Month: June 2022

Author’s Note: This was one of the last scenes I wrote for the novel as I wanted to get it right: Dari (Diwa’s mom) chooses not to have a highly visible role at the estate like her husband, instead working behind the scenes. Her role in the family is just as important, however, as she provides emotional stability. This is also a scene with a lot of Taglish, inspired by the conversations I’d hear from my Filipina coworkers over the years; they’d slip effortlessly between English and Tagalog, often midsentence, especially when the subject was personal or emotional. Most of the time it was talk about family stuff, and I wanted to ensure that came across in this scene, that the language wasn’t there for no reason. Diwa and Maricel’s (and Aldrine’s) habit of slipping into Taglish during emotional moments comes from their mother. Again, thanks to Armie Tabios and Mike Batista for translation help!

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Something was going on between Samuel and Graymar, and Diwa couldn’t quite place what it was. His father had been in a particularly sour mood before the two headed out on their Panooria run, barely talking to his family and hiding in the back office for the entire evening on multiple days. Diwa had stopped in briefly just to check on him, and though Samuel had put on a brave face, he could tell he was hiding something. And come the morning of their trip, he’d overheard them arguing over something ridiculous and petty. Samuel and Graymar frequently and playfully bickered like old friends over the years, but this felt different. They talked quietly enough to avoid being overheard, but Diwa had heard enough to notice the tension.

His mother Dari had noticed as well, and she was clearly bothered by it. She said nothing to him or to anyone else however and distracted herself with her various ongoing projects at the community center. That had always been her outlet; she never raised her voice to anyone, she would just immerse herself in errands and baking sessions to calm herself down instead. This particular morning, Diwa had come with her; his shift at the front desk wasn’t about to start for another hour, but he was determined to make sense of all this.

He caught up with her in the large kitchen. She’d started working a large mound of dough she’d left to prove, pulling and rolling it out, kicking up clouds of dry flour. She grabbed a board scraper and chopped the elongated roll in half, and then into thirds. She said nothing, but Diwa could sense her irritation.

Diwa pulled up his sleeves and joined in the breadmaking. He hadn’t worked with her in the kitchens for quite some time, having focused mostly on estate work. In fact, he hadn’t spent all that much time with her lately, and that bothered him as well.

“Ina,” he said. “Can we talk?”

“Hmm,” she said quickly, still shaping the dough. “As long as we work at the same time. I want to get these loaves finished before the committee dinner tonight. With everything going on lately, I’d forgotten to make them the other day.”

“Certainly,” he said. He took three of the dough segments and started working them out into longer rolls. “I’m…well, I guess I’m just worried about ama.”

“Nag-aalala din ako, Diwa,” she sighed. “But he’ll get through this. He always does.”

Diwa hummed. “He’s been like this for a while now, ina. He’ll be in a fine mood for days, then something sets him off. I don’t know what it is, and he certainly won’t tell me.”

Dari slowed her movements and let out a slow breath, pushing a few stray hairs from her forehead with the back of her arm. “Ah, Diwa…nakakapagod na ito. Maaring maging malakas si Sam, pero…he keeps forgetting to let himself be weak. It comes back to him every time. The most we can do is wait for it to settle again.”

“It’s not anything to do with Graymar, is it?”

“No, no…” she said, giving him a warm smile. She continued rolling out the ropes of dough and began braiding them.  “This is all him. He’s always been like this, ever since we met. I suppose that was part of what drew me to him…he might be satisfied with his life, but he’s always worried there might be more he’s missing. That restlessness keeps him moving. Just like I’m always moving here. I’m not running the estate like him. Hindi ko kailanman ninais ang kanyang trabaho. But I’m happy enough being part of the working community. Sam? He doesn’t rest. Patuloy lang siya sa kanyang ginagawa, yeah?”

Diwa slowed to a halt. This was his father she was talking about? “What changed?”

Dari laughed quietly. “Wala, anak. Nothing at all. He’s gone through this cycle before, and I’m sure he’ll go through it again. Here – finish that bread and I’ll hand you some more. We have six more loaves to make before tonight.”

Diwa nodded and continued braiding again. “I hate to say this, ina, but sometimes it feels like he didn’t want his job in the first place. Like he took it out of necessity or something.”

“That could be,” his mother said, pulling out another mound of proven dough for dividing up. “When we met all those years ago, he was living in the city, trying to find his future. Daniel had given him two years to work it all out. At the end of those two years, he would either come back to this estate and start his internship or stay in the city to start a new career.”

Diwa had heard some of this story before. “He knew Gray by this time, right?”

“Of course. They met when Graymar’s family moved in, but they didn’t grow this close until their final school years.”

“What made him choose the estate?”

Dari laughed and waved her hands in the air, bits of flour flying everywhere. “Graymar, of course! He was interested in taking Akkree’s position, but he couldn’t really do that without being a part of Sam’s plans.”

Diwa blinked. “I never knew that.”

“Ah, well…you need to ask your ama about all that. That’s his story. But I do know that Graymar had always been drawn to Sam, just as I was. Just as you and Kaffi are. Don’t tell me otherwise, I can see the link between you, just like I saw it between them. Don’t be embarrassed about it, anak…tanggapin mo ito ng buong puso mo at kayanin mo.”

Diwa laughed, masking his own mortification by grabbing the next ropes of dough to work and braid. “I’ll try, ina,” he said. “I’ll ask Pop when he comes back. So Graymar talked him into staying…”

“…and I decided to tag along. I wasn’t much of a city girl myself and I really enjoyed talking and working with Daniel and Akkree.”

“I can’t help but wonder if he keeps questioning that decision. Maybe not regretting it, but, I don’t know…maybe he wonders if it was the right decision.”

“I’m almost certain he does,” she said. “But I will say one thing – your decision to start the internship has definitely made him feel better about it. I have no idea what set him off this time out, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Just keep doing what you’re doing, working with him, and learning from him. I can tell he enjoys it, and it makes him happy.”

“I will,” he said, finishing up his second loaf and starting in on a third. “And let me know when you need help too, ina, okay?”

“Of course, anak!” she laughed, giving him a warm smile. “Mahal kita, Diwa, you’re always a big help to me.”

*

Glossary:
ina — (Tagalog) mother
ama — (Tagalog) father
“Nag-aalala din ako, Diwa…” — (Tagalog) “I’m worried too, Diwa…”
“Ah, Diwa…nakakapagod na ito. Maaring maging malakas si Sam, pero…” — (Tagalog) “Ah, Diwa…it’s so exhausting. Sam can be so strong, but…”
“Hindi ko kailanman ninais ang kanyang trabaho.” — (Tagalog) “I never wanted his job at all.”
“Patuloy lang siya sa kanyang ginagawa, yeah?” — (Tagalog) “He just keeps on moving, yeah?”
“Wala, anak.” — (Tagalog) “Nothing, son.”
“Tanggapin mo ito ng buong puso mo at kayanin mo.” — (Tagalog) “Embrace it as fully as you can.”
“Mahal kita, Diwa…” — (Tagalog) “I love you, Diwa…”

Author’s Note: Life happens and affects you whether or not you’re directly involved. This is Samuel and Graymar’s story just as much as it’s Diwa and Kaffi’s, and what happens in their fathers’ lives will affect them as well.

CHAPTER TEN

Graymar’s flying felt just a little stiff today, but Samuel wasn’t about to say anything, because he knew he would never hear the end of it. The last time he’d brought it up was three months ago during their trip to Panooria, when he first noticed Gray struggling. Granted, the winds had been heavier than expected that day, which was always a struggle and a danger for any tintrite. They’d gone as far as they possibly could, but weather and exhaustion had finally claimed them both, and landed a good five miles away from their planned stop for the night. After some petty arguing whether they should find a ride or walk the remaining distance, Samuel talked him into ordering a transport to bring them the rest of the way to their overnight lodgings. Samuel hadn’t wanted to exhaust himself considering the distance and uneven terrain, but Gray had grumbled the entire time. By the time they called it a night, Graymar was noticeably grunting and moaning whenever he adjusted his wings, especially his right one. Samuel had never seen him in such a state before and asked if anything was wrong, purely out of concern and worry, and had gotten snapped at in response. Surprised by the reaction, he did not bring it up again. The next two trips to Panooria had been in much nicer weather and he hadn’t had any problems then, so Samuel let it drop.

Today he could sense the strain in Graymar’s movements again, and it was more than a little concerning.

“I know what you’re thinking, and I advise you to stop,” Graymar growled as they continued their flight towards their stopover destination.

Samuel realized he’d been holding his stomach muscles taut for the last few minutes out of tension and concern, holding his legs a bit tight against Graymar’s saddle. He untensed immediately and exhaled. “Sorry.”

Graymar grumbled and flapped a little harder in frustration. They only had about a half hour’s distance left to go, and he wasn’t about to drop down early again. He wasn’t grunting or showing any visible pain, but Samuel could tell he was straining, if only just to prove a point. The damn fool was such an obstinate tintrite sometimes and Samuel was used to it…but this wasn’t normal.

“Calm down, Gray,” he said. “We’ll get there soon enough.”

“We’d get there faster if we weren’t loaded down with all this blessed co-op paperwork!” he snapped. “We should have taken the train up. I am thrilled that this is the last of it and we no longer have to overburden ourselves after this.”

Samuel hummed in response, deciding not to argue any further.

They landed outside the small river town a little later than they’d have liked, but there was nothing to be done for it. It was a short walk down the main road to their lodgings, and Samuel made it a point to divide up their delivery to lighten Graymar’s burden. Graymar, surprisingly, kept quiet the entire time. They finally entered their room at the inn and unloaded, and Samuel headed back downstairs to order room service. He’d decided that Graymar might want a bit of time to himself to stretch out his wings and freshen up while he was out. Or complain, whichever came first.

When he returned with dinner, Graymar was already lying on his wide pallet bed, each wing spread out nearly full span. The position surprised him, as he rarely ever saw his friend letting his guard down that much. “Everything okay?” he ventured, expecting to be snapped at again.

But Graymar merely let out a long, slow sigh. “A knot in one of my wing muscles,” he said, pointing at his right wing with his snout. “It’ll go away eventually.”

Samuel put down the tray of food and joined him on the pallet. “Here, let me help with that.”

Graymar hummed, more out of embarrassment than frustration, but didn’t push him away. He winced as he stretched out the one troublesome wing to full span and nodded at the problem point. “I have ointment in the carrier bag,” he said.

“On it,” he said, and found a small container filled with a gooey substance that smelled of mint. He recognized it as a tintrite muscle salve created by Joel-Kaiané, the resident nurse at the estate’s community center. He set about rubbing and massaging Graymar’s wing, working out the knots and the sore spots and adding the ointment around the joints and muscles. The leathery folds of skin of his wing still looked healthy and there were no sores or bruises, but it still concerned him that his friend was feeling pain. Flying was part of a tintrite’s lifeblood, and to have that taken away, even temporarily, must be agonizing. Graymar, proud and stubborn as he was, had not said a thing, suffering through it until it passed. When Samuel was done, he responded to with another hum, this time of relief.

“Thank you, Samuel,” Graymar said quietly.

“You’re welcome,” he said, washing his hands and putting away the ointment. “How long has it been hurting?”

“Er…maybe four months,” he said, pointing his snout down.

Samuel recoiled, splashing water everywhere. “Four…! Eiyah, you need to get that looked at, Gray!” he said. “For both of our safety, not just yours!”

He grumbled. “You sound like Shahney.”

Four months…! He dried his hands and threw the towel over the edge of the sink, trying not to explode at him. Why didn’t he say anything? “I’m serious!” he said as calmly as he could. “If Joel-Kaiané suggests you see a doctor, you need to do so. If we can both make it to Panooria tomorrow without you having issues, fine. But when we get back, you’re going to see a doctor.”

“We need someone to keep flying,” he countered, his voice more gravelly than normal.

“We’ll worry about that later,” Samuel said. “We can find help in the meantime. I won’t have you injuring yourself in flight, Gray.”

Another grumble. “Well. Maianni-naahsah, fiiri. It feels better now.”

“Good. Dinner’s on the kotatsu. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

*

Graymar woke up well before Samuel the next morning, and for the first time in years, he chose not to go out for a morning flight. It had nothing to do with the pinching in his right wing; in fact, the pain he’d been feeling the last few days had gone away for the time being. Samuel had massaged it well, and the ointment had numbed any lingering pain. It might be better not to push it this morning…a day off from practice wouldn’t be problematic. He’d just need to make sure to do his stretches, as Joel-Kaiané had suggested. As long as he kept it moving and didn’t overstress it, it should eventually heal on its own.

He pushed himself up onto his hinds and looked around the room. It was still semi-dark, and the sun hadn’t yet risen over the horizon. He’d always woken up around this time, but this time it felt strange not to be sneaking out of the room while Samuel still slept. He’d eventually head down to the bath house, but for now he just sat there, watching his bonded ride.

Samuel was stretched out on the wide couch on the other side of the room, shoulders hunched and burrowed under blankets. He listened to Samuel’s slow breathing and felt a small pang of jealousy. He could never dive that deep into slumber; his years of self-training had made him a light sleeper, catching the rest he needed but rarely slipping into full unconsciousness.

Samuel might have been worried about him, but he was just as worried about Samuel. He was secretly thankful that Kaffi and Diwa had come forth with their plan to start their internships. It meant that Samuel had something else to focus on, rather than worrying about his own mortality. He hadn’t said it outwardly, but Graymar knew a personal crisis when he saw one, even while ignoring his own. Every now and again Samuel would fret and worry about running the estate in his old age, even after Graymar had suggested that their boys would be in charge by then. He’d opine about too many things left undone, too many things left untried, too many things passed over. And then he’d hide in that back office of his, wishing he’d cleaned it years ago. At first Graymar had dismissed it as simple discontent or perhaps misplaced boredom, but the longer he saw Samuel fretting like this, the more he’d realized it might be something more.

They were growing old and running out of time.

Graymar quietly unfurled his wings and stretched them out to full span. He did it slowly, waiting for that pinch of nerve or the twist of muscle. He felt it again this time, same place just above the wrist, but it was a deadened pain. Just a slight twitch. He’d need to do more stretching later today, after their trip to Panooria. And most likely another massage and layer of ointment before they headed back home.

