Silver and Gold - 17. Chapter 17 - Epilogue

Feldspar’s mouth watered as he inhaled the heavenly scent of Silver’s homemade cinnamon rolls. He’d been looking forward to them for months. Living out of hotels had seriously limited the amount of homemade meals Silver had been able to make.

He glanced at the clock. Just a few more minutes and they’d be ready to come out of the oven, which meant he needed to finish prepping the frittata to go in the oven. Moving on autopilot he stirred the onions, peppers and mushrooms in the cast iron pan on the stove. Silver leaned against his back and rested his chin on Feldspar’s shoulder, watching him cook.

“The eggs and cheese are ready when you’re ready for them,” he said. He slid a cup of coffee onto the counter next to Feldspar. “I made you an espresso with the AeroPress. The coffee maker they have here is one of those ones with the little cups and they only had lattes.”

“Thanks, love. Those things taste so weird.”

Silver nodded against him, his chin digging into Feldspar’s shoulder with the movement. Feldspar took a sip of the piping hot espresso and closed his eyes, savoring the moment. Delicious caffeine. Delicious faery. Delicious food on the way. This was much better than another morning in another unremarkable hotel. It felt good to finally be in someone’s home, if not their own home.

Years before on their way back to the Wood from Paris, he never could have imagined how life would turn out. Mal had let him and Silver into his plans for bringing the Wood out of isolation. He and Daniella had hoped to broker an alliance with the human government, one that would ensure their people were protected when their presence was made known. Feldspar, Silver, and Gneiss had all agreed it was time to step out of the shadows, but how to do it without loss of faery life had had them stumped.

As soon as Mal had brought them home from Paris they’d convened a strategy meeting. Gneiss had been detailing the fae alliances she could broker — some less savory than others — to ensure their military advantage against the humans, when Silver had asked a simple but profound question. Why did they all assume they had to go to war?

He had shared the way the European fae had leveraged culture and trade to ward off wars with the humans for centuries, and Feldspar gave his observations of how they continued wielding immense soft power in the modern era. Feldspar’s suggestion of installing influential, charismatic faeries in American pop culture had become essential to the overall plan. He’d never expected Mal to choose him and Silver as the main faces of the charm offensive. The Lord had insisted that they were the only faeries he trusted completely in such an endeavor. He could trust Gneiss to make military strategies and alliances. He could trust Dani to broker deals with the human government. Feldspar and Silver alone, he said, could be trusted to inspire genuine love for fae folk among the humans.

It had been years now, and what had once seemed like a quixotic effort to build goodwill had become into their life. Yago, Liam, and Arnau were well-connected enough to make a few early introductions, as did the rulers of the European faeries. Before long Feldspar and Silver had charmed their way into a Met Gala invitation, and from there had become entertainment darlings known for their advocacy for fae rights in America.

They’d spent the last eight months traveling between media interviews, awards shows, reality TV sets, and televised humanitarian missions. Eight months of rubbing elbows with the biggest actors, singers, and artists. Eight months without a single one of Silver’s meals. Eight months of sleeping on unfamiliar beds in unfamiliar cities, never quite adjusting to the correct time zone. It had been exhilarating and challenging and wonderful, but Feldspar was also exhausted and ready to take a pause.

He glanced up from his skillet as Silver peeked at the cinnamon rolls in the oven. Feldspar could see why humans would idolize Silver. Of course they did. He’d slipped out of bed at 4 a.m. to start the dough and had been nothing by sweet about it despite having to nurse his coffee like it was the antidote to poison he’d taken a double dose of. How could the humans not love him?

It was still a surprise to Feldspar that the humans also idolized him, and doubly so adored them together. They were at the point now of having to routinely turn down invitations and projects, and still were so busy they barely ever went home or saw their friends. It wasn’t for nothing. Their popularity was measurably changing America’s views on the fae. It was possible that within a few years it would be safe enough for the Wood to make its presence public, and for Daniella to secure treaties to protect their interests with reasonable chance of being honored. Someday they might even live to see laws written into the constitution to place fae and humans on equal footing. How strange to think that just by becoming approachable, well-loved public figures, he and Silver were setting the groundwork for such a different future.

