Chapter Text
Keigo finally made it back to the river bend as the sun was just beginning to get lower in the sky. He set his bag and the things that he had bought at the market next to a rock that he decided to use as a workbench.
He pulled off his cloak and sat in the pine needles. He wasn’t sure how far on the tent he would be able to get before it became too dark to see, but he was going to try and accomplish as much as he could before that point.
Keigo pulled out his material and first started separating the blankets. The outside material was the material he would use for the outside of the tent on top of the tarps that he had gotten. The softer inside material he could use for new bedding, he might even have enough material if he used his old bedding to make a sleeping pad for himself as well.
He worked for well over thirty minutes, however the blankets were extremely well made and Keigo was having issues with the seam ripper and had picked himself enough that his hands were sore and bleeding.
On top of that, despite the setting sun, it was still unbearably hot. Or it could be just the fact that Keigo was extremely frustrated. He appreciated the quality of the material, but it was driving him to the brink of giving up on the idea of a tent at all.
So he decided to take a break and to take advantage of the river.
Kegio stood up, stretching his back and reaching his wings as far as they could go. He flapped them a few times and reminded himself that he had to get back to doing his strengthening drills so he wouldn’t lose the muscles in his back that were required for flight.
He may not have been able to fly since everything had happened, but that didn’t mean that he allowed himself to lose the ability itself.
Keigo would start now, but he was hot, sweaty and would generally much rather spend time in the water and wash his clothes.
After reaching the river, Keigo removed his shoes and placed them in the grass. He didn’t mind walking barefoot, and sometimes preferred it, and he didn’t want to put his shoes back on with sandy feet.
He stepped into the shallow waters of the bank and sighed in relief as he waded up to his knees. He started to take off his shirt and he had managed to slip one of his wings out, putting him in an awkward position, when a voice called out to him.
“Hey little birdy, seems like a raptor has made its way into your nest, whatcha gonna do now?”
Keigo whipped his head around and upon seeing who was standing at the bank made him move to flee, which ended up with him losing his footing as a rock shifted and falling backwards into the water.
The royal scout laughed long and hard as he approached Keigo. The latter tried to recover from the fall, but his upper body was tangled in the shirt that was now soaked, so the best he could do was scoot backwards away from the threat.
Keigo cursed his stupidity. He should have left the moment he had seen the scout in the first place. No matter if they seemed like they were actively searching for someone or not, they were still a threat.
The scout grabbed the back of his shirt, dragging him upwards, causing pain to shoot through the one wing that was still tangled in it.
“Lookie what I’ve got,” the royal scout said snidely.
Keigo struggled in his grip, attempting to rip his shirt so he could slip away.
“Nope! Not getting away that easily.” The scout grabbed Keigo’s free arm with his other hand and pulled him further up.
“Just let me go, please,” Keigo begged, giving a last attempt at a plea for decency.
“I don’t think so, little birdy, you’re not going anywhere,”
“Fuck you,” Keigo spat.
“Whoa, whoa there. Such a naughty mouth, that’s not really helping your case there,” The scout chided. “Let’s go back to the begging.”
Keigo tilted his head up and spit at the scout’s face.
The scout scowled and dunked him into the water. When he brought Keigo up he was sputtering.
“I’m not going to be cruel to you, birdy, but I am sure as hell not going to tolerate shit like that and let it slide either. So get your act together and come back to the castle with me like a good boy.”
Keigo snarled, “I am not your good boy and my name isn’t birdy, it's Keigo. Do you even know what they do to us in the castle, or do you just deliver us like lambs to the slaughter and go home and drink tea or something?”
The scout scowled down at him and scoffed.
“None of your fucking business, bird.”
“I think it’s my business when it’s my life that is at stake here, I’m the one that is going to die, not you. Are you refusing to use my name so I don’t qualify as a person to you? Don’t want to make a connection to your victim because you can’t feel bad if I’m just a rabid animal to be put down, hu-”
Keigo was cut off by a slap across his face. The scout breathed deeply as he lowered the hand that had slapped Keigo.
