Page 178 of Gates of Tartarus

“Uh, yeah, Gemm,” Walker replies brusquely. “You're Kai’s sister, so we, like, need to know when to celebrate your birthday and shit.” Pointing again, he continues. “So we missed Tanaka’s because I didn’t know what was happening there. Jonah got a cake for him, so we’ll celebrate tonight. Right, Shotridge?” he asks, and Jonah nods, confirming.

“Wasn’t sure what type so I got a Victoria Sponge from the bakery down the street. It’s weird. Like, there’s jam and whipped cream or something? But looks good.” Walker nods and makes a note on his phone, as Hideo walks into the room.

“Sorry, what?” he asks, confused. “I thought I heard my name.”

“Just telling Kai about your birthday thing tonight,” Walker grunts, and Deo looks surprised.

“What birthday thing?” he asks, and Walker flat out growls.

“Christ. Everyone? Check your damn phones!” Gemma, Jonah, Deo, and I all focus on him, with Maddox walking into the room seconds later. “Eh, sorry Madds,” Walker calls out. “I meant ‘everyone’ like everyone who is on the family calendar.”

Maddox looks ridiculously hurt for a second, before saying, “I’m... I’m not on the calendar? I mean, I probably should be for scheduling purposes…”

Walker shakes his head. “Naw, man. This is like,compeersonly.”

“What the fuck is a compeer?”

“It’s what you call, like... it’s like, Jonah and I are compeers because we’re dating Kai. Together. Right? So Lachy’s a compeer. When I did my research, it’s what most people use, and it’s a fuck-ton better than brother-husband or some shit.”

“Most people?” Maddox says, shock in his voice. “How many people have shit like this going on?”

Walker shrugs. “I dunno, man. Enough that there’s a word for it. Don’t stress out. The task-force calendar has everything you need to know. This just has family stuff. Birthdays, date nights... Gemma has a gallery show coming up in February we’ll all be at, I assume?” The guys all nod as he directs the last to me, and I have no idea why, but I start crying. Not big crying, just tears running down my face, and Walker’s own face softens in response as he silently wipes away my tears, then keeps talking. “So my disaster of a birthday is February 14th, which means…”

Jonah interjects. “Aw, man! Not fair! You get Valentine’s every fucking year?”

“Every year?” I whisper. “How many years are you planning here…”

Walker smirks. “It’s payback for an eternity of taking shit for being a cupid baby. Kai’s my reward for going through relentless teasing as a kid. You can have Sweetest Day or something.”

Jonah mutters something about crap made-up holidays but doesn’t argue. He turns to me and shows me his calendar. “Walker did a great job. Work functions in black. Special events, date nights, family meetings…” he scrolls through so I can see the next few months all planned out. Something pops out at me: Saturday mornings are marked off in yellow.

“What’s this?” I ask, and Walker looks.

“Oh. That’s your breakfast with Tanaka. You guys do that every week, right? Or close enough that I thought it should be added. And Sunday mornings are locked up for Lachlainn. He said that was a thing you do, but we’re planning on weekly family dinners Sunday night.” Everyone but Jonah looks poleaxed. “I sent you all invites to the calendar. Jesus. Accept the damn invite already!”

Gemma and Deo fumble with their phones, and I hear little pings from each. Moments later Gemms stands up and comes over to the couch, wraps her arms around Walker without speaking, squeezes him tightly, mumbles “thank you”, and then goes back to her chair. Jonah grabs my phone, hits a button, and suddenly the next few months on my barren schedule are lit up with events, each color coded, with short descriptions, times, and locations. Hideo’s scrolling through the layout, nodding occasionally, and, moments later, Gemma starts laughing at something written down that clearly amuses her. It’s such a sweet, unbelievably thoughtful gesture, that I turn to Walker, dangerous words dancing on my lips.

“Walker…” I begin quietly, when an all-mightyroarfrom Maddox shakes me.

“Donovan! Put me on the damn calendar!” he erupts, and Walker meets his narrowed eyes with a level stare.

“No,” he says flatly, though not without sympathy. “You told us to keep family matters separate. That’s what I’m doing. All the information you need is on our task-force calendar. You don’t need to know who has a date with Kai on what night. It’s not important to the task force and won’t affect you.”

Maddox glares petulantly. “She’son it…” he says, pointing at Gemma. Walker sighs and heaves himself up from the couch to walk over to his friend.

“She’sKai’s best friend. And they’ve had shit lined up for months, like concerts and stuff. Plus, if it’s a fancy date or something, Gemms probably will want to know, because I know for a fact she helps Kai do her makeup and stuff.”

Seven holy hells, who is this guy and what has he done with Walker?I don’t know what my face looks like when I move to stand near him, but whatever he sees in my eyes has him grin broadly, dimples flashing, and he leans over and kisses me quickly. “Worth it to see that look on your face directed at me,” he says quietly, and I can’t help but smile back, cheeks all chipmunked up. “You’re fucking adorable,” he mumbles and kisses me again with a little more attention.

Maddox clears his throat severely, and both Walker and I look at him, startled. His face is a storm, and I can see echoes of a lineage that traces back to gods of thunder and lightning in the sharp angles of his bones. Eyes so cold they’re almost white instead of blue, he reaches out around me gently, careful not to bump me, and grabs Walker’s phone from his hands. Walker makes a sound of protest, but Madds looks close to razing and pillaging a whole damn village, waves of emotion rolling off him, and, wisely, Walker shuts his mouth. Little shivers dance across my skin, and I break out in goosebumps from the chaos Maddox is pushing out, and he looks at me, one brow raised, before unlocking Walker’s phone. Moments later I hear his own phone ping, and a satisfied look crosses his face.

“My birthday’s April 6,” he says flatly. Walker glares at him, and the air around them suddenly crackles in tension.

“I know your damn birthday, Madds. You Don’t. Belong. On the calendar.”

“So, ah... what do we get on our birthdays?” Jonah interjects, trying to add some levity to the strange moment. “Does everyone buy each other gifts? Because, not for nothing, but I’ve been wanting this longboard…”

“A date with Kai. One on one for the whole day,” Walker says, eyes still deadlocked with Maddox in a death stare. Maddox just raises a cool brow in response to the statement, the unspoken challenge between the two now electric in the air. From the corner, Deo makes a soft, almost disappointed sound, and I look at him, tilting my head slightly. As soon as he sees me glance his way, he smooths his face to calm placidity.

---