“Come here,” Feldspar said, sliding his pan off the heat to wait its turn to go into the oven. Silver nestled into his arms, all sleepy softness. “You didn’t have to wake up so early to bake. You’re exhausted. If anything you should be sleeping in to get over jet lag.”

Silver snorted. “How many hints do you think you dropped over the last week about cinnamon rolls?”

Feldspar laughed and squeezed him closer. “Still… You could have made them tomorrow.”

“Uh no… babe. Christmas is this morning. I had to make them today.”

Feldspar sighed through his nose. “That’s a human holiday and we’re on vacation. You know I don’t care if we have them today.”

Silver drew back and kissed his cheek. “I know you don’t care, but I do. I’ve been saving Christmas recipes since August even though I didn’t think I’d have a kitchen to use. Besides, Steve and Linda will appreciate it, and Dani loves them too.”

“As long as it makes you happy. Just promise me we can take a nap this afternoon.”

Silver yawned extravagantly and nodded. “For sure. I just want to catch up with everyone first.”

“Me too.” Feldspar had fallen asleep immediately when they’d gotten in from their flight the night before, a sleep so deep that hours felt like mere minutes when it was time to get up. Their grueling schedule was only part of the reason for his sleep deprivation. The other was that he’d slept poorly the night before their flight, too excited about seeing their friends again to settle down.

Months before Mal had reached out to see if they could spare a few days around Christmas so everyone could get together. Apparently Daniella’s parents had badgered her into inviting her faery friends to Christmas, and to their mutual surprise, Mal, Daniella, Gneiss, Nephrite, Silver and Feldspar’s schedules all allowed for a five-day visit at her parents’ home around Christmas.

Daniella was both pleased and mortified at the way her parents — especially her mother Linda — had practically adopted her faery friends. When her mother learned that faeries didn’t have parents, she’d taken it on as her personal mission to make up for the lack of maternal nurturing in their lives, regardless of how unreceptive they were to her brand of love.

“I can’t wait to see everyone when they get up, but I’ve been kind of enjoying this time with you,” Feldspar said, pulling Silver closer to his body. “I’ve missed this, just being the two of us in our kitchen, cooking, eating, messing around.”

“It has been a while.”

“Too long. We should schedule time in the spring to go home for a while.”

“That sounds good. You’re right, this has been nice this morning.” He laid his head on Feldspar’s shoulder, lapsing into contented silence.

Feldspar slid a hand into his pocket and ran his fingers over the familiar shapes there. He wondered if this was the moment he’d been waiting for all these weeks. A perfect moment. A moment that would make Silver smile whenever he recalled it, for the rest of his life. The moment he deserved.

An alarm chirped and Silver turned away to pull a sheet of perfectly golden brown cinnamon rolls from the oven. Feldspar sighed and pulled his empty hand out of his pocket. The moment was gone. The tempting aroma wafted throughout the house and within minutes they could hear the rest of the inhabitants stirring.

“Gimme, gimme, gimme,” sang out Daniella’s voice from the hallway.

“And just like that, our alone time is over,” Feldspar said, earning a chuckle from Silver. Daniella waltzed into the kitchen wearing fuzzy onesie pajamas and a gigantic grin. Her gaze locked onto the cinnamon rolls cooling on the counter like a falcon sizing up its prey.

“Hands off!” Silver barked, nearly spitting a mouthful of coffee as he slid protectively in front of the cinnamon rolls. “They’re for Christmas morning breakfast.”

“It’s Christmas morning and I’m awake. Doesn’t that make it breakfast time?” She feinted left and dodged halfway around Silver, reaching toward the sheet of cinnamon rolls.

