Chapter 48 Home
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Anton
The Arms class was brutal, and though none of us got injured this morning, the exhaustion showed on my brothers’ faces as we left the arena to head for our various classes.
Slash pretended to be stoically unaffected by the fact that he got to fetch KK for shifting work for several hours, but even Jasper rolled his eyes at the act.
Once I noticed it, there was no way anyone else could miss the tiny spring in the big guy’s stomp as he left.
Kit is doing an excellent job of finding the right way to approach each of us to develop a stronger bond; I wish I were as intuitive as he is.
“Babe?”
Blinking, I look up from my phone to see Xerxes standing next to the doorway of my Design Lab. “Fuck. I was too buried in my head again. I need to be more cautious.”
They smile fondly, reaching up to ruffle my hair just a smidge—not enough to set off my issues, of course—and I make a face before I straighten the colorful strands carefully.
“You were. Slash and Jas would be super pissed, but luckily, I had time to stop by before my Women’s Fashion class.
You’re heading downstairs for Drawing, yes? ”
I nod, stepping closer so they can hug me.
X has always been conscientious about my quirks, and they know that initiating too much touch when I am not ready can throw my entire vibe off for the day.
Xerxes tugs me into their arms, squeezing a little, and I return the action once I relax.
It’s the dance we do when we are publicly intimate, and we’ve perfected it over the years.
At times, I wish I weren’t so particular about things, but X hasn’t ever cared.
They simply accept me, funny habits and special instructions and all—something my parents or siblings never have.
The family we make can have stronger bonds than the family we are born into.
“You’re thinking again, Annie.”
I pull back, straightening my uniform to give him a sheepish expression.
“Yes, it’s hard not to with so many things going on simultaneously.
My brain catches on something, then spirals out until I’ve gone to the end of the line, and once that happens, I can put pieces together.
Not all the time, of course, because I don’t always find the end for a while. ”
“Shall I walk you downstairs to your class, then? Coco won’t mind if I’m a few minutes late. My projects are so far ahead because of the… adjustments I’ve made to include KK’s things as part of my portfolio, that no one could accuse me of slacking.”
Nodding, I take their proffered arm, heading for the stairs with my love. “How are you getting away with making things for Kit in a women’s fashion class? That seems counterintuitive.”
X blinks, then coughs as we descend together.
“Uh, well. He’s so small, and I’ve dubbed the pieces my ‘inclusive’ clothing line that will capture the ‘sexually adventurous’ customers.
Not my words, mind, as sexually adventurous doesn’t have a fucking gender, but the diva refuses to use proper terminology.
She's not the most enlightened of our kind, and her opinion of her own fame is more than I think she deserves.”
I smile, my lips twisting a bit as I realize that he’s being both honest and petty concurrently.
“Black and white basics aren’t very difficult to create.
Her reputation came more from her time period and those who wore the items, I believe.
It was one of those ‘perfect storms’ that create a legend rather than sheer talent. ”
X nods, tossing their hair over their shoulder. “And she didn’t exactly cavort with the most honorable of people, either. KK would lose his mind if he found out who’s stuck down here teaching as purgatory.”
They’re right—Kit’s sense of justice is highly developed, and it’s one of the things I worry will make his demon transition difficult.
“That’s a problem for another day,” I reply as we finally hit the bottom floor.
Opening the door to the hallway, I wait for Xerxes to pass and follow.
“I believe he’s gaining flexibility slowly, though.
His lack of fury at the destruction Jasper caused during the standoff in the dorm, shows he is re-evaluating how he looks at proper punishment. ”
“Yes, but we don’t want him to lose what makes him special.
I worry about that,” my lover says softly.
“Kit has so many things to heal from, and there have been even more curveballs flung at his face than an umpire. He needs more time to process, but we simply do not have it with the Games looming. I’m certain they’re going to start after Krampusnacht. ”
That hadn’t occurred to me yet, and I feel absolutely ridiculous for missing it.
The time from Devil’s Night to now has practically flown by, and we haven’t prepared our new brother for the holidays, exams, or anything we’d usually be doing at Discordia at this point.
We’ve been focused on the fucking bullies, Darkstar, and the damn Games to the exclusion of important shit.
I frown as we approach the door to my class, shaking my head.
“We have to remind the others of what we’ve all forgotten.”
X sighs, watching my fingers fly over the keys of my phone as I text the group chat without Kit. “I’m not looking forward to explaining this; are you?”
“Not even a little,” I reply distractedly. “Who is the best choice to broach it?”
The look we exchange tells me neither of us knows the answer to that question—fabulous.
After X left for their class, I spent drawing class working on the designs for the end of semester project while my brain went on wild goose chases.
Even when I was young, I could separate the function of my art from the insanity of my unfettered mind.
It’s an odd ability, and most people, even Xerxes, don’t quite get it.
