Prince Kioshi might as well be cuddled up to his friend with how tightly he was hugging him from behind, although to everyone else it was as if they were witnessing their brother get taken by another man.
"Why is he so close with that man?" Soku tilts his little head.
Tair's teeth almost grind together as he's witnessing their intimate scene unfold.
"I don't know." He huffs.
Huro is about to call out to his big brother but Shine snaps his fingers, ending up silencing him.
"When will we be there?" Mike smiles innocently, eyes shut comfortably.
Huro pulls at his now shut lips attempting to pry them open.
"I have no idea." Kemal yaws, choosing to ignore his human backpack.
After an awkward flight that felt like forever they finally descended towards two large ships connected by one thick plank.
Just before Katil could sink their ships he quickly transforms into his human form as Kemal jumps off with Mike in arms.
The twins land at the outermost edge of Katil's ship while keeping a safe distance from everyone else, subtly checking their surroundings and keeping their little ones close.
It was unfamiliar territory for sure, so they weren't ready to detransform just yet.
Soku and Horus' eyes light up after getting a better look at all these new creatures and oversized things.
"Wow!"
"So big!"
Without a second to spare Kier approaches his little male wife confidently, observing him drop Prince Kioshi without much of a thought.
"Did you miss me?" While turning away Kemal rolls his eyes.
"I was just about to question the same." Kier's tail immediately slithers to yank him back by his waist.
"Newcomers?" Despite his unchanging expression his eyes fixed on all four princes no matter their age.
"I can explain."
"My ship is yours." Kier hums, tail already gripping him much tighter in response.
Kemal holds back a pained hiss, keeping himself composed.
Mike already stepped back and extended his hand towards Kier's ship. After some glancing back and forth they reluctantly follow him, hooves clacking softly against the wooden boards.
"Let's keep going! This isn't his ship, just our landing pad!" Mike is clearly ecstatic.
Putting his pride aside, Kemal raises his arms and fully embraces his dragon despite the many eyes stealing not so quick glances.
Kier is successfully taken aback, almost forgetting to reciprocate. His arms lock tightly around the smaller man, relaxing into the attention he's receiving.
After a faint exhale Kemal pulls his legs up entirely, now relying on Kier to hold his weight.
"I've done too much walking, carry me." He shrugs, his demands clear.
"How shameful of my own brother for not carrying you during your expedition." Kier chuckles deeply while turning to change ships.
Once gone Katil's expression drops now that they have headed off.
"And you're certain it's acceptable for us to stay?" Shine whispers to Kioshi.
After all, the ship they're practically intruding on was far less lively than Katil's, it carries a rather unsettling atmosphere.
"If my best friend says so!" Mike cheers a little too loudly.
"If my beloved bride insists on it." Kier approaches.
They spoke simultaneously, not paying attention to the fact they overlapped one another.
A stubborn dragon, and a far more persistent alicorn prince.
Kemal only shrugs with a smug look at the quartet of herbivores, visibly unbothered by their concerns.
"Just be quiet, and stop being in your horse form since your hooves are too loud." He immediately demands with an irritated tone.
Kier's eyes soften, tail swaying behind him.
Reluctantly the twins obey, transforming back to their normal selves after their little brothers get off safely.
Prince Kioshi swoops in to pick up Horu. A little centaur boy was gonna be even louder than two grown horses.
"What's with their baggage?" Kemal glare turns evident, overshadowing the fact that he already pounced off of Kier's arms without making a sound.
"Now that you mention it.." Mike grows curious and steps towards his brothers.
"Won't you go home afterwards? Or any time soon?"
The eldest immediately tense up, eventually shaking their heads in silent solidarity.
They're keeping something.
Kemal's uncaring looks turn hostile within seconds.
"We'll tell you later, now is not the time.." Tair furls his wings around his torso.
Prince Kioshi quickly turns to look at his friend who reeks of displeasure.
"Is that okay?" He questions, already knowing his answer.
"Just so you know, the only one who's allowed to keep secrets here is me, because I won't put my ship at risk with them. So they better fess up soon, I'm not risking it all for a few horses, not now, not ever."
My ship.
Kier's swaying tail moves in a not so subtle attempt to coil around him.
His ship.
Without warning Shine bows deeply towards the large dragon, halting his movement without realising.
"You have our sincerest apologies for intruding on your grounds Prince Kier, please forgive our temporary stay. We'll forever be in your debt!"
Mike panics, realising that this could only anger him further but Kier proudly puffs out a large quantity of smoke through his nostrils, arms crossing over his large chest carrying a surprisingly pleased look.
