Page 49 of Sobek’s Joy

“Probably.” Rudy shrugged. “But I’m betting I’m right.”

Rose tugged on Horus’s hand. “When you find your mate, will you bring them to meet us? I’d love to meet more shiny people.”

The god’s expression crumbled for just a second before he schooled it back into haughty indifference. “Perhaps.”

“You should.” Jack joined his sister. “We could have a party.”

“With pancakes,” Timothy added solemnly. “Sobek makes really good pancakes.”

“I do,” Sobek confirmed.

Horus looked around the small kitchen at the mismatched chairs, the crayon drawings stuck to the fridge with magnets, the chaos of family life that Sobek had clearly chosen. Rudy had no idea what the god was thinking, but he didn’t look so arrogant anymore.

“You’re happy here,” he said to Sobek. Not a question.

“Yes.” Sobek moved to stand beside Rudy, his hand settling on Rudy’s lower back. “Very happy.”

“Good.” Horus nodded once. “You deserve it, Sobek. After everything...”

The unspoken weight of millennia hung in that pause. Rudy leaned into Sobek’s side, offering comfort through their bond.

“Will you stay for lunch?” Rudy asked.

Horus blinked. “You’re inviting me to stay?”

“Well, yeah. You’re family now.” Rudy gestured around. “That’s how it works. You show up, I feed you, we pretend you didn’t break into my house.”

“I translocated. It’s different.”

“It’s really not.”

Sobek made a sound that might have been a laugh. “You don’t have to stay, Horus. I know you’re busy with…”

“I’ll stay.” Horus cut him off. His gaze swept the kitchen again, landing on each child before finally settling on Rudy. “Thank you for the invitation.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You’re helping make lunch.”

“But I’m the king of…”

“Egypt, yeah, we’ve established that.” Rudy pulled sandwich supplies from the fridge. “You can make grilled cheese or sandwiches. Pick one.”

Horus looked genuinely baffled. “I don’t cook.”

“Then you’re about to learn.” Rudy handed him the butter. “Sobek, can you grab the griddle?”

Through their bond, Rudy felt his mate’s deep contentment. Sobek retrieved the griddle without comment, settling it on the stove while Horus stared at the butter as if it might attack him.

“I could just make the sandwiches appear,” Horus tried.

“And Sobek could’ve zapped up the groceries he went out and bought, but where’s the fun in that?” Rudy bumped his hip. “Come on, king of Egypt. Show me what you’ve got.”

Rose climbed onto a chair to watch. Jack and Timothy joined her, all three fascinated by the idea of Horus cooking.

“This is beneath me,” Horus muttered, but he unwrapped the butter.

“Everything’s beneath you,” Sobek said. “That’s half your problem.”

“What’s the other half?”