No reason to feel ashamed.

"Faunus, why did you bring us to the kitchen?" Jasper asked, "I need to know...why are you acting strange.

Yesterday you asked me if you were acting like my brother...to be honest you're not exactly acting like Fernando, but you are headed on the right track." Faunus replied, "I need to know my love, Why are you pretending to be different or did you really change?

Is it because of the ritual that Nana did for me? how come I ended-up becoming a Human-cat while your personality got changed?!" He added asking.

Sighing, "You were in so much pain when the ritual happened...I couldn't ignore it." Jasper replied.

"Huh? what do you mean my love?" Faunus asked.

"Let's just say that I actually prayed for the first time in a long time, thanks to you.

And in a weird way, I think my prayers were answered." Jasper replied.

...[Tiny flashback]...

Ned and Yuri offered to swap places with Fernando and Aroon so the they can help with the ritual, and as the two of them went over to the table where a sleeping Faunus Laid there, each one of them grabbed an arm of the still sleeping Faunus, and held it down tightly.

Socorro and Lucius held down Faunus's legs, while Ned and Yuri stood with Luciel to watch.

"I know this isn't your cup of tea, but can I pray for Faunus meanwhile?" Luciel asked, sighing "You have my permission." Jasper replied.

"Thank you, child."Luciel said putting his hands together close to his heart as he began murmuring something of a prayer.

"I'm going to start...Jasper dear, this is your last chance to leave." Nana warned him, Jasper who was the one holding Faunus by his shoulders shook his head with a 'No', he was determined to stay.

"Alright dear, I've warned you enough...once the water touches him...keep him on the table no matter what he says." Nana said before she began chanting, and while she did so, she grabbed onto the bottle that contained the holy water and cracked it open.

In a quick sudden move, Nana splashed everything that's in the bottle on Faunus, it did wet everyone else holding him down in the process, but that wasn't the real issue because the moment the water hit Faunus, his eyes shot wide open and he let out a blood curdling scream, it startled everyone in the room.

"UGHAAAAAAHHHHH?!"

"FAUNUS?!" Jasper was terrified to hear that scream, he looked down at Faunus and felt a sudden urge to let him loose, "Focus Jasper, Don't let go! it's not just your mate that's screaming, that creature is trying to trick you as well." Nana spoke-up before she splashed another bottle while chanting something foreign out loud.

Faunus screamed again in pain, he was crying and thrashing violently this time, begging them to let him go, "IT HURTS IT HURTS?! PLEASE LET ME GO! I'M DYING IT HURTS JASPER!! TELL THEM TO LET ME GO!" Faunus screamed.

At this point Jasper begin feeling some of Faunus's pain, He winces as he tried to keep Faunus down while dealing with the painful sensation that engulfed his own body.

"Jasper, are you alright?" Ned called out his son's name, "He should be feeling His pain by now, it must be agonizing." Yuri said, "Goodness...I have Never been this startled in my entire life." Luciel spoke next, "And what can I say...My own son is over there suffering." Ned replied sighing.

"Shit...Blurgh?! I think I'm gonna vomit?!" Fernando said, "Just hold it in and focus on keeping your brother down!" Aroon replied.

"I feel like I'm going to cry!" Lucius said, "It's okay Lu, just make sure you don't let go of him." Socorro replied.

A bottle after another, Jasper felt as if he was going insane as Faunus screamed his lungs out.

Despite his lack of faith in religion as a whole, he started praying within him and begging that Faunus wouldn't have to deal with anything serious for an aftermath, if he survived this shitty ritual.

Witnessing with his eyes, ears and soul, the pain that his mate was feeling, it made Jasper feel so much anger within just thinking that there's a chance that after this ritual, Faunus may suffer some serious side effects.

"Please God...I'm begging you...if there's a god up there, a kind just entity that would listen to my prayers, I am willing to switch places with him...whatever punishment you have for him in store, I'll take it so just please don't hurt him anymore...I'm begging you." Jasper Mumbled to himself in tears.

...[End of Tiny Flashback]...

"I didn't want to tell anyone about this, especially you because I don't want you to feel guilty for me.

But after I begged for you to not get punished...A weird sense of relief passed through me for a second.

I don't know why I felt like that but it felt like that was a signal to me, that my prayer was heard.

I think what happened is that we traded punishments...judging by how your brother turned out to be after his own ritual, there was a chance you could've also ended-up with a personality change...

I think the turning into a human-cat punishment was mine actually..." Jasper explained.

"My love?! are you telling me that you took my punishment?!

You were right about feeling guilty! because I do! why would you do that?! because of me you have been acting like this and everyone is treating you differently!" Faunus's eyes began watering.

"Hey now, don't cry! it was a decision I don't regret! I am 100% sure that you would've done the same for me, that's why I did it.

I don't want you to suffer anymore, you've been through a lot, I'VE been through a lot! and I want the time that we spend together to be spent being happy, I'm done being miserable for god's sake.

