I guess… at least there’s enough for more seeds to offset the harvest cost.”

A sigh escaped Kehda’s lips before she saw a familiar face heading towards her plot.

“Hey, loser!”

Kenyatta yelled over to her, a hand on her hip which swung out to one side in a grand display of sass, one section of bangs falling across her face.

Kehda felt the weight of her thoughts slowly unwind in her head and chest as she ran over quickly to hug her, earning a feigned grunt of annoyance from Kenyatta.

“Dragon am I glad you’re here. I keep doing this thing where I think too much.”

Kenyatta laughed and returned the hug.

“I’m glad to see you too. Don’t tell anyone I said that though. Seriously. I’d have to kill you.”

The two laughed together again before walking back to Kehda’s porch and sitting on one of the benches overlooking the fields.

The scent of blueberries, peppers, tomatoes, and the detritus of the soil swirled intoxicatingly into the night air mixing with the heat of summer and promise of warm fun nights. Crickets sang a melody of the stars.

“I know what you mean. Sometimes I wish I was anywhere but stuck here with my parents. They want me to be them but I just want to be me.”

Kehda nodded as she spoke, the two sitting in a comfortable silence of understanding.

“Let’s go do something dangerous.”

Kenyatta stood suddenly as she said this, grabbing Kehda’s wrists and pulling her along with her. She was nothing if not impulsive, and Kehda never minded the chance to get out of her own head. Routines and rules only existed to be broken, after all.

They grinned at each other, no plans shared or made as they giggled quietly like Auni finding a new bug to surprise Nai’o with, heading through the mines at the back of Kehda’s plot to Bahari Bay.

******

They ended up by the shore, sitting atop a hill overlooking the ocean. It didn’t seem all that dangerous to Kehda, but she hadn’t explored Bahari at night before and wasn’t sure what to expect. It looked beautiful, with glowing bugs seeming to mirror the ground to the stars in the sky from their current height.

As she took it all in, she noticed one of the dots below her wasn’t blinking like the others and continuing along the ridge line to the left of the women.

She squinted, focusing on the steady light, curiosity piqued.

Kehda quickly grabbed her friend’s shoulder beside her, unsure if this was the danger she had been promised.

Kenyatta was watching in the same direction and quietly moved to position herself on her stomach near the edge of the cliff and Kehda followed, mirroring her position on the western cliff face.

“I knew something was going on out here.”

Kenyatta whispered through her teeth, eyes sparkling with interest for the first time since Kehda had met her.

They watched as the glow disappeared into a cave. Kehda was suddenly aware of every sound around her. Crickets. Waves lapping lazily against the rocky shore. Boughs of the heartwood trees creaking and swaying as Muujin lept between the tree canopy. The sound of Sernuk hooves as they grazed quietly in the night. The sound of her own heartbeat in her ears.

“Was that…?”

Kenyatta beamed at Kehda’s question, seemingly egged on by the validation that the two had seen the same thing.

“We gotta find out what’s going on. I’ve heard there’s a serial killer on the loose hiding out here. It may be our chance to take him down!”

Kehda felt her chest begin to tighten from within. Partially because she had seen someone specific just now, and didn’t want to ponder the thought of someone actually dangerous out here.

He had seemed so kind and honest in the time she had gotten to know him, but this didn’t seem like an honest action. Her hand moved on its own accord to rest over the healed scar on her elbow. The pain there was gone, replaced with a new kind of hurt.

She let go of her feelings with a soft shake of her head.

“Let’s solve a mystery, Kenyatta.”

The two trekked down the cliff as quietly as possible, the last thing they needed was for the local fauna to give them away. There was dirt under Kehda’s nails and covering the rest of her for that matter. Kenyatta had certainly done this before, scaling down with a practiced precision that left no dirt on her person.

“Camouflage isn’t a bad option.”

Kenyatta whispered to her with a smug grin before grabbing Kehda’s wrist and slinking with her friend to the edge of the ridge line just outside of the caves entrance. At this point, the only sound Kehda could hear was her own racing pulse in her ears threatening to burst out of her chest.

Kenyatta held up a hand with three extended fingers as a countdown, they were going to sneak their way in. One finger dropped.

A second, leaving only Kenyattas index finger extended into the night.

The finger dropped and they slipped inside quietly after one another, staying close to the wall and avoiding any loose stones.

Deeper inside the cave was a faint purple glow. They walked in the direction of the glow, as though they had turned into Kilima Night Moths. Behind them the sun was starting to warn them of the nights end, the darkness of the night giving way to a cool pastel periwinkle sky.

Kehda chewed her bottom lip anxiously, but the light faded before they reached the caves opening. A single candle glowed faintly orange in the corner, held standing by its own spent wax. The stalagmites plunked drips of water slowly onto the cave floor.

The cavern was bare aside from empty boxes strewn about and a pile of hay in the corner. Had they imagined it all?

A chill ran down Kehda’s spine as she recalled Elouisa’s warnings about Flothingers. She made a mental note to recount this story to her friend later.

Kenyatta scratched her head and she walked in a small circle around the center of the cavern.

“Maybe I made the wrong kind of Brightshroom tea last night after all.”

She extended an arm and examined the front and backs of her hand with extreme focus.

“Nah, I still only have five fingers. I guess the mystery continues for now. We better head back before Mom realizes I’m gone, Dragon does she wake up early.”

