DJ entered first inside the room designated to the couple, curious eyes looked around the small well-kept interior, a tidy bed and minimal furniture with caution while he scanned the room under his sceptical doe-like gaze. Searching the small bathroom and the wooden wardrobe standing in the corner thoroughly, he also ducked down to see under the bed for anything unsettling before venturing to look out the room's windows and draw curtains for further security.

That’s how paranoid he was.

Jerry immersed in his foremost scrutiny didn’t realize that he was being watched by the lord standing in the doorway along with the luggage, the lord who hadn’t left the sight of that adorable wife that is busy looking for potential danger in their brief period residence and making it hard for Yael to focus on other things around. The soft jingles coming from DJ’s clothes as he moved, his careful feet thudding against the wood floor and the quick breathing from under his veil all echoed in the quietness of the room made Yael to want to hear that sound more than he wished.

It was oddly calming

Retiring from the guarding duties of the caravan for the night and finally setting foot inside the lodge, Lord Yael was relieved. The man was tired to his bones after a whole day of marching with the crew, all he wanted was to slump on any comfortable surface available and drift off to the land of dreams, but that wasn’t really possible when the lord wasn’t alone in the journey and an overly sceptical, distressed and easily worried wife was accompanying him.

The young couple was able to attain a room for themselves in the same rest house the caravan was staying all thanks to Orson’s kindness and friendly nature.

The lodge was small compared to the popular ones in Malia, but it was enough to home the crew until the festival remained. Orson proved to be perfect in charge of his responsibilities, he was attentive and commanding until every name in his list was checked out and all of his people were dispersed to their respective rooms.

Lord and DJ weren’t treated any different, instead, the young wife Japheth was escorted carefully until she was under the protection of her possessive husband since every eye in the lodge shifted their attention to her and her undeniable beauty. And although DJ wasn’t keen on the idea of putting others in the lurking danger that targeted Yael and himself, still he complied once the warmth of joining a small family and staying with them safe and secure resided in his system.

Placing his satchel and a small bag on the only table in the room, DJ glanced at Yael briefly before he quickly dug inside the pouch to fish out his cell phone that had been left unattended for many hours. The device seemed nearly dead, a little chipped from a corner, maybe because of a rough journey, and hopeless in his small hands just like how a detective’s feelings were. Tapping on the fading buttons hastily, DJ tried to look out for any sign of communication or any direction he would have received or might receive from the unknown caller but sadly, the small cell device was nonchalant and unresponsive.

Sighing disappointingly, DJ proceeded to dig out his jumbled, old-fashioned charger before he meandered towards the side table where a slot was open. Just as he started to arrange things to plug the device, the phone in Jerry’s small hands suddenly vibrated making him squeak funnily and drop the phone to the ground. He staggered back wide-eyed, heart thumping inside his chest wildly, as he tried to pull himself back from the paranoia gnawing at his mind from the overwhelm-ness of the whole ‘killer’ situation outside before it could trigger distress just by a small inconvenience such as phone vibration.

Alas!...the damage was done.

Unaware of the presence behind him, DJ crashed his petrified self into a broad chest and jumped once again with his hands flying up defensively.

Yael, who had silently made his way to the other for a small inquiry about their next course of plan, got startled as well by the way the smaller reacted, but then the huge man was back to calmness as he held DJ around his shoulders and shushed him like one would to their child.

“Shh…shh….calm down detective. It’s just a phone” Yael whispered in the quiet of the room and against the wild beating of DJ’s heart as he pulled the younger flush up to his own huge body. The latter, perhaps needed only that kind of attendance to his condition, a distraction or surety, and so the next moment came and DJ was already breathing in and out while he clutched at the older’s upper arms for support.

The phone still rang on the ground, a ‘Private number’ flashing on the tiny screen. DJ remained tucked under Yael’s protection but it was until a tiny, breathy sound of a somewhat alarmed DJ intervened the otherwise silence as he looked up at Yael and then pointed his dainty finger towards the phone.

“He-he is c-calling” DJ mumbled from the cage of Lord’s arms, he neither explained nor said who was on the call but it didn’t matter since Yael knew exactly who would be on the other side. Therefore, without further ado, he leaned forward and picked the device from the ground before it could go unattended.

