“Sweet?” Hugh shook his head. He set the flash cards down—education could wait for another
day. “No, Finch. It’s not sweet. It’s essential. For thousands of years we’ve told ourselves that
our human-born children are lesser, unwanted creatures better left to perish in the cloisters
than be a part of our lives, and a mindset like that won’t change overnight. Theodore will
encounter dragons in his life who are convinced that the old way is the only way, and he needs
to know to the depths of his very soul that he is worthy, so that when he meets dragons like
that, he can continue to hold his head high and know he is loved and valued no matter what
they say.”
“Sir…”
“Yes, Finch?”
Finch shook his head and blinked a few times to do away with the glimmer in his eyes. “You
know, I forgot what I was going to say. While I think on it, why don’t you tell me how I can help
in this pursuit of yours? Surely there must be a way.”
“Oh! Yes. Of course.” Hugh snatched up the flash cards and handed them to Finch. “I’m
teaching him other words, too. See that, there? ‘A’ for ‘apple.’ I’m not sure how long it’ll be
before he’s able to eat one, but it’s of no importance. By the time he’s ready, he’ll know
everything there is to know about them—in other words, that they’re hard and crunchy and
sweet… and shaped like an apple. Red, mostly, but sometimes green. Now, what do you know
about bananas?”
Finch laughed and grabbed Hugh by the lapels. Cards went flying. Hugh would have gasped
and gone after them had Finch not pulled him close and kissed him like one might a lover come
back from war. Hugh wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve such affection, but he smiled and
kissed Finch because Finch deserved to be kissed all the time, as often as he liked, and
wherever he wanted.
“Never change, sir,” Finch whispered when the kiss concluded.
Hugh rested the tip of his nose on Finch’s, eyes closed. “I can’t promise that, Finch,” he
whispered, heart pounding out of love for his forever mate, “but I promise that when I do
change, it will always be for the better.”