They exchanged a glance and nod, giggling slightly at the sight of themselves in a random Bahari cave, sleep deprivation hitting them strong.

Kehda felt guilty suddenly for even thinking she saw Reth doing something uncouth. In the cave now though, laughing with a friend, it seemed even more incredulous that they expected to find some kind of secret in a dank cave. She was smeared in patches of dirt, small pebbles still clinging to where they had embedded into the soft tissue of her thighs. Kehda was too tired to care or even notice.

Kenyatta gave Kehda’s rear a playful slap, causing the pebbles to clatter to the cave floor in a sudden cacophony amidst the silence and bringing on another giggle fit between the two as they laughed loudly, stepping into the fresh cool morning air and out of the cave. Mist had fallen while they were exploring and coated the ground, making Bahari look magical in the twilight.

“Thanks for coming out here with me, Kehda,” Kenyatta spoke with her lips widening into a grin, “Eshe never lets me come out here, she’s going to be pissed.” She took a deep breath of the morning air and exhaled with a sigh of freedom.

The women didn’t notice the pile of hay shift as they exited the cave.

Chapter 3: Walk With Me

Chapter Text

The fireplace crackled with life as Kehda slotted the stoke back into the iron holder under the mantle. The smell of charcoal and burning wood warming the atmosphere of the house as much as the temperature.

She blinked the heat out of her eyes as she walked back to the couch and got comfortable. The weather had thankfully started shifting to more mild temperatures outside, allowing her the chance to utilize the new addition to her home.

The chores were taken care of for the day and the latest harvest placed in Preserve Jars, she preferred to only sell her goods after processing. They wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow at least, allowing her to give some time back to herself.

The routine she had in place, while comforting, had become more loose and flexible as she settled in. She began allowing herself to be present in the moment each day; Allowing herself to take a break and relax seemed wrong at first, but felt healing once she released the weight of expectations from others.

She had been strict with her savings and had upgraded to copper chests, allowing her to easily continue harvesting and storing until the fruit could be processed.

To her left she could hear birds singing in the courtyard and she smiled to herself. It was beginning to feel more comfortable here. More like she was where she belonged. Kehda remembered how when she first started her life here how she was scared that she wouldn’t fit in, how for days she only wished for the void to suddenly swallow her back into nothingness. She was glad now that it hadn’t.

A rap on the door startled her from her daydreams as she jumped, squeaked, and fell off the couch in one motion.

“sh*t. Coming!”

She regained herself and stood, brushing her clothes back flat before answering the door, copper curls slightly disheveled.

******

Reth grinned and laughed good heartedly before extending a friendly arm and adjusting her wayward curls.

“Good to know it’s definitely you and not some impersonator trying to trick me, it’s kinda comforting to know I’m not the only mess around here.”

He tucked the curls behind her small round ear gently as he spoke, his calloused skin ghosting against her neck. He blushed magenta and pulled his arm behind his back holding his hands there in one another, as if afraid they may act on their own accord.

Reth was always a flirt by nature, it was easier to slip around unnoticed that way. No one pays much mind when they see you out late at night, when they already expect you to be sneaking around with multiple partners. It was the one part of his life that he could control, and without that to support him he would fall apart entirely.

This felt completely uncontrollable; The energy he felt between them seemed more powerful than any illegal flow devices he had encountered.

He felt guilt and shame as the thought of his crimes rose to mind, agonizingly drowning out the butterflies in his chest. The tattoos on his body suddenly felt like they were carrying the weight of their meaning in pain. He was no good for her and he knew it, but she was perfect to him. That only made him want to close the gap between them more, he wanted to run his hands over every inch of her skin. Reth felt intoxicated. Was she that soft everywhere?

Reth released his hands from behind his back and gestured animatedly as he spoke, struggling to find the words that typically flow so easily. He was desperate for her to somehow not notice the chemistry and emotional intimacy of the moment. Get out of your own head, Reth.

“Anyways! Now that we’ve established you’re not an imposter, Ashura forced me to take the day off and I was hoping you’d be willing to help me forage for some spices? I can show you where they grow the best.”

Nice, Reth, cause you definitely need more spice to cool yourself off.

“Totally understand if you say no, in fact, that’s actually what I am expecting you to say. This way though Tish has no excuse for calling me a recluse.”

He grabbed his neck nervously, all too aware that he would rather be touching hers.

“Actually, Reth, it must be your lucky day!” She smiled, and Reth felt like he might melt despite it being rather mild outside. Seeing her here in front of him, the way the light reflected off her tresses and the purity of her soul shining from her blue eyes were enough for him to consider having won the luck jackpot.

She continued, “I have all my chores around here taken care of and could use a chance to stock up on wild herbs and spices myself. Plus Kenyatta wants me to look for mushrooms for her.”

He expected Kenyatta would use her medicinal training to make psychedelics, sure, but he did not expect Kehda to agree and take his breath away once more.

“Oh! Before I forget I wanted you to have this,” Reth handed Kehda some wallpaper that was reminiscent of the setting sun and carrot soup, “It’s the color of my starstone, Citrine. You can toss it later if you want, I know it’s bold and hard to style with. Or at least I’ve been told as much from Tish.”

Kehda gladly accepted and placed the wallpaper into storage gently, as though she was handling a fragile work of art, “I have just the place for this.”

******

Kehda’s mind drifted to the moment they had shared just hours earlier, thinking about how warm Reth’s hand was, the undeniable spark generated between them when they had touched. How he smelled like Dari Cloves, Spice Sprouts, and sapwood.

