The curtains were drawn, which barred almost all of the sunlight from the cozy room. This worked to Aravind's advantage, as he had a lot of trouble sleeping in the light. As it was, he slept soundly beside Aiolos, snuggled warmly into the thief's side.

Aiolos woke suddenly, ears twitching as a door slammed down the hall. He yawned and stretched, curling back around Aravind.

Aravind remained oblivious to the noise and movement, completely entrenched in the land of Nod. With the restless sleep he'd gotten the night before, plus the hectic day that had followed, it was no wonder he was so tired. Unconsciously, his arms tightened around Aiolos.

Aiolos blinked sleepily down at Aravind and kissed the monk's forehead, lifting a hand to stroke his hair.

Aravind almost seemed to smile in his sleep. Some time later, he stirred and took a deep breath, his eyes opening partway.

Aiolos had drifted off again, one hand tangled in Aravind's hair. There was movement in the hallways and noise from downstairs, which filtered up through the floor.

Aravind smiled gently at Aiolos's sleeping face and pressed a kiss to his chin.

Aiolos murmured softly and opened his eyes part way, blinking them open when he saw that Aravind was awake.

Aravind gave Aiolos another kiss, this time to his mouth. "Good morning."

"'Morning." Aiolos smiled, curling the hand in Aravind's hair and rubbing the back of his head.

Aravind 'mmm'ed and closed his eyes again as he stretched slightly, though without disturbing their position. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well. And you?" Aiolos yawned.

Aravind nodded drowsily and kissed Aiolos's neck. "Wonderfully."

"Mm, that's good." Aiolos pressed a kiss to Aravind's hair, petting it idly.

Aravind remained quiet for a while before looking up at Aiolos's face and asking, "Are you hungry?"

"Mmyes." Aiolos nuzzled Aravind sleepily.

Aravind smiled and rubbed circles into the small of Aiolos's back. "Do you want to go get some breakfast?"

"Breakfast would be nice."

"All right." Aravind disentangled himself from Aiolos and sat up slowly, stretching his arms over his head. His hair was mussed from sleep, he realized as he ran his fingers through it. With a quiet sigh, he set to the task of combing it out.

Aiolos dragged himself over a few inches and rested his head and shoulders in Aravind's lap, turning his cheek against the monk's stomach and closing his eyes.

Aravind chuckled but winced when his fingers caught on a knot. Gently, he worked it out. "So where do you want to eat? Here in the inn? Or do you want to go find a place?"

"Mmdon't care." Aiolos curled an arm around Aravind's waist.

Aravind shook his head, smiling, and as quickly (and painlessly) as possible, finished his task. Satisfied, he gathered his hair into his hands and let it fall smoothly down his back (though it only reached his shoulder blades). "Let's just eat here; I'm sure they have good food." He petted Aiolos's head as he spoke.

"Mkay." Aiolos opened his eyes and smiled up at Aravind, his own hair hopelessly tangled and much longer than the monk's.

Aravind smiled back and lovingly brushed Aiolos's hair away from his face. "You're going to need to get up if you want to go eat, you know..." he murmured.

Aiolos sighed. "Can you bring some food up here? What time do we have to be out?"

Aravind continued petting Aiolos's hair. "I could bring some food up here, if you really wanted me too... I think we have to be out by noon. We still have time."

"Okay. Could you do that? I don't like eating around a lot of people."

Aravind shook his head, but with a smile. "You are a strange one," he teased. "You'll still have to move if you want me to get you food."

Aiolos sighed again but smiled and rolled out of Aravind's lap. "If I'm strange, how strange does that make you for liking me?"

"Probably very strange, but don't worry your pretty little head about that." Aravind patted said head before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and going to the door. "I'll be back in a minute. Do you have an preferences?"

Aiolos sniffed at Aravind's comment and rolled to watch him get up. "I'd like something yummy."

Aravind chuckled and opened the door. "Okay. I'll find you something yummy. Just be warned now that what I might find yummy, and what you find yummy, could be very different things..."

"Nothing too scary!" Aiolos smiled, lying on his side.

Aravind laughed a little more. "So no pickled frogs or goat tongues, I take it?"

"Ahhh! None of that!"

Aravind faked a sigh. "Okay, okay. But we're going to have to have a talk about your tastes when I get back. No pickled frogs? Come on, now..." With that, he left the room, closing the door quietly behind himself.

Aiolos smiled and lay quietly for a while, eventually sitting up and searching in his bag for a hairbrush.

Aravind returned not long after, a tray balanced on his hands. The tray was laden with a pancake-stacked plate, the pancakes accompanied by strawberries and melon and a muffin. Beside the plate were two glasses of milk. Aravind closed the door with is foot, came up alongside the bed, and set the tray on the end. "How's this?"

