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"I think Nari broke a guy," Talin said.
I huffed at that. "And I think Eladehl put one back together. They're both fine."
"Mentally?" Anver pressed. "C'mon, guys. You know that has to be hard. Having someone you care about watch while you get it on with someone you don't? And those two won't say a fucking thing about it. They'll act like they got this. Like it's part of their duty. Maybe even like they enjoy it. Convincing themselves that Zeal's shielding them somehow. But on the inside, they're probably dealing with some shit."
"Ela's working it out," I assured him.
Talin just nodded. "So's Nari." He sighed. "No, I'm pretty sure she's already figured it out. So far as she cares, she's with me. The other people in the room are just her sex toys. The display is for me, and that makes it work for her."
"Sounds like her," I agreed. "She's always liked an audience."
"Really?" Anver snapped, assuming that was some kind of slam against him.
I lifted a hand. "Wasn't pointing fingers. Just stating a fact. She's into it."
Talin slowly looked between us. "And that's one more thing I get to ask about later."
"Nothing to ask about," Anver assured him. "Before I made the worst decision of my life and fell for some pretty girl's sob story, I had these three amazing friends. People who accepted me exactly as I am and made me feel so confident about it that I assumed the feeling would be universal. So I thought saving the damsel in distress would be thethingI needed to finally understand this urge you people are so driven by. Being a hero, right? The good guy. Arealman. And all I learned was that I was wrong."
I leaned toward him and lowered my voice. "Not an excuse for thinking she'd still want you as a guardian after you ignored her for over ayear."
"I was hoping she'd realize that Tish was back in that hall, listening in, and she'd give me an out, ok? And yeah, I was also hoping the offer was still hanging out there, just needing a nudge. Was I shocked that she bit my head off? Not really. I wasdesperate, Wraythe."
"And she isn't."
Talin pressed his hand into my chest, easing me back. "She'll also rip you a new asshole if you jump him," he warned. "Well, she did me."
"Look," Anver said, "I wanted to step down to the Path of Action because I can't stand that little bitch, but Zeal said no. He told me to be patient. That's theonlyreason I'm still here. Because our god is convinced that you all will forgive me. Otherwise, I wouldn't deal with Tish's shit anymore. You know she's thinking about partnering with Ciella?"
"Shit," I breathed. "How are you dealing with that?"
"I'm not." He shrugged. "I check in with her once a day, get her schedule, and show up where I'm needed. Look, I get it. There's something fucked up with me, and you three - well, four - " He looked at Talin, making it clear who he meant. "- Don't have time for my crap. Igetit."
"You know," Talin said, "if you stopped dwelling on how 'broken' you think you are, and put in a little effort, I have a feeling Nari and Ela would actually like to see you. Might be tense at first, but they aren't going to make the first move now. That's up to you."
"He's right," I admitted. "As pissed as I am at you, they miss you."
"Which doesn't mean anything if you aren't willing to give me a second chance," he told me.
I just nodded, mulling over that. "I'll make you a deal. You convince them you're worth their time, and I won't stand in your way. You fix this shit, and I'll give you a chance of my own." Then I took a step back. "And if you make her cry again, I willkill you.Clear?"
"You love her?" Anver asked.
"Yep."
He nodded. "You love him?" He didn't specify which guy that referred to.
I huffed. "Eladehl? He's my ward. Might as well be my brother, so yeah. Talin? The fucker's kinda like fungus. He's growing on me."
"Love you too, giant," Talin teased.
I grunted at that, knowing he got me. "Have fun playing with the 'old friend.' I'm going to slam something heavy for a while, because it looks like Ela's not choosing the weak little girls to pick fights with."
"Let me know if you need a spotter," Talin said, but he stepped to the weights beside Anver.
I figured those two had things to talk about. Talin hadn't been around when Anver broke Nari's heart, so he didn't want to shove the guy's head up his own ass. If he had been, I'd probably be the one holding him back. Granted, that was why I liked Talin so much. He really was one of us.
But it seemed the recent sessions were the talk of the class. The students in Eroticism had the sanctum reserved last weekend and next. The priests for the Sensuality course would be holding their sessions the two weekends after that. Our desires were all pairing up, and most guardians wanted to make sure things went smoothly.