She was too caught up in her thoughts and took her next step directly into a chapaa hole, somehow stumbling and recovering her stride in the same step.

“Falling for me already, huh?” Reth asked in his usually melodic tone as he caught her shoulder and helped her to recover.

They laughed off her clumsiness and made it to their final foraging destination for the day.

The sounds of wind swimming through the tall sunkissed grass, brushing the blades against one another in a soft gentle melody. The waterfalls nearby were present, but somehow quieter than the whispering melody of the wind.

Reth showed Kehda where to find his favorite ingredients, how to tell when they were ready and when they had gone too far ripe. It felt comfortable and peaceful. For a few moments, the world only existed for them as they followed behind one another with no real destination in mind. The sun began to set behind the horizon and reminded them that the rest of the world still existed around them.

“Thank you.” Reth said to Kehda, voice confident and calming. There was something new there as well, a different tone than his usual charm. His voice was almost breathy.

She thought how she preferred that tone from him and blushed, looking away from the setting sun in a poor attempt to hide the way her body seemed to be responding to him.

Oh, Dragon. Do I like Reth? Does Reth like me?

“O-of course! I needed to restock anyways, I was running low after trying some new recipes.”

“Hey, that’s my job! Are you trying to replace me at the Inn? Gasp!”

Kehda couldn’t help but laugh, he always knew just what to say to get her out of her head. Their minds, she was convinced, operated in the same manner.

“Want me to walk you back to your plot? Ashura gave me the day off, but I promised Zeki I would do him a favor so I do still have to head off for that soon.”

His eyes saddened as he spoke, as though the words could be ignored and fake until they became spoken and real.

“No, it’s okay! I wanted to go see Caleri and Elouisa anyways. Caleri may actually be willing to let me work at the library for some reason.”

“Woah, maybe your Oneness is to be a diplomat of some kind, that takes serious skill. Just promise to overlook any soup stained pages you may find.”

Kehda laughed and gave him a tight hug, lingering a few moments longer than needed but hoping Reth wouldn’t mind.

“You know, she actually told me she would overlook that herself the day the Inn special isn’t soup.”

“Impossible standards.”

Reth returned the embrace, soaking in her warmth and the scent of heartwood, leather, and lillies emanating from her skin. He tempted fate by resting his head gently onto Kehda’s shoulder and wished he was a little more like everyone else, normal, so they could have more than just this moment.

Fate is a cruel mistress, however, and Kehda slowly unwove her arms from around him, knowing any longer and she would not have the strength to leave at all. Kehda sighed softly, feeling the weight of unspoken feelings between them.

They said their goodbyes, only a fraction of what they wanted to tell each other.

Before she left, Reth pulled something out of his pocket before tucking it away safely in Kehda’s bag for her under their forage collections from earlier that day.

“If you ever want to come see me sometime, that’s the key to the storeroom beneath the Inn. I… I, uh. I usually crash there between shifts. It’s not as bad as it sounds!”

Her concerned gaze touched his fragile heart in ways he forgot were possible, so he added on the end to try and convince her as much as himself.

“Sure! I’ll swing by tomorrow evening.”

His heart thumped against his ribs as he watched her walk back towards town. If only his life of crime felt a fraction as good as spending time with Kehda. He would have to come clean tomorrow. No excuses this time, Reth. Just follow through. Just this once.

Kehda glanced back momentarily, giving Reth a fleeting smile that sent warmth through his chest despite the chill of the evening.

Chapter 4: Come Clean

Chapter Text

The low lights of the library at night gave Kehda a feeling of nostalgia, a feeling she was only recently able to put a name to thanks to a book suggestion from Caleri.

Leaving that warm glow into the cold darkness of night outside wasn’t what she wanted to do, but she felt a new wave of power as she tightened a different book that Elouisa had slipped to her under the front desk out of her sisters prying eyes.

She looked over her shoulder and gave a respectful nod to Caleri who smiled and happily returned it, glad to find another who preferred to leave words between the pages of books.

She gave Elouisa a glance over her other shoulder and smiled, giving her a nod as well. Elouisa bounced with excitement, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose before they fell off entirely, and gave her a fist pump of encouragement that Caleri did not care to notice.

Kilima was quiet as she stepped out of the building, Majiri locals leaving the Inn as they headed home for the night amidst the slightly more intoxicated humans. In the building next to her, Tish was stepping out with a stack of papers tucked under one arm.

“Oh, hi Kehda! You’re sure out late tonight.” Tish said to her with a smirk. It was remarkable how similar her mannerisms were to her brothers.

A yawn escaped Kehda’s lips as she pulled the book close to her chest. She hadn’t felt tired until Tish mentioned the present hour. She blinked away the sleep welling in her eyes.

“Yeah, but it’s for a good cause! I got myself a job now.” Kehda hitched one thumb over her shoulder towards the library and smiled. Tish looked shocked.

“Are you some kind of secret diplomat?”

Kehda chuckled softly, “No, but funnily enough I had this same conversation with Reth earlier.”

Tish’s eyes lit up, “I’m so glad you’re here. Reth needs friends, and folks around here aren’t as… kind.”

The brightness in her eyes fell as she uttered the final verb.

“Speaking of my brother, he isn’t around much anymore. If you ever need a place to crash, the spare room is all yours. It could be like a sleepover! Do humans have those?”

