Page 52 of Moonlight Hearts

It was a shame he’d never invited anyone to taste his food.While we’d been waiting for everything to cook, we’d had bread.He’d mixed some fancy olive oil with miso to dip the bread in, and while I’d never had that, it was absolutely delicious.

Now, I was inhaling Soyer’s eggplant and noodle dish, which was no less delicious.

“You’re making too big a deal of this, my heart.I’ve never wanted to celebrate false colonizer history with seasonal food.”

I made a face at him.“Well, yeah, that sucks.But it’s really about spending time with friends and family, maybe arguing, maybe watching the football game if that’s your thing.”

“It’s not my thing.”

I shrugged.“Just speaking generally.”

“Uh-huh.”

He was eyeing me with what was probably an enormous dose of skepticism, and not just about sports.

“It’ll be fun.”Reluctantly, I let go of my fork to take his hand and squeeze it.“I promise it’ll be fun.You know, I can help you cook if it’s too much work.”

He raised his left eyebrow.“No.”

I smiled at him.“You’ll cook, then?”

He sighed and braided his fingers through mine.“Of course.Do not rely on me for pleasant conversation or the like though.I’ll leave you in charge of that.”

“It’ll be so much fun!I hope Dwayne and Laura can make it.You don’t mind Laura, do you?”

“I will not be serving fries and ketchup.”

“That’s not the only thing kids eat.As far as I’m aware.”

“You take care of that, too.Hmm.I’m not sure I have enough plates and things.You know what?We’ll go shopping together.”

“Okay.”

He unwound his fingers from mine.“That’s settled, then.Now eat your food.You’re hungry.”

I picked my fork back up and ate another mouthful of the pasta.“This is really delicious.You’re a great cook.And a great baker.I don’t know that I say it enough, but it’s true.”

Soyer huffed, but his eyes were bright, as if the compliment had pleased him.“You’re buttering me up, Amory.Don’t think I don’t see right through you.You’re only getting away with this because you’re very cute and I like you.”

“Me too.I like you too.”

Soyer and I spent the evening talking about this and that, about desserts and ice cream flavors, and then we went to bed and watched a horror movie.I fell asleep partway through, but it didn’t matter.Soyer was there, that was all that mattered.

I dreamed of the phoenix, the one that lived on Soyer’s skin, the one whose shape it was near impossible to see and understand as a whole, given how the feathers wound around Soyer’s limbs, how the bird stretched powerful wings in airless flight.I dreamed the phoenix bird was calling for me.How I knew that it was calling forme, I wasn’t sure, but it was a certainty in my heart.

I woke with Soyer’s arm around me, his leg slung over mine.The day felt younger than it normally did, probably because my sleep schedule had shifted the previous day, and I decided to enjoy that, enjoy this lazy morning with Soyer right there next to me.

“Hmm,” he said.“Someone’s up early.”

I stretched, then hugged him.“Were you awake?Did I wake you?”

“Worrier.I like watching you sleep.I’m a creep like that.”

I tightened my hold on him.“There you go again, trying to make yourself sound scary.”

“And here you go again, defending my honor.Amory, you are chivalrous.All you need is a pretty white horse, maybe some clunky armor, and you’ll be an actual knight.”

“Can’t ride.”