The only person who comes close to understanding is Zavida; he also codes like his fingers are on fire while his brain wanders off.
We’re alike in that way, though I believe my disassociation is far worse than his unless he’s wearing the headphones.
That helps him block everything out, whereas I’m able to sink into my focus and ignore the entire world with no external assistance.
Again, I believe Kit was spot on in determining that my caliphate and I are not like our parents because we diverge from their typical behaviors and psychology so completely.
But that’s not a surprise so much as confirmation for me.
I certainly knew from a young age that I wasn’t like my parents, Aegon and Anastasia, nor were my siblings—Achille, Adara, Asse and Alkemene—anything like me.
I was the odd man out in every conceivable way, yet the traditions forced my summoners to accept me as the heir or find a way to get rid of me without being caught.
I’m surprised they didn’t manage the second, but I think my divergence wasn’t as clear until I was old enough that it would be noticed if I went missing.
Once I was entrenched with the prince and the other heirs, we looked out for one another, foiling any pissed parent’s schemes to activate succession.
Jasper was very clever in his ways of helping those of us who weren’t physically difficult to handle, avoid as much harm as possible.
As much as I know he’s imperfect, he was born to lead, and that has been obvious since we were quite small.
He and Slash took up the mantle of protectors, even when it cost them dearly at home.
I suppose that’s why we never once complained when Jasper was being a jackass to everyone; we all owed him our lives in some form or fashion.
However, now it’s like that burden has lifted and everyone has found a purpose bigger than gratitude.
Kit Kat appeared and poof! The veil lifted, and all of my brothers realized we’d been hindering the prince’s development by letting him treat us poorly.
His sharp tongue and quick wit were matched well by the new guy, and no one else had the stones to consistently get in Jasper’s face to call him out.
Given that Kit is small and powerless but stood his ground, it felt weird not to do so myself.
I guarantee the others experienced that epiphany as well because no one, not even Zav, lets the shadow dragon be cruel in our circle anymore.
We sort of owe an enormous debt to KK for that alone, but in watching, I think there’s more.
I look at my work, tilting my head as I realize what I’d done.
The building I’ve been designing for my architecture portfolio is based on the fantastical drawing I’ve been doing for the semester here.
Not that I’ve told anyone—even X—but this is the compound I want to build for my caliphate someday.
Obviously, we will have to live in the palace at some point in time, but none of us believed it would happen right after we finished Discordia.
We believed it would take many years to get to the point where we had enough resources and support to challenge our parents’ rule, and we’d need a home base away from them as a haven.
So I’ve been designing our future home as part of my classwork.
By the time I graduate from Discordia, the plans should be perfected.
However, while I was thinking about how my caliphate had changed, my hand changed the sketch on its own.
The middle of the compound is expanded now, and the wings dedicated to everyone’s pursuits now ring that section like spokes on a wheel.
It’s almost as if the various amenities—professional kitchen, art studio, gym, tech center, etc—are orbiting the center structure.
I think I just reorganized our future home to include Kit without thinking about it.
“Huh,” I murmur as I look at the drawing with discerning eyes. “That could actually work.”
Biting my lip, I sketch out a few other additions, including a room to build an interactive playroom for Dottie.
Kit’s relationship with the small rodent is important, and if I’m making a space for him in our future, there needs to be a place for her as well.
My brows furrow as I consider how helpful the kinkajou is to him, especially with regulating his moods.
Perhaps on the next trip to visit The Keeper, I should query him on how I might find out if I am an acceptable demon for such a thing.
It might be useful, even if I’d need to adjust to having someone that depends on me for continued survival.
“Keeping things clean, too.”
“Did you have a question, Mr. Aldaric? Quelle surprise.”
Shit. I said that too loudly and got the attention of Professor Landis.
She’s half Muse and half drude, which means she’s a great art professor, but if you piss her off, your dreams are where you’ll pay.
Salem and Xerxes can fight that shit off, but I hate conflict that cannot be resolved quickly.
Landis is petty enough to keep trying to get in until she feels vindicated.
Sleep is hard with the way my brain works, and I’m not willing to risk it for a hollow victory when she’s being snarky.
“I do not, Professor.” I look up from my sketch, meeting her gaze with as little emotion as possible.
If I don’t pique her interest further, she’ll fuck off to help the more effusive students, and I can go back to focusing.
Drawing is a required course for my studies, and despite my experience and title, the fuckers in admissions wouldn’t let me skip it anymore than they did my brothers and their entry-level courses.
It’s a waste of time for us to be taking many of the ‘101’ courses, but here we are.
I’m sure Darkstar had a hand in that decision, and if I could kick his ass for it, I absolutely would.
Luckily, there’s only a few more hours of class until I can head back to the dorm and decompress with my brothers.
Of course, wanting to decompress with other beings present isn’t something I did before KK arrived, either, but it’s definitely what I want to do now.