Chapter Twenty-Six
Trill
Trill sat down at the desk and tried to think how to best phrase the situation in the hope that Yannoma would actually come.
He couldn’t lie to her, and she knew some of the situation already.
So in the end, in addition to carefully enclosing the coins for transport and mentioning the offer of a consultation and reward, all he did was update her on the situation now.
He obliquely referenced that there was another person just like him, fewer “really hot and muscled men,” and the pledge for “everyone to be on their best behavior.” And he mentioned the devotion of the strongest man to the other “person like him.” Finally, he added that the “really interesting person” he thought she’d like to meet was here, which was unusual since he “rarely left his home,” meaning it was the perfect opportunity to examine a mystery that could maybe be solved only by her!
(Carnalions weren’t immune to flattery, though she would probably see through him. He figured it couldn’t hurt.)
Then he and Arvus rode to town to post it, suggesting that Molun catch up with Perian. Even though this was a transparent ploy to have him rest his leg, he accepted, probably in large part because he really did want to spend time with Perian.
The letter was soon dispatched, Arvus paying extra to have it rush-delivered.
“Uh, I’m not sure I can pay you back,” Trill said, a little bit anxiously. “I mean, the way I usually get money, I’m not sure if you’d like me to do that anymore?”
Arvus tugged Trill into his arm and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.
“We should have this discussion with Molun, but we definitely don’t expect you to pay back anything related to this. This is you doing us a favor, Trill.”
“She might not come,” Trill said, and then winced.
Arvus hugged him and then tugged him into motion back to the horses.
“Even if they don’t come,” Arvus said carefully, like Trill hadn’t slipped up, “we know that you’ve done your best. No one will blame you if this doesn’t work out.”
Trill certainly hoped that was true, because he doubted Yannoma was going to show up. She always said that you couldn’t spend money if you were dead. Trill liked these people, but that wasn’t enough to make Yannoma do so.
But still, even if she did refuse, Arvus had said they wouldn’t blame Trill, and he could always go back in person and try one more time with Yannoma. They weren’t quite done yet.
Once they got back to Perian’s estate, they found Molun and Perian giggling in the sitting room.
Upon seeing them, Molun declared, “My two favorite people!”
He wasn’t able to launch himself off the chair quite as quickly as he wanted, but he made it over pretty quickly and hugged them. Trill immediately pushed some energy into him.
“Oh,” Perian said, sounding surprised. “I think I sort of saw that?” He frowned. “Felt it? I don’t totally know how to describe it, to be honest. But that was to help heal Molun, right?”
Trill nodded. “Yes.”
“I don’t feel anything at all,” Molun said. “I mean, the leg has been feeling better overall, but I can’t even tell it’s happening.”
Making a face, Trill said, “I didn’t want to do anything too sudden. I’m sorry.”
“Honey, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for,” Molun assured him, his eyes looking serious, his face soft.
“You’ve done so much for me, and I’m so grateful.
Please don’t ever think that you need to do more.
What you’ve done is amazing, but you’d still be amazing even if you didn’t heal me, all right? ”
Trill sagged against him and agreed, “All right.”
It was… something he still needed to work on fully believing, but it certainly helped how firmly and repeatedly Molun said it.
“I thought perhaps we could go for a walk,” Arvus suggested.
Molun eyed him.
“A topic that I thought it would be better we address together came up while we were in town,” he explained. “Walking outside in this weather makes it at least slightly less likely that we’ll get distracted.”
Molun laughed, and Trill grinned.
“Fine, let’s do that,” Molun agreed. “I’m curious now.”
Perian waved them off, looking fondly amused, and they bundled up in their coats and hats and gloves and were soon traipsing across Perian’s land, heading in what was apparently the general direction of the water.
“What’s going on?” Molun wanted to know.
Arvus looked at Trill, who made a face, and Arvus correctly interpreted this as a desire to not have to try to explain.
“The subject of money came up while we were in town. Trill expressed some concern about the state of his finances and how we would react if he acquired money the way he usually does.”
Molun blinked. “Oh.”
That was… not a clear message. Trill really needed a clear message.
“I don’t—” Trill started.
“Trill,” Molun said, turning to face him. “We don’t want to make you unhappy, either.”
