"You're not happy," Taidra commented bluntly to Fetmar as the young commander collected his orders from the security director. "With leaving, I mean," he clarified.
Fetmar shrugged. "I'm never happy with leaving Eyeri on his own," he pointed out as he skimmed through his new mission. His other brothers had already shipped out that week and soon it would be time for him also to leave. Leaving Eyeri at the mercy of Aw'endo with only Ryraso and Isst to help. After the prank incident, the twins had thankfully stayed clear of them.
Taidra lifted an eyebrow. "He's hardly on his own Fetmar. This time is a little different, but Ryraso will look after him like he always has," Taidra said seriously like it was an obvious fact.
"You trust that Ryraso will keep Aw'endo from hurting Eyeri?" Fetmar asked softly, his blue eyes almost begging Taidra to say so.
"Aw'endo can be a little rough on Eyeri," Taidra allowed. "But he has also improved considerably from that first interaction."
"So people keep saying," Fetmar murmured. He liked the youngling, he did, but it was hard to keep the image of him attacking Eyeri from his mind. Eyeri had done nothing to deserve that. Aw'endo had bullied Eyeri ever since, even if recently he was being more brother-like about it. Fetmar still found it hard to trust the youngling with his brother, though.
Taidra gave half a smile, understanding what Fetmar was feeling. "Come on, I'll let you watch the footage of the prank. Maybe you'll understand a bit better than," he offered, pulling up the footage on his screen.
Fetmar nodded, standing behind Taidra to watch. Growling lowly as he watched Kelenn set it up. Then it happened and Fetmar found his eyes glued to Aw'endo. The k'nairi was furious, only calming when it was clear Eyeri wasn't actually hurt.
"I wouldn't underestimate Aw'endo. He's lonely and desperate for Ryraso's approval which means protecting Eyeri," Taidra murmured. "Nothing bad will happen to your boy Fetmar, or at least not from Aw'endo's hand."
"I think I need to talk to Aw'endo," Fetmar mused thoughtfully. "Thank you Taidra."
"Not a problem," Taidra smiled at Fetmar, watching as the commander headed out of the office.
"Where's Fetmar off too?" Feno asked, coming in after the boy had left.
"To locate our resident youngling," Taidra chuckled, leaning up to kiss Feno on the cheek. Feno grinned warmly and hugged him close for a moment, pressing their foreheads together, having been long time partners.
"He accepted Aw'endo into his brood then?" Feno hummed fondly. Fetmar was fiercely protective of all of his brothers, not just Eyeri, though the boy got the worst of it. It didn't help that all four brothers regularly got into trouble. Leaving Fetmar to have to try to clean up the mess it left behind.
"Not quite yet," Taidra chuckled. "But Aw'endo's working his way in slowly."
Feno grinned, kissing Taidra on the forehead before drawing away. "So, have you eaten yet today?"
"Aw'endo!" A loud and familiar voice yelled over to the k'nairi as he stalked the halls, for once not glued to Ryraso's side. There were occasions when Ryraso needed to treat a patient without Aw'endo listening in after all, "Get over here, will you?"
Aw'endo growled unhappily at the tone used to summon him but blinked when he realised it was Fetmar. The oldest Zamen walking over to him with purpose in his stride, making Aw'endo worry slightly. He liked Fetmar, they mostly got on when they were in a group together but Fetmar rarely came looking for him, normally when he had upset Eyeri or one of the other Zamen brothers. Just what had he done to annoy the man now?
Moving over cautiously, he narrowed his eyes at the older man as another thought went through his head. "Shouldn't you be gone by now?" Aw'endo asked bluntly. Eyeri had been sad this morning because of it.
"My team's heading off soon but I wanted to have a quick word with you about Eyeri," Fetmar admitted with a slightly scary expression. Fetmar was dressed in his armour, bag slung on his back, clearly ready to go, but first, he needed to play big brother.
"Eyeri? What about him?" Aw'endo tilted his head, looking as innocent as he could. He was pretty sure he hadn't hurt the human recently, if anything Eyeri was sad because of his brothers deploying.