I know that this personality change is not permanent because I'm able to fight it off to a certain degree, it's not exactly like an actual change has happened to my system, it's more like a virus that I'm aware of and it keeps on trying to make me change myself.

I'm trying my best to fight it, but until I can get rid of it and be able to go back to being myself, I'm still gonna be a jerk to everyone, except in Yurei's case, I'm always gonna be a jerk to him." Jasper said chuckling.

Although his words didn't stop Faunus's tears from dropping down, "My love I am so sorry...ever since I came to this house, I brought you nothing but trouble." Faunus said.

"That was kinda true at first, but now even with this personality change, you're the only one I can easily be myself with...things are easier for me when you're around, Fau." Jasper replied before he wrapped his shorter Mate in a hug.

"I love you Jasper."

"I guess I love you too, Faunus."

Suddenly, the two of them heard someone calling a name as they passed by the kitchen, "What was that?" Jasper questioned.

Sniffing, "I think that was Tacito! it seems like he was calling for Yurei!" Faunus said, "Come, let's see what's going on with them." Jasper said holding Faunus's hand.

The two upon exiting the kitchen, caught a glimpse of Tacito before he disappeared somewhere else, so they followed him and quickly caught-up with him.

He was standing outside one of the house's many bathrooms, Tapping anxiously on the door, "Yurei, mi amor!...please open the...door.!"

"Tacito? Is everything alright?" Faunus asked, "I'm not entirely...sure!...we were in... the living room...and then a...friend of Ned's...came and things... suddenly got worse!" Tacito tried to explain further, but the rising anxiety in his chest made it difficult for him.

"A friend? oh shit! I think Mom asked that Nash guy to come here." Jasper said, "Yes that's him!" Tacito replied while still tapping at the door.

"But I don't understand? how come things got worse?" Jasper asked.

"I didn't really...understand it myself...but this man...the moment he...laid eyes on...me...he started flirting...with me.

Yurei got jealous...And told me...not to talk...to this Guy... but then I...accidentally told Nash...that Yurei proposed...to me only... recently...despite us being... together for 60...Years.

And Nash he...went angry and...screamed at Yurei...and I think...Yurei felt ashamed...he ran out...of the room...now he won't...Talk to me...and he's trapping... himself in here." Tacito explained.

"I can't say that I don't agree with Nash? the truth is I myself don't understand why did Yurei wait literally until after meeting my mom again, so that he can finally propose to you!" Jasper replied.

"Although I hate to admit it, but I think that Yurei respects Ned and cares a great deal about him, Maybe he waited because he wanted Ned to witness him be happy with Tacito?" Faunus said.

"That line of thinking about Yurei's can only come from an angel like you Fau.

Trust me, you fought with him before! you know what a kind of a troublemaker Yurei is! especially when my family is involved.

He probably waited just so he can rub it in my mom's face that he has a mate and he's getting married, while my mom is not." Jasper replied annoyed.

"Don't think that...way of him...Jasper... Please!

I understand that...Many of you...have issues with...Yurei... but trust me...he's a kind...person at heart...he wouldn't do...something like this...knowing it'll hurt...me to know...that he only...waited just to...Brag Infront of...Ned!

The real reason...why he waited...was because we...knew that the...people we lost...would be reincarnated.

Yurei and I...felt like getting...married and living...our lives without...them in it...was a crime...we felt guilty...that we survived... especially me Jasper.

We just wanted...everybody to see...us happy together...to give them...a good memory...when they come...back to us." Tacito said, he was on the verge of crying so Faunus offered him his handkerchief.

Angry at both himself and Yurei, "Ugh, Dammit!...HEY YUREI I WILL COUNT TO FUCKING THREE AND IF YOU DON'T OPEN THE DOOR?! I'M BREAKING IT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!" he screamed while banging on the door.

Thankfully, Yurei opened the door right away, his face was soaked with tears when he stepped outside the bathroom, "Listen you fucking asshole! if you're going to let a tiny little shit like Nash make you question a 60 years worth of love, then you don't deserve Tacito!" Jasper said.

"There isn't a day that passed by where I didn't feel like I don't deserve him, and Nash's right...a normal person wouldn't wait all this time." Yurei replied sniffing.

"Apparently you were waiting for a good reason, so there's no reason for you to feel ashamed.

Now grab your mate and go back to the living room, we're coming with you and you'll show Nash why you're Tacito's mate." Jasper said surprising Yurei.

"I don't know about this..." Yurei said, "Mi amor...Jasper is right...I'm happy that...proposed to me...it doesn't matter... when it happened.

I'm just happy...it happened and...it happened around...the people we...love.

So please don't... let Nash's words...get to you." Tacito replied, "Taci...I really can't live without you...please stay forever by my side." Yurei said hugging his mate.

"Unfortunately, due to your bond, I don't think poor Tacito other choices but you Yurei.

Basically you two have been and will always be stuck together, just like me and him." Faunus said glancing at Jasper.

"That's right." Jasper replied smiling.