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Ordagova was relaxing on his bed, watching television when he received a phone call. It wasn’t his personal phone, but the corded landline phone in the room. He had only told a few people where he had been staying while the Temple of Tikal was renovated, and anyone he knew would have certainly called him on his personal phone if they were looking for him, so it came as no surprise to him when it turned out to be the front desk.

“Good evening, Mr. Nevarol,” said the clerk, “I have someone here to see you. A Mr… Mackindgeel,” the clerk stumbled over the name. “Is it okay to send him to your room?” she asked.

The snake blinked, surprised in silence for a little only for the clerk to query ‘Hello?’ before he answered, “Yesss, pleassse,” he stated.

“Okay then. He’s on his way,” she said, and concluded with a ‘goodnight’ before she hung up.

Ordagova felt thrilled, knowing that Volcan was coming… If also somewhat afraid; it had been so long since he’d seen the phoenix, since the night Volcan had lost control of himself and set Ordagova’s home on fire - obviously that was part of it… It wasn’t Volcan he feared, not as he knew him, but the question of how much of the phoenix was still intact, after such an ordeal.

The phoenix had neither answered his calls or texts or come to see him since. He reached out with his mind, easily finding the familiar mind of the phoenix walking slowly through the hotel.

He sensed… Unease… Guilt…. Fear… Volcan was afraid, and forced himself to continue walking. Ordagova could sense thoughts of retreat, as the phoenix fought with the urge to turn and run back out the hotel doors, but he found enough courage to at least bring him to Ordagova’s room door.

Volcan stood outside the door, his heart thudding loudly in his chest, each beat echoing his reluctance. This was it—the moment he had been dreading, the confrontation with the source of his deepest guilt. He replayed Obsidian’s encouraging words in his mind, alongside Korban’s insistence that the accident wasn’t his fault, but the weight of his own fear felt heavier.

With a trembling hand, he raised it, fist clenched tight, a battle raging inside him. After what felt like an eternity, he finally knocked.

His breath hitched as the door swung open almost immediately, revealing Ordagova wrapped in a hotel bathrobe. Time seemed to freeze as they locked eyes, an ocean of unspoken words swirling between them. The snake stepped back, arms opening wide, inviting yet terrifying.

Volcan hesitated, every instinct screaming at him to turn away. But then he stepped forward, the pull of Ordagova's warmth irresistible. He fell into the embrace, arms wrapping around his boyfriend, clinging tightly as if he could erase the distance and pain that had built up between them. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes as the guilt washed over him like a tidal wave.

Ordagova felt Volcan’s body tremble, felt him lean into the hug as if he were searching for strength in the snake's embrace. Holding him tightly, Ordagova’s heart ached with understanding, tears slipping down his cheeks and sizzling against Volcan’s neck.

“I’m so sorry,” Volcan whispered, his voice cracking as his body shook with unrestrained emotion. He buried his face in the warmth of Ordagova’s shoulder, desperate for forgiveness, yet terrified that it wouldn’t be enough.

But in contrast to Volcan’s fear… Ordagova patted and rubbed his back reassuringly as he spoke, “It wasssn’t your fault… It wasssn’t you.”

“But I lost control. I set fire to your home… It’s gone,” the phoenix whispered, sobbing slightly. “And I… I burned you…”

“It’sss going to be fine. I heal quickly,” the snake consoled, lifting up Volcan and bringing him out of the doorway and into the room, using his tail to close the door behind them so they could speak more openly in privacy. “What wasss mossst important in there sssurvived… and that’sss all I care about.”

Pulling back from Ordagova so that he could look at him, Ordagova could see the guilt written all over Volcan’s face. Despite the snake’s comforting words, he was still fighting with personal blame for everything that had happened - and more still. “I’m sorry I waited so long to come see you,” he said. “I… I was scared… I thought you’d hate me, for everything that happened… And more still for staying away.”

Volcan’s words were incoherent, but Ordagova didn’t hesitate. He silenced the phoenix’s incoherent words with a firm kiss, planted directly onto his beak. Volcan stiffened as Ordagova kissed him, surprised by it; for a moment, he just stood there, his mind blanking as he tried to think of what to do. Something in him told him to pull back, and he did, breaking the kiss and staring into Ordagova’s eyes, confused.

