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I sigh into the kiss. Oh yeah, this is what I may have missed more than cuddling. The taste of him on my lips, on my tongue, it’s like everything I didn’t know I was missing. Our relationship is still so new, but we fit together like an old married couple. Spending the next twenty five years just being together doesn’t seem long enough now.
“Are you done yet?” Pri’za asks.
We aren’t. We never will be. But for the sake of everybody’s eyeballs, I put a pause on our reunion so we can get this first part of the retirement ceremony done. I want Lor’fe to hand over the certificate, to steal two plates of spicy noodles, and to run back to the house so I can spend the rest of my life enjoying my mate.
But that’s very wishful thinking.
Like Betty said, Axilarian’s love a good ceremony. Lor’fe stands at the podium behind us, patiently waiting for Pri’za and Ma’xon to come up onto the stage. All around me, Axilariansform neat and quiet rows around the stage and tables. They don’t even swish their tails. Ma’xon’s fingers linger in mine until we have to part again for him to step up to the podium.
“Today, we celebrate a great Axilarian,” Lor’fe starts and oh my god, I’m going to cry. She keeps talking, expressing her gratitude to Ma’xon and all his work to make our colony beautiful and homely, but all my focus is on him. How his cheeks are tinted navy and how the muscles in his chest flex when he holds his hands behind him.
It’s only when Lor’fe steps aside and he takes her space that I see the ratty old tote bag on the ground. Oh, fuck. Where did he find that? Clear as day to everyone in attendance, there is a massive, lewd werewolf illustration on display. I know that bag. When I was in college, I carried that bag around with pride everywhere.
However.
It’s not something I necessarily want to be remembered for and already I can see Lawrence trying to sneakily get my attention from across the room. He tilts his head towards the bag and I’m certain if this was a dry planet I would burst into flames with my blush alone. Where on this planet did he get that bag? Was it something I had in my car that he forgot to mention? Ma’xon is still saying his thank yous to everyone and it’s only when he says my name that I stop dissociating about my werewolf bag.
“Odette, my mate, I’m sorry I haven’t made the time for you I should have been, taking these meetings and prioritising our time as second. This party made me realise that I’m the one who needs to reprioritise. I can’t thank you enough for trusting me, for waiting for me to get off my tail. But I have a surprise for you as well.” Ma’xon holds out his hand for me as I carefully step up to him. My heart is racing, thundering in my ears so loud I can only focus on my shark man. He bends down and picks up thebag. “For an Axilarian, a promise is a contract that is as strong as the currents above.”
Oh sweet baby Jesus, what is going to come out of that bag?
“I promised to take care of you, give you everything you could ever want, and all you have asked for is me.”
Goddamn it all, I’m going to cry again. In front of everyone and their mothers, but I have never felt so loved by another being than right now with Ma’xon looking at me. I don’t care what comes out of that bag, it could be space cooties. I don’t care because it’s coming from someone who cared deeply enough for me to travel all the way back to Earth for it.
“And, of course, Marbles.”
Maybe in a few days I will feel embarrassed about this, but when he pulls my teddy bear out, I scream and scramble to wrap my arms around it before I’m wrapping myself around him too. It smells like my old home, like years spent singing into a hairbrush and wishing boys would like me. But I don’t wantorneed boys and there is only one being I want to sing to now. Tears stream down my face while I tell him thank you over and over. He scoops up into his arms. God, I love it when he does this.
“I love you,” I say, smearing tears across his tank top. “So, so, much. You don’t even know.”
“We’ll just have to show each other, won’t we, pup?” he whispers, before kissing me.
After shaking a few more hands, all it takes is one look from me with a tiffin tin in one hand and the tote bag slung over my other arm, for Ma’xon to leave. I hear the distinct words,have a chat with my sister about your concerns, and my heart swells a little. I know that is a big change for him and that this will take time toadjust, but I already see the people waving at him as they head for Pri’za.
As he approaches, I expect him to take my hand as we sneak out of colony hall, but instead he takes the takeaway from me and lifts me off the ground to cradle me in his side. The werewolf tote with Marbles in it is tucked securely into my elbow.
“You’re amazing, ya know that?” he says, looking down at me. There is so much love in his eyes, it’s tooth rotting.
“Pssh.” I smile, leaning into him. “I missed you.”
“I’m never taking a single unit pod for an interplanetary travel again,” he starts, keeping up a steady pace as he tells me the details of his trip. Even once we are on the empty tram, he can’t seem to stop talking. “And let me tell you, tundra is not as nice as it sounds. How do beings live in those conditions?”
“They wear more clothes,” I say with a poke to his bare arm. “So all my stuff is in a lock up? Totally fine?”
“Impressively well packed. I couldn’t tell you how they got it all to fit.”
I choke, half snorting, half laughing. “They made it fit, Daddy.”
It takes a moment to register, and then he looks down at me on his lap with navy cheeks. How could I not say it? The joke was right there in front of me.
“Terrible,” he laughs. “And I see you have found more suggestive clothes to wear.”
“What? This old thing?” I look down at my mesh shirt. “I ran into someone right before you came in and got juice all over my nice top. This was all that was in lost and found.”
“Mmm,” he hums, looking me over and then he smiles. “I think I much prefer shirts with instructions.”
Once I start laughing, I can’t stop. I don’t know what it is that is so funny, maybe it’s the joy of having my mate back or maybe it’s something else, but tears well in my eyes and Ma’xon is there to wipe them away.
He presses his forehead to mine.
I can’t believe this is my life.