“Hello?” the loud and commanding voice of lord Yael reverberated in the room and as well as the entire soul of the man on the other side, a suck of harsh breath is what was heard after which a long silence ensued the interaction.

DJ also looked up, trying to decipher the expression the older had while he talked as he breathed slowly. The detective was way calmer and relaxed after being held by the lord, it was strange really how Yael’s large-built and daunting persona was more calming than dangerous when DJ feared such characteristics in any person all his life.

“Hello?” another echo, this time firmer and authoritative, greeted the room but still there was no response making Yael huff annoyed and pull the phone away from his ear to see if the call was still connected.

Indeed, it was, but the caller never spoke, not even another breath.

“Nobody is answering” the older stated roughly as he cut the call on his own and tossed the phone on the table, where it stumbled with a thud, before he marched towards the bathroom and slammed the door shut but not before throwing a brief glance at the small figure by the bed.

Jerry, on the other hand, flinched badly and cursed after Yael under his breath, he then slumped on the bed with a huff and frowned confused. Why didn’t the caller talk to Yael? He was clearly calling to direct DJ for further plan of action so why didn’t he talk to the one who he was dying to set free in the first place?

It’s ridiculous if one would ask DJ.

Lost in thoughts, Jerry didn’t know when he removed the veil from his beautiful face, disassembled the headwear he supported and started to peel the skin of his thumb between his teeth. It was only when he winced as he drew blood and the phone beside him on the table started to vibrate again, the boy snapped out of his trance with a yelp and stumble-reached to get his phone.

“H-Hello” he stammered, composing his ragged breathing as he glanced at the bathroom door for a brief moment. The caller, on the other side, also breathed quite fast, in a way that it seemed like he was scared or was caught off guard but after hearing the soft sound of DJ on the call, the caller sighed.

“Oh thank god it’s you. Are you alright detective, is my lord okay?” the man asked with concern dripping from his voice making DJ nod to himself before he realized.

“O-oh ye-yes. We-we are ok-okay” the boy answered unsurely, DJ didn’t know if the people looking for them to kill them in the festival outside the lodge was the situation he should call okay but that was the only suitable answer he had.

“That’s good. Just stay where you are in Malia, the help is on its way. Soon, my people will get you and my lord out of there” the caller explained the forthcoming days according to what he planned. DJ wanted to interrupt and spill the darkening situation of their surroundings, he also wanted to inquire about the discrimination the caller had shown earlier when he called and didn’t talk to ‘his lord’ but sadly, the caller had already cut the call after he was done with his delivery.

Just as the conversation was over, the door of the bathroom opened and Yael appeared in the room all wet and naked with a towel hanging around his waist. Water droplets streamed down his huge body creating their merry way into the surface of the towel while he ruffled his long hair with his left hand, the cold shower in the hot weather turned out as a blessing for Yael and felt refreshing and clean once again.

‘The detective should try it too’ he thought

Forming a deliverable command for the younger, Yael raised his dark gaze as he opened his mouth but then froze mid-act of drying his hair when his eyes met with a blushing mess of a boy squirming near the bed, blotched pink cheeks and overall nervous frame of DJ erupted the tiniest spark of excitement in the pit of his stomach and he lowered his gaze to the ground before his eyes could deceive him and spill his intention.

Meanwhile, DJ felt himself melting in the heat of embarrassment while he twisted and turned his small fingers brutally. He was ready to spill the main points of the one-sided conversation on the call to his protector but till then fate had decided to smack him with a blood rush and uncontrollable fluttering of heart.    

What to do now?

Well….

“Orson had asked me to join him for some job at the main festival, some stock shifting and stuff to the stalls. I will be back soon—..” Yael started while he rummaged for something suitable to wear after a bath but before he could complete his sentence, he felt the presence of the other right beside him.

“D-don’t go pl-please. H-he sa-said to stay in-in until hi-his people com-comes to ta-take us-us” DJ stammered miserably, conveying what he worried and making the older to turn his way. Yael didn’t need to know who Jerry was talking about since he was aware but the only thing that pulled the strings in his heart was the distressed yet alluring face of his rescuer.

