An Egg

Ozul sighs and glances back over at the nest of bedding, he can’t hide this from Kozmotis forever, he doesn’t want to hide this from Kozmotis forever, he just doesn’t know when is going to be the best time to tell him. He can only fake being ill for so long and it’s not like he’s not happy about this, just unsure as to how Kozmotis will react to the news.
Kaylus is in there life now, a child that they never intended to have but now they have her. Ozul won’t point it out to him, but he knows how fond Kozmotis is of the child even if he pretends not to be. Slowly he pads across the room, and places his hand in the bedding nest, gently stroking the shell of the egg; but this is different. A bigger change to their life and they’ve barely just fallen into the routine they now have.

Ozul knew things would change as Kaylus moved in, Kozmotis may have claimed that it wasn’t going to parent the child, but the speed in which they go the spare room cleared out and decorated says something. As much as he’d grump, Kozmotis forgets that Ozul has known him for too long, and knows that these grumps are nothing but for show and it’s not the usual distaste he had.
Kaylus also added another change into their life, and that is the fact she was a new force so had a leg up in reading their behaviours in some way and that left Ozul bare. He’s not sure what happened that evening when the two of them were out together. What he does know is that Kozmotis was acting different.

Kaylus heads up to bed, claiming she’d had too many sweets so wasn’t ready to eat just yet, she’d come back down to get some later or she’ll just end up falling asleep and eat the leftovers in the morning. This strikes Ozul as odd, she normally eats like a munchlax, and its good luck trying to stop her from gorging herself.
“Lay easy on her Ozul, we’ve had a long afternoon.” Kozmotis walks into the kitchen area. Ozul glances over at him ready to explain his concern but pauses, running his eyes over Kozmotis, there’s something different about him and he can’t tell what. Not his looks, no he looks the same. It seems to be some way that he’s holding itself, as if it’s been told some big secret and he’s struggling to keep it to himself.
“What’s up with you?” Ozul asks, gently shoving the side of his friend, ensuring that he knows that it’s just teasing and not actually that upset or badly concerned about him. Kozmotis just grins, again that same knowing look on his face as he slides into his place on the kitchen table. Ozul narrows his eyes, not liking the lack of answer, that ‘mon is hiding something and he’s not sure if he likes what this could be.
However, he shakes his and finishes serving their dinner, making sure that there’s more then enough left behind for Kaylus should she get hungry this evening as well as their normal leftovers. He tries to ignore his friend’s odd behaviour, if he keeps focusing on it he’s going to get himself into a fizz over what it could be about and that’s not a good idea.
“This looks delicious.” Is the first thing Kozmotis says in reply to his question, those it’s clearly not actually in reply to it and it twists Ozul’s gut, but what he says does get a warm chuckle out of him.
“Well, it does just so happen to be your favourite dish, but…” Ozul reaches out and pulls Kozmotis’ plate closer to him, across the table away from the intended diner and he glares, “You are not getting any, until you tell me why you’re acting so oddly all of a sudden.” He threatens. Hand in front of the plate and staring him down, Kozmotis has no other option but to catch his eye and he rather hesitantly does, though Ozul can tell there’s something going on in his head, and he wants the answers. The reluctance to meet his gaze all but seals that deal even before he actually caught his eye. 

However, it seems Kozmotis isn’t willing to budge on this, he just narrows his eyes and leans back in the chair, crossing his arms like a petulant child.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you Ozul,” He says eventually, “Just let me eat. I’m getting really hungry.”
Ozul isn’t going down that easily though, he wants the answer to why his friend is acting like this and he’s not just going to ignore it. His mind is already wondering with bad possibilities, especially because he was out with Kaylus for ages, maybe something happened between the two of them and that’s why she’s gone straight up to bed and didn’t want to eat with them. His mind’s now whirring and thinking off all the worse things that could be making Kozmotis act like this and this begins to become visible on his face. 

Kozmotis stares back, panicking at the looks crossing Ozul’s face, he’s not so sure what’s wrong with him, why he’s acting like this. But then he pauses, remembering what the child broke to him today. He’s not sure how he didn’t see it, the feelings Ozul coverts for him, maybe he was just being naïve, or didn’t want to admit to what he was seeing in there.
That Ozul has feelings for him. That he has for a long time and they are far less then platonic.
How Kaylus worked it out, that small girl, he doesn’t know. Maybe because she is knew, she managed to pick up how much of his own personality is an act, something he didn’t even think that even Ozul could have worked out. Though, maybe now he’s thinking he’s been pretty blind to the man who is supposed to be his best friends thoughts and feelings. Now however, now he has no idea as to why he’s acting like this and holding his food hostage.
“Ozul please.” He asks again and Ozul shakes his head before getting back out of his seat, grabbing Kozmotis’ plate as he goes.
“No, if you don’t want to tell me what’s gotten into you, you can make your own food.” He snaps, his anger seeping out more then he intended. He hates these secrets, how their life was so stable but now it’s been turned upside down because Kozmotis couldn’t say no to a child. Sure, he’s wanted Kozmotis to know how he feels and he always has but he also never wanted to upset the delicate balance that they had, it means so much to him. 

