Page 131 of Cosmic Soul

“Yeah. It was nice to watchStar Trek, and there are new ones I haven’t seen, which is awesome. I can’t wait. Kal agreed to watch everything with me.”

I massaged his skin while I inspected for dry spots. “I’m glad you two are getting along.”

Caleb sat up, snagging my hand and pressing it to his chest. My soul sped up. He rubbed my palm on him. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

He lay back down and reached for me. I came willingly and snuggled against his side. His arm wound around my waist, followed by a wing. I trailed my fingers over his chest, and Caleb groaned. His tail tickled my ankle and slid up my leg, creating a fire in its path. The tuft tickled the swell of one of my cheeks, and I planted a firm kiss on his chest, the edge of my mouth brushing his nipple.

“Are you more comfortable?” I asked.

“About?”

“This,” I said, patting his chest that was still far too thin.

“Hmm.” Caleb fisted my hair. “I don’t know. Sometimes I am, and other times, I’m not. Sometimes I feel like this is me, then I see myself in the mirror and I’m… not.”

“You could speak to someone professional about it.”

“Maybe. Edith got me some information I’m going to read.”

I kissed him, licking the scales around his nipple and making him whimper. “Did you want to be husbands?”

“What?”

“Husbands like Kalvoxrencol and Seth.” ‘Husband’ as I understood it was the human equivalent of mate, and Pest and Seth enjoyed the term. I wanted to give Caleb whatever he needed or wanted.

“No, I don’t.”

Pain stabbed me, and I ducked my head so he wouldn’t see it.

Caleb rolled, and I grunted in surprise when he lay on me, his weight nearly crushing me. He bit my chin and met my gaze. “I love being your mate. I want to spend my life, my second life, my next afterlife, whatever time I have with you. But using the word ‘husband’ is too (human word) for me. Some people like it, and that’s great for them, but I don’t.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure how to explain this in a way you’ll understand. When I grew up, people like me, men who liked other men, couldn’t become husbands by law. We had our own terms. Being called ‘husband’ is too straight presenting for me.”

“I don’t understand why you’re using the word straight.”

“It’s for people who like the opposite gender.”

I was just as confused, but I knew from Kalvoxrencol that not all humans were like us. Most drakcol did not have a sexual preference regarding gender. Occasionally, there were people like Hallonnixmin who were only attracted to women, or Kalvoxrencol who were only attracted to men, or people who were not attracted to anyone.

“I want to be your mate, in every way possible, but I don’t like the word ‘husband.’”

“That’s fine,” I said, and it truly was. I didn’t care if we called each other husbands or not. Caleb was my mate.

“I don’t want children either,” he said. “We never really talked about it, but I don’t want them, Fyn. I swear I will be an excellent uncle to whatever nieces and nephews your brothers have, but children are not something I desire for myself. We should havetalked about this sooner. I can’t believe I didn’t bring it up. Why didn’t I bring it up? I should have.”

I covered his mouth to stop his panicking. “I don’t want children either.”

“Truthfully?” he asked against my palm. “You’re not just saying that for me?”

“I’m being truthful.”

“Good.”

We hadn’t had the date I wished for, but this was perfect—just me and him.

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