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"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I manipulated you into bringing me here. I know what I've done." He swallowed. "I just... I needed to come home so badly."

Fae nodded once, thoughtful, sipping her tea.

"We need to get you a bath," she said. "And some clothes. You need to see your father and mother."

Sorrow and shame flooded his light eyes. He swallowed hard, setting the last bite aside, all appetite gone.

"Do you think..." He hesitated. "What do you think I should say to Father? I have lost face. How can I appear in front of others? In front of my father?"

"Tell him as much or as little as you feel able to," she replied after thinking for a while. "You'll know."

That was when Aiko called out that she was coming in, even as she opened the door.

She froze immediately, her eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

A man wrapped in a bedsheet sat cross-legged on the floor, and Fae was right beside him.

Her eyes went first to the man, then to the bedsheet, then to Fae, who was sitting far too close for a woman with a lifemate.

A slow, spectacular flush crept up Aiko's neck. "Oh," she said faintly. "I…ah…good morning?"

Fae made a small choking sound as she quickly stood and moved away from Kenji. "It's not what it looks like."

Aiko's brows shot up. "I…didn't say anything. I thought lifemates…you said.,. I mean, your lifemate seems like a bum…but still."

Aiko's eyes flicked between them again.

"This man has no clothes, only a bedsheet," she said carefully. "Explanation."

Fae searched her foggy brain for an explanation that would make sense.

"Okay. Yes. Right. So. Um…" She waved a hand helplessly. "You know Haruko-san?"

Aiko blinked. "Most of my life, yes."

"Yes. This is his son." Fae nodded far too fast. "Kenji. This is Kenji."

Aiko's smile faded. "Not funny, Fae. The demons ate him!"

"I know," Fae said earnestly. "It's not funny, and I wouldn't joke about that. I mean—I wouldn't joke about this. I joke about other things, but not missing sons. Obviously." Fae powered on, words tumbling over each other. "And he's been trapped. Not like, metaphorically, but literally trapped inside a wooden toy." Stunned silence followed.

"And now he is a man again…just naked," she added weakly.

Aiko stared.

"The toy that fell out yesterday," Fae rushed on. "The little carved cat? That one. I didn't know. I swear I didn't know. I thought it was just…well, wood. Very nice wood. Excellent craftsmanship. Which, in hindsight, should have been a clue, especially since it started talking to me."

Aiko slowly sat on the edge of the low table. "You're saying," she said carefully, "that this is Haruko-san's son, who was missing for years."

"Yes."

"And he was inside toy."

"Yes."

"In your bag."

"Yes."