“But… Why?” he asked, confused. “You aren’t… Angry with me? Even after everything?”

“You were not the one who did the damage. And as sssomeone who hasss run away from a life that I felt I had ruined, I knew you needed time to gather your thoughtsss,” The snake hissed, gazing into those azure pools. “Your feelingsss are genuine. You remember I can read mindsss, no?” he cocked a small grin.

Volcan gave a snort of laughter. “Like I could forget… But still,” he said as he leaned forward to rest his head against Ordagova’s shoulder. “I… Still feel like it’s my fault… A certain husky knocked some sense into me, but the thoughts were still there… It took Obsidian giving me the push I needed before I could make myself come to see you.”

With a sigh, he hugged Ordagova once more, whispering another apology as he held the snake, feeling that strong hand rubbing his back in the peace and quiet of the room.

“I have missssssed the warmth you give me…” admitted the snake, “both here…” he said hugging the bird a little tighter, before letting him go and leaning back, raising his tail tip to tap the logo of the hotel on his bathrobe to indicate his chest, “and in here.”

Volcan tensed slightly at that and had to force his mind not to think of his meeting with Korban the other night, knowing Ordagova was watching his thoughts. He focused instead on the snake in front of him first and offered a weak smile. “Either way, I should have come sooner,” he stated, firmly. “Or at least answered your calls… You deserve better than that.”

“But you are here now,” the snake smiled back, “and that isss all that mattersss.”

Volcan nodded slowly, and hugged Ordagova again, grateful to have him there at that moment, and even more so to know that Ordagova wasn’t angry at him despite everything that had happened… That had scared him more than anything, that he had hurt Ordagova deeply, and that the snake would never want to see him again.

“So… What about the bar?” Volcan asked. “How much damage did I-” he stopped and momentarily berated himself for almost sinking back into that self-blame again. “Is it still standing?”

“The bar itself isss mossstly intact… the cssseiling will be replacsssed. It wasss mossstly our home above that wasss damaged.” Ordagova revealed.

Volcan felt the guilt return again then, but he went on. “Did… Anything survive?” he asked.

“In our room?” the snake asked for clarification, “...Not much… Almossst everything upssstairsss wasss fire or sssmoke damaged. We’d need to get it replacsssed.”

Volcan let out a defeated sigh. “I was afraid of that,” he said, and in his mind he was thinking about his guitar, which he was certain he had left it in the apartment.

As the phoenix considered how he was going to replace his precious instrument, Ordagova - seeing the thoughts in his mind, spoke up. “Your guitar?” the mind reader asked, “That isss sssafe. I kept it down by the bar; the fire would never have reached it,” the snake smiled happily, revealing this to his partner, sharing a brief glimpse of a memory of it to the phoenix.

Volcan looked at Ordagova, wearing an expression of surprise that quickly turned to relief. “It’s okay?” he asked, needing clarification. “It didn’t get damaged?”

“No, it isss fine. I kept it clossse to me downstairsss when you were sssick.”

Volcan put a hand over his heart and let out a long sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you,” he said, though it wasn’t clear whether he was talking to Ordagova or some higher being at that moment. “I don’t think I could’ve ever found another one if I lost that guitar.”

“That isss one very sssentimenal guitar,” The snake smiled, wrapping his tail around Volcan’s back as he held and caressed him.

“It’s the only one I’ve ever had,” he replied, letting his arms rest around Ordagova’s midriff. “My mother bought it for me at a garage sale when I was a kid, and I spent several years of my life as a teenager learning to play it. I really enjoy it… And it ended up becoming my meal ticket when I decided to head off on my own, to know what life in the city was like. The thought of replacing it has come to mind since it is getting pretty old, but even if I could afford to I guess I’ve grown a little attached to that six-string.”

“Asss have I~” The snakeman smiled wider, lowering his arms to the small of the phoenix’s back, tail pulling them closer still.

Volcan hugged Ordagova a little tighter. “So… What happens now?” he asked. “Do you think you’ll be able to reopen the Temple again?”

“Of courssse,” The snake hissed, slowly leaning back in, “Everything will be back to normal sssoon enough.”

“If ‘normal’ can even be applied to us,” said Volcan, chuckling. “All the things we’ve encountered recently, not the least of which what I was doing with Obsidian today.”

