53 Coming Home

Everything was fine at first. The first one to call Kyrie was Liza. And he didn't answer.

They waited, Kyrie may not have had signal yet. Then they called again. He should've been in town. He should've had signal. He should've answered.

But he didn't.

DJ wanted to call James next but Centra gave him that look. The look that said honey you missed a step.

So, she called Syra. It rang once, twice, three times. There was no answer.

Jasper wrung his hands in worry. What happened? What should he do?

And DJ, he called James.

"Hey, what's up?"

DJ opened his mouth once than closed it. His eyes were closed and his heart was heavy. Their hearts were heavy. Kyrie and Syra were gone. Just three day's ago they had been fighting to live another day and the two of them, with their kind souls, had fought not for themselves but for others. Kyrie and Syra had fought to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Even the risks Kyrie had taken were for other. Now DJ had to tell James that they were missing, that they may be dead.

DJ opened his eyes and grabbed Centra's hand. "Kyrie and Syra aren't answering. They … their… " DJ couldn't say it. Say what everyone on their team was thinking. They'd seen the guards wandering the woods. They'd only escaped unharmed because they were being protected.

Kyrie was strong, they'd seen it. But he wasn't back and who knows what else lurked outside the city walls.

"They're fine."

DJ's head snapped up. "What? How could you know? Did they call you?" If Kyrie had called James, why hadn't he called his teammates? And why didn't James tell them?!

James spoke gently to his best friend. "We haven't heard from them, but Andray has his twin bond with Syra, so he'd know if something happened to her. As for Kyrie," James smiled, "I know him. He's fine. You don't have to worry. Those two are a pair of softies. They're probably doing volunteer work right now."

Liza cast a news report onto their TV as she said, "Their fine. They are idiots that need to learn to inform us that they're fine, but they're fine." While DJ had called James, Liza had taken the gamble that Kyrie would be recognized and that someone, even Char, would have posted about what Kyrie was doing. It had paid off, she'd found them.

Liza was pissed but smiling. It wasn't a scary someone's going to die smile. It was a soft happy smile that said Kyrie was such a sweet and loveable idiot at times.

Centra frowned, they had barely brokered peace between them then he went and did this. But her frown softened as she read the article. Kyrie was helping to make the forest a safer place for the labors. Syra was helping out with first aid treatment and the occasional healing of injuries. They were both fine and they were trying their best to make sure other people were okay tool.

Jasper smiled and sighed as he read the article. Kyrie was still alive, so he still had a chance to do it.

DJ grinned. They were safe. And that was so like Syra to find a way to help wherever and whenever she could. It seemed that Kyrie and Syra were alike in that way.

DJ said, "Thanks, James. I'm sorry I bugged you like that." He wasn't sure he could trust James' answer on how Kyrie was. But Kyrie was with Syra, and Liza had found news about them.

"It's cool. If your ever worried about Kyrie just give me a call. Talk to you later bud."

DJ and Centra smuggled on the couch as Liza and Jasper each claimed a seat. They picked a show to watch with minimal bickering and waited for their wayward teammate to come home.

♢ ♢ ♢

It was ten o'clock that night when the dorm room door opened. Centra was the only one in the common room. The lights were on and she was watching old tournament battles. She was trying to figure out how to incorporate Liza and Kyrie into her battle strategies. And she was waiting up for Kyrie. She'd sent DJ to bed when he'd fallen asleep on the couch and had started drooling on it.

The next to go was Jasper who said he had training early tomorrow morning.

The last was Liza. She was going to stay up with Centra but the trembling in her limbs had increased to the point that Centra had nearly carried her to bed. She left Liza with instructions to stay in bed and sleep. Centra had also warned Liza that she was going to check on her every morning and evening. There'd be no more slipping off to classes her body wasn't ready to handle.

Centra was also exhausted, she loved DJ dearly, but his loud snoring and her nightmares were taking there toll. But someone needed to talk to Kyrie when he got back.

Kyrie softly closed the door behind him. He smiled a bit sheepishly at Centra as he said, "Hi."