After they had both taken their turns at the bath house, they prepared themselves for breakfast and a bit of shop browsing. They had a bit of time to kill before they took flight again to reach Panooria for their afternoon appointment, and they both needed the distraction. It was a short walk from their inn to the shopping district on the main avenue. He even put his prized colored bands around his upper arms, something he rarely did anymore. Graymar rarely showed his pride, but every now and again it was worth it.

That had surprised and pleased Samuel enough that his own spirits were lifted. They’d bought those bands together on a whim in Panooria at least a decade or so ago, reasons long since forgotten. He’d worn them constantly for about six months until that bitter winter when neither of them could make this trip for weeks at a time…and after that, he only brought them out for special occasions at the estate. The only reason he had them now was that he’d found them while looking for something else entirely different for Kaffi’s training.

Now that he had them on, though, he wondered if there hadn’t been another reason he’d stopped wearing them. They felt good against his scales, and it was a reminder of who he was and what he stood for. And who he flew with.

Samuel’s mood had lifted considerably when he’d suggested that they look for saddle blankets for Kaffi. He’d need to start flight training soon, with or without Diwa, and he wanted to be prepared ahead of time. They stopped at a few textile booths, looking over the bolts of cloth. Samuel laughed and made numerous suggestions and took notes and business cards.

By the time they took to the air again and made it to their appointment at the Tenancy Bureau that afternoon, Samuel was in high spirits…the highest he’d seen in quite some time.

Graymar hummed contentedly, despite the lingering ghost of pain in his right wing. As long as Samuel was happy, he was happy as well.

Author’s Note: A lot of us knew what it was like to have those final talks with the student advisor. They were there to help you clarify your future plans and give you a bit of a roadmap to set you on your way. Some advisors were great, others not so much. Lydia Powers (partly named after my third grade teacher) is based on the kind of advisor I wish I’d had both in high school and college, who should have invested a bit more than just doing the minimum required by providing that personal connection that’s sometimes needed. In this case, Annie’s worries aren’t so much based on not getting the proper advisement though, it’s based on wanting to make a good impression, which is very much in character for her.

CHAPTER NINE

“Anna-Nassi! There you are. You’re a tough mandossi to track down.”

The human voice to her left startled her so much she yipped and skittered to a halt in the middle of the hallway, nearly spilling all her books to the floor. Another mandossi student right behind her chirped in surprise and almost plowed into her, turning to avoid her at the last moment with a flustered grunt.

“Eiyah,” she groaned, as she turned her head towards the office she’d been trying to avoid for the last month and a half.

“Annie, can you please come in so we can talk?”

Lydia Powers, the school’s student advisor, stood in the doorway with her arms crossed and a lopsided grin on her face. Ria Lydia had been trying to corner her for ages to discuss her Future Calling, and Anna-Nassi had made it a point to avoid this certain hallway as much as she could. She’d been lucky and seen the door closed when she had to sneak by. But today she’d completely forgotten to be as vigilant. She’d been too distracted by Diwa and Kaffi’s estate plans, and it had slipped her mind.

“A-ai,” Anna-Nassi muttered. “I, uh, need to get to class, ria.” She pointed blindly down the hallway. In all truth, this was her free period, and she was heading up to the roof for a little peace and quiet and perhaps the possibility of meeting up with Cole. It was a flimsy excuse and even she didn’t believe it.

“You’ll get there with time to spare,” Lydia said with a smile and waved her in, stepping aside. “Come on, let’s get this over with. I promise, I won’t bite.”

Anna-Nassi twitched her wings. She could make a run for it (ria Lydia might be short for a human but she had been known to keep a frighteningly close pace with several species), claim she had to meet with another teacher (who would march her right back to ria’s office), say she was heading to the nurse’s office (which was in the exact opposite direction) …and realized she’d been beaten. She’d finally been cornered. She nodded slowly, and followed her in.

“Really, Annie,” Lydia said, laughing kindly. “I’m harmless despite all the rumors, and yes, I have heard them all. But I need to do my job here. The more you run and hide, the more strategy I’ll need to find you. And I will eventually find you. I’ve been at this school too long, and I know all the good hiding spots. I use some of them myself.”

“Yes, ria,” she said, and sank down on one of the low benches next to her desk.

Lydia sat next to her, took out her notebook and started writing. “You know, Annie…every year I get the same bunch of students,” she said. “They’re afraid of me, though I do not understand why. I mean I do, to an extent. Many of you probably have no idea what you want to do for your future. You have enough on your plate right now, why should you stress about your future on top of all that? You’re led to believe that your Future Calling must be set in stone, which could not be further from the truth. For some students, they already know what they want, and they come to me with confidence. Others would rather keep their options open and provide me with the vaguest of answers. And that’s fine too! My job is not to wrestle a concrete answer out of you, or to assign you to something you’ll hate when you don’t give me an answer. What my job is…” She reached out and patted her on a lower arm. “…is to listen and hear what you have to say and provide you with the resources to help you reach whatever goals you might have. And you can say anything you like. No barriers, no right or wrong answers. Go with what’s truest in your heart and in your mind. That’s all.”

Anna-Nassi felt her face heat up. “There’s not much to share, to be honest,” she said.

“A vague idea is better than none,” she said, and started writing again. “I know you’ve been close friends with Diwa, Kaffi and Cole for years. I spoke with Kaffi last week, and he was rather excited about his plans with Diwa. They’ve recently committed to their apprenticeship at your estate. He also tells me that you and Cole have chosen to be a part of this plan.”

She felt a warm flutter in her heart, and a smile started to creep across her face that she couldn’t stop. “Eiyah, they’ve got their future planned a lot more than I do, you know? They’re the best friends a mandossi could ever have. I feel so proud of them, but it makes me feel…I don’t know. Inadequate. Incomplete.”

“How so?”

Her wings twitched again. “I guess I’m not sure what I want to do, neh? I mean, I sort of know, but I’m not sure if it’s right. For me. My entire family is connected to estates in one way or another. Both amma and padda are key members of the tenancy committee. My two ahmé are already top members at their own estates. I feel like I’m expected to follow suit.”

“It’s normal to feel that way,” Lydia said quietly. “You’d be surprised how many students tell me that, almost verbatim. When you end up following in your elders’ footsteps, it’s easy for people to assume it’s done out of expectation rather than inspiration. What you need to ask then, is this: what is it that you, Anna-Nassi sho Leima er Fieya, want to do with your life?”

“Believe me,” Anna-Nassi snorted. “I’ve been asking myself that for ages. When I finally have an answer that I’m happy with, I will let you know.”

Lydia grinned, laughing quietly. “I hear that a lot as well. You should never expect to feel bliss every time you think about your future, Annie…that’s impossible for anyone. You just need to feel confident that you can make it your own. Listen – I want you to think about it for now. Remember, you never need to give me any solid answers. Sometimes what you want is not a goal. Sometimes your goal is already there, and you just need to come to terms with it or figure out ways to approach it. I know you’re interested in estate work; you’ve told me as much in the past. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just…listen to what your heart sings to you, okay?”

Anna-Nassi sighed. “Okay.”

She patted her on the arm once more. “I’ll set you free for now, Annie. My door is always open for you and your friends.”

Anna-Nassi stood up and bowed slightly. “Thank you, ria Powers,” she said. “I think I really do need to do a bit of thinking.”

“Good. See you around.”

She left ria Lydia’s office and headed towards the roof patio. She wasn’t angry or mortified, but there was something there now that she couldn’t quite put a name to. A feeling of confusion, perhaps, but it felt more like an unexpected clarity. Like she knew the answer to ria’s question was right there in front of her…but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to accept it just yet.

*

Glossary:
ria – (mandossi) – feminine honorific (Ms, Miss, Mrs, etc)
amma – (mandossi) – mother
padda – (mandossi) – father
ahmé – (mandossi) (ah-mey) – sister(s)
Annie’s full name translates to “Anna-Nassi of Leima and Fieya” (no set order of gender, though in this case it’s mother and father, and only the mandossi side of the given name is used).

Author’s note: Another double chapter entry, as these too are also entwined. One takes place in a small garden allotment with few characters, the other takes place at a community farm with several people around. One focuses on peaceful movement, the other on busy movement. Yet they are both the same: understanding by observance and learning by taking part. This is the whole heart of the novel.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As far as first jobs at the estate were concerned, desk duty at the community center wasn’t bad at all. Diwa and Kaffi had traded notes on their way to the light rail station the morning after talking with their fathers; while he spent most of the day here, Kaffi would be helping Graymar complete the documentation runs for the co-op farm during the afternoons. This was the first weekend where they’d begin pulling full-day shifts, and as fate would have it, their paths would not cross for nearly the entire day. This meant the only time they’d be able to talk outside of school was during their vidchat sessions. It felt strange being out of contact with Kaffi for that long.

On the plus side, Diwa met and talked to a lot more of the tenants than he had in the past just by sitting here, available to everyone. They would all come through to the community center at some point during the day, stopping by to check their mailboxes, put in a maintenance request, use the shared library and internet access, or meet up with friends. He helped those who needed helping and talked with those who just wanted to talk. It might not have been all that exciting, but it was certainly a great way to get to know everyone better.

He didn’t personally know the aanoupii that had just entered the lobby, though he did recognize him as a new tenant Samuel and Graymar had interviewed a few weeks ago via vidchat, which Diwa had sat in on for the experience. He was from a small family; two brothers, a wife, and a youngling. They’d moved into the empty corner apartment in the sub-basement of Building D. The two brothers were cousins of Porro, the construction worker he’d always see coming home late in the afternoon. Porro had given them a positive reference and a spot on the waiting list, and they’d been cleared just last week.

Diwa glanced upwards at the towering aanoupii, with his large tusks and impressive horns and bulky frame. Diwa wasn’t short, but they had at least a foot or so on him. Despite his build, however, the aanoupii fretted and shuffled nervously, utterly unsure of himself and wanting to make the best first impression.

Diwa gave him a reassuring smile and nod. “Good afternoon,” he said. “Can I help you?”

“Uh, yes…hi?” the aanoupii responded with a scratchy voice that had an unexpectedly high pitch and a slight lisp. “You’re Diwa, yeah? I recognize you from our interview.”

He nodded again. Time to turn on the customer service…after all, this was why he was here, right? “Yes, I am Diwa. How can I help you today?”

“We…um. I…” He tapped the backs of his claws together. “My name is Tassh. We moved in a few weeks ago. To Building D. M-my brother and his wife and me. And their child. Samuel, um. He said he had a few forms that needed filling out. I just got off work, and thought I’d stop by to pick them up. If they’re available.”

“Oh! Certainly!” Diwa said with a quick nod, already picking up the phone. “I can definitely help you with that. Let me call my Pop, see if he has them available for you.”

Samuel answered after the fourth ring – he must have been distracted by the back room again – and paused for much too long before offering an embarrassed apology, admitting he didn’t have the forms easily on hand. They were somewhere in the back office and he’d need to look for them and he wasn’t sure how long it would take. Diwa forced back a groan and disconnected. Not a great way to make a first impression at all. What was he doing in there if he couldn’t be bothered to find important documents, let alone file them correctly?

“I’m so sorry, Tassh,” he said, rubbing at his temple. “Samuel was…he was in the middle of something and couldn’t get to them right away.”

Tassh nodded with grace. “That’s quite all right,” he said, and started towards the front doors. “I’ll be in all day if he’s able to speak to me then.”

Diwa huffed, shaking his head. He couldn’t let this situation end this way. He didn’t want Tassh to be waiting all day long, not knowing when or if Samuel would get back to him in a timely manner. What should he do? How could he fix this quickly?

He would get the paperwork himself, even if it meant upending that entire back room.

“Tassh, wait!” he blurted a little too loudly.

Tassh halted midstride, his eyes wide. “I’m…sorry?”

“I mean…” Diwa bit back an apology and stood up. “I’ll be taking a break in a half hour. I don’t want to keep you waiting all day long, so I’ll head up there myself and bring them over to your apartment. It’s D005, yes? Back corner near the orchard path?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.” Tassh stuttered, clearly surprised by Diwa’s memory. “That’s it exactly.”

Diwa put on his best smile again and nodded. “Great! I’ll have the paperwork over to you as soon as I can. Sounds good?”

Tassh beamed, showing not only his tusks but his frighteningly large incisors. “Marra apanna, my friend,” he said in thanks, and left the lobby, humming with pleasure.

*

“Pop?”

“Hmm.” A distracted hum from the area near Samuel’s desk.

Diwa moved towards him, trying to keep his annoyance in check. “Do you have that paperwork I asked for? It’s for the aanoupii family in D005. You told them you need to have them finish it up.”

Samuel’s head popped up from behind a filing cabinet. What was he doing back there…? He was clearly distracted, and heavily so. Was he hiding? He blinked in confusion, slowly scanning the office, until his mind finally made a connection. “Yes! Yes…the aanoupii family, you said? I just had it the other day. Let’s see…” He clambered out from his hiding spot. “The others still need to sign the rest of the rental agreement,” he said, and began to search the multiple piles of folders laid out on one of the long tables. Some files he casually glanced at or touched with his fingertips, others he flipped quickly through. Diwa was surprised that he could recognize specific items by folder alone…perhaps lolo Daniel’s personal filing system, erratic as it was, made sense in its own strange way after all? “The main pages are done, this is the…oh, where is it?”

Diwa raised an impatient eyebrow at him and tentatively leaned closer to the desk. “Can I help you find it?”

“No, no…” his father said a little too quickly. “I just had it the other day, just give me a moment to – Ah! That’s right, it’s over here.” He deftly yanked a folder from near the bottom of a perilous-looking tower of paperwork, which wobbled ever so slightly in response. Both he and Diwa backed away in case it started to go. “Here you go,” he said, pushing the folder into his hands. “We need signatures for all three adults. So far, we only have Moffer’s. The other two were still in transit when it was originally signed.”

“Moffer’s the older brother, right? The plumber?”

“Yes.”

“I thought so. That was Tassh that stopped by. So – just Tassh and Kantah then.”

“Can you get it back to me by tonight? I need to send a scan of it to the Tenancy Association and I’d like to get it done as soon as I can.”

Diwa nodded. “Sure thing. Anything else you need while I’m out?”

Samuel glanced around the office as if it held an answer for him. “No, anak, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Diwa turned to leave, nearly knocking over another tower of nearby folders, and stopped short. He held back a frustrated sigh…why was his father so distracted by this room? Was he actually doing anything in here, or was he just using it as a hideout from his family and the rest of the world?