“I can’t do that detective….they are helping us, I have to repay them somehow” the older coaxed gently but his voice came out harsh almost snappy, making the smaller flinch, as he squeezed DJ’s shoulders in his large hands. The boy was not convinced in the least, involuntary tears filled the dark orbs and his button nose turned pink, but now he was scared to voice out his concerns any further.

And so, he lowered his wavering, dewy eyes helplessly.

Yael felt how affected DJ was but even after that he didn’t stop or say anything to clear the stiffness he had caused around him. Instead, the man got dressed in his previous clothes and made his way to DJ’s satchel on the table for something…….a pair of broken spectacles in particular, that Yael had seen earlier peeking from inside the pouch before he left the room without any word to the worried soul behind.

…

It was past midnight when the lord had decided to return, the moon was shining bright in the warm, humid sky outside and the lodge was silent of any activity. The lord of Pyro returned as voiceless as he could not to startle the young detective who might be asleep by now, he twisted open the lock and tip-toed inside the room successfully managing to keep the quiet intact

But all that effort went into vein

To his utter surprise, DJ, who was sitting in the middle of the bed with crumbled money surrounding him like a pool, looked up from the bunch of new money in his hands and locked eyes with the older standing still by the door. He had been waiting for the lord for what felt like an eternity, after having a nice shower and mouth-watering dinner, courtesy of Lilliana who offered him the service earlier, the boy busied himself in his simple chores until the time Yael was back.

And now that he was, DJ didn’t know how to feel.

Happy or relieved?

“Yo-you are b-back” the boy asked nervously, a little hesitant for he was conversing with the man who had snapped at him earlier. Lord Yael didn’t answer right away though, he marched towards the bed with a sigh and dug his hand in his side belt once he closed the distance enough to reach the boy easily. DJ, meanwhile, bloomed like a rose, eyes locked with the older as he watched curiously. With heart thumping incredibly, Jerry felt the blissful need to blink and regain his focus back but the command in Lord’s darkening orbs held him captive and he waited like a good boy.

The wait wasn’t too long though, the next moment came and Yael produced a pair of glasses, all clear and made, before he leaned down and without another word placed the set of new spectacles over that tiny button nose gently……and just like that, Lord Yael turned out more detailed and handsome as his features enhanced under the clear sight making DJ blush even more.

“I am” lord whispered near DJ’s left cheek trying to keep the serenity of the moment as it was, the boy, shuddered nervously. He twisted his fingers to the point they were red and turned his burning face away but while doing so is when he caught a glimpse of a colour combination he didn’t see in the room before.

Aside from that, that bright palate stood out like a sour thumb on Yael’s earthy-toned robe.

“Wh-what’s t-that-t?” the boy murmured, eyes curious and mouth agape as he pointed at the back of older’s clothes. Yael took notice of that adorable curiosity amusedly and tucked out a bright pink, medium-sized flamingo bird plushie from behind his back before slowly presenting it in front of DJ. He had won the toy at a game Orson had requested him to play for fun at the festival and the prize turned out something like that oddly bright bird.

Nevertheless, the younger looked awestruck at the sight of that bright bird and that’s what mattered. Lord Yael had savoured the moment silently as he watched the younger taking the soft toy in his small hands and then examining it from all sides.

“F-for m-me” the boy asked pressing the toy to his chest hopefully and Yael nodded his head once. A slow, brilliant smile graced DJ’s breath-taking features and he raised his dark eyes to look at the other gratefully.

“Th-thank y-you l-lord” the boy smiled beautifully making the daunting lord suck in a sharp breath and step away from the boy in fear that the boy might hear his racing heart.

“You should sleep now detective, it is late and you must be tired” he commanded feeling the need to tell the younger what to do or what’s good for him, a gesture of care perhaps but rather harsh than caring.

That’s how he was.

DJ didn’t question any further nor did he say anything, after gathering up his money and dumping it in the satchel, Jerry cuddled under the sheets with a new friend close to his chest. Sleep came unannounced while the boy didn’t know, one moment he was booping nose with the bird cutely and the next he was asleep.

And Yael witnessed all of it.