“I’m sorry you’re doing what?” Sparrow yelled into the phone and I jumped, Thélio gripping my hand, “repeat that, Hyacinth Orion because I’m pretty sure I had a fucking stroke and misheard you.”

“I’m coming back to Idaho the day after the wedding to pack some suitcases and heading to London with Thélio. He’s going to come to Japan and Korea with me.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You never like anything I choose to do,” I snapped before covering my mouth.

Shit.

I didn’t mean that.

“Is that what you think? That I’m disappointed in you? That I hate your choices? No. Of course I don’t. But I don’t like this because you barely know this person and are going off of what? A few conversations and a nudge from Oliver? What happens if he hurts you? Leaves you in London? You’ll be trapped, Hyacinth. With no way to get home.”

“I can take public transport. I’m not stupid, Pa. I fly alone all the time. God forbid Thélio did that to me, which I really don’t think he would, I could get back. I can take care of myself.”

Sparrow went silent and suddenly Thomas came through, his deep tone slightly startling me.

“I don’t agree with Pa,” Thomas started and I could hear Sparrow grumble, “you’re an adult and allowed to make these choices. We can’t stop you. I appreciate you having the respect to call us and tell us your plan. I am concerned but if you have faith in Thélio, then we can’t judge that. You know him. We don’t. Also, I’m not sure what Aero is so worried about. He hopped into my car without a second thought the day we met. I was an entire stranger to him who had been effectively stalking him for months to get him to break up with his boyfriend so I could have him. Luckily, it worked in my favor because Casey cheated. Hyacinth, do you actually trust Thélio?”

I looked over at Thélio who smiled nervously, his grip on my hand tight, “I’m choosing to put my trust in him, yes. Of my own decision. Not based on Oliver knowing him. I told him everything, Dad. Even more than I told Stevie or Roe.”

“E… everything?” Thomas stuttered as Sparrow gasped.

“Yes. Everything. And he shared a lot about himself. We have a… confusing understanding of each other. Inherent. You know how I hate being touched unless I truly trust someone.”

“Yes, because people take advantage of the closeness most of the time. I’ve heard your horror stories.”

“I don’t feel that way with Thélio. I’m not afraid of him. He is… massively respectful. Overly apologetic,” I laughed, causing Thélio to stick his tongue out at me, “but it’s charming. Our lives work well to compliment the other. We can bring things to each other that we’re missing. I want to travel, see beautiful places, have new experiences. Thélio needs companionship. He’s incredibly alone in the world. Do you remember what happened to Jenna with her parents?”

“Of course,” Sparrow sighed, “I was so mad at them for throwing her out.”

“Thélio left home for a similar reason.”

“You may share,” Thélio whispered and I nodded.

“Thélio is gay. Comes from a very large, very traditional family. He was expected to follow his fathers footsteps, marry a nice woman and have a bunch of children. But he didn’t want that because it meant he wasn’t being true to himself. So he left. Came to New York. Started his company after graduating college. Opened another in Tokyo. He suffered a lot of pain. Trauma. But he got through it no differently than I have. We both laid ourselves bare tonight. It was important to me before I gave Thélio my answer. I’m still hesitant. Don’t think I’m not. But I want to do this. I want to trust in Thélio and I know how good it will be for me. I want to branch out. I promise to come home all the time. But I… I quit working in the bookstore. I’ll be there in two days. Then again after I’m done in Korea. At Christmas and Jenna’s wedding. Phoenix’s wedding. Stevie and Roe’s because we all know that’s going to happen. I won’t be gone all the time. I will come back. Even if I have to leave Lio for a while. He would understand and simply tell me the next place he’ll be so I can fly out there. It will work out. I’m doing this, with or without your blessing. You’re the best fathers anyone could have asked for and I really hope you’ll grow to like Thélio. I do. So please. You don’t have to support my choices. But respect them.”

“And we do,” Thomas laughed, “Sparrow is just worried. Having a hard time letting go.”

“Pa?”

“Hm?” Sparrow replied.

“I’m going to be fine.”

“Yeah. Yeah I know you are. And no you’re not quitting the bookstore dork. You work here when you’re in Melba. Other than that, Dad and I can manage things alone. Besides, Cove and Nix are talking about buying the shops from us. They’re tired.”

“Phoenix has been teaching PE for two years. How the hell could he be tired?” I snorted.

“Teenagers suck,” Sparrow laughed as well, “okay. Well. We’ll see you in two days. Get here safe. Oh and Thélio?”

“Yes?” Thélio swallowed thickly.

