Despite the change of scenery, atmosphere and the foresight of their future actions, which were more defined after a thorough explanation by the detective, Lord Yael was still stuck where he was many hours ago after their successful reach to the gravel path. It would not go wrong if said that he felt awestruck at the beautiful, beautiful boy he had ever seen in his life and felt possessive as hell as well at the same time in a short period where he feasted on his rescuer with his dark eyes.

The man had a fair share of beautiful, attractive people in his life that he had seen and spent time with but all of them lost his interest the moment they threw themselves at him for his attention. Yael liked people who possessed more than just regular beauty in them, he preferred elegance style and confidence that made a person unique and exclusive as themselves. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that a soaking wet, sweaty, heavily and badly disguised, round yet so soft and fragile, depressed and distressed, stammer and the most quickly pink turning detective would steal his stone cold heart right from his heavily guarded cage of dark aura.

That is some sort of sorcery, isn’t it?

But here he was sat on a log of an old tree near the gravel path, watching the said detective, a little far in the distance, waddling slow and steadily after a large sized blue and black butterfly that flew every few seconds from one flower to another, fluttering her alluring wings in the warm wind.

The culprit of his heart didn’t stop in his subconscious ministrations though, the detective came back with the intention of making an attempt on Yael’s mind peace when he changed out of his heavy attire and came out as fragile and soft as his facial feature reflected him to be.

The Lord had sucked in a harsh breath and averted his gaze when the boy came out all clean, with wet long hair and quite an attractive body, and quietly stole another part of Yael without consent.

Oh how mad the Lord of Pyro was……

Swiping his dark gaze across the thick forest, just so he wouldn’t stare at the boy more than his ego could except, the man took in the natural beauty around him as he snapped a bunch of twigs in his hands ruthlessly but damned be his mind when it compelled him to take a quick glimpse at the detective once again.

And Yael found it difficult not to oblige for the first time in his life…..and why wouldn’t it be when the boy made it practically hard.

Jerry was now cladded in a single layer of clothing, a long maroon embellished robe that reached below his boots and had mixed with the dirt on the ground, a large scarf made out of thin material that rested around his shoulders and a turban sewn with multiple jewels and tassels that gave him a look of goddess resting on his head. DJ had grown his longer in the past few months, not having a chance to cut his growing locks, the boy had pulled them up into a messy bun under the headwear but that didn’t stay up as he wanted it to be and had cascaded down in form of wavy strands.

All and all, he looked like a dishevelled doll and Yael was liking a doll for once in his life.

Recollecting his memories and successfully diverting his attention, Yael went back to the time when he straight away rejected anything remotely close to colours that he would put on his body when they decided to switch on a disguise for the start of the journey towards Malia. The face DJ made was hilarious, eyebrows furrowed and lips pouty, which had Yael cracking up inside but his demeanour remained unfazed as if stoned in a place forever.

“B-But….” DJ had started with his doe eyes filled, with utter confusion and question, flinching away from his bag when Yael threw the dark green, embellished robe on the opened bag harshly and roared a loud ‘NO’.

“I said fucking No…….I won’t wear this stuff” Yael said as a matter of fact and DJ had another crisis started in his brain. Why was the Lord being stubborn…. was beyond the boy, all he knew was the consequences that wouldn’t be in much favour if things didn’t get managed the way they should be.

“we h-have no ch-choice…” He mumbled, wishing to dear god that his silent pleas are accepted and the Lord doesn’t make anything more difficult than it is but the idea seemed farfetched when he heard an annoyed huff above him.

The lord, towering over him, glared at the detective with his dark eyes as he thought about the solution to the arising problem. His dark eyes bore daggers into DJ’s large, innocent ones and for a moment, the older didn’t even want to solve any problem and just stared into those orbs for a while.

But that was stupid and Yael knew better than this.

The Lord huffed again and turned away from the younger when Jerry lowered his gaze with flared cheeks and nose akin to a cherry tomato.