Kehda shrugged animatedly, “Your guess is as good as mine, but as long as it’s not a burden or anything-“

“Not at all!” Tish didn’t let her finish the sentence, long blonde locks bouncing with excitement. She took one of Kehda’s hands with her unoccupied arm and began leading the two back to the green roofed cottage behind the Inn.

Tish wasn’t much taller than Kehda, and exuded an air of positivity and unbiased kindness.

They stepped inside the tidy home and Kehda was shocked by how tidy it was. Reth was a whirlwind of energy and she had assumed that same chaos would be present for Tish and the home they supposedly shared. Everything here though was in its place, and the entire home smelled of fresh build - sawdust and paint mixed with warmth and herbs. Tish must be working on projects at home as well, Kehda thought to herself.

“Like I said, Reth is usually working himself ragged and doesn’t spend - well, any, really - time here anymore.”

Her eyes looked to the ground in a moment of possible sadness before Tish pushed the feeling away and feigned a disgusted expression before a sarcastic grin returned to her face, “You think the lettuce soup is bad, you should have seen his woodworking. Or lack there of, really.”

She continued more seriously, “He gets frustrated when he’s not great at things immediately, and Dad seemed to know when he was having those off days. He’d bring home ingredients just for Reth to create something on those days, and that always made him feel better! Especially when there were apples.”

Tish showed her where everything was kept, assuring her a multitude of times that she was in no way, shape, or form a burden by being there. She partially did this for Kehda, but mostly because she was used to saying these things to Reth instead and old habits die hard.

“And here is where you can sleep!”

Kehda walked past Tish, who was holding the door open for her to what was once Reth’s room. She placed the book from Elouisa gently onto the foot of the bed and looked around at the barebones style of the room.

Tish raised an eyebrow as she looked at the book, “What’cha reading?”

Kehda smoothed the cover of the book with her hand.

“I don’t know yet, actually. If you can keep a secret, I don’t know if I’m even supposed to have this book. Elouisa slipped it for me.”

‘Sleepwalking For Science’ was etched in gold letters on the leather tome.

Tish smiled and leaned against the door jamb, “How scandalous! I won’t tell a soul, I swear, not even Reth.”

They said their goodnights, and Kehda placed the book hesitantly onto the nightstand as she crawled into bed. Her thoughts drifted as she wondered when the last time was that Reth had been in this same bed. She pulled the blankets around her tightly, lulled to sleep by the warmth and comfort of knowing Tish was not far away if she needed her.

******

Morning came too soon, with the pale light of dawn seeping through the thin curtains.

Kehda sat up, feeling somewhat rested and glad to be waking up properly in a bed. She stretched and allowed herself to get out from under the covers. She made sure to make the bed neatly, not wanting to make any extra work for Tish later. She put the book from the nightstand securely into her bag next to the small silver key placed by Reth the evening before.

Kehda smiled to herself, remembering the plans she had made with him to swing by the stock room tonight. Something about his presence comforted her existence.

Tish was still in her room asleep when Kehda awoke, and not wanting to wake her, Kehda scribbled a note to place on the table for Tish.

‘Thanks again for letting me crash here! Come see me sometime and we can hang out! I have some fresh preserves and pickles I could give you if you want. Maybe we could have a real sleepover sometime?

Your favorite human,
Kehda’

She exited the cottage quietly and made the trek back to her plot, a grin on her face as she tackled the day.

******

As she finished storing her harvest for the day, she realized how late it had already started getting. Kehda glanced at the clock on the wall inside through one of the porches bay windows. 6:15 already, time to check the mail and start getting ready to go see Reth.

She wiped her hands on her apron and headed towards the mailbox at the end of the long wooden path.

Three letters today! She felt a smile on her face as she shuffled through to see which of her friends had written her.

She opened the one from Zeki first and a shiny gold coin tumbled into her palm, it was decorated with the familiar Grimalkin’s face. The letter advised her to spend it at the shop of his namesake and thanked her for her patronage. She remembered she did stop by the week before to grab some seeds and spent more than a little gold. She would hold onto the coin until later for now.

The second letter was from Tish, promising Kehda she would stop by soon to grab some jam and plan hanging out again soon. Kehda smiled reading the back, where Tish wrote a reminder that she was never a burden crashing there when she needed. There was an even smaller P.P.S. on the bottom right corner of the back page that only read, ‘Hope the book’s good. :)’

Finally, she had a letter from Reth. She opened this one last and smiled, it was a new recipe for creamy carrot soup! He had finally written it down for her and mailed it over so he wouldn’t forget. She would have to bring over some carrots that she just harvested when she went to see him tonight.

She brought the letters inside and sat them on the table before hanging her gardening apron up on the iron coat rack. She walked through the dining room and kitchen, down the hall, and into the bathroom to start getting ready.

She took a bath to scrub the dirt off her skin, drained the tub, and then rinsed her hair with the shower head attachment once the rest of her body was cleaned to reset her curls. Once she was done in the bath, she dried off and brushed her hair in small sections so they would curl properly. She brushed her teeth and selected a clean outfit, her favorite grey skort and boots with a cropped white tank top.

She checked herself in the mirror to make sure her curls had stayed in place as she dressed (they had, for once) and applied a quick liner around her stormy blue eyes.