At that, he pulled back to look at Ordagova. “She told you about that assailant, in the woods outside town, I take it?” he asked. Of course, Obsidian had told him that she had been to see Ordagova, but not the details of their discussion.

“Yesss… And you were very brave to do that,” Ordagova chuckled. But then again… you were perhapsss the most prepared,” he hissed, tightening his grasp around the phoenix’s waist with his three limbs.

Volcan chuckled. “I don’t know about ‘prepared’… He did get the drop on me once,” the phoenix admitted, briefly thinking back to the blue-white-scaled Naga sneaking up on him during a break in the fight and seizing the phoenix in his coils, threatening to crush him before Volcan broke free and turned the tables against the malicious Naga.

Soon though, the phoenix smiled. “Between the two of us though, we were able to put a stop to his crimes. Unfortunately, he managed to slip away, so he’s still out there somewhere,” he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “One day he’ll be back…”

“But you’ll have an armoury againssst him” the snake reassured, lifting a hand up to stroke the phoenix’s warm feathered cheek.

“Well, maybe, but Obsidian had a point as to why she didn’t bring anyone else in,” the phoenix replied. “This guy was dangerous. Considering what he did to those cops, more people might have complicated things. Obsidian had to use herself like bait to draw him out; as it was, I barely got to her before he could hurt her, once he figured out he couldn’t influence her like he did his other victims.”

Then, Volcan shook his head. “Either way… I’ll stop him, if he comes back,” he stated, firmly.

“Why do you think it’sss your responssssibility?” Ordagova asked, tilting his head to the side in a curious gesture.

Volcan had to think about how to answer that, when he realized he didn’t actually know why he wanted to be the one to do it. He took a moment to consider, his gaze drifting to the floor briefly as he thought. Eventually, the words came to him. “That Naga was abusing his powers to take advantage of others; that alone is enough to warrant punishment. More than that though, he endangered the secrecy that the mythic races - including other Naga - have worked so hard to keep for thousands of years, simply out of the need to satisfy his libido and longing to feel powerful.”

Volcan pulled back from Ordagova as he went on. “He wasn’t targeting me, or anyone close to me, specifically. Not like P.A.C.E was doing,” he continued. “They were technically no more my responsibility than that Naga. But, if we didn’t act against them, who would? Especially if we wanted to retain our obscurity.”

“I can alssso sssee that you did not want me to be framed for hisss actionsss,” the other naga replied.

Volcan grimaced. “Well, no; of course I wouldn’t want that. It’s hard to say how many in this city are like us, let alone how many know about you. But the danger was still there even for our limited circle,” he agreed. “Not everyone knows you’re a Naga, but everyone does know you’re telepathic, even Kyle or Ayane. Better to be on the safe side, right?”

Ordagova nodded, muttering “Mhm” in agreement as he stroked his feathers with his thumb.

Feeling Ordagova’s tail around his midriff made Volcan remember when the Naga - Rovdyr, he thought he remembered his name to be, had managed to catch Volcan off guard. Feeling that tight, embracing tail reminded him of when Rovdyr had trapped the phoenix in his coils, until Volcan taunted him and managed to break free. If only for an instant, that made him remember how much he loved being in Ordagova’s embrace as well.

Of course, he was trying to keep those thoughts to himself. He should’ve known better though, because Ordagova saw them all, and how much being constricted by Rovdyr had made him remember being similarly wrapped up by his boyfriend… And how much he missed it.

The snake chuckled.

“Sssomethingsss never change~” Ordagova hissed his tongue over the phoenix’s beak; those thoughts clear as day. His tail starting to creep and slither around Volcan, beginning to close him in a loop.

“Ah~” Volcan breathed out sharply, feeling the familiar sensation of Ordagova’s touch. He took a moment to bask in the sensation, reminded quickly of how much he loved the tightness of the snake’s embrace, and then looked at Ordagova longingly.

“I… Take it that means… I can stay the night?” he asked, rhetorically.

“You can ssstay with me for asss long asss you like,” the snake hissed more over the bird’s beak, before leaning in further and planting a kiss.

Volcan met the kiss eagerly, lifting his arms to put them around Ordagova’s upper back to pull him deeper into the kiss, moaning in anticipation for the intimacy he had missed since he had isolated himself. Holding the kiss for a moment, he pulled back to whisper to Ordagova in a sultry voice.