This however, is the final straw for Kozmotis as well as he slams his chair backwards and gets to his feet. Glaring at Ozul. Maybe everything Kaylus said was wrong, maybe she had read him wrong, she doesn’t know him, she doesn’t know them, she’s just a child. And then everything falls out of Kozmotis,
“I don’t know why I ever thought I should believe her!” It snaps, “You see me as nothing more then another annoying child you have to look after, why did I ever believe Kaylus that you could love me!” He turns to leave as Ozul process his words.
Ozul gets them just before Kozmotis can leave the kitchen, he lurches and grabs his arm, both of their arm blades hit with a clang, which snaps them both to attention not expecting the noise of the metal.
“What?” Is all Ozul manages to spit out.
Kozmotis glares and tries to shake the alpha’s grip off but he’s holding on too tight and won’t let go. Ozul shakes his head again,
“Wait, so Kaylus worked it out, was I that unsubtle.” His mind whirs, yeah no Kozmotis acting odd because he found out about Ozul’s feelings wasn’t on the cards for this and he hesitates.
Kozmotis just narrows his eyes back in a glare, but refuses to say anything and Ozul hesitantly lets go.
“Does, does this change everything? I’ve, I’ve loved you for so long Kozmotis but I don’t want to ruin what we have.” It’s just all pouring out now, “I can leave, you don’t have to keep me around knowing this.” He pulls back, towards where that forgotten dinner is, both plates back on the table. Ozul just wants to hide, he’s ruined everything they had, he really can’t blame the child, all she did was finally see what he’d put down.

Kozmotis turns to look back at Ozul, who shifts under his gaze, he has no idea where this is going and despite the fact he has the height advantage, he knows if this comes to any form of fight then Kozmotis is winning.
“You do have feelings?” The tone is too soft and quiet, Ozul only just hears it. He slowly nods.
“Yeah, not, not right away when we first moved in together. I’ll be honest I thought you were awful then and hated everyone especially me, but then I grew fond of that and I learnt what you’re actually like.” Ozul explains, fidgeting.
Kozmotis steps forwards, back further into the kitchen and closer to Ozul, though he’s leaving enough space that he’s not getting into his face, that there’s enough distance that neither of them feel uncomfortable. A heavy thoughtful sigh escapes Kozmotis and he loosens his shoulders that were tenser than he expected,
“Well, you never told me you thought I was awful.” He tries to loosen the tension. “But why did you hide your feelings Ozul?” It holds his hands out, trying not to just grab him but showing that he wants to take his hands. Ozul hesitates before he does likewise and gently grabs Kozmotis’ hands, he blinks a few times.
“I didn’t think you’d take it well. You never seemed to need anyone, that you wouldn’t like me like that.”
Kozmotis chuckles, it’s warm and fond, one that Kozmotis normally reserves just for Ozul. They remain like that for a while before he gently pulls one of his hands out of Ozul’s and raises it towards his face, hesitating before touching him.
“Well, I’ll apologise for you thinking of me like that.” He steps closer, careful to not hit their midsection blades, Ozul smiles, oh he loves an apology from him. “Can I kiss you?” it’s soft and light, words just between the two of them.
It takes Ozul aback, he was not expecting that question, honestly, he wasn’t expecting any of this to happen like this, and he sort of wants to scream or beg if this is real. His tongue feels heavy though, and he’s not sure what he’s going to say or how, so instead he carefully leans forward, closing the rest of the gap between there faces. Giving Kozmotis more then enough time in this to suddenly change his choice but he doesn’t and the gaps closed and oh, Ozul is finally kissing Kozmotis.
He's thought about this a lot, more so than he’s fantasised about the apologises Kozmotis gives him, it seems strange and childlike even though they’re both more far from that time. It’s gentle and doesn’t last long. Though as Ozul stares at Kozmotis afterwards he can practically see hearts in his friends eyes… should he still be calling him his friend or is this officially making it something else, but his tongue still doesn’t seem to be working properly and neither is his brain, he just smiles rather giddily into his eyes.