He wondered if he should ask again if he needed help clearing this mess, but he held back. Now wasn’t the time.

*

Diwa strolled along the outside walkway towards the central stairwell of his building, taking in the expanse of the estate. Their space had a perfect and mostly unimpeded view of the five other towers across the way, the rows of bungalows lining each side, and the community center near the main driveway. He never tired of the view, even when he felt that slight pang in his stomach every time he lingered near the railing for too long.

Their complex resembled an opened hand from this vantage point. His building was a wide curved tower, its concave side facing the main green. The other towers across the way were taller and thinner and facing perpendicular to his, like fingers pointing upwards, and the short bungalows bracketed each side like a hand’s edges. The main drive circled the main green, with an exit curving past the community center and out onto the main thoroughfare to his left like a thumb. The gentle curve of his own building resembled the base of the palm, thus the origin of its name.

Samuel said it had been built that way on purpose, to evoke a ‘giving hand’ to anyone who wished to live there. It was a micro-community, with all kinds of humans, aliens and numerous other beings living alongside one another in relative peace and harmony. Anyone was welcome here. That had been one of the most important stipulations in the original deed written up by his distant elders, some five or six generations ago, and handed down to each successive proprietor.

He understood this kind of living environment was a lot more complex than it seemed. It wasn’t enough to just hold out that giving hand; it was also about using that hand to keep the complex alive and thriving. This meant caring for the property itself, but it also meant caring for – and listening and connecting with – every tenant that lived there. This was to be his future, and he had no doubts about following through with it. He understood that learning Samuel’s job was not going to be easy, yet he still believed he could do it. With Kaffi, with Anna-Nassi and Cole, and everyone else, he could do it.

He walked across the wide central green, humming to himself. It was late morning and many of the retired elders would be heading out for their daily errands. He recognized a few of the tenants here and there as he crossed. The chatty elderly mandossi couple from Building B were sitting at a picnic table with one of their cousins who lived in one of the bungalows, and they were deeply involved with the latest gossip. Satoshi and Sakura, the human newlywed couple that recently moved into a unit on one of the lower floors of Palm, were heading out on foot to do some shopping on the main street, and the seemed a bit more sure of their surroundings now. A daycare group was gathered in the sprawling playground in the shadow of Building C. The youngest of the kids were hooting and screaming and having the time of their young lives. Maricel was over at the far edge of the playground, playing a game of catch with one of her hedraac school friends. The chaperones and parents were off to one side, chatting and occasionally reprimanding a youngling. His mother stood outside the community center with the mandossi Elise-Nooviya, having quite an animated conversation about an upcoming tenant meeting. All their voices echoed between the buildings; the layout had been such that there would never be complete silence.

Graymar was once again up on the roof of Building C, observing it all. He and Kaffi would soon be departing for the co-op farm to deliver the last batch of paperwork that needed completing. Diwa waved at the tintrite, not expecting him to respond, but Graymar nodded and waved back, his wings fluttering slightly. Diwa smiled and went on his way.

He met up with the furtive aanoupii at his apartment moments later. Tassh grinned and let him in. “I apologize, I should have been more formal,” he said, and held out a rough palm. “Tasshigatri, Moffer’s younger brother. Welcome to our home.”

Diwa bowed slightly in response and placed his tiny palm in Tassh’s enormous one. A slight lift and dip; it was the local handshake for those who could not quite manage the human version. “Glad to meet you, Tassh,” he said, and pulled out the paperwork from his satchel. “Thank you for waiting. I should apologize myself; our office is currently…” he paused, trying to find the right words that wouldn’t embarrass him or his father. “It’s getting an overdue sprucing up,” he finished.

Tassh hummed, his lower tusks rising and falling in appreciation. “That’s fine. Your father is a good man, Diwa. I’d like to thank him again for letting us live here on the estate. There was a worry that we might not have been accepted. As tenants, we mean.” Tassh blushed, dark blue splotches appearing on his grayish cheeks, after realizing that his words could have been taken entirely the wrong way. “We heard there are many wishing to live here, that is.”

Diwa completely understood. Getting a unit here was a lesson in patience, but the only reason for it was that the average tenancy was measured not in years but in decades, and the turnover was slow in response. The estate was considered a long-term home for many. “He says he’s glad to have you here,” he said, and handed Tassh the folder. “Here you go. He needs Kantah and yourself to complete the paperwork, just to finalize it. Would you be able to return it to us by the end of the day? Samuel needs to prep it and get it off to the Tenancy Board in Panooria soon. You can leave it at the front desk at the community center, and he’ll pick it up tonight.”

Tassh nodded again, and Diwa was once again taken in by the aanoupii’s large horns budding off his temples, mottled black and white like granite, much larger than the usual aanoupii horns he was used to. Tassh noted his curiosity and gave them a hard, loud knock. “Pride of our clan, these!” he said, flashing his equally large tusks and teeth. “Strongest in the area. Moffer’s are even bigger. Our entire family works in construction and renovation, so these things come in handy.”

Diwa laughed at his obvious pride. “Good to know! I heard that Building C might be slated for updating work next year. If you or your brother want to put in a bid as a construction associate, just let Samuel know; he could look into the legalese and logistics. Oh – and I’ve heard you’re into gardening, yes? We’ve got plot openings on the central garden out front, as well as near the south end of the orchard. Come and let us know if you’re interested and we can have one set up for you.”

Tassh leaned back and barked out a laugh, all signs of his previous timidity gone. “Of course I shall!” He tapped Diwa’s hand once more. “Tell your father we wish him well, and we will get the documents back to him later tonight.”

“I will,” Diwa said, and saw himself out. He found himself grinning despite the mundanity of the entire conversation. He was going to enjoy talking with that aanoupii.

On the way back to his apartment, he caught a glimpse of Kaffi and Graymar heading out for the co-op farm. The idea of Kaffi flying deliveries fascinated him; he’d seen his friend fly for years, but never burdened with delivery satchels, or even a ride for that matter. He realized he missed the tintrite, even though it had only been less than a day. He was so used to being with him that his absence touched him more than he’d expected.

He stopped in the center of the green once more on his way back. It was slightly quieter; the chaperones having taken the daycare children back to the community center for a late morning snack. He could hear the chattering of the elder mandossi this time, talking in their own language. He also saw Anna-Nassi and Cole off in the distance, having a quiet conversation near the path to the gardens. Some tenants had left the green, while others continued to pass through or stopped for a brief time.

He exhaled, looking up at Palm. His apartment was at the center of that curve, halfway up, near the central stairway. And Samuel was there on the balcony, leaning against the railing, looking back down at him. He waved at his father, and his father waved back.

*

CHAPTER EIGHT

The flight to the co-op farm was a bit further than Kaffi had expected, but he had no complaints about the distance. The longer he stayed up in the air, the happier he was. The flight itself was relatively easy and enjoyable, heading southwest for a dozen or so miles over a succession of flat valleys, light forests and farmland. Having an extra twenty pounds worth of paperwork and other documentation secured to his underside, on the other hand, felt incredibly awkward. The satchels were tight against his belly and shifted his center of balance, causing his back end to lift slightly to make up for it. He’d been assured he’d get used to it eventually, but right now it made flight rather uncomfortable.

Graymar flew beside him to his right, his own satchels bound to him and his body stretched out and even with the flow of air. He made it look so easy and effortless! No strain at all. He glided on the wind, pumping his wings only when needed. It made Kaffi realize he still had a long way to go when it came to flying…but he was happy to be learning from the best.

“How much further?” he asked.

“Mile or so,” Graymar said, gesturing into the distance with his snout. “Those orchards on the incline just ahead of us. The office is at the head of the fields just below them.”

Kaffi hummed in response. He’d been paying attention to Graymar’s chosen route, picking up the scents and sounds and visual points of reference, as well as the way the wind felt as they flew. They were flying against the air flow so they would tire easily on the way to the farm, but it would be a quicker and smoother ride on the way back.

Graymar often talked about how flying to Panooria was a two-day event, but the flight back was an almost effortless single day trip because of the wind currents. Panooria was a good seventy miles north of the city and on the other side of a range of high hills. He’d been there a long time ago via transport, but it had changed significantly over the years, becoming an extremely important political and economic hub. He’d heard so many wonderful and fascinating things about it that it was a trip he looked forward to when he got older. Perhaps with Diwa.

But for now, heading out to the co-op farm was good practice.

They began their slow descent, gliding over roads and fields, until Graymar directed him towards the large landing pad just outside the co-op offices. “With the extra weight, it’s going to be a harder landing than you’re used to,” he said. “Use your wings to slow up, then drop down. Try to drop as erect as possible, use your heels and knees to cushion the touchdown. Expect a faster pulldown.”

He knew this instinctively, but he took his father’s guidance to heart when it came to flight. Thing was, he’d never flown with this much weight strapped to him, and he was afraid he’d do it wrong and damage the satchels or hurt himself in the process. There’s always a first time, he reminded himself. I can do this. But as he approached the landing pad, instinct and habit kicked in, already maneuvering into his swoop-and-drop landing. He tried to stop himself, but it was too late, flapping his wings more furiously than he’d meant to, and misjudged the height. He was at least six feet higher than he’d planned. He growled in frustration and let his wings slow up, letting gravity take over. Landing hard, the angle of his body and the weight of the satchel suddenly pulled him forward, and both his arms shot out to keep from crashing down face first.

Graymar dropped down quietly and gracefully beside him a moment later with a two-step landing just as he picked himself up and brushed himself off. Eiyah, what must his paddir think of him right now?

“That could have gone better,” Kaffi grumbled.

Graymar hummed lightly and flashed his fangs at him. “I’ve done much worse in my time, Kaffi,” he said. “As long as you are fine, and the package is undamaged.”

“I’m fine,” he said, and patted the satchels. “No damage. Just my pride.”

Graymar nodded and led the way towards the main offices of the co-op farm, a low boxy building with numerous doors and truck bays, and quite a lot more workers and visitors than Kaffi had expected. The main doors opened to a wide lobby with several low benches, tables, and vending machines. Warehouse employees were everywhere, heading from one department to another or heading out to the fields or taking a break in the cafeteria. It was much noisier than he’d expected; there were so many conversations going on that he could barely parse any of them.

His paddir led him away from the lobby and entered a long hallway. Away from most other people, he could now pick up the scents of all the produce grown here, and it made his stomach growl. He hadn’t had that much to eat before they flew – he’d been too nervous – and now he was starving. His stomach gurgled once more, and he cleared his throat to mask it. His father looked at him over his shoulder, grinning. “This place does the same to me,” he said. “We can eat after we’re done here. The office we need is just down the hall.”

Kaffi nodded but said nothing.

Graymar tipped his head, showing a soft and unexpected grin. “You’re doing well, Kaffi,” he said softly, patting him on the arm. “Don’t be nervous.”

Kaffi felt the bridge of his snout heating up. “Y-yes, paddir,” he said.

He followed him into a large office and motioned for him to take a seat at one of the low benches lining the wall while he talked with the person at the front desk. The satchel was still secured to his underside, making sitting down even more awkward, but he didn’t want to take them off just yet. He wanted to follow protocol, even if he hadn’t been told what it was. His father was still wearing his and hadn’t motioned for him to do anything else with them. Better to follow his lead than make himself look foolish.

But gods, it felt good to rest! He let his wings ruffle just a tiny bit as he stretched his back. Long distance flight was always hard work, but it was enjoyable work, he’d already decided. He’d just need to get used to the additional weight.

Which made him think about Diwa again, and that he’d be flying with him soon enough when they were both ready. He was just as curious about it all as Diwa must be. He had no idea what it felt like to have a ride. What was his weight, anyway? He laughed quietly to himself…how would he even ask such a question without flying away in embarrassment?

“Kaffi…?”

He lifted his snout and turned towards the other tintrite that had just entered the room, a young adult female with a slightly smaller frame and sleeker shape than his. A longish mane dyed a vivid dark crimson, and dark eyes with golden irises. A snout more pointed, with the left nostril pierced.

Kaffi’s eyes widened and his heart raced, finally recognizing her. “Lieysha? Eiyah, is that you?”

“I thought that was you! You’ve grown so much!” She grinned and waved him over. “Come, give me a hug already!”

Lieysha was a dear tintrite friend from school who’d graduated a few years previous and had been a mentor outside of his family and circle of friends. She’d watched over him during his awkward teen years and been the close and often physical connection of his own kind that he’d needed at the time. She’d also taught him several tricky flight patterns that his paddir would never have shown him, including the sideways turn and glide that had recently impressed both him and Diwa. They’d fallen out of touch some time ago, though he still thought of her occasionally. He leaped up and pulled her into a warm embrace, both humming joyously, high and melodic. “It’s so good to see you!” he sang. “I haven’t seen you in so long, I’ve missed you! What brings you here?”

“No longer the youngling, I see,” she said, tapping her snout against his and motioning to his satchel. “My manae works here as a transport coordinator, and I work here part time while I study for college. I’ve seen Graymar here a few times over the last few weeks. I hear your estate is signing up for the co-op?”

Kaffi nodded with a wide smile. “Everything should be official within a few weeks. I’m assisting my paddir this summer for the experience. Part of the internship.”

Lieysha hummed, long and lyrical; impressed. “Still going for the position?” she said, tapping a talon against his forearm. “Good for you. I always knew you’d follow through with that dream. I’m assuming you’re still hanging out with Diwa? It was impossible to separate the two of you.”

He hummed quickly in response, feeling the bridge of his own snout warming up. “We’re still together, of course. He’s working with his paddir at the estate for his half of the internship. It’s going to be a busy summer for both of us.”

“That’s great. I’m happy for you, Kaffi,” she said, and leaned forward to touch her snout with his again. She was always such a tactile tintrite, and he missed that the most. It made him feel happy and connected. “Listen to me, leinah,” she said quietly. “I’ve always believed you were able to do whatever you set out to do. You were always a wonderful flier, and Diwa will be a fine ride for you. Just…don’t make do, okay? If there’s ever a higher calling, I don’t want you ignoring it.”

Kaffi opened his mouth but couldn’t quite find the right words to respond to that. He’d have expected that from his manae or his paddir…but one of his tintrite friends?

“I…I won’t,” he said, and tapped his snout against hers once more before moving away. “I’ve always trusted myself to do the right thing,” he said. Pithy as it sounded, it was true. “I go with what my soul says,” he added, tapping his chest. “Always have.”

