May 30, 2017 (Back dating a bit.)
He knew Katya understood why he didn’t bring Aiden into the Negaverse - into the war. He was glad she understood, though it had taken a good bit of explaining, he knew some others wouldn’t understand...couldn’t understand.
He’d had a friend, not someone he’d brought in, that was too good for the war - it simply didn’t suit them. He had tried to help, wanted to help, to make them into a better officer and when he himself had been at his weakest everything between them had fallen apart and left him with a youma.
It wasn’t that he was afraid of Aiden becoming a youma, that would never happen, but he was afraid of something terrible happening to the other….and maybe, just maybe, he was afraid of Aiden finding out about Bazzite and what he’d done. That if he found out he wouldn’t understand, or accept it, and his civilian life would fall apart. He’d wind up one of those officers who only lived to serve and had no outside life. He needed it - needed his civilian life. It was what kept him balanced.
It was why he always tried to keep the two halves of his life separate, or at least as separate as possible. The general couldn’t handle if one was ruined, he needed both sides of himself. Yet here he stood, in civilian clothing, at his kitchen table looking down at a necklace which had previously been letting off an odd aura. He couldn’t feel it now, as he was powered down, but Katya still could. He was trying to see if it would do anything to him when he wasn’t powered up, since it had been safe when powered up, and so far nothing was off. He didn’t feel any different from usual.
“We need to finish inspecting this, I need to find a hiding spot, before Aiden gets home.” Looking to Katya he watched as she insistently pawed at the pendant which hung from the thick chain.
“I know, it looks like it’s missing something. We can’t go back and look now. We’ll do that soon, maybe after we give it to Bazzite. I doubt he’ll mind and I do want to give this to him soon - he’ll like it.” And that was important to the ashen blond. He knew, as Katya had pointed out shortly after the inspection had begun, that the pendant seemed to be missing a stone. They had no idea of the color, though they did have a general idea of the shape.
“I’d rather get this to Bazzite once we deem it safe. Once we find the missing piece we’ll see if that is safe as well. If not at least Bazzite has his gift and we can turn in the other piece. If it clears as well we can slip it into place on the pendant.” Which wouldn’t be hard as he looked over the mounting for the missing stone. “We should have no problem putting it into place.” He said once more, trailing off.
This was why he didn’t want to risk Aiden. He’d be as distracting as Bazzite could be….would fill his mind and bring him worry. He didn’t need it...it would risk himself in a battle. Bazzite….he hadn’t meant to get so attached nor had he meant to wind up bonded to him but he could do nothing at this point. He had to take care of him, it was his obligation - something he had inked into his very skin...a reminder.
As much as Bazzite was a distraction, a burden in some aspect, Benitoite wasn’t ever going to let him go. The youma was his obligation and he was simply his, he didn’t need to say anything else. Bazzite belonged to him and he wouldn’t let him go, wouldn’t give him away.
“Please, Katya. We’ll look for the stone next time we go down to the Rift, after we give Bazzit the pendant we can start the search. I just...I promised him something and he’ll like this.” And he wanted to make the other happy. He owed him that - and so much more. He owed Bazzite anything the other wanted, hinted at, or asked for. He had after all taken his humanity from him. He would provide him whatever shelter and comforts he wanted, and anything else, which included this necklace.
Watching Katya nod he reached out and pet her head gently, small fingers moving to stroke behind her ears. “Thank you.” This made him happy, because it would make Bazzite happy...and the others happiness was his happiness - because they were bound forever.
Word count: 774
