Things are different now. I’m not going to die in the next few years. What am I going to do? I’m going to be with Adam, of course, but that’s not a job. He’ll go back to teaching or maybe find something interesting to research, while I’ll… what? Watch entertainment vids? Ugh.
I’ll have to come up with something that fulfills me, something that actually interests me. The good thing is that I don’t have to do this alone. Adam and I should decide our future together. “What are we going to do, Adam?”
“Well, we’re almost at the park, so I thought we’d find a nice bench to sit on? We can keep walking,” he grimaces, “but it hardly seems fair since you’re not actually walking.”
I snort. “Asshole. A bench sounds great, but I mean, what are we going to do after?”
His hungry look sends heat straight to my cock. I clear my throat. “Obviously, we’re having sex tonight, but I meant, after, after. After we get out of here. Would you like to join your brother on his ship?” I’d rather stay with Steven on the Supernova, but if Adam wants to reconnect with his brother, then that’s what we’re going to do.
We enter the park, a beautiful mix of perfectly manicured lawns where people lounge on blankets for picnics or rest, and seemingly untouched patches of trees and bushes. FWe find a bench partially shielded by a sprawling blue-leafed bush. Adam sits down and pulls me into his lap. “I don’t know,” he says. “I love Rokesh, but his research often takes him to the fringes of the galaxy where there’s nothing interesting besides somespecial kind of star. He usually keeps a very small crew or goes alone. I like being around people. At least, I used to.”
“So, we’ll keep in touch with Rokesh, but not actually live with him? Would you like to return to the university?”
“No,” Adam answers immediately. “I didn’t like teaching that much. I prefer doing research. Besides, the press is already trying to hunt me down. If I settle anywhere civilized, they’ll keep coming after me. I don’t want to deal with them.”
As the only one who has ever recovered from the red fog, Adam has become something of a celebrity, and not just among the Wehdi. Someone leaked the story to an intergalactic tabloid that blew it out of proportion. The Salvere doesn’t allow journalists on board, but I can imagine a white-picket-fence life on some nice planet quickly turning into a disaster.
“I’m sorry.” They reached out to me too after branding me “the one who survived” Adam’s “murderous rage,” but they weren’t nearly as persistent with me as they were with him. “The Supernova would take us in, you know? We’d be safe there.”
“Are you sure they would want me on board?”
“Yes.” Steven said they were still discussing it, but most seemed open to the idea. “And if they don’t, we’ll just find something else.”
He sighs. “I’m sorry I’m such a burden.”
“You’re not a burden, Adam. You’re not,” I insist, seeing he’s about to protest. I feel the rectangular box in my pocket and scan our surroundings. The spot is mostly private unless someone purposefully wanders into our nook, and it’s sufficiently romantic. It’ll do. Now, if only I could find the right words.
“So, the human custom is for the person asking to get down on one knee, but obviously that’s not going to happen. Adam.” I clear my throat and squeeze the box in my suddenly sweaty hands. “I love you. You’re sweet and gentle and a good person. You make me happy, the happiest I’ve ever been. As long asI don’t have to eat any more worms, I’d like to stay with you forever. I’m sure there’s some ancient ritual for presenting this, but I’d botch it, so I’m just going to give you the box and ask if you want to be with me forever.” Damn, that was awkward.
Adam accepts the box without even looking at it, his deep gaze fixed on me. “You already know I want to be with you forever. Not because I have to, but because you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I’m honored you’re choosing to stay with me even with all of my baggage. I don’t need any gifts from you to prove it but,” he finally glances at the box, “now I’m curious. Can I open it?”
“It’s yours. If you want it.”
With bated breath, I watch Adam lift the lid of the box containing the piece I’d been asking local jewelers about, the one Veilun had sent to our room. It’s a set of delicately crafted rings linked by chains to a larger ring meant to be worn around the wrist. A Wehdi version of an engagement ring.
Adam’s breath catches as he looks at it. “H-how?”
Unsure which “how” he means, I answer as many as I can. “When we were separated during that terrible test, I did some reading about your people. When I saw this, I messaged the jewelers here, but no one had it in stock.” And having it custom-made would cost a fortune. Adam told me to use his savings for whatever I wanted, but it felt wrong to buy him an engagement ring with his own money. I considered borrowing money from Steven’s mate, since my brother is as galactic-unit-less as I am, but decided against it and resolved to make some before I started spending it. Veilun’s intervention, while unexpected, was very much welcome.
“That’s amazing. I love you, Jaime.”
The last lingering weight lifts from my shoulders, leaving me pleasantly weightless. “Is that a yes?” I half-tease, half-ask, because I need to hear it.
“Yes, Jaime. I want forever with you.” The chains clink as I help Adam slide the intricate piece of jewelry onto his hand. It fits perfectly. “It’s so beautiful. Would you like one as well, or would you prefer a ring?”
I don’t need to think about it. A ring would be more practical, but I want the same as Adam. Besides, it’s so pretty! “I want one of these and,” I lean in for a kiss, “I want you.”
“You have me, Jaime,” comes the heartfelt answer. “Forever.”
Chapter 36
Cai
Finishedwiththeirdiscussion,the crew disperses to various parts of the ship. I monitor them through cameras and internal sensors, tracking each individual in case of emergency while simultaneously adjusting course vectors and running a diagnostic on a potentially faulty capacitor on deck 3. It’s not a part of the main power network but it might still cause trouble if it fails. I’ll have to notify D’Aakh or Lucía if I’m unable to fix it remotely. A check on the fuel levels and the reactor status is unnecessary as there are procedures in place to alert me if anything is amiss, but I still perform it as a redundancy measure.
Since the crew decided to allow Jaime’s Wehdi mate aboard the ship once they’re released from the medical vessel, I dispatch cleaning drones to prepare one of the large vacant rooms located at maximum feasible distance from Jaime’s brother’s quarters.
Data indicate that newly bonded individuals engage in intercourse with elevated frequency, as evidenced by other couples living on board the ship, and factoring in additional data such as the age of the bonded mates or their species’ sexual proficiency, I calculate a 98.3% probability that Jaime and Professor Rizven will also be frequently copulating.
