“You have?” Gramlithyn asked, brushing a lock of Pyxlevir’s hair behind his shoulder.
“I tried it, but it was weird, especially since I was afraid a parent or uncle would walk into my room unannounced. Not that they ever do that, but I really don’t need to have any awkward memories of being caught without my clothes on.”
“Well, never feel like you need to put them on around me. I’ve had plenty of fantasies about you, but your body is better than I dreamed.”
“So is yours. Especially that big carrot. I was expecting something on a smaller scale.”
Gramlithyn rolled his eyes. “It only seems big because you have tiny hands.”
“Don’t make me break out a ruler to prove my point.”
“If you packed one, I have to say that’s fucking weird and not necessarily in the cute Pyx way I adore.”
“I didn’t pack a ruler,” Pyxlevir said. “Calm down.”
“Want to spend the rest of the night not watching this movie and figuring out how many times we can come before sunrise?”
Pyxlevir nodded, and they were both smiling as they kissed. “Yep.”
Chapter 28
The Saturday after his night away with Pyxlevir, Gramlithyn grabbed the last of the dishes from the table and followed his housemates into the kitchen.
“Come on, guys, you don’t have to run off again tonight,” Pyxlevir complained as he took plates from Colburn and plunked them in the dishwasher.
Dasan snorted. “Right, because I’m sure we wouldn’t be interrupting anything. The two of you make out constantly. I’m sure your plan was to sit around and discuss current events with at least six feet separating you.”
Gramlithyn brushed his lips against Pyxlevir’s. Both zebra and elf filled with joy as Pyxlevir wound his arms around Gramlithyn’s waist.
“What is our plan for tonight?” Gramlithyn asked his other half.
“Well, how do you feel about honoring elven tradition and re-braiding my hair?” Pyxlevir asked. “If you don’t want to do it, I’ll call my dad tomorrow and figure out when he can braid it.”
Although Gramlithyn had defied the customs of his father’s people years earlier by hacking off his own long locks, he loved the thought of sinking his fingers in Pyxlevir’s tresses. “I’d love to, Pyx.”
“Good, because I’ve gone too long without zebra beads,” Pyxlevir replied, giving Gramlithyn a squeeze. “See, guys? We won’t be doing anything exciting. Keep Gramlithyn company so he doesn’t want to yank out my hair once he remembers how long it takes to put in an elven hairstyle.”
Gramlithyn wanted to roll his eyes as the twins and Dasan shared skeptical and questioning glances. “Pyx, if they won’t hang out with us in the living room, we’ll just go do your hair in your bedroom. There’s no sense in them hiding because they’re stubborn and convinced they’re keeping us from doing something explicit to one another.”
Colburn laughed. “Right. Like we don’t know that you’ve shared a bed for the past week.”
“Do you think I care if anyone knows that?” Pyxlevir asked. “We’re mates.”
“If you’re really going to do Pyx’s hair, I suppose we could hang out in the living room for a while,” Crispin conceded.
“I’ll go get my hair stuff,” Pyxlevir said. “Kiss first.”
Dutifully, Gramlithyn bent and touched their lips together. Then his mate left the kitchen.
“I feel like we don’t need to ask how things are going,” Colburn remarked with a grin. “Beers, guys?”
Gramlithyn helped Colburn grab drinks for everyone, and they headed to the living room. “Things are going terrific with Pyx. Thanks for uprooting your lives to give us this opportunity and doing literally everything you can think of to give us the time and space we need to build our relationship. We couldn’t ask for better friends.”
Colburn patted his shoulder. “It’s our pleasure. We want you both to be happy.”
“Yeah, and you’re in a way better mood now that you’re crawling into Pyx’s bed,” Dasan snickered.
“I heard that,” Pyxlevir called out as he sailed into the living room. “And you’re not wrong.”