"Since my mate agrees to this, you two may enjoy this temporary stay, however there is something I must inquire about."
"How many rooms?" He scratches his chin, already deep in thought.
"Just one!" Tair quickly bows as well.
"We five-"
"Four." Kemal interrupts their conversation.
All eyes land on him.
"Prince What's His Name, will be staying in a different room." He explains deadpan.
Mike cheerfully perks up moving to hug his friend tightly, who wasn't embarrassed about refusing to reciprocate.
"But I don't know which rooms are free.." He slowly turns to focus on Kier who already has mentally decided.
"Could you escort them to their new room? I'll be free by the time you're done, I just need to talk with him privately." Kemal offers with both a shrug and eyebrow raise.
Prince Kioshi looks surprised.
"Whatever my beloved desires." The dragon hums while striding ahead, reluctantly followed by the herd who couldn't help but turn towards their brother as they leave.
Now that everyone is gone Kemal lifts his hand to scratch below Mike's chin.
"I've never seen you like this before.." He mumbles, fully leaning into his touch.
"Hm?"
"It's just.." Mike begins mumbling to himself.
"Why didn't you tell him to leave you alone and that it's none of his business what you do."
Is that what I sound like!?
"I can't really do that.." Kemal vaguely suggests.
"They're not really your boyfriends, are they?"
Taken aback Kemal steps away, eyes sharpening with an emotion Mike's never seen before.
"Not exactly, they are courting me, but it hasn't really been made official official, you know?" He waves with his hand.
"Do you want them to be official? Do you like them!?" His friend is practically in distress.
"Chill!" Kemal suddenly shoves him onto his knees.
"Listen, there's two dragons, but only one actually loves me, I have room to love three men in total! You, Mikel, me! But, I'm just replacing myself with one of them. Is that clear?"
"You won't replace me? Or Mikel?" Mike's voice audibly cracks.
"You know me, I'm never leaving you, especially you! You're an amazing alicorn prince now, two dragons just won't cut it." Kemal reassures confidently, throwing one arm over his shoulder.
"Alicorn Prince..?" He whispers to himself.
"Look at you, you're the first of your kind. How could anyone compete with a rarity like yourself?" To emphasise his point he squeezes Mike's horn.
Prince Kioshi's wings burst out of his clothes, only proving Kemal's case.
"So as long as that other dragon won't love you, you won't love him?"
"I was pretty satisfied with what we had, just because I want more doesn't mean I'll need it." A faint smirk forms after Mike leans forward to rest on Kemal's hand once more.
"It's healthy to always want more but know that you don't need it, greed is the demise of fortune, sure two sexy dragons are a dream come true! But I rather have one dragon than no dragon." He explains as if matter of fact.
With those words Kemal decides to finally retract his hand.
"So how was it? Did you find anything?" Mike asks, his tone void of curiosity.
He is clearly lost in thought.
"I found a book, let's just hope for Azul and Mikel to report back by tomorrow."
He suddenly snatches a book out of his bag.
"We need something else to read this, so let's just keep it safe for now." And confidently extends it towards Mike.
"Keep it safe for me." His voice is so gentle.
I will…
"Then.. I have a question." Mike lowers his gaze, now embracing the empty diary tightly.
"Go on." Kemal hums.
"May I use your kitchen tonight?"
—
A loud howl echoed through the night, everything turned lively, now that they weren't connected to any other ship anymore everyone was screaming and screeching at the top of their lungs.
"MAKE WAY MAKE WAY!!" A merman warns, swimming through the halls with a stream of water keeping him afloat.
He burst out the door to a lively scenery of mermen, beastmen and all sorts of creatures making noise. Their calls being enhanced by the ocean, successfully spurring them on.
It's practically a light show with how some creatures managed to glow with their bodies.
All sorts of colours managed to brighten the ship, while some flew up through streams to yowl, others simply climbed as high as they could to let out their celebratory cheers.
"Here you go! There's our kitchen, your royal highness!" A reptile laughs, already prepping some fire.
Meanwhile Soku and Horu were busy running across Kier's deck, admiring their new-found surroundings with big doe eyes.
Together they make all sorts of cheerful noises as their big brothers are anxiously keeping all eyes on them.
"SO SPARKLY!!" They scream in unison, gawking after golden particles that currently surround everything.
Kemal sat furthest away from the people's celebration, comfortably leaning against his large shiny dragon.
"Your ship is quite lively." He teases without much of an expression change.
"What can I say, you kept my crew quiet for quite some time." Despite his cold tone Kier's tail was still tightly coiled around his little man's waist.
"LOUDERRRR!!" A merman screeches into the air, managing to send both water and clouds rippling.