“Don’t hold back,” he said, with a hint of eagerness.

The snake grinned widely, as the bird felt that tail around his midriff grow in size as it slithered around him, creating a loop and beginning to form another. Ordagova’s strong hands went down to the hem of his bird’s top, and lifted it up before it became engulfed, bringing another moan of anticipation from the phoenix as his shirt was removed and more of that wonderful tail enclosed around him. He held Ordagova a little tighter, already feeling himself growing aroused from the sensations.

Ordagova hummed and hissed more, enjoying his lover’s arousing moans as that long black limb consumed his torso, and started to extend down to his more intimate regions. “You ssseem to have missssssed thisss asss much asss I did,~” the naga almost sang, caressing Volcan’s body though his thick coils, reading his mind and watching the expression upon his face.

“Perhaps… Even more than I thought,” the phoenix admitted without a hint of shame, squirming instinctively in the naga’s coils before kissing him again.

They kissed deeply and longingly, joined at the mouth as Ordagova lifted the phoenix up with his tail and slithered him over to the bed, resting them both down onto it as more and more of the bird’s red and gold body became blackened in scales, until he was in a cocoon, from under his arms to the soles of his feet.

“Oh yeah… Definitely missed this,” the phoenix moaned, his hands caressing Ordagova’s back through the bathrobe as the Naga rested atop him.

“I don’t regret my decsssissssion to invite you to my bar…” the naga hissed as he tightened and undulated all around the bird, loving the sensation of his large and hot body caressing his body like a hot stone massage.

“Nor do I ever regret you giving me the opportunity,” returned Volcan, lifting a hand to stroke the snake’s cheek lovingly, letting him lean into it, enjoying the hot cessation against his scales and warming his heart.

“A match made in heaven…” The naga hissed softly, his amber eyes never gazing away from Volcan’s deep blue pools.

The two went on like that for some time, making out passionately on the bed, with Ordagova successfully eliciting moans from the phoenix as he held him tightly in the confines of his coils. Volcan, for his part, was as passionate as ever, pressing himself against the naga, kissing him and sharing the warmth he knew Ordagova loved.

Eventually Volcan felt something between the coils, cupping his taunt and needy package that hungered to feel the touch of those tight black coils around it.

“Mmmm, ssso pent up,~” the naga hissed over the bird's beak as his hand rubbed over the bulge in his pants, squeezing it between his strong fingers and palm. “Ssso long sssince your lassst releassse.~”

“Longer than I… Would like,” he agreed, nestled comfortably in Ordagova’s coils. “Damn I've missed you…”

“Ssso have I,” the snake agreed, dragging his hand over the phoenix’s bulge to his belt buckle, undoing it and then his pants.

(This portion is censored in order to keep this chapter under the Adult rating)

Volcan groaned as he felt the tail closing in around him, and the fullness he felt in the aftermath. He loosened the grip of his legs from around the Naga’s waist and let himself relax as he caught his breath. He felt Ordagova setting him down on the bed, but smiled when he didn’t immediately unwrap his tail from around him.

“Heh… You know me well,” he said to the naga.

“I’m sssure I know you better than yourssself~” the snake teased, hissing over the bird’s beak before getting closer to take another breathless kiss.

Volcan moaned slightly as Ordagova kissed him, craning his neck to left his head and meet it. “I’ve really missed you,” he whispered between kisses, repeating their earlier exchange.

“I’ve missssssed you too, my phoenixsss~” Ordagova replied.

After one more lengthy kiss between them, Volcan settled back on the bed and leaned his head against Ordagova’s chest as the naga laid down beside him, extracting one of his arms from the coils to wrap it around Ordagova’s midriff and embrace him, holding tight to his boyfriend. They lay like that for some time, basking in the passionate moment they had shared and in the peaceful company they offered to each other.

During that time, Volcan’s mind started to wander, and some thoughts came to his mind - including a relevant one that reminded him of something he wanted to ask the naga. “Hey… Orda?”

“Mhm?~” the psychic one asked, letting Volcan speak his mind.

“Do you think, maybe… Well, I know there’s some cleanup to do, down at the bar… I want to lend a hand, if you’ll have me,” he said, lifting his head to look up at the naga as he waited for his answer.

