Triton's Destiny

Part Eighteen

Maki sat quietly by the aviary's open door, interested in what Tristan was doing but still not comfortable enough with the birds to venture closer to them. At least he was calm this time, and not panicking with fear. For the most part, the birds didn't seem to care much about him. They were much more interested in Tristan's soft sounds of comfort and the handfuls of seed he brought around to them.

It warmed Maki's heart to see the care Tristan had for his flock of couriers. He doted upon each and every one of his feathered friends, treating them in very much the same way as Maki cared for his schools of fish. The compassion was evident in Tristan's calm demeanor, his gentle protectiveness speaking volumes about his character. Maki could tell a lot about a person by how they treated living things that were smaller and more vulnerable than they were. And Tristan was one of the kindest people he'd ever met. Maki could see that in his gentle movements, soft words, and ready smile. It made Maki want to take him in his arms and never let him go.

A sudden movement on the floor in front of him made him jump and inhale a small gasp. A pigeon had landed near him and was walking in his direction, bobbing its head as it came closer. Trying not to exhibit the apprehension now coursing through his veins, Maki tensed but managed not to flinch away. He'd discovered that birds were almost as skittish as fish, and he didn't want to frighten this one in its own home. "H-hi, little one. I, um... I'm afraid I don't have any treats for you. I'm sorry."

The pigeon stopped by his knee and cocked its head at him.

"Here." Tristan crouched down beside him, poured some seed into Maki's cupped hand, and laid a trail of it on the floor to encourage the pigeon to come eat. He smiled when the bird pecked its way over to Maki's outstretched hand and then ate from the pile of grains in his palm. "She likes you."

Maki offered a lopsided smile. "Her green feathers are pretty."

"You hear that, Winnie? Maki said you're pretty." Tristan grinned at him. Then he inched toward the door. "Will you be all right for a minute? I want to grab my sketchbook."

"Um..." Maki tried to remain calm. "Yeah. Sure." He kept his eyes fixed on Winnie, not even hearing Tristan slip out of the room.

He came back just as quickly, though, bending to murmur in Maki's ear. "Can I take this off?" He touched the brim of Maki's hat.

"Oh! I..." Maki's free hand lifted in reflexive defense.

"I already know about your hair, Maki. You don't have to wear your hat around me. Not inside, anyway."

Maki finally nodded. "All right."

Tristan took the hat off Maki's head and set it aside, settling on the floor and propping his sketchbook on his knees. "Beautiful," he whispered, smiling as his pencil began to move across the page.

Maki didn't know what to think, so he just let it happen, sitting quietly and listening to the sounds of the birds in the aviary and the waves against the shore outside. Eventually, a downy white dove waddled over to join them, sharing Winnie's snack and cooing gently. Maki's lips curved in a soft smile as he watched the birds eat, even stroking his finger over their soft little heads.

"Yes." Tristan smiled widely at the interaction. "Just like that." He sketched quickly, trying to capture the moment. "Maki, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he confirmed quietly, not wanting to scare the birds. After a few minutes, though, he was all out of seed and his new friends wandered away, leaving him in search of more treats.

Tristan came over and plopped down next to him, his exhilaration shining in those gorgeous green eyes. "That was amazing. You didn't look scared at all."