Kinan was frowning. “But he’s your best friend. Isn’t that a deeper connection?”
“Hewasmy best friend. When we were kids. We fell into bed together for a little while. Then we both kept trying to please my father, until I decided to keep a terrible secret and drove a wedge between us.”
“It’s not that simple,” Kinan protested.
Cormal shrugged. “Maybe not. There were a few years in there where everyone was in survival mode, especially Brannal. But don’t you think it’s telling that I didn’t confess to him?”
Kinan’s gaze was stern. “Youchoseto protect him and shoulder that burden yourself.”
Cormal huffed, half smiling. “And you’re very good about defending me whether or not I deserve it.”
“You always deserve it,” Kinan argued. “Even when you’restupid.”
Cormal felt a full smile bloom on his face. “Thank you. You made me realize what a good partner is. I’m in awe of you.”
Kinan blinked at him, looking surprised.
Cormal continued, “You’re kind and smart and thoughtful even though you’ve had these terrible things happen to you. You listen to me as well as tell me when I’m being an ass. Yes, it matters to me that you chose me, but that’s because no one ever chooses me, Kinan. I mean, not for more than a few nights of fun at the Fire Festival.”
Kinan actually growled, and Cormal couldn’t help the laugh that welled out, because Kinan jealous—really?—was such a novel concept.
“That was a stranger who liked what I could do with fire,” he said dismissively. “It wasn’t really about me. But you actuallyknow me and have seen me at my absolute worst. You reached out your hand when I was at my lowest, and you helped me pull myself out of the pit I’d dug for myself. No one’s ever cared for me like that. And for once in my life, it’s not just about me.” Cormal swallowed. “I want to makeyouhappy. I want so much to make your life better in every way that I can. I’m sorry if I failed to do that today.”
Kinan was actively crying now, and Cormal tried to brush the tears off his face, made even less possible when Kinan shook his head.
“No, no, don’t say that. Today was for you. I meant to come here and help you, and now I’m whining because it wasn’t all about me while you were asking for forgiveness. That’s awful.”
Cormal tried to lean their foreheads together.
“Hey. You’re never awful. I’ve got the market covered.”
Kinan snorted a wet sound. “I don’t mean to be so insecure.”
“No one has ever had to live the way you do,” Cormal pointed out. “And if you were clinging to an ex-boyfriend when I couldn’t even touch you, we both know that there’d be some fireballs lobbed around, don’t we?”
And finally Kinan laughed, much of the tension releasing from his body.
“Oh, does our behavior become acceptable as long as webothbehave badly?”
“That’s how this works, isn’t it?” Cormal asked.
Kinan laughed, his eyes bright again. “I’m sorry. Truly.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. This was a very emotional day. But if you’re all right with it, I would very much like to cuddle in bed.”
Kinan eyed him. “Just cuddle?”
“Unless you’d like to do more than cuddle.”
“They might hear us.”
Cormal raised an eyebrow. “Do you think either of them would be surprised?”
Kinan snorted with laughter. “True.”
Cormal smiled back. “What would you like to do tonight, Kee?”
Kinan bit his lip and hesitated.
