“I’m here,” Riot managed, “I’m here, princess. I’ve got you.”
“Huh,” Stave deadpanned. “That’s not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?” Prepper asked.
“Not this.”
He chose me.In a room full of people who could help him, protect him, or keep him safe, and he came straight to me. Forsafety.
The realization hit Riot somewhere deep and devastating. He’d been seen as a threat for so long—by corporations, by civilians, by himself. A monster. A weapon. Something to be contained or controlled or put down. Even the people who loved him watched his hands, tracked his breathing, kept an exit route in their peripheral vision. It was standard operating procedure for being around someone whose manufacturer issued a recall and then lost the paperwork.
But Cass had looked at a room full of dangers and decided Riot was shelter.
“Okay,” Lilac said, her voice cutting through with forced calm. “Everyone out. Now.”
“Is he—” Orion started.
“He’s fine. They’re both fine.” Lilac was already herding people toward the door. “Everyone who isn’t currently in that lap needs to leave my house immediately.”
“We should stay,” Dante said, his gray eyes still fixed on Riot. “In case—”
“In case what?” Lilac’s voice sharpened. “Look at him, Dante.Reallylook.”
Riot didn’t know what Dante saw when he looked. He was too focused on the warm weight in his lap, the soft mouth still tracing up against his throat, the way Cass’s trembling was slowly easing as he absorbed Riot’s scent.
Whatever Dante saw, it made something in his expression shift.
“Huh,” he said, unconsciously echoing Stave. “That’s... not what I expected.”
“Seems to be going around,” Prepper muttered.
Dante’s hand found Orion’s elbow, tugging him gently toward the door. “Come on. Lilac’s right. They don’t need an audience.”
Stave was already moving toward the exit, Prepper close behind. At the threshold, Stave paused.
“Test the suppressants,” he said to Prepper, flat and practical even now. “Both batches. I want to know if this is going to be a problem for everyone.”
“Yeah.” Prepper glanced back at Riot, something complicated in his expression. “We’ll check in tomorrow. Assuming you’re both still...”
“Alive?” Riot offered.
“Coherent.” Prepper almost smiled. “Alive is a lower bar.”
Lilac caught Riot’s eye as she ushered the last of them out. Something passed between them—understanding, maybe. Or warning. Her gaze flicked briefly toward the window, and Riot knew without being told that someone would be nearby. Just in case. Just in case the monster in his chest won out over the man.
He should care about that or feel something about being supervised like an unstable asset—which was, he reflected distantly, exactly what he was.
But Cass chose that moment to shift in his lap, pressing closer, and Riot wrapped his arms around him properly, pulling him in.
He chose me.
The door closed behind everyone.
The room went quiet.
Cass was still in his lap, still scenting him, but the frantic edge had faded. His movements were slower, less desperate searching, more content settling. Like he found what he was looking for and wasn’t planning to let go.
“Hey,” Riot said softly. “I’ve got you. I’m here.”
