What happens in the Departed Realm, Stays in the Departed Realm

Two Owners, One Mansion, and Zero Explanations

"So... where exactly are we going?" Kai asked

"To one of our bases. You'll meet the others there." James explained

Cole tilted his head. "Base? What kind of 'base' are we talking about here?"

James laughed. "The kind that doubles as a mansion."

Kai blinked a few times as he struggled to process the new information. "Wait, hold on. A mansion?"

Kiara nodded. "It's a mansion, yes, but it doubles as our main headquarters. A friend owns it."

Cole narrowed his eyes and pointed to Madeline. "A friend? Is it you?" 

Madeline shook her head. "Nope. It's not my mansion. But I'm sure you would think that based on what I told you."

"Then who does?" Cole asked

Madeline glanced at them briefly. "It's co-owned. One of them is a friend of ours. The other... well, they're a friend of that  friend."

Kai glanced at them suspiciously. Not that he wasn't beginning to trust them, the idea sounds incredibly fishy. "And they just let you use it?"

James grinned and patted Kai on the back." Don't worry! It's a safe place. Somewhere secure where we can figure things out."

Kiara smiled softly at them. "We wouldn't be making progress to improve the Departed Realm if our friend didn't find us."

Madeline exclaimed with joy. "Yes! He found Kiara, who found James, and James and our other friend found me! We all found each other. And we help others. Like we helped each other." 

Cole smiled. "I get what you mean. Sometimes your closest friends can be more than friends. They can be family."

Kiara glanced at Cole. "I wouldn't say all of us have a familial relationship. I'm not saying we are intimate with each other either. Some of us are closer than others, but I would not automatically label us as familial."

James chuckled. "Yeah, we don't put labels on it. If we default to saying our entire group is familial, it would become quite weird if at least two of us start pursuing each other. You only put labels if GOA and the ROA are absolutely sure that's what you relationship is and you don't see it changing. Like our ages."
"ROA? GOA?" Cole asked

"Recipient of Affection. Giver of Affection. A perfectly respectable system," Madeline stated, as if it were obvious.

Cole blinked. "So... that's a thing here? You categorize people like that?"

Kiara gave a tiny shrug. "Not officially. It just sort of became a system among us."

James added with a smirk, "It's a lot more efficient than the whole 'will-they-won't-they' mess. Keeps people from getting blindsided."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "That sounds... surprisingly organized for people who claim time doesn't work here."

Kiara chuckled. "We may be dead, but we're not chaotic."

James tilted his head. "Well... not all of us."

Madeline gave him a look. "Speak for yourself, James."

He grinned. "Always do."

They reached the edge of a moss-covered path, where the trees thinned and an old cobblestone road stretched out before them. It didn't lead to anything in sight, but the energy in the air shifted. Calmer. Focused.

Kai noticed it too. "So how far is this base of yours?"

"Not far," Kiara said. "The distance shrinks  if you walk with intent."