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–Ever since then…
Rai is still a bounty hunter. He can’t seem to sit still.
It’s another visit to Bardo’s inn. The usual - any room he has vacancy. They’re at the reception desk, doing business as usual.
“… Oi.”
Bardo’s tone suddenly turns low and serious. Rai just glances over nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow.
But unexpectedly– In an instant, his left hand he’d been trying to conceal so much is grabbed and yanked out into clear view. He growls and retreats it, staring daggers at the other, who is dazzled for a few seconds, but soon enough flashes a sly smile.
“Oh my, oh my…
…Little Rai got hitched?”
Bardo chuckles and leans against his palm on the counter, his gaze onto Rai unwavering. He clearly saw a ring on the ring finger of the left hand. It’s been tradition in Sisa for a while now, that started off with only females wearing it, then both partners, but moreover so in Ransen - So anyone can recognize what it means.
Rai just clicks his tongue and stares off to the side, crossing his arms again.
“None of your business.”
“But it is! I never thought you of all people would… Well…” To Rai’s even further annoyance, Bardo snorts, making him fixate a deadly gaze back on the smug cat. “Calm down. What’s the story? Who’s the lucky one? Someone I know? Hmmm?” The tiger-striped tail keeps waving and curling up in excitement.
“Get lost.” Rai spits back, cold gaze unwavering. His bristled tail starts to stir slightly in irritation.
“Don’t be like that! Still acting so sour… Tsk, tsk. What, you got a girl pregnant or something?” Bardo jokes in a sarcastic tone and laughs, careless as ever, elbowing Rai.
–-However, the accurate guess hits Rai like an ice cold bucket of water poured onto him.
He opens his mouth to retort, but…
… He averts his gaze, unable to say anything.
“Hm?” Bardo notices this, and suddenly props himself back up to standing position, hands splayed on the counter. He frowns. “… Oi. Rai?”
Still nothing.
“Rai.”
No, upon closer inspection - Rai’s cheeks were turning a very faint but still visible glowing red, standing out from his pale features.
Shocked, confused, stern– A mixture of expressions go through the Bardo’s face.
“… Could it be… No– You mean… I was… right…?”
Rai purses his lips and lets out a heavy, shaky sigh through his nostrils.
Bardo takes a step back. His eyes widen. His jaw drops.
“What…” He splutters, blinking a few times, trying to process the information.
“You… … Hey, hey, hey, hey–! Getting married is already one thing, but you– You…?!”
One, two, three moments pass that feel like eternity where Bardo, bewildered, frozen still, mouth agape, just silently stares at his ex-pupil, who’s still refusing to look him in the eye and swaying his tail.
Unable to take this sight anymore, Konoe, who’s been watching all along from afar, opens his mouth and desperately calls out.
“Rai…!”
Rai’s ears perk up.
“Is it… True…?” Konoe is filled with shock as much as Bardo, but most importantly: an intense feeling of concern.
A clench of the fist. A deep breath.
“… Yeah.” The snow cat finally replies, closing his eye and letting out a deep sigh in resignation.
Bardo looks at Konoe, then Rai, then back at Konoe, and… Finally Rai again.
An incredulous smile abruptly makes its way onto his lips.
“I’m gonna be… An uncle?”
“Bardo!” Konoe calls out in protest at Rai’s visible annoyance having gone on for too long, stomping his foot.
He calms himself down with a deep breath, and then a curt retort.
“… If anything, you’re gonna be a grandpa, you old cat.” He mutters with a snarky tone, both eyebrows raised, eyes half-lidded.
Bardo coughs and lets out a slightly pained laugh, clutching his chest and doubling over as if he’d been shot. “Y-You wound me…”
However, he quickly recovers, turning around to yell into the kitchen.
“Alright! Gen-san! Go fetch me the best ingredients you can get. We’re celebrating tonight!”
“What?” Konoe and Rai ask in unisson (Rai’s tone more annoyed and flat, however). Konoe’s tail twitched. Bardo just flashes a pesky grin at them.
“Sorry, you can’t turn this down. It’s all on me. Go take a bath in the shed if you want, Rai. Konoe, you’re helping me.”
“Why do I have to–” Konoe starts to complain… But he immediately realizes that against Bardo, it’s useless. He sighs and rubs his forehead. “… Well, whatever…” And since it’s for Rai…, he thinks to himself. Speaking of which…
Rai was already gone. Probably went to take a bath after all. He still worked as a bounty hunter, no matter what weather or obstacles, and now he juggled with protecting another cat too… No, two cats now, one yet to be born.
Admittedly… He couldn’t wait to hear details, too.
His tail twitches at those thoughts. Konoe turns on his heel and makes his way into the kitchen.
By the time all the food is done and ready to serve, Konoe is already worn out. He lets out a tired sigh, wiping the small amount of sweat formed on his forehead. He undoes and takes off the dirty apron, setting it aside to be washed later.
“Konoe!” Bardo’s already calling out for his help.
“Coming, coming…” He skips over to the dining room, tail waving upwards trailing behind him.
Dinner is awkward. The conversation is awkward. Rai reluctantly gives a few details.
It all started with a female on a brothel - that alone is already a shocker. But before Bardo can start teasing him, Rai explains, at first - before the Void and the Sickness were erased - he only came to buy information, not “services”;
But one night of mating season to which he succumbed was all it took.
Apparently, Mana - the girl of the brothel - had been unable to bear children at all until then. Perhaps an effect of the Sickness- It didn’t kill her, but perhaps it still affected her with infertility like it did with many others…
After the Void had been erased, and with it the Sickness, in one of the mating seasons after that - Rai had visited Mana to actually buy services from her this time. Nothing serious. A quick, cheap, relief.
