Page 56 of Star Bright
“It is a Flamewalker crystal,” he said. “Perhaps all that remains of my clan. Or with the power of compounding interest, maybe it represents much more. I’m not yet sure which, but I want you to have it, regardless.”
“Either way the wind blows,” she murmured, “I’ll be there with you.”
“The crystal was meant as a promise to the bride I didn’t yet know, but having met you…” He tugged at one of the straps until she pulled the whole tangle into her lap.
“Is it a metaphor for my life?” She laughed as she smoothed out the twists. “Oh, a safety harness, like the climbing wall.”
“So you can fly with me anytime you like and never risk falling.”
She reached out to take his hand, tangling their fingers as if she hadn’t just laid the harness straight. “Some risks are worth it.” Then she gave him a gentle nudge. “Now do yours?”
Vash clutched the beribboned package. “What is it?”
“You have to open it to find out,” Atsu explained in a tone of exaggerated patience.
“It’s just a little something,” Darcy said hastily. “I mean, I had no idea I’d be meeting anyone, especially not someone like you. But that strange little emporium had these in the front window,and even though they were too big for me, I had to have them. It was meant to be, I guess.”
He ripped into the paper with fledgling enthusiasm. “Fuzzy socks! Depicting odd little creatures I can’t identify wearing Santa hats.”
Yadira leaned closer. “Those are a yeti, a lake monster, and a gray alien. I’ve read some Earther stories about how they aren’t real.”
“I love them and will wear them always,” Vash pledged.
“Well, maybe not always.” Darcy gave him a slow, meaningful blink that nearly set the socks on fire.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” Atsu declared.
“It’s the only Christmas you’ve ever had,” Yadira pointed out.
“And I can’t wait to try Halloween. I’m going to be an Earther cowboy.”
Brin popped her head into the lobby. “Hey, who wants breakfast?”
Later, Vash accompanied Sol and his crew to recover the downed ship. The outpost guardian waved off Vash’s attempted discussion of a repayment plan.
“You might’ve noticed the Big Sky IDA does things a little different.” Sol grinned at him. “On our return trip here, I did some research on your situation. The ship was written off as a loss a long time ago, so we’ll claim salvage rights which will cover room and board, plus a bit.”
“Much appreciated.”
“But you’re on your own for telling Brin that you are claiming her friend. My mate was hoping to hire her.”
Vash suspected the other male was only semi joking. “What’s it like, having an Earther as your mate?”
“My crew hired on as a protection detail for the outpost, so I was never a patron and certainly didn’t date the whole planet. But I would never have expected to find a match across theuniverse. How could we be right for each other from so far away, with such differences between us?” He gave a very Earther shrug. “But my mate is the one who likes to think about how things might become true. I just know she is mine, and I am hers.”
Vash’s beast rumbled in agreement.I am hers.
Hauling the wreckage back to the outpost was more difficult because of the deep snow, and Vash wished he could just fly back but he wanted to conserve his strength…for later.
A Christmas feast was waiting for them in the bright lobby with everyone in attendance. There was singing and dancing, and a snowball fight which was even more epic with more snowballs. Yadira did a victory flight with roman candles clenched in her claws, and everyone cheered.
Vash agreed it was the best Christmas ever.
But he was glad when it was finally time for bed. He ushered the fledglings to their respective rooms and first tucked in Atsu.
“What will happen tomorrow?” the little one wanted to know.
“I will love you then,” Vash said.