“I’m sorry,” The scout paused, “That was not okay of me.”
Keigo spit into the water and threw back his head to stare at the scout.
“It’s not like I will be around to tell anyone after you turn me in, not they would care if I did tell anyone, they’d probably give you a promotion.” Keigo muttered the last part through clenched teeth.
The scout sighed and looked away from Keigo.
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?” Keigo asked sharply.
The scout sighed again and instead of responding, scooped Keigo up in his arms and started walking out of the water towards the bank.
The scout set Keigo down but grabbed his arms. Pulling a rope from his belt, he tied Keigo’s wrists together behind his back before sitting down beside him.
“Look, Keigo.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”
The scout glared at Keigo who simply smirked back at him.
“I’m trying to address your concerns here.” The scout glared at him pointedly. “Keigo.”
“Concerns is an interesting way to put things, but go on.”
The scout folded his arms. “How would you put it then, please enlighten me.”
Keigo huffed.
“No seriously, please tell me,” The scout said.
“Okay, wouldn't pass up on this opportunity but I also want your name.”
The scout winced. “I’d rather not, you can call me Tomura if you insist on calling me something.”
“Nah, I think I’ll call you a Goose because you are big, dumb and mean.” Keigo waited for Goose to snap at him or something but all the scout did was huff out a laugh.
“If that’s whatcha want, Birdy.”
Keigo chose to ignore Goose and move forward with what he was going to say.
“Since you apparently haven’t listened to anything I have said since we met, if you can call it that, I’ll repeat myself,” Keigo took a breath, “Your so amazing king kills people like me for simply existing, am I finally getting through to your little peanut brain?
“I’ll put it more simply for you just in case. You, Goose, are taking me, Keigo, to die. I don’t see how that is simply a concern that I have. Do you know what the worst fucking part is?” Keigo continued without allowing any time for a response. “I don’t even know why! Why the fuck do we need to die? None of us have done anything to you! Just leave us the fuck alone!” He finished, bent over and breathing heavily.
Goose was silent until Keigo looked up at him.
“I can promise you that no one is killing anyone. I don’t know what happens to people brought in, but they aren’t killed,” Goose said quietly.
Keigo scoffed, “Yeah, and how would you know that?”
“You can choose to take me at my word, or not, doesn’t change anything for me,” Goose shrugged.
“And not knowing what happens doesn’t bother you?”
“Of course it bothers me,” Goose bit back.
“Then why not do some investigating, or is that too hard for your peanut brain?” Keigo countered.
“There is something else I am looking into right now that’s really important,” Goose dismissed.
Keigo snarled“We’re living beings, ya know, if you are right there are fates worse than death.”
Goose threw his hands up, “I know that! I have seen the people I’ve brought in alive, so I know that they can wait. Is that fucked? Yes! But I don’t have much of a choice so don’t pretend to know what my morals are or anything. I don’t know your life story and you don’t know mine.”
Keigo was silent for a few moments before doing the best he could to maneuver one of his hands into a position for a handshake, “Let’s start over,” Keigo declared, “Hi, my name is Keigo and I am an otherkin with wings that glow at night and who eats pretty rocks to survive. I have a best friend named Rumi who I can’t for the life of me explain what she can do. Who are you?”
Goose closed his eyes and shook his head, “I’m Goose, a dumb bird gave me that name and I work with the royal scouts. I have two brothers and a twin sister that I will protect at all costs even over myself. I also care for the safety of the people I am sworn to protect. I am risking everything to do so, meaning I have to be careful to perform my duties as a scout and bring you in. I do not wish you, or anyone else I bring in, any ill will.”
“Then why are you bringing me in?”
“Because it’s my du-” Goose started and then Keigo cut him off
“Yes, it’s your ‘duty’ and all that, but no one is around to snitch on you or anything. You could just let me go and no one would ever know,” Keigo pointed out.