Time passed. Rai never looked back, much less thought about it.
That is, until he finds the very same girl a few months later, huddled up in the middle of the deep forests in a sorry state, hissing at Rai defensively when he just looks at her.
As it turns out, she had run away from the brothel. Why?
Pregnant.
From who?
Most likely, exactly the first and only client she had in that mating season, and moreover, precisely when the herbs used as contraceptives had gone scarce and low in quality.
When Rai (even more reluctantly so) shows a picture of the girl…
…Bardo stiffens.
He, too, had met this girl very briefly at a moment in his life.
And Konoe, too, feels a glimpse of a violent memory flash back inside his mind.
How small and full of entwining paths it turns out to be, the world that these cats live in…
“…I don’t know… How to be a–” Rai has difficulty even speaking, severely annoyed, ashamed, embarrassed. “…Father.”
The word is heavy. Rai doesn’t really have example from his parents; he doesn’t really want to be like his parents. He’s afraid of… Doing the exact same things that were done to him…
Bardo already can realize all of this. He feels a pang of hurt and guilt in his chest.
Still, he smirks, already half-drunk off expensive catnip wine. “Very unlike you… Taking responsibility, huh? Then… Why didn’t you just leave that female alone? It’s not that uncommon, you know? Besides, an aggressive female like that… Surely can fend for herself, hm? Hmmm?”
That seems to trigger an aggressive reaction out of the snow cat. He looks back up and stares into Bardo’s eyes with an intense scowl, fists clenched on the table.
“…”
But he can’t answer.
But it doesn’t matter - Bardo already knows. And that only makes his smug smile turn into a grin and a chuckle. If anything - despite the worry, guilt, painful memories - he feels proud.
Rai has left to his room. This day was really heavy.
Konoe is already exhausted, hands deep into the water, washing the dishes.
But moreover…
Aside from being worried for Rai, some thoughts deep into his mind seem to keep nagging him.
“What’re'ya spacin’ out for?” Bardo chimes in with that sly playful smile of his, noticing Konoe’s distant and anxious expression - they’ve been together for so long, nothing seems to slip under his radar anymore.
“Eh– Ah…” Konoe opens his mouth, tries to find words, to… No avail.
So he remains silent, and goes back to the dishes.
However; If Bardo has learnt something after all these years with Konoe, it’s that silence from his Sanga isn’t always a good sign.
His tone and expression turn serious.
“Oi.”
Konoe’s ears twitch. His tail’s fur bristles slightly.
“Tell me.”
Konoe places the dishes down, still staring off into nothing. He purses his lips and keeps silent for a few more moments.
“…Do you ever get… Envious…?”
“Huh?”
“…Rai is… Married already… And about to have a child, too…”
Bardo leans against the counter, crossing his arms. He raises an eyebrow. “So what are you getting at?”
Konoe’s gaze moves down to stare at his own feet. “…We’re both males… We can’t reproduce, and… Wouldn’t you be– Better off with a female…?” Words keep running out of his mouth. “And married– I never thought about it, but–”
“Konoe.”
“What– Wah!”
Before he knows what’s going on, Konoe’s lips are pressed against his mate’s. Bardo has him secured in his arms with a firm grip, locking eachother’s lips into a deep, passionate kiss; one that, cliché as it may be, conveyed a lot more than words could.
“Hm– Mmnf…!” Konoe whines a little into the kiss, body stiff. But eventually, he can’t help but melt into it. Somehow - a few tears well up in the corner of his eyes. Perhaps - from relief? Embarrassment? Anxiety? All the emotion?
This goes on for a few moments. But it’s not forced, awkward, drawn-out moments - they’re cherished meaningful ones.
Bardo finally breaks the kiss. His thumb caresses Konoe’s cheek.
“Well? Feeling better?”
“I-Idiot…”
Bardo leans his forehead against the other’s. He stares solemnly into his Sanga’s eyes.
“Konoe.”
“Wh-what…?”
“You… And even I know how long we’ve been together. The things we went through together.”
He’s not wrong.
Konoe keeps listening with a small nod, closing his eyes.
“Marriage, children - I don’t really care about any of that. Aren’t you happy like this?” Konoe opens his eyes. He doesn’t know what to answer, but even if he did, Bardo continues before Konoe could open his mouth;
“…But if it really matters to you,” Bardo whispers, grabbing Konoe’s left hand. “…I won’t say no to that.” He finally smiles, still tinted with that smugness and playful characteristic of his, then chuckles.
Konoe sniffles, embarrassed at his own emotions. Tears keep welling up in his eyes. He averts his gaze. “…I-Idiot. Dumb old cat.”
“And you still treat me like this!” Bardo lets out a roaring laugh. He places his hand atop Konoe’s head and pets him, ruffling his hair.
“Well…” He continues in thought. His tone turns sly.
“If you want children, too, we can make some…”
“Pervert!” Konoe immediately retorts, swatting his hand away (that was already making its way down his body).
“What?” Bardo grins, hands on his hips. He leans in. “You never know until you try, huh?”
“Idiot! Don’t say things like tha– Wh–”
“Heave…ho!”
“Hey!”
Bardo easily scoops Konoe off his feet and carries him over his shoulder, patting his bum. “Alright! Let’s go.”
“Wai– Bardo! What do you think you’re doi–”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Bardo asks out loud in an feigned innocent tone. “We’re making babies, right?”
“Perverted old man! Let me go– Now! Idiot! Perv! Old man!”
Konoe’s complaints are drawn out into the room Bardo carries him into.
The door of their room closes behind them.