"I WANNA BE SHINY TOO!!" Soku demands with a squeak while attempting to make his horn glow.
"Come on little one!!" Another merman smirks, coiling around the little centaur with his shiny tail and mane, now turning his light into Soku's.
"You already are!!" He laughs out loud.
"Relax a little." A beastman grins, now extending two glasses of glowing water to their eldest visitors.
While some creatures were loudly stomping and dancing with the little centaur boy, others were still enjoying their swimming. Everything was only getting more and more colourful, they were mostly nocturnal so it was quite interesting seeing them glow this brightly without some sort of secondary source.
Everyone is either busy cooking, cheering, dancing, relaxing, or sleeping, this scene really had it all if you looked close enough.
"So what brings this big alicorn to our humble ship?" The reptile smirks while kneading some dough.
"A little white lie.." Prince Kioshi smiles with satisfaction.
"We aren't allowed to serve meat here you know! Not while our captain's mate is there!" He explains at random.
"Why not? He loves meat. Just not pig, hog, anything pig related." Mike carefully lists while shaping his cookies into little edible hearts.
"THE PROBLEM WAS HOG!? We lost over half of our meat supplies!"
"Why?" He innocently tilts his head without sharing any more focus.
"Because our captain thought he scared off his little lover with meat.. A vegetarian!" The chef falls back into a nearby bench.
"Better start preparing proper meals then, he won't care as long as it's not pig after all."
"Oh don't worry, we don't have that, anymore!"
He practically flashes out of the kitchen already running to alert his fellow crew mates in separate rooms.
"WE'RE PREPARING A FEAST!!!"
"I guess they don't know him that well.."
Unlike me..
A soft smile plays on his lips.
Kier proudly puffs his chest while making sure to flex some muscles and pulling his mate into a more tight shoulder hug.
Since his arm is hanging loosely around Kemal's shoulder every bit of flaunting has to count, especially with how little attention he seems to share at all times.
Seriously, he isn't even trying to be subtle..
Suddenly a wicked grin forms in his heart, it would be a shame to waste this golden opportunity after all.
"It's pretty hot tonight, aren't your clothes too stuffy? You could take something off." He suggests casually, making sure to school his expression.
Not even a second manages to pass and Kier immediately throws off everything that blocked the view of his upper body.
Big muscles… No shame!!
If dictionaries came with illustrations you'd find one of Kemal beside the word obvious, fully engrossed with this beast's chest without an ounce of shame.
A well concealed shudder zaps through his body at the mere thought of having all that to himself.
"You're right, it was too hot." Kier bluffs proudly, already using his superior strength to lift Kemal onto his lap.
Kemal already begins tracing idle patterns on his bicep.
"Wow, you're pretty solid." He comments casually while leaning all of his weight against this heated brick wall.
"A bare minimum to keep my bride protected." Kier purrs in a husky mumble.
"WE GOT MEAT!!!" Someone booms with a grin, eyes glowing a magnetic blue.
Heavy tables and carts swarm their deck full of tasty meats, salads, treats, and goods.
Platters and cups are already stacking on one another in preparation. Horu is quick to gallop over, meanwhile Soku turns back towards his big brothers, practically radiating with glee.
Kier's heart drops.
Without realising he's already clutching onto Kemal who is clearly disinterested in this whole ordeal. Instead his lover's focus shifts to someone rushing towards them.
Prince Kioshi, who is cheerfully holding a plate of heart shaped cookies and a glass filled with mysterious pink liquid.
Kemal, without warning, got off of his lap, leaving to approach him without much of an expression change.
"I cooked you a little something.." Mike confesses sheepishly.
"It's baking, not cooking." He sighs.
For a split second Mike's eyes grow distant, something not even Kemal could catch.
"Give them a try, especially the drink." He smiles, voice barely above a whisper.
His friend eyes his drink suspiciously before finally taking it and giving it a quick whiff. Eventually he takes a little sip, eyes widening with a slipped gasp.
"This is good." Kemal praises beneath his incoherent mumbling
"Thank you.." Mike turns red, clearly satisfied with this outcome.
Kier's eyebrows furrow lightly, tail turning limb.
"What is it?" Kemal questions after taking another flavourful sip.
"A strawberry shake.." Mike explains.
"There's no such thing as strawberries." Kier puffs out a smoke cloud.
"It tastes like it! That's all that matters." Prince Kioshi laughs his comment off.
"Besides, isn't it too cold to walk around half naked?"
"Don't worry about it." Kemal cuts off, grabbing Mike's hand and guiding him away.
Kier's tail pierces through some wooden boards, creating multiple holes before ditching his spot for good.