Chapter 28
The Saturday after his night away with Pyxlevir, Gramlithyn grabbed the last of the dishes from the table and followed his housemates into the kitchen.
“Come on, guys, you don’t have to run off again tonight,” Pyxlevir complained as he took plates from Colburn and plunked them in the dishwasher.
Dasan snorted. “Right, because I’m sure we wouldn’t be interrupting anything. The two of you make out constantly. I’m sure your plan was to sit around and discuss current events with at least six feet separating you.”
Gramlithyn brushed his lips against Pyxlevir’s. Both zebra and elf filled with joy as Pyxlevir wound his arms around Gramlithyn’s waist.
“What is our plan for tonight?” Gramlithyn asked his other half.
“Well, how do you feel about honoring elven tradition and re-braiding my hair?” Pyxlevir asked. “If you don’t want to do it, I’ll call my dad tomorrow and figure out when he can braid it.”
Although Gramlithyn had defied the customs of his father’s people years earlier by hacking off his own long locks, he loved the thought of sinking his fingers in Pyxlevir’s tresses. “I’d love to, Pyx.”
“Good, because I’ve gone too long without zebra beads,” Pyxlevir replied, giving Gramlithyn a squeeze. “See, guys? We won’t be doing anything exciting. Keep Gramlithyn company so he doesn’t want to yank out my hair once he remembers how long it takes to put in an elven hairstyle.”
Gramlithyn wanted to roll his eyes as the twins and Dasan shared skeptical and questioning glances.
“Pyx, if they won’t hang out with us in the living room, we’ll just go do your hair in your bedroom.
There’s no sense in them hiding because they’re stubborn and convinced they’re keeping us from doing something explicit to one another. ”
Colburn laughed. “Right. Like we don’t know that you’ve shared a bed for the past week.”
“Do you think I care if anyone knows that?” Pyxlevir asked. “We’re mates.”
“If you’re really going to do Pyx’s hair, I suppose we could hang out in the living room for a while,” Crispin conceded.
“I’ll go get my hair stuff,” Pyxlevir said. “Kiss first.”
Dutifully, Gramlithyn bent and touched their lips together. Then his mate left the kitchen.
“I feel like we don’t need to ask how things are going,” Colburn remarked with a grin. “Beers, guys?”
Gramlithyn helped Colburn grab drinks for everyone, and they headed to the living room.
“Things are going terrific with Pyx. Thanks for uprooting your lives to give us this opportunity and doing literally everything you can think of to give us the time and space we need to build our relationship. We couldn’t ask for better friends. ”
Colburn patted his shoulder. “It’s our pleasure. We want you both to be happy.”
“Yeah, and you’re in a way better mood now that you’re crawling into Pyx’s bed,” Dasan snickered.
“I heard that,” Pyxlevir called out as he sailed into the living room. “And you’re not wrong.”
Grabbing a chair from the table in the adjoining dining space, Gramlithyn set it facing the television and waved his mate toward it.
Pyxlevir handed Gramlithyn a brush, comb, and bowl, which caused him to frown.
As Pyxlevir had mentioned, it was filled with zebra beads, but that wasn’t what was distressing Gramlithyn.
The pattern on the blue-and-purple ceramic was distinctive and belonged to an artist Gramlithyn knew well—his own mother.
“What’s wrong?” Pyxlevir asked.
“I remember being six and asking my mom to make this for you,” Gramlithyn said. “It was the solstice, and your family invited us to D’Vaire. I was determined to get you a gift you’d like, and I thought my mom’s pottery was the best in the world and wanted you to have something she made.”
“You were right, she makes the most gorgeous pieces,” Pyxlevir replied, reaching out and squeezing Gramlithyn’s hand. “Why does that make you sad?”
Gramlithyn leaned down and kissed the top of Pyxlevir’s head. “Because I haven’t fixed anything with my parents yet. A problem for another day. Let’s get your hair done, okay?”
“Okay.”
They shared a smile, then Pyxlevir let go of Gramlithyn so he could get to work.
The first step was to undo the current style and remove the beads.
Gramlithyn was happy he’d be adding zebra beads.
Not only did it make his beast ecstatic, but a lowly bit of silver sparkle in Pyxlevir’s hair was too plain for his extraordinary mate.
“I can’t pretend I know everything about your relationship with your parents,” Colburn said as Gramlithyn slipped apart a plait in Pyxlevir’s silky hair.
“But we’ve overheard plenty of conversations through the years, and they’ve asked Cris and me about you.
