remain standing next to each other. I can see my family in the distance, none of them looking too pleased either. Jennifer and David are also standing near them. Jennifer is glaring daggers at us which I happily ignore. Jennifer and David are totally out of the equation for now. No wonder Jennifer is pissed. But whatever her plans were, this head on collision with the First Realm is still a better option. Of course, if I ignore the part where my partner is supposed to remain as a permanent resident here. Probably for the benefit of the people of this realm.
“Hey.” A voice breaks the stupor Neal and I are under. As one, we turn to look at four people, one girl, three guys, three of them seemingly of nearly the same age as Neal and I. All of them are therians.
“Uh…Hey.” Neal says quietly to the girl who has spoken.
“We are sorry to disturb.” The girl says, smiling at Neal, “We just thought to introduce ourselves.”
Neal smiles politely at her, “I guess my introduction was pretty massive.” He nods in the direction of the stage. I do not miss the sarcasm. But these kids surely miss it.
One guy chuckles, “Yeah, man. We have, like, heard about the vaticinator. We always thought it’s a myth or something.”
“You really can form the future?” the other guy asks, incredulously.
“Um, yes.” Neal admits hesitatingly, fleetingly looking at me. I can make out that he is not very comfortable at being interrogated. Nonetheless, he continues, “But of course, I try not to…do that often.” He smiles tightly.
I resist commenting ‘oh really?’ at that.
“But, why?” the girls asks, smiling, “It is such a good thing that you have such a gift. It can be used for such greater things.”
That’s probably the main thing the Ninth Realm council members expect of Neal in exchange for their help against the First Realm. This night seems to be getting darker and darker.
“Well,” Neal hesitates, “I deem it fit to not meddle with significant events. You guys are?” he quickly asks before anybody could raise more protestations.
“I am Irina.” The girl introduces with a big smile. “That’s my brother, Roman.” She introduces the guy next to her, “And that’s Zakhary and Lev.” She points at the next two guys. The boy Roman is young, probably around thirteen or fourteen. He awkwardly stands beside his elder sister without saying a word. Not even responding to his introduction.
“This is Josh.” Neal introduces me.
“I know!” Irina gushes, stepping towards me, “You’re Erisna’s grandson, right? She is a very nice lady. I am a huge fan of the cupcakes available in her shop. Her cooking is fabulous.”
I frown while I extend my hand to shake her hand that she thrusts towards me. “Shop?” I ask.
Irina’s eyes widen in shock, “You haven’t seen your grandmother’s sweets and bakery shop yet? Happiness Reincarnated? It’s the best Bakery in whole of Krasnoyarsk.” She smiles hugely, “Don’t worry, I am sure you’ll visit it soon and get addicted.”
I simply hum and smile at her. So, my grandparents have a sweets shop and a bake house and of the same name that is adopted by my mother for our shop back in Latvia. Now I know where my mother’s good cooking abilities and business success comes from.
“You’re so lucky to have the vaticinator as your partner.” Irina further adds, when I say nothing.
Neal scoffs but quickly feigns it as a cough. Then he chuckles, “Sure he is.” He says.
This time his sarcasm is caught. The guy, Lev, smiles at Neal indulgently, “Don’t be sarcastic, man. It is really an honor. I know that I’d be flattered.” Then he looks at me with a smile, “Aren’t you?”
“Of course.” I say slowly, smiling a tight lipped smile.
“You’d be flattered if you simply had a partner.” Irina quips at the guy.
The guy, Lev, scoffs, “Yeah, sure. But definitely not if it’s a girl.” He gives a certain look to Neal.
I frown at him, “What do you-”
“That’s cool, buddy.” Neal says, giving me a glance that says ‘shut up’. He turns back at Lev, “I am sure you’ll find someone soon.”
“You two really give him hope.” The guy, Zakhary, smirks, “Otherwise homosexual partners are increasingly becoming a rarity here in the last two years or something.”
“I am sure it’ll work out.” Neal says. “Listen, guys,” he abruptly grabs my elbow, “It’s nice to meet you and all. But we have to join our family now, so…”
“That’s alright.” Irina says, “But now that you guys are here for a long time, let’s hang out some time. We can give you a tour of the place.”
