Page 79 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong

Perian patted his back. “You’re very welcome.”

He really didn’t seem like he was letting go anytime soon.

And then Brannal’s voice said, with more bite than Perian was used to, “Is there a particular reason you’re all over my lover?”

Silence rippled out around them to an almost absurd degree. Bennan let go of Perian, and he swallowed visibly. Perian kind of forgot, sometimes, that Brannal was Summus. Well, not really, but it wasn’t… a reality of his everyday life?Hewasn’t faced with Summus very often, anyway.

Bennan looked a little disconcerted, but to give him his due, after that startled moment, he looked right at Brannal and said, “Because he is awesome, and I wanted to thank him for being that way.”

The room collectively held its breath, and Perian barely managed not to roll his eyes. He did look at Brannal with amusement, and he trusted the other man knew what he’d do to him if he ruined this friendship.

“Very well,” Brannal said. “Continue on.”

A brief roar of sound, before it got quieter again.

Bennan gave his trademark smile that was only a little bit shaky, darted in to hug Perian again but kept it brief this time, and pulled back to beam at him. “It really is so wonderful, thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” Perian told him again.

Bennan nodded at him, gave Brannal averyrespectful nod, and then swept up Chamis and headed out of the room—probably as fast as he could to try to get away from the gossip. Brannal shut it down with a sweep of his eyebrow. (Well, they probably still talked when he wasn’t here, but it sure killed everything in the moment.)

Perian smirked. “Wow, people are… invested in this sort of thing, aren’t they?”

Brannal just shrugged, really not seeming perturbed, which was good, because Perian seemed to wind up in these sorts of situations a lot.

Curiously, Perian asked, “What did you all talk about before I got here?”

This made Brannal laugh. “You know, I haven’t the slightest idea. This is much more interesting.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Perian checked.

“Most definitely,” Brannal confirmed with a smile. “I wouldn’t change anything at all.”

Well, that was very clear, and Perian beamed with happiness.

He blamed that happiness for the fact that when they bunched up at the door with Cormal only a couple of people ahead of them, Perian actually spoke to him.

“Hey, Secundus.”

Cormal turned around and looked at him like he was just expecting the worst insult, and he would totally lob fireballs no matter how many people were in the way.

“I heard that you and Delana helped Brannal with a nest of wraiths and some lesser demons. I know you can all take care of yourselves, but I really appreciate that you were there and that you helped to keep him safe. So thank you.”

A look of surprise and an emotion Perian couldn’t quite identify crossed Cormal’s face before it went entirely neutral, and he offered a tight nod, and they were able to exit. Cormal went one way, and Perian and Brannal went the other.

Brannal cocked an eyebrow. “What was that?”

Perian shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. “I thanked Delana earlier. And then I realized that just because Cormal and I don’t really get along, it was kind of rude not to even consider thanking him as well. He did the same as Delana—I mean, assuming he wasn’t out there ignoring you—and so I thought I should acknowledge that.”

Brannal was smiling. “That’s very kind of you.”

Perian shrugged again. “Well, I mean, I’m still me. I’ll probably take a jab if it’s called for.”

Brannal’s smile broadened. “Yes, well, let’s not redesign the entire relationship in one fell swoop.”

Perian couldn’t help but grin. “I don’t like him.”

“I noticed.”

---