Chapter Four

Marin

I startled awake at the sound of a floorboard creaking next to me. Nothing was supposed to make noise in the house when I was alone.

Except I wasn’t.

Smiling, I stretched all my eight limbs. Shit. Kert shouldn’t see me fully shifted.

I sat up so fast I sent the sheet flying, revealing my naked body. I snagged the pillow and covered my groin.

Kert slowly slid the sheet off his head, unveiling his amused expression. “Halloween passed, but maybe next year I could be a ghost. Or a sheet. A holy sheet. But with my horns, maybe a bull sheet.”

“What?” My brain wasn’t awake enough to process what he’d said.

With hands on his hips, he took a step back and tilted his head. “I’ve never seen you sleep with all your tentacles out.”

Kert had only seen them when we’d gone to the beach and I’d made sure to have my groin covered.

“That’s how I sleep when I don’t have to control myself, and the bathtub here is too small to sleep in the water. My legs are too long for this couch and tentacles are much more flexible.”

Kert frowned. “But I fell asleep next to you on winter nights at the dorm. Wait, is that why you always put me to my bed once I was asleep?”

“Well, yeah, and I wouldn’t want anyone to barge in and see us sleeping together.” I snatched the sheet back and wrapped it around my waist. Kert had gotten an eyeful of tentacles—he didn’t need to see more. “I mean, we were always close friends and cool with touching, but people gossip.”

Kert’s expression fell as he nodded. “It’s enough we’re Cryptids. Adding queerness on top of that would be too much. I get it. I’ll start the coffee.” The forced smile didn’t suit him. But I was too chickenshit to stop him retreating from the room. He looked hurt—like last night when I’d refused to kiss him. He’d been fake-flirting with me for five years of college and it had never been an issue. Unless his reason for the flirting had changed. Could it be?

Had he wanted to kiss under that mistletoe? Or was he offended that I hadn’t kissed him?

He hadn’t been looking at the others then. Just me.While I’d acted like a burglar on the lookout. Did Kert think I’d been embarrassed to kiss him in front of all those people? Was he right?

No. I wanted to do it. Feel his lips on mine under that mistletoe. And that scared me.

I’d dreamed of kissing him for the past four years. Then what the fuck was wrong with me? If I had only been open with him, maybe I could have avoided causing that hurt look on his face.

I knew I was bi at the last few months of uni in Berlin, but I hadn’t wanted for people to see me differently so close to me leaving. Throughout the five years of school, I’d hooked up with girls, and my friendship with Kert had been solid. I’d decided then not to risk it and stay in the closet until graduation.

When I’d arrived in NYC straight after, I began my journey toward sexual awakening, never looking back. My pansexual pride was now bruised when I struggled with coming out to my best friend, even though I was out amongst people here. Of course he’d accept me. I wasn’t afraid of that. But was I ready to tell him he was the reason for my awakening? Or at least tell him I had a crush on him?

I smacked my forehead. “ Vlaka! ” I was such an idiot.

“Don’t do that.” Kert appeared in the room, patted my forehead, and handed me a mug. “No one is allowed to hurt my bestie. Not even you.”

He perched on the armrest of the couch in an oversized t-shirt that hid his shape but exposed his long legs, which he crossed at the knee. His bare feet were probably cold, and it took everything in me not to pull him on my lap to warm him up.

“Bossy.” I threw a blanket over his legs. “And thanks for the coffee.”

I’d been the one carrying him home when he’d drunk too much at a party, but he’d taken care of me during those five years, from helping me learn German, navigating the city, and teaching me customs I hadn’t been familiar with. He’d made that cramped dorm room a home. And only now, when he was in my apartment, did it hit me what had been missing for me to feel like I belonged here.

Kert.

He was sipping the coffee and looking around the room like he was trying to avoid my gaze.

I set my mug aside. “What I said about being seen together—I didn’t mean it like that. I wouldn’t be embarrassed.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” He pulled the blanket higher.

“I do.” My stomach churned. I fucked up.

“Forget it.” Kert waved a hand at the room. “Better tell me if you became a minimalist.” He motioned to the emptiness of the walls, the bare minimum in the room, the unfinished painting.

“I didn’t get to decorating yet.” I picked up the mug, took a sip, and released a low moan. That was good coffee, just the way I liked it.

“I thought you had this place for a while.” He leveled a gaze at me from over his mug.

I shrugged. “Almost three years. My first big job covered the down payment on it. I was so happy that I could afford my own place, then I got sucked into the whirlwind of work.”

