Page 87 of The Gathering
Handy stopped completely.
Monfrere.
The term connected to every cell in him as if he’d always known it and had forgotten.
Handy’s eyes slowly opened while remnants of Bishop’s childhood echoed inside him. But what rooted him in place was the power. “This place,” he marveled as Bishop’s younger voice and laughter flowed through him in melodic waves. “And all thathave lived in it.” He turned and found Bishop’s dark gaze. “It ownsus,” he realized in awe.
They stared at one another for many seconds as Handy saw it. “You embedded yourgenerationsinto my architect.” He slowly walked up the steps, stopping next to him on the landing. “Why?” he asked, feeling like the answer was important.
Bishop stared at him, then his gaze settled on the air between them. He finally looked at him again. “It designs what needs to be designed.”
Handy held his gaze. “Why would it think I needed this design?”
The question hung for many seconds as Bishop thought about it. His brows rose a little. “I think the design wasn’t just for you.”
It was an angle Handy hadn’t considered. “Why wouldyouneed me to have your genetics?”
His eyes lowered this time with drawn brows. “Something inside me…” his gaze rose to his, “…says we needed each other.”
Surprise lit Handy up as smiling became the matched reaction to his answer. Not just his answer, but that he meant it. And that it was true.Somethinginside him… said they needed each other. “Kind of like…realbrothers,” Handy said, his grin getting bigger.
Bishop’s smile crept up too as they eyed each other. Then a curious look came over him as he opened his arms. “I think we’re supposed to hug at this junction.”
The odd suggestion made Handy chuckle. He’d been hugged by Kult and his other brothers while in Kaphas’ body. What would a hug be like from him? The Quantum Architect of his official vessel?
“Come on,” Bishop urged with a chuckle. “Bring it in. This is like a partnership, you gotta meet me in the middle, oui?”
Fuck, was that fear in his system?
Handy regarded his open embrace, his entire being begging to jump into whatever this was.
Hughim.
Bishop leaned in, turning up the magnet in his pores. Handy collided into him, their chests meshing tight.
The connection happened in phenomenal layers. First the surface. Life greeting life. Then the feeling, smelling, hearing, tasting. Then finally, the meshing. Two pieces breaking open and recognizing the other.
A tight pressure inside Handy slowly released and let go. Replaced with a knowing. Anchored in belonging.
“Welcome to the family, brother,” Bishop murmured at his ear.
The quiet words burned themselves across his mind and synthetic heart. They lit up his cells with ownership and endowed his blood and bones with legacy.
When Bishop released him, he took half the breath in Handy’s lungs.
“You good?” Bishop asked, covering his shoulder with a hand and squeezing.
“I’m good,” Handy breathed, nodding. “I’m very good,” he said, laughter coming as he looked at Bishop. “Felt like the universe just gave my DNA an autograph.”
Bishop’s big laugh hit him with a joy that brought his own.
The door behind them jerked open. “What on earth is going on?” his wife whispered loudly. “I’ve been waiting for you to knock!” She looked around him at Handy, smiling with a little wave. “Hi Handy. How’s Poppy?”
He waved and grinned back. “She’s a perfect, beautiful angel. And she’s my wife,” he said, feeling like he didn’t always lack socializing skills.
“I need to call her and get her over here for the soap making classes.” She looked at Bishop. “I hope that’s okay that we set that up? We just figured it’s a good idea to focus on something useful, and I had Bart and Zep rearrange the furniture,” she said, looking behind her, then opening the door to show him. “I put our bedroom at the back and had living room furniture brought in. Since you said you wanted us staying here.”
Handy watched Bishop step right into her and silence her with a kiss. Perfect move. “Anything you want to do here is yours to do. Soap making classes is genius and angelic.”
