Luc and Cal sat at a table, laughing with Savvie and Sven. The second the succubus saw Nos, she hurried over and pulled him into a real, heartfelt hug. This wasn't like the quick group hug from before they left the mansion. This one was warm, lingering, and genuine. Nos couldn't remember his mother ever hugging him as a child, so Savvie's embrace awakened a longing he hadn't known he carried: a need for maternal affection.

​"My warmest welcome. We didn't expect to see you again so soon," she greeted, gently wiping away the tears Nos didn't realize had fallen down his face before hugging Zuma, as well.

Sven walked over to do the same. "I missed you two, and it hasn't even been that long since I left the mansion."

​"We missed you, too," Nos said, clutching him tightly.

​When they pulled away, Nos noticed that Sven wore a dark blue chef’s jacket with copper accents. His clothing complemented the brown of his eyes, and the material was of higher quality than anything Nos's mother had Sven wear. The fit was so precise that it complemented his body shape.

​Nos was about to say something about it when, to his surprise, Sven turned and hugged Zuma as well.

​Nos hadn't thought to pay attention to what everyone else was wearing until he saw Sven up close. His orange eyes raked over Savvie and Cal's attire, and he realized that what they wore also brought out their best physical features.

​Savvie wore a short black dress with only one shoulder strap that followed her body shape.

​Cal wore an oversized dark grey V-neck shirt. His black capri pants had looping belts that supported his tail while hugging his backside tightly enough that Nos was worried about embarrassing himself by staring for too long.

​"Caliber, let me know what you decide by the end of the week," Zuma instructed, snapping Nos out of his staring and causing the dhampir to blush. "If you both decide to raise children, I'll help move you to an even bigger place."

​Cal nodded. "Thank you."

​"You deserve to be happy," Zuma added with a smile. "Let me know if you have a better idea of what that looks like for you in seven days."

​Nos bit his tongue. He knew the real weight behind that seven-day deadline, and the worry gnawed at him. How was he supposed to convince Cal in time? He had to fix Orion’s mess, actually earn Cal’s trust, and somehow bed him in just a week.

​Yet, Zuma was already trying to get them to adopt kids? He already felt he was trying to run before walking when it came to their relationship. Adopting children was a big next step that hadn't even crossed his mind.

​"I will," Cal told Zuma.

​Zuma walked over to Luc. "May I meet with you in my office in three hours to talk?" He asked as he ran his knuckles along the base of Luc's wings. They flapped once in reflex, and Luc flushed.

​Nos had never seen his dad so flustered. Was touching an incubus's wings an intimate thing? He didn't remember hearing anything about that in his classes.

​Luc then glanced at Nos.

​When their eyes met, Nos struggled not to let any of his concerns show on his face. Getting closer to Cal was his personal desire, and he appreciated all the help he could get in that regard. But that didn't mean that he wanted to get in the way of his dad's happiness. He gave the older incubus a firm nod, mouthing the words "I'll be fine."

​"No, Zuma," Luc declared aloud. "I would prefer to go with you now. Allow me to be your shadow. Would my presence be too much of an inconvenience while you work?"

​"It would only motivate me to finish my tasks faster," Zuma admitted with an even wider smile.

​"Then, pardon the intrusion," Luc decided as he stood up and took hold of one of Zuma's hands.

​Sven let out a low whistle when the two of them left the cafeteria.

​"I don't think we're going to see much of either of them for the next few days," Sven commented. "Not that I'm not happy for 'em."

​Nos recalled sharing similar words with his dad when Sven and Savvie first met. He briefly wondered if his friendship with Blake would last as long as the bond Sven and Luc had. He really hadn't expected to see Sven and Savvie again until graduation.

​"How'd you guys know we were here, anyway?" Nos asked, taking Luc's spot at the table.

​"Luc sent me a message," Savvie explained. "I stopped by my boo's restaurant, and he took an early lunch break so we could meet you here."