“Ah, a classic example of a shoe maker walking without shoes.” Kert rolled his eyes. “You do everything for everyone and don’t leave anything for yourself.”

“What? No—” My protest didn’t go far, as Kert shushed me with a finger on my lips. Would it be weird if I sucked it into my mouth? Yeah, definitely.

“Well, good thing I’m here. I know you’ll take good care of me and I’m planning to do the same. I’ll help you decorate.” He slid his finger down and along my bottom lip, his gaze on mine.

Did he feel it too? That spark that sent my hearts racing fast enough to scramble my thoughts.

Hopefully, the low groan that left me sounded enough like annoyance, rather than me refraining from licking the spot he touched. “You’re here to see New York during the holiday season.”

“Yeah. And spend the time with my bestie.” He wrapped his hands around the mug, his shoulders sagging. “Or that’s what I told you.”

“So you didn’t come for quality time with me?” I attempted a Kert-like pout but that didn’t help his morose expression. “Did something happen? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. But I had to leave for a while to find a fresh perspective. The art block has been killing me—I haven’t sculpted in weeks and it’s driving me insane.”

“I’m so sorry. That’s shit.” Having dealt with blocks on and off for the last four years, I could sympathize. But this was about Kert.

“I thought seeing wintery scenery straight from rom-coms and happy people might spark something in me.” He repositioned his perch on the couch. “I had to get away from Berlin, from the art scene and the expectations. I just needed a break, and you offered me the perfect escape.”

“Maybe not perfect.” I motioned to the poor state of my apartment.

“Yes. It is exactly that. I need the distraction.” He held his hand out as if reciting Shakespeare. “Now, if you let me help you turn this dump into a magical place for an artist, I’ll be happy.”

He got me there. I’d do anything to make him happy, but I grunted to keep composure. “Fine. Did you just call my place a dump?”

Kert gave me a naughty elf look. “We’ll decorate for Christmas too.” He wiggled his toes under the blanket. I loved seeing him excited.

Whatever you want. “Sure. The neighbors will love that when they visit.”

He sat straighter. “Oh, are they your friends?”

“I meant the neighbors’ kids who get bored sometimes and wander over.”

“Are you babysitting?” Kert gasped with a hand on his chest.

“Not really. The couple don’t have family in the States and sometimes their work overlaps, or they have parents' evening or whatever.” I waved a hand in dismissal. “The boys will probably make Christmas tree ornaments again this year. So be ready for that when you’re planning your decorating extravaganza.”

“That’s so cute. Little artists.” A frown deepened his expression. “Will the ornaments be ugly?”

I snorted a laugh. “Nah. They’re pretty talented for their age, and a total hoot.” I gulped my coffee, its intense taste blessing my mouth. Damn, it was strong too.

“Human?”

I smacked my lips. “Sort of. The couple’s parents came from Ukraine as teens with their folks but never discussed any invisible abilities. Their kids show signs of latent telekinesis, especially when they get emotional.”

“Like my dad used to.” Kert nodded slowly.

“That’s how I knew how to recognize it. I told the parents to come to me if they have any questions or concerns, so I hope they will. But I’m not worried about them, especially after seeing your dad prepare a whole meal without touching anything.”

“He’s such a showoff.” Kert rolled his eyes, then grew serious. “They miss you. My dads. They’re always asking when you’ll visit.”

“I miss them too. Their holiday postcard arrived last week. I sent mine before you came too, so they should get it soon. I loved spending weekends at your family home.” They lived a few hours’ drive from Berlin and Kert used to take me with him on visits every few weeks for five years. Sam’s telekinesis was fun to see. And Fenix’s sandman-red complexion and tail fooled me enough that I thought he was Kert’s biological dad. But they’d adopted him when he was a baby.

“Maybe you’ll visit someday.” Kert patted my thigh with his foot, then left it there, remaining perched on the armrest.

“Or I’ll invite them here, like I did you.” I held his cold toes in my free hand, warming them.

Kert flicked his lip ring with his tongue. “I sort of invited myself.”

“That’s because no one can tell you what to do. I could only gently suggest it so your bratty ass would come on over.”

“Oh, so I’m a brat now?” Kert crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows in the most bratty way I’ve ever seen.

“You’ve always been.” I chuckled, poking him with my tentacle in the ribs.

“And what makes you an expert?” He frowned, looking at me with confusion painted on his face.

He couldn’t know. Not about the clubs or my extracurricular activities. It would ruin everything.

“I babysit, remember?” I hid my face behind my mug.

He laughed nervously and set his coffee aside. “Right.”