The faery yelped and threw his body in front of her. “Touch them and I’ll tell your parents the unspeakable things I heard Mal do to you through the wall last night!”

“God, Silver! You’re so gross!” Daniella cried, starting to laugh. She held her hands up in surrender. When Silver’s posture relaxed marginally she opened her arms wide and pulled him into a hug. “Missed you guys. I’m so glad you made it.” She turned to Feldspar and hugged him. “Sleep okay?”

Feldspar met Silver’s eyes over her shoulder, glittering with mirth. “I would have slept better if my neighbors had done fewer unspeakable things, and my lover done more.”

Silver’s mouth dropped open theatrically in mock offense and he threw his arms up in the air. “You needed your sleep, you maniac!” Then more quietly, “Besides, shouldn’t what happened in the taxi on the way here have taken the edge off?”

Daniella barked out a shocked laugh and slapped Feldspar on the chest before pointing an accusatory finger at Silver. “I’m already regretting inviting you two to stay for Christmas.”

“Technically Linda invited us,” Feldspar put in.

“Ugh,” she slapped him again on the chest. “Don’t remind me. You’re definitely my mother’s favorite child. Which is why you won’t embarrass her by divulging any so-called unspeakable things you may have overheard last night.”

Feldspar leaned to the side so he could make eye contact with Silver. He smirked, his grey eyes full of amusement. “Don’t be a cockblocker, Fel. I have a feeling we’ll be relying on their discretion soon.”

Daniella’s father shuffled in wearing threadbare flannel pajamas, and Silver’s mouth snapped shut as a mortified flush stole over his face. Daniella widened her eyes at him in both appeal and threat, and Feldspar bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“You kids are up early,” the man said, blinking obliviously at his daughter and her friends. Feldspar made him his coffee just how he liked it — one-to-three ratio of cream to coffee, two spoonfuls of sugar, served in his #1 Dad mug. He lifted the mug in thanks and took several long sips, browsing his phone sleepily.

“Those look great.” He gestured to the perfectly golden brown cinnamon rolls Silver was meticulously coating with cream cheese frosting. “You know, I’ve got a great recipe for monkey bread using cinnamon rolls, Silver.”

“Oh really?”

“Oh you betcha. Super easy. You take two cans of those dough boy cinnamon rolls —“

“Cans?” Silver cut a glance to Feldspar, who bit his lip against laughing at his indignation. This was not the first time Daniella’s father had offered up recipe suggestions, and it never failed to disappoint.

“Yup. You take two cans and you open them up, and you just take the kitchen scissors and cut them up and put them in a casserole. If you want to make it really good, you add a stick of butter. It’s easy peasy and so good. You’ll have to try it.”

Silver gave him a tight-lipped smile, which morphed into a genuine smile when Dani caught his eye over her dad’s shoulder. She grimaced in second-hand embarrassment and shook her head ruefully.

“Are the kids up checking their stockings?” a woman’s voice sang out from upstairs. Feldspar grinned as the owner of the voice entered the kitchen.

“Good morning Linda,” he sang, presenting his cheek for a kiss. While Daniella’s mother spoiled all her faery friends, Feldspar was the only one who thrived on her coddling. He’d been looking forward to being doted on almost as much as he’d been looking forward to seeing his friends again.

She kissed his cheek and gave him two pats on the back. “How did you sleep, Fel?”

“Best sleep I’ve had in weeks.”

“Oh pish posh, you’ve been put up in the Four Seasons everywhere you go, I’m sure.”

“No, truly. I slept like a rock. It was most comfortable. We’re so glad to be in your home again.”

“You know, I saw you on Regis and Kelly the other day.”

“Mom, don’t bug him about celebrity stuff. He’s here on vacation.”

“I don’t mind,” Feldspar said sweetly. Silver grinned at Daniella’s beleaguered expression.

