Chapter 38
Thirty-Eight
People were staring.
Wash had shown up with Peri right during the early morning rush.
He’d stopped at reception to check for packages since he’d been gone a few days, and Peri spent a few minutes talking to Clarita because he was a social butterfly who loved being around other people.
He didn’t complain because Peri was happy, and he had hoped to run into Elijah and thank him for helping him see the truth.
But the staring was starting to get to him, and he found himself glowering at the room in general, projecting his displeasure.
He didn’t even flinch when Peri hopped onto his back, resting their cheeks together as he asked, “Who are you glaring at?”
“No one. People are staring, though.”
They’d better not be staring at his mate. Mating sigil or not, Peri was his.
“Let’s go upstairs. I want to drop these treats off on the research floor before I have to go back to Taron’s office.” He hesitated for a second before asking, “Are you okay with that? Or would you rather I ask Kian to move me?”
He appreciated Peri asking, he was still a little sour about Taron’s interference, but he’d be lying if he said he didn't want things to get back to normal at the very least. Taron was his friend. Sort of. He didn’t have so many friends that he wouldn’t feel the loss if he cut him out.
Besides, Ozen’s words still rang in his head.
Taron cared. He just did it in the most annoying way possible.
“It’s fine. I’m walking you to your desk, though. I can bring the treats with me when I head to work myself.”
“Okay!” Peri replied brightly. He didn’t bother to get down, hugging Wash’s neck a little tighter in excited anticipation as they teleported upstairs to Taron’s floor.
He was getting more comfortable flying with Peri by his side, but he did love how much Peri enjoyed teleporting. It made something mundane more fun.
After Peri hopped down, he didn’t go far, holding hands with Wash on the short walk to Taron’s office.
Kian was sitting behind the desk Tony was normally in, and his eyes immediately dropped to their interlaced hands before he nodded once.
“Glad you worked things out. Are those treats for everyone?”
He eyed the bag on Peri’s shoulder that had his box of treats, as well as a few things he said he needed to put in Tony’s office to ‘make it brighter’.
Wash hadn’t questioned it, though he got the feeling it’d eventually be his office that got the makeover if his mate had anything to say about it. He couldn’t find it in him to complain.
“Yep! Most are going to the research floor, but there’s enough for you, too.”
Kian got up to see what Peri had to offer, but he noticed Wash glancing towards the closed door to Taron’s office. “He’s in there. So are both his mates. He’s been… struggling, since your little confrontation. Proceed with caution. Mates are protective.”
Wash’s gaze flicked to Peri, then back to Kian, who nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on him. Go.”
With a sigh, he turned on his heel and marched to the door, knocking twice.
He wasn’t surprised when Zephyr answered, but he was surprised when Zephyr’s expression barely twitched before he stepped aside and gestured for Wash to enter.
He’d figured Zephyr wouldn’t want him anywhere near his mate after the way he’d shouted at him.
He sure as hell wouldn’t want anyone near Peri who’d treated him like that.
Zephyr must have seen the question on his face because he answered without Wash needing to ask.
“I’m not saying it was right, but you had a reason to lash out.
I probably would have done the same thing.
Don’t make it worse, or I’ll throw your ass out, consequences be damned.
He’s punishing himself enough for the both of you. ”
As his gaze shifted over the room, he could see what Zephyr meant.
The room itself was dark, the dimmers on the windows that Taron had commissioned for him then stolen to put in his own office on full power.
The only light came from a small lamp on the desk, and Taron wasn’t behind it.
He was on the couch, curled up in a corner, and seemed to give off pained energy with every breath.
His normal appearance kept shifting and dimming, like he couldn’t control his magic enough to remain in one form. He really was punishing himself then.
Tony sat on the coffee table, his face a mask of worry. He glanced up at Wash, pleading with him with his eyes to fix this.
“Taron.”
Taron’s head whipped up, and his body jerked like he wanted to move, but stopped himself. His features fuzzed out even more, his true form drawing to the surface as he fought to control himself. “Wash…”
He considered what to say, but came up blank. He should have brought Peri in here with him. It would have made this easier.
“Ever heard of soul blooms?” His attempt at talking like a friend was awkward and stilted, but he couldn’t have a conversation with Taron while he was this distraught. It looked wrong on him, seeing him so broken.
Taron’s facial features slowly came back, his brows drawn together in confusion. “No. What are they?”
“They’re markings a fairy’s mate gets. Apparently, the more they love them, the more blooms they get.
” He rolled up his sleeves enough to show both arms now covered in flowers.
There was even a big one on each hand. He’d considered not wearing his normal hoodie, but it was rainy when they left, and Peri didn’t want him to be chilly, so he ended up wearing what he usually wore.