I slapped my thigh and stood up. “I’m awake now. So let’s get moving. I’ll just have to drop something off for the neighbors on our way out.”

“Would you leave your tentacles out?” Kert stroked one, and all four moved his way. I could control them most of the time, but sometimes they moved faster than I could think. The warmth of his hand where he’d held the mug permeated my tentacle, and I tasted his skin through the sucker he touched.

“Sure. But not for free.” I wrapped one around his waist and poked under his ribs.

Kert’s squeal turned into laughter as he wiggled out of my grip. Then he grabbed two tentacles and hugged them to his chest. “What else do I need to do for payment?”

All three of my hearts pumped more blood to my groin than to my brain when my head filled with images of what else I could do to him with my tentacles. “Your laugh is enough.”

“You’re easy to please.” Kert smirked and sashayed to the bedroom.

My tentacles remained in the air, as if reaching for him on their own. They acted on instinct before my conscious mind could catch up to what I wanted. Thankfully, Kert didn’t mind.

In a whoosh of warm air and the squelch of tentacles, I shifted my bottom half back to two legs. The process was akin to meditation—I had to be aware of my body and in full control of it as I told it what to do.

Due to cross-cryptid relationships and evolution, each generation had varying features or abilities. My human dad and tentacle shifter mom had three sons, each with different coloring and slight variation in build. I could partially hide my second pair of upper tentacles on top of shifting the two lower ones into legs, while my older brother Ner could partially shift only from the waist down with only two tentacles above the waist, and Spiros, the youngest, had a different combination altogether. Neither of us three could look fully human, which hadn’t always been fun as a kid in a mixed human and cryptid school.

For the first time in weeks, I put on the hoodie with cut outs for all four of my upper tentacles. Setting the limbs free was like stretching arms after being asleep for hours.

A pair of jeans and a black hoodie were enough for me, but Kert bundled up in a parka and shoved a pair of gloves in his pockets, both the shade of purple matching my skin.

Lana opened the door with a smile on her face. The loose bun on the top of her head added a bohemian vibe to her shirt and jeans with turn-ups casual look.

“Oh Marin, this must be your friend you’ve been waiting for.” She shook Kert’s hand with both of hers.

“Whatever he told you is not true.” Kert took a step away from me to the side, and offered her a grin.

She chortled. “Lovely to meet you. You’re in great hands here. Marin is the best host.” She turned to me. “The boys are so happy with the art materials you gave them when they visited you. They’ve been practicing for hours a day and they’re getting so good. Thanks so much.”

“Oh pfft. It was just something I had laying around and needed to get rid of.”

“Right. In unopened packaging.” She cocked her hip.

I shrugged. She got me there. I’d been getting art supplies for them since they’d shown interest and didn’t have the funds to pursue it. The two boys were into art, but the school didn’t provide what they needed and the parents couldn’t afford the materials to practice, let alone extra art classes.

“Talent is one thing, but practicing every day is what will make them great,” I said, drawing on the wisdom my mom passed down on me.

“And Marin would know.” Kert elbowed me. “The professors at uni said he’d be one of the greats one day with how hardworking he was.”

“You studied art?” Lana put her hands on her hips.

“He didn’t tell you? Five years in Berlin. That’s how we met.” Kert grinned. “We were roommates,” he added with a jazz hands motion, making Lana laugh.

“No wonder the boys come home with such vast knowledge every time they visit you. And thanks for last week. We haven’t been on a date without kids for years.”

“Oh, no problem. I made them load my dishwasher,” I said.

“No, he didn’t!” Bohdan yelled from inside the house.

“Come in, if you have the time. I made varenyky .” Lana looked at Kert. “They’re our pierogi .”

“I love them. But Marin is taking me to see the tree at Rockefeller plaza.” Kert looped his hand over my tentacle.

“Thank you, Lana.”

She lifted her eyebrows, her knowing smirk amused. “Have fun!”

“We’ll bring the decorations next week!” Sasha stood next to his mom, his light blond hair standing in every direction.

“That’s perfect.” I nodded at the boy.

Kert squeezed my tentacle. “Yup. He promised we can start in a few days. Because I need to do some serious shopping first. I mean, it’s already December.” Kert waved his arms dramatically.

Lana nodded like a traitor. “Of course. Minimum a week to keep Halloween decorations up, then slowly decorate for Christmas, but by December 1st, Christmas is on one hundred percent.”

I groaned.

Lana grinned and lifted a finger. “One thing before I let you go.” She popped out and returned with two foil wraps. “You can eat on the way.”