Goose growled, clearly frustrated, and Keigo closed his mouth and waited. Goose walked a few yards away, mumbling, unaware of Keigo’s keen ears. Leaving Keigo free to eavesdrop and also test his bindings.
They were tight, but not tight enough that if Keigo worked at them he would have a chance of being able to slip out of them. He needed to mess with the rope discreetly, especially because he had hope that this conversation was headed in a favorable direction.
“It wouldn’t be a good idea, but it isn’t a bad one either… I… he could find out… I can hold my own, but I can’t fuck up my plans, not when I am this close”
Keigo lost what Goose was saying a few times, when what he was saying became incoherent, but what he did hear indeed gave him hope.
Goose turned back around, hands in his hair, “Get up. We are heading to the capital.”
Before Keigo could open his mouth to protest, Goose continued, “I haven’t made up my mind yet so just shut up and listen.”
“Fine, jeez,” Keigo relented, standing up with exaggerated difficulty, hoping to inspire pity.
Goose grabbed the rope in between his bound hands and started leading him forward, being careful of Keigo’s wings.
They walked like that for at least thirty minutes judging by the movement of the sun’s position in complete silence. Eventually Keigo couldn’t take it anymore and broke his silence, even if it could ruin his chances at getting free.
“Hey, I know I haven’t made myself out to be the most reliable and skilled person, but can you hear me out please? I don’t care if you actually side with me or not but I really really need you to listen.”
Goose stopped in his tracks, causing Keigo to stumble backwards into him. Just as Keigo had observed from afar yesterday, Goose was very muscular. Keigo was totally normal about this newly confirmed information he was currently distinctly aware of.
“Fine,” Goose huffed, “Talk.”
Keigo took a deep breath, “What if, I help you with whatever you are trying to detective sleuth out? I am normally a very sneaky person, I’ve kept hidden from you lot for all this time after all. Besides I have connections and a very particular skill set that I know you do not have,” He paused to try and gain any insight on what Goose was thinking but without seeing his face it wasn’t working out for him. “I want my kind, the otherkin, to be able to live freely again and not have to be hunted every day of our lives. And if helping you with whatever is on your mind will help get me closer to that goal, that's what I want to do.”
Goose was still and silent for way too long. Keigo’s legs were starting to feel like they were locking up when he finally answered him.
“Let me think about it,” Keigo’s heart fell, “This isn’t a no, dumb overgrown pigeon. I just need time-that we have because the journey to the capital will take awhile anyway. I also know it isn’t right to keep you in suspense, I just- need to think- just let me think.”
Keigo nodded and backed off. He wasn’t immediately being dismissed anymore and he would much rather have that than to ruin any chance he had at getting out of this alive. If the man needed to think, Keigo would let him think.
“So,” Keigo started, ignoring the sharp look that Goose sent him, “What’s the capital like? I’ve never had the chance to actually go there… ya know… with everything.” Keigo gestured at his wings the best he could.
Goose paused before sighing. He kicked at a rock on the ground before replying.
“I don’t know much either. My father kept a tight leash on me so I don’t know much about actual city life beyond what my job allows me to see.”
“Oh- that’s actually really depressing. How about the rest of the kingdom? What have you seen of it while on the job?”
“I was on the job.” Goose answered shortly.
Keigo blinked at him in surprise, “Doesn’t mean you can’t take in the world, it’s not like your father is breathing down your neck all the way out here, is he?”
“That’s not the point,” Goose snapped, and soon hesitantly apologized, “I will have time to ‘take in the world’ when I fix what is wrong with this stupid kingdom and when the ones I love can speak without being afraid of being punished.”
Goose kicked at another rock on the ground and Keigo fell silent as he thought about what the man had said.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the beauty in things every so often.” Keigo snorted, “What a pair the two of us make.”
Goose didn’t look at him but lowered his head.
“Yeah… quite the pair indeed.”