The Moonlit Curse

Ch 25: The Line Between

August looked up from scrubbing the bar top to look out the window again. The last streams of light of the sunset were fading quickly, and Kiya still hadn't returned. Where was she? Where had she even gone? She'd left in the morning and gone to the stables, but it was Red who had returned Scout to her stall. The rest of the day, any time August so much as glanced Red's way, he caught the younger man glaring him down.

The captain was becoming a problem. He wasn't there yet, but August highly doubted that he was just going to let Kiya walk away from the Monster Corps. Walk away from him. Jealousy boiled just under the surface, and August clung to what Elise told him before. They're practically siblings. Family. Red was a brother to her, nothing more.

He could accept that. The last thing August wanted was a familial bond with the woman. He wanted to be her guiding hand. Her mentor. Someone she could come to in her darkest moments and confide her deepest, most intimate thoughts and feelings to. He wanted her to be his.

No. August shook his head clear. He couldn't—wouldn't—set himself up for that kind of disappointment. He needed to be her friend first with no ulterior motive other than helping her. If something changed after the next full moon, when the majority of the changes and pain that came with the transition was over, then he would take it one moment at a time. And if nothing happened, then... then...

He shook his head to clear those selfish thoughts yet again.

Out of nowhere, Red slammed his goblet back down on the table on the other side of the room and stood up. He was the only member of the team still awake, obviously waiting for Kiya to return. He shot yet another glare in August's direction as he stomped towards the door, dragging his coat on along the way. August was about to follow and start searching for Kiya himself, when Red ripped open the door and she was standing at the threshold. "Where the hell have you been?" Red shouted.

"In town," was Kiya's clipped answer.

She pushed past him and headed towards the door for the baths and Red caught her by the wrist. "You ran off when we were in the middle of a conversation. You left Scout in the field. Now you come back after sunset. 'In town' isn't enough, Kiya."

"You didn't want to talk, you wanted to lecture," she snapped back, ripping her arm free and rounding on him. "I left Scout in the field because she wouldn't let me get near her the second I let her loose. I knew you wouldn't just let her freeze out there, and I was right, so what's the problem?!"

"Well excuse me for giving a shit. I just want to understand what's going on with you!"

"What's going on with me is that ever since I got attacked by that goddess damned bear, you've been nothing but an overbearing asshole. You've barely given a change to heal and pull myself back together before you're on my ass demanding what's wrong, when it's fucking obvious! You're my captain, not my nanny!

"'In town' is absolutely more than enough. We are not on duty for another twenty days. I have been fulfilling my side duties by helping August when it's needed. Other than that, how and where I spend my off time is none of your business, and I'm sick of you trying to make it your business. So until a curfew is put over the town or the team, I will come and go as I please."

Without another word, Kiya spun around and stormed away into the baths, leaving Red standing in the middle of the room looking shocked and hurt. August slid back into the kitchen as quietly as he could, not wanting to get caught in another awkward stare-down and hoping that Red wouldn't try to redirect his anger.

A minute later, the sound of the door leading to the rooms upstairs opened and closed. A minute after that, the service door to his storage room opened and Kiya slid through looking completely miserable. "Is there anything left from dinner?" she asked quietly.