Page 141 of What We Don't Say: Part Two

“I thought we agreed no one was being left outside the lockoff,” I say, kissing Theo’s forehead. “Apparently everyone made productive use of the waiting time.”

Idris' mouth softens as he reaches over to touch Theo’s ankle. “The timing was not planned, but the consent was clear.”

Dash shifts behind me.

His breath catches, and the new bond carries a surge of feeling so strong that I turn in his arms. He looks from Theo to Sloane, then toward Idris, experiencing them without needing to study their expressions from across the room.

“I can feel them,” he says again. His hand spreads over my stomach as though he needs the contact to steady himself. “I knew I would feel you, but I didn't know they would be this clear.”

I turn in his arms. “All of them?”

His eyes move over the bed before returning to mine. “Yeah.”

“How does it feel?”

His arms tighten around me. “Like I was already making room for them before I knew what to call it.”

“And me?” I ask. “What do I feel like?”

Dash looks down at me. His arms tighten around my waist, and the love that moves through the new bond answers before he does.

“You feel full,” he says. “You’re still tired, and some part of you is waiting for the next thing to go wrong, but underneath that you’re happy.”

Theo shifts closer until his head rests beneath my chin as Sloane folds himself around both of us, Idris stretching along the foot of the bed with one hand on my leg. “I can’t promise nothing else will go wrong again, princess,” He pauses as he squeezes myleg and then presses a kiss to my skin. “But I can promise that you won’t ever have to go through it alone.”

The bond between the five us surges with every bit of love that we haven’t said, every bit of assurance I still need, the last bit of uncertainty falling away. The lockoff no longer feels like a room where I waited to learn whether anyone was coming back. It is crowded, too warm, and full of the people I chose. I close my eyes with all four of them pressed close, and for the first time, there’s nothing missing.

Epilogue

Calliope

Six months later, Theo is wrapped around me on a blanket beneath the afternoon sun while Idris tries to convince both of us to finish lunch.

Theo’s head rests on my chest, one leg thrown over mine and his fingers tracing the curve of Idris' bite beneath the strap of my bathing suit. I run my thumb around Sloane’s mark on his shoulder in return, careful of the skin even though it healed months ago.

Idris sits beside us with a container of cut fruit balanced on one broad palm. He holds a strawberry near Theo’s mouth until Theo takes it, then offers the next piece to me without waiting for me to ask.

“I already ate,” I tell him, opening my mouth anyway. Idris watches me chew before his gaze drops to the untouched half of my sandwich.

“You ate three strawberries and kissed Theo through most of the fourth.” He brushes his thumb over my lower lip, then brings the sandwich closer. “Finish this, princess.”

The order settles warmly through me. I take another bite while Theo tips his face up for a kiss, and Idris lets us have a few soft seconds before putting two fingers beneath Theo’s chin and directing him back toward the food.

Theo smiles as he chews. His fingers return to my shoulder, brushing over the bite again before he leans close and presses his mouth to the mark.

Idris' pleasure moves through the bond at the sight of it. He cups Theo’s cheek, kisses him slowly, then turns and gives me the same attention until the container begins slipping against his thigh.

Farther down the beach, Dash and Sloane are carrying chairs toward the cabin while they argue over who gets stuck with the umbrella. Dash says something I can’t hear. Sloane turns toward him with an expression that warms the bond, then bumps his shoulder against Dash’s before they continue across the sand.

Idris follows my gaze and closes the container. “I’m going to help them before Sloane drops those chairs on his foot.”

“He can carry two chairs,” I say, though I make no effort to release Theo when Idris begins gathering the empty wrappers.

“He can. He will also try to carry the cooler, the umbrella, and Dash if no one stops him.” Idris bends to kiss my forehead, then presses another kiss to Theo’s hair. “Finish eating. Both of you.”

Theo nods solemnly against me. I manage the same expression until Idris stands and starts toward the others with the food container beneath one arm.

We wait until he is several yards away.