Chapter Thirty-Six

Welcomed, Embraced with Approval (8 Letters)

Seb

"Thanks for the workout, man," Ludo said as we finished up our gym session on Sunday morning with a cooldown run. Glancing over, he teasingly added, "I'm honoured to have been graced with your presence. Been a few days, huh?"

I grinned, slowing my treadmill to a brisk walk as I towelled the sweat off my neck. "Sorry, man."

Except I wasn't sorry. At all. Larkin had been staying over every night, and even though the shows meant we weren't getting home until well past one a.m., that hadn't deterred us in the slightest from staying up as late as possible—once until the sun came up. That had been a mistake. We'd both been exhausted at work, and Larkin had willingly drunk coffee to try and keep himself awake as he'd slumped over his desk for most of the day.

I'd bottomed for him again this morning, this time with him fucking me from behind, which had probably also not been the best idea. I'd definitely felt the twinges during my workout, the constant reminder almost giving me an erection in the middle of the gym.

He'd gone back to his parents' while I did my usual workout with Ludo. I already missed him, but I'd be seeing him again very soon—I was going over there for brunch before we went to work. I hadn't been this kind of nervous in a long time.

"So it's not casual anymore?" Ludo asked wryly as we turned off our treadmills.

I knew I was smiling like a fool, but I couldn't stop as I shook my head. "Nah. Not casual."

"What changed?"

I shrugged a little sheepishly, an uncharacteristic blush staining my cheeks. "He told me he didn't want casual."

"Alright Larkin." Ludo sounded impressed. "Although he's always been pretty forward, huh? I'm happy for you, man. This is what you want?"

"Yeah." I cleared my throat. "It's what I've wanted for a long time."

He paused, cocking his head as he watched me closely. "You mean longer than you two've been…?"

I nodded with a wary smile. "Since I met him."

Ludo exhaled and shook his head. "Damn, man. Well, I'm glad it worked out."

"Thanks. Me too." I glanced at him as we headed for the locker room. "I'm going to meet his parents after this. I'm a little nervous."

Ludo laughed and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You'll be fine. You're like the ideal date to bring home. Besides, I can't imagine Larkin's parents being all stiff and straitlaced. He's a little wild child. And they're fae. The fae are all hippies."

I chuckled. "No, they're not."

He waved a hand. "Moreso than werewolves."

"I think Larkin's parents are hippies though," I added. "Did you see his mom at the diner the other weekend?"

"Hard to miss the fae goddess with bright pink hair gliding over to talk to you."

"Yeah. I think she knows how much I… care about him."

Ludo glanced over as he opened his locker. "That's not a bad thing."

"No, I know, it's just…" I pursed my lips. "I don't want to freak Larkin out. If he thinks I'm… getting too serious too quickly."

"You can't worry about stuff like that, man." Ludo grabbed his towel and turned to face me. "Don't overthink it. Just enjoy it."

"Yeah."

He was right. I wasn't going to let myself start worrying when I was this blissfully happy. I knew it wouldn't always be quite like this—the sharp desperation to spend every second together, the overwhelming, insatiable need for each other, the excitement of doing things for the first time as a couple. But I was excited for the stuff that would come after too. The bone-deep familiarity and comfort. Knowing him inside and out—every single part of him, all his worries and fears and secret hopes—and having him know me that well too. The quiet evenings doing nothing and the routines and the boring chores we would do together.

I couldn't wait for all of that. I just wanted him by my side in life—in all parts of it. The good and the bad.

After showering, I got dressed in jeans and a nice charcoal grey cashmere sweater, wanting to make a good impression. As I sat down on the bench to pull on my boots, I sent Larkin a quick text to let him know I was on my way.

"Good luck, man." Ludo swung his gym bag onto his shoulder. "See you at work."

"Thanks. See you later."

I was climbing into my car when my phone vibrated with a text. Larkin had replied.

Okay :D :D my parents have gone overboard with the food, so I hope you're hungry.

I smiled, quickly typing that yes, I was, then started the car. On the way to Larkin's, I stopped briefly at a florist to buy his mom some flowers. It just seemed like a good idea. Seeing that they also sold honey from a local apiarist—whose name on the label hinted at them being fae—I bought a jar for his dad.

I was getting a little stressed as I turned onto the suburban street Larkin's family lived on. This felt really, really important, and I wasn't great at talking to people I didn't know. Plus, Larkin's younger brother, Nolan, would be there. I had no fucking idea how to talk to seventeen-year-olds, and I was pretty sure that attempting to relate to him would just make me look like a sad old man.

