“And talk to your brother,” Adam softly interrupts my rant. “Do you need help?”
“I don’t need it, but I’ll take it as an apology for siding with my brother. That’s just rude.”
Chuckling, Adam brings me over to the toilet in the corner of the room. It’s the only amenity here, and I think they left it because it hides inside the wall when not in use. Otherwise, Adam would probably have hurt himself trying to destroy it during his feral stage.
“Can I come in?” Steven calls from behind the door.
“Absolutely not!” Realizing he might think Adam isn’t himself again, I add, “Give us a few minutes unless you want to see something you won’t be able to unsee.”
There’s a muffled sound of gagging. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Me? Brother, the walls on the Supernova are really thin. The things I’ve heard from Lyri and your room… I recognize the sounds of spanking when I hear them.”
“Um. That’s—that’s not— It’s not like that. I-I wouldn’t hurt Lyri.”
I snort as I hastily wipe myself with the tissues. I really need a shower. “I never said it was Lyriana getting spanked, and I’m definitely not going to ask who tops between the two of you.”
Steven groans. “Let’s not talk about this ever again. Any of it. Rokesh is here too, by the way.”
Oh, great. Looks like we’re having a family talk. That should be interesting. Adam seems pensive as he helps me put pants on and, as I struggle with a shirt, he steps into a Wehdi-sized jumpsuit. It’s jarring to see him dressed, but he looks hot with the stretchy fabric clinging to his muscles. He still looks nervous, though, so I force my mind out of the gutter. “Are you okay with them coming here?” I ask, reaching for him.
Immediately, he scoops me up into his arms and takes a lungful of my scent. “I won’t attack them,” he says.
“That’s not really what I was asking, Adam. Or should I call you Rizven now? I basically forced that name on you.”
“I like Adam from you. If you don’t mind that the others keep calling me Rizven.”
“ProfessorRizven,” I tease, wanting to lift his mood a little. “I love that part. But really, are you okay with facing your brother? I’m not asking because of the feral fog thing, but because of what happened between you.” I don’t think he’d snap and attack, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for the meeting.
“I’m ready,” he says, not looking the least bit ready, but he’s an adult capable of making his own decision, so I don’t pester him.
Once we’re both dressed and the room is in some form of order that doesn’t scream “love nest” from a hundred miles away, Icall Steven in. He’s nervous as he enters, his eyes darting around the room as if assessing threats before landing on the biggest one. Adam doesn’t move an inch as they watch each other until eventually, Steven nods, sitting down by the opposite wall. He’s unarmed, unusual for him, and I’m unsure if it’s a sign of trust or just a security protocol he had to follow to enter.
Rokesh is even more nervous than Steven, though I assume it comes from a different source. Steven expects a physical fight; Rokesh fears a verbal one. Hopefully, it won’t come to either.
Awkward silence stretches until Adam takes in a deep breath. “Brother,” is all he says.
Rokesh’s breath catches and his shoulders twitch as if he’s suppressing a sob. “Rizven, I…”
Adam moves me off his lap and waits for my encouraging nod before standing. Slowly, as if worried about scaring him, he approaches his brother, who still struggles to speak. “I’m so sorry, Rokesh,” he says quietly. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“Galaxies, Rizven… I never blamed you. Never. When you took off and I realized what you planned to do, I… I know I should have heeded your wish, but I just couldn’t. I’m the one who should be apologizing. This,” he indicates his missing eye, “is nothing. It certainly isn’t your fault.”
“I…” Adam trails off, clearly unsure what to say or how to act. It looks like I’ll have to insert myself into the situation because both brothers are clueless.
“Well, I for one would really like a hug from my brother,” I say, looking meaningfully between Adam and Rokesh and hoping they’ll get the hint. “A hug is the best way to end any arguments,” I continue, laying it on thick for their dense heads. It’s funny. Adam showed almost miraculous emotional intelligence when it came to my needs, but dealing with his brother is clearly too much for him. “I thinkall brothersshould hug.” They’re hesitantat first, but soon they have their arms wrapped around each other, holding on as if the other might vanish any second.
“Subtle,” Steven laughs.
Feeling no shred of remorse, I shrug. “If it works… I do want that hug, by the way. Are you going to make me crawl to get it?”
“Of course not, I just wasn’t sure if your, um, boyfriend would try to kill me if I came anywhere near you.”
A valid reason, I suppose. Before I can say anything, Adam turns to Steven. “It’s alright. I have it under control.”
Steven shrugs, then swiftly crosses the room and pulls me into a tight hug. “Dammit, Jaime. I’m dying with worry while you’re getting dicked down by an eight-limbed lizard.”
I snort. “Jealous?”