Aiolos put the brush away, leaving his hair shiny and tangle-free. "Ooh, it looks yummy."

Aravind smiled and sat down carefully, so as to not upset the tray. "Good. I thought so. Though, those pickled frogs did look rather tempting..."

Aiolos poked Aravind in the arm and crawled over to him. "Pickled frogs. I should turn you into a pickled frog, see how you like it."

Aravind waved his hand, laughing. "No, no, that's quite all right. How would you like having a frog for a lover, anyway?" He plucked a strawberry off the tray and popped it into his mouth, looking innocently at Aiolos.

Aiolos stroked his chin. "Well..."

Aravind swallowed his strawberry and took another one. "Well...?"

"It might be interesting." Aiolos smiled teasingly and reached for a piece of fruit.

Aravind pretended to choke on his strawberry. Swallowing, he said, "You wouldn't really turn me into a frog..."

"Wouldn't I?" Aiolos raised his eyebrows, taking a bite of strawberry.

Aravind considered Aiolos for a moment, adopting a concerned expression, and then took a pancake off the stack to fill his mouth with.

Aiolos laughed. Finishing the berry, he reached for a piece of pancake.

Aravind ripped another bite off of his pancake as he slowly slid off the bed and went to the window, drawing back the curtains. The day was overcast, the sky gray with impending rain. He spent a moment staring thoughtfully out the window and nibbling on his pancake.

Aiolos's smile faded and he turned to the food.

When Aravind had finished his pancake, he padded back over to the bed and sat down again. He took a piece of melon off the plate, glancing at Aiolos. "So, how do you like it?"

Aiolos swallowed. "It's good. Do you like it? Even though it's not pickled frog?"

Aravind laughed. "Yes, though I must say that nothing can really compare to pickled frog."

"Cannibal." Aiolos smiled and took another bite.

"Hey, hey, I'm not a frog." Aravind grinned sweetly at Aiolos. "Not yet, a at least."

"I'll let you keep thinking that." Aiolos patted Aravind's knee.

Aravind tried to suppress his amused smile, but failed. He ate another few pieces of melon, and then a strawberry, before taking up his glass of milk and downing some of it.

Once Aiolos had filled his belly to its contentment, he lazed back on the bed and stretched.

Aravind had also finished, and took the tray with their dirtied dishes, setting it on the floor. That done, he lay back on the bed beside Aiolos and leaned over to kiss the thief's chest. "Enjoy?"

"Mmyes." Aiolos tilted his head to look at Aravind, smiling appreciatively. "Did you?"

Aravind rested his cheek against the spot he'd just kissed. "Yes I did."

Aiolos ran the backs of his fingers over Aravind's other cheek. "What now?"

Aravind closed his eyes and sighed. "There is...something that I have to do. I was hoping to do it today..." He shifted slightly and leaned up to kiss Aiolos's mouth. "I have to go visit Devika again... to... clear things up." He offered a smile. "Otherwise we'll never get out of here..."

Aiolos smiled slightly. "Okay. What do you want to have happen?"

Aravind looked vaguely relieved and kissed Aiolos again. "...I don't know exactly. I sort of...left, the last time, before she could explain things all the way through. She still wants to talk to me... I'll see what she has to say before making a decision on anything... Will you come with me?"

Aiolos' eyebrows rose. "You want me there? Why?"

Aravind sat up more and glanced towards the window briefly. Looking back down at Aiolos, he replied, "I want...you to see him. And..." Aravind trailed off and shrugged as he rubbed his arm uneasily.

Aiolos smiled and sat up, giving Aravind a hug. "Okay."

Aravind smiled and hugged Aiolos back. "Thank you..."

Aiolos sighed. "Maybe I could just sit outside with the kid while you talk to her?"

Aravind nodded, pressing a kiss to Aiolos's ear. "Sure. That'd be fine..."

Aiolos smiled again. "Okay. Sounds good."

-

Coco sighed, picking up the dead animals and putting them near the middle of the clearing as he started gathering firewood.

At some point, Kyler came wandering back, his hair wet and stuck to his face and neck in odd places. He was dressed again, his clothes clinging to his body as well, patterned with dark water stains.

Coco looked up from stirring a pot cooking over an open flame, and continued looking as Kyler approached.

Kyler met Coco's eyes and then quickly glanced away, scratching his face as it started to heat. Sitting down by the fire, he said, "...That, uh, smells good," with a hesitant smile.

Coco returned the smile and stood up, brushing his pants off. "Good. Make sure it doesn't burn." Patting Kyler’s head, he dropped him a kiss and started walking in the direction Kyler had just come from.

Kyler watched Coco leave and then turned to observe the pot, leaning forward slightly to see inside.