Hopefully he'd just be moody and silent like I assumed all teenagers still were, and hopefully Larkin would talk enough for the both of us, like he usually did. Some of the nerves quieted, an affectionate smile curving my mouth as I pulled over to park.

The Fairchild house was wood clad and painted a pale yellow, with honeysuckle growing from trellising expertly fixed to the front. The front yard teemed with flowering plants, and there were at least three windchimes hanging from the porch, tinkling discordantly in the light breeze.

I tried not to fiddle too much with my sweater and hair after knocking on the front door. I was sweating a little, but the moment the door opened and Larkin appeared in front of me, my face relaxed into a grin.

"Hey." He grinned back, stepping out to wrap his arms around my neck and lean up to kiss me. I moved the flowers out of the way so they wouldn't get crushed and reluctantly kept the kiss chaste since we were on his parents' front porch.

He stepped back and fidgeted restlessly, eyes darting down my frame before returning to mine as he flushed. "You look really handsome."

I smiled. "Thanks. So do you."

He was in pale jeans and a lavender T-shirt with an oversized grey cardigan over the top. At the compliment, he flushed a darker pink—seeing as he was in his human form to open the door—and tucked his long fingers into the sleeves.

"Um, want to come in? Sorry." He laughed, taking my empty hand and leading me inside. "You didn't have to bring flowers," he whispered, "but my mom will love them."

I cleared my throat nervously. "I hope so."

"I've obv never brought a boyfriend home before, so they're just really excited." He sounded a little embarrassed. "Sorry in advance. Especially for my dad. He's a total dork."

It seemed a little ridiculous considering the heartfelt conversation we'd had in the arena at work, but my throat closed up at the word ‘boyfriend.' I clutched Larkin's hand tighter, letting him lead me into a big, open-plan kitchen and living area that stretched from the front to the back of the house. The two spaces were separated only by a wooden archway with stained-glass panes around its edge, the sunlight streaming in through the windows casting diamonds of pink and green and yellow onto the dark floorboards.

There was a kid who looked a bit like Larkin sprawled idly on the couch, face in his phone, except his hair was short and spiky and pale purple. He glanced up, his light green eyes widening in excitement before he hastily tempered his reaction and jerked his chin up in a nod.

"Sup."

My mouth twitched as I gave him a polite nod back. "Hey. I'm Seb."

"Nolan." He pulled his gangly legs up, hunching in on himself a little shyly just like an awkward teenager, but he added, "Nice to meet you."

"Silas, he's here!" a soft, ethereal voice called, drawing my attention to the kitchen.

Larkin's mom, Delphine, was gliding over to us, dressed in a floaty beige kaftan and sandals. Her wings were stunning, much bigger and more pointed than Larkin's cute little rounded ones, and her skin was a light sage green, not pale blue like his.

She was already beaming at me. I smiled back and awkwardly held out the flowers.

"Hi, Mrs. Fairchild." God, I felt like an awkward teenager myself. "Uh, these are for you."

"Oh, sweetpeas!" She gasped in delight as she took them, her big blue eyes turning to her son. "One of my favourites. They remind me of you, flower."

"I know, Mom." Larkin huffed in embarrassment.

"Thank you so much, Seb. And it's wonderful to see you again. I hope you're hungry."

"I am. Thank you." My hand was sweating a little, still clutched in Larkin's.

Despite his mother giving no indication that she was thinking anything negative, little worries kept niggling at me. What if they thought I was too old for him? What if they would prefer that he dated a fae? Even the most easy-going of people could have hang-ups and unflinching beliefs. From what he'd told me, my dad's parents had never seemed prejudiced until he'd started dating my mom, the "lame wolf," and suddenly all the ugly parts of them had started to show.

I knew I was possibly projecting a little, so I tried to push all those worries down. Delphine was smiling openly at me, her eyes clear and unguarded just like her son's. I glanced down at him to steady my nerves, relaxing when he smiled up at me and squeezed my hand.

"Let me put these in some water and drag Silas back inside." Delphine gave my forearm a gentle pat in thanks, then went back into the kitchen.

"What's the honey for?" Larkin whispered with a teasing smile.

I chuckled, glancing down at it. "I thought I could give it to—"

"Sorry, sorry. I was just picking some basil for the caprese salad!" Larkin's dad bustled into the kitchen from outside, dropping a big bunch of fresh basil and a pair of herb snippers on the island.

