Chapter 17

I was wearing Zai's shirt and sitting at the dining room table, while he was cooking when RJ finally left his room and joined us. RJ looked... tired. He didn't say anything to Zai, he instead approached me and said,

"We need to talk." I looked to Zai to see his opinion but he was so focused on the food that he hadn't even noticed RJ enter the kitchen.

"Sure..." I replied,

"Not here, follow me," RJ stated. He started to walk away but I stayed seated. I don't feel right going off to be alone with another man, something about it just seems wrong...

"We're just going to talk, right?" RJ looked at me and frowned then he sighed and answered.

"Yeah, just talk." That's when I relented and followed him outside to the back porch, where he sat on the steps. As soon as I saw the backyard yard I noticed a large charred pathway through all the trees, the air still smelled like smoke and soot was floating in the breeze, "How long... are you going to stay here?" RJ asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I... thought I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted," I answered.

"Not anymore." RJ corrected. Am I getting kicked out? I honestly could look for housing now but I had let myself get comfortable. "I'm not kicking you out right now... but ... the sooner you leave the better." My heart was panicking, this felt too much like what happened with Qon,

"Is it because you have feelings for me? I don't think it's fair for you to tell me to leave just because I don't want to be with you." RJ paused and held his mouth ajar for a moment then said,

"This isn't based on my feelings... our other 2 brothers are coming back soon and it's better if you're not here when they arrive. Also, I feel like it's fair to say, I've let you stay here long enough." I felt embarrassed, I couldn't believe I yelled at him and was completely wrong about where he was going.

"I still need to hear Zai's opinion before I make a decision," I replied. RJ groaned,

"You don't get it, Zai will want you to stay close no matter what but... he doesn't like our brothers and they're unpredictable, I don't want anyone to get hurt." RJ was rambling, so it was hard to understand what he meant but I stayed stubborn in my head, thinking I should speak to Zai,

"We're married," I announced and RJ paused then he looked at my hand for the first time. "I can't just leave without him."

"... Lovely." He replied sarcastically, then he started coughing and yelled "It's not lovely, it's not great, I hate that you did that." Then he wiped his mouth and I saw blood, his nose started bleeding too and his eyes were bloodshot, then he turned away from me and headed back inside by himself but not before punching the doorpost and causing the whole house to shake and creak. I waited a minute before going inside after him. Oh... I forgot to ask him what happened to the yard. The food Zai prepared was sitting on the counter and I heard Rai and Zai talking upstairs. "You got married?"

"Yes, you know how I hate waiting," Zai remarked,

"Well while you were screwing around our brothers called," RJ replied,

"Screwing around?"... Zai mocked, then he laughed "Wow that's a good one, you never miss an opportunity for a good joke!"

"I knew you'd like that... anyway... they're gonna have something to say about you bonding with an Infaniyan."

"They know better than to say it to my face," Zai remarked, coldly.

"But what about Snowe... do you think she'll still be safe here?" I didn't hear Zai's reply because I stopped being nosey and put some food on my plate. RJ came downstairs first then he left the house, Zai arrived not long after,

"Mmm... the food is good as usual. What kind of sausage is this?" I asked, nervously. I hope he didn't notice me listening.

"Doesn't matter," Zai stated, he stood next to me then leaned over and kissed me deeply. It tickled when his tongue ring brushed past my lips. "Snowe... if anyone bothers you... come to me, right away." I nodded,

"I will." Was my immediate answer,

"Don't hide anything from me." He added. I nodded more rapidly and said,

"No worries here! I promise." Zai clicked his tongue,

"Good... I'm trusting you." Then he took me in his arms, then laid me down, and made love to me on the kitchen floor. RJ could come back at any moment, it's probably stuff like this that makes him feel like I should leave. Zai disregards him completely and I can't imagine him becoming more conscious just because more people are in the house. After he stopped and fixed his clothes I tugged the shirt I was wearing down and rolled onto my side. "So... tomorrow, Cera and Valin will be here, they usually don't stay long." Zai started while laying down beside me and hugging me from behind,

"You're an animal!" I stated accusingly and he chuckled and said,

"That's completely irrelevant, are you even listening to me?" How can he expect me to just stop thinking about what we just did so suddenly?! "Snowe... I'm serious." The smile in his voice was gone so I tensed up and said

"I'm sorry... why are they coming?" Zai cuddled me closer.

