Triton's Destiny

Part Thirty-Five

When the grey twilight of dawn began to filter through the curtains, Tristan was already awake. He'd woken up a while ago and had been simply watching Maki sleep, captivated by the shifting glow of the embers from the fireplace across his mate's soft skin. Maki's dark eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed and Tristan wished he knew what fantastical images his lover's boundless imagination had created for him. With his soft lips parted and a light flush coloring his cheeks, the triton looked just as gorgeous in slumber as he did at any other time.

Tristan couldn't imagine being any happier than he was just then, warm in his bed with the man he loved snuggled against him. Maki fit perfectly in his embrace and slept so peacefully, like there wasn't a single worry weighing on him. His breath was soft and even, grazing Tristan's skin like a caress. Tristan never knew how satisfying it would feel to share a bed with someone he cherished, but now he couldn't even contemplate not sharing it with Maki. It felt too right to have him there, like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

And that revelation scared Tristan a little. Already, it had been several hours since Maki was last in the water. Surely, he needed to shift into his triton form in order to maintain his supernatural abilities. Unless, of course, Maki wasn't worried about maintaining them. 'I don't know... if I want to have my powers back.' Maki said he'd come home, that he wanted to stay with Tristan no matter what. Perhaps he really had decided to give up being a triton. Tristan would support him whatever he decided, but he wanted to make sure it was what Maki really wanted to do.

A gentle hand combed through Tristan's hair and he looked down to see Maki's blue eyes watching him. "Your thoughts are so loud I don't need telepathy to hear them. Are you all right?"

Tristan dipped his head to kiss him. Then he frowned into his mate's concerned gaze. "Is this what you want, Maki?"

"This?"

"Yeah. This life, this... ordinary world."

"You mean this perfectly wonderful existence where I get to spend all night in my Tristan's arms, experience the world in a completely new way, and explore all of the senses with which I was born but never knew could offer such fulfillment and joy?"

"Um..." Tristan blushed. "Yeah."

Maki rolled onto his back and smiled up at him. "Yes, love. This is what I want."

"But... It's been a long while since you were in the water. What if..."

"I don't want you to worry about it." Maki pulled him down and kissed him hungrily, his tongue dipping inside Tristan's mouth. "What I do want right now is some breakfast. I don't know if I've ever been this hungry in my life. And oh my gods..." He stretched with a smile and a sigh of contentment. "I've definitely never slept that well."

Tristan couldn't help smiling and he rubbed his hand over Maki's flat, lean abdomen as he bent down for another kiss. "You know, Emilie called you skinny and said she wants to fill you up with sweets."

Maki took several more kisses from Tristan's lips. "And I want to let her."

"Don't let her hear you say that. She'll take it as a personal challenge."

With a soft laugh, Maki pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. Looking around for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder and bit his lip. "Um, Tristan?"

The expanse of delectable ivory skin perched right there for Tristan's viewing pleasure was almost too much for him to resist. Reaching out, he gently palmed the curve of one beautiful hip. "Yes, gorgeous?"

"I... don't have any of my clothes."

"Hmm..." Tristan's hand wandered up Maki's back, tracing the lovely contour of his spine. "What a tragic shame. I guess we'll just have to stay in bed, then."