Centra paused the video and stood up. She'd have glared at Kyrie if she had the energy for it.Instead, she settled for one her mother's tricks. She pulled out a chair at the side of the table. It was the chair next to the head of the table. She walked to the head of the table and said, "Sit down."

Kyrie shifted uncomfortably at the door but removed Taru's case. He left her by the door and perched awkwardly on the edge of his chair. His head was down and he was staring at his hands. He'd messed up and Centra was pissed.

Centra sighed and entered their kitchenette area. She grabbed two glasses of water and pulled out some of the dinner DJ had made for them. She warmed it up on the stove as Kyrie sat there. It warmed quickly and she placed them on the table. "You haven't eaten dinner yet have you?"

Kyrie looked up at her in surprise, he was sure Centra would scold him. He said, "No," as he grabbed the plate and fork. He took a bite as Centra grabbed her water and sat at the head of the table.

"You did something really good today Kyrie. I mean really good. But you also did some really stupid things today." Centra watched as Kyrie's eating slowed.

Kyrie swallowed and looked at Centra with guilt. "Are you talking about leaving the group during class?"

Centra nodded and trailed her hand in spirals on her cool glass of water. He'd done that and it was amongst the list of things to talk about. She nodded again, that spot would be as good a place to start as any. "You should have told me when you were going to leave. I'm in charge of our team, responsible for it. I need to know where you are when we're outside these walls or in a fight."

Kyrie grimaced but nodded. "Your right, I'm sorry. Not telling you was disrespectful of your position as captain. I won't do it again." He'd thought only of saving those labors. He'd been too lateto save everyone. He hadn't told his team because he was worried that they'd come someplace dangerous with him.

Kyrie fiddled with his fork as Centra continued, "That was the first stupid thing, the next one was picking the blue colored berry." This topic made Cantra nervous. Kyrie wouldn't have picked it if he hadn't intended to use it. The questions bugging Centra were what it did and what Kyrie had planned to do with it.

Kyrie crooked his head. The glimmering blue berry? It was a problem? "What's wrong with picking it?"

Centra's shoulders relaxed. At least Kyrie didn't realize he shouldn't have picked it. "All Professor Hogswell told us was that it was illegal to have it in the city and to only eat it in a very safe place." Do you know what it does?"

Kyrie's eyes had widened. It was illegal to have here? Well shit. Kyrie didn't answer Liza's question he got up, opened his bedroom door, and dug through a drawer.

Centra got up as well. "D-don't tell me you have more of those things?"

Kyrie grimaced and held up a small, mostly empty, round metal container with a lid. "I've got the powdered and dried version. I swear I had no idea it was illegal in Laserath." Kyrie nervously fidgeted with the container. "What should I do with it?" He glanced towards the bathroom. "I could flush it."

"No!" Centra slapped her hands over mouth as she and Kyrie listened for someone waking up.

After a moment Centra said, "No. Laserath recirculates most of its water to limit the possibility of legends slipping into the city that way. What isn't recirculated is carefully let in through releasing parts of the Emerilla's barrier. And we have no idea if their cleaning will get rid of that. It might, but we can't be sure." and Centra didn't want to take that risk. Even though the city's water purifiers could handle far worse than the contents of that container.

Kyrie nodded. "Maybe I could sneak it out and empty it? I'm going out to help the labors' guards after dinner each night."

Centra sighed and nodded. It was the best plan they'd come up with. "Hide that. Then, tell me what it does and what you've been doing with it."

Kyrie slipped it back into place and closed the drawer. They reclaimed their spots at the table.

Kyrie pushed his mostly full plate back and fidgeted with his left ribbon. He could understand how the berry could be illegal. "I've only ever given it to myself. And I don't use it a lot of it. It's strong and sometimes I need a little push. I … "

Kyrie wound his fingers in the ribbon he'd pulled too tight. He hadn't even realized he'd pulled it too tight. Centra out reached and placed her hand on his.

Kyrie flinched. There were times he didn't like being touched and this was one of them. Talking about why he used that berry was one of them. Even though it was contradictory to what he used it for.

