Chapter Eighteen
Sunny
True to being Moonscales, Teddy and I decided we either needed to wait for the full or new moon. The full moon was a week away which gave Laken and I a bit of time to register our eggs and get our nest set up. We started with the pack that arrived in the mail and built it up from there. Teddy and Selt were both around and brought in outside materials at our request. I was an asshole because the thought of someone humbling Selt a bit felt good. Maybe I needed therapy too or maybe thinking I needed therapy meant that Laken and the rest of the Starscales were rubbing off on me a bit too much.
Neither of them entered the nest in the attic of Laken’s home. We worked inside of it and they worked on the outside. Teddy was kind enough to take a list of the things I needed the most from the other house and he and Selt brought them over for us. The others had built their nests so quickly, but it took us a full four days before Laken and I were both satisfied that the nest was sturdy, warm, and safe. We hung our sonogram above the nest on the back wall and added a few photos of our families too.
To celebrate, Teddy cooked dinner again, this time at our place. We invited Selt (well, Laken invited him) and the crew of the Medwin 2 as well. We video called my parents in but they kept bobbing on and off the screen as the babies needed them. A wave of homesickness held onto me but now I’d always live between worlds. Everything I knew was decades of travel away by space and everything I had now was right here with me. I couldn’t leave Laken behind. I’d rather be dead than without my mate.
After dinner, Laken and I had a quick call with Teal who had recruited some of his more artistic friends to ‘seed bomb’ parts of London and the lawns of some rich dragons who didn’t bother to grow something pretty or edible. My sire would shit a brick if he ever found out Teal was behind it but Laken’s eyes lit up as Teal explained what he was doing. Most of the seeds were flowers that could grow year around. He tested with those to feel out reactions and at the very least they’d feed pollinators. They had tossed in some seeds from wild edible root plants also to see if they’d be left alone to grow. It wasn’t how I would’ve gone about wilding London, but I had to hand it to Teal, he’d gone about it in a way that flew right under my parents’ radar.
“Any push back?” Laken asked him.
“Not yet. I don’t think anyone’s put it all together yet. Next weekend we’re starting up a community garden on the East End. Got them to agree to give me land to ‘mess around with.’ I don’t think they’d be mad about what we’re doing but it’s better to ask for forgiveness later if I need to.”
“Smart man,” Laken nodded. “Sounds like you’re already making an impact. The biggest part of change is convincing others that something needs to change.”
“Eh, my carrier feeds a growing town. This is in my blood. If he wasn’t so busy with work, I’d invite him over to hash it out with them. He’d probably do a better job of selling the idea than me.”
“Don’t do that,” Laken shook his head. “I don’t mean don’t ask for help. Just don’t be down on yourself like that. People are following your lead. That says something.”
“What are the other two up to?” I asked, realizing how uncanny it was for them to be gone.
“Dating again. Brothers this time,” he rolled his eyes. “I’ve told them they should just find someone who can put up with both of them. They date siblings, cousins, friends. Anyone to keep hanging out together and then if one set breaks up the other one follows the lead.”
“To be young again,” Laken laughed.
“Eh, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Besides, we’re a bit older than Sunny. Not by much, but by enough,” Teal laughed. “Any news on the gateway situation?” He changed the subject.
“We have something in the works,” I said fast not wanting Laken to tell him what we were up to. It might be right up Cobalt and Indigo’s alley but I wasn’t so sure Teal would get it. Hell, maybe he would and then I’d feel like the odd one out all over again.
“We’ve heard about Liam’s vision” Teal said. “Sounds intense.”
“It won’t be,” Laken shook his head before I could speak. “I think it’s gonna be mild. We’re not actually sacrificing the guy. I’ll probably walk in and get a vibe and leave.”
“I hope so,” I said before I could stop myself.
“I hope so too,” Teal said, leaning back in his chair. “I miss you. It’s boring here since I stopped dating. Cob and Indi are pissed at me because I don’t date with them anymore. I have seeds and secret meetings and that’s about it.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll get you over here before you know it and if you respond to a Starscale omega, they’ll build you a seed bomb as big as Cob’s ego.”
“Shit. We’d need an army to carry it,” Teal laughed. “I can’t believe you’re gonna be a dad already. Gonna have little hatchlings running around with stars on their chests and shouting about food points. Can’t wait for Grandpa Clarence to meet them.”
“Maybe they’ll have his shinymania too,” I smirked.
“Let’s hope not. How would that even work over there?” he asked.
“We do have it. All dragons do. Just we don’t hoard things that have value to others. We have our personal items but I wouldn’t hoard all the gold because that can be used in technology,” Laken yawned.
“I’ll let you two get some sleep. Be good, Sunny, and don’t let Teddy get too wrapped up in rituals. He gives too much sometimes.”
“Teddy’s a big boy,” I shrugged. “He’s gonna have to figure it all out. Tell Cob and Indi I said not to bring home an STI and to have fun.”
“Love you guys,” Teal said.
“We love you too,” I said and ended the call.
“Seed bombs are a good way to start,” Laken yawned again.
“He got to work while we were getting down to business ,” I smirked.
“No business tonight, mate. I’m wiped out and we have to be ready for that ritual. Teddy might have the hard job of tying up Selt but vibes aren’t always good.”
“I feel like I want to keep you home away from bad vibes now, mate,” I said, pulling him closer so he could lean against me.
“I’ll let you bring me home and scrub me clean,” he smirked.
“Gonna have to after seeing that. I’m not a prude. I just don’t like him.”
“Because he was mean to me or because Teddy’s fucking him on the regular?” Laken asked.
“Can it be both and not because you think I’m in love with Teddy?”
“It can be and I don’t think you’re in love with him. I think you don’t want to share your best friend with someone you can’t stand to be around.”
“How do you think Teddy’s going to try to actually scare him?” I asked, yawning too now.
“I don’t know. Outside of his father’s rejection I don’t know much that actually scares Selt,” Laken shrugged. “Let’s hope Teddy knows him better than I do.”
“Come on. Let’s get you and our babies in bed.”
“Do you want to sleep in the nest tonight? To test it out?”
“Come on,” I stood up first and then helped him stand up. He wasn’t pregnant enough to need my help but it was impossible not to give him extra attention right now. He was growing two tiny lives inside his body. Two tiny lives that we made against the odds. Almost forty years of space travel separated our home worlds. This should’ve been impossible.
“Mate, with enough love and grit, nothing’s fucking impossible,” he said and slapped me on the butt playfully as we headed toward the nest.