Time was ticking and the afternoon was shifting to another spell, it was only a small span in which a solid decision was required and that was too effective and long-term. Considering that all DJ had were festival clothing in his bag, robes and jewellery that were suitable for celebrations such as the great festival upcoming in Malia, the options were limited. The other things included in the bag were personal clothes of Jerry which weren’t an option either since they weren’t even close to fitting Yael at any cost because of how tiny they were.

And so the problem remained where it was…….and the detective persistent where he was with his tiny and stammer voice.

 After considering the alternatives, Yael discerned that he would turn out to be a suspicious clown if the matter of disguise was left to DJ’s mercy and his supply stash. According to the unknown caller, the lord and the detective had to be safe and secure by all means until they get any sort of help or a backup until they reach Malia and for that, the Lord of the Pyro decided to take matters in his own hands.

So begin was a small banter between the Lord and the detective, a meek hand gesture and a booming aura, which ended up in an unexpected but somewhat satisfying settlement. And although it is useless to say who was more demanding and who won the match, the matter was sealed with the stamp of a pretentious married couple.

Lord Yael, after a simple and firm ‘no arguments’ took the disguise of a merchant who sells artificial jewellery and festival clothing, travelling towards Malia for the infamous festival for the sole purpose of business, while the younger and the beautiful one has to become a cute little wifey of the lord who is accompanying his husband.

DJ had protested with the idea simply because it was not in the job description but then whatever was happening to him until now wasn’t in the job description as well.

A definitive blow to his timid ego but the boy had to surrender before his lord.

Nevertheless, the detective had pouted and he had pouted big and bold but in the corner and in the dark. The younger had also cried in the corner when Yael used his harsh tone once he talked with finality but afterwards, he smiled as well when Yael showcased his intentions of protecting DJ till they reached Pyro without any use of words.

Ha!! Relief……     

The decision was made and the preparations were started. DJ had no difficulty in changing from his previous disguise to the new, more feminine disguise whatsoever but the case was not the same with the other. The older had to chop off his beard and moustache and had to slick his hair back tightly so that his forehead was exposed and his hair was covered under a turban-like headwear. The man also had to wear his previous, six-month used, clothes. To follow the concept of concealment, he changed the fashion a bit to his ability and resources and twisted a few dark-themed silk ties around his waist so he was more presentable and merchant-looking.

With that, the journey had begun.

Many hours of wait on the gravel path were gone just in those silent thoughts. The lord had slid down from the log after a long wait and had rested his back against the thick wood, he stretched his legs ahead of him to take some rest and even closed his eyes for about twenty minutes but the caravan that was supposed to pass by them was nowhere to be found.

It was almost like a waste of time and hope but at least he wasn’t bored. The sound of birds chirping, insects crunching under leaves and warm wind swirling through the broad summer day was a great entertainment for Yael who savoured the moments without saying much.

Another creature of nature had also become a part of his active brain. The said creature, who was busy chasing a wild bird a while ago, was now peacefully slumbering against his own bag under his head a few feet away from the lord after tiring himself out.  

Maybe because he felt light after getting rid of that heaviness around his body or maybe because he was mentally assured that someone had finally agreed to protect him and the promise of that unknown caller didn’t go to waste that the detective looked like the most peaceful at the moment.

The soft features of his resembled a carefree baby, fists curled by his side and mouth opened in a slight pout that he breathed through. The button nose, that wrinkled cutely when a fly would sit on it for mere a second, and the softest pinkish cheeks that looked like marshmallows Yael had forgotten the taste of since his detest of sweets years ago.   

 An amused chuckle bubbled in his throat and the lord averted his gaze elsewhere from the sleeping boy. It took a lot for Yael to slip a smile let alone a laugh and so, just amused, he reminisced another precious collection of that stammer encounter he had with the detective while waiting for the promised caravan to finally arrive.

The waiting hours had stretched more than they had expected them to be. The time flew with each minute as if an hour and that had both the detective and the lord cursing in their own ways. DJ, in those long hours, had done some chores of his to get busy rather than being stared at by the man with him, he refolded his clothes and fixed his jewellery articles to place them back in the back of the bag properly. The younger also went through his personal belongings from where he retrieved his stash of money, twisted in a large roll, and the revolver still fed with few bullets.

