Copyrighted Kristen Banet All rights reserved.
Reupload from original Facebook post
Same warning as always. First draft. Has errors and shit. Also, spoilers if you haven’t read the books or possible character spoilers.
Zander dropped his bags on his bed, a feeling of relief to be home flooding him. His things on his bed in his room in their house. Everything was back the way it should be. No more jungle, no more rain, no more whatever the hell they had gone out and dealt with. Druids and shit.
Fuck.
At least they were home. At least the WMC would leave them alone for a little while.
He fell face first onto the bed and promptly passed out.
When he woke up, he could see it was dark.
“Fuck me. There goes my sleep schedule,” he mumbled, pushing himself up. “I didn’t even make it through unpacking.”
He rubbed his eyes. The worst part is that he only woke up to go to the bathroom. He was still fucking tired.
He changed out of the work clothes he’d slept in and into more comfortable sweats. He didn’t bother with a shirt.
He did his business but didn’t make it back to his room.
He had an urge. He wanted to see her again. After losing her out there, part of him was still having a hard time thinking that she was home with them too. He climbed the stairs. He would see her, tell her he loved her and go. Or cuddle. He wasn’t up for much else, but having that contact would make him feel better certainly.
He didn’t realize just how tired he was. He walked into her room, his eyes barely open.
“Zander?”
That wasn’t what he’d been expecting.
That was a man’s voice.
He stopped short of the bed and blinked several times.
“Quinn?” he answered, looking at the man on the bed he’d been about to crawl into. Next to him was a shocked Sawyer. Not a bad shock, he hoped. “Fuck. I’m sorry. Uh…”
He was at a bit of a loss for words. Where did he go from here? There was almost never anyone else in her room. This had never happened before.
“Zander, are you okay?” she asked, leaving the bed on the other side. He didn’t move as she walked to him. “You’ve been asleep all day. None of us wanted to wake you up since you’re burnt out and needed the sleep. Are you hungry? Do you need anything?”
That’s right. He was burnt out. Completely drained of any magic. That would explain the exhaustion. He’d been running on fumes for days now, even after they got out of the jungle. Waiting on Sawyer and Quinn, he still hadn’t gotten the sleep and relaxation he’d needed to comfortable do his magic. And she was burnt out too. She should be asleep, not dealing with him.
And he’d stumbled into her room half asleep, only to interrupt her night with Quinn.
Wait.
Quinn.
His mind tumbled over that in the long silence. She was with Quinn now. Good for them. That made him feel better actually. He’d has a sneaking suspicion, seeing them after they came out of the jungle together. The entire team had all figured it was coming, except those two. Her and Quinn had some connection. They could all see it. Plus, Quinn deserved a little piece of happiness and here he was, barging in like he owned the fucking room like an asshole.
“I’m fine. I should go. I’m sorry.” He turned to leave and began walking for the door. She didn’t stop him but something else did.
“Wait,” Quinn said softly. He turned to see the feral Magi getting out of the bed. “You don’t have to go.”
That’s when his tired mind realized they were both in some sort of clothing. Underwear, but something. He at least hadn’t walked in on them fucking. He hoped.
“I should. I don’t want to interrupt your time together. I’m sorry. I’m tired-”
“Exactly. Stay.” Quinn ordered it, pointing to the bed. “Sleep.”
“I don’t want to kick you out…” He felt like such an ass in that moment. “I had just wanted to…”
Touch her. Know she was back. Know everything was okay.
“You aren’t. I’m not leaving unless you need me to. We’re pack. You should recover with us.” Something in Quinn’s eyes said he understood better than Zander realized. And wasn’t this what Zander had wanted? To know she was okay? And here they both were. Two members of their fucked up little family, together after the team had lost them in the jungle. Safe. Tired, but not hurt.
Zander glanced at Sawyer, who shrugged, heading back for the bed.
“I’ll turn on a movie. We can watch it then pass out.”
He nodded to her and looked back at Quinn, who stepped closer to him.
“I don’t care,” he promised the feral Magi. “I don’t. I’m happy for you. I’m sorry for intruding. Seriously, man. If I had known…”
“We talked to Jasper at dinner. Vincent and Elijah realized a bit earlier. I’ll tell you what I made sure to tell them. I’m not here to push you out. I’m one of you. I just want my place with her. If you really need me to go, since I had her in the jungle without any of you, I will. I know you worried for her and-”
Zander hugged him at that. Quinn was stiff and unsure but Zander wasn’t going to let him go. Eventually he relaxed and hugged back. He knew why Quinn had said it. It would be easy, so easy, for Quinn to force the rest of them back down and leave her so he could keep her to himself. Zander had never worried about it, but he was touched that Quinn had thought about the rest of them.
“I worried about you too. We all did. No, you don’t need to go either. Let’s watch a movie with our girl,” he whispered.
They both took a side. Zander threw an arm over her shoulders, while Quinn sprawled out, throwing a leg over one of hers.
“This is weird,” she mumbled.
“Does it bother you?” he asked. “Having more than one of us hanging out like this?”
“No. If anything it makes me feel like I’m doing something right.” She gave him a small smile. “Weird, right? Being greedy like me shouldn’t feel so right.”
“You aren’t greedy,” he murmured, kissing her forehead. “We’re pack. We belong together with our alpha female. Right Quinn?”
“He finally learns,” the feral magi teased. “Movie. Then sleep. You need to rest.”
“We need to rest,” she corrected, yawning. Quinn only hummed in agreeance.
Zander agreed, but said nothing. He leaned more into her. She was half cuddling with each of them. He didn’t care that Quinn was on her other side, just like he never cared when he saw her cuddle with Jasper on the couch, or flirt with Elijah. This was normal. He’d been long prepared for the inevitability of hanging out with her and one of them. He’d prepared when he was a teen and knew Jasper also wanted to be with her.
This just meant his dream was coming true. That he could be with her and she could be happy. No matter what, he’d have a place. Right here. Beside her.
And if she wasn’t around, then she would try to come back to him, back to them. He had loved those words. He would always love those words.
He didn’t make it through the movie. His eyes closed, too heavy from exhaustion, feeling secure at her side. She was okay. She was back. She wasn’t out in the rainforest and lost to him.
More importantly, they were all back, safe and sound. His entire fucked up little family was back in the house and things were okay again.
I love you.
“I love you too, Zander,” she murmured.