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I felt my throat tense. My eyes were stinging and my vision was getting blurry. I wanted to say something, but all I could do was lift a hand to my lips and turn for the kitchen. They'd done my homework? More than that, they'd all stayed up late, working together, to do this for me?
"Nari," Anver breathed, tossing off the blanket so he could hurry over. Then he hugged me from behind. "It's ok. We didn't realize you were so far behind, so we got you caught up. That's what we're here for, ok? You have five Paths and there's five of us."
"Four," I corrected.
He kissed the back of my head, just behind my ear. "Five. Zeal really did all of your Obligation homework, and he says he's willing to keep it up. Five Paths, Nari. Five people to help you get them right. We're in this together."
I turned and threw my arms around his neck. "But you're not mine."
"No, but my god is," he promised. "Kinda works out the same. I don't have a bond to you like they do. I also don't need one, because we're friends, and to me that's strong enough." He leaned back, then reached up to wipe his thumb beneath my eyes. "I don't need your soul under my skin because it's already in my heart."
"And you stayed the night," I breathed. "You're back."
"I'm back," he promised. "This time, I'll fight instead of leave. This time, I know that you really do want me. I may not feel like I deserve this, but I swear I'll fight for it."
I hugged him again, feeling all the pressure, worries, and strain dissolving. "What about Tishlie?" I asked, because that was the last problem I could see.
He chuckled and pulled away, but only to move to the kettle. "Technically, there's still her mark on my back, but it's empty. Zeal confirmed it. Still keeps me on the Path, but it means I'll have to stand beside her for the official shit."
"Are you going to have problems with your grades because you aren't devoted to her?"
Anver shook his head. "No. Ghale's been trying to convince me to make her stand on her own. Ryshie's taking the brunt of it, but I honestly don't care." He paused as the kettle started to steam, turning to grab a pair of cups. "Hey, you mind if I sneak in there to use your bathroom?"
"Just be aware of the cuteness," I warned, watching him fill both cups. "Ela and Talin both tend to snuggle with Wraythe in their sleep, and he lets them."
Anver laughed, then cleared his throat to smother it, but it didn't dim his smile. "Yeah, that's kinda cute."
"And sexy."
He nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Wraythe just keeps getting more defined, Ela should've topped out in his beauty by now, but he's almost as divine looking as you are. And Talin?" Anver sighed. "Nari, that man's gorgeous."
"I know," I groaned. "And he really does fit with us, you know? I didn't think anyone would work with us as well as you did, but Talin..." The words trailed off as I realized what I was saying.
He pressed a cup of tea into my hands. "He was picked by a god for the woman who stole his heart. Of course he fits." Anver's smile was gentle. "It's ok, Nari. I know I messed up. I also know that Talin is the guardian you need. Things worked out the way they were supposed to."
Then he kissed my brow and turned for my bedroom. Cradling the warm tea, I watched him go, deciding that I liked this. I could get used to this. Something about this felt right, as if the pieces had finally fallen into place.
***
I made it through most of the day with a little bounce in my step. I was smiling more, and that made my guys smile back at me. My grappling course was no longer a problem, and I was doing well with the guardians in the class. Obligation was a moment of relaxation in my day. At lunch with Jamik, I told him all about Anver, and how things had been working out so well with him. How it was nice to have him back, even if just as a friend.
My afternoon classes were a breeze, too. With my homework complete and ready to turn in, I could stop and actually listen to the instructors. These were Priests of the Word, teaching classes to show us how to be more appealing to patrons, and I was honestly interested in what they had to say - when I wasn't trying to finish something else at the same time. Then I headed to Sexual Orientation to finish the day.
Priest Oryll didn't call me out this time. In fact, he didn't even look at me. But he did let us out a few minutes early so we could all check the list at the side of the room to see who we'd be with for the session at the end of the week. Even more shocking, the session days and times were all the same.
Every student in the class on the Path of the Body - because our guardians were technically in the class too - had been assigned a role and a partner. Ela found his listing first. He would be the receiver, of course, and he was paired with some woman named Lesia. I didn't recognize her, which meant she was one of the quiet second-years.
Eventually, we found mine. Naturally, I would also be the receiver, and my partner was named Nyrren. I'd seen the guy before. He was tall, sensual, and had this unruly mop of black hair that seemed to always hang in his eyes. He was the kind of man who seemed disarming at first, smiled easily, and didn't immediately make me worry.
Then, like everyone else, we headed out into the hall when we were done, and lingered. Most of us wanted to meet the person who we'd be spending an evening with. To get some kind of idea of what was expected, I supposed. Ela and I found an empty section of wall and leaned against it. Wraythe and Talin flanked us. It didn't take long before Anver came over, dropping beside Wraythe with a heavy sigh.
"So, Tishlie got placed as the initiator. She's with a guy named Osas? You know him, right, Ela?"
"Yep," Ela agreed. "Should be an easy session. All you need to know is that Osas plays tough, but he's honestly a gentle guy. Kinda like Wraythe."
"Fuck off," Wraythe teased.
"Then this should be easy," Anver said, flashing a smile at the big guy. "How bad are yours?"
