Ignoring how Azure has linked ankles with him under the table, he takes another tasteless bite of his dinner. Funny how Azure is the touchier one, yet he complains that Ocher is the one who likes affection. He’s still not sure if Azure is the best or worst thing to happen to him, although his decision’s already been made either way. He’s in this for the long run. Hopefully it won’t come back to bite him and if it does, he’ll accept the consequences because he chose this path.
“Ocher.” He looks up and Azure’s mouth is on his, warm and insistent. A hand comes up to cradle his cheek as Azure deepens the kiss briefly before pulling away.
He blinks. Was that his way of comforting him? “Azure…”
“Shut up.” That’s his answer then. Azure gets the most defensive after he shows any kind of genuine or near genuine affection.
“From the somber atmosphere, I take it the family meeting didn’t go well?”
They look up in unison to see Odaius standing at the end of their table, someone else he’d prefer never to see again. “How did you find us?” Ocher questions in annoyance.
Odaius slides into the seat next to Azure and Ocher stares at him coldly, no one invited him to sit down. “It’s not difficult to search for things. I only had to know where your family lived to know where you would be.”
“Why are you following us?”
“I already told you, I want to help you. You’re determined and unlike other troublemakers, you’re actually making a difference. They’re taking note of you and they haven’t been able to capture you yet. Joining together would help both of us.”
“And what do you want?”
“I also want to put a stop to the expansion and silencing of any opposition. I live here too.”
“What do you bring? How could you even help us besides being a third person we don’t want?”
Odaius smiles at him indulgently and his distaste increases. “I have a lot of connections for when you’re ready to go all out.” He turns to Azure, “What’s next? A full attack on the capital?”
“That’s pretty ambitious, don’t you think?”
“For you two, it may just be possible, especially with my help. So how did the meeting go?”
“We have twelve days before he has to turn himself in,” Azure answers. “We’ll make the most of that time.” Ocher relaxes at that response, finally dropping his glare. He’s pleased that Azure is lying to this stranger, which means he doesn’t trust him and he won’t let him in.
“So, the deserter picked his family for a chance at redemption,” Odaius comments. “I commend you. Will he turn you in also?”
“I’ll be long gone before they get my name out of him.”
He nods approvingly, “So, he turns himself in to save his family and he still buys you some time.
“That’s a worst case scenario.”
Odaius’s eyebrows raise in surprise, “You’re going to finish everything you need to do in twelve days?”
“You said that you have a lot of connections, together I’m sure we can end this. Why drag it out longer than it needs to be?”
He nods slowly, “That’s true. So, what’s the plan?”
Ocher tenses slightly, even he doesn’t know the full plan. That’s too much trust to put in someone they’ve just met.
“It’s fine, Ocher.” Azure reaches over to place a hand on his shoulder and leans in to whisper in his ear, “I’ll just kill him if he starts to become troublesome.”
“I’ll help,” he adds immediately.
“Of course you would, my jealous one.” He’s not wrong. He dislikes any new person that might step in to take Azure’s attention away from him because he knows what he wants and that’s to be number one for Azure. A new, stronger person could threaten that position. Azure presses a kiss to the side of his head and turns to face Odaius. “I’m going to rescue my family.”
Ocher’s surprised he revealed even that much information and it looks like Odaius shares the sentiment. He blinks in confusion, “What?”
“They’re holding my family and I’m going to rescue them, then burn the city to the ground.”
“How do you know they’re in the capital?”
“Where else would they be? That’s where they’ve been since they were taken years ago.”
“I don’t understand,” his gaze flickers to Ocher briefly. “Why would they kidnap your family and hold them for years?”
“They were traitors to the country,” Azure answers. “I don’t care about their reasoning for holding them this long. I just know what I have to do, I’ve waited long enough.”
Odaius’s eyebrows furrow as he stares at Azure, “Who is your family?”
“That’s not your concern.”
He stares for a beat longer before finally accepting that’s all the answer he’s going to get. “If that’s what you plan to do, I know some other people who are eager to help.”
“Fine, let’s go. Ocher, go see Sara and Savanta.”
“They’re here?”
“Yes, I’ll catch up with you.”
“No,” he shakes his head. “I’ll stay with you.” Azure may have the ability to manipulate energy, but he could still be walking directly into a trap with no support. That type of situation may be hard even for him to escape. “We don’t know him.”
“I’m not asking you.”
“But-”
“What did you promise me when I forgave your mistake?”
“I don’t think you really forgave it,” Ocher mutters as Azure regards him patiently. “Fine.” His gaze slips back to Odaius and he glares, “You sure?”
“Yes.”
Reluctantly, he leaves Azure with Odaius, wandering towards the west side of town where he was told the two sisters were staying. They’ve been separated before, he just doesn’t trust Odaius with Azure. Azure isn’t the trusting type either, so he can only assume that he has an alternate plan to protect himself. He’ll have to believe in him because if Azure gets captured, he’ll have nothing and no one. Then after that, the chance of him getting recaptured is almost guaranteed.
“Ocher, over here!” He looks towards the voice to see Sara waving at him, wearing her signature sunny smile. Savanta sits next to her, nodding when their eyes meet.
“Hey Sara,” he greets, taking a seat at their table outside the hotel they’re staying at.
“Where’s Azure?”
“He had to meet someone.”
Sara’s grin turns sly, “Is that what that pout is about? It makes me think he dumped you already.” She holds her arms out to him, “Do you want a hug?”
Ocher turns away, “Hello Savanta.”
She nods back at him, “So, what’s really going on? Azure meeting someone shouldn’t be reason for you to look like that. Unless, you really can’t handle jealousy well.”
He can’t, though putting jealousy aside, Odaius is still a stranger. “He went to meet with some other people who will help him rescue his family.”