Coco returned sometime later, drying his hair off with a towel. He'd changed into a new outfit, and was not quite as wet as Kyler had been. "How it's going?"

"Good..." Kyler looked over at Coco, smiling slightly, and then peered into the pot again.

Coco sat down beside Kyler and kissed his cheek. Draping the towel over his shoulders and under his hair, he leaned toward the pot and glanced inside.

Kyler blushed a little but still smiled as he settled back down. "Is it ready? I'm gettin' kinda hungry..."

Coco picked up the spoon and drew a little of the stew out, blowing on it before taking a bite. After a moment, he said, "Yeah, it's ready."

"Yay..." Kyler looked around for something to eat with.

Coco took two bowls from a bag resting nearby and filled them with soup, handing one to Kyler. He found two spoons and handed one of those over as well.

Kyler thanked Coco and started eating.

Coco gathered things to wash when he was finished eating. "Are you done?"

Kyler was tipping his bowl back and scraping the last bit out. Then he lowered it to his lap and nodded. "It was good. D'you want me to help wash 'em?"

"If you'd like to." Coco gave Kyler an impulsive kiss and took his bowl, then stood and took a few steps backwards. "Come along, come along."

Kyler got to his feet and followed Coco. "I'm comin', I'm comin'..."

-

Coco dried the last spoon, closing the bag and securing it to a little harness Fifi had been wearing.

Kyler shouldered his sack and quiver and took up his bow. "So...uh..." he scuffed his boot against the ground, "where're you goin' now?"

Coco returned to Kyler's side and pulled the ranger close, engaging him in a kiss.

Kyler automatically put his arms around Coco's neck and hesitated before returning the kiss.

Coco slipped his arms around Kyler's waist and deepened the kiss, ignoring Fifi's annoyed wyvern sounds.

Kyler moaned and pressed closer to Coco.

Coco embraced Kyler and re-explored his mouth, standing in the shade while forest activity went on around them.

Kyler made another pleased sound as he obligingly parted his lips and sucked on Coco's tongue.

Coco moaned, smoothing a hand down Kyler's back.

Eventually, Kyler broke the kiss and opened his eyes halfway. His arms remained securely around Coco's neck as he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath.

Coco licked Kyler's lower lip. "So tell me, Kyler... Do you actually like me or are you just here because I pursued you?"

Kyler blinked and then lowered his eyes, which brought his line of sight to somewhere around Coco's mouth. "I..." He paused a moment to gather his thoughts as he leaned into Coco. At length, he replied, "I can't say for certain that I like you... but it's definitely not the second one." He looked up at Coco, his mismatched eyes wondering and confused. "Why'd you pursue me in th' first place?"

Coco gave Kyler a soft kiss. "Because I liked you. And because I thought you'd get eaten up, so I wanted to keep you safe."

Kyler couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips. "You...thought I'd get eat'n up?"

Coco nodded solemnly, giving Kyler another kiss.

Kyler returned the kiss briefly before drawing away again with a sudden realization. "...I have to find Ulf."

Coco sighed. "What's he to you?"

Kyler bit his lip and once more found his eyes on Coco's mouth (or thereabouts). "He's my best friend..."

"Hmmmm..." Coco noticed Kyler's errant gaze and smiled, kissing him again. "Shall we go find him? I hope you don't mind if I follow you around."

Kyler shook his head and glanced up at Coco. "Feel free." He looked over his shoulder at the surrounding forest. "I wonder where he went... I feel bad about leavin' him... What'd you do to him last night?"

"I just put a hold on him, it would have worn off way before now." Coco hooked an arm around Kyler's waist and began steering him towards the trees, clicking his tongue for Fifi to join them. The wyvern took a last bite of grass and lumbered after them.

Kyler looked worried. "...He might have gone looking for me... and if he found me, then he probably saw..." He turned his eyes up to the treetops. "Or maybe he followed Aravind and Aiolos home... or..."

Coco put his mouth over Kyler's to quiet him. "Find him first, then worry."

"Easier said than done."

"Which part?" Coco led Kyler through the forest, stopping first at the place he'd left Ulf. They were the only ones there.

Kyler despairingly surveyed their Ulf-less surroundings. "Both parts..."

"I'm sure we'll find him in one piece." Coco patted Kyler's hip and started walking them again.

Kyler rubbed his arm uneasily and continued looking around. "I wonder if Aravind and Aiolos went back to Kanta's house... Ulf could be there, if he's not around here..."

Ulf appeared before Coco could make a response, padding towards them as a wolf.

Upon spotting Ulf, Kyler pulled away from Coco and knelt beside the wolf, smiling happily. "There you are! Where've you been?"

Ulf wagged his tail and nuzzled Kyler's face.

Kyler laughed and petted Ulf's ears. "I was gettin' worried about you..."