Page 43 of Xerxes Ascendant
Did he mean...
“Take more time,” Akira begged. “Ask me anything else you want to know.”
He didn’t want Kyle’s optimism – that quality he loved so much in him – clouding his judgement. He didn’t want to be forgiven because it was in Kyle’s nature to forgive, but because hetruly, genuinely, accepted why Akira had done what he had.
“Shush.” Kyle laid a gentle hand on his cheek. Without breaking contact between them, Akira turned his head to press a light kiss to his wrist, imagining he could feel the flutter of the other man’s heartbeat as he did so. His skin was warm beneath his lips.
“Akira,” Kyle said, his tone now serious. “I won’t claim I wasn’t upset to learn you had a family, and from Theta of all people. I won’t claim that a part of me doesn’t still feel that way, because a relationship has an obligation of trust. You say there wasn’t a right moment to tell me, but that moment was before –anytimebefore – we became something more to each other. That you dared to say you loved me while still hiding from me...”
He heaved out a shuddering breath that Akira felt through where they were joined.
“Do you think that made us equals, Akira? Did we have balance? Was it fair of you to have all of me when I unknowingly only had part of you?”
“No,” whispered Akira, unequivocally certain.
Kyle’s lips tugged into a rueful smile. “So I don’t agree with what you did...but I do understand. Because tearing yourself in two is such ayouthing to do, asshole. Protecting them from risk, protecting me from the burden of your secret –” Because of course Kyle had figured that out. Akira hadn’t voiced it, because it sounded self-serving and pathetic, but he couldn’t deny that he’d hated the idea of Kyle taking on responsibility for Sarah and Robby’s safety by merely learning of their existence and obliged to keep it secret himself. “– and really, who told you that it’s your responsibility to protect us all, sweetheart?”
“It’s my job,” Akira answered hoarsely, thatsweetheartresounding in the air between them. His heart began to hope.
Kyle rolled his eyes. “You’re such an idiot.”
He was.
“I’m whatever you want me to be.”
The tell-tale gleam of conviviality entered the blonde’s gaze once more. “That you are, pet.”
“Did you want to...” Akira wet his lips. There was more he had to offer as proof of his sincerity. “Did you want to meet them?”
That surprised Kyle, he could tell. For all his quick responses earlier, now the man looked hesitant and almost fearful.
“Oh, I don’t think your family would want to meet your...uh…”
“Boyfriend,” Akira said firmly, before realising he was taking liberties. But the hopeful tinge to Kyle’s expression emboldened him to continue. “They do. Robby has asked me to bring you around more times than I can count.” Then he winced. “I regret to say that my lies of omission only went one way, for they know all about you.”
“Good,” Kyle declared unexpectedly. “One fewer fuck up for you to correct. And one fewer painful session under my whip for you to endure in punishment for said fuck ups, which takes youdown to a total of...let’s say ninety-nine? That seem a reasonable amount to you?”
“Yes, Sir,” Akira readily agreed. He shivered just thinking about it; from his smirk, Kyle clearly wasn’t going to go easy on him. “After?”
“After? You...want me to meet themnow?”
“If you want,” he said awkwardly. “It’s nearly dawn. By the time we arrive, Robby will be getting up for school.”
Kyle’s eyes widened and he nodded again; those same slow, measured nods from before. “Then let’s go.”
A condescendingtskechoed from the walls. “The only place either of you are going is with us.”
A dozen men swarmed into the alley, filling the cramped space with the stink of body odour and cigarettes. Each one of them was armed, marked with the distinctive facial claw tattoos of the Carrion, and looking at Kyle and Akira like they were their next meal.
Sinead Gallagher had clearly lost any remaining patience with him.
Fuck. Akira should have dealt with that problem before now, but there had been so much to do, so little time, so many other things that had demanded his attention.
So many pathetic excuses to give, and now Kyle was caught up in his mess.
It was Hils who coined the term "neo-electric" to describe the new age of human interaction with technology: a shift toward electrifying every aspect of life. This includes smart devices, increased connectivity, and automation, but also reflects that our daily living is dependent on – and largely controlled by – technology.
-Extract from an essay by Indira Randall, age 13
