Halcyon

Part 76

"Why...why would you hate your own parents?"

"I told you," he holds my hand, "my mother was an alcoholic and my dad was controlling." Yeah but how?! I want to ask. "But they weren't always like that you know, they were good parents to begin with.

"Then my mother's alcoholism reached its perk. She started teaching me at ten, things about my body that...I shouldn't haven't learned so young, things about her body I shouldn't have learned at all. The worst part is, I think my father knew.

"For five years he let it go on before I was finally getting to an age of realizing that what we were doing-what she was making me do was completely wrong." He sighs kissing my hand once more. "Ryuki caught us once."

"What?!" I turn to him shifting the water.

"Yeah," his tone softens, in a miserable way. "Our mother made him...join. Just that once though. He knew exactly that night to never leave me alone with our mother drunk, so he started taking care of her, picking up after her the way I used to.

"He got me tested for any sexually transmitted diseases, led me to a safer path of sex with condoms and consent. He gave me one speech telling me to never let mom or any other woman touch my body without me saying yes, then we never talked about it.

"I've never told Sierra." He pauses. "Haven't seen my mother in five years." He bites his bottom lip. "You...you don't look at me differently do you?"

"No," I shake my head cupping his face with both hands. "Not at all. It's just fucked up what happened to you. I don't love you any less." His eyes fill with unshed tears before they avoid me.

"I shouldn't have said so much," he sniffs wiping under his nose.

"Don't feel like that," I wipe the single tear that escaped his glossy eyes. "I'm not judging you."

"Fuck," he sinks into the water before coming up with wet hair and face. "I don't think you understand," he pushes his hair back. "I didn't kill you because of my disgusting kinks. You have a past of alcoholism and you're older then me-"

"Oh shut up." I won't even give myself any time to let that thought marinate. "That's enough okay?" I lean into him kissing him. "That's enough."

The following day we have a very intense volleyball match. At first it start with the spouses against their parents and we had a good lead but unfortunately we lost. We all keep playing until we're face deep into the sand trying to save the ball.

The day after that, there's a hunt Tamir won't let me participate in. I'm guessing it's that family hunt when they pray of humans. Instead, Tamir and I sleep in and then we played and unfair game of hide and seek.

He always seemed to know where I was and even if I was fast with running away, he would appear out of some corner catching mid run. Then after dinner he let me teach him how to make his favourites, brownies.

The rest of the week I spend alternating between the group of partners and alone time with Tamir.

What I cherished the most was the late night adventures I managed to get on camera. Skinny-dipping, our dance battles, star gazing, rainy nights inside and out, bonfires, our conversations.

It's a pity when our last day comes and we share our last meal for this week together. I don't know about the others, but a boat will be picking Tamir and I up tonight so we've already prepared ourselves for it's arrival.

On our way here Tamir didn't even glance at his phone, but going back he's practically stuck on it. I understand. He left for a whole week meaning so many things has happened since.

My decision to go back to work is almost inevitable. I've missed working at my coffee shop, missed seeing my employees and regular customers, missed everything about it.

With both of us working, not much time is put into us seeing each other throughout our busy days, expect his six o'clock visits, which he still does. Surprisingly.

Roughly about a month has passed since the family getaway, the private island and lasting laughs. Now, the chill outside is unavoidable. The fall leaves have turned into brown ones sounding crunches at everyone's feet. Even the coffees shops menu has changed to adapt to the season.

Accompanied by Kent, I'm back home and get into comfortable clothes before making me way to Tamir's office.

Not to distract him I push the door open gently before walking in. He's at the head of the table, alone with the paper scattered around him as his own company. In a simple motion his eyes lift to my direction.

I move to him stopping a few feet away just where his pile of paper clears up and lift myself on the table. I swing my legs back and forth leaning back on my hands for support. "Are you busy tomorrow?"

"In the morning, but I can compromise with Kent to take care of the after things." I listen to him flip papers. "Why?"

"I was wondering about wedding details..." I watch my legs swing, "it's just a thought. Nothing we have to do right now."

"What did you have in mind?"

"A traditional wedding," I turn my head in his direction but don't meet his eyes, "a small one. Your family and the family I have left. It seems real nice, don't you think?" I look up to him.

"Quiet and simple, or you just want to see me in a traditional Samfu."

"I mean, it would be a change."

"No white wedding?"

"Oh..."

"Let's do both." He cuts in before I could say anything. "I'm not trying to do this right now," he drops the papers he had in hand. "I need a massage." He throws his head back before going to roll his sleeves up to his elbows.

"I'll give you one," I smile at him, "if you can land a sold hit on my ass."

"Oh yeah?" He opens his eyes giving me a lazy smile.

"Bet you can't even do that," I jump off the table and he sits up.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I've always been faster then you-" he stands and I'm stumbling back with a wide smile. "Even in the woo-" I race off not finishing my sentence. I just know I have to keep ahead of him.