“That’s actually a very nice plan. Thanks.” Neal says.
After a round of goodbyes, Neal is steering me away from those guys. He doesn’t pause as we reach the end of the backyard. He simply pushes through sparse bushes and drags me out of the function. I am in such a blinding stupor that I do not even consider questioning him regarding where is he leading me. All I can feel is this exceptional excitement and a sense of vast substantial equanimity. All the negativity that was on my shoulders through the evening disappears instantly. The contentment I feel in Neal’s aura is ten folds more potently overpowering me. I can actually feel the dispositions of his aura, making me sigh contentedly. Happily, despite the annoyance I was feeling only moments back.
As my feet move without really any effort from me, I try to think through the haze why I am so giddy all of a sudden. I think back to those kids we were talking to, Lev’s words suddenly managing to make my brain think a little.
“What did he mean by he doesn’t want a girl?” I ask Neal, as soon as I manage to form the words.
“That he is gay.” Neal says in a ‘duh’ tone.
A moment of pleasant silence passes as Neal continues to drag me away to god knows where.
Then I speak, “Was that guy hitting on you?” my tone comes out much, much amused.
Neal scoffs, letting go of my elbow, “More like we are his gay icons now.”
“…Fuck.”
I do not curse because people are assuming us to be gays. Yeah, slightly because of that. But mostly because the dazzling, top of the world feeling has suddenly vanished. Now I sense the similar, tamer, pleasantness that I usually do in Neal’s presence. It takes me another moment to comprehend it all.
Neal had been holding my elbow. He was touching me. Through double layers of clothes; which explains why it wasn’t as potent as the day when he had punched my bare skin, yet stronger than what I feel in his enveloping aura. I swallow past the sudden desire to experience that goodness again. I ignore my thoughts and look around me.
I notice that we are no more amidst the function. Neal has dragged us out of the backyard of the mansion further through its backside. The view in front of me is of a river bank. As opposed to the site of Yenisei River in the core of the city, this river bank looks much natural, surrounded by sand and rocks. It oddly reminds me of the beach in Latvia. The therians do ensure to remain amongst lots of greenery and at least one water body. The dirt field extends for several yards before ending into small pebbles. Those give way to larger rocks, all haphazardly placed on the sand, bordering the river that is flowing freely through the night.
“Why are we here?” I ask, stepping towards the bank.
“You want to go back there and tell people how honorable you feel about me?” Neal snaps.
I shrug nonchalantly, “Why so snappy all of a sudden? You’re the one who is advertising us as a couple since we came here.” I couldn’t help but add some bitterness to my words.
“Am I, now?” Neal challenges, “How about you telling me that partners are not necessarily supposed to romance each other?”
“What about it?”
Neal looks at me as if I have lost my mind. But I seriously don’t get it. Partners are not supposed to romantically incline towards each other, not necessarily. What is the fuss about?
“What about it?” Neal echoes my question, “How abou
t every single person in your realm believing that partners are eternal soul mates or something?” he snaps.
I cannot believe this. “Are you being serious right now? Even after reading most of our therian history?”
Neal huffs, “Your history may not say that partners are supposed to romanticize but it doesn’t even say that they aren’t supposed to. Those books largely emphasize that partners are always supposed to be together.”
“Yeah, so?” I snap, “Partners are supposed to be together.” I stress, making him focus on the togetherness rather than the insinuating romance. Then I huff, feeling helpless, “Are we going to argue about this again? How many times do I have to tell? Conceptually that is not the case! To choose your partner as your romantic interest is your own choice! There’s no hell bent rule that your partner is supposed to be your lover.”
“Then go and tell that to all of them,” Neal blindly waves his hand towards the direction of the mansion, “Those presumptuous bastards who automatically assume us to be gay. Those are the ones insinuating us to be a couple, not I.” he snaps.
Neal angrily removes his jacket which I am assuming he did not at all enjoy wearing tonight. He walks two steps ahead and sits on an enormous boulder, facing the river. He drops his jacket next to his feet and starts opening the buttons on his cuff, rolling the sleeves up to his elbow.
I calmly walk and sit next to him, careful to keep space between us. I don’t want to accidentally touch him and make my thoughts turn to mush. I sit