She grabbed her bag off the coat rack and packed it with the best carrots from the days harvest. She took out the small silver key she would need later so she didn’t forget and closed her fingers around it in her palm protectively. She felt her skin sweat and tingle against the metal as it heated from her grasp.

One last glance in the mirror before she left confirmed she had not forgotten anything and looked more put together than usual in her time here. She took a deep breath before speaking aloud to herself, “Alright, time to head out!”

******

She walked around the back of the Inn and up a set of wooden stairs to the buildings back entrance which had direct access to her present destination.

Kehda descended the interior stairs to the Inns subfloor and before she knew it she was in front of the storeroom.

She could hear murmurs of activity from the kitchen nearby as she slid the key into the lock. She took a deep breath and stepped inside, immediately greeted with the scents of Dari Cloves, Spice Sprouts, and flour. There was a small kitchen area next to her where Reth was drying the last of the dishes with a towel and placing them away.

His back turned, Reth didn't notice her at first. She closed the door and he turned, greeting her with a smile on his lips but dismay in his eyes.

He’d usually only seen her between her mining or gardening, but she had obviously prepared just to see him. That only made it harder for him to do what he had to next. He tucked a section of his own hair behind a pointed ear, heart in his throat.

His voice threatened to crack as he gestured towards the dishes, “Hey Kehda! Good timing, I just got all the fun stuff done.”

Kehda pulled the carrots out of her bag and set them on the round table in the back of the room.

“Hey yourself, I figured you could use these after the recipe you had sent over.” She beamed proudly at the carrots she had sown as seeds, cheeks flushed by the serious look in Reth’s gaze towards her.

Reth walked over to the table and sat in one of the simple wooden chairs, shoulders slumped, elbows against his thighs, and hands clasped tightly together between his knees before he found his voice, “Those look fantastic, but you really shouldn’t have.”

His eyes darkened, only visible through the tops of his lashes as he looked down and continued, “I’m not a good person. Not even a good Majiri. I will only bring you down if you stick around me any longer, and even if I don’t, any chance of a good reputation in this village would be over.”

Kehda's smile faltered, her hands clenching around the edge of the table. She took a seat in the chair adjacent to him and set a hand gently on his bouncing knee in an attempt to settle his nerves, “Reth, what are you even talking about? You’re-“

“I’m nothing,Kehda. I’m no one. You’re seriously better off forgetting we ever met.” He winced from how the volume of his own words caused her to jump.

“Listen, I’m obviously also not a great conversationalist. Please, just listen. What I’m about to say to you I haven’t told another soul. Not Ashura, not Jel, f*ck, not even Tish.”

His eyes welled with tears of frustration as he knotted his fingers into his hair and he continued with a broken and monotone voice, “My life does not belong to me anymore. Not like there’s anyone I’m seriously interested in or anything like that, not that that would even matter. Why would that even matter? Okay, Reth, focus.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed.

“I need to come clean and I feel like you may be the first person to actually understand.” He turned to face her, gazing directly into her eyes before starting his piece.

Kehda's brow furrowed with worry, her grip tightening on his knee. He placed his hands over her own on his knee and squeezed it softly, “Tish is sick, Kehda. Chayne can’t help her with this kind of thing. Tamala can’t help. If it weren’t for what I did she would already be…” His voice cracked high as words trailed off, but the weight of the unspoken was not lost on her. She placed her other hand on top of his, forming a layered pile of alternating colored hands on his knee, his trembling between hers.

He pressed on, the words flowing eagerly from his mouth now that he had started to open up like a chocolate lava cake after the first slice is made, “We’re orphans, Tish and I. I’m her older brother though. It’s my job to protect her. I would have - will - do whatever I have to in order to keep her alive. She’s the only family I have. I don’t know what you know about them, the Cartel, but I work for them, Kehda. I’m a literal criminal. Just people knowing that we are close puts your life in danger.”

“I was lying when I told you my tattoos ‘resembled’ tracking runes. They are. If I’m not where they tell me to be, when they tell me to be there… that would risk my fate as my much as Tish’s. I’m too far gone to be pulled back. I’m not normal.” He looked more and more as though he might break at any moment as he spoke.

He usually kept all this swallowed deep down in his chest where he never had to feel it, “My second shift isn’t exactly legal, Fancy Pants. More than that, I’m actually behind with my current schedule. I have to figure out a way to somehow do more than I already am in the same amount of time if I ever want a mark off my head.”

Kehda spoke softly, “Reth, I’m your friend. I don’t care if what you’re doing is illegal, but I do care about helping my friends no matter what and it seems a whole lot like you need that more than anyone else.”

He felt like his knee was on fire under their hands, he had expected her to tell him to get lost and he anticipated doing exactly that.

“I can help you. Please just tell me what I have to do.” Her voice faltered desperately, she didn’t want anyone to feel the way she felt about herself.

“I can’t ask you to help me.”

“I’m not asking. I’m telling you to let me help you.” She summoned all her courage to sound as confident as possible, “I want to help you, on one condition: You have to tell Tish what you are doing. You shouldn’t keep that from her when you’re doing it for her, she deserves to know why you’re never home.”

He gazed at her with a mix of apprehension and confusion, selfishly happy that she hadn’t ran from him but torn by genuine concern for her safety, “How about I’ll let you know when you can help with the less risky stuff, but on one condition of my own? You’re right about telling Tish, and I promise you I will talk to her tomorrow at dinner. Just promise me that you won’t do anything dangerous. That’s my condition, I need you to promise me that, please?”

