He'd told Kyung that he'd come back for him, and he meant it. He'd promised Nagendra, too, he'd come find him soon to go on an adventure... the obligations were beginning to feel a bit daunting to him. He'd never had much loyalty beyond the Jarvela clan and even then, he'd never been obligated to stay with them. Even still, he knew he would not stay away forever, for not seeing his sisters was quite strange for him. A sigh left his lips as the tusked brute made his way toward the cliffside, the sharp drop to the rocky beach below. He knew why he'd initially made the promise to Kyung - he hadn't wanted to see the poor man plunge to his death. And yet he found himself thinking of the man even now, hoping desperately that he was faring well and that he had overcome some of the demons that had seemingly plagued him so many months prior.

He could feel the afternoon sun upon his back, causing his dark pelt to heat up significantly. Áki was far more suited to the cold of the northern world than here, but he would have to settle so long as he stayed in this land. His jaws parted as his tongue lolled from their grasp, an attempt to cool himself from the hot summer day. His crimson gaze was bright as it scanned the horizon, wary as he drew closer to the cliff's edge, searching for his friend Kyung. Only briefly would he peer down at the sharp drop, praying silently that he would not see a mangled body below... but he didn't dare look long before his gaze shifted upward, turning again to search the horizon for his familiar face. His search seemed quite aimlessly, so after awhile he would lift his tusked muzzle to the sky, letting loose a call for him.

After his first meeting with the tusked man he had thought the promise to return wouldn’t take longer than a week or two. He had risen every morning to sit upon the cliff, well back from the edge and waited. As darkness began to descend he would return to his makeshift den, catching a rabbit or two if they happened to cross paths but he often went to sleep without eating, usually for weeks at a time. As time had gone on his trips up to the cliff side had begun to feel less optimistic and more chore. He wasn’t sure at what point he simply stopped, electing to remain squirreled away in his makeshift den. He didn’t want to find himself at the edge of the cliff again and he was beginning to sink back into his own depression; knowing full well that he was more likely to fall off the earth if he made his way back to where the tusked man had once saved him. He slept more than he was awake now, hours bleeding into weeks as he wasted away. It was a warm sunny afternoon outside his den but inside Kyung’s own dreaming mind it was spring, he was a child again. The sun blotted out as a thick impenetrable darkness descended upon him. Panic filled him up just as ever breath flooded his lungs with the toxic shadows. It pressed down upon his tiny body and he tried to call out, chocking on the substance. A howl rang out for him, his mother searching desperately, but it distorted turning deeper, unfamiliar as he felt himself drowning in the ash. He gasped and lids flew open, the last fading echoes of the howl still bouncing around outside his den. A call for him? Slowly he rose to his paws and turned ebony gaze towards the cliff. The trek took longer than he expected, weak legs threatening to give out with each step and yet he pushed on, desperate to know that it hadn’t been a figment of his imagination. Then he saw it, the figure of his giant savior. "I wasn’t sure you were coming back." He rasped… it wouldn’t have been the first time someone had broken their promises to him. "Speech."

He hadn't meant to lose track of time. Days had turned to weeks, and soon the cold chill of winter had disappeared and summer had seemingly sprung out of nowhere. Had he truly been in these lands for two full seasons already? It felt strange to not have a course set to follow, though he has not truly free either -- he'd made a promise he would return to Kyung, and though he rarely made such obligations, he wasn't one to break his word either. The brute would sit for a long while, his gaze dancing over the horizon. He couldn't help but glance below, padding dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, testing the earth with his paws before stepping so as to not accidentally plunge to his death. He could only imagine how traumatizing that would be for Kyung, to hear his call only to find him lying dead at the bottom of the very cliff he'd saved him from..