“Eiyah,” Lieysha laughed. “Very true.” She waved and turned away to head into one of the inner offices. “I need to rejoin my manae before she wonders where I am. I shall see you here again, yeah? We should get together again! And tell your family I said hello. Tell Diwa I said hello!”

“I will.”

He watched her leave the room, but now his mind was running far too fast. He completely understood the intent behind her parting words; she’d watched over him when he was teaching himself more complex flying methods, bonded with him as a close friend when he needed someone of his own kind. She would never try to talk him out of learning Graymar’s job, but she must be concerned by what that entailed and what he would be giving up, staying at the estate for the rest of his life. She understood his conviction…but she also understood his passion for flying.

“Kaffi?” Graymar grumbled from across the room.

He shook himself out his reverie and turned to his father, who was beckoning him over. He’d finally taken off his satchels and was holding them by the straps. Kaffi nodded and joined him, secretly relieved that he could finally take his own satchels off.

“Who was that?” Graymar said, nodding towards the closed door across the room.

“My school friend Lieysha,” he said, undoing the straps of the bag and gathering them up to carry it by hand. “Remember her from a few years ago?”

Graymar hummed. “Ah yes. I thought that might have been her. I’ve met with her manae Soriah here a few times. I’m glad you met one of your friends here! Come – we must make this delivery, then we can have our lunch and rest. Then we can fly back with the last run of documentation.”

Kaffi nodded, smiling as he fell in step behind his father.

*

Glossary:
aanoupii – (ah-noo-pee) very large bovine-like creatures similar to minotaurs, extremely friendly

Author’s Note: This will be a long entry as both these chapters are tied together, not only in plot but in character, and thus should be read together. Choices are made. Destinies are put into motion. And most of all, Diwa and Kaffi’s world begins to expand.

CHAPTER FIVE

Diwa paused at the door and exhaled, preparing himself. Now or never.

He pushed it open and stepped inside.

“Pop?”

Samuel lifted his head, startled by his voice disrupting the silence of his office in the rear of the apartment. His father was half-sunken in the desk chair, holding an open manila folder in his hands, but his eyes and mind were focused elsewhere. Diwa held back a sigh of frustration, always finding him like this. Over the last couple of years, Samuel had started retreating from the family more frequently to hide back here among the books and mountains of paperwork left by multiple generations of landlords, almost none of it in any semblance of order. He’d always say he had big plans for the room, but he never seemed to get anywhere with them. He would spend a few hours puttering around, making half-hearted attempts to go through some of this detritus and moving things from one pile to another. Most of the time he’d sit here at his cluttered desk, staring at paperwork but never quite focusing on it.

Diwa visited the room as little as possible, mainly because the overwhelming dust and mildew made him sneeze, but also because it was unbearably depressing. If Diwa was going to take over his father’s job, completely clearing this place out would be his first project.

“Diwa,” Samuel said with forced surprise. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Here we go… Diwa cleared his voice and began. “Pop, are you busy?”

Samuel recovered from his slouch and made a show of looking around his immediate area. “I’m free,” he said. “Something on your mind?”

Diwa ventured deeper into the room, his nose already starting to itch. He navigated around stacks of file boxes and rolled-up documents and made his way to the ancient lumpy couch next to Samuel’s desk. He sat down gingerly, and the cushions gave way far too easily in response. The back of the seat had lost most of its padding over time and the wooden frame underneath dug into his back. Wincing, he felt a wave of embarrassment and leaned forward instead, perching on the edge. He amended his first project; he’d also replace all the furniture in here with something from this century while he was at it.

“Graymar and I were watching that game of yours the other day,” Samuel said in an attempt at small talk. “That was one hell of a catch.”

Diwa forced a smile and reflexively balled his hands into fists, remembering the sting on his skin. “Thanks,” he said. “It was a wild throw, so I’m surprised I even caught it in the first place. I’m glad it missed the tenants. Kaffi felt bad about that.”

Samuel nodded and once more there was an awkward silence. Diwa hated when they ended up like this, too embarrassed and self-conscious to say or do anything, to make the first move. This had been happening since Diwa started high school, and it would always fall to Diwa to break that silence and get him talking again. Maricel was right, he’d been closing himself off far too often. He knew it wasn’t the stress of the job, or his friendship with Graymar…both were strong and stable as ever. It had to be something else, something more personal.

He cleared his throat and started again. “Pop…Kaffi and I have been talking the last few days. We’ll both be graduating in a couple of months. We’re both of age to start the apprenticeship.”

Samuel’s eyes brightened. “Mangyari pa, Diwa! You’ve been speaking of it for years! And you’ve shown an increasing interest in the last few months,” he said. Finally, an honest smile crossed his face. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed, and I’m glad you want to take that path. What would you like to know?”

Diwa nervously scratched behind his ear, hiding a frown. “I want to make it official, Pop. I’d like to officially accept the inheritance when you retire. Teach me all that you know. Let’s start this.”

Samuel nearly fell off his chair with delight. It was the most animated he’d ever seen his father in years! “Diwa! Ah, ang sayá-sayá ko! I’m so glad you asked!”

Diwa nodded, trying to keep the conversation going…and down to earth. “Kaffi and I felt it was time to make it official,” he said. “He’s talking with Graymar tonight.”

Samuel calmed himself down and leaned back in his chair. He was obviously excited, but Diwa couldn’t help but feel there was something else. Relief…?

“I’d like to start as soon as possible, Pop,” he continued. “We can get the paperwork started tonight. You can have us run errands and odd jobs, that’s fine. And I’d like to be more active in the tenancy committee meetings as well.”

Samuel’s smile faded just a little bit. “You’re sure about this?”

Diwa saw that question coming – he always did – and answered it quickly. “I’ve been watching you do your job since I was a kid. So has Kaffi, with Graymar. We understand what to expect.”

Samuel sat in silence for a few moments longer, taking it all in. It made Diwa nervous because it always made him second-guess himself. “Why do you want this, Diwa?” he asked.

“I’ve always wanted this,” he started. “I thought you’d be—”

Samuel quickly held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t think about me, son,” he said, maybe a little more forcefully than necessary. “This isn’t my life we’re talking about. It’s yours.”

Diwa stared at him, unsure how to respond.

*

Gods…am I ever going to turn this place around?

Samuel was simultaneously drawn to and repelled by this room every time he walked into it. He had no idea how many years’ worth of documents was stored here, and no idea how he was going to sort through it all. It felt like such an impossible task. His father Daniel had let it get this way, frequently disorganized as he often was, and had never let Samuel touch any of it. “I know where everything is! There’s a method to it!” he’d say. Samuel knew that was a lie, but he never called him on it.

And now, decades later, the room smelled of mold, mildew, and years of dust. No wonder Diwa spent as little time in here as possible. It was a losing battle, and he didn’t know how to turn it around. He’d meant to straighten it out years ago when he took over as co-landlord, but that never happened. He just kept putting it off. He’d always said that one of these days he’d clear it all out, give it a good cleaning and renovation, and his first guest in the new, clean room would be Graymar.  The temptation to just shred it all and start over was immensely strong.

For now, though, he’d settle for having his family come visit him now and again. In fact, he’d truly been surprised when Diwa walked in. The poor boy had been all kinds of distracted lately. Perhaps he was here to talk it out.

To be brutally honest, his proclamation that he was taking the inheritance seriously, starting tonight, had surprised him. In fact, he’d been just as surprised at his own reaction: he was immensely proud of his son at that moment…but he also felt a profound sense of relief. A strange, giddy relief in the revelation that he wasn’t going to be stuck in this position forever.

And that both fascinated and terrified him.

“You’re sure about this?” he’d asked. He had to make sure Diwa wasn’t just rolling with his emotions. That had sometimes been his downfall, and this was a serious undertaking.

But Diwa knew how to answer. “I’ve been watching you do your job since I was a kid,” he said with determination. And he certainly had! “So has Kaffi, with Graymar,” he added, just to underscore his point. “We understand what to expect.”

A serious undertaking indeed. One he would never force upon his son if he didn’t truly want it. He knew that feeling all too well. He didn’t want Diwa to get to his age, still wondering if he’d made the right decision.

“Why do you want this, Diwa?” he asked.

The boy faltered. “I’ve always wanted this. I thought you’d be—”

There it was. A vague feeling of self-doubt, and he saw it clearly. This was the same conversation he’d had with his father years ago, and he had to diverge from it before it was too late. He held up a hand between them. “Don’t think about me, son,” he said. “This isn’t my life we’re talking about. It’s yours.”

Okay, that didn’t quite come out the way he’d wanted, but he’d certainly gotten the boy’s attention, so that was a start. “Being a landlord here at our estate is not about having power, Diwa,” he continued. “It never has been, and never will be. Nor has it ever been solely about making a profit. Look around our apartment. Or this room, for starters! We’re comfortable, but we’re not exactly drowning in opulence here. I have never held any power over our tenants, because they don’t need it, nor do they deserve it.”

He paused again, judging Diwa’s response. He was surprised, maybe a little afraid he’d gotten him on a tear, but that was a good thing. He had to understand what this position truly entailed as early as he could. “That’s why the estate has their monthly tenancy committee meetings,” he said. “We’re here as anchor and caretaker, Graymar and I. We help the tenants feel welcome, safe, and cared for, like they are truly at home. This is precisely why he and I are as visible as we are. That’s why you see us on the balcony or on the roof or walking the grounds or up in the air most days. We watch, but we also participate. It makes us all feel safe, but more importantly, it makes us feel connected. Do you understand?”

He exhaled, as surprised at himself for saying such things as Diwa was for hearing them.

Diwa lowered his head and looked away, looking a little defeated. “I understand.”

He didn’t believe that for one minute. He understood alright, but now it sounded like an impossible goal. He knew Diwa believed in it despite the odds, but he didn’t yet believe he could reach it himself. The last thing Diwa needed right now was to fall into a terrible habit of always second-guessing himself. He’d fallen prey to that himself far too many times, and he did not want Diwa to suffer the same insecurity. Time to change tack here a little bit. He rolled his chair over and took Diwa’s face in his hands.

“Diwa…” he said softly. “Look at me. I know you understand what I’m saying. But it’s one thing to say and another to do. My father and my grandfather both drilled that into me at an early age when I put myself in line for this inheritance, and I need to drill that into you, right this moment. I believe in your conviction, Diwa. I always have. I know you can do this. I believe in you and Kaffi. But what you need to understand is that conviction and belief isn’t enough. You need to do. You need to prove to me and Graymar, and the rest of the estate, that you’re willing to dedicate your life to it.”

He saw it just then – a spark of hope in the boy’s eyes. He let go and leaned back in his chair once more, already convinced. “If you and Kaffi are as committed to this as the two of you say you are, then this will be easy for everyone. We’ll take it day by day. Errand by errand. Project by project. We don’t need to fill out the paperwork until you’re out of school anyway, so we don’t have to worry about it unless you feel it’s necessary. Does that sound fair?”

That spark of hope began to grow, showing in Diwa’s lopsided smile. “Yes,” he said, and straightened his shoulders. “Tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it. And I’ll do my best to learn from it. We’ll make it official when we both agree it’s time to do so.”

“There will be a hell of a lot of work to do, a lot to learn.”

“I’ve seen you work, Pop. Like I said.”

“It takes dedication.”

“I’ll try my best.”

He tried not to laugh, as that would send the wrong message, but he couldn’t help remembering this same conversation he’d had with his father, so many years ago. “Good,” he said. “See me after school tomorrow and we’ll start lining up things for you to do.”

Diwa bowed deeply. “I will,” he said, and gave him a hug. “Marami pong salamat, ama. This means so much.”

“You’re welcome. Now go do your homework. And tell Kaffi I said hello.”

Diwa laughed and nodded. “I will.” He got up and left the room a lot less gingerly than he’d entered it, radiating with excitement.

As soon as his son had closed the door, he exhaled, feeling that unexpected relief once more. He’ll be a fine landlord, he thought, turning back to the folder of documents that he hadn’t been reading. A better one than I could ever be.

*

CHAPTER SIX

Kaffi circled above the estate, studying its size and location in relation to the other nearby estates. It was of medium size with six towers, two rows of bungalows, a large community center complex, and the long thin strip of orchard and garden in the rear. Many of his classmates lived in much bigger and busier estates nearer the city, and some lived in smaller ones closer to the countryside. This one was right in the middle and that was just fine by him. It was the only one he’d known his entire life, and he had no plans on moving elsewhere.

And now he’d agreed to partner up with Diwa and plan out their inheritances as co-landlords, to live here for the rest of their lives. Why had he agreed to that? A very good question indeed because it was not a decision he would ever take lightly. He’d talked about being this estate’s landlord for ages, just as frequently and as obsessively as Diwa had. The tenants were already expecting them to be next in line.

But Diwa had been so persuasive in his new plans today that it made him rethink everything. Did he really want the inheritance? Did he genuinely want Graymar’s position? Did he want to dedicate his future to this kind of career, staying here in this suburb and seeing the same people day in and day out? He wanted to fly! He loved being up here, cheating gravity, witnessing a much wider expanse of the world than most ever saw. It was the way of all tintrite, to fly distances and experience life from above. That was why he’d been so tentative on the train ride home. What if this all came to nothing, could he handle having wasted all that time and energy?

And yet…it all came down to Diwa. He was his best friend, and he’d offered him a solid, stable future. He could just as easily get a job in transportation or delivery. He could go to the city and be a part of the constant movement there. That was Iliah’s intent once she finished her own food service internship. That was the intent of Aldrine, Diwa’s elder ahpadé, as well; he’d gone to the city to work in corporate banking. And so many of his classmates were itching to leave their own estates and enjoy the great expanse of world and sky.

But it had come down to one thing: Diwa had asked him to be at his side. And that had moved and excited him deeply, more than he’d ever expected.

He wasn’t entirely sure how to process that.

Well – no reason to keep wasting time obsessing over it. It was nearly dinner time back home and he’d need to flag down his own paddir and have the talk. It could end up being a frustrating butting of snouts, but it would be worth it. He dropped down in a lazy dive towards the roof of Building C, ready to face whatever was coming to him.

