Nishiki didn't seem convinced. "But you're a bird shifter. An, erm... osprey, was it?"
"That's right."
He gestured to the sky. "Then you can leave whenever you want. You're not lost like I am.”
"You're right. But then where would that leave you?”
Pausing, Nishiki rubbed his palms over his legs like he was trying to soothe himself. "But why? You don't have any obligation to me."
"Yes, I do. You never would've gotten lost if I hadn't snatched you out of the water, therefore it's my responsibility to get you home."
Nishiki's lip quivered, then he sniffled and wiped his face before getting up. "Okay. Thank you, Weston."
It felt good to hear him say my name.
And he actually got it right, unlike some other people I could mention...
"Where is your home?"I asked, then with a hint of jealousy I hoped was subtle, said, “Is it with this Nero person?"
Apparently, it wasn't as subtle as I had hoped because Nishiki laughed. "Oh, God. Yes. Well, sort of. He's actually just visiting me right now. But anyways, he's my brother."
That relaxed me.
"And it's kind of embarrassing, but I live with my mother in a nearby canyon outside of the wildlife reserve." Nishiki tilted his head. "Do you know about it?"
I vaguely remembered seeing the yellow scar of a canyon on the landscape at some point, but I couldn't say for certain.
"I might have passed it once or twice," I said. "Why is that embarrassing?"
Nishiki sighed. "Because I'm a grown man living with my mother in a dirt hole."
It was the first time I'd ever heard an alpha display any sort of modesty or shame, even if I personally thought it was unwarranted in his situation.
"We all have different circumstances," I said. "I don't judge you for yours."
I wondered what Nishiki might think about mine—the fact that I was an undatable omega.
"Anyway, I said it was a long story so those aren't all the details but…" Nishiki sighed again, though this time it was tinged with relief. There was a musical cadence to his voice. "That's the gist of it."
"Got it."
"But, Weston… shouldn't you be getting home, too? I don't want you to bother yourself with me if there's more important things for you to worry about."
"I don't have a home," I said, blunt but honest. I flashed him a smile to let him know that it didn't bother me. "I go wherever the wind takes me."
Nishiki snorted in amusement. "Bird shifters, huh? Okay then, if you’re sure…"
"I'm sure."
And I was feeling ever surer by the second.