They’re not sure how long the two of them stand there, Kozmotis and Ozul staring into each other’s eyes and it’s hand is still on his face, a gentle stroking motion has began and Ozul is trying not to preen into it. He does like how it’s having to look up at him, though their difference just seems perfect and like it was designed for them, yeah Ozul is feeling like a giddy teenager right now.
Kozmotis chuckles and presses another kissing into Ozul who smiles back into it. 

Eventually the two part as Kozmotis’ stomach growls and Ozul remembers the abandoned dinner. Letting go, he heads over to the food, they can’t have been together for too long it’s still warm,
“Do you want me to reheat it?” He asks nervously, normally he wouldn’t care, Kozmotis could have it however, but considering how the rest of this evening has gone he’s in no place to be angry at the other man right now.
“It’s fine as is. Sorry that I wasn’t just more open with what Kaylus has said, I didn’t want to come off as a gool but clearly, I did anyway.” The second apology of the evening earns another soft smile for Ozul, keeping the information to himself, yeah, this one is defiantly going into his apology log. Though what’s making his heart flutter is the new kisses log he’s forming, considering how few platonic signs of affection he gets, he’s doubting that taking their relationship forward it’s going to be the same thing.

Kaylus realised that things had changed between the two of them when she came back down the next morning and she looked so pleased with herself. As if she set this all up from their emotions down to it finally coming out, and well yes, Ozul will giver her the fact that she did do part of the final push. Though, she had clearly forgotten how headstrong both of them are as well as how useless they are at actually putting those feelings out there, but they did get to it in the end.
Not much seemingly changes between them though, there’s a few more soft touches that weren’t there before, but little in front of Kaylus. She knows, they know she knows but something just feels even stronger if they do it in front of someone else so they try not to. 

This is how it happens over the next few weeks; they get a bit better about spending time together. Rather than sitting on opposite ends of the sofa at the end of the year, the two sit next to each other, Kozmotis even drapes himself up across Ozul, head resting on his chest, both are already used to poking themselves with their blades so neither really mind the light pressure the other adds with their own when they do this.
The rooms are a different thing however, sometimes they share one of their rooms and other nights they return to their own bedrooms, it’s not something that they’re planning on changing anytime soon, they don’t need a new spare room that was lost due to Kaylus. 

This leads to now however, with Ozul pacing backwards and forwards staring down at the egg. They’ll need a spare room, they can’t just assume or make Kaylus share her room, she deserves her own room and it’s not like Ozul and Kozmotis can’t share a bedroom.
Until the egg, Ozul had been mostly just staying in Kozmotis’ room until now he’s hiding it, he’s not sure really, maybe it’s simply because he’s still very used to hiding his feelings from the other man. Now he doesn’t know what to do now, and he knows Kozmotis is getting suspicious about why he has suddenly become so secluded but he has no clue what to do.
He and Kaylus have gone off to this Summerween event the Capital are holding and he’s heard Kozmotis discuss that he’s working with someone knew and they should be joining them soon and he’s just so worried. Everything just seems to have changed these last few months and Ozul isn’t quite sure how he’s meant to react to all of it, he’s not used to change never has and apparently, he never will and wow yeah this egg means a big change. It’s not that he doubts Kozmotis will be a good dad, he will and Kaylus has helped prove that, he dotes on the child and knows he’d dote on their own even more, if that’s even possible if he thinks what he’s willing to do for the child they already have. He sighs and sits down in the nest, pushing the built up sides down so he can be buy the egg, and he reaches back resting a hand on top of it. He gently pats it,
“We’ll work this out.” He states softly to it, though it’s more to reassure himself but he’s heard talking to eggs is good for them. Ozul refuses to look down at his shaking other hand, things have to go well right? Kozmotis will be happy that they’re going to have their own child, that Kaylus will have someone else to interact with that isn’t a grown up.
He knows they didn’t plan this, Kozmotis is a meticulous planner and Ozul worries that this will throw him for a loop. As calm and relaxed as Kozmotis may always seem, only Ozul truly knows the secret that this is his meticulous planning and how the minute that’s even slightly off Kozmotis is pacing and his leaves are dropping.
Ozul can feel his own pulse quicken so he tries to shut off his train of thought and just breath, panicking won’t help.
“This will all end well won’t it little one, I’m just getting myself wound up because I wasn’t prepared, we weren’t prepared,” He pauses to take another deep breath in and out, “But don’t you worry I know we will all love you no matter what, I just need to spit it out and tell it, once that’s done it will be so much easier.”
The egg rocks slightly, almost in agreement and Ozul hopes Kozmotis comes back home soon before he looses his sense of confidence.