“We can’t wait to meet you. Be good to our child.”

“I promise I will be. They are my friend now after all.”

“I am choosing to believe and trust you because Hyacinth does. After a day. Totally new Hyacinth. Okay we were just about to head to bed so talk soon. Send pictures of the wedding and stuff!”

“I will,” I ended the call and laid the side of my head onto the couch so I could continue to look at Thélio, “that went better than I expected.”

“Truly?” Thélio gently ran his fingers through my hair and I smiled.

“Yeah I was half expecting Sparrow to threaten to tie me up. He’s overprotective.”

“I could tell,” Thélio smiled, still playing with my hair, “but I do not blame them. We are being impulsive because we find comfort in each other. But I do not think that is a bad thing.”

“No. No I don’t either. My friends are intense, just a warning and I guarantee Sparrow will tell them about this. So just… when we get to Idaho… stay behind me. I can handle all of them. Especially Phoenix. I’m stronger than him.”

“Are you really?”

“Yes. I’m a third degree brown belt in kickboxing and I box regularly. It clears my mind, fights down my intrusive thoughts.”

“Oh is that why you have so many scars?”

“On my hands, yes. And knees.”

“I do yoga. It keeps me strong and helps me to relax.”

“I should give that a try,” I laughed, leaning into Thélio’s touch, “that feels nice. I can’t remember the last time someone played with my hair.”

“It’s so soft,” he whispered, “I do not mean to keep touching you. I cannot help myself. But tell me if you would like me to stop.”

“No. It’s fine,” I laid my head onto the back of the couch, my eye fluttering closed as he continued playing with my hair and gently touching my jaw.

I’m falling asleep.

I need to make my way to bed or I’ll be exhausted tomorrow.

But I don’t want to.

“Hyacinth?” Thélio whispered and I tried to reply, slowly nodding my head, “oh. You are so tired. Traveling is hard and it has been an emotional night. I’ll be here. Just rest. I’m sure you will be okay in the morning.”

But I want to talk.

I don’t want to sleep.

My exhaustion finally won due to Thélio’s gentle whispers and light touches and I drifted off to sleep, warm and comfortable.

Ah fuck.

My neck.

With a groan, I attempted to sit up, suddenly aware of a warmth on my chest. I still hadn’t opened my eye and I willed my arms to move, wrapping them around what was on me before gasping.

Lio.

He fell asleep out here too.

We must have cuddled up to each other in the night.

“Lio?” I whispered, shaking him, “Thélio, we need to get up and get ready.”

“My alarm has not gone off. Why are you in my room, talking bed?” He grumbled and I realized he was still mostly asleep.

“Thélio! It’s 6 we have to get up or I won’t have time to get ready.”

“Hyacinth?”

“Yes! It’s me and you’re on top of me.”

At this Thélio shot up, nearly throwing himself onto the floor, his chest heaving.

“Calm,” I laughed, sitting up and wincing as my neck was stiff, “I’m not upset. It’s okay. You fell asleep too. It’s not the end of the world. Let’s just shower and get ready. We have so much to do today.”

“R… right,” Thélio nodded and ran off to his bedroom, his entire face bright red.

It’s weird he’d be embarrassed.

We were just laying together.

I used to lay on Ocean and Cove all the time.

Friends cuddle.

Right?

I sat there for a moment, realizing I was unsure of my own thoughts before shrugging, plodding to my own room and hopping into the shower.

Once I felt clean, I took the time to put on comfortable clothes and sat on the bathroom counter facing the mirror so I could easily do my hair. I was halfway done drying it, wanting to wear it down with a crown braid when there was a light knock on the bedroom door.

“I’m sitting in the sink. What is it?” I shouted over my hair dryer and Thélio came in, laughing loudly when he saw me, “it’s the only way I can see myself I don’t have my contact in and I can’t wear my glasses while I do my hair.”

“I brought you coffee,” he yawned, setting an iced coffee next to me, “and a pumpkin muffin. You need to eat, it will be a long time until dinner.”

“You’re dripping wet.”

“I just got out of the shower because I got the notice that our breakfast was delivered. It is fine. I’m just going to wear my hair down. It will wave.”

“Can you do me a favor so I don’t have to kill myself getting up and down and up again?”

“Of course!”

“In my bag is a smaller clear bag. Can you get it for me? I forgot it.”

Thélio nodded and headed back to the main part of the room and I finally set the blow dryer down, carefully cooling my hair to reduce the frizz I knew would hit later in the day if I wasn’t careful.

“Oh. It is makeup.”