Despite his efforts to get the boy to warm up to him, Eyeri seemed just as unnerved by him as the human had when they had first met almost three weeks ago now. Aw'endo had tried to copy how the younger boy's brothers treated him but whenever Aw'endo touched Eyeri he seemed to do everything in his power to put distance between them. The rejection was a little hurtful to Aw'endo but Ryraso promised it wasn't Aw'endo's fault and to keep trying to get along with Eyeri.
"I need you to promise me you will look after him while I'm gone," Fetmar asked seriously.
"What?" Aw'endo replied honestly confused and unable to say anything else to Fetmar's demand. Of all things he had been expecting to come from Fetmar, that wasn't one of them.
"I know you like him. Or at least, more than when you first arrived and there aren't many on the ship around his age," Fetmar added, careful not to put assumptions on the younglings feelings. After all Aw'endo was still young enough to deny things which made him embarrassed. "I need you to look after him for me," Fetmar repeated firmly.
Fetmar was twenty-five. The twins were slightly younger at twenty-four, and the only other person permanently stationed on the ship younger than that was twenty-one. 5 years was a big gap, especially with the issues Eyeri had. Ryraso claimed Aw'endo's mental age was around 13, but the youngling was almost fully grown physically and not exactly stupid. 13-year-olds could be mature about some things and childish about others. Eyeri needed someone who was around his age on the ship and Aw'endo was the only one in a position to be that person.
"From what I understand, everyone keeps an eye on him while you and the others are gone anyway," Aw'endo commented slightly surprised by the request. Part of him was a little nervous at being asked to do this while another was preening that he had gained Fetmar's trust enough that the man would ask this of him.
"They do, but," Fetmar trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eyeri's not a warrior," he said softly. An obvious fact but one Aw'endo had failed to consider in his thoughts. "They tend to miss when something is bothering him. While Ryraso normally picks up on things, with you here now..."
"He won't be looking as closely," Aw'endo finished, feeling a twinge of something in his chest. Guilt maybe? He had forced his way back into Ryraso's life and when he had done so, he really hadn't considered the idea that Ryraso would have made a new family. Eyeri had his brothers but really for most of the time, he was alone. "Don't worry, I'll look after him. I kind of like playing the older brother," he grinned up at Fetmar.
"So what was how you acted when you first arrived and scarring him with a bite on his neck?" Fetmar commented dryly. The bite had scarred, one more unwanted mark to the many which littered Eyeri's body.
"K'nairi siblings fight," Aw'endo shrugged noncommittally, not about to justify normal k'nairi behaviour to him. "I'd never harm him seriously after being told he was Ryraso's apprentice. You should see what actual k'nairi siblings do to each other..." he commented with a darker grin.
"I don't think I want to know," Fetmar chuckled. "Just be careful with him. I realise he isn't made from glass but he's not made from steel either."
"I will, I swear by my wings. Now I have to get back to Ryraso or he'll get grumpy with me. Good luck on your mission," Aw'endo offered though it felt odd saying that, knowing Fetmar's team's mission was likely working against the k'nairi, but ... After spending so long on the ship and hanging out with Fetmar personally, he was growing fond of them all. What Fetmar had gotten out of Aw'endo was something precious, not that the older man had realised it with how casual it had been phrased. For a k'nairi to swear by their wings meant they were completely serious by what they were promising to do. K'nairi wings gave them freedom of flight and sanity of mind, their wings meant everything to them. It was an important promise and one Aw'endo fully intended to follow.
"Thank you Aw'endo," Fetmar smiled, pulling Aw'endo close for a one armed hug. "Look after yourself too. I'll see you in a month hopefully."
"See you," Aw'endo murmured, pressing into the hug before letting go and running off. Not wanting Fetmar to see the blush on his cheeks and the grin that was on his face. Fetmar liked him, and what's more, Fetmar trusted him. His attempts were working. Hopefully next time the others would warm up to him more as well and he would have a family. For now, he just had to look after Eyeri. He wouldn't let his little brother suffer because he was no longer Ryraso's only concern because Aw'endo was there.