Unsevered Ties

52. A Dog's Day 3

Chapter art by Nikkorin
Chapter 52: A Dog's Day Part 3

Naki trailed a good distance behind Sega, he watched the sleek frame walk gracefully, lost in the soft swish of the long white ponytail. His eyes trailed over the large backpack slung over one shoulder and Naki couldn't help but be amused for a moment. Sega wearing a backpack looked so... incorrect.

Normal things, plain things, none elegant things. Seeing Sega with such a simple object made him look almost approachable. Fine features peeked over a slender shoulder and Naki darted his eyes away. He didn't need to get caught staring at Sega because then Sega would think he stared for a reason. There wasn't. Even looking at Sega annoyed Naki, especially that smirk that eternally graced his lips.

"I'm not going to coil around you and drain you dry, pup. Why are you trailing so far behind?"

Naki twisted his nose, "I'm fine right here thanks. Are you seriously not going to tell me why the heck we would pick apples? Is this like...do you just want me to do something so annoyingly boring it drives me nuts and I regret misbehaving?"

Sega scoffed, taking a left towards a hill where many trees could be seen. They had walked about 20 minutes and they were nearing the store houses and the fruit trees. "Misbehaving huh. You have a real issue admitting your own bad habits. How can you hold me up to a standard you aren't keeping?" Sega chuckled, he could feel the glare thrown at him. "You might be surprised, picking fruit is very relaxing. It can be quite vigorous."

Naki rolled his eyes, "it's fruit! You pluck it from a branch. The most vigorous thing I can think of is throwing it. Are you going to make me stand there while you bash me with apples?" Actually that sounded painful. "S-Sega?"

Sega turned, a smile tugging at his lips. "What do you take me for? A neanderthal? You think I couldn't think of far less wasteful ways to punish you? Why apples of all things?"

Naki spread his arms dramatically, "exactly Sega! Why apples?"

Pearly teeth appeared for a moment but Sega quelled the laughter. Naki's utter exasperation at the fact that he would not reveal to him why they were going to pick apples made Sega highly amused. Sega adjusted his backpack, truthfully it would be far funner than Naki would realize. He could use this opportunity to bond, but he'd get justice making Naki wonder what he trapped him into.

Naki begrudgingly followed since Sega went back to not answering him. He noted everything around him and realized as they came closer to a tree that actually had apples...the trees were massive, the apples were also pretty big, one could take over his hand. Naki eyed the one they passed with great confusion. Even if three of himself stood on top of each other, he could not pick these apples. He narrowed his eyes at the back of the white head, if he stared hard enough, maybe he could see the crazy seep out.

"Sega what the heck. Unless you have a ladder in that backpack, how in the name of the Gods are we going to pick any of these."

Sega chuckled, wondering if Naki finally realized they wouldn't be doing anything in a conventional way. "No ladder Naki, sorry."

Naki huffed, impatience settling in. He jogged next to Sega, eyes irritated. "Will you just tell me already! Shouldn't we be doing something useful right now? Doesn't your father want to like...take over the world or something, is it okay to leave Aiden alone?"

Blue eyes looked down at the bundle of sass. "Aiden is fine, my mother has made sure to take up my father's every moment when she can. My father also cannot make any moves against Aiden without securing a bigger army. He also needs things from me, so his hand is slow moving." Sega looked around for an ideal tree. "Do not worry about it right now, you are with me. You are safe."