Policeman and the cat

24 - Equal

Nelly watched Ian harvesting ripe chilis from his potted little garden, cutting them and placing them on a baking sheet, he would be drying them in the oven overnight.

Chilli was drooling. She liked dried ones best - Ian's grown and dried ones the most out of all types. 

Lately Nelly had a feeling that Chilli might have actually formed out of dust from Ian's homemade chili powder, but before she opened her mouth to ask--

"Do you know what might happen?" Ian asked and Nelly shook her head.

Nelly said aether had nothing in it. She knew just as much as Ian did - that a storm would come, that she would turn back into a ring and that Ian would go berserk and rampage around and that it would be fine afterward.

Aether did not know what no one around knew or spoke about. The library had the richest aether, both she and Chilli were always squinting at all the scattered pieces of knowledge, but about Wittens, about her having this solid shape and about the kind of connection she had to Ian - there was nothing. Her aether gushed into him and she was repainting his aether pattern, almost as if he was her familiar, not the other way around and there was nothing about that either.

Leum had mentioned words 'ferals' and 'change shape' and that might be it - Ian had given her a shape, but she had not given Ian one yet. Not completely.

Ian washed his hands and set the temperature to 80 degrees celsius, 7 hours and 12 minutes, the perfect time for the size of chilis this time, and came to bed. She tackled him with a kiss.

Her worries had turned out to be completely off-mark, by becoming his no.1 in this way as well, she had not made him feel emptier. On the first nights she had drained his aether, but his heart had become fuller. He didn't stroke her hair any less, but it was not for seeking reassurance or just to have something to do with his hands, it was because he just wanted to touch her - because she was his.

She was always his, but it had taken this step for him to recognize it fully. He wasn't even aware he was draining her aether with his kisses, but she knew she would get it all back soon enough and she did.

***

Was he imagining it or were the breakfasts slowly turning into something-- how do you explain eating oysters with caviar for breakfast? They were incredible, no buts, just that he never imagined them to make good breakfast food along with freshly baked bread and coffee-- and what was this spicy, flavorful sauce over them?

"Jalapeno with ponzu," the wisp replied as it popped in to take away the dishes, just as Ian took out the chilis from the oven. It asked for ten of the freshly dried chilis in exchange for the full recipe. Ian didn't mind trading.

If he toned down the spice it might be something his mom might enjoy when she comes to visit. Five more of the chilis went away to feed Chilli and other dustbuns who were swarming around like fuzzy bees. It was amusing and cute, but to them, it was likely the same as how fresh bread was for humans. And the rest went into the chili jar.

Ian didn't exactly know what might be needed, but just in case he took a change of clothes along, but moments after he rang the bell of August's door, a pair of golden eyes met his and he, Nelly and Chilli were dragged through a space of blurred colors ending up in a lush green room with an open wall - showing a view of a huge lake, open skies and forests around. The air was shimmering and sparkling lights ran through it just how they did in the apartment, giving this place the same magical and sacred feeling.

"Wait," the owner of the golden eyes said and disappeared. Her skin had been ashen gray, hair - hay colored, she had elven ears and the same as August - she had no presence.