Page 62 of Miles's Pact
Twenty-Three
Miles
"There's something I need to say to you two," Duckie declared as we were sitting down to have lunch the next day, and I turned to him, letting him have my undivided attention since he sounded serious.
"What is it?" Mateo asked as he stuck a piece of carrot into his mouth, apparently not as perturbed.
Duckie bit his lower lip as he glanced between us, his dark eyes unsure and full of hesitation. I wasn't sure what could be making him feel this way. Yesterday had been amazing, and we'd woken all tangled up today. As far as I knew, everything had been going great, but I'd must've missed something.
"You might want to say it before Miles gives himself a heart attack." Mateo regarded me, a teasing look in his eyes, but I was too wired to snap back at him.
Duckie shot me a worried look, and I tried to reassure him with a smile but didn't think I succeeded.
"It's nothing bad," he hurried to say, his eyes flashing from me to Mateo. Then he blew out a breath and reached across the dining table—for once, we'd decided to eat at the table—to take Mateo's hand in his before grabbing mine with his other hand. "I know it hasn't been that long, but I wanted to tell you two that I... I love you. Both of you mean the world to me, and I'm so happy Fate paired me with you. It's the best thing that ever happened to me."
I swallowed hard as Duckie spoke, in awe of him once more. Here I'd been struggling with the momentum of my developing feelings for him, and there he was, confessing how he felt without a lick of fear. He might've spent the earlier years of his life in fear, but he was quickly becoming the bravest person I knew.
"Damn, Duckie. Way to make me cry," Mateo grumbled, clearing his throat. His brown eyes were a touch too bright, and my heart squeezed for my twin. Mateo rarely got emotional, but if anything should bring you to tears, it was hearing your mate tell you he loved you. "I love you too, okay?"
Duckie chuckled, then nodded, releasing Mateo's hand so he could wipe his eyes before taking hold of it again.
I leaned into his side, pulling his attention to me, and dipped my head in a nod. "I love you too. More than I ever thought I could love someone other than Mateo."
Duckie smiled brightly, then pressed his lips to mine, giving me a soft, gentle kiss that sank all the way into my heart before cozying up there, filling me with warmth and more love than I knew what to do with.
"Okay, enough mushiness for today. Time to eat," Mateo announced, and Duckie pulled back, giving my hand a squeeze before letting go so he could eat.
We were quiet as we ate, all of us absorbing the enormity of the moment that had passed.
In my short life, I hadn't told many people that I loved them. Actually, Mateo might be the only one I'd ever said the actual words to. I knew my dads and Micah knew I loved them. I did my best to show them that, but I'd never been able to bring myself to say the actual words. Maybe it was because I wasn't used to it, or because for the longest time, I hadn't had anyone except Mateotolove.
But saying the words to Duckie had made something unclench inside me, and I had a sudden urge to tell my parents I loved them. The next time I saw them, I'd say the words, and I'd tell them exactly how grateful I was they'd chosen to be our dads.
After lunch, the three of us dragged the couch cushions onto the floor, then curled up together and spent the afternoon watchingBuffy. It was cozy, soft, and so damned good. Duckie and I snuck kisses every once in a while, with Mateo playfully teasing us when he caught sight of it. Snowball joined us at some point, spreading his body lengthwise across ours and quickly falling into a doze.
The sound of the TV and Duckie’s and Mateo's murmured voices slowly lulled me to sleep, and I drifted off before long, warm, content, and utterly safe with the two men I loved more than anyone in the world.
The buzzing of my phone pulled me out of my sleep, and Duckie mumbled sleepily beside me as I stretched to grab my phone off the coffee table.
The Mistvale group chat was blowing up, and I could hear Mateo's phone buzzing away somewhere near him, though he was dead asleep.
Noel: Party at the packland tomorrow noon! Raiden has an announcement to make, so if you can, make sure to drop by!
Raphael: An announcement? What about?
Papa: Are the babies okay?
Noel: Yes, yes. I don't know what the announcement is, but Raiden promised it's nothing bad.
I knew exactly what the announcement was, but I refrained from chiming in since Raiden wanted to tell everyone at once.
Noel: That's not the only reason for the gathering, though. We're also welcoming Mateo and Miles's mate, Duckie, and his mom, into the pack, as well as the Hawthorne babies.
Dean: Mateo and Miles found their mate? Man, I've been way out of the loop.
Penny: If you'd answered my video call last week, I would've told you.
Dean: I called you back like TEN MINUTES later