“Suck up,” Daniella muttered under her breath in Feldspar’s direction.

“I heard that,” her mother said. “As I was saying, I saw you on Regis and Kelly.”

“It’s Ryan Seacrest now, mom.”

“As I was saying, on Ryan and Kelly,” she gave Daniella a pointed look. “And you two were so charming on the cooking segment. All the ladies in my garden club were jealous that you’re practically my son-in-law. Jody is even coming around on the topic of fae rights after hearing what you two had to say.”

Mal strode into the kitchen, his bearing regal despite the early hour. “Linda, Steve,” he said in greeting.

“Morning, darling,” Linda said. She patted Mal’s cheek but omitted the motherly kiss, which even she knew would be a bridge too far for the reserved faery lord. He stilled at the overly familiar gesture, his jaw clenching as he endured his mother-in-law’s affection. Daniella sidled over to his side and kissed his other cheek as she wrapped an arm soothingly around his waist.

“As I was saying,” Linda continued, turning back to Feldspar, “You’re practically my son-in-law and everyone has so many questions for you. Just tell me one thing. Are Ryan Seacrest’s teeth real?”

“His teeth? They looked real enough,” Silver cut in, with a chuckle. “His hair on the other hand…”

“No! Really? Oh well, that doesn’t matter, does it dear,” Linda said turning to her husband, who rubbed his own bald head with a cheerful shrug before turning back to the crossword on his phone. “What’s he like behind the cameras? Please don’t tell me he’s actually mean, because he seems like he’s just the sweetest, but I suppose you never can tell. Oh and tell me about meeting all those actors at the Emmys. Was that fun? You two were so cute on camera together, doing those red carpet interviews about charities and social justice.” Daniella shook her head in exasperation at her mother, but Feldspar just smiled. He didn’t mind answering all her questions, as long as he could sun himself in the warmth of her motherly love.

As soon as the frittata came out of the oven the family piled their plates with gooey cinnamon rolls, piping hot eggs, and fresh fruit before filing out to the living room.

Feldspar settled on the couch next to Mal and rested his head on his friend’s shoulder. Mal gave him a small, private smile. “I missed you. You’ve been gone so long.” He pulled Feldspar in for a hug, sighing in contentment. Feldspar squeezed his friend, as the place in his heart reserved for Mal warmed. Silver settled on the floor, resting his back on the couch between Feldspar’s knees, a soft smile playing on his face as he watched the reunion.

Feldspar couldn’t imagine a more perfect start to their vacation, surrounded by the people he cared for most in the world. He smiled as he watched his big, strange family exchange gifts. He and Silver had brought back spices and candies from around the globe. Steve and Linda gave out an assortment of handmade potholders and socks, with the exception of their gift to Mal. For him, Linda had special ordered a root stimulant concoction that her garden club swore by. It was both hilarious and endearing to see the woman try so hard and still hit so far off the mark — of course Mal loved cultivating plants, but she’d somehow failed to grasp that he did so both magically and organically. To his credit, the faery lord accepted the gift graciously and only his closest friends noticed the little twitch of discomfort in his eyebrow. What was sweeter was watching how whenever Mal felt uncomfortable, Daniella would console him with a peck on the cheek or a hand on his, and his posture would immediately relax.

Mal gave Feldspar the best stand mixer on the market, along with the surprise that he’d magically installed outlets in their tree’s kitchen so they could have as many kitchen gadgets as they wanted. For Silver he’d traveled to salt producers around the world and brought back an assortment of rare salts along with notes from locals on their hometown specialty dishes. For Gneiss, he had gotten an assortment of popular military strategy role-playing games. He gifted Nephrite a pair of well-used hunting knives and a plane ticket to Alaska, a gift that drew bafflement from everyone gathered except Nephrite. The aloof faery gave him a mysterious smile and an oddly formal handshake, but refused to fill the others in on why she might travel to Alaska alone, armed to the teeth.