I tensed up again with a fresh bout of nerves. Despite having his mom's hair and eyes, Larkin looked so much like his dad. They had the same narrow features, same lanky, lean build, same skin tone and the same hues to their wings, though Silas's were much bigger. His long mauve hair was loose, a daisy tucked behind one pointed ear, and he was wearing a pair of brown corduroy pants and a baggy salmon-pink shirt that looked older than Larkin, with a rip on one sleeve and a fraying hem.

"Dad, Seb's here," Larkin said, squeezing my hand again as he tugged me toward the kitchen.

Silas looked up, his eyes wide and dancing with excitement already. He hurriedly scrubbed his hands on his pants as he made his way over.

"So lovely to meet you, Seb." He shook my hand vigorously, the scents of lavender and rosemary and basil wafting off him. "I'm Silas. I'm sure Larkin's already told you about his embarrassing old dad."

"You're not embarrassing," Larkin said in exasperation, even though he told me all the time that both his parents were.

I shot him a quick grin before smiling at Silas. "Nice to meet you too. Thank you for having me. Oh, uh…" I held out the jar of honey, heat creeping into my cheeks. "I saw this and thought you might… uh, like it."

Silas gasped like I'd just offered to buy him a new car. "Oh, fantastic! Thank you. We can have it with the dessert. You know, I've always wanted to keep bees. Just haven't gotten around to it yet."

"You'll never come in the house if you start keeping bees," Delphine said as she finished preparing lunch at the counter.

"Seb." I looked back at Silas to see him glancing between me and Larkin, looking a little emotional. "I'd like to give you a hug. Is that alright?"

" Dad ," Larkin groaned, tipping his head back.

I chuckled. "That's fine."

He pulled me into a brief but tight hug, patting me on the back as we parted. His eyes looked a little glassy. "It's just so nice to have you here, and to see my Larkin so… Anyway. Alright, brunch. Although it's more like an early lunch. Do you like caprese salad, Seb?"

"Yes. I like pretty much anything."

He beamed at me. "The tomatoes and basil are fresh from the garden. And I made focaccia. Do you like focaccia? Has Larkin shown you how to make that yet?"

I shot Larkin another quick smile. "Not yet, but yes, I like it. Thank you."

"I'll show you how to make it," Larkin said eagerly. "You just need a buttload of olive oil. Right, Dad?"

Silas shrugged as he turned back for the kitchen. "Pretty much."

"Do you want a drink?" Larkin shuffled closer to wrap his arm around my waist, gazing up at me. "Mom made iced tea. Or there's coffee."

Now that the introductions were out of the way, I was starting to relax more. I smoothed my hand over Larkin's hair and smiled down at him. "Iced tea would be nice."

"'Kay." He darted a quick look at his parents, then lunged up to kiss me. "Let's go sit down. It's already on the table."

He led me over to a big, weathered dining table by the back windows surrounded by mismatched chairs. As we sat down, Larkin looked over at me, nibbling worriedly on his lower lip, and whispered, "Please don't be nervous. They already really like you."

I chuckled and whispered back, "That's good to know, but I'm gonna be nervous. This is important."

Larkin flushed with pleasure, teeth still clamped around his lower lip until he cupped my face and leaned in to kiss me soundly on the mouth.

"It's important to me too," he mumbled, his blush deepening. Reaching for the hand resting on my thigh, he anxiously fiddled with my fingers and added, "You're important to me, Seb."

My chest tightened. After casting a quick look at his parents, I leaned in to kiss him again. "You're important to me too, Lark. You're…"

Everything. I love you. I've wanted this for so long. You have no idea just how much this means to me.

"Okay, brunch is served!" Delphine said cheerfully as she swept over carrying two platters. "Nolan, will you go and find your dad? He's wandered off again."

"I'm here!" Silas reappeared from the hallway carrying several thick brown books. "I was just getting the—"

"No," Larkin gasped in horror.

"—photo albums," Silas finished proudly, holding them up with a huge smile. "Just a few, Lark, don't worry."

"Seb doesn't want to see—"

"Just a few!" he repeated brightly, settling in the seat opposite me and immediately opening one to flick through it.

Delphine stopped behind him after placing the food on the table, resting her hand on his shoulder as she gasped in delight.

"Oh, look, there he is in his little daffodil pyjamas." She gave Larkin a beaming smile as he cringed beside me. "Still so blond then, sweetpea!"

"Blond?" I asked curiously, glancing over at Larkin and trying to picture him with anything but his bright pink hair.

He shot me a nervous smile. "Um, yeah. My hair started turning pink when I, uh, hit puberty."

