20.ii Ripe Peach Mountain

~ Anari ~

When Bodhi showed up at the spot where they left their barrel, Anari was waiting for them.

“I didn’t want to accidentally spook you,” the spider greeted as the monk came limping up the hill, “so I just decided to meet you here.”

Bodhi plopped down on the lid of the barrel and eyed Anari warily. “I’m very tired, so tell me what it is you want, Legs.”

Anari glanced below the monk’s neckline. “I want you to lift up your shirt.”

Bodhi chuckled. “Sorry, but that invitation has expired. I’m flattered though.”

Anari came closer and knelt by the barrel. “You know I’m not here for that. Just lift your shirt up.”

Bodhi hesitated, but eventually obeyed and tentatively pulled the hem of their undershirt up to their ribcage.

“Easy, Legs!” They hissed as Anari probed the bruised area with her fingers.

“The pig got you good,” she said. “You’re lucky he didn’t gouge you with his tusk or crack a rib. Hold on while I get something to put on this.”

The spider ignored the owlish look in Bodhi’s eyes as she went to retrieve some first aid supplies from her paper space.

Clearly this monk isn’t used to having their wounds tended to, Anari thought as she rummaged through her things. When she came back to apply the salve and bandage the area, Bodhi asked, “Do you share the same sentiment as our dear old, wise Ham Song?”

Not breaking her concentration, Anari replied, “What do you mean? Speak plainly.”

Bodhi hissed against her firm touch before elaborating, “Do you think that I’m a worm?”

Anari paused to look up at them. Bodhi wasn’t meeting her eyes, but she could tell that they had been watching her this whole time.

“I think,” she began, “that you are very good at making people mistake you for a worm. And I’ll admit that for a moment, you had me fooled too.”

Bodhi finally made eye contact, looking a bit smug. Anari briefly admired their gray irises before returning to applying the first aid.

“But I saw you fly today and now I know you’re more like a bird than a worm.”

A shadow darkened over Bodhi’s features as they leaned a little closer. “Stick around and you’ll see me become all sorts of things. Tiger. Eagle. Snake… Dragon.”

Anari pulled her gaze up Bodhi’s folded but lean frame to find their tongue sneaking out to wet their lips.

Feeling bold, the spider said, “Based on what I saw today, I’m already impressed.”

Bodhi didn’t say anything, but the look in their hooded gaze suggested that they appreciated Anari’s attention.

Then Anari placed her hand very gently over Bodhi’s wrapped bruise. Suddenly the monk’s heavy gaze morphed into something more vulnerable. They covered the back of Anari’s hand with their own.

Bodhi swallowed before saying, “What the pig did… I don’t want Sun Ritsu to know how much it hurts.”

Not needing an explanation, Anari nodded once. “You can trust me. I won’t tell.”

Bodhi exhaled and smiled. “Now that I’m all patched up, would you care for a drink?”

Moments later, Anari and Bodhi were passing back and forth a shallow cup that Bodhi refilled periodically. The spirits sat side by side with the barrel wedged between them, creating a respectful barrier. The valley stretched down the slope, grass tilting to and fro with the direction of the nighttime breeze. Fireflies burned their candle prosthetics as they courted each other.

The two spirits enjoyed stretches of silence as well as light conversation. Bodhi had reached the end of recalling their fight against the monkey horde when they said, “Hopefully we’ll be able to slip off this giant without attracting too much attention. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Next Dimension put a bounty on our heads. We did completely crash and ruin the feast sponsored in their name after all.”

Anari set down her shallow cup. “What? Did you just say Next Dimension? As in Next Dimension, Inc?”

Bodhi, whose face was eclipsed in a permanent band of boozy blush, leaned over the lid of the barrel and grinned impishly. “Yeah, that’s exactly who I meant. I have no idea who those big shots are, but if they want a piece of me, they’ll have to catch me first.” They winked.

Anari shook her head and shot to her feet, almost knocking over the barrel.

“Whoa, whoa,” Bodhi sputtered, “where ya going, Legs?”

Anari barely heard the monk’s question. Her mind was racing at the speed of light.

“Goodnight, Bodhi,” she said without much thought. “Thanks for the drink.”

Without waiting for a reply, Anari stole down into the valley until she came to a more secluded grassy knoll. Then she quickly set up her paper space and disappeared inside.