After all the gifts had been opened and the cinnamon rolls were long gone Silver and Feldspar begged off to take a nap. As the last to arrive they’d been assigned Daniella’s childhood bedroom. It was cozy in a messy, human sort of way, still filled with science fair certificates, ticket stubs, Happy Meal toys and awkward high school dance photos.

Feldspar closed the door behind them and as he turned toward the bed he caught sight of Silver, perfectly framed by the window, the sunlight glinting off his silver tinged skin and hair outlining him in glowing light. He was pulling his dumb Pizza My Heart sweatshirt over his head, grumbling about over-stuffing himself.

“What?” Silver said, catching Feldspar’s stare as he threw the sweatshirt into his open suitcase.

Feldspar froze. This was the moment. It wasn’t the moment he had pictured, but he had never felt so full of love. It had been a perfect morning, and what had he been waiting for if not perfection?

“Do you want to get married?” his voice came out shockingly steady and casual.

“What?” Silver jerked back, searching his face with a frown. “Faeries don’t get married,” he said slowly.

“Silver, what percent of our time are we in the human realm these days?”

“A lot? Too much?”

“And what percent human would you say your personality is?”

Silver smiled, his cheeks starting to turn rosy. “You know I hate when faeries say that about me, but also, like, fair point. But just because I’m practically human doesn’t mean you have to ask me to marry you. You’re tattooed all over my body and that’s permanent enough.”

Feldspar pulled a pair of plain silver rings from his pocket and held them up for Silver to see, smiling at the stunned look on his lover’s face. “I bought these at that craft fair in Atlanta. I have been waiting for the right moment to ask. I can ask you again at the top of the Eiffel Tower or on a Venice canal or anywhere you please.”

“Are you serious?” Silver said, his hand floating up toward the rings unconsciously.

“About asking again?”

“About getting married.” He gave Feldspar a look both hopeful and exasperated.

“Of course I am. I know we don’t need to do it. Everyone in the Wood knows we belong to each other. I want everyone in the human realm to know, too. I want to introduce you as my husband, and have everyone understand immediately what we are to each other.”

“Babe, you don’t have to actually marry me to introduce me as your husband. I mean, you could just call me that since it’s the closest descriptor to what we already are. Because, like I said, faeries don’t get married.”

“If I did that, I’d miss out on the opportunity to see you looking like you do right now.”

“Like what?”

“Glowing with so much joy that you’re afraid of accepting it. Please say yes. It can mean whatever you want it to mean, but don’t say no because you’re afraid I’m not serious. I’m very serious. The most serious.”

Silver’s eyes glinted with tears and he gave Feldspar a tremulous smile. “Yes, of course the answer is yes. I love you, Feldspar, and I want everyone to know that in both realms.”

Feldspar slid one of the identical rings onto Silver’s finger. Silver plucked the second ring from his hand and mimicked his motions. “This is only temporary,” he said, just as Feldspar was leaning forward to kiss him.

“Is that so?” Feldspar’s eyebrow shot up and he studied the playful expression on Silver’s face.

“We’re changing our itinerary after this and I’m taking you to Paris so Arnau can put a proper ring on your finger, one that you’ll never be able to take off.”

“I like the sound of that. Any other plans you want to let me in on?”

“I want to wait until we can get married in America. I know it will be a while. Maybe years. I hope you don’t mind introducing me as your fiancé until then.”

Feldspar’s smile softened. “I would marry you tomorrow in Europe, but this is our home and you’re right. If we can’t be married here, it’s not the same. So I will be lamenting in every interview that I can’t marry you until fae equality laws are passed. Maybe it will speed things along.”

Silver grinned and pulled Feldspar flush against him. “Perfect,” he whispered, before pressing his lips against Feldspar’s. The kiss started off soft and sweet, a promise of their future and a balm against the sting of having to wait. It quickly transformed into a ravenous, all-consuming thing.