"They have some business on Earth and... we all bought this house together so they have a right to stay here." He sighed... that must be why RJ gave up on sending me away... Zai owns this house too. "You should stay in my room while they're here."

"Haven't I been doing that anyway?" I replied snarkily. I haven't been able to go back to my own room since we got back.

"Are you talking back?" He asked then he tickled me and I rolled away.

"No, please! I understand, I won't be alone when they're here!" I was now facing him and we smiled at each other.

"I trust Rai because he can't lie to me. If I'm away for some reason, I know he'll watch over you." I nodded. "... Cera can't feel pain, usually, and Valin gave up empathy, so that doesn't help make them more trustworthy."

"... Do you know what happened in the forest behind the house?" I inquired, Zai sighed and said,

"That's... from last night, while you were sleeping. Rai and I had a chat." I looked over him and there were no visible injuries but I decided to ask,

"Are you okay?" Zai laughed.

"Yeah... Rai loves me too much to hurt me." His response surprised me and I noticed how he didn't confirm the opposite.

"Do you love RJ enough to not hurt him?" He gave me a puzzled expression and then said,

"Well... he's alive, isn't he? Before I met you, he was the only one I considered family." I wonder if they were fighting because of me... but I feel too awkward to ask that question.

"By the way... You never told me what you gave up?" I commented, Zai stopped smiling and looked away from me, "I'll tell you what I was hiding before and why if that helps."

"Let's get off the floor and go to the bedroom first." I hesitated thinking that was just an excuse for him to ravage me again, but he's proven he doesn't care which room we're in by now. Plus his mattress would be many times more comfortable than the floor or kitchen counter. So I obliged and followed him to the stairs but he had to carry me up them, to his room. Zai placed me on his bed then he sat in his desk chair, facing me. "Explain." He commanded,

"I was thinking about going home to my world and I had gotten an email from IIC. I didn't want you to know, which was dumb because as soon as you found out you took me there yourself. I guess... even though you and RJ have been so kind to me, I still had some prejudices. It was hard for me to believe you'd help me get home, so I'm sorry." Zai rolled his eyes then leaned back in his desk chair,

"You're always apologizing." Is he annoyed again? "I can't hate anyone... when we were given the option of giving up something for power I was so filled with hate that the king was always on my mind. I wanted to kill him but knew I couldn't and my weakness made me hate myself... so I created an ultimatum, stop caring or die." That explains why he said he doesn't think anything of the king. Tears were streaming down my face and Zai rushed over to wipe my eyes. "Why are you crying, silly."

"I don't know." I admitted, "I'll... I'll hate him for you Zai!" He chuckled.

"No thanks. I don't want you to carry that burden... and I already got some of my revenge... why do you think I'm banished?" I gasped. What did he do?! "I know that look... you're curious... but too bad because I'm done talking for today." He held my cheeks and I made sure to keep my eyes open until our lips met, and that day ended like the days before it. With us getting lost in each other. I wish that Zai and I grew up together. That neither of us had to suffer and could have just enjoyed the bliss of being together.

Breaking from the norm, the doorbell woke me up the next morning. It's too early for it to be a delivery order for RJ. Zai got out of bed and put his boxers on and hooded jacket before going downstairs to answer it. He returned a second later. Did he even go to the door? That was too fast! As soon as he could, Zai flopped on the bed next to me face down. He didn't stir again for an hour. When he awoke he looked at his arms... and squinted with confusion saying,

"The heck? Why am I wearing a hoodie?" ... Was he sleep walking the whole time?!