“Of courssse, if you wisssh,” Ordagova agreed.

Volcan nodded. He doubted that Ordagova didn’t already know his reasons for wanting to help him - as penance for being the one to destroy the bar in the first place. But he made no mention of it; a sign that Ordagova didn’t blame him for the damage, perhaps… Smiling again, Volcan shut his eyes and lay his head against Ordagova’s chest again, basking in his presence as he slowly began to drift off…

~~~~~

The next day, Volcan and Ordagova arrived together at the Temple of Tikal. Volcan was simultaneously relieved to see that most of the building was unharmed and still standing, but also heartbroken to see the upper floor apartment that had been Ordagova’s home - and, by extension, perhaps his as well, before he’d destroyed it…

Volcan felt the need to reach for Ordagova’s hand, gently holding it and giving the naga - once again wearing the form of an anthropian snake, another apologetic look.

But the snake instead returned the look with a smile, “That demon was the one who dessstroyed it. And you are the one offering to help fixsss it.”

“It’s the least I can do,” the phoenix said. “So… Where should we start?”

The pair quickly got to work, with Ordagova resuming the sweeping he had been doing the day before, and giving Volcan the task of collecting the remaining furniture to take outside. One after the other, Volcan carried tables and chairs out the back door, lining them in the alley where they were out of the way as Ordagova cleaned the floors.

When all of the furniture was gone, Volcan retrieved a sponge and bucket - being very careful not to splash himself with soapy water, and put on a pair of latex gloves. With that, went out back again to begin wiping down the tables and chairs. He thoroughly cleaned them, and examined them carefully for any signs of damage. To his disdain, he found signs of heat damage to the lacquered surfaces of one chair and one table; fortunately, the furniture itself was okay, so the melted lacquer would be fixable.

Setting aside the damaged furniture and making a note of it, he headed back inside, emptying the bucket he’d been using and filling it again before entering the main room to start cleaning the booths. Ordagova had finished sweeping by this time and moved on to a mop to continue cleaning the floors, removing the last of the soot.

“Don’t suppose you have a sander and a can of lacquer, do you?” Volcan asked as he started scrubbing one of the booth tables to clean it. “I saw a few pieces had some heat damage, but I think they can still be fixed.”

“There ssshould be sssome sssand paper in the basssement. There ssshould be sssome lacquer too but I’m not sssure if we’ve run out or not.” the snake replied.

Volcan nodded, deciding he’d check later and went back to cleaning the tables. He knew Lighris had an electric palm sander in his garage and made a mental note to call him later to ask for it.

As time went on, he cast a few glances at Ordagova, seeing the snakeman from behind, before going back to his cleaning, trying to stay focused on the task at hand. He finished the first booth, dipped the cloth in the bucket to rinse it, and wrung it out before moving on to the next.

He tried to keep his mind clear. He didn’t want Ordagova to see what he was thinking about; hiding anything from telepaths was next to impossible. His heart skipped a beat when Ordagova briefly stopped mopping, fearing that he might have heard Volcan’s conflicting thoughts, but he relaxed again when the snake went back to work, as did the phoenix. The two didn’t exchange many words, aside from when Volcan had to stop to ask Ordagova where to find something he needed, before going back to working in silence.

The silence would eventually be broken as a police squad car came to a stop out front. Volcan looked up as he recognized the outline of a police cruiser, and looked back at Ordagova as he saw the driver climb out.

“Sid’s here,” he alerted Ordagova, already noticing the serpent walk over to the door, and pulling it open.

Pulling the door open, he found the uniformed dragoness approaching, only steps away before the snake had opened the door in advance. “Good afternoon, Obssssidian,” he said, smiling in greeting.

“Hello, Orda,” she said, looking him up and down, pleased to see him back on his feet and nodding in approval. “Since I’m here in uniform today, I don’t suppose you’ll expect a warrant if I ask to come in?” she joked.

“Not at all,” the snake smiled pleasantly, gesturing for her to come in. “We are ssstill clearing up the messssss.”

With the consent given, Obsidian stepped into the bar with a “Thank you” to the host, taking in the interior with a slight frown. She seemed to want to comment on the state of the bar’s interior but thought better of it and looked at Volcan.

“So… I have an update, regarding that other Naga we were looking for,” she said.