Kehda thought to herself, Great, and how am I going to keep this from Kenyatta?

“I promise.”

Chapter 5: Warmness On the Soul

Chapter Text

In the week following their conversation in the storeroom, Kehda remained true to her word. She’d had to dodge Kenyatta a couple times and convince her not to investigate the Bahari caves again more than that.

Tonight she was working in the library, shelving returned and misplaced books in Caleri’s preferred indexing system. Kehda was quick with a keen attention to detail, so she was able to keep the library clean and organized which brought her a great deal of satisfaction.

“Don’t think of this as a compliment,” Caleri said to Kehda as she left for the evening, “but this place has never looked more… mediocre.”

She knew she could easily take a fast right and be in the warmth and safety of Tish’s house in five minutes, roughly ten to her own plot. She looked up and admired the brightness of the moon in the sky.

Its light poured onto the cobblestone streets, illuminating her path with a silvery glow that bathed the town in a serene, almost magical ambiance. She pondered briefly if the moon’s position and phase had an impact on flow.

Eager to learn all she could about what exactly Reth was involved with, she had been reading all she could about flow. It wasn’t much, considering an overwhelming portion of the library seemed dedicated to the purist of art forms: juggling.

She had pieced together that flow was somehow innate, a part of everything that existed in the physical realm. If one could harness that power, in theory, they could control the very elements that sustain the balance of nature. In the wrong hands, that power would be devastating and cataclysmic.

If that were true, then would it not also be true that those with an affinity towards one flow element would naturally gravitate towards an equal and opposite type of flow in a style similar to that of convection?

Water would have to be the opposite of air, one in the heavens and one on the ground but both alike in their gentle movements. If that were the case, earth would have to be opposite of fire; both capable of creation as easily as destruction but Earth felt solid, unyielding, while fire danced and consumed.

“You seem perplexed, Phoenix’s child. Would you like to discuss what is on your mind?” Chayne asked, stopping in front of her on his nightly walk. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and Kehda wondered to herself what that would be like.

“I actually could use some help, Chayne. I learned some things recently that I can’t seem to get off my mind when I need to be focusing on something else instead. It’s like I’m being consumed alive by some, I don’t know, knowledge hungry parasite.”

He smiled with the amusem*nt that is only found in those with profound wisdom, “Dear Child, don’t forget, nothing is black and white. Nothing is singular in existence. The most beautiful and fragrant flowers are often the most toxic.”

“Somehow, that makes perfect sense. Thank you, Chayne. Can I ask you some more questions?”

“But of course, nothing would delight me more than to help you on your journey. After all, it is my Oneness. Please, come with me to my house and we can discuss this over some blueberry and spice sprout tea. I think you will find it quite invigorating to the senses!”

The made the short walk to Chayne’s in comfortable silence, drinking in the serenity of a Kilima night.

They took their shoes off at the door before sitting on floor cushions by a short table. Chayne quickly prepared a pot of tea to share and poured her a cup first before his own, “Now, what is weighing on your mind?”

“Well… I don’t know how to explain it very well.”

“Try.” Chayne took a small sip of his tea.

Kehda looked into the steam swirling within her own cup, “Up until very recently I felt like just existing was a burden to the world. But then I was entrusted with a secret that, to be honest, terrifies me to my very core.”

“What about this secret terrifies you the most?”

“Well, I suppose what terrifies me the most is despite the darkness of the secret and what it entails I would do anything to help and protect this person.” She took a sip of her tea and hummed, it was sweet and spicy in a way that was purely refreshing for her palate and mind.

“Yes, I suppose love will make us do crazy things from time to time. A reminder that the things that seem scary and dangerous aren’t always as important as they seem in our minds. Love is powerful as a fuel for accomplishing against the seemingly impossible.”

Kehda blushed and nearly choked on her tea, “Woah, Chayne, I didn’t say anything about love.” She crossed her arms in an x shaped gesture in front of herself and shook her head.

“You don’t have to say something for it to be true; some things just simply are because they are meant by the Dragon to be that way. Control is an illusion that will only weigh down your potential for greatness.”

Kehda sighed, “What if I have no potential for greatness? What if I can’t remember anything before this because I don’t want to remember- because I’m not a good person?”

“If you had no potential, you wouldn’t be here in the first place, friend. Not every seed that falls to the ground becomes a tree, yet here you are standing tall. We still don’t know why humans can’t seem to recall more than the basics necessary for survival. What I do know is this; You can either make the choice to live in fear, consumed by these questions that may not have any answers, or to accept that you are here now and become the version of yourself you want to be. I would recommend the second.”

Kehda gazed into the cup of tea, lost in thought, “Is there a third option?” She glanced up with the enthusiasm of a child, “A middle of the road sort of deal. Kinda like what Jina does?”

Chayne smiled, captivated by her enthusiasm and creativity, “Jina researches because it is her Oneness. Tell me, Kehda, if you were to seek this route do you think it would bring you what you are hoping to find without also bringing resentment?”

She watched her reflection frown in the cup before taking another sip before answering, “I suppose you’re right. One last question; Is it possible to have more than one ‘Oneness’?”

“Perhaps you should speak with Einar. It’s always a delight chatting with you, Kehda.”

They finished their tea and Kehda headed back to her plot, thankfully only a short distance from Chayne’s. The tea had warmed her soul as much as their discussion.