*

Graymar growled as he puttered through the apartment, listlessly shuffling from one room to another, though Kaffi wasn’t entirely sure why he was irritable tonight. Oddly it reminded him of one of their pettiest arguments from just a few years ago. His paddir preferred walking on his hinds and straight vertical whenever possible, though it tended to slow him down to compensate for the balance, and while that was common among most tintrite, he would sometimes criticize Kaffi if he didn’t do the same. Kaffi found it so much easier to lean slightly forward when he walked on his hinds, keeping his center of balance low. Graymar felt he was too old to be walking so deferentially. In a fit of annoyance and lack of patience, he’d once responded that he would walk on his wings if he so chose, and that particularly sarcastic comment had resulted in an explosion of tintrite cursing followed by three days of silence. They’d eventually made peace, though, and it was agreed that they would simply put up with each other’s irritating habits.

Tonight, though, Kaffi was on his best behavior. Standing tall, wings resting against his back, snout pointed down. Even Iliah and their amma were surprised by his deference.

Graymar, of course, understood it to mean that Kaffi was about to ask for a favor.

He was, after all. No question about that. He waited until after dinner, when Graymar made his customary walk up to the roof for a final scan of the main green. When Kaffi asked if he could tag along, Graymar paused briefly, locking eyes with him. His paddir certainly knew what he was up to, and he steeled himself for a gruff response with an added hint of withering patience, but surprisingly it never came. Instead, Graymar gave him a quick and amiable smile and hummed in agreement.

One hurdle cleared, Kaffi allowed himself one quick ruffle of wings and a quiet hum of excitement and followed him out of the apartment.

They said nothing as they rode the elevators up to the top floor and remained silent until they reached the roof access door. He shivered and yipped once as the door opened, the sudden cold breeze unexpected, and Graymar hummed in agreement, muttering that he hadn’t expected the temperature to drop so soon. Together they walked to the edge of the roof, resting up against the railing, looking out over the estate grounds. He’d seen his paddir up here countless times, had even been up here with him now and again, but this was the first time he stood next to him as an equal, as a tintrite with a similar goal.

This was going to be tough.

Graymar closed his eyes and took a deep breath, two of them, before opening them again, and turned to his pahyoh. “That game you play with Diwa,” he said in a surprisingly soft tone. “Your invention?”

Kaffi kept his nerves in check and hummed in response. “Both of ours. It evolved from a regular game of catch, to keep it entertaining.” He paused, grinning slightly. “And Diwa’s aim is absolutely horrendous.”

“Hmm,” Graymar said quietly, though Kaffi noticed a slight flutter of wing tips, a sign of amusement.

“Paddir…” he said, pausing again to gather his courage. He let his own wings flutter briefly before he continued. “Can I ask you something?”

Graymar dipped his snout at him. “Of course,” he said kindly.

Here we go… Kaffi thought, surprised by his paddir’s uncharacteristic calm, and started in. “Diwa and I have been talking more seriously about the estate. About the inheritances. We’d like to shadow you and Samuel, learn the job. Maybe start the internship—”

“Stop a moment,” Graymar said, holding up a paw, a single talon lifted into the air. “Kaffi, I’d like you to listen to something first before we continue. Indulge me for a few moments.”

Kaffi blinked at him. “O-okay?”

Graymar slowly lowered his hand until it came to rest on his belly and shifted his attention toward the center green below. His eyes moved slowly from the grass to the people to the buildings, seemingly at random. His long, pointed ears had pricked up and began turning slightly in different directions. He’d slowed his own breathing enough that Kaffi couldn’t hear it. He’d seen his father do this countless times and from many angles. It was part of his nightly ritual. His father would often stand up here, remaining still and majestic and…

No, he wasn’t posturing. That wasn’t like him at all.

Graymar was listening to the estate.

As quietly as he could, Kaffi turned to the center green and listened as well.

*

 Graymar gave Kaffi a few minutes to acclimate. He must be patient for his son right now. Kaffi wished to hear what was to be heard, and it was up to him to teach his pahyoh. This would be the moment he matured in his eyes. No longer a youngling.

Kaffi listened, just as he would.

He listened to the chatter of the older mandossi couple on the balcony across the way at Building B. The fiery and always cheerful Diana-Sessteen and the quiet and reserved Becca-Nossiami, two of the longest-staying tenants here. They were talking about the upcoming gardening season and the hopes that their small allotment behind the bungalows would be fruitful. One had heard the news about the co-op farm and was eagerly awaiting the next meeting to sign up for it. The other showed interest but not investment, choosing instead to remain with their small lot on the estate.

He listened to the soft trudge and the rumbly yawn of an aanoupii coming home from a long day on the job. Porro, who lived in one of the bungalows to his left, another long-term tenant. He worked for a construction company a few miles away and always took the light rail to and from the office. He had a slightly later shift than most tenants, and he was almost always alone when he returned to the estate, but he was never lonely. He was humming to himself as he scuffled across the pavement towards his home.

He listened to a few human younglings laughing and talking loudly and ignoring most of the others around them. Leo and Gavin’s boys, Terry and Bradley. They were fine and respectful kids, he knew. They were at that age when they were too self-conscious about some things and utterly oblivious about other things, still learning about life. They were leaving the community center to his right, heading back to their apartment.

He listened to the gentle hiss of the wind through the branches of the trees that lined the green. A cool spring breeze that gave some tenants a shiver, but others – like Kaffi – a twitch of excitement. Wind meant convection, and convection meant flying.

“Do you hear the estate, Kaffi?” Graymar said, his voice quiet.

Kaffi hummed nervously in response, his wings twitching slightly.

He understood. Graymar gave him a smile. His pahyoh was indeed attentive and eager to learn. “That is the sound of an estate at rest, Kaffi,” he said. “And yet if you come up here during the day, when you are usually at school, you will hear completely different sounds. You might hear the day care children, the chaperones, the retirees. You will hear those who work from home, coming out for a stretch or for fresh air or maybe even for an errand across the main street at the market. You may even hear Samuel on his balcony, blathering on about whatever might be on his mind. Do you understand?”

Kaffi turned to him, eyes dark and wide. “I could use some context,” he admitted.

Yes, he was indeed eager to learn. He nodded and turned back to the green. “The sounds of the estate are what lets me know that all is well, that the community is alive. I hear its pulse. There will always be a sound, somewhere. We tintrite have better hearing than most beings here at the estate, I’m sure you know. You will always hear the sounds. If you hear it, it means the estate is a living, breathing entity. And with that, you will also know when something is wrong.”

“When a sound is missing,” Kaffi ventured. “Or out of place.”

“Indeed, Kaffi,” he said. “This is why you see me up here on this roof at various points in the day. The green is shaped like an amphitheater, in a way. Sounds bounce off Palm Building and I am able to hear all the different levels. The bungalows and the other buildings on each side of us act as baffles. The same as with Samuel’s perch on his fifth-floor balcony across the way.”

Kaffi’s eyes narrowed, trying to find exactly where Diwa’s apartment was. “His is near the middle, to the right of the central stairwell,” Graymar said. “Look for the light over the door that has more of a whiter hue than the others.”

“I see it,” Kaffi said, grinning.

Graymar snuffed out a breath and ruffled his wings. It was time. “In answer to your yet-asked question, Kaffi: Yes, I shall let you shadow me. I am aware that Diwa also shows interest in Samuel’s position. The two of you have been talking about inheritance for quite some time now. The two of you may indeed become future landlords. Is that what you wish to do?”

Kaffi nodded and hummed, barely containing his excitement. “Very much so, paddir,” he said.

Graymar hummed once more in response, looking back out on the green. “We shall start tomorrow,” he said.

“Thank you, paddir,” he responded. And for the first time, he joined him there at the roof, listening.

*

Glossary:
(Note: Samuel’s Tagalog is supposed to sound a bit awkward. He can speak it, just not very well.)
Mangyari pa, Diwa! – (Tagalog) Of course, Diwa!
ang sayá-sayá ko! – (Tagalog) I’m extremely happy!
ahpadé – (tintrite) brother

Author’s Note: New character! Anna-Nassi is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever created, and the fourth member of our main gang. Her style of talking can be a little repetitive and all over the place (like me sometimes), but that’s part of her charm. She’s a big sweetie.

*

CHAPTER FOUR

Anna-Nassi had alternately been called the most annoying, the friendliest, the most (and equally least) attentive, the loudest, the cuddliest, and the weirdest mandossi in the school over the past few years, and she wore every one of those badges with pride. She was super tall, taller than most of the mandossi girls here, and her gliding wings were freakishly strong and enormous. She could be super careful and still manage to flail and break something nearby. Her narrow beakish face was extremely expressive and she could never pass up flashing a wide and pleasing smile at all her friends. Her eyes were wide and bright and her vision completely perfect and she never let anyone forget that. Her attention span may be a bit lacking now and again, but she could hear a whisper from across the room. She was always noisy, sometimes ingratiating, and completely unable to sit still for any length of time, but all that was part of her charm! She felt she lived up to her parents’ legacies of being the most active and vocal participants on their tenancy committee. She simply loved connecting and bonding with everyone she met.

Still, there were moments when she wished she could be the quiet one.

That was why she hung out with Cole.

Cole was a hedraac of the finest order in her eyes. A psychic vampire that fed on the inherent energies of all living beings. And he was such a sweetheart about it too! He always asked before feeding, and he stung with such precision and gentleness that she rarely sensed it. And that was saying a lot as a mandossi! Her kind were the most sensitive to the energies of life here on this planet, so much so that they often mirrored whatever levels surrounded them. If she were part of a rambunctious crowd of overexcitable teenagers, she would be the loudest one in the room. If she watched a melodramatic romance film with her friends, she’d be the one crying her eyes out until there was nothing left.

Cole balanced all that. He always provided her with a calm center she couldn’t always find on her own. And she always loved him for it.

Still stressed out from the recent math test she’d taken earlier that morning, Annie was thrilled to be able to get outside for lunch and get some food in her. She carried a large bento box in her arms and used her wings to burst through the roof access doors and into the sunlight, ready to dig in. Like most mandossi, she also had a voracious appetite, sometimes to an embarrassing degree. She could pack it away, but her body would burn those calories off just hours later.

But ah, glorious day! She felt the cool spring breeze in her mane and the warmth of the sun on her skin and she smiled, baring those fangs of hers. She was tempted to stretch out her wings as well, yet she held back, at least until after she had eaten. They were annoying on the best of days, and the biggest pain to groom afterwards if anything got caught in the folds. Still…it was a lovely day, and she didn’t want to fret about the small things. Forget about that math test, Annie girl…you know you aced it. Just focus on eating and being with your friends right now.

She found Kaffi and Diwa sitting over in the shade near the landing platform at the center of the roof. It had been their favorite hangout since their first days at this school, where she could relax and just be herself without a care. It was also where she felt the calmest, being so near her best friends. She called out to them and they both waved back, sending tiny ripples of happiness her way. But where was Cole…? Late, maybe?

She dropped down on her hinds across from them, setting her concern and worry in the back of her mind for now. “Hey guys!” she sang. “Ai, it’s good to be outside today, neh?”

“Hey Annie,” Diwa said, offering a quick but muted smile, which she didn’t expect. He seemed uncharacteristically quiet today, guarding his emotions and energies much closer than usual. “Where’s our fourth?”

Anna-Nassi opened her bento box and pulled out a comically large wrap overstuffed with far too many meats, cheeses, and condiments. “That is a good question,” she said, and chomped down. It felt good to get something in her stomach again! She swallowed quickly and glanced towards the entrance. “He’s been avoiding everyone today. I hope he’s okay.”

Kaffi hummed. He too sat on his hinds; it seemed he only sat that way when he was with friends. Otherwise he was always at a strange but incredibly balanced almost-sitting position. “I think his Steiner-Hedraac has been kicking in again,” he said. “He’s been going through a lot of stress recently. I saw him just before last period, he was probably heading towards the solitary room for a little bit to calm down.” He took a bite out of the bread stick he’d been holding and gnawed on it for a few moments, lost in thought. “I think lia Powers might have cornered him this morning.”

All three of them shivered. Lydia Powers, the school’s resident guidance counselor, had been chasing everyone in their graduating class for the last few weeks to complete their Future Calling report. Everyone needed to have a plan – not necessarily a detailed one, but at least a solid one to use as a starting point. Anna-Nassi had gone to great lengths to avoid ria Powers as much as she could.

“I worry about him.” She glanced at the doorway again, fretting with her wrap. She could probably sense Cole at this point, but she dared not make that move right now. Not with all the other students around that could sense exactly what she was up to.

“I’m sure he’s okay…” Diwa offered.

She turned back to him, then to Kaffi, concerned by their uncharacteristic silence. What was going on with those two, anyway? The normally talkative and funny Diwa was far from chatty today, and even Kaffi was quiet and skittish. They’d been acting all kinds of weird all morning. They’d hardly shared any words during study hall. They’d catch each other’s glances now and again, but never said anything. They were keeping a secret and doing a ridiculously poor job of it.

“Are you two bonding or something?” she asked without preamble.

“What?” Diwa yelped, his face turning a splotchy red. “No! I mean…”

Kaffi giggled at him, shaking his snout, which had just gone a tiny shade darker. “Nothing like that yet, Annie,” he said. He tapped Diwa softly on the shoulder with the back of his paw, giving him a warm smile. “Calm down, Dee. Eiyah, you’re so easily flustered.”

That certainly got their attention! Now she was curious. She narrowed her eyes and grinned her too-wide grin at them, prodding them once more. “Come on, spill!” she said. “What are you up to? You’ve been conspiring all morning and it’s weirding everyone out!”

“I’ll…tell you later,” Diwa mumbled. He glanced around at the other students on the roof patio, partially hiding his face with his elbow as he scratched the back of his head. His human traits of embarrassment were so adorable! She’d clearly touched a nerve. Something was indeed brewing between them.

She let it go for now and joined in checking out the other students while she ate her lunch and waited for Cole. A few younger mandossi were nearer the landing pad, chittering away. They held themselves primly, sitting up straight, eating delicately, nibbling away at their prepared rolls, their wings never touching the ground. Completely unlike her. The big tintrite boys made a racket with their rough-housing and talk of someone’s awesome flying during the last game. Kaffi found them irritating and refused to give them the time of day. Human students rarely came up to the roof, preferring to hang out on the grounds out front or in the cafeteria. A few of them were at the far end of the roof, leaning up against the railing and completely ignoring everyone else, including Diwa.