​"Sven's restaurant? There's no way you already have your own restaurant," Nos prompted.

​"After showing off some of my skills, Savvie's uncle was more than willing to give me the reins," Sven boasted. "I had to talk him down to a transition period."

​"Where is it located?" Cal asked.

​"Two blocks behind us," Savvie provided.

​"That's on the path to my new place. Want to go check it out?" Cal suggested as he turned his attention toward Nos.

​"Yeah, if you don’t mind," Nos said with a grateful grin.

​"In that case, dinner is on me!" Sven responded.

​After seeing the chef's enthusiasm, Nos made sure not to mention he already had a small meal upon arriving. Besides, he was curious about the kind of food Sven made for an incubus-led restaurant. Was his potato mochi as popular in Helderlus?

​The four of them stood up, and Nos held a hand out towards Cal, a tentative smile on his face. Cal made a show of being indecisive, holding his chin with a tilt of his head for a long moment, before finally reaching over to thread their hands. His antics made Savvie snicker.

​She leaned over to whisper in Nos's ear. "At the bottom of patience one finds heaven."

​Nos would have to ask her what that meant some other time. He had a feeling it had to do with Cal's hesitance. However, the fact that they walked to the restaurant hand in hand gave Nos a tiny shred of hope.

​"Are the ingredients here all that different from back home?" Nos asked as they walked down one of the sidewalks that led to the restaurant. He felt a sudden squeeze of his hand from Cal, along with a tendril of fear curling around his marking.

What was Cal worried about?

​Nos tried to send some kind of reassurance to the cambion through their markings, which earned him the slightest tug on the corner of Cal's lips. He'd have to ask him for more detail soon.

​"Same ingredients, slightly different recipes," Sven replied. "I'm excited to try out so many new ideas."

​Savvie's tail reached down to her ankles, but didn't drag on the ground, so Nos was surprised to see it begin to sway. "I'm glad our recipes reignited your passion for cooking," she said.

Sven, who already had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, hugged her a little closer to him as they walked.

​Nos slowed down, allowing the established couple to move ahead of them for several paces, before leaning down to whisper in Cal's ear. "Hey, is everything okay? What was that feeling earlier?"

​Cal shook his head. "Don’t worry about it," he said. "It was just a weird reflex. Last time I was in your home plane, that Oscar jerk came outta nowhere and jumped me. I’m good now, really."

​Nos frowned, as it sounded like a traumatic trigger to him. Did Cal know that Zuma was currently holding Orion somewhere for questioning?

​As the two of them caught up with the couple ahead, he thought it would be easiest for Cal to remain in Helderlus. Both of Nos’s preferred parental figures were also settled with their partners there. So, he felt it was time to think about moving in with Cal in the near future instead of bringing Cal over to live with him.

​"And here we are," Sven declared as he opened the door for everyone to enter the restaurant.

​A sign with the words "The Markhor's Balls" jutted out over their heads as they walked in. Three rows of booths were nearly full inside, and Savvie grabbed a couple of menus before leading them to an empty one. She handed Cal and Nos one each.

​"What would you like?" Savvie prompted.

​"An avocado caprese salad and a glass of water with lemon would do me just fine," Cal ordered after a moment of perusing.

​Nos zeroed in on the special of the day and couldn’t help but smile. "I’ll have the special," he said. "Two potato mochi and a lime soda." His bloodlust was mostly under control these days, but just in case, he figured the lime soda’s acidity might help keep it that way.

​"Coming right up," Sven said as he took the two menus back. "Anything for you, love?"

​"A tall glass of peach mango iced tea," Savvie replied.

​Sven leaned down to give her a peck on the lips before disappearing into the kitchen. The instant they were alone, Savvie reached out to take hold of one of Nos and Cal's hands.

​"You precious things," Savvie said. "Don't fear anything. When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you."

​Nos's eyes widened. Did that mean she'd heard them back there? He didn't realize incubi had enhanced hearing, too.