Volcan perked up at that, and his expression turned serious. “Has he surfaced again?” she asked.

“No,” she replied. “Perhaps update is the wrong word, but there’s been no sign of him, nor any further attacks reported for the last day. They haven’t reopened the trails yet until they can be absolutely sure, but it does look like he’s moved on.”

This time, it was Volcan’s turn to frown. “Well… Good with the bad, there haven’t been any further attacks,” he said. “Still leads us to question when he’ll show up again, or how we can find him to stop that from happening.”

Obsidian nodded in agreement. “I know… But there’s so much wilderness out there, he could be anywhere,” she said.

“Isn’t there a way to track him psionically?” Volcan asked, looking between Obsidian and Ordagova, “You told me once that you knew that Ordagova was psionic the moment you saw him?”

But Obsidian shook her head. “Technically, yes,” she said, “but only if he isn’t trying to hide himself. When Ordagova and I first met,” she gestured to the snake, “I knew what he was because I could sense it, and likewise he could sense it in me too. But that’s because we weren’t trying to mask ourselves; if a psionic knows there’s another one looking for them, then if they know how to do so they can shield their minds so that they can’t be detected. I don’t doubt our ‘friend’ out there is doing that because he knows I’ll be searching for him.”

Volcan’s frown turned to a scowl. “Do we have any options?” he asked.

“Only if you know someone who can track him through conventional means,” Obsidian replied, shrugging. “Unfortunately, that’s not a skill I possess.”

Volcan let out a sigh. “Shit… If only we’d managed to take him down before,” he said.

Obsidian frowned, before turning to Ordagova. “Well, as you said, he definitely wasn’t from El Mirador,” she told the snake. “He didn’t carry the hint of a Spanish accent like you and Nyle do when he tried to goad me… Tried to sweet-talk me, might be the best way to describe it.”

“I did find though that in terms of Psionic power, I was stronger,” Obsidian added. “But, when he had me in his grasp, I don’t think that would’ve helped much… He nearly crushed the life out of me before Volcan intervened. Doesn’t look like he’s afraid to kill if his ‘prey’ offers too much resistance.”

Volcan sighed again, and looked for a chair to seat himself in, but he had already taken all of them out back to be cleaned. He settled instead with leaning against the bar counter, running a hand down his face. “So, really nothing more we can do?”

“Not as we are, no,” Obsidian replied, “Until he shows himself again, that’s it.”

Volcan nodded. “Well… If you hear anything about him, even just a rumour…” he trailed off, once again remembering the earlier question Ordagova asked. Why did he feel responsible for this? The naga wasn’t technically his problem… Yet, he felt obligated to do something.

‘Is this what they call being ‘altruistic?’ he thought to himself.

Obsidian left shortly, asking Volcan to walk with her out to her car - apparently she had some words meant just for him as she promptly shielded his mind from intrusion before they began to speak - with a mental whisper of apology to Ordagova before they started talking.

“Have you talked to him yet?” she asked Volcan, her hands sliding immediately to her hips to show how serious she was.

“I… Couldn’t,” he replied. “When we met up last night, everything just…” he stumbled over his words, trying to find what he wanted to say. “It wasn’t the right time… I couldn’t do it.”

“Volcan,” Obsidian said, firmly. “You can’t just keep leading him on like this…”

“But maybe he already knows,” Volcan suggested. “I mean, he is telepathic, same as you.”

Obsidian shook his head. “It doesn’t mean he’s been invading your thoughts,” she stated, “and even if he does know, if he hasn’t brought it up yet it’s because he’s waiting for you to do it.”

“Why would he?”

“He wants you to be sure of what you want,” she stated, her hands leaving her hips as she spoke. “Look, Volcan, I haven’t been in many relationships - maybe I’m not the right person to give you advice. But I’ve dealt with enough domestic disturbances in my time to know, that the longer you let things sit, the worse they will get. Especially if Ordagova already knows.”

Volcan threw back his head and let out a low, agonized moan to the sky. “I feel like such a scumbag,” he said.

“You’ll keep feeling like one until you do this,” Obsidian returned, this time crossing her arms.

“How will I feel like less of one if I’m about to break his heart?” Volcan asked, pointedly.

A long silence stretched out, bringing a pause to their conversation as Volcan chewed on her words, leaning against the wall of the bar for support as he started to feel his legs become unsteady. She let out a sigh and looked at him with more sympathy as she spoke.