She knew what they all thought of her and her friends, really; it was in the furtive glances and the irritable energies they gave off. Most of the kids at this school came from the more congested suburbs closer to the city, while she and these two boys lived further out on the periphery, along with Cole. They thought she and her friends were embarrassingly provincial.

But she and her friends were proud of being who they were and didn’t give a niilie’s backside about what any might think of them. She loved her friends because of that.

Still, it irritated occasionally.

As if on cue, Cole came walking out of the double doors and into the sunlight, scanning the roof patio for his friends, and Anna-Nassi felt a surge of happiness course through her veins when he spotted her. Eiyah, finally! There he is!

Cole felt her burst of joy from all the way across the patio and smiled broadly. He waved and made his way over, a goofy lopsided smile on his face. Tall, scrawny, pale, and the only hedraac who ever bothered coming up here at all, Cole looked so much healthier than he had earlier this morning, which made her even happier.

“Eiyah, Cole!” she chirped. “Where have you been?”

Cole took a seat next to her, motioning to her arm. “Can I…?”

She nodded and patted his knee. “You know you don’t need to ask.”

“Thanks.” he exhaled and turned to the others to join in the conversation. Seconds later she felt a small shift of energy in her bicep, a tiny pinprick of a psychic connection established between Cole and herself. It felt a little bit like a flutter in her heart, followed by what could only be described as the sensation of water, gently flowing down her arm. Cole was feeding ever so gently, just like he always did. His nerves were still jittery, but she could already feel him calming down now that they’d made that bond.

“It’s been a crazy morning,” he continued, his excitement causing a hitch in his words. “Not only did Miss Powers corner me. I also received word. From my mother. They’ve finalized the legal paperwork. For the co-op satellite farm today. We can start using our acres. In a few months.”

Diwa’s eyes widened. “That’s fantastic! My dad will be thrilled to hear that. Tell your parents I said congratulations!”

Kaffi bounced on his hinds and let his wings flutter, also excited by Cole’s news. “Eiyah, this great to hear! My manae has been backing your family’s bid for that project since last year, and my paddir has been shuttling the paperwork to and from the farm all this time. I’m sure he’ll be glad that’s over with.” He calmed himself down a bit, scratching nervously his snout. “Any idea of who will be running the hiring committee?”

Anna-Nassi giggled, nearly spitting out her sandwich. She leaned back on the knuckles of her wings and narrowed her eyes at him again. “Ai! I do not see you working on a farm, Kaffi. Not with those delicate talons and sensitive nose of yours.”

Cole raised his eyebrows, showing off his lovely dark eyes. He suddenly seemed much calmer now, having borrowed some of her energy to balance himself out. “You’re interested in running a hire, then?”

Kaffi gave Diwa a quick glance before he responded. “Perhaps,” he said.

Anna-Nassi could wait no longer, glaring between the two boys. “Come on, you two,” she said, crossing her arms. “There’s something going on that you’re not telling us.”

“Oh, they’re bonding, alright,” Cole said, and took a sip from his water bottle. “No doubt about it at all.”

“I think you’re right,” she snorted in amusement, glancing at him.

“Hoy!” Diwa said a little too loudly, his face a dark red once more. He cleared his throat and hid his face again. “Anó bang problema mo? Neh…”

She held a hand to her mouth, biting back a laugh. He was so cute when he got flustered! “So what is it then, Dee?”

Diwa groaned and looked to Kaffi, but the tintrite kept his mouth shut tight, tilting his head ever so slightly at him. Seeing he wasn’t going to get any help, he dropped his shoulders and turned back to her. His face was still red, but his emotions had suddenly changed from embarrassment to…determination? That was unexpected. “Fine. Are you busy after school?”

Anna-Nassi was intrigued enough that she pushed off her wing knuckles and fluttered them. “Ooh, secretive! Do tell!”

‘Yes, Annie, it’s a secret,” Kaffi said flatly. “You might be involved.”

That stopped her almost immediately, her shoulders hiking up and her wings ruffling again in response. Even Diwa stopped short by the unexpected words. “Why, what did I do?” she asked.

“It’s what you can do,” he said, and briefly glanced at Diwa once more, this time his mouth tightening into a smile. “You too, Cole. The four of us. If you’re interested. Dee?”

Diwa had regained his composure and leaned in as well. “Are you still interested in having a significant role at the estate?” he asked.

It took a moment for the question to sink in, and when it did, she gasped in gleeful surprise. He was talking about inheritance – the long-simmering, much-delayed conversation between the four of them! “You’re serious?” she said, doing her best to remain calm. “Please tell me you’re serious!”

“I am,” he said. “It’s about time, too. Kaffi and I talked about it last night, and we both want to start putting our plans in motion. We’re still working out what we want to do, but we’d love the two of you to be a part of it.”

“I’d be honored,” Cole said, nodding. He shuffled away slightly, tapping Anna-Nassi on the shoulder. “I’m fine now,” he whispered to her. “Thanks.”

She was so excited and surprised by Diwa’s words that she didn’t even feel Cole’s psychic disconnect this time. Eiyah, this was amazing news! “You two have no idea what you’re doing but count me in!” she chirped.

Diwa and Kaffi glanced at each other once more, their big smiles mirroring each other. Even Diwa was back to his bouncy, fidgety self again. “After school, let’s meet on the green, okay?” he said. “Let’s make this happen.”

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Anna-Nassi felt an intense wave of emotion from all three of them at the same time. Especially Diwa and Kaffi. This was more important to them that it was to her and Cole, but she couldn’t help but share in the celebration. She whooped and laughed and didn’t care at all that everyone was staring at her right now. Nothing could bring her down!

*

“You don’t have a plan at all, do you?”

Diwa and Kaffi sat close together on one of the low benches in the rear of the crowded light rail train, while Anna-Nassi and Cole squeezed into seats a few rows up. Annie was keeping a constant eye on Cole’s health today, even though he’d claimed he’d felt much better after lunch, which kept her senses busy for the most part. Which was fine with Diwa, because right now Kaffi was being a little too blunt and it he was finding it hard not to snap back in irritation. He’d been quiet during the last few hours of school, but by the time they got on the light rail, he’d started fretting and grumbling, worried that they were maybe getting a bit too excited over their grand plan. Or more precisely, the lack thereof. Diwa had to hold himself in check, as he didn’t want the other two to soak in Kaffi’s unexpected pessimism or his annoyance.

“It’s early days, Kaff,” he said as evenly as he could. “Remember, I can’t do this by myself, you know. I mean, I appreciate everyone being all in, especially you, but this isn’t going to be all on me. That’s not how we want it to run. I need all the help I can get.”

Kaffi looked down at his talons, tapping them together, drawing his mouth into a tight line. Eventually he let out a low, tiny hum; apologetic. “You’re right, Diwa,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry, I’m just nervous.”

Diwa hummed right back and stroked his shoulder, leaning in slightly. It was clear Kaffi did understand, and he’d just forgotten that unlike most humans, tintrite didn’t always hold back when something truly bothered them. “Don’t be sorry,” he said quietly. “I’ll admit I’m just as nervous as you are. I have no idea if this will even work. But we won’t know if we don’t try.”

Kaffi gently tapped a claw on his arm. He hummed again, this time soft and short; repentant. “I’m still sorry, Dee. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions like that.”

“Eiyah!” Anna-Nassi suddenly chirped from halfway up the car, flailing one of her arms to get their attention. “You two lovebirds done whispering, or are you going to let us join you?”

Kaffi scratched the ridge of his snout and let out a short laugh, relieved by the sudden shift in mood. “Issthnamii…” he sighed, glancing his way and flashing an amused fang. “She’s completely sold on us bonding, isn’t she? Kind of hard to argue when she gets on a tear.”

“She’s certainly a handful sometimes,” Diwa nodded, returning the smile. “But we love her anyway.”

“Yes, we do,” he said, and flagged them over. Anna-Nassi and Cole cheered in response and noisily moved to the back of the train, all four of them squeezing onto the low bench.

“It’s about time!” she chirped, playfully indignant and leaning heavily on Diwa’s shoulder. “I don’t trust you two when you get all quiet. Play it out for us, Dee. What are you planning?”

Diwa glanced once more at Kaffi, questioning. Was he ready to do this, or did he want to wait just a little longer? But Kaffi tapped him on the arm once more, lingering just a little longer than usual, followed by a hum and a slow nod. That was all he had to do. Kaffi did indeed understand that he might not have a full plan or know exactly what he was doing, but he trusted him to lead the way. This was the moment he’d briefly shared with Kaffi last night, and now it was about to be out in the open.

This time he was about to take the first steps to make it a reality.

He laid it out in detail during the rest of the ride home. The inheritance process would still take place, and both he and Kaffi would go through all the internships and training and committee meetings and paperwork it would take for them to get the position. Diwa’s minor wrinkle in the expected plan was that he would keep the position open for anyone else at the estate. Admittedly, he thought it was minor, but Kaffi had already voiced his reservations, and Anna-Nassi and Cole were now doing the same. They felt it was too risky, concerned that someone could come in, an outsider or someone with no experience or understanding of the position, and take over what was already a perfectly fine system and make too many unwarranted changes. Diwa argued that he trusted their fellow tenants to make the right decision and the tenancy committee to open the possible race only to those living on the estate, especially if the four of them made it their mission to establish that trust in the first place.

Once they’d all gotten over that – and jumped off the light rail for the walk back to the estate, with a brief stop at the local convenience store for snacks – Diwa expanded on his idea. If he and Kaffi were going to be co-landlords when the time came, the last thing he wanted was to have the entirety of the estate resting on their shoulders. He genuinely wanted this to be a community project. He understood reality often worked otherwise, but they’d face that when the time came. Running an apartment complex was more than just processing rent payments, renovating and fixing homes when and where necessary, and making tenants feel comfortable and secure. It was about seeing this estate as a micro-community and not just a home. And it took more than just two co-landlords to do that; that much he’d already learned from Graymar and Samuel, from lolo Daniel and Akkree, and from their mothers Shahney and Dari, and from so many others here.  He would need a team to make this work.

That’s where Anna-Nassi and Cole would come in.

They continued their conversation at one of the picnic tables on the center green. Diwa had already pulled out his tablet and had started sketching out ideas. “Annie,” he said. “You’re already following your mother as part of the tenant’s committee. Would you be willing to establish further connections with other members to streamline the communication between the different groups and their projects? Maybe stagger the deadlines? I know that’s consistently a problem since Pop likes to grouse about it all the time. Panooria does love its paperwork, but it’s a pain. Getting everything at the end of the month just creates a bottleneck. We need a quicker turnaround when we receive requests and concerns from the tenants.”

Anna-Nassi stared at him, utterly surprised at his words, but also intrigued and inspired by them. “I can do that,” she said, nodding quickly. Her wings were twitching now, the phalanges tapping away at the bench. “You mentioned the co-op earlier. I’ll ask my amma about the schedule for the hiring committee as well.”

“Good. Cole, would you be willing to immerse yourself with the co-op as well? Getting involved with it would be a great starter project for all of us.”

“That was my plan,” he smiled, giving him two thumbs up. “I will talk with my parents. And gather more information. There’s still a lot of coordination to do. But I believe they’re at the point. Where they’re no longer waiting. For paperwork and permits to go through. I’ll be working there with them. A few days a week this summer.”

“Excellent,” Diwa said, beaming. “Kaff? Anything to add?”

Diwa had been talking for so long that Kaffi was surprised by the sudden shift in attention, and for a moment he couldn’t think of anything to say. He tilted his head at Diwa, laughing nervously. “You, eh, put me on the spot there, Diwa…”

“Yup,” Anna-Nassi said, elbowing Cole. “Totally bonded.”

“Hush,” Cole whispered with a smirk. “Go ahead, Kaffi.”

Kaffi nodded. “Hmm. Well, I think you already have some great ideas. For a start at any rate.”

Diwa raised his eyebrows at him, but with a smile. “For a start?”

The bridge of his snout turned a dark bluish green. “Eiyah! Let me begin again,” he stuttered. “What I meant to say, I think these are really great kick-off ideas. The first of many. First moves to establish our presence.” He let out a nervous hum, tapping his talons on the table. “I’d like to think some more on what my – on what our roles would be, Dee.”

“Less thinking, more doing!” Anna-Nassi barked, madly waving her hands at them. “You two need to stop avoiding the obvious and start working with your padda!”

Diwa bristled, but she had a point. He’d been talking about it long enough. “Tomorrow,” he said.

She furrowed her brow and crossed her arms at them. “Why not tonight?”

“Annie, I—”

“Eiyah! No excuses!” she said, flashing one of her manic too-wide grins at him. “I’ve given you two your assignments! I’m expecting the both of you to report to me tomorrow morning confirming that you’ve started! Neh? No laziness from either of you!”

Kaffi dipped his snout downward in surprise and leaned in Diwa’s direction. “She’s worse than Miss Powers today, isn’t she?” he muttered.

“No choice then,” he said, mirroring his reaction. “Tonight it is.”

“Hmm.”

*

Glossary:
mandossi – (man-doss-ee) semi-avian biped with large gliding wings, beakish face and large fangs
lia – (lee-ah) mandossi word for feminine title, as in Mrs, Miss or Ms
eiyah – (ay-yah) mandossi all-purpose word of any kind of exclamation, from ‘yay!’ to ‘yikes!’
anó bang problema mo? – (Tagalog) What is wrong with you?
issthnamii – (eesth-nah-mee) (tintrite) general phrase of frustration or tired amusement, literally ‘give me patience’

CHAPTER THREE

Another day, another set of rounds. Samuel leaned up against the railing on the roof of Palm, enjoying the cool spring breeze while he kept watch over the estate grounds. It was midmorning already and he hadn’t yet seen Graymar, but he wasn’t too worried…sometimes he had morning flight errands he had to fulfill. He decided he’d wait up here for him until he returned.

Meanwhile, it was time to have a good long think about their sons. He’d been out on the balcony having his morning coffee when Diwa and Kaffi headed off to school. In fact, Kaffi had been waiting for Diwa on the center green for a good fifteen minutes or so, fretting and pacing, his wings fluttering nonstop. He’d looked up at Samuel at one point, waving and looking a little embarrassed. When Diwa passed him on his way out soon after, he asked him if anything had happened between them last night, which seemed to have been a dumb question to ask; Diwa screwed up his reddened face and quickly responded that everything was fine. He met Kaffi out in the parking lot, both in great moods, and took off towards the light rail station.