This stopped Trill cold. He’d never really thought about that before. Or maybe it was that he’d never before had anyone who could truthfully say that.
It was Trill’s turn to say, “Oh,” a little bit blankly.
They both hugged him, and he stayed happily tucked between them, wishing that he never had to give this up.
“Trill, we’d really like for you to stay with us in the castle,” Molun told him earnestly from his position against Trill’s back. “It, uh, might mean hiding what you are.”
“I’m used to that,” Trill mumbled into Arvus’s chest.
“But you wouldn’t have to hide with us,” Arvus assured him.
Which was amazing.
“We know it’s not ideal,” Molun added, “and you could still go see your friend and everything whenever you wanted. But would you consider staying with us?”
“That sounds really nice,” Trill agreed, emotions catching at his throat. “I, uh, I’d need to talk to my friend, I guess. They helped me a lot when I really needed it, and I can’t ignore that.”
Yannoma had survived without him in the past and no doubt would again, but not as easily as when he was there. He never wanted to abandon her.
“Of course,” Arvus said, and Molun murmured an agreement. “We’d like as much time with you as you can give us.”
“But what would I do?” Trill asked.
“Have lots and lots of sex with us,” Molun said promptly.
Trill laughed, and Molun’s arms tightened around him.
Molun continued, “And have sex with other people if you want.”
“Is that what you want?” Trill asked uncertainly.
Molun pulled out of the embrace, and they moved so that they could all see one another again, tucked into a tight circle, all standing close. It didn’t feel like Molun and Arvus plus Trill, it felt like all of them together, all of them equal, which Trill couldn’t totally wrap his brain around.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of trouble talking about this if we aren’t willing to say what we would each prefer,” Molun pointed out.
Trill bit his lip, feeling the tension snake up his spine. “But what if what we prefer isn’t what the other people like?”
“Then we can have an honest discussion about it,” Arvus said gently.
“Just because it’s not a preference doesn’t mean it’s a dealbreaker, and contrarily, just because one person has said it’s what they prefer, it doesn’t mean they might decide not to do it when weighed against how the other people feel.
But if each of us simply guesses what the other people want, we may actually be getting it wrong or be unhappy ourselves without the other people realizing. We don’t want that, do we?”
And Trill could shake his head now because that didn’t sound like something he wanted at all.
Molun smiled encouragingly at him. “So what would you prefer, Trill?”
Trill took a deep breath. “I’m very happy with you.
Being able to feed off you means I don’t need to feed off anyone else, and that means I’m getting everything I need from you.
I, uh, I guess I don’t know if it’ll stay that way all the time, but it’s certainly how I feel right now.
I really enjoy sex, and having it with you is the best!
Everything else seems less good in comparison if I think about it now.
But I don’t… I don’t bring in money any other way, and I don’t want you to feel like I’m a burden. ”
Molun pressed a soft kiss to his lips, and then Arvus did the same.
“Thank you for being so honest, honey. I know that was hard for you to share.”
Trill nodded, feeling a little bit lightheaded.
“So,” Molun said, smiling at him. “If I’m being honest, I really like what we have together.
I’d be the last person to say that someone in a relationship can’t have sex with other people if everyone is in agreement, but I’m finding that the three of us together is definitely what I prefer right now.
If we do some experimenting, I’d prefer that it be all together, just like Arvus and I did before you. ”
Trill nodded again, because that made sense.
“I feel the same way as Molun,” Arvus agreed. “And if the main reason you’re considering sex with other people isn’t preference but to bring in money, then I would much rather support you and have you not having sex with other people.”
“Oh,” Trill said again, because he hadn’t thought about it like that, either, like he was providing something they wanted by not bringing in money in his usual way. “If you’re sure?”
Arvus said, “Molun was my first serious relationship. My first everything, really.” He cast Molun a fond look, making him preen and making Trill smile.
“It took us time and experimentation to work out what we wanted. For a while at the beginning, it was just us, and we decided to experiment not knowing for sure how we’d feel about it.
We discussed it and tried it out, and found what worked for us. We want to do the same with you.”
Molun was nodding. “We found for the two of us that it works better when any extra people happen together.”
Trill nodded, because he’d experienced that with them himself.