“Keep helping him out for the day, if nothing else, and keep thinking about it,” she said, before she uncrossed one of her arms to poke Volcan in the chest. “But if I come back, and find out you still haven’t talked to him,” she said, and then Volcan ‘heard’ her mental voice in his head. ‘You’re going to have one hell of a migraine.”

Volcan took a step back from her. “Isn’t it against the law for a cop to threaten a citizen?” he asked.

“Only if someone can hear it,” she returned, “and only another like me would’ve heard me just now.”

“I could report you, you know,” Volcan returned, though he was only half-serious.

“Not without exposing yourself, you couldn’t,” she countered.

Volcan scowled. “Okay, now you’re just not playing fair,” the phoenix complained.

Obsidian answered him only with a grin, and Volcan’s scowl deepened for a moment before he chuckled. “Alright, get out of here, officer,” he said. “You’ve got a job to get back to.”

“I do,” she replied. “But please, remember what I said.”

“I will,” Volcan promised, watching as Obsidian walked around to the driver’s side door of her car.

He watched in silence as she dropped into the driver’s seat and fastened her seat belt. With that, she started the engine and shifted the car into drive before waving goodbye to Volcan. He waved back as she left the curbside and began driving up the street, leaving him to stare after her. With another defeated sigh, the phoenix turned to walk back into the bar and return to work.

Throughout the rest of the day, Volcan could barely find the courage to even look at Ordagova. All the while, he tried to come up with words to say, and Ordagova gave no indication he knew what Volcan was thinking the few times he forced himself to steal a glance. To him, that meant one of three things; the first being that Ordagova was avoiding invading his thoughts out of respect for privacy, and the second that Obsidian’s mind shield was still in place to keep him out - although he doubted that, as she had said nothing about leaving it when she departed.

Or, he thought, she was right… Ordagova already knew what Volcan was thinking and was not talking about it because he wanted Volcan to be the one to speak first. Somehow, the phoenix suspected that was the most likely scenario.

He looked outside… It was evening, the sun having already begun to set, casting the streets in a warm, orange glow. He knew Obsidian was likely to finish her shift soon, and his conversation with her was still fresh in his mind - he didn’t believe she would actually go through with her threat, but he knew she would be displeased with him if he didn’t act.

With a heavy heart, Volcan let out a sigh and stopped working, leaving the rag he had been using to wipe down the tables where he had, and turned to look across the bar at Ordagova. Still, the snake didn’t seem the wiser to his thoughts…

Steeling himself, Volcan called out to him. “Ordagova?” he asked.

“Yesss Volcan? Sssomething been troubling you? You've been awfully quiet ssssince Obsssidian left,” yhe snake commented, turning to give the bird his full attention.

Volcan let out another long sigh, struggling to find his courage. “Can we… Talk for a bit?” he asked, hesitantly.

“Alwaysss” Ordagova insisted, before gesturing to a table to sit at, before taking a seat himself, “What’sss on your mind?”

Volcan sat down next to the snake, but for what he was going to say, he couldn’t bring himself to face him. “Things… Well…” he struggled to find the words. “I know I don’t have to tell you what’s been going on with me… It’s why we’re here after all, but…” he sucked in another deep breath, still struggling to find his courage.

Then, a tear filled his eye. “I’m sorry…” he whispered. “I’m… Not sure things between us are working…”

It felt like swallowing poison to say the words aloud, and immediately Volcan felt as though they were the wrong words to say. He visibly braced himself, expecting Ordagova to be cross with him, but instead he felt an arm behind his back and a large hand rest on his shoulder, comforting him, his black thumb rubbing him slightly in reassurance.

“Don’t be upssset” he first heard, “You are brave to come out. I am not mad,” he assured.

Volcan lifted his head, shock overcoming his fear as he turned to look at Ordagova, the surprise etched across his face so vividly. “You… You aren’t?” he asked, aghast. “But… You’ve been…”

Again, the phoenix was fumbling with his words, unable to process what Ordagova had said. He had been expecting the snake - or naga rather, as he knew, to be angry. He had expected that he would demand Volcan leave, and never set foot in his sight again; all of the worst-case scenarios played over and over in Volcan’s mind. Yet in an instant, those fears had been halted, like a train that had been brought to a sudden stop.