******

Back at home, she cozied herself into bed amongst her collection of plushies and switched the nightstand table light on. She had set her mind to at least answering one final question before succumbing to sleep; She would finally read the book Elouisa slipped to her.

‘Sleepwalking For Science’

She leafed through the publishing information and table of contents, skimming for anything that may be interesting or relevant to her questions.

After a few moments, her eyes settled on a chapter titled, "Lucid Dreams and their Unrealized Potential. Pg 42.”

She carefully flipped through the pages until her fingers had landed on her destination. Her blood ran cold when the image on the chapter intro page was of someone falling into a hole, memories of her nightmares flashing through her minds eye like a picture book.

She tried to focus on the words, hoping they would offer reassurance. The text explained that many researchers believed lucid dreams could be harnessed to understand the subconscious better. She paused, looking up from the page to the rafters above in thought. If that was the case, she would need to learn how to harness that to delve deeper into the secrets of her mind.

Chayne had expressly told her it was a bad idea, sure, but she felt close to learning something important about herself. Her eyes burned with fatigue but she pressed on and flipped back to the front of the book, in search of another relevant chapter.

Her hand traced down the table of contents until it hovered over "Sleepwalking and the Unconscious Mind. Pg. 69.”

She flipped through again and found the page quickly. This page featured a depiction of someone sleeping, but their face was twisted in fear. She read on with intense curiosity, seeking answers to her own restless nights.

The chapter began by recounting multiple cases of sleepwalking that had presented remarkable insight into suppressed memories and unresolved traumas. She wondered what that meant for her; She had never recalled sleepwalking to the same place repeatedly. It was usually a cave she ended up in. Perhaps it would help to create a map to mark these locations on and see if any patterns emerge.

The words on the page soon blurred together as she drifted into sleep, startling awake just a few seconds later as the book slipped through her waning grip and fell onto her face.

She glared at the inanimate tome in her hands like it was a particularly ornery chapaa, placing it with purpose onto the nightstand, “Stay.”

She clicked off the light and rubbed her eyes, cuddling up against her ancient fish plushie. Sleep did not make her wait long for its sweet embrace that night.

******

Kehda’s dream began warm, she could physically feel the rays of sun beaming onto her exposed skin.

It smelled of salt and amber, and she could feel the water coming up to meet her ankles in the sand with each slow wave.

She was on a beach somewhere she couldn’t quite place, but it was soothing. Nostalgic.

After what felt like the blink of an eye, the warmth turned cold as the tide came in faster than she could get to higher ground. The bright blue sky above rumbled and turned grayish green in the blink of an eye. More and more of her was under the water as the tides grew higher, pulling her back with every step she tried to make to safety.

She flailed her arms to stay afloat and keep her head above the water but it was rising and rising and she felt like her body was a solid chunk of ice. She couldn’t breathe, her chest felt like it was being weighed down by a thousand stones, every time she thought she was at the surface it was farther and farther away. The light was fading and everything went fuzzy.

She was being tossed around and shaken by the undertow before she awoke with a scream, tears hotly streaming down her cheeks and nose before dripping from her chin.

******

Reth wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her against him until she relaxed. Her tears soaked into his jacket and Reth’s own eyes welled in empathy, face wracked with confusion and worry.

He rubbed her back gently until the sobs had stopped before speaking as calmly as he could, “So, you wanna tell me what you’re doing out here or is it part of some game where I have to guess? We really gotta stop meeting like this.”

Kehda was grateful for the levity and choked out a soft laugh, “Whoever has the best guess wins, because honestly, I’m guessing that myself right now. I went to sleep in my own bed,” she glanced down to her pajamas: an oversized t-shirt dress she had sewn together herself and her lack of shoes or pants, “I had a nightmare, and then I was here.”

She pulled her face away from him to look around and gather her bearings. She was in a familiar cavern. The epiphany struck her that she had been here twice before. Once the day before she had met Reth, and again when she had adventured out with Kenyatta. That meant she was sleepwalking to the same place more than once.

What was it about this cave? But more importantly, “Why are you out here, Reth? What is this place?”

“No good criminals like me get a free pass in places like this. Those are just the rules,” he shrugged, releasing her from his arms hesitantly.

“I’m kind of afraid to sleep anymore now I think. Between the nightmares and sleepwalking, it’s hard to tell what’s real sometimes,” she said, voice low and hesitant. Her arms crossed across her body to hold herself onto reality.

Reth opened his mouth to speak when a low light glowed from the tunnel leading to the entrance of the cave. He quickly pressed one finger to her lips firmly as he took her hand. There wouldn’t be much time, and they could not find her here.

He quickly glanced around the room and then raised an eyebrow to her and whispered, “How flexible are you?”

She gave him a blank unamused stare of silence in response.

He pulled her quickly to an empty crate in the corner and pulled the lid back silently, “It was a serious question, and I need the answer to be, ‘Yes, Reth, I can fit in there so we both live another day’.”

She heard conversation and footsteps approaching behind them, nearing the cavern entrance. She hopped in and twisted herself to fit inside.

Reth gave her an apologetic glance as he silently closed the lid back down above her, sealing her in silence. He spun on his heels quickly and made it to his current shipment stack right as the strangers entered.

“Good boy. You’re here on time for once.”

Reth looked at them with boredom, not wanting to give away any hint there was a stowaway, “Yeah, so are we good here or what?”

