Ever adjusted his legs, leaning back with Bo tucked against his chest. The both of them relaxed into a nest of pillows that cluttered the previously bare bed. Somewhere nearby, the shuffle of fabric. Light on Bo’s upturned face, though his eyes were closed. Gentle light, the sort that didn’t burn.
“Poor, debauched human,” Ever murmured, nuzzling his neck. “Trapped in a kelpie’s embrace.”
“Help, help. A wicked, insatiable kelpie’s taken me for his own.” Bo laughed, eyes still shut. “I hear they like sweets.”
Ever’s lips brushed over Bo’s hair. “We do indeed.”
Something small and plush hit Bo’s foot. He opened an eye to see a palm-sized, burnt orange pillow nestled by his toes. The pillow twitched, nudged, when Bo tried to close his eyes again. Fucking impatient Faerie.
Bo sighed, eyes opening further. The start of a grumble died quickly when he saw what he’d been unsubtly pushed to notice.
Outside their window, the stark desert landscape no longer stood as a testament to Nimai’s time there. In its place, a lush forest of greens and silvers, like a sunset at the cusp of winter and spring. Towering oaks. Vibrant holly. Citrus trees along the banks of a fast-paced river lined with sharp rocks. Birdsong piping soft over the rushing waters.
“It’s us,” Bo said, hushed. He reached for Ever’s hand, held tight. “The Council can fucking suck it if they try and tell anyone we aren’t legit.”
“Indeed,” Ever murmured, his eyes half open. No shame from him. Just love and comfort. “Do invite the Council to ‘suck it’. Eventually. I’m in no rush to release you, sweet.”
“Good.” Bo twisted closer, an arm and leg thrown comfortably over the other man. “Me either.”
Later, they’d force the Council to acknowledge their bond. Watch Talia spit facts and tacks, see if the selkie showed her face. All sorts of things.
Later.
In that moment, though, there was birdsong, a sunset of honeyed oranges, and slow, contented smiles, warm and quiet, all for themselves.
ReelSelf Video
March 10, 2018 7:00 a.m. CST
“That’s about it forthe video, folks. I hope everyone enjoyed learning all about lochs and why things in them aren’t real until we see soggy dinosaurs haul themselves up on the shore with plenty of witnesses and video equipment.
“I’ve had some people hit me up, asking about what I’m going to call my followers. Do people do that? Like, ‘What’s up, kiddos’ or ‘Hey, bozos?’ I can, if you all want.
“Not calling any of you kiddos or bozos, though. I know I can be kind of snarky, but that doesn’t extend to, like, calling anyone here names they might have negative associations with or something.
“My, uh, my little brother, he once told me that I was too much of a dreamer back when I was still trying to figure out what I should do as an adult. He’s… good grief, he’s twenty now, and our relationship is way better, but that kind of stuck with me.
“Like, me. A ‘dreamer.’ I wasn’t doing this when he said it, or at least I wasn’t doing it seriously. I look back on it now and laugh.Me.But that’s my issue, you know? We don’t come here and go look at places because we want to mock people who believe in things we can’t prove. This isn’t a ‘hate the supernatural and believers’ channel.
“If any of my viewers watch me and still think some things are true, I amsohere for that. Seriously. Bravo, brava, brav-whatever the gender-neutral version of that is. I like to think all of us wouldliketo believe. That, if we came across proof that there were selkie or skinwalkers or ghosts, we’d accept it and roll with the supernatural punches.
“Sidebar, real quick–wouldn’t it be awesome if selkies existed? I’m imagining some rich person with this fur coat, just absolutely wrecking things, and it turns out they’re just wearing their pelt and–right,sidebar went too far.
“Anyway, if you’re okay with that, the dreamers thing, let me know? In the comments. I try to get to my social media and answer every one, but I amstillnot prepared for how many of you there are. It’s kind of great.
“Signing off here. Be kind to each other, don’t follow strange horses to water, and never say ‘thank you’ to fairies.”
Epilogue
Declan
Declan ought to haveexpected the glittery headband. It was, after all, Talia’s New Year’s Eve party, even if Bo and Everil were hosting it. Talia had strong feelings about headwear. Including, it turned out, little paper hats covered in glitter.
“Robin and I made them,” Talia informed him as she handed over the gold and blue encrusted headband. “He picked out the colors.”
Declan glanced past her to where Robin sat curled in the corner of Everil and Bo’s new couch. Gangly limbs and intense eyes that flicked between the television and the rest of the group.
Not much of a group, really. Not even a party, by fae standards. But, as most fae parties involved crowds of people treating Declan with scrupulous, insincere politeness, he’d take the human version.
