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Funny, but in that sense, they did need Delton. He balanced out the built-in inequality between Adar and Oliver and provided a bridge between them as a mediator. He excelled in communicating and could teach them how to talk to each other better. Not an easy feat, considering they were all introverts.
So yeah, on the surface, Delton made sense as the third leg to their triad. But that was purely rational reasoning, which excluded any feelings. It would be a relationship of convenience, not love, and as Delton had pointed out, he deserved more.
If only Adar felt the same way about Delton and vice versa. He’d never wanted to fall for someone more, because it would solve all their problems. But he couldn’t force himself, or could he?
No, but he could try. He had rejected Oliver’s suggestion out of hand, based on the fact that he’d never looked at Delton that way, that he didn’t have that same obvious sense of kinship he did with Oliver. But if he allowed himself to take a step back and look at it from a more rational and maybe practical point of view, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be true, did it?
Maybe that sense of being true mates wasn’t the same for everyone. Maybe for some, it was obvious, whereas for others, it grew over time. Hadn’t Sivney needed time to get used to the idea that he belonged with Naran and Lev? The inconsiderate way Oliver had handled it all shouldn’t determine how Adar responded to the concept.
He finished his coffee, rinsed his cup, and put it in the dishwasher. His mind made up, he put his boots on and headed out, straight for Oliver’s cabin. He’d only been sitting on the bench in front for a few minutes when the door opened, and Oliver stepped out, his head bowed, his shoulders low. He peaked at Adar from between his lashes.
“Good morning,” Adar said, offering him an olive branch.
Oliver shuffled closer until he stood before Adar, who stayed seated. “You’re not angry with me? I wasn’t sure you’d come today.”
Adar’s first reaction was to brush that off and assure Oliver everything was fine, but he held his tongue. If they wanted this to work, the truth was needed. “I wasn’t sure either, but I wanted to talk to you.”
Oliver jammed his hands into the pockets of his tight jeans. “Okay.”
Adar patted the empty spot next to him. “Come sit with me for a spell, angel.”
Oliver’s eyes grew misty. “I didn’t think I’d ever hear you call me angel again.”
That statement only proved how necessary open communication between them was. “You’re still my mate, angel. Nothing can change that.”
Oliver carefully sat next to him. “You don’t hate me?”
Adar took Oliver’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I could never hate you. I’m upset with you, and we have a lot to talk about, but I don’t hate you.”
“I’m so sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt either of you.”
“I know that. But can you tell me why it was wrong? Not to rub it in, but I want to make sure you understand why I’m so upset.”
Oliver bit his lip. “Because I tried to manipulate you into falling for Delton. I should’ve been honest with you.”
“No, angel. You should’ve kept it to yourself. This wasn’t your truth to tell. If Delton had wanted me to know, he would’ve talked to me. Yes, I do feel like you tried to manipulate me, but more than anything, it bothers me you went against his wishes. He specifically asked you not to tell me, and while you didn’t do it outright, you did orchestrate things in such an obvious manner I found out. I feel awful for him that his request for privacy wasn’t honored, especially because he keeps everyone’s secrets. Since we all dump our trauma on him, that man knows shit about everyone, and the one time he asked us to honor his wishes, we ignored them.”
Wow. His voice had broken near the end, and the whirlwind of emotions inside him took him by surprise. He hadn’t even known he’d felt this strongly about the whole situation until he’d put it into words. “I’m sorry. That came out a bit more passionate than I intended. I had strong opinions about it I wasn’t aware of.”
Oliver wiped away some tears. “Maybe, but you’re not wrong. I did him wrong, and it kept me up most of the night as I was trying to figure out how I had fucked up so badly. But I hadn’t looked at it that way, and you’re right. I didn’t have his consent.”
He hung his head low, and Adar had no trouble following where his mind had gone. He squeezed Oliver’s hand. “That doesn’t make you as bad as the Murphys.”
“Doesn’t it come down to the same thing, though? Consent is consent, no matter for what.”
“No, it’s not. The principle might be the same, but the weight attached to it is very different depending on what we’re talking about. Telling something about someone without their consent is not the same as rape, to put it bluntly. Don’t you dare think it is. You messed up, angel, but this is fixable. This is not an unforgivable sin.”
“You think you can forgive me?”
All Adar had to do was look at him, and he already had. “If you acknowledge you were wrong, you’ll never find me holding a grudge.”
“Thank you.” He wiped away more tears. “I wasn’t sure if you’d ever wanted to talk to me again.”
Adar raised their joined hands and pressed a kiss on Oliver’s. “We’re mates. You’re not gonna get rid of me that easily.”
Oliver slid a little closer and sagged sideways, putting his head on Adar’s shoulder. They sat like that for a long time, and the turmoil inside Adar quieted.
“What about Delton?” Oliver asked. “Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?”
