Chapter Text
“For someone who’s a couple of centuries old, you pout a lot, babe,” Kordarius pointed out with a snicker as he deftly completed the latest addition to Maki’s festive accessories.
Maki sat between his legs on the floor of their quarters, his shoulders hunched in defeat. In the mirror’s reflection, his eyes were narrowed slits of burning yellow focused directly on Kordarius, tracking the ooman’s fingers. Both of his arms were folded across his broad nude chest while his body was coiled and ready to pounce if Kordarius tried to pull any sneaky tricks. It wouldn’t be the first time he had been subjected to such things. The little male pranked him more times than he could count on his claws.
“If you were not my mate, then I would skin you alive for this…” The dark yautja shook his tendrils in defiance, causing the human to fumble the latest addition to the shiny objects he was making. “I am not your holiday tree to festoon.”
“Festoon?” He arched his brow in confusion at the archaic word.
“Yes,” Growled Maki.
“Okayyy, well, I think you’re looking more festive. I decorated mine, see?” Kordarius grinned and waved at his own locs, reminding the yautja of the fake icicles and little candy canes adorning them. “They look good on you, babe. You’re adorable.”
His ooman tied the knot on the final tendril and slid off the bed he’d been seated on to admire his hard work.
Maki rolled to his feet and chuffed at his reflection. He looked ridiculous with the shiny red and white striped ribbons tied around a number of his locs. The artificial material felt glossy and strange as he explored the bows as Kordarius called them. He speared his lifemate with a petulant pout in the reflection, his tusks clacking together in begrudging acceptance. The little male smartly kept some distance, wrongly assuming he couldn’t cross it in a heartbeat if he chose to.
“I will be mocked. This is unbecoming of a male of my status,” he huffed, spinning on his heels to point at the silly ribbons. “I am a decorated warrior, I—”
“Yeah, decorated alright.” Kordarius snorted in amusement, attempting to hide the crooked grin on his face.
The grumpy yautja heaved a great sigh.
“You are lucky I love you or I would take great pleasure in using you as a decoration. Your skull would be the centerpiece to my collection.” Maki declared, churring to himself.
“Are you gonna stand there or are we gonna be late to the party?”
“The only parties I like are ones where we are tracking something.” He grunted as they left their quarters on the clanship.
“Deck the yautja with bows of jolly, Fa La La La La, La La La La!” Kordarius sang as they wound their way through the ship.
Maki did his best to ignore the silly songs his mate sang off tune during the long walk to the common area the host had booked for the evening. When they arrived, the other ooman mates rushed to greet them while their yautja pairs stayed at a table playing a dice game. To Maki’s shock, he wasn’t the only one who’d been forced to endure the humiliation ritual.
“You, too, Maki?” A female asked, pointedly pretending the blinking lights draped through her locs didn’t exist.
Warmth coiled in his chest when they caught each other’s eyes for a fleeting moment.
“Weakness for another has many surprises.”
The others grunted in agreement, pausing their game to watch their oomans starting a game of their own. This party and holiday was strange but at least Maki could always throw Kordarius over his shoulder if he wanted to leave.
It wasn’t like he could tie those ribbons anywhere else.