We couldn’t tell them anything since you kept your distance from everyone, but they love you, Gramlithyn.
It could be na?ve of me, but I think they’ll be happy to learn that Pyx is your other half. ”
“Agreed,” Crispin added. “They adore Pyx, and your parents are best friends. We’re all part of the same family. Are you worried they’ll object to it?”
Gramlithyn picked up his beer and took a healthy drink from the bottle before returning to his task.
“That’s always been a latent fear. I’m not sure why.
Maybe because I was a kid when it happened and my head was all screwed up, but the problem is what came after we learned Fate paired us.
They love me, but they expect me to act honorably.
To be the person they raised. I wasn’t taught to run away from my troubles, and they sure as fuck aren’t going to approve of me abandoning my mate.
I fucked elven tradition in many ways, but that was my worst offense by far.
Not one I’m sure anyone but Pyx could truly forgive me for. ”
“Personally, I feel you’re being too hard on yourself,” Pyxlevir stated firmly as Gramlithyn plunked beads into the small bowl his mother had fashioned for the elf eighteen years earlier.
“I agree with Crispin and Colby. They love you and want what’s best for you.
Fate and I both know that our matebond is exactly what you need. ”
Gramlithyn couldn’t fight his smile. “Is it now?”
“Absolutely. Once we were brave enough to admit our fears about rejection and all those things that prevented us from moving forward at eighteen, our friendship slid into place again.”
“Plus, you guys get up to all kinds of sexy things too,” Dasan commented with a wild waggle of his eyebrows. “So, Fate obviously knew you’d want to strip each other.”
“Not that I want to argue with anyone on this topic, but the bond made by Fate ensures the parties involved want to get naked and freaky,” Crispin said.
“Important distinction to make,” Gramlithyn remarked, picking up Pyxlevir’s brush and dragging it through his now unbraided and bead-free hair.
Stick straight and glossy, the raven strands fell to the middle of Pyxlevir’s back.
It was beautiful but—to his delight—left Gramlithyn with no yearning to grow his own.
“When your mate finds you, no matter how repulsive you are to the rest of us, he’ll want to tear your clothes off. ”
“Be nice,” Pyxlevir chided. “Just because you and I are too elven to be sexually attracted to anyone in this room except one another doesn’t mean that we don’t have the handsomest friend group on the planet.”
“Fine, no one here is ugly, but you’re twice as beautiful as anyone else with a breath in their lungs, so deal with it,” Gramlithyn replied. He opted to divide Pyxlevir’s hair into four equal sections with hair ties, then started his first braid.
“Everyone, ignore Gramlithyn; he’s convinced I’m some supermodel or something.”
Dasan laughed so hard he snorted. “Gram, what did I tell you about Pyx? Dude. Pyxlevir. I’ve never seen anyone as gorgeous as you. Like, is your mirror busted? Look at your face.”
“Okay, let’s take bets,” Colburn said. “I think Dasan’s mate is going to be an elf. Possibly Valzadari.”
“I can’t put money on anything else because I think you’re right,” Gramlithyn replied.
He slid the first zebra bead into Pyxlevir’s hair, and his beast snorted with pleasure.
Both Gramlithyn and his zebra yearned for the day they could sink their fangs into Pyxlevir’s neck to seal their bond for eternity.
For now, they’d settle for striped beads.
Gramlithyn had once been convinced Pyxlevir hated the thought of being together, but nothing had prepared him for how quickly and beautifully they’d meshed as a couple.
“Well, I wouldn’t complain if that happened,” Dasan commented.
“I’ve been reading about other elves at the library too.
It’s safe to say I’m infatuated with them.
The coolest tribes are the ones that stand out with unique skin tones.
Man, those Mystamre with the pink skin? Gorgeous.
The Indrenakas are so striking with their navy complexions. I could make a whole list.”
“Not a long enough one. I know there are other tribes out there who don’t belong to Council because so many of the original tribes are complete asshole racists,” Pyxlevir spat. “Ugh, some of them were so awful to me and Gramlithyn at school.”
“You dealt with it a lot longer than I did,” Gramlithyn said, his fingers moving deftly through Pyxlevir’s hair as he added another plait. “I tattled to my parents after a couple of weeks, and we were yanked out of that school.”
“I’m glad you did. The best part was going to Spectra Academy,” Pyxlevir said. “It was such a cool place, and I loved being around so many races. Too bad we had to wait until we were teenagers to meet these two gargoyle-cougars.”