“We’re good, for now at least. These feel a little light though… that’s another, I don’t know looks like 10,000 to me added your debt, kid?”

Reth sighed, “Sure. I accept that.” He just wanted them to be gone. This was too close of a call for him, after the years of precaution, to endanger someone else now.

The strangers eyes sparkled with manipulative delight, “You’re alright, kid. Don’t listen to what everyone else says, you’re not just some brain dead pushover only good for his looks. They told me you weren’t even smart enough to build a chair when your baby sister could her first try. I told them they were wrong of course, some are just meant to play a part in the… shall we say, bigger picture?”

He swallowed the rage building in his throat, desperate to scream in self-defense, to tell this man he knew nothing about him; Reth remembered Tish instead and how he had promised to keep her safe. He would always be the shadow so she could be in the light and gave a defeated nod in response.

“Heh. Well, I have more important places to be than here with some grunt,” the stranger gave his accomplices a snap of acknowledgment in the direction of the boxes as he walked back into the tunnel leading to the entrance, “Grab those and let’s get going, we got a schedule to keep.”

The accomplices grabbed the crates, grinning down at Reth with pointed teeth as they stepped around him like he was just a bug to be easily crushed under their step.

Reth almost let the rage slip through his teeth but held the words on his tongue, remembering Kehda was still an unwilling audience to this. He thought of her presence, the light in her eyes, the way her eyebrow would twitch at the gross fake recipes he joked about making a sample of specially for her. The rage melted away and faded to determination, his posture returning to relaxed and confident.

Reth gave the accomplices a playful wave and wink as they glared back at him, toothy grins twisting to a snarl before following their boss back to whatever filthy nest they had crawled out of. He hoped it would bother them later to think they had no power over him, that it would haunt them for the rest of their lives. He didn’t move from his position until he could no longer hear their footsteps in the cave and counted to 100 after that.

After what felt like eternity he let out a deep shaky sigh and ran back over to the crate Kehda had remained quietly inside of. He quickly tugged the lid off, whispering her name softly. All the emotions he had pushed down deeply threatened to come flooding back to him all at once.

Kehda flinched at the sudden brightness from the nearby candle, her face was flushed from fear as she scrambled to sit up quickly.

She whispered, her voice trembling, "Reth?"

He thought, surely, this would be the moment she realized he was a mistake. He dropped the lid and held his arms out to her to help her stand, “I’m sorry you had to see that. Er- hear that, I guess. I’m glad you didn’t see. That would have been a little too dangerous, even for me.”

“Are you okay? They said such cruel things about you,” Kehda was shaking as she spoke and she realized it wasn’t from fear, it was anger at how he had been treated, “I bit my lip to keep from screaming at them, it was dark but I could only see red.”

His eyes dropped in shock and worry as he realized her bottom lip was swollen and bruised, a thin trail of blood dripping from a small laceration where lip became skin. “Kehda, you hurt yourself,” he whispered, his voice filled with concern as he gently wiped the blood with his sleeve. He had shoved her into a box and she was worried… about him?

“I’m fine,” She said, pouting.

He laughed quietly, warmth returning to his eyes, and the melody filled the chamber, “Feisty and flexible, my only weaknesses. Let’s get you out of here. You’re only allowed on the less dangerous missions, remember?”

She rolled her eyes despite her growing concern for him as he continued, “Thank you, though. For worrying about someone like me.”

He smiled and took her hand, entwining their fingers together in a perfect fit before pulling her gently alongside him until they were in stride.

As he walked her back to her home, safely away from the cave they had emerged from, the two couldn’t help but smile despite what they had experienced together; They felt safe in each other’s company as they walked sleepily and bumped into one another.

He broke the silence softly as he leaned against the porch and admired how the colors of her eyes seemed to swirl in the morning light, “You know, technically you owe me now for breaking your promise. That whole not gonna do anything dangerous thing we talked about?”

She laughed and raised an eyebrow, “Technically I didn’t that I know of though, it was really more of a surprise all around. I’ve got a thing for sleepwalking to caves, apparently.”

“Hmm…,” he furrowed his brows in thought, “You got me there. How about for kinda saving you back there instead?”

Kehda rolled her eyes playfully, “Fine, I owe you for that one.”

He squeezed her hand with a smile before pulling her closer and tilting his face down, gently locking their lips together in a kiss, “We’re even now.”

She leaned into him, seeking the promise of comfort and safety that she felt with him, even the darkest moments seeming bearable, “Wasn’t expecting it to be so simple.”

He chuckled softly, resting his forehead against hers, “I’ve been saying that a lot myself lately. Which is surprising when you consider the things I do.”

She kissed him then, and Reth forgot anything he was planning to say; Any doubt creeping into his mind fading into warmth. Their lips melted together as the kiss began to deepen in a way that was familiar to Kehda, and ended before she would have preferred as the morning bells toned.

Reth sighed, face flushed brighter than the morning sun, “I have to start heading back now, but I’m hoping we can continue this,” he kissed her playfully to specify, “discussion sometime.”

She smiled, “I think I’d like that.”

“You’re too sweet, you know that? Especially to a Maji like me,” he left their fingers entwined as he stepped away for as long as he could, afraid letting go could wake him from this dream.

He gave her a heartwarming smile and a wave as he headed back to the village, “See ‘ya later, Sweet Tooth!”

She pressed a hand to her sore lip and winced, time to talk to Kenyatta.