The peace had been nice while it lasted, but with an upcoming explosion in my future, I guess we couldn’t put this conversation off.
"Look, Temple—"
"I’m Temple again?" he wondered.
"You’ve always been Temple."
"It’s been a while since you called me anything other than Lysander."
"Well, your first name is so long. It’s not like Max, nice and short. Why didn’t your mom name you something shorter? Why were all the names that Shakespeare guy used like a million syllables long? I mean, Desdemona? Come on."
"Is this what you really want to talk about?"
“I don’t know how to talk about what I want to talk about. What about you? Say whatever you want to say.” Hopefully he could see my warning expression in the dark. “Don’t use metaphors.”
Freaking metaphors. I meant what I said about needing Tem—Lys—needing him to be complete. I needed him more than anyone else, but I needed him in the human metaphorical sense that he’s part of me and I feel the most like Max when he’s there to be freaking Lysander. Two people falling for each other, that’s how I meant it. Not literally. Not permanently… certainly not yet.
"Do you believe Frost?" I prompted when he didn’t share his thoughts.
"Why shouldn’t I? Do you not believe him or is the issue that you do?"
“I-I’m not sure. I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Right now we have to figure out our next move.Is the option Frost presented us even an option? Or do we need to start searching for anything else?"
"Ifit’s an option, what does that mean?" We weren’t presented with options. He gave usoption.We had it or nothing.
"Well, we can’t really do this, can we? Not if you hate it."
"What if it’s the only choice?” Other than exploding. “How can I think this through and make the right choice under these circumstances? How are my options fucking mate or die? How is that fair?"
"It’s not,” he said. “It’s not fair. But all we can do is find a solution.”
While none of the glimpses of the future I witnessed had a timestamp, each one felt closer and closer. The event I saw wasn’t happening 10 years down the road or even a few months from now. It felt…soon.
“I need more time,” I said. “And you, what about you?”
"You don’t have to worry about me."
"Seeing as my last hope involves blending us together in an angel-fox soup, I don’t think that’s true."
The pond only showed a hazy image of his face, but I imagined the sensible, even expression there and it made my hands clench into fists.
“I need more time,” I repeated. “Do you need more time too?”
Temple thought before he spoke again. "The Brokers found out about Lucas and wanted to arrange a buyer for him. That’s how he found out about mates. It astounded me that he was capable of seeing the worst possible version of a mate bond and then there he went jumping into a bond without hesitation, tying himself to a guy he’d only known for five minutes."
"Are-are you saying you think they made a mistake?" This was my fault. I asked to know what he thought.
"No. After living with them for a few months, I’m more than convinced.”
His voice actually turned fond as he thought about the couple. Did life or death situations like these just not faze him anymore?
“Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. Lucas met Chase before me and we’d only known each other for less than five minutes when I knew for sure that I wanted more than setting things right and protecting him. I knew that I wanted my brother in my life. Even if things happen quickly, a decision you make in a split second can still be the right one.”
“You still didn’t tell me what you think about all this. I don’t love the idea of you doing this to save me and being stuck with me for eternity."
"Don’t worry about me."
