That question must’ve been clear because he giggled as he shook his head. “Nope. Not it. That is what we callnot my circus, not my monkeys. It means I am not in charge of it and I don’t have to worry about managing it.”
I thought I could understand that logic.
“Is that lack of management because you do not count this area as home?” He had mentioned a willingness to move, but I knew we should have extensive conversations regarding relocation. “Is it a lack of dominance?”
My mate’s head cocked and he puckered his lips into what I thought was an expression of deep thought. After a fewmoments, he shrugged. “That’s a good question. Both of them, really. I was thinking it was because I don’t count this as home, but it might be a sub thing.”
Sub thing seemed to be related to submissive tendencies, but I was patient as he continued to process. As his silence stretched out, he shifted and pressed closer, seemingly indicating he wanted more touch.
When I tightened my grip and stroked my hand over his back again, he made a pleased sound and found his thoughts.
Did touch promote thought on Earth?
Was that why the men hugged and gave shoulder pats so frequently?
Wren answered before I could ask additional questions. “I like it when people are happy and I love how funny the locals are, but it doesn’t feel like my place to tell them what to do.”
There seemed to be a connection between thoughts and touch, but I did not know how to question it or explain it in my notes.
“You ask good questions.” Smiling, Wren kissed my cheek. “I like that.”
“Thank you.” Kissing his cheek in return, I marveled at the way the bond continued to subtly strengthen with each touch and emotional connection. “I like this as well.”
“The kissing or the talking?” My mate’s smile widened into what I thought was mischief or teasing. “Or the wiggling.”
All of them.
Mischief and teasing…yes, his smile was related to mischief and teasing.
His example of a wiggle was to rub his body against mine, focusing on our groin areas. “That is enjoyable as well.”
My mate was…enthusiastic.
“Have you figured out any differences in the way we make love?” Wren quickly frowned. “Sex. I’m not sure what words you know for that. Do we have sex the same way? Is there anything I need to know? Any diseases your people thought we might be able to catch? We might end up being like those isolated groups that end up catching everything when new people show up. That would suck.”
Suck?
The negative association was clear but the subtleties of the meaning were lost on me. The diner men had not used that word. “From what I understand, we do not have diseases in the same way humans have them. It may be that our magic influenced that during our evolution.”
Sighing, he shook his head. “Mages probably fucked with that kind of stuff so long ago we don’t remember. It’s probably like the flowers and that shit just stuck.”
The flowers, yes.
“That may be.” It was more helpful than influencing the out-of-season growth of plants, however. “If it was, that information was lost.”
He did not seem to mind my lack of knowledge. “We weren’t lost, though. That’s amazing. Wait. Were we forgotten? That was what I meant.”
I appreciated the way he thought to clarify his words, but I had to admit to disliking the need for it. Isolated humans did nothave an extensive vocabulary. It was what the diner men called a learning experience.
“You were not forgotten, my mate.” Never. “My people have watched for you for generations.”
It was one of our greatest tragedies that they had been separated from us and the most painful lesson that children should’ve never been sent that far away…especially not without more skills and supervision. “We did not know what to expect but finding you happy and thriving will please my people more than you know.”
Nearly every family had a member who had been lost and our society had never recovered in some ways.
One moment our children had been learning to grow and thrive and the next there was a great hole where they had once been. Many families had never moved past the grief and generations suffered in silence.
“So they’re going to be happy to meet us?” Looking hopeful and nervous, Wren curled his body into mine, pressing his face against my neck. “Everyone’s been thinking about the practical stuff, but it’s hard not to think about the people aspects.”