Feldspar pushed Silver back onto the twin-sized bed, flipping the pink lace coverlet roughly to the floor in the process. He stood over his lover, taking a moment to admire the slight flush across his chest as he panted for breath. He hooked two fingers into the waistband of Silver’s pajama pants and boxers, sliding both down. Silver fidgeted in anticipation, his wide gray eyes begging Feldspar not to make him wait.

He shucked off his clothes and crawled on top of Silver, stretching out so every inch of their bodies was touching. He fingered the new ring on Silver’s finger, filled with an almost overwhelming sense of awe. He never could have imagined how his life would turn out, and he was so grateful.

Feldspar took his time, letting the gasps and noises spilling from Silver guide him. He knew every one of Silver’s most sensitive spots, knew the exact balance of tongue and teeth that drove him wild. He had known all of that for years. It didn’t matter; every sigh, gasp and whimper of pleasure from his lover felt new.

By the time he’d reached Silver’s hard length, he had to clamp a hand over Silver’s mouth to hold in his moans. Silver thrust into Feldspar’s teasing kisses and licks, whining when Feldspar moved downward instead of sucking him. Feldspar wasn’t interested in getting Silver off so soon. There were so many more places he wanted to explore.

As Feldspar consumed Silver, the unfamiliar room faded away. All his senses were enveloped in the beautiful faery. His world shrank to the scent of his rosemary and spice skin, the sensation of sinking his tongue and fingers into his soft heat, the sounds of his moans of pleasure.

When Silver was nothing but a quivering mess Feldspar crawled up his body. He gazed into Silver’s unfocused eyes and kissed him softly, letting him catch his breath.

Feldspar slid into him at a glacial pace, savoring the way his eyelids fluttered with even the tiniest of thrusts. Feldspar threaded their hands together again, moving them above Silver’s head. The move exposed the underside of Silver’s arms, and Feldspar kissed the ticklish skin there, enjoying the way it made Silver’s skin pebble with goosebumps.

As Feldspar sank all the way into Silver he reveled in the abundance of indulging in Silver. They moved together in a familiar rhythm, kissing and holding, breathing and gasping, giving and taking.

“I love you, fiancé,” Feldspar whispered against Silver’s cheek. Silver writhed under him, pulling him deeper by hooking his legs around Feldspar’s.

“I love you too,” Silver choked out as he started to clench around Feldspar’s cock. Feldspar slid his hand down from Silver’s and wrapped it around Silver’s length. He adjusted the angle of his hips subtly and in seconds was rewarded by Silver’s shuddering, gasping orgasm.

Silver cried out his name in the throws of pleasure and that was all it took to push Feldspar over the edge with him. He clamped his teeth on the nape of Silver’s neck and pounded into Silver’s sated body, filling him seconds later.

After what could have been an eternity, Feldspar kissed Silver and gingerly rolled off him. Silver sighed and turned on his side to face Feldspar, drawing close. He entwined his hand with Feldspar’s and tucked their arms between them, their two ringed fingers mirror images of each other, then wrapped his other arm around Feldspar’s back to hold him close.

Feldspar rested his forehead against Silver’s, enjoying the warmth and safety of Silver’s touch. Soon they would have to leave this bed and this room. They would have to share their news with their friends, and come up with answers to endless questions about the when’s, the why’s, the where’s of a wedding. They’d have to create a PR plan to secure the right magazine and TV appearances and leverage their engagement for fae rights. There would be an endless parade of obligations and opportunities.

But now. Now was a soft bed and soft touches. Eyes meeting eyes, breath traded for breath. Now was warm sunshine spilling through the curtains, fingers tracing the shadows that overlaid tattoos. Familiar screams of laughter and aromas of spiced cider and baking bread filtering through the floorboards. Now they were in a house filled with love and there really was nothing, nothing in all the world, nothing in all their future or past, to be concerned about. Later would come, and they would forge their way through it, together.