Collecting the shards

Connected 1

Of telling truths

There's a conversation to be had, one that has waited too long to take place, one needed in order for both parties to move forwards. And it starts with a confession.

Akira asks to talk in private, knowing the presence of others will make saying the words he has to impossible.

Koráki humors him, knowing Akira.

It's weird, knowing that he's now only one year younger than his once mentor, once guide, once savior.

He goes clumsily at first, words overlapping and blurring, and the subject of Leandro slipping into his tirade against his will, as well as the stress Akira feels over it; talking circles, until Koráki takes pity on him.

"Wait, you had a crush on me?"

Akira takes a good look at him, feeling a little off-center by the knowledge that Koráki hadn't actually known.

"Yeah"

They stare silently at each other until Koráki speaks again.

"Look, firstly, you should never assume someone's straight, for example I am very much bisexual, but I'm very committed to a boy"

He wiggles the ringed finger of his left hand in emphasis, which is a sight Akira's yet to wrap his head around; still, he nods sheepishly.

"Secondly, you are allowed to have a type, and you're allowed to like more than one person at once; you just gotta think on whether you're up for dating more than one person at a time, and understand others might make a different choice"

Akira feels himself flushing, and glares at Koráki, who remains unfazed, pressing forwards with a sharp hand gesture.

"Finally, I may not have been able to respond the way you wanted me to, but that doesn't mean this boy won't do so"

Akira thinks about those words, lets them sinks. He also thinks about Leandro, truly allows himself to feel the full extent of that connection, and finds so much more than just simple attraction.

"Yeah, ok"

Piper guides Lance through various aisles full of round metallic doors, before stopping at one in particular, the door opens to a wide room housing a single being.

They look a mix of humanoid and lizard like, skin like tree bark but colored in a sort of pinkish violet, four pairs of olive eyes set their slit pupils on them.

"Oh, there's two of you"

Their voice is like a low-pitched whistle seemingly coming from the slits at the sides of their face. Lance wonders how they eat.

"You sound surprised"

There's something to Piper's tone that irks Lance, and seems to bother the alien too.

"Children of Xyrah are extremely rare to the universe"

Piper scoffs, Lance is quick to interrupt whatever she'll say.

"You wanted to speak with me"

The alien's eyes squint in what Lance hopes is their version of a smile.

"I am one of the ayshee, tasked with keeping records of that which is written in the fabric of the universe"

Then their eyes start glowing and their voice changes into a clear and all-encompassing.

"A child of the primordial shall take to the stars, coveted and despised, desired and loathed, will bow only to the future leader of all Galra, but the empire will be no more"

Their eyes go back to normal and they let out what Lance supposes is a sigh.

"I've been dying to get the full account out, thank you"

Piper mutters something about prophecies, Lance swallows.

"How will I know?"

The ayshee lets out a series of breathy noises that are probably a laugh.

"You already know"

Lance wants to protest but the ayshee moves closer, all eight eyes focused on him.

"Who's your xiq little luj?"

A picture forms on his mind unbidden, and the ayshee's eyes squint again in what is definitely a smile.

"That's not likely"

Piper is the one to speak up then.

"Of course it isn't, she thinks easy love is boring"

The she turns to him, like she knows something he doesn't.

"Are they worth the effort?"

Lance allows himself to think about Akira, actually legitimately think about him without forcing himself to stop. Then he turns to this stranger who shares a mother with him.

"Yeah, he is"