“You did what?” Ben asked staring at Cal.
“I gave up my stone,” he said again. He picked up his cup, sipping the coffee before making a face. “Bitter.”
“You’re always bad at making your own coffee,” Ben said tsking softly and taking the cup from him.
Katheryn smiled, “He’d be lost without you.”
The three of them were sitting at a small table at a local café. It was positioned near the window and the snow outside hadn’t stopped. Even now it was trickling down, flurries of fat snowflakes on the people bustling back and forth. The city never slowed down even after the fighting last week.
“So from the beginning. Tell me what happened. Why did you give up your stone? I didn’t think that was possible.”
Cal shrugged, “I didn’t either. At first at least.”
Before he could keep going a waitress came over to them and the three of them realized that they hadn’t even discussed the reason for them meeting together, getting breakfast. But they all just decided to default back to their old staples. Omelets with pepper, sausage, tomato and chorizo with sides of toast. Meanwhile Kathryn was having two eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
She took their menus and refilled their coffee then took their orders back to the kitchen. Before Cal could even attempt to mess with it Ben was already adding to the coffee, mixing the cream and sugar properly. Cal just watched him the entire time, not seeing the coffee preparation but instead staring at his husband.
“Don’t just watch me Cal. Keep talking.”
“Right. Sorry I got distracted.”
“Mmhm. I noticed,” Ben smiled and reached over squeezing his hand lightly.
Cal conceded squeezing back and thought, “It was a few days after Jack took down Hawk. I know me and you had had the fight before and it was still bothering me despite us making up. I didn’t want to risk some crazy other thing happening in the future but at the same time I didn’t want to screw them in case they needed a full team.
“So, I asked Ley if we could replace me on the team. If someone could take my spot so they could be ready. And they said it was possible if I could find a suitable replacement. Though leaving it up to Ley would take way too long.”
“Turns out powerful ageless aliens aren’t exactly timely creatures,” Kathryn shrugged. “Who would have thought right?”
“I wouldn’t,” Cal laughed. “But anyway, we know someone who is looking for a second chance. So hopefully they’re going to accept the offer.”
Ben stared at him, “You’re giving this up because of me.”
“Not just because of you Ben. Because I’d rather live my life with you, no complications. I just want a happy life with my husband. And I don’t want that getting cut short because I was fighting against some giant alien acid jelly monster in the sky. I just want to be a spoiled house husband.”
Just saying all of that made Ben laugh. He covered his mouth as the laughter settled. “I never wanted to ask that of you. I knew you were doing something important despite how scared I was.”
“Well I have Kat to thank,” Cal glanced over at her and she looked away suddenly on the spot. “Don’t be shy now.”
“I didn’t do anything outside of walk you through the steps. You’re the one who figured out giving it up was what you really wanted.”
“Come on Kat. If I didn’t have you to talk to I would’ve just brooded and probably started another fight.”
“I don’t think you would have been that stubborn,” Ben said and sipped on his coffee again. “Dumb maybe. But stubborn no.”
Cal scratched his head lightly, “Can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not.”
“It’s a statement, knowing my husband.” Ben replied and squeezed his hand again. “So what now?”
“What do you mean?” Cal asked.
“You’ve given up your stone. You have your job at the planetarium still and live with me. Do you not dream of that other place anymore? Or if there is danger you won’t go running off anymore?”
Cal shook his head, “That’s going to be Kat and the team’s problem from now on.”
Ben nodded and finally asked, “Are you going to miss it?”
Looking down he was saved from having to answer the question as the waitress came back with the platter carrying all three of their meals. Setting them down one by one and rotating them around the table she topped off their coffee again and then they broke into setting up and seasoning their food.
Cal cut off a piece and ate a bite before finally nodding, “I think I will. Being a part of the team like that. We had a wild ride doing things.”
“That we did,” Kathryn said softly. “Way more than we would have gotten into just going to school. Working. Just being regular boring people instead of you know. Super heroes right.”
”Exactly! Plus I had a kick ass sword.”
“I swear that’s all he talks about,” Ben said sighing.
Kathryn leaned over to her and shook her head, “I don’t want to know but is he compensating for something?”
Ben sputtered covering his mouth and laughed while Cal glared at her his face burning bright red. Kathryn just grinned at the two of them leaning into the jokes at her best friends expanse.
The Harlequin Library 