27.2. We Can't Rely on Humans - Part 2

"Is this enough? We didn't go through everything," Emi sighs.

"Establishing our own embassy will take much more than one meeting," Liana shakes her head. "We have enough material for tomorrow at least."

"Can we actually visit the restaurant after what happened at lunch?" Erik is worried.

"We have to test out our new bodyguards and authority," Liana shrugs. "Besides, the place shouldn't be that crowded, it's quite late."

We step outside and our bodyguards and newly also four Celestials including Muriel join us. I'm a bit nervous being around Celestials I have to get used to first but their minds aren't as tiresome as human ones.

"That's way too many people for one elevator," Karl says and looks at our Celestial escort with badly hidden dislike. "We have to divide."

"Your Excellency," one of the Celestials points towards another elevator.

I end up riding with Muriel, one other Celestial and two human bodyguards while Karl goes with Liana and the rest. I bet Karl feels more comfortable around his employer than me which is only understandable.

Do I also get Celestial bodyguards when we're not working together? Erik asks, holding my hand firmly. I'm perfectly fine with just humans.

I want you better protected, I say truthfully. Now that these Celestials volunteered and I digested it, I think it isn't a such bad idea after all. Their telekinesis is handy.

You think the government might come after me if they can't get to you, he's saddened.

It... might come to that, I admit and shiver at the thought. I have to start taking things deadly serious from now on. I should have before but I was naïve. There's no coming back to the mundane life for me. There's no...

No way of you getting out of becoming the Celestial Emperor? Erik finishes for me.

I don't answer and hug him instead. I'd feel embarrassed doing it in front of my bodyguards just a few days ago but I'm afraid I have to get used to being surrounded by people all the time. I decide to make every moment count with Erik because who knows how much alone time we'll get in future.

I kiss him to get some teaser for later. It's a very light kiss but my mind still connects to his immediately. I have to make an effort to pull out because I get extremely aroused. Is it because we were separated for a few hours today? Just a month ago before all this I'd get hard but now it's my wings that react first. Thankfully, it's not that recognisable.

The elevator stops, we're here. And this time we get to the restaurant without any problems. It's still quite busy but much emptier than during lunch. And Draconians don't dare to bother which is a nice change. I still feel guilty about hurting Heidan but it seems I had to demonstrate that there's no trifling with me.

"I'll go sit with my pack, see you tomorrow," Emi says goodbye and joins other Clawfangs.

"I should probably do the same... to do some networking and shit," Fefnir shrugs and goes to several Dragonkin who are waving at him.

"Do you want to sit with your people as well, Ingri?" Liana asks kindly because Ingi seems torn between staying with us and eyeing a group of Earthborn.

"Can I?" she chews her lip. "Won't you need me? I'm your secretary."

"You're not at work now so go," Liana encourages her and Ingri happily runs off as well.

Since there's no commotion, I can finally explore the place. It's actually quite cosy here, not so corporate-looking at all. Sure, you have to go fetch your food yourself, it's basically a school dining hall style, but the decorations are nice, tables and chairs seem very comfortable and the staff is smiling.

I look at their offer and find out it's one of those buffet places where you grab a plate yourself, put however much you like and they weight it for you at the counter. I stretch towards the neatly arranged plates but I'm stopped by Miruel for some reason.

"Go sit, Your Majesty, we'll pick up for you," she says matter-of-factly. "Her Excellency as well."

"W-what?" I don't quite understand her intentions. "Why?"

"It's not dignified for our Emperor and Viceroy," she explains in a tone indicating it's obvious.

"No, thank you, I'm okay," I frown.

Don't be a child, Aefener, Liana brushes my wing to send me her thoughts and goes to sit.

Is she serious? How is me picking my own food even remotely childish? I look at Erik but he only shrugs, grabs my hand again and pulls me towards the tables.

B-but, Erik... it's absurd, I protest silently.

Don't ask me to judge Celestial behaviour, he sighs in his mind. I guess your people are concerned that the dining hall isn't posh enough for their Emperor and Viceroy so they want to make it more agreeable like that.

I want to at least pick our table somewhere a bit private but Liana assertively sits down to join a group Celestials so it would look rude if I didn't do the same.

"Your Majesty," the Celestials greet me enthusiastically with a bow. Seriously, a real bow?

Erik tries to act relaxed but I can feel his tension. He sits very closely to me, moving his chair ostentatiously. He feels suddenly unsure. I gently touch his mind to survey his point of view. And then I finally get it. Erik is the only human at the table, no wonder he feels uneasy. He's facing six Celestials he doesn't know and they're piercing him with their golden eyes.