“You forget that I can read mindsss. I perhapsss noticsssed thessse feelingsss long before you came to termsss with them,” the snake hissed, pulling the phoenix closer to his side, rubbing his shoulder still, and even bringing his tail up to loop around him and rest on Volcan’s waist. “You have got clossser to your friendsss, finally ssspending time with othersss you are more alike, and have found that, even though I might have brought you out of your ssshell, that I am not the one you wisssh to go further with.” the snake explained, giving him a soft smile, even if the phoenix didn’t see it at first.

“...Yet, you never brought it up with me before now?” the phoenix asked, still surprised. “I… I thought you’d be angry with me. You’ve given me so much… Even let me sleep in your bed, and then I…” he absently looked up at the ceiling, knowing that he didn’t put into words what he was thinking, since it was still fresh in both of their minds.

“I… I’m so confused,” he muttered, leaning forward and resting his hand against his head. “I thought this would end so much worse…”

“Volcan… you are not my firssst partner, I have been through thisss before. And besssidesss; being able to read your mind and feel your feelingsss help me underssstand how you feel.” Ordagova revealed, “You have made me happy, and I know that, dessspite your current feelingsss, I have made you happy too. That isss all I yearn for.”

Volcan looked at him sadly. “I feel like I was taking advantage of you, unknowing or not… I sought an escape from my loneliness, and just threw myself on to the first person who fascinated me… But that’s not love; that’s just finding catharsis for oneself. That still feels wrong.”

“You did not do anything wrong,” the snake kept his smile continuing to rub his shoulder, “and you were not taking advantage of me, the feeling wasss mutual.”

Still, Volcan frowned and looked guiltily at Ordagova. After meeting his gaze for a moment, he leaned over and hugged him. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, feeling the need to say it, “You deserve much better than a lonely phoenix just looking for relief…”

“Oh husssh… I wouldn’t trade all thessse monthsss for anything elssse,” the snake hissed over Volcan’s forehead with his tongue, wrapping his arms around the big bird to hug him closer still. “I’m jussst happy that I helped you feel comfortable in ssspreading your wingsss,” he added, winding his tail around Volcan’s waist and giving him a light squeeze to add to the hug.

Volcan leaned into the snake’s embrace, enjoying the moment between them… He may not have loved Ordagova in the way he though - the way that would make him want to spend every day with him… But, he did still love the naga in other ways – platonic though they were, their short time together had been fun. He felt comfortable, and safe with him… Maybe that would be enough, he decided.

He opened his eyes, lifting his head to look up at Ordagova. “I’d still like to help clean up here; it’s the least I can do,” he said. “And… Maybe… I could keep playing here when you reopen?” he added tentatively, wary of overstepping.

“Of courssse, I would love that,” the snake smiled happily down at the young bird, before pecking his forehead.

The phoenix resisted the urge to sigh with relief, and pulled back to meet Ordagova’s gaze, feeling better as their eyes met once again. “Thank you,” he said, gratefully. “I suppose we ought to get back to it while we still have some daylight, eh?”

“We probably ssshould,” the snake replied, releasing the phoenix from his hold, sliding out of the chair to stand up, reaching for Volcan’s hand to help him up too, “And yesss… even if you don’t love me in that way, I’m not opposssed to you continuing to love other assspectsss of me.” the snake hissed with a knowing grin, tapping the side of his head with his other hand.

At that Volcan’s body warmed as he blushed, but could not keep the sheepish grin off his face. “I… Suppose there’s no harm in keeping that,” he said with a light laugh as he was pulled up from his seat onto his feet, and back into Ordagova’s arms to hug; one hand sliding down to grope the bird’s behind, bringing a surprised squawk from the phoenix.

“You don’t have to be a mind reader to sssee how you feel for me in that way”

Again Volcan blushed. “Fair enough; I definitely wear that emotion like a shirt,” he admitted, leaning into Ordagova’s embrace again, wrapping his wings around the snake to share his warmth with him, finding that long black tail also wrapping around the pair in return…

The moment was held for longer, before the two finally parted. Returning to work for remainder of the evening, Volcan felt like a great weight had been taken off his chest, and that today was the day he could finally think more clearly, and… move forward. He still had his whole life ahead of him yet… A long, long life.