“Much thanks, Secretary of Defense Buttons,” Titan said with a defeated sigh. “I will heed your warning and refrain from making contact with these creatures, unless it is to eat them. My brother is right. Surely there are Darvrokian specialists here on Earth I will be able to consult—it will just be a matter of finding one.”
“Are you…” said a voice from the doorway. Titan looked over his shoulder and discovered it belonged to Human Jude, who was peering at them through narrowed eyes. His lips were pursed in distaste. “You know what?” he said after an increment’s consideration. “I’m not even going to ask.”
“Secretary of Defense Buttons is a wise creature, and weare consulting her,” Al supplied helpfully, in English. “If you wish to join the conversation, you should be able to do so with the help of our bond. It will enable you to speak her language.”
“That’s very kind of you,” said Jude stiffly, “but I’m good. I’ve gotta get back to the kids. Have a, uh, good time consulting the cat.”
“Many thanks, Human Jude.”
Human Jude gave Titan an odd look, and it was only then that Titan realized he had not spoken in English, but in cat. Before he could rectify his mistake, Human Jude disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Titan, Al, and Secretary of Defense Buttons alone.
“Apologies for my mate’s behavior,” Al said to Secretary of Defense Buttons. “He is a kind and loving being, but has yet to accept that his bad and wrong language is ill-suited for logical communication. I have been working on him, but he is slow to accept this as the truth, as he finds other languages to be ‘weird.’”
Secretary of Defense Buttons wandered away from Titan and wound obliquely over to Al, who she greeted with a headbutt and a rapid twitching of her tail. “Don’t worry about it. We’re used to it. Humans have always been this way.”
“Perhaps this is so, but that does not make their behavior right.”
Secretary of Defense Buttons’ tail continued to rapidly twitch, and she began to stomp her back feet, displaying her satisfaction with Al’s words. When this proved to be too small a gesture for the appreciation in her heart, she then helped herself into Al’s arms, and Al very wisely obliged her, forming a cradle out of his own body. She curled up in it, closed her eyes, and began to purr.
“Tell you what,” Al said in Darvrokian once Secretary of Defense Buttons was settled. “If you look into making contact with experts, I’ll consult Jude and ask him to walk me through what the True Mates bond felt like for him as a human being. Comparing his experience to Ezra’s might help us figure out what’s going on.”
“I appreciate it.” Titan hesitated, fighting off a frown. Unlike Secretary of Defense Buttons, he was not comfortable displaying gratitude, as he had been raised to believe that being grateful meant a life form was weak. “I know I might not sound it, but I do. Is there anything I can do for you in return to prove how grateful I really am?”
Al considered his request for an increment. “You have connections with the human government, right?”
“Limited connections, but yes.”
A look of fury the likes of which Titan had never seen set itself ablaze in Al’s eyes. “Good, because I would like to have a word with them about the concept known as ‘daylight saving time,’ and I will not rest until they listen to me.”
That night, Ezra welcomed Titan into his bed again. The two of them “fooled around,” as Ezra liked to call it, but Ezra was too fatigued and Titan too preoccupied to go all the way. Instead, Titan lay staring at the ceiling and idly stroked Ezra’s back, while Ezra rested his head on his chest and passed in and out of unconsciousness. It had been a long and somewhat unpleasant day, full of uncomfortable emotion, and there was much to think about, but as Titan reflected back on all that had happened, he could not say that it had been bad. Challenging, yes, but good had come of it. If nothing else, he had made life easier for Ezra, and that was not without its merits.
And perhaps, if all went well, Al would accept his apology and, in time, might become his friend.
Still, there was the issue of the True Mates bond he shared with Ezra. It was there—it had to be, for how else would Ezra have become pregnant with his clutch?—but the irregularity of it was distressing. What if it could not be fixed? Word would spread that he had formed a faulty bond, and it would be seen as a mark of incompetence. A sign that he was imperfect and not fit for his position.
The blow to his image would be immense, but even should it cause professional harm, it would be survivable. To his surprise, what he found himself most concerned about wasn’t the impact it would have on himself, but how such a thing might affect Ezra.
Would he be ashamed should Titan lose his position?
Would he think him less worthy of his love?
Such thoughts had never bothered Titan before, but until now, he had never had a reason to worry. Hewasthe best at what he did, and had never been proven otherwise.
Not until Ezra.
Not until his rejection, and now their broken bond.
He had only just managed to improve himself thanks to Human Corbin’s grasp of human culture. What if it was not enough? What if Ezra saw him as unworthy and began to loathe him again? Without a bond tying them together, Ezra would be free to leave at any time.
And not just leave?—
Leavehim.
A terrible feeling clenched in Titan’s chest, and despite the cool temperature of the room, his eyes began to sweat to such an extent that liquid pooled at their corners.
“You’re anxious about something,” Ezra mumbled some time later, surprising Titan, who had assumed he had succumbed to his fatigue.
“How do you know this?” he asked, turning his head to press his lips against the top of Ezra’s head, into his soft, charmingly thick hair. Hair he admired, and would miss so much should Ezra decide him unworthy again.