​"Hmm, from the look on your sweet face, you thought our pointed ears were for decoration?" Savvie teased.

​"I honestly didn't know," Nos admitted. "I guess now I know how my dad Luc always managed to find me wherever I was hiding as a kid."

​"Only a couple who's coupled can keep a secret between them in public," Cal pointed out. "Right, Savvie?"

​"Yes," Savvie responded. "And here I thought that vampires knew more than humans about fated matches."

​Nos blushed. "My kind distributes almost all knowledge on a need-to-know basis," he admitted. "It's only after a fated match unites that we're told anything about it."

​"No offense," Cal stated. "But that's stupid as fuck."

​"Always keep that in mind, though, Cal," Savvie insisted. "Treat Nos like you would a human and tell him everything he doesn't know."

​"I'll do my best." Cal's tail brushed Nos's side as it swayed. "Nos, what do you call Sven and Savvie? What are they to you?"

​"Sven is practically my second dad, though I've never asked him if I could call him that," Nos explained. "Stars, why hasn't it ever occurred to me to ask him?"

​"I'm starting to see what you mean, Savvie," Cal snorted as he turned his attention to the succubus. "Would you prefer to be called Mom or Auntie?"

​"I personally like Auntie," Savvie replied. "But, I'll check with Sven so that we can choose together. For now, Savvie is just fine."

​To Nos's surprise, an incubus waiter sporting deep red kicks stopped by their table and distributed the food and drinks. The potato mochi was steaming, and just looking at it on his plate made tears brim in his eyes. He hadn't expected to have a taste of home while in an entirely different plane of existence.

​When Nos took a bite, however, the flavors that exploded in his mouth were new. "These are even better than the ones Sven used to make," he confessed. Automatically, he held a piece out on a fork towards Cal. "Want to try some?"

​A wicked smile formed on Cal's face as he took the offering and then gave the fork a rather lurid lick. "Mmm, it is good."

​Nos tugged at his collar, trying to let out some steam, cheeks as red as the waiter’s shoes. He accidentally locked eyes with a succubus in the next booth and gave her a friendly finger-wiggle wave before quickly looking away.

​However, the woman took it as an incentive to saunter over to them.

​"My, those round ears are adorable," the succubus commented as she reached out to trail her fingers over the edge of Nos's ears. He jerked away.

​"Stroking his ear without permission is so rude!" Savvie cried out at the same time as Cal clambered onto his seat with his knees to stare the stranger down.

​"Hey!" Cal hissed, his tail stiffening upward like a cat on high alert. "He's with me, and we're fucking closed."

​Nos felt a surge of joy hearing that, but he immediately tried to stamp it down. He didn't want to get his hopes up when it could have just been the heat of the moment. Now, if only he knew what exactly happened.

​"Oh? But our gazes were locked, and he waved me over," the woman insisted.

​"It wasn't on purpose," Nos stated as he glanced from Savvie to Cal. "It was just a friendly wave, not a beckoning one, I swear."

​Cal let out a loud sigh. "My match isn't from around here," he added, his attention still on the stranger. "He’s not familiar with our customs."

​A pout formed on the woman's lips. "My mistake, then," she said as she left the restaurant.

​"Show me what kind of wave you gave her," Cal prompted, his tail still stiff and on alert.

​Nos repeated his motion with his left hand, wiggling his fingers in greeting, and Savvie and Cal let out a small groan of despair. The dhampir couldn't be more confused.

​"We only do that when we want to beckon someone over that we're interested in knowing more intimately," Savvie explained.

​A distant memory came to the forefront of Nos's mind. He'd vaguely heard Professor Hemingway mention something about greetings and hand waves during one of his classes. But he'd stupidly tuned him out.

​"Sorry! I’ll be more careful from now on. And I’ll keep learning," Nos promised. "A-about other things too, I mean."

​"I sure hope so, Gorgeous," Cal stated, causing another blush to rise to Nos's cheeks. "'Cause you've got such a long way to go."