While keeping the hard-earned income in his satchel, Jerry decided it be best if Yael kept the weapon and so he delivered the lethal object to its rightful, temporary owner without a word said. Yael had of course acknowledged the act but remained unfazed as he lifted the gun and tucked it in his waistband where he could reach it comfortably if necessary.

Meanwhile, Jerry rummaged through his bags, emptying its content and any bugs that may have found solace there, so he could put his stuff back when he jumped and squealed like a child. In a quick motion, he dipped down and picked up an old, wrinkled green small apple from the ground and stared at it wide-eyed.

The Lord had spun around after hearing that loud voice but to his quest was nothing surprising other than the beautiful boy with a grin, oh so charming, and an apple. Slow and steady, his eyes formed a glare and he didn’t hesitate to direct that in DJ’s direction.

But the boy was so happy to care for anything for now.  

“L-look wh-what I-I found L-lord…..a-an ap-apple” he chirped happily as he closed the distance. Yael turned his face away from the boy and huffed annoyed.

“I see that….” He muttered, not wanting to sound rough but couldn’t help when he spat those words out making the boy halt in his steps.

“y-you don’t w-wan-nt i-it?” DJ tilted his head, questioning the detachment with the blessing they had found after having nothing to eat for a day and a half. But Yael only grumbled under his throat, he kicked at the ground lightly and closed his eyes.

“eat it…..you need it more than me” the lord commanded with authority.

“b-but yo-you are hu-hungr-ry t-too….” Yael heard the younger whisper behind him but didn’t open his eyes. He heard many other sounds, some may include slight struggle but after a while, he felt a little nudge at his side and then silence fell around him.

Yael had to open his eyes……

One-half of the fruit rested beside him on the ground while the detective was far ahead, sauntering and busy in whatever intrigued him at the moment. The kindness of that small human only added a charm to his personality and Yael found himself smiling internally with warmth and comfort spreading in his chest

Now Yael would all and disagree but damn how sweet that fruit tasted when finally, he bit into it after much debate. It felt like after an eternity he had something near as fruit to put on his tongue since his abduction and the lord was so thankful as he licked his fingers and sucked the seeds dry.

Yael was lost in his thoughts, taking advantage of the oblivious boy and his unawareness as he gulped down the beauty of the detective to satiate his mind when a soft yet echoing sound of animals' moans and jingles of bells took his attention and he straightened up in alarm.

The caravan.

Springing to his feet, Yael paced towards the sleeping beauty and softly caressed his fingers along against DJ’s cheeks to wake him up. The boy stirred lightly and slowly fluttered his big, dark eyes open to stare up at the lord.

And for goodness sake…..he took Yael’s breath away again.

“L-lord…” DJ whispered startled.

“they are here I think……get ready” the older commanded and watched the boy deciphering his words and then scrambling to his feet, stumbling a few times.

As if on instincts the Yael moved—the thought of others getting a chance of seeing his rescuer irked his mind—and he closed the distance between them once again as he hovered over the back of his fussing wife who was busy collecting the bags. The Lord then placed his big palms around DJ’s shoulders and made him turn around so they were facing each other.

Jerry looked confused and the older looked determined.

Without speaking his intentions, Yael ministered the scarf that was around Jerry’s shoulders in a way that it formed a veil to cover the younger’s face and fell around his upper body like a shawl, covering his face down from his nose and leaving his eyes free.

DJ, on the other hand, twisted his finger painfully with his heart threatening to beat out of his chest and cheeks aflame. The close proximity of a daunting lord breathing over his face had DJ falling into some kind of panic state where he stayed quiet and bore with the situation while he tried to regulate his bated breath. Once Yael was done, he stepped back to take a thorough look at his work before he proceeded to gather the bags himself but then he stopped and breathed through his nose.

 “Keep your face under the veil for the journey…… I don’t like people looking at my wife” the lord muttered without a beat, surprising himself, and walked ahead towards the end of the path where the sound of the Caravan was now clearer, leaving DJ abashed, with wide eyes and cheeks tingly with spreading embarrassment.