And yet he wouldn't be left waiting for long. When the dark-pelted male came into his vision, he found a gentle smile teasing his lips, genuine joy flashing in his crimson gaze. Only when Kyung moved closer did he realize that he was in even worse shape than he'd seen him last. He swore he could see the outline of his ribs, and he looked quite awful overall. "I told you I would come back," Áki started slowly. His eyes would narrow, a pit of worry forming in his stomach. He'd saved him, hadn't he? Certainly he'd saved him from death, but it didn't seem he was doing better... he was simply alive. For a long moment he would examine him, wondering what else he could've done. Should he have taken Kyung with him all along? Stayed and make sure he'd gotten better somehow? The thought of being a caretaker was not really a pleasant one and he felt anxious even at the thought of such obligation. And for a male he'd only met once, no less! A soft sigh left his lips, his eyes burning with worry despite the confusion he felt.

"You look... unwell," he would comment softly, not wanting to offend him, but it was an observation he needed to share. "Are you okay, Kyung?" His voice lacked much of its normal life; he'd never dealt with anyone who had emotional issues like this and it was obvious now, seeing Kyung again, that he was likely more distraught that Áki had originally thought. Slowly he would take a few steps closer, unsure how he ought to approach him but knowing he had to be closer regardless.

A part of him demanded that he stop staring… But he couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the man, almost as if fearing that if he looked away the tusked male would simply disappear. The words would drop neatly upon his ears and he finally looked down, head tipping forwards, a tiny smile splitting across his lips. "Forgive me…" he started not yet lifting his gaze again. "I’m more used to that meaning ‘goodbye’ than its literal meaning." He looked back up, any hint of his brief happiness once more erased. Once more the man spoke and Kyung had to fight the urge to comment, a small rattling laugh briefly escaped his lips but he bit down on it. Understatement of the century. Mind he hadn’t really seen himself recently but he had no doubts he looked like shit… which was pretty much how he felt. "I haven’t felt okay in a long time." He rasped, watching the brute take a step towards him. Unable to stop himself he too made a move to close the gap, stopping himself with a jolt. He was suddenly very aware of what his intentions had been. He craved contact, he needed it. But he wasn’t about to intrude on the man’s space, especially considering they were practically strangers. Still much further away than he wanted Kyung forced himself to sit down, neatly tucking his tail over his paws as if it would help restrain him. "I just-" He faltered, once more pulling his gaze away to look to his left. "I don’t want to be alone again…" It was selfish, he didn’t know this man and here he was asking to intrude upon his life. "Speech."

Though Áki wasn't necessarily a selfless beast, he was a man of his word on the few occasions when he did make promises. If he hadn't planned returning to Kyung, he never would've even hinted that he might. The man seemed surprised at his arrival, alluding that nobody ever returned to him even when they promised him. Boy, did he have some abandonment issues. It was difficult for him to relate, though he could sympathize to some degree.  "There's nothing to forgive," he spoke tenderly, shrugging his wide shoulders absently.   "If anything, I should perhaps be the one offering an apology. I didn't tell you when I might return. I shouldn't have kept you waiting." He was unused to such obligations -- it would've been better had he told him he'd been gone a week, or two weeks, or even a season, rather than leaving him hanging.

What could he possibly do to help him? He needed to be cared for; a few weeks of good eating and safety would surely do him some good and fill out his gangly frame quickly. He watched Kyung shift forward, keenly aware that he had begun to move a bit closer, though he stopped himself. A soft sigh escaped from his lips. He had almost hoped that he might return to find that Kyung was doing well, whether or not he was alone still, but this clearly wasn't the case. "Then spend some time with me," he offered, tentatively, gauging his reaction quietly to see if this pleased him at all. Slowly his head would tilt, and he took another step closer, wondering how he might present this offer better. It was a temporary offer; he hardly knew Kyung, though he felt quite bad for him, but he shared his life with no-one -- at least not permanently. And yet the thought of leaving him alone, to wallow in misery and pain, was disconcerting, especially since Kyung had evoked a sort of fondness and empathy in him.  "Just for awhile, until you are better."

After he spoke, he'd linger closer to him for a moment before leaning to nudge his shoulder gently with his nose, carefully positioning his tusks so as to not let them graze the other man's coat. He couldn't quite tell if he was in need of physical companionship, or emotional companionship, or both...  but he could certainly offer both things for now, until Kyung got better, which he was certain he would in time.