Chapter 6 #3
“Ten minutes!” Thomas called out. He, Marlin, and Lithis had taken on the task as a thanks for inviting them.
They’d been assured they didn’t need to do anything, but the trio had insisted.
And really it was amusing them to see Thomas and Lithis boss Marlin around.
Although someone was going to have to tell Nix that there was no romantic interest there at all from any of them.
“Ten minutes,” Vin repeated. “Last apple.”
Aries made a sad sound but as Vin watched, he also offered Luka the last three bites. And Luka kissed the top of Aries’s head before Vin’s boy returned to his lap.
Cuddling Aries close, Vin whispered, “Good job, baby.”
Aries nuzzled in return.
This was family. The summer would be chaotic, possibly dangerous, and yet Vin was where he was meant to be. With the people that were his. Vin had family again. All because of the cocky rookie that had taken his world by storm. And made Vin love again.
Zany
Shuffling his feet in front of the bathroom door, Zany didn’t know if he should knock or not. Robbs was inside but the shower had turned off over twenty minutes ago.
Zany should just knock. Instead, he was being his usual nervous self. Even though Robbs had pushed himself into Zany’s life, it was still difficult for Zany to put himself out there. Already Robbs knew more about him than anyone else, including Aries, who Zany considered his best friend.
Like Robbs knew Zany’s biggest secret.
The bathroom door opened, steam escaping, before Zany had decided if he should return to his room or knock.
“Oh!” Robbs drew up short. “I didn’t know you were waiting.”
“Sorry.” Zany shuffled his feet nervously again.
“Hey.” Robbs’s warm hand cupped Zany’s cheek. “What’s the matter?”
Immediately Zany’s entire body reacted. He shivered while heat shot down his spine. Stupid hormones. The fae in him having already decided that Robbs would make an acceptable partner.
It was a good thing that Zany wasn’t ruled by those damn hormones or he would have made a complete fool of himself so many times. Already some of their teammates had noticed the weird tension between him and Robbs. Even Aries had asked about it. Zany just wasn’t good at hiding things.
“You know that you can talk to me. About anything.” Robbs dropped his hand and Zany already regretted the loss of contact.
“Are you sure it’s okay that we’re here?” The words were out before Zany could even think about them. “I just mean…we’re not imposing, right?”
The soft look in Robbs’s eyes had Zany dropping his own gaze.
“Aries wants you here,” Robbs told him. “Hell, all the guys do, but Aries especially. Why would you think otherwise?”
Zany shrugged. It was hard to explain. When he was younger, Zany had been ostracized because of what he was. It had gotten better once he’d left his clan but that old sore spot remained. It was the reason why he’d only allowed fae put on his stats and not his species.
“Hey.” Robbs leaned against the doorjamb. “You don’t have to tell anyone anything you don’t want.”
“You know.” The words came out accusatory even if Zany was kind of relieved that one person knew his secret.
“And I had no trouble accepting it. And you. I know Aries and our other friends would feel the same way,” Robbs said.
“You don’t know that.” And that stressed Zany out.
Robbs shrugged. “I disagree. I know our friends. They love you. They will always love you.”
Zany wanted to believe that so bad.
“But it’s not my choice,” Robbs reminded him. “It’s no one’s but yours. You shouldn’t feel pressured.”
That was the thing. Zany didn’t feel pressured. The teammates that had played with him for awhile stopped asking. Aries had accepted Zany saying fae and never brought it up again. Except seeing Aries cuddled into Vin in his shifted form made Zany wish for things that he’d long given up on.
Being in his natural form was something that Zany only did when he was alone.
Absolutely one-hundred-percent alone. The one time he’d dropped his guard, Robbs had shown up and caught him.
But Zany loved to snuggle with people. He just didn’t allow himself to engage often.
Even taking naps over at Aries’s had become a comfort for him yet Zany remained in his human skin.
He was just tired.
Zany hated hiding his true self.
“It’s not something that you have to decide tonight,” Robbs said.
Zany realized that he’d been quiet for too long. He nodded. “Okay.”
Pointing behind him, Robbs smiled. “I’m all done if you want to shower.”
Oh, oh wow, Zany had been so focused on himself that he hadn’t noticed that Robbs wore a pair of shorts low on his hips and nothing else. Like nothing else. And…and that outline in Robb’s shorts was very…there was no way Robbs was wearing underwear!
“See something that caught your attention?” Robbs’s words were full of amusement and maybe heat.
Zany shook his head. “Sorry! Sorry! I…” He stepped back.
Robbs pushed off the door to stalk forward. The sway of his hips, the bulge, humph, Zany might have whimpered.
Zany’s breath caught as Robbs stopped beside him to whisper into his ear.
“Be a good boy and get ready for bed,” Robbs ordered.
Zany squeaked and ran for the bathroom door.