“I wear it to formal events or if I’m in the mood. Today is simply glitter though. Bas told me they hung a ton of lights around. Sometimes, I like to sparkle. It makes me feel pretty,” shrugging, I took the bag from him and put my contact in once I found the case, blinking a few times.

“May I ask something?” Thélio stood behind me, his hands on either side of my legs as he looked at me in the mirror.

I’m grateful he’s tall enough to stand behind me like this.

It’s nice to still see his face.

“Sure. Always.”

“It might be a bit insensitive so please tell me no if you do not want to answer. How do you make your eyes move differently?”

“Oh my eyelids? I trained the right one to stay closed. It took a lot of practice. I have a spacer in the socket that keeps it from falling, essentially what your eyeball does. It’s weird to look at. I don't even really like seeing it. So I worked hard to ensure it stays closed when I want it to. I have to think about it, but it stays closed.”

“Fair enough. Also what color is your outfit?”

“Navy.”

“So why are you using silver glitter? With your skin and hair it will be washed out. Use gold.”

“Okay Mr. Fashion Designer,” I teased and Thélio poked my side, “whatever you think looks better.”

I followed Thélio’s suggestions, adding little bits of gold glitter to my face and collar bones, a gentle smile on his face as he watched me.

“You stare a lot,” I poked his nose over my shoulder.

“I have my reasons,” he softly touched my arm, caressing me gently, “I have to get dressed now and check all my camera equipment. I will meet you in the living room.”

“How long do I have?” I shouted after him as he left my room.

“Two hours! I told Oliver we would be there at 830.”

“Shit,” I groaned and started eating my breakfast, wiggling happily as I looked at myself in the mirror, “you are beautiful. Smart. Friendly. Caring. Kind. Gentle. Loving. A fantastic writer. You have earned the right to be happy. You have earned the right to find a love that never disappears,” I nodded after finishing my normal daily affirmation and finally finished eating, drinking my coffee as I waited for the curling iron to warm up next to me.

“Hyacinth!” Thélio shouted through the door as I slipped the last sleeve of my jumpsuit on now that my hair was done as well as slid on a special eyepatch I had made, this one matching my outfit, “I told you we had two hours. I do not mean to rush, but it is time to go. If you need more time, I will send a car for you.”

“No no I’m ready,” I rushed over to open the door as I pulled my shoes on and Thélio gasped, “what?”

“Where… who…”

“It’s me? Hello?” I knocked softly on his forehead.

“I… you look amazing,” he whispered, walking around me in a small circle and slowly fixing one of the crossed straps on my back, “you could walk a runway in this.”

“I would never do that. No thank you.”

“You have to let me photograph you today. Please. Before the wedding.”

“I… okay. But you better not show anyone.”

“I would never do that without consent.”

“I like your suit by the way,” I cleared my throat and slowly fixed Thélio’s collar, “we match.”

Thélio was wearing a beautiful navy blue suit, all of it tight, the jacket lower cut that I was used to and under that he had a simple white button up, his tie navy and covered with small swirls of gold.

“I made it,” Thélio smiled, leading me from the room, “I brought many suits, I always do. But when you mentioned yours was navy, I knew this was the best choice. I should match my assistant after all.”

“So what exactly am I doing?”

“Well,” he handed me a bag and I opened it to find a mix of all the snacks I had bought, “your main job will be caring for yourself. But basically, you will guide me. I can’t always see where I am going when I have my camera. I do not want to walk into anyone. In front is fine, I can see through the lens. It is behind if I am backing up. Keep your hand in between my shoulders. If I am close to bumping someone, tap me a few times and I will stop moving. For the ceremony, I am only photographing people walking down the aisle, the ring exchange and the first kiss. We will sit in the back in between these moments to stay out of the way. Then we will do staged photos of the family and things. You will help me fix clothes, hair, all of that to make it faster. After, I was told I don’t have to take many at the reception. They want me to have fun too. So I will take a few candid ones. But then we will be free to have fun.”

“I don’t dance.”

“Oh come on,” he laughed, pulling me out of the house, “one dance. Just one. With me.”

“What kind of dance?”

“Slow dance. Easy. Just place your hands on my shoulders and allow me to wrap mine around your waist. Then we sway and spin to the beat.”

“One dance. One.”

“I will get at least five out of you.”

“Absolutely not,” I grumbled, climbing into the passenger seat as Thélio loaded the trunk.

“Are you ready?” Thélio smiled, starting the SUV.

“As ready as I can be for social interaction.”

“Then off we go!”