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Flapjack's new boy was a little silly.
Not that he wasn't used to it. It had been a long, long while since he had cared for his human, but his new boy was similar to Caleb in a lot of ways. Even after decades of separation and grief, falling back into the same routine had been like coming home. The Palisman had grown used to the caution one had to develop in order to keep such a curious soul in line, the little reminders and guidance his partner needed. It had been a lot of work, caring for the Wittebane, but the pay off had been worth all the while. The time that they were able to share he would forever hold dear. He would not have traded his human for any other witch.
Nor his new boy.
The soft pitter patter of rain hitting the window filled the room. Where soft snores might have been heard from anyone else, the blond's chest was still. A watchful eye observed the teen as he slept, dead to the world around him.
The young Grimwalker had taken a lot of convincing. If Flapjack were a less patient Palisman, then he might have given up. (Luckily for Mr. Golden Guard, Flapjack, too, has that natural instinct to protect. Not to mention, a stubborn streak.) It had been hard to get through to the stubborn teen, the walls that the young man had constructed so carefully rivaled a fortress. Two could play stubborn, though, and stubborn he played. The Palisman had decided quickly after running into the Grimwalker with the human girl that it wouldn't matter how many chirps, pecks, and nudges he had to do. Flapjack would stick with him, even if it was quite possibly the last thing he did.
While a part of him was saddened that he would never have his Caleb back, he quickly learned that that wasn't necessarily a bad thing at all. His new boy, Hunter, was by no means a replacement. As much as the Grimwalker liked to put himself down by spewing nonsense like how he was "not a real person" or "meant to be temporary," Flapjack knew that none of it was true. In all ways, Hunter was just as real as anyone else. He had his own wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings, meaning he qualified with flying colors in regards to personhood. Some of the body parts that the blond carried around might not have been his originally, but his experiences, his relationships with those around him would forever belong to him and him only. Being a Grimwalker did not change that. Hunter might not have been a witch, but Flapjack found it somewhat amusing that the boy would think that the Palisman cared about that. As if he had ever had a witch for a partner in the first place.
It didn't matter if the blond were a witch, demon, nor Titan. Behind that carefully-crafted barrier, the teenager had a heart of gold. (Or... rather, a stone.) It might be hard for others to see past the surface, but Flapjack had proudly wormed his way through such defenses. Tremored hands would hold him and pet him with such stark gentleness. There was soft fondness that crept into the blond's tone whenever speaking to him. The way he put the well-being of his Palisman above his own spoke volumes, self-preservation obviously never a strong suit.
There were moments where things were difficult. Like Flapjack, his Hunter had not been handed an easy life. It is hard to unlearn such a strong mistrust in the world, to unlearn such a toxic mindset. However, nothing could ever convince him that his boy was anything short of perfect. The Palisman wouldn't have picked a different partner in any realm. Their broken pieces fit together like art. The Grimwalker might not be Caleb, but he was still Flapjack's, and Flapjack his. The little cardinal Palisman would go to the end of the world for the teen, knowing that he would do the same.
Flapjack fluffed his feathers and settled into Hunter's side, said watchful eye finally closed. Tomorrow would throw them back into the chimera's den, new dangers introducing themselves every day. But for now, two lost souls were able to rest. If the world crumbled and was brought to its knees, at least they would have each other.
A bird and his boy.