Slowly unraveling himself from his little ball of sadness, Taron leaned forward to take in the blooms. When he glanced back up at Wash, there was cautious hope in his eyes. “You’re…”
“Mated,” Wash finished for him. “You getting involved only brought him to me sooner.”
Taron made a choked sound, his eyes filling with tears as he said, “I swear, I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was trying to help.”
“I know. And you did. In the most chaotic, Taron way possible.”
Zephyr snorted from where he was leaning against the wall by the door, his arms crossed over his chest. Even Tony smiled, twisting his mouth to hide it.
Taron still looked like he was afraid to hope, his eyes searching Wash’s for clues. Wash wasn’t making it easy for him, but he blamed that on a lifetime of avoiding interactions like this one. He felt awkward.
“You don’t hate me?” Taron finally asked in an unsteady voice.
“No,” Wash replied promptly. “I was hurt and pissed off. Doesn’t mean I hate you.”
They stared at each other awkwardly until Zephyr made an irritated sound and disappeared out the door, coming back a few seconds later with Peri.
He took one look at Taron and burst into action, running over to hug him tightly.
He shot a wide eyed look at Wash. “Why are you standing there? Hug him!”
“Uh…” Wash took a step back. There was one person only that he was okay with hugging, and that was Peri.
“Wash! Hug your friend,” Peri demanded.
And because he was utterly devoted to the fairy who owned his heart, he sat on the couch beside Taron and put an arm around his shoulders, keeping his face carefully neutral to hide the grimace at the awkwardness of the situation.
It took time and reassurance for Taron to feel okay again.
Peri had been surprised when Zephyr had stomped out of the office and asked for him to join them, but he understood the second he saw Taron.
The shapeshifter looked torn up, close to tears, and he was staring at Wash like he was afraid one wrong move would send his friend fleeing again.
Peri got it, and he also knew that Wash cared under all that growl.
He knew Wash was uncomfortable, and he’d make it up to him for that, but it was important to comfort friends after a fight.
Wash didn’t have many friends. He had to be told how to fix it.
“Maybe we can all go on a group date,” Peri suggested once Taron had fully come back into his favorite shifted form and had finally allowed his mates to cuddle and reassure him.
Wash had looked relieved to escape the couch and took up residence against the window, leaving Peri, Zephyr, and Tony to bring Taron back to rights.
“We accidentally ended up having one with Ozen and Avery last night and it was fun!”
“How do you accidentally have a group date?” Zephyr asked with bland amusement.
“Ended up seated next to them at the same restaurant,” Wash grunted in reply. “It wasn’t that bad. I’m not doing any more team building activities though.”
Taron considered this for a long moment, and Peri saw Wash’s eyes narrow the longer it took him to respond. Just as Taron opened his mouth to say something, Wash pointed at him with a scowl that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Just a meal, Taron. Nothing crazy.”
Taron put his hands up in surrender, his grin still a little shaky but getting better. Peri let out a breath of relief. Taron was one of his people. It felt wrong when he wasn’t smiling.
“What about dinner and a show? I know this murder mystery dinner show that I’ve been wanting to try.”
To his surprise, Wash didn’t immediately turn him down, his lips pursed thoughtfully. “Send me the information. If it’s legit, I’ll think about it.”
Peri leaned in conspiratorially, speaking just loud enough that Wash could hear him. “That means yes. He’s just too growly to say it out right.”
Taron snorted and more of his light came back. Peri knew how he was feeling, he was just as devastated when Wash walked away. Wash would figure out eventually that he was more loved than he thought. Maybe his parents weren’t interested, but Wash had a lot more family than just them.
While Wash was distracted by a phone call, Peri whispered to Taron and his mates, “I’m going to need your help, but he can’t find out about it.”
“Didn’t keeping things from him just backfire?” Zephyr pointed out. “You didn’t learn your lesson the first time?”
Peri stuck his tongue out at him, then waved them closer anyway. This wasn’t a bad secret. He wanted a real mating ceremony for Wash, and if his parents wouldn’t get involved, then he would take care of it himself. You know… once he figured out what all went into it.
“How much do you know about demon mating ceremonies?”
All three shook their heads, but Taron was quick to come up with a solution. “You know who would know, though? Ozen. He attended a few, I think.”
“You should call Elijah too,” Tony added. “He’d want to be involved, wouldn’t he?”
Zephyr fished out his phone, already firing off a message. “I’m guessing this is a group thing. I’ll let Dorian know. Someone message Isaac.”
A big smile spread across Peri’s face. He knew he could count on these guys to help him. And once this was all said and done, Wash would know it, too.