“Blame our dad,” Colburn mused. “He was convinced the Council wasn’t the right move for us.”
“If he hadn’t met Dordan, we’d probably still be in that tiny house in Washington trying to convince him to at least learn about the Council,” Crispin muttered. “Thank goodness Fate intervened.”
“I wish my stupid eighteen-year-old ass would’ve trusted Fate better,” Gramlithyn said.
“We’ve been over this,” Pyxlevir added softly. “There were choices I could’ve made too. Blame is pointless and detrimental to our future.”
“Don’t worry, I’m chiming in to remind everyone to trust Fate, not beating myself up,” Gramlithyn assured his other half.
A part of him would always ache for the pain he’d caused Pyxlevir, but he was intelligent enough to know he had to accept that he wasn’t perfect.
His decision to leave had allowed him to gain valuable life experience and meet Dasan, who continued to be an incredible friend to him.
The important lesson to take away was to put Pyxlevir first to avoid hurting him again.
Gramlithyn would cherish their matebond by prioritizing it, not just because it was the right thing to do, but—more importantly—because it made him happy.
A few weeks with Pyxlevir at his side had already taught him that.
“Okay, so we figured out Dasan’s mate,” Colburn said. “What are we going to do about Gramlithyn’s parents?”
“Well, we didn’t find Dasan’s elf,” Pyxlevir pointed out. “But we have to keep an eye out for him. Oh, Dasan, I’ll bring you to the elven gathering this summer. You’ll be surrounded by elves.”
“It’ll be my first one too,” Gramlithyn added. “Elves traditionally go at eighteen, but obviously I didn’t. We’ll bring Crispin and Colby too, that way, the five of us can enjoy ourselves.”
“We’d love that. Pyx has yet to bring us along,” Colburn remarked.
“You didn’t say you wanted to go,” Pyxlevir exclaimed.
“You didn’t ask; we can’t invite ourselves,” Crispin countered.
“This is getting wild—should I grab some snacks?” Dasan wondered aloud.
Gramlithyn snorted. “Grab something for yourself. I’m too busy right now to eat.”
“I can’t believe my best fucking friends didn’t mention they wanted to go to the elven gathering,” Pyxlevir griped.
“Does anyone know how boring it was to go with my parents? I love them, but my dad is a Chieftain. He has to talk to some of the most tedious people there, and I’m standing there wondering if I’m going to fall asleep standing up.
They don’t even talk directly to me. They mention something to my dad like Oh, is that your son?
His clothes are beautiful, then they walk off as if I don’t have a brain in my head and can’t speak for myself. ”
“Pyx, take a breath,” Gramlithyn encouraged with a chuckle as he finished another braid. “The five of us will go this year, and no one will fall asleep standing up.”
“It’s a deal,” Colburn said. “Now, can we get back to Gramlithyn’s parents?”
“Yeah, they seem great,” Dasan added. “Not that I’ve seen them much.”
“I’ll figure things out and work on that relationship, but right now, I’m focused on building my relationship with Pyx and not being annoyed by our roommates,” Gramlithyn remarked.
“Did he just call us annoying?” Colburn asked.
“Yep,” Dasan replied. “Which is pretty fucked up since he and Pyx are the ones who insisted we hang out with them tonight.”
Gramlithyn chuckled. “You’re right, I’m an ass, but it was a joke. I didn’t mean it. We have the best roommates.”
“I hope the jokes he uses with you, Pyx, are better than that one,” Dasan said. “Because it sucked.”
“I can’t argue with you,” Pyxlevir responded. “It was pretty awful. He’s usually funnier. Maybe it’s the stress of braiding. Now you see why I wanted you guys here?”
“Thank Fate you have us for these trying times, Pyx,” Colburn remarked.
“Excuse me, but I’m pretty fucking glad Fate brought you into my life too,” Gramlithyn told their friends honestly.
What pleased him and his zebra most was that the twins had been there for Pyxlevir in the years he’d spent far from Vegas.
Pyxlevir hadn’t been alone, and he’d made happy memories despite their fractured matebond.
It was the best Gramlithyn could’ve hoped for, given the circumstances, and a wonderful reminder that he could fully put his belief in Fate.
Something he hadn’t done until he’d faced Pyxlevir and offered him his unguarded heart.
It had taken courage despite twenty-four years of being told the goddess should be trusted implicitly.
As it turned out, faith was hard, but when the reward was Pyxlevir, Gramlithyn was willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to have him at his side.