Away in a Tentacle Lair

19. Leo

Chapter nineteen

Leo

I knock on the front door of the Briareus Manor. I'm expecting Kai to answer the door, or maybe a cousin; instead, it's an older man in a penguin suit.

It's not a literal black-and-white bird suit, but one of those formal suits you rent only for weddings and funerals.

Not a fucking Christmas dinner.

I'm feeling underdressed, and I've not entered the house yet.

“Hello. I'm Leo Rowland; I'm here for Christmas dinner with Kai Briareus?”

Yes, I posed that as a question, expecting the answer to be not in those clothes, but the man steps aside to allow me to enter.

“The young master is in the drawing room., sir.”

I'm beginning to think this man isn't part of the family.

“Mr Leo Rowland,” the man introduces me to the room, and I'm sure this man is the butler.

“Leo,” Kai calls, rising from one of many chairs in the large room. “Glad you came.”

He walks over to me, dressed in slacks and a button-down shirt, which still looks smarter than I do.

“I'm sorry I didn't dress up. This is the best I have brought for Christmas alone in a hotel room.”

“We don't care how you're dressed, honey, only that you're not alone.” A woman starts across to me, and at her pace, she'll arrive before Kai. I brace myself for a kiss on each cheek. “I'm Sophie, Kai's aunt.”

“Don't let her play down her role in raising this brat,” a man pipes up. They all look similar, with the same hair and eyes as Kai but lacking his spirit.

“Dad,” Kai groans.

“He was never a brat, Rogan. Just a difficult child.”

“Let me show you around before they get out the photo album.”

Printed photos feel outdated, but they seem the right thing to have in this large old house. My mind conjures up albums of black-and-white pictures from as far back as photography existed, and then I start imaging the type of photos they’d have for a motherless water baby.

“I can imagine getting you in clothes was challenging.”

“Damn it, who told you?” Kai groans, trying to push me out of the door.

“Kai, I like this man already,” Rogan yells behind him.

“Sorry about them. None of them would leave me alone after I told them I was bringing someone to dinner.”

“Token gay in a large family, hey?”

“Uh, something like that.” Kai shrugs. “I'm the youngest, so they want to finish the set before focusing on the grandkids. Not that I'm planning on having kids.” Kai blushes again. It's a beautiful shade against his tanned skin. “I'll shut up now.”

“No, don't. I like it.”

“You're the first guy I've brought home.”

I guess my lonely Christmas prospects bumped up the meet-the-parents scenario.

“I'm very grateful for your company.”

“Is that it?” Kai frowns. Our eternal walk down endless corridors stops as Kai turns to face me.

“I felt a spark with you. I know it's still early, but I'd really like to see where this goes,” I admit.

“A spark? Like you think I'm the one?” I can’t read the expression flashing across his face, but he looks flighty like he could run from this moment.

I take his hands and pull him into me, his head resting against my collarbone.

“I didn’t expect you to feel the same,” he stammers.

“But I do,” I confess.

Kai's bedroom is quite a dark space, but it's not due to its lack of size or lighting. It looks like he had a deep purple love as a child but covered it with black when his heart was broken. I'm not sure how old he was when his mum passed; he was probably not old enough for a morbid redecoration spree.

I head to his wall for a better look. The wall is painted a lovely plum purple, then covered in sheets of cream paper covered in black ink. I imagine a toddler with an ink well attempting to draw, which an octopus child could have made. Either way, it somehow works. Other than a single bed and a wardrobe, the dominating feature in the room is an aquarium, filling one entire wall. It's enormous, with a pretty living coral display across the bottom, but the lack of fish is haunting.

Why is this house filled with unoccupied fish tanks?

An octopus paradise?

What a ridiculous assumption, yet it is the only one that makes sense.

“You are going to be harassed all day today. I apologise in advance, and if you need to get out for a bit…”

“I will be fine.” I hook my fingers through his, pulling him close. I understand what is going on here. I'm being evaluated to see if I'm worthy of hearing that these people spend half their lives as octopuses. And if I'm in, then I'm all in.

Or, people can't turn into octopuses, they have empty tanks for no specific reason, and the family just runs a cult.

“Back home, it's just me and my parents. It will be nice to experience a big family Christmas.” Leaning forwards, my lips meet his, and we kiss. I could easily keep doing this for the rest of my life. But instead, a low gong rings out, and he pulls away.

“Are you ready for this? Dinner with… everyone?”

The way he stresses everything implies dozens of people, but I can handle anything they throw at me.

We head downstairs to find the dining room filled with people I don't know and some I recognise.

“Hey, man!” Jonus greets me. I feel different about this guy now that I know his main job is tending to the sheep. He doesn't seem so imposing as a sheep farmer. I met Peter, the lawyer, the botanist, Freda, and all the cousins who came without job titles.

After nodding politely at the first, I decided not to remember their names. It only really matters if they want me in the family, and then I'll have plenty of time for that.

"Quite the gathering," I murmur to Kai, who stands close, his arm brushing mine with a static spark.

Kai guides me to our seats, and we wait like a devoted couple as everyone else brings in trays and pots of food.

Those who work together eat well together. Or is it that those who own the island eat like kings?

Today, I eat like a king. Chatter begins in the background of clanking serving spoons as the serving dishes are passed around. There is no shortage of conversation between these people who spend more time together than the average extended family. I can't stand my uncle and his son, and the fact we don't see them more than once a year means they probably don't like us much either. But everyone here is genuinely interested in each other.

“I promise they get bearable once you get to know them.” Kai places a comforting hand on my thigh.

“I have you, babe, and if they come as a package deal, then I have them too.”