Page 17 of Miles's Pact
Six
Miles
The scent of cheese and tomato sauce hit me the moment I pushed open the door, and Mateo groaned in delight and made a beeline for the kitchen as April took off after him. I rubbed at my arm as I glanced back at Duckie, who seemed a little hesitant as he followed me inside.
Okay?I asked through our bond, and his head jerked up, his eyes meeting mine. I was getting better at reading his expressions, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious what he looked like in his human form. Was his hair brown like the feathers on his chest? Or blond like the feathers of his wings? Were his eyes the same midnight black as they were now?
Yeah, a little nervous, he admitted, and I smiled.
I understand. They'll adore you. I promise.
Duckie nodded, and I led him into the kitchen, since that was where everyone had gathered.
Our dads were behind the counter, wearing a matching set of 'Kiss the chef' aprons that Papa had bought on a whim ages ago.
The kitchen was warm, the aroma of spices, cheese, and tomatoes filling the air as Papa buzzed around from the stove to the oven to the sink and back again. Papa didn't eat, but he'd be damned if he didn't cook every day for his family.
On most days, that was just Dad, but today he had a full house, and he planned to take advantage of that. Dad's only job was to "stand there and look pretty," something I'd heard a lot growing up in this house. It got funnier—and sweeter—when you realized that Dad wasn't the conventionally pretty one out of the two of them.
Our dads were the epitome of “opposites attract,” inside and out. While Dad was a 6'6" mage with a bulky lumberjack frame, flaming red hair and beard, and yellow-orange eyes that reflected his fire magic, Papa was a 5'5" vampire with dimples, unique purple eyes, and a waif-like frame that appeared far more breakable than it was.
While Dad was a total softie who would let us get away with most things, Papa could be sweet and nurturingandstrict when he needed to be. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with, and the best parents we could've asked for.
"Hey, kiddo," Papa said as he whizzed around the corner to give me a hug, startling Duckie who jumped back with a squawk. Shit. Had I forgotten to mention Papa was a vampire?
Sorry! You okay?I asked through the bond the same moment Mateo did as Papa pulled back to give Duckie an apologetic look.
"Sorry, kiddo. I didn't mean to startle you. Mateo said your name is Duckie?"
Duckie blinked up at Papa, then nodded, and Papa beamed at him, then glanced back at Dad.
"Look at how cute he is, Cassian."
Dad smiled, then walked around the counter to greet Duckie himself. "Hello, Duckie. It's nice to meet you. I'm Cassian, and this is my mate, Gustave."
"Call me Gus. Or Papa works too," Papa said, and Duckie's surprise filled the bond, bringing a smile to my face.
Can you tell them I said it's nice to meet them?
"Duckie says, 'It's nice to meet you,'" Mateo translated as he hopped off the counter and went over to stir whatever Papa had been cooking.
"It's nice to meet you too. Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. In the meantime, you can ask us anything you want to know about these two," Papa said, making Mateo snort. "I also have pictures. Lots of them."
I groaned, realizing maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Duckie was in his duck form. I could only imagine what Papa would've dragged him into if they could communicate with each other.
I would love to see some pictures, Duckie said, his curiosity clear through the bond.
Mateo and I shared a glance, and I sighed as I told Papa what Duckie had said.
Emboldened, Papa started telling Duckie about the time Mateo and I had gotten lost trying to 'explore' the town, and how April had searched the whole town until she found us. It was a funny story now, but back then it'd been terrifying. I was still glad we'd done it though, because that day had cemented it in my mind that our dads loved us, and would never send us away, no matter how troublesome we were. It was when I'd started to think of this house as our home.
While they chatted with Mateo playing interpreter, I joined Dad behind the counter, helping him finish up dinner. Dad wasn't quite as talkative as Papa—he was the grump to hissunshine—but I'd never had to wonder if he loved us. Dad was never stingy with his love, and nobody could give hugs like him. It didn't matter how old we got, If either of us had a bad day, we knew we could come over and ask Dad for a hug, and he'd make it all go away. Growing up, he'd pushed away many panic attacks of mine with his hugs.
Once the food was ready, Mateo and I set the table while the dads brought the food over, and Duckie took the chair between Mat and me as we sat down to eat.
I served a plate for Duckie, then one for myself, and when I glanced up, I found Dad and Papa watching me with mirroring smiles.
"What?" I asked as my cheeks heated up, and Dad shook his head.