Samuel often wondered why Kaffi never flew to school. He would rather walk with Diwa, and he never took to the air whenever they went somewhere together. Graymar would never think twice about it if they were traveling separately; he’d be up there, soaring in lazy circles while waiting for him to reach their destination. Maybe Kaffi was waiting for his son to initiate the paired flying…? Samuel laughed quietly, remembering his own early years, asking tintrite friends to be his first flight. Gods, that had been so mortifying! He’d started so late that most tintrite had already paired up with other rides, and the others had dismissed him. Graymar had been the only one of his willing tintrite friends, and the only one who hadn’t laughed when he asked. Gray took his flight seriously; he was one of the best fliers in their age group, and fiercely proud of his abilities. It truly was like the start of a long-term relationship, figuring out each other and making so many embarrassing mistakes and getting into petty arguments, constantly worried that it wouldn’t work out. For the first year or so, he was absolutely convinced Graymar was merely waiting for the right time to tell him it wasn’t working out. But he never did, and eventually they figured out a comfortable balance and stuck with it.

Gods, how long ago was that? He laughed again, this time at how old he felt. Years of getting used to Gray’s flair for taking the occasional gut-dropping turn, and Gray accepting that Samuel was getting heavier and creakier with age. They were still a tight unit. They trusted each other, knew each other’s movements. They were best friends and always would be.

Kaffi must be longing for that.

Samuel heard the flapping of leathery wings approaching behind him. He glanced at his watch: it was nearly ten thirty. This was quite late for Graymar to return! He heard the last few wing beats then the gentle two-step drop to the roof. For such a large tintrite, his landings were always light and delicate.

“Morning, Gray,” he said, turning around. “Been busy?”

Graymar grunted and ruffled his wings with exhausted annoyance and a barely hidden wince before folding them back. He readjusted the bulging satchel he wore around his torso as he joined Samuel at the railing. “Hmm. I was up at the co-op farm,” he said, twisting and rubbing his neck to work out a sore muscle. “There’s so much paperwork we still have to sort through. And you know how I feel about paperwork.”

Samuel laughed, giving him a friendly pat on the arm. “The price we pay for being part-time couriers, Gray. Digital’s okay, but Panooria still wants physical copies. Which reminds me…are we still up for another run at the end of the month?”

Graymar patted the overstuffed bag and stretched his back, working on further soreness. “As long as it’s our lighter tenancy committee work. This lease work is only the first half of it, and it’s killing me. I’ll need to return tomorrow and get the rest. There’s more after that, but I’m choosing not to think about it right now.”

Samuel smiled and turned back to the green below, watching the tenants make their way to and from midmorning errands and jobs. “The committee’s finally taking the co-op planning process seriously then,” he said. “I’m glad. That was Cass and Carol’s idea.” Cass and Carol Caine, two hedraac high-level committee members at the estate, had floated the idea of working with a local co-op farm during the last apple harvest season to create additional income as well as providing jobs for its tenants. The committee response had been extremely positive, and they’d been given the go-ahead to make it happen. It was already the talk of the estate, and many tenants were looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, all that excitement had caused a minor but important issue, one that he too had sadly not followed up on yet. He glanced over at the rear garden and orchard just behind the eastern bungalows. The allotments at the southern end of the strip were in constant use and looked healthy as ever, but the small orchard at the northern end had been ignored for far too long. “Our own orchard needs a little revitalization, though…it’s been neglected for months now.”

“Speaking of whom,” Graymar said, nodding in the same direction. He rocked back onto his hinds and rested his arms on the bulging satchel the aching muscles seeming to have calmed down for now. “I hear their youngest son has taken an interest in the farm.”

Samuel nodded. “Cole. He’s the one with Steiner-Hedraac syndrome. He’s one of Diwa and Kaffi’s friends.”

Graymar nodded. “I happened to talk with him on the green a few days ago. He might be a quiet one, but he’s more connected to the estate than he often lets on. He brought up the issue of the orchard with me as well. He already knows and understands what the committee wants to do with the co-op. I think he’ll make a fine representative when that project goes live.”

“Good to hear,” Samuel said, and turned back to Graymar again. He was looking a bit more exhausted than usual, even for so early in the day, but didn’t say anything…he was probably just worn out from carrying all that heavy paperwork. Maybe a bit of distraction was in order. “How’s your pahyoh been?” he asked.

Graymar paused before responding, the change in subject unexpected. “Why do you ask?”

“Merely curious. Diwa and Kaffi were definitely aware that we were analyzing their game yesterday. You know how it is. Self-conscious teens hate being watched over by their parents.”

“Hmm.”

“I think Kaffi’s itching to get up in the air, Gray.”

“He does that all the time,” he shrugged, deadpan. “I wouldn’t stop him.”

“I mean with Diwa.” He waved his hand back and forth, as if the two boys were there in front of them. “You’ve seen, it, Gray, don’t tell me otherwise. Something’s going on between those two. I’ve seen it before, and I never said anything. Last night was different though, and I’m waiting for Diwa to bring it up. They’re thinking about the inheritance and the internship. They’re ready to take that next step.”

“They’ve been thinking about it for ages, Sam. Diwa only needs to ask,” he said plainly. “Nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Samuel smirked at him, knowing a classic Graymar deflection when he heard one. “Come on, Gray, this is serious. Do you remember how embarrassed I was when I approached you? I was afraid you’d laugh and fly away, like all the other tintrite did.”

Graymar grinned warmly at that, and leaned forward to touch his snout against Samuel’s forehead. “And yet here I am,” he said, humming in amusement.

“And yet here you are,” he laughed, waving him away. “Even more reason Kaffi should be the one to ask Diwa! Your son is itching to get up in the air as a ride, and he’ll want to get some paired training as soon as possible. I say, plant the seed. He’s got it mapped out already, he just needs to hear you give him the go-ahead. He’ll come to you soon, I know it. You train him however you feel necessary, and I’ll do what I can on my end to get Diwa ready for flight.”

Graymar’s snout dipped low and let out a quick snort. “You’re serious about this.”

“Of course I am!” he said, giving his friend’s mane a quick ruffle. “They’ve planned for a long time, and they’re finally ready to put it all into action. And I certainly don’t want either of them to waste their time thinking and never doing, if you know what I mean.”

Graymar stared at him for a few seconds before he lifted his snout again and looked away. “Thinking was never your main strength anyway,” he said, flashing a fang.

“And doing was never yours,” he countered, elbowing him.

“I shall talk to him soon.”

“Good. It’s a plan, then.”

*

Glossary
hedraac – (hed-rack) humanlike alien psychic vampire
Steiner-Hedraac Syndrome – a disability in hedraac that affects their vampiric abilities

Author’s Note: As you may have noticed, Diwa is not an English name; in fact, it’s Filipino. He comes from a mixed family, where his mother is Filipina and his father is white. Thus there will be the occasional Tagalog phrase that pops up here and there throughout the rest of the novel, along with a few non-human languages. I’ll do my best to provide a glossary at the end of the chapter. Special thanks to Armie Tabios and Mike Batista for double-checking my use of Tagalog!

*

CHAPTER TWO

“You think they were talking about us?”

Diwa stretched out at the end of Kaffi’s pallet bed, staring at the high ceiling. He flexed his still-stinging hands; he still couldn’t believe he caught that ball. But that was the least of his worries right now…he’d seen his father and Graymar up on the balcony during their game. They perched up there almost every day on the regular, but today they’d kept their eyes on them the entire time. Like they were being judged, and not just because of his running through the garden or that reckless throw so close to the tenants.

Kaffi huffed and twitched his snout. He sat on his hinds at the other end of the bed, his head tilted, distracted by the sky outside his window. “Of course they were talking about us!” he said and tapped his talons together. He turned to him, flashing a quick fang or two. Clearly he was not as worried or self-conscious about their fathers keeping such a close eye on them. “When they’re not talking about the old days, they’re usually complaining about something we did.”

Diwa wasn’t convinced. “They’ve been watching us a lot lately. I mean, a lot more than they usually do. Have you noticed?”

Kaffi sniffed, dipping his snout at him. “I have. We are of age, Dee. They’re going to start prodding us about inheritance and internship soon.”

“Soon?” he grinned, raising a brow at him. “You mean Gray hasn’t said anything yet? Pop’s been all passive-aggressive on me for months now. He’s trying to talk me into being more active at the tenancy meetings and estate projects, but he won’t come right out and ask.”

“Hmm. You know paddir…”

Diwa turned and propped himself up on an elbow. Kaffi had to have noticed what this was all about by now! “You want it, don’t you? Taking Graymar’s position after he retires?”

“Eiyah, if he retires, more like,” he said, dismissing him with a wave of his claws. “My paddir never lets anything go, especially his position.” He looked down at Diwa, cocking his head slightly, dark eyes studying him as the idea started to take root. “You’re still serious about this, aren’t you? You still want Samuel to give you the job? I mean, yeah, we’ve talked about it for years. I know I still want it. Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts…?”

Diwa blushed, quickly waving off that suggestion. “No! No, it’s more like…” He stuttered to a halt, looking away in embarrassment. “Never mind. It’s dumb.”

Kaffi waved a taloned hand back at him. “What if it is?”

Ai, he wasn’t going to let this go, was he? He was just like Graymar when he did that. Diwa dropped back down on the bed with a frustrated grunt. “Pop’s position has been handed down through five generations of my family, Kaff. It’s always been an inheritance. Sure, they were all legitimate, voted through by the tenancy committee and made official by the Tenancy Board in Panooria. No major complaints, no repeals, nothing. Meanwhile, I’m at the point where I’ve started making rounds through the estate to get to know the tenants, so they can get to know me. Same thing Pop did, same thing lolo Daniel did.”

Kaffi hummed, slow and questioning; concerned. He dropped down to all fours and hunched near him. “I hear a ‘but’ somewhere in there.”

Diwa glanced at him, comforted by his closeness. “It doesn’t seem right to me somehow, Kaff. It would be handing the position to me, whether I was ready or not. I want—I need to work for it.”

“Who says you’re not? You just said so yourself. You’re doing the rounds—”

He waved his hand in the air again. “I don’t mean that.”

“What do you mean, then?”

Ai, this was such a dumb thing to get so upset and obsessed over! “I know the tenants like me. But they like me because they like Pop. And they like you because they like Graymar. I’m just…”

Kaffi hummed, soft and high; sympathetic. “You think they’ll expect us to run the estate the exact same way,” he said. “As if we were Samuel and Graymar ourselves.”

“Told you it was stupid.”

“Hmm. I don’t think so,” he said, softly tapping a talon on Diwa’s arm. “I think you have a strong case. You want to prove yourself as a capable future landlord and not just an inheritor. And I agree! I love my paddir, but I am most definitely not the same as him. I’d rather let them know the real Kaffi before I take the position.”

Diwa glanced at him in surprise. “You agree with me?”

“Of course I do.”

“You don’t think I’m overreacting?”

Kaffi snorted. “You? Overreact?”

He hit Kaffi’s arm with a soft backhand. “Very funny.”

“So how are we going to go about it, then?”

A good question, and one he’d been asking himself for over a month now. “I’m not sure yet,” he said eventually. “I’ll continue with the rounds, do whatever needs doing. I’ll have to get with Pop soon to register the internship to make it official…”

“Hmm.”

After a moment he smirked and caught his eye once more. “You said ‘we’.”

“Took you long enough,” Kaffi said, snorting and prodding him once more. “Look, Diwa. Whatever you choose to do about this, it’ll affect me as well. We’ve both wanted this since for years, and we’ve always planned to do it as a team. We both need to prove ourselves, yes? You tell me how we should approach it, and we’ll do it together.”

Diwa face burned. That had been the plan all along, but… “Kaff…?”

But Kaffi would have none of it. He pushed himself back up onto his hinds, his wings twitching slightly. “It makes sense that we do so in tandem. We still have some issues to sort through, but we can get through them, side by side as always.”

Diwa gave him a nervous laugh. “We’re best friends, Kaff. We’re not bonded.”

Kaffi laughed as well, though Diwa caught the twitch of wings again. Kaffi usually hid his own embarrassment quite well, but his wings were always the giveaway. “No, we’re not,” he conceded, catching his eye again, as if to provide an unspoken not yet, anyway in there somewhere. He ruffled his wings once more before settling them and dropped back down to all fours. “But I’ll stand by your decision regardless,” he added lightly.

Diwa looked away, focusing on the ceiling again. He felt an unexpected wave of relief, and he wasn’t sure if it was because he’d shared his concerns with his best friend and possible future co-landlord, or that Kaffi had so willingly decided to stick by his side all this time. They both had a hard path ahead of them as potential inheritors and having a close ally would make things so much easier. He smiled and felt stupid for it, but he didn’t care. Somehow, his future looked a lot clearer.

Right beside him, Kaffi hummed and smiled in response.

*

Diwa left Building C and began the walk back across the central green to Palm. The sun had already started to set behind the community center building off to his right, and the streetlights were starting to flicker on with a quiet electric hum. This was a slow time of day for the estate; most of the younger kids had already gone home to start their schoolwork and have dinner with their families, and Diwa was just about to do so himself. A few other tenants were walking across the green, some on their way home from work and others returning from errands. He recognized most of them and waved hello as he passed by, but he didn’t stay or linger to talk. An older, exhausted aanoupii trudged up the driveway in dirty overalls and carrying a toolbox, absently brushing dust from his bovine-like horns, heading to one of the eastern bungalows. A young tintrite from Building E flying in lazy practice circles above the trees. The chatty elderly mandossi ladies from Building B sat at one of the picnic tables, twittering and giggling as they shared the latest gossip. The new young human tenant couple, heading over to Building A, nervous in their still unfamiliar surroundings.

Behind him on the roof of Building C, Kaffi’s paddir had roosted at the edge. Graymar would always be up there in his favorite spot around this time, as part of his rounds. Diwa imagined he could feel the tintrite’s eyes on him, watching him cross the central green. Some evenings he’d look up and wave, and sometimes Graymar would wave back. Tonight however, he kept his eyes on his own building, the shorter and squatter Palm. His family’s apartment was dead center, on the fifth floor and right next to the middle open stairwell. Sometimes he’d see his father there, but tonight he must be inside, fiddling around in his office.