"Enjoy your food, Your Majesty," Miruel puts a plate in front of me with a broad smile. Another Celestial serves Liana and Erik.

"Thanks," I mumble and stare at the mountain of spaghetti.

I can't possibly eat all of that! I nudge Erik in panic.

Do your best, hon, he laughs. You have to put on some weight, skinny.

I hesitantly dig in and I try to pay attention as well because Liana starts small talk with the Celestials around our table. I briefly got to know three of them back at Liana's mansion but the rest came recently straight to the skyscraper.

"It was a shock for my family but they were actually supportive," a Celestial woman with blue hair and grey wings says. "But I decided to come because I want to help."

I'm slowly gulping my spaghetti and I'm glad that not everyone was forced to come because their relatives threw them out. Erik seems to be enjoying his meatballs but he's still feeling tense so I stretch my right wing and hug his back.

He smiles at me, grateful. Only a second later I realise it's not because I was meaning to comfort him. He likes that I'm cuddly with him in public and especially in front of the Celestials. I resist rolling my eyes.

"You're so cutely lovey-dovey with the Royal Consort, Your Majesty," the Celestial woman is moved. "It's heart-warming to see that we can still be like that with humans."

"O-of course, we can," I say and stuff my mouth so that I don't have to talk for a while.

I'm grateful that Liana doesn't seem to have problems with casual small talk because it's definitely not my forte. But, surprisingly, I find the company of other Celestials comfortable. Sure, they're a bit too clingy and have a totally unrealistic opinion of me but otherwise I like their minds. They feel so... familiar.

Are they more comforting than me? Erik asks, a bit saddened.

Of course not, I answer quickly. And they aren't comforting. You're comforting. They're just familiar. I bet because they're my race.

I notice Erik has finished eating so I speed up chewing. We had no free time today so I have to make use of that remaining hour before we go to sleep. I'm still aroused from that kiss and I'm undressing my boyfriend in my imagination. Erik catches my intention and becomes excited as well. But he still insists I eat as much as possible.

"So... we're going to our apartment," I say when I finally conquer the spaghetti mountain.

"Okay, good night, boys," Liana waves at us and continues chatting with the Celestials.

I'm surprised that I actually managed to eat everything. I do feel over-stuffed but at the same time I somehow know that all those calories will be used overnight for my growing wings and it doesn't make me any less excited. If Julia is right about our growth-spur being connected to nutrition, I have a good motivation to start eating properly.

We get to our apartment and Erik sighs, relieved that we finally leave our escort behind the closed door.

"So do you want to try that telepathic analysis...?" Erik opens his mouth but he doesn't finish that sentence because I push him against the wall and start kissing him hungrily.

I was quite okay suppressing my desire when around people but now that we're FINALLY alone, I can't help myself. There's a saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder and it couldn't have been truer in my case. It turns out Erik was experiencing the same craving, he was just being polite with his question.

I know that I really should examine our telepathic connection but when I get the taste of Erik's mind, there's no going back. I really am a telepathic addict and it became even worse after my transformation. I don't feel comfortable among humans anymore but for some reason Erik's mind is fascinating beyond belief. He's a total opposite of me and it drives me crazy.

We somehow get into the bedroom and Erik uses the last shreds of sanity to carefully undress me so that my robe isn't damaged in the process. I don't feel like letting him dominate this time so I playfully push him on the bed and sit on him.

I lean down for a kiss and Erik hugs me around my back, his hands finding my wings. When his fingers start caressing my feathers, I moan and let out my mana. The room fills with breeze and we both get goosebumps. I dive into his mind and the world disappears.

*****

I wake up because my sleeping mind subconsciously catches that my boyfriend is in distress. I reluctantly open my eyes, yearning to sleep some more but Erik is indeed feeling anxious so I rub my eyes and with a long yawn slowly sit up.

"Are you okay?" I ask, confused and still not fully woken up. But I go for a morning kiss.

"I am okay," Erik catches my chin before I can land that kiss and turns my head. "But our room isn't."

I blink, not quite sure what I'm looking at. It looks like a bomb exploded in our condo. Our things are all over the place and the lamp is broken. It's as if a tornado stormed through.

"Except this tornado was you," Erik sighs.

"B-but... I didn't... not on purpose... it was just light breeze and then...," I can't find the words.

"I'm sorry, honey, but it seems the problem is even bigger than we have thought," Erik says slowly. "Your abilities are getting out of control."