The lazy genius has 5 mates

chapter 43

Roxanne didn't realize she was shaking until Holwen's hand slid over hers, warm and steady.

The revelation, the symbol, the attack—
—all of it had dug hooks into her nerves, pulling her taut and breathless.

She tried to step back.

Holwen didn't let her.

"Roxy," he whispered, thumb brushing her knuckles, "stop running for a second."

She stiffened—out of habit, not denial.

But then Zolekh moved in behind her, palms gliding up her arms in slow, grounding strokes.

"Let us hold you," he murmured.
"You don't have to be made of steel right now."

Her throat tightened.

Rolkan approached next, gently cupping her jaw with careful fingertips. He looked at her as if she'd break if he blinked too hard.

"Hey," he said softly, "you scared the hell out of us today."

Abel stepped closer, his voice quiet.

"You don't have to carry ancestral wars in your chest. Not alone."

Helixiar wrapped her arms around Roxanne's waist from the side, cheek pressing softly to her shoulder.

"You're allowed," she whispered, "to fall apart a little. We'll catch you."

Roxanne's breathing hitched.

She hadn't realized how tightly she'd coiled herself until now.

Five pairs of eyes watched her with an intensity she wasn't used to—
not hungry, not desperate—
but full of care.

A kind she didn't know what to do with.

"I'm fine," she attempted.

Holwen stepped closer, pressing his forehead to hers, breath warm.

"You're not," he whispered, "and that's okay."

Zolekh slid his arms fully around her from behind, pulling her against his chest.

"We're here," he breathed into her hair. "All of us."

Rolkan took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"You trust your father and brothers."
He looked up, eyes dark and earnest.
"Trust us too."

Abel gently tilted her chin so she would meet his gaze.

"You don't need to hide from us," he murmured.

Helixiar's fingers intertwined with Roxanne's free hand, squeezing softly.
"I want to stay by your side. Even if it's messy."

Roxanne swallowed hard.

"I'm trying," she whispered.

"We see that," Holwen murmured, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear.

"And we're not leaving," Zolekh added.

The tension in her shoulders finally cracked. A tremor ran through her body—small, almost invisible.

But they felt it.

Holwen pulled her fully into his arms, chest solid and warm against hers.

The others closed in instinctively.

Zolekh's hand ran circles on her back.
Rolkan's fingers brushed her jaw.
Helixiar nuzzled the curve of her shoulder.
Abel rested a hand at the small of her back, thumb making slow, soothing strokes.

For the first time in years—
Roxanne let herself lean.

Her forehead dropped onto Holwen's collarbone, breath unsteady.

"Why do you all... care this much?" she whispered into the fabric of his shirt.

Holwen's breath hitched—but only for a second.

Then he tilted her chin up, eyes softening in a way that should not have made her heart stutter as violently as it did.

"Because, sweetheart," he said quietly,
"you walked into our lives like a storm, and somehow—"

He brushed his nose gently against hers.

"—you became our calm."

Zolekh kissed the top of her head, voice velvet-smooth.

"You make us want to be better."

Rolkan smiled, cheek resting against hers.

"You make us feel... chosen."

Abel leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

"You make us dream again."

Helixiar cupped Roxanne's face gently.

"You make us feel loved just by existing."

Roxanne froze.

The words hit her harder than any enemy could.

Loved.

She didn't flinch.
Didn't break away.

Instead, her voice cracked—just barely.

"...I don't know how to do this," she whispered.

Holwen held her tighter.

"Then let us teach you."

Zolekh kissed the back of her neck.
Rolkan's fingers traced her spine.
Abel stroked her cheek.
Helixiar brushed her lips against Roxanne's shoulder in a featherlight promise.

"Let us love you," Helixiar murmured.

For once—Roxanne didn't run.

She didn't shut down.

Didn't push away.

Instead, she lifted her hands and—clumsily, awkwardly, beautifully—wrapped her arms around the entire circle of them.

Just a hug.
But to all of them, it felt like a confession.

Holwen's breath trembled.
Zolekh smiled into her hair.
Rolkan made a sound dangerously close to a laugh-sob.
Abel tightened his hold.
Helixiar squeezed with all the warmth of a star.

Roxanne whispered it before she could overthink:

"...thank you."

And for her —
that was everything.