four seasons

The new outfit, similar in design to one of Takeo's old, favorite designs, was different in texture and material and so did not melt anymore whenever Yamato was near. However, the young god noted that ever since they returned home from Rizia's place, Yamato seemed distant and sometimes even cold to him. It was this moment that he caught his friend looking at what Rizia and his former-merman lover make love, and it saddened him. Quietly, he left Yamato's realm and made for his own home. He didn't visit the fire god for weeks on end.

Until he had survived a good month and a half without anyone's presence, Yamato went searching for his best friend atop the snow-capped mountain. He winced at the fierce winds, the tempests, about the peeked hill of the tundra region. It was more frigid than usual - so much that the fire god's flame was wearing out as he traveled through the snow.

It was the mood of the god of the mountain that determined the snowy weather there. It just so happened that Takeo felt a little upset and jealous, that the magical air around his realm reacted to him and belted out snowstorms and harsh winds.

"Ta-chan!" He called out to his beloved companion but to no avail. Had he not shouted the nickname, he would've saved himself a steady amount of oxygen to keep his flame alive. Sinking to his knees, he heaved for breath, realizing he had ventured too far up where the air was much too thin. Where was his forever jubilant Ta-chan who kept the redhead in high spirits?

"Yama?" Takeo was just returning to his palace on top of the hill when he heard the call, seeing the shadow of the person that went with it. He rushed to his friend, his mood lightening as he realized that it was his mood that would kill the fire god. Immediately, he helped Yamato into his home and laid him on his bed in his room, making sure that his surroundings were warm enough.

"Uhn..." It wasn't long before the older male came to, sight blurry as he attempted to decipher his current environment. His throat ached to birth speech but too sore was he to pressure his voicebox in doing so.

"Are you alright? You should rest..." the younger one murmured a few spells to help his friend regain his former health. "The weather up here has been bad, lately...I must be stressed..."

Yamato nodded in a numb fashion, reaching over to cup Takeo's face, discovering it to be exceptionally warm, warmer than himself.

"Yama...?" Takeo pulled himself away from the touch, despite his desire to stay in that position. "This outfit Rizia made for me really works..."

"Oh...?" His voice was weak still. "How come you're so warm...?" The redhead tried again at fingering the cheek of his friend.

"It's nothing...just...I've just been sick lately..."

"Sick..?" Yamato again winced. Never, not even in the attendance of a blue moon, was Takeo sick. He sat up despite his pain and faced the brunette. "What's wrong?...Tell me..."

"It's nothing, Yama. It's just a fever. I get one every few years..." Takeo sighed. He folded his left hand over his right, a diamond ring sparkling on his ring finger.

After a moment of hesitance and scrutiny, Yamato placed himself in the position to ask. "....What's that...?" His eyes motioned to the large rock of a diamond lodged on the ice god's dainty digit.

"Oh...it's an engagement ring..."

Yamato felt himself becoming too persistent, his curiosity once elevating but now the remains of dwindling ash. His flame revived with a tone of jealousy, rage and above all else, hurt. Had not Takeo the time to tell his seemingly best friend about this so-called engagement? "I am of good health, presently. Thank you." He mused over his anger, wishing he had the power to summon Ares to cause chaos upon this moment. Tossing himself out of the bed, he escaped the palace walls at once and into the now calm gales resided before returning to his own hearth.