Off in the distance, he heard the chime of the local church bells, signaling that it was six o’clock. It was almost time for dinner.

*

Diwa’s bedroom was tiny and compact compared to Kaffi’s cavernous nestroom, but for him it was just the right size. His bed, his desk, a few other amenities, maybe a couple of posters and a radio, that’s all he needed. He spent far more time over at Kaffi’s place anyway, but when he was here at home and needed time alone, spartan was definitely the way to go. Unlike his father, he tried not to distract himself too often, as it always felt like wasting time. He liked to be connected, either with his family, with his friends or the other tenants. This bedroom was the one place in this estate that was truly his own, and he treasured that, though he would happily share it with his friends whenever they came over.

He still had a little bit of time before dinner was ready, so he turned on his computer and called up his homework for the evening. It was spring semester, which meant that many of his teachers had begun assigning term papers and final projects. Diwa always made sure that he got these done ahead of time, even despite his occasional frustration in maintaining interest in them. There was the added stress of Future Calling – he hated the corny name, but it was part of the curriculum – in which he had to complete a final conversation with the school’s guidance counselor, giving a final report of impending internship, employment, or calling once he graduated.

The idea of having a Future Calling chat hadn’t bothered him originally. He’d known it was coming because of his older brother Aldrine having gone through it some years ago, and he already knew he was in line for Samuel’s job. But over the past few months, the idea of having to go through this song and dance for other people’s benefit had started to grate on him. Was he making this report for his own peace of mind, or for everyone else’s? His conversation with Kaffi hadn’t been mere teenage irritation. He didn’t want to go through with the report if it was just a waste of time. And he certainly didn’t want to work from a script everyone else expected him to read.

He brought up a vidchat window and signed in. Kaffi was already online, his head taking up most of the window. His eyes were focused on his own homework and he was typing up a storm. For a tintrite with long and taloned fingers, he was an amazingly fast at it. “Hey you,” he chirped.

“Hey,” Diwa said, opening one of his own documents, a report for his literature class. “What are you working on?”

Kaffi’s eyes popped up to his camera, and they briefly locked eyes. “Lia Weiss’s history paper. You?”

“Mr. Marcus’s book report,” he groaned. “If I can manage to write a few hundred more words to pad it out, I think I might have something worth handing in. Journey of the Bloodstone is such a boring book, I don’t even know why it gets assigned.”

“It’s a parable about unjust living conditions,” Kaffi said with a grin, raising a brow at him. “Or did the Sledgehammer of Obvious Symbolism miss your head again?”

“Very droll, Kaff. Seriously, it’s just so outdated. I mean, I get the message. It’s one of those ‘demands for social justice’ sort of things, and I’m all for that. But the prose is just so outdated, not to mention very problematic in certain places, that it’s lost its bite. We’d be better off reading something more recent from Candleman or Laura-Dhenashhi instead. Same exact message, just more relevant to this century. And just a tad less xenophobic.”

“Did you put that in your paper?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Why not? That’s a very valid point, and I feel the same way about that book. I’m sure the others in the class would agree. I don’t know what Alio Marcus would say, but I doubt he would dock you a grade for being sincere about its issues that have crept up over time.”

“Hmm. You have a point.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Smartass.”

“Hoy, Diwa!” he heard from the hallway. “Dumating kana pala!”

“That’s ina,” he smiled.  “I’m heading to dinner. I’ll be back in a few.”

“I’ll be here. Tell her I said hello.”

Diwa stood up, stretched, and started to head towards the dining room, feeling a bit distracted. He glanced at the screen, out of camera shot, and watched his friend typing away, humming a light tune. Kaffi certainly had been full of positive ideas today. They’d had this kind of conversation plenty of times in the past, but lately it felt as if his friend was…?

Nah, couldn’t be.

He shook that idea out of his head and joined his family at the table.

*

Kaffi headed to dinner at the same time as Diwa. It had been Iliah’s turn to make dinner this time, and his ahmané had created a feast of meats, cheeses and greens displayed on a wide tray on the kotatsu, along with tall, fluted glasses of water and fruit juice. It was a simple dinner, but Iliah had made it look quite fancy. Long strips of finely cut grilled beef were spread out on a serving board next to cubes of cheddar, swiss and goat’s milk cheeses, slices of cucumber, with individual bowls of spinach and rocket leaves nearby. Kaffi had always been impressed by her culinary creativity, learned from her years at the city university and various food service internships. Kaffi had even come to the table earlier than usual, hoping to get a good look at the layout before it vanished. Graymar was the last to enter the dining room, muttering an apology for his delay. He hummed low and slow as he approached the table, highly impressed by Iliah’s presentation. She flashed him a wide grin and chirped at the family to dig in. Shahney, Kaffi’s manae, continued to praise even after they’d finished and settled in for the evening.

Kaffi watched his paddir exit the apartment again soon after everyone had finished eating. Graymar had uttered few words during dinner, ruffled his wings, and mumbled a few more before returning to the roof. Sometimes Kaffi wished he’d say something, anything, for a change…but he was set in his ways, just like other elder tintrite males. He wasn’t angry at him for barely speaking to his own family in the evenings, because Graymar took his position very seriously. He was up there again, doing his final scan before turning in. He did this every single night without fail, regardless of weather. He’d come down in an hour or so, join Shahney in their nestroom for some reading, and they’d all turn in around ten.

“Hey, little ahpadhé,” Iliah sang, shaking him out of his thoughts. She’d sidled up to him under the now cleaned kotatsu, nudging at his shoulder with the pad of her palm. “Something on your mind?”

Kaffi ruffled his wings and let out a tiny hum. “Thinking about the future, ahmané,” he said.

She laughed quietly. “So formal! It must be important.”

“It is,” he said, and felt the bridge of his snout beginning to heat up. He could never hide his emotions from Iliah. They’d always been close siblings, even with the five-year difference in age. He knew he could trust her with his most personal thoughts and emotions, and would treat him as an adult. “When you wanted to go to culinary school,” he said too quickly, then stopped. Ai, why was he so nervous? He shook his wings and let them settle again. He started again, slower this time. “What drove you to your decision?”

Iliah flashed a pleased fang at him and cocked her head. She had their manae’s inquisitive dark blue eyes that made her easy to approach, and her silky black mane, though she’d let hers grow long so it would flop over to one side. Just like Shahney, she looked so confident! “So many things!” she sang. “So many people! Manae taught us both how to cook when we were younglings, but I found I really enjoyed it. I loved the creation of the dish, everything that goes into it. The balance of the flavors, the scents, even the presentation. And the pleasure! The happiness I see in others’ eyes when they genuinely enjoy my creation is the best part! I started working with Diwa’s mother whenever there was a banquet at the community center.  I also picked up a few techniques from our neighbors. By the time Lydia hunted me down, I knew exactly what my report was going to say.”

Kaffi sniffed in amusement at the mention of their school’s guidance counselor. Lydia Powers made sure all her kids graduated with a completed Future Calling goal and would not leave any student alone until she got an answer out of each one of them. “Yes…lia Powers has been prodding us lately, now that you mention it.”

She tipped her snout at him. “Is that what’s on your mind?” she asked. “She means well, you know. She’ll hound you, but she really does care.”

“It’s part of it…” Kaffi said, fidgeting with his hands in an attempt to keep his wings calm. “Diwa and I had an interesting talk earlier today. About future plans. You know, about inheritance.”

Iliah hummed and nodded sagely. “The two of you have been talking about that since middle school.”

Kaffi let his wings twitch slightly and gave her a tiny smile. “Diwa’s taking it more seriously. We’ve been talking about it more, you know, following through with it. And I’m…well, I want to be there with him to make it happen.”

“The two of you are of internship age. Is that it?”

It was a lot more than that, but he didn’t feel ready to admit that aloud just yet. “I think so. At least most of it, anyway. I’m excited about it, but not anxious,” he said. “Maybe a little nervous. Is this truly what we want?”

Iliah bobbed her snout, her whiskers twitching slightly. She let out a slow ascending hum of empathy. “I understand now. And I know you, Kaffi. You’re impulsive, just like paddir is, but you’ll always go with what’s truly in your heart.” She leaned up against him, humming and prodding her snout lightly against his. “Trust yourself, ahpadhé. Go with what you feel is truest to you. That’s exactly what I did.”

Kaffi felt a weight lifted from his wings and ruffled them slightly before settling them again. Ai, that was exactly what he needed to hear. He leaned his snout against hers and hummed in response. “Thank you.”

*

Kaffi tapped his monitor back to life and noticed the vidchat window was still blank. Diwa hadn’t yet returned, which was unlike him. He wondered if they’d just missed each other, or if he was still with his family. He felt a bit silly and self-conscious worrying about this, but it wouldn’t go away. They’d had evening sessions before where they barely shared two words and then went their separate ways, but tonight it felt different. It felt unfinished. He kept the vidchat window open while he continued with his homework.

When Diwa did finally reappear a half hour later he felt relieved, but to his surprise he also felt an unexpected wave of excitement. He’d felt this before, plenty of times, whenever they returned to their vidchats, or even when they crossed paths at school. It was a simple joyful connection between them, just it always had been.

So why did he feel different about it now? Was it because of their conversation earlier today? He and Diwa had always been extremely close, but that one moment when he’d completely bared his emotions to him, it felt like something had changed. It was a deeper connection. He’d joked about it then, about being bonded, but now that he thought about it, perhaps he hadn’t been joking much about it at all.

Their conversation the rest of the evening was light and jovial and nothing of importance, just like most nights. He enjoyed every moment of it, just like he always did.

Only tonight, it felt a little more important to him.

He chose not to say anything about it just yet however. All he wanted to do is keep this the way it was for now. That would make him happy.

*

“Diwa. Hoy! Diwa! Nandiyan ka ba sa loob?”

Diwa stood at the kitchen sink with his younger sister Maricel, cleaning the last of the dishes and pots, but his mind was already elsewhere. Mari was prodding him in the temple with a finger. She might have inherited their mother’s diminutive stature and her strikingly dark hair, which she’d pulled back into a tight ponytail, but she’d also taken on her no-nonsense level of patience. She was the most active of the entire family, even more so than Diwa, and couldn’t stand it when her older brothers dawdled and lost themselves in thought. And she rarely ever held anything back. It was as frustrating as it was endearing.

“Sorry, Mari,” he said, finally taking the plate she’d been holding in front of his face for the last few seconds. He dried it and stacked it with the others on the counter to be put away when they were done.

“Ano ba…?” she huffed and rolled her eyes, scrubbing away at the next plate. “If this is what being an adult is like, I’ll stay a kid.”

“No, it’s just me,” he said, waving away her concern. “Just got a lot of things on my mind lately.”

“You sound like Papa,” she sniffed.

“I do not!” he shot back, his face heating up. “I’m graduating at the end of this school year and I have to make a decision about what I’ll do next.”

“You’re going to inherit, duh,” she teased. “You’ve been talking my ears off about it for years. Or have you decided to do something else?”

He faltered, looking away. “I’m…yeah, I’m going to inherit,” he said weakly, taking the next plate from her. “Kaffi and I just had a talk about it earlier today, is all. I’ve been thinking about how I want it to unfold. You know, instead of just having it handed to us.”

“I could do it too, you know,” she snorted. “I might be a few years younger than you, but I’m just as smart.”

“And as irritable as Graymar,” he said with a grin, elbowing her.

“Am not!”

“Hoy!” they heard from the next room. “Quiet down, you two! Finish the dishes and get started on your homework!”

“Okay, ina,” they said in cherubic unison, glancing at each other and laughing quietly.

They finished the cleaning and Diwa put all the dishes away while Mari leaned up against the sink, waiting for him. “You take this so seriously, Diwa,” she said. “I mean, I’m impressed and all, but I worry about you. You shut yourself up like Pop sometimes.”

He hummed, delaying his response. It was true, he did hold himself back like his father, more often than he’d like to admit. It irritated him that he’d picked up that trait. Samuel wasn’t distant or cold at all, he would just have moments where he’d get quiet and retreat to his musty and crowded back office for an hour or so to distract himself. Diwa would go and visit him now and again, just to make sure he didn’t completely shut everyone away, and his father seemed to truly appreciate that, but there was indeed something there that weighed heavy on his mind, and no one in this family knew what it was.

Diwa did not want to fall into that same trap.

“Kaffi and I were talking about our inheritance earlier. I…may have brought up the idea of approaching it in a different way,” he ventured.

She gave him an uneasy glare. “How different?”

“I don’t know yet,” he said, and delayed again as he put the last of the dishes away. “We’d start the internship, but we’d also open the position up to anyone else who might be interested.”

Mari crossed her arms and huffed at him. “Ai, nababaliw kana ba, Diwa? You’re willing to lose the family inheritance?”

“Of course not. I believe we can still win it. But on our terms. Me and Kaffi’s.”

That response didn’t seem to calm her any. “Right…” she said slowly. “You two are weird, you know that?”

Diwa smiled at her. “Love you too, ate.”

“Seriously, Dee. That’s taking a big chance. You really want to go that route?”

“I do.”

“And how are you going to do it?”

He hummed and looked away. “I don’t know…a full election? We’re still working it out.”

Mari groaned in response and squeezed his shoulder. “Just…don’t do anything stupid, okay? Talk to Pop or Mama first if you need to.”

“I will. Thanks again.”

She smiled and gave him a hard punch on the arm. “Or talk to me first if you’re too afraid. Don’t be an idiot!”

“Ow. I won’t. Promise.”

“Good.”

Diwa returned to his room a little later than usual and was surprised to see Kaffi on the other end of the vidchat window. It wasn’t often that they had late night conversations, especially if they’d already been hanging out all day long. It was all about mundane things anyway – school, family, their friends, the evolution of their catch game. Kaffi was uncharacteristically laid back and serious now. Any other time he was ready with a joke or a laugh, hiding behind his humor and his obsession with flying. In a way, it was nice seeing his mature, quieter side; it made Diwa feel even more confident that they could make this inheritance thing work. Now all they needed to do was make a plan that made sense.

*

Glossary:
tintrite is pronounced tin-treet
Lia – mister (tintrite)
dumating kana pala – come to dinner (Tagalog)
ahpadhé (ah-pah-day) – brother (tintrite)
nandiyan ka ba sa loob? – Are you in there? (Tagalog)
ano ba…? – this is ridiculous (Tagalog)