Centra almost let go when Kyrie flinched but she caught his wrist instea. One of them needed to free his wrist from the ribbon he'd pulled too tight and Kyrie didn't seem to be interested in that right now.

"Sorry," Centra said gently as she moved his arm closer to her. "I'm just going to free your wrist before your hand gets worse."

For those like Kyrie and Ren, they were so used to protecting their clothing with their aura that it was considered a natural part of their bodies as such their clothes could do them harm.

Centra started untying and unwrapping the ribbons with the gentle grip of her cool fingers.

Kyrie watched Centra free his wrist as he said, "Sorry, I didn't realize I'd …"

Centra smiled up at him. "It's okay."

They sat in silence for a bit as Centra unwrapped Kyrie's wrist.

Kyrie cleared his throat and said with a blush. "The berry it makes you really ah – needy? Like you really want to have sex."

Centra coughed and nearly dropped Kyrie's hand. She had sex with DJ but that wasn't something you talked about with a near stranger.

Centra glanced up at Kyrie and then back at his wrist. She was halfway done and it might be best if she stayed quiet. After all, something was bugging him enough that he'd restricted the blood flow to his hand way too much.

"There, " Kyrie swallowed, "occasionally, there are times when I don't really want to, you know. But I wanted to feel close to someone and I'm not very good at that. The only people I've ever really been able to hug or snuggle up with are James and .. "Kyrie frowned at the table. He really wanted a hug from his father. "My dad."

Kyrie's head snapped up as Centra's hands stilled. That had sounded like he was or had been… Kyrie shuddered that was not what he meant. "Nothing ever happened with them I did not mean it that way. What, I meant was I wanted touch but I didn't have anyone to go to so I'd drug my self by putting a little on a snack before I left. Then I'd go to a club or a bar and, you know, find someone to have a one-night stand with."

Centra grimaced that was – bad.

It was also good that Kyrie expanded on his answer, but that was really bad. "We'll DJ's a snuggler too so next time you want a shoulder to lean on you've got us and probably James." Centra pulled that last of the ribbon off and laid her hand on Kyrie's. "Just promise me you'll take care of your self and never drug yourself like that again."

Kyrie opened his mouth and closed it. He wanted to promise it but he wasn't sure he could follow through on it. And breaking a vow or promise had consequences.

Centra squeezed Kyrie's tingling hand as she said, "I need you to promise Kyrie."

Kyrie closed his eyes and swallowed. "Alright. I won't drug my self like that anymore." Kyrie was staring at the door to his room.

Centra watched him as she said, "If it'll help you can give it to me and I'll dump it out next time we leave the city."

Kyrie nodded, it was a good idea. He'd been ready to dump it next time he left, but now he wasn't sure he could. Kyrie grabbed the container and gave it to Centra. "I'd like the container back. It was a present from my first girlfriend." He wanted it back but he should probably get rid of it altogether.

Centra took the small metal cylinder and nodded. The last topic had taken its toll on both of them. But she still had to talk to himabout the last one. "Kyrie we were worried about you when you didn't answer our calls or tell us where you were. We don't need to know where you are all the time but I would like it if you'd tell us when you leave the city and when you get back. Just let us know you're safe and okay."

Kyrie grimaced. "Sorry, I'm not used to that sort of thing." James usually took care of that sort of thing for him. Kyrie smiled at her and said, "I'll try and do better."

Centra smiled. It seemed weird but she finally got why her mom would hug her and Corson after one of those talks. It was her way of saying, 'I do this because I care about you.' Centra stood up and hugged Kyrie like his big sister used to. He hugged her back and let go.

They separated, Kyrie went to the kitchen with his plate and Centra to her room where DJ could be heard snoring. But before Centra entered her room Kyrie said, "Thanks. Most people wouldn't have helped someone like you did. If I do something like that again will you tell me?"

Centra smiled as she turned around. "Sure." It had gone well, really well. And she hadn't expected it to go so well.

Kyrie cleaned up his dinner while Centra hid the container in what now seemed to be her and DJ's room. It had been a long day. Hopefully, she could get a decent night's sleep.