"It's quite common for fae kids," Silas told me. "Our hair is usually blond or black when we're young. But Larkin's was white blond. Nolan's was more ashy."

"You're not showing photos of me, right?" Nolan asked quickly as he thumped down into a chair.

"Well, of course you'll be in some of them, tulip…" Silas spun the album and held it out to me proudly. "Here he is, holding sweet little baby Nolan."

Both the Fairchild sons groaned in sync. I chuckled and took the album, looking down at a photo of Larkin at around six or seven, his blue eyes too big for his face and his shoulder-length hair a very pale blond. He was indeed wearing cute little sky blue pyjamas covered in yellow daffodils, and a tiny baby Nolan with a tuft of pale hair was cradled in his lap on the same couch that was still in the living area.

I grinned over at Larkin, whose face was flushed a deep blue. "Very cute."

"Shut up," he grumbled, hurriedly grabbing the album and passing it back to Silas. "No more, Dad. We have to get to work after this, so we can't take too long."

Silas sighed, leaning over to set the albums down on the sideboard next to the table. "Alright. Next time."

Larkin poured us both a glass of iced tea as Delphine returned with more food. There was caprese salad, a big loaf of dimpled focaccia dotted with herbs, roasted vegetables, bruschetta, pesto pasta salad with Italian sausage and bowls of olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Very fae—not very werewolf. Not much meat.

But it all looked good, and I appreciated the effort they'd gone to more than I could bring myself to show. I tried to, clearing my throat and saying, "This looks amazing. Thank you for having me."

"It's our pleasure, Seb." Delphine squeezed my arm as she sat down at the head of the table to my left. "We're so happy to have you here."

"So you work with Lark, right?" Nolan blurted, already piling pasta salad onto his plate as Silas started slicing the focaccia. "Are you a wrestler?"

Larkin had pushed his chair close to mine, and I felt him tense a little. "No, he's not a wrestler, Nolan."

"I only asked because he's—" Nolan flushed awkwardly. "You know. Jacked."

I chuckled. "I'm the boss's bodyguard. Kind of. He doesn't actually need much guarding."

Nolan's pale eyes perked up. "Bodyguard? Sick."

"In name only." I gave him a wry smile. "I mostly just help out at the office when Holt needs heavy stuff moved."

"You do way more than that," Larkin protested. "You have to drive him everywhere too. Holt's such a diva."

"He's awesome." There was a tiny hint of hero worship in Nolan's eyes. "He's, like, super successful, right? And his business is so cool. I'm going to college to study business management," he told me. "Def wanna run a sick business like Goliaths."

"Holt will set Seb on you if you open a rival wrestling league here," Larkin teased. "And you haven't even been to Goliaths yet."

"No, but I'm gonna go as soon as I turn twenty-one," Nolan shot back. "Plus, you've told me how cool it is. I wanna see The Tasselled Tussler for real. He's a beast . He's in a knitting club with my friend's grandma. When I was over there the other day, she was saying how, like, fancy and glamorous and shit he is. And huge."

"Corey's cool." Larkin stuffed some mozzarella and a slice of tomato into his mouth. "Seb and I look after his dog, Cora, when the shows are on."

"Do you have a dog, Seb?" Delphine asked with interest.

I shook my head, spooning pasta salad onto my plate. "No, but I'd like one. Someday."

"Me too," Larkin said eagerly, his cheeks faintly flushed as he grinned at me.

I heard Silas inhale an excited breath to speak, but Delphine hastily said, "Silas, my love, can you pass me the bruschetta?"

"Of course." Silas handed her the plate, then quickly asked, "So, Seb, how long have you worked at Goliaths?"

"Four years."

"What did you think of Larkin when he started there?" Nolan smirked at his brother, who fidgeted beside me.

I smiled down at him briefly. "He brightened up the office a lot. And I thought he was beautiful," I found myself admitting, a blush heating my cheeks.

Delphine placed a hand on her chest as Nolan rolled his eyes and Silas practically bounced in his seat. Larkin bumped my shoulder with his, a hand creeping onto my thigh under the table and squeezing.

"He is beautiful. He has a beautiful soul. Both our boys do." Delphine beamed at her sons, then turned those big blue eyes to me. "So do you, Seb."

I coughed awkwardly. "Uh, thank you."

"Okay, maybe you can let Seb eat now?" Larkin was blushing. "We have to get to work after this."

"Of course, sweetpea," Delphine said easily.

Except I didn't mind the questions. I didn't mind sitting here with Larkin's family, feeling like I was becoming a part of it. I would've gladly stayed here all day.