Chapter Thirty-three: Connected

The pair eventually separated, letting go of ruddy faces and prickled backs and resumed sitting on their knees, holding resting hands. Moreau wriggled their linked fingers as Joy gazed up with the most delighted smile. Moreau's mouth-line could not be any more upturned either. He waited for his breath to keep up with the rise and fall of his chest.

"...Joy..? Uhh... What... What just happened?!"

The young woman averted her fluttering sights for a moment.

"Umm... I... I don't know!"

The shy duo tucked in their necks, tittering amusingly for a good while. Eventually, they lifted their eyes and focused on each other again.

"I've seen many love stories on TV," Joy admitted. "So, I know all about falling in love. But... I don't think I ever felt like dis before."

Gawking, Moreau quickly bowed his head in agreement. It was like she was reading his mind!

Joy's small shoulders briefly raised with a contented sigh. "Dis's all sorta new ta me..." The corner of her lips arched higher as she tapped her bosom. "But I'm super-duper glad dat my heart knew what ta do."

Still in awe, Moreau flittered his sights.

"R-Really?"

"Tee-hee... really, really." The woman could feel herself blushing again. "Ummm... What about Mo's heart?"

The small man gently freed a palm to rub his flat chest. His life organ was drumming fiercely like a frightening thunderstorm. And yet, this was the best that it had ever felt.

With a strong nod, he retook her open hand.

"Mo's heart is very glad that Joy's heart... told, told Joy to kiss Mo! He-hee!"

"Tee-hee-hee! It was my first... um... true love's kiss." The woman canted her warm gaze. "How about you?"

Beaming brightly at hearing the longing euphuism, Moreau shook his head. For him, there was no requirement to mull it over for even a split second.

"It doesn't matter. Because that would always be my true... love's kiss. Ever."

Joy smiled, sniffing a bit. "Uh-huh... me too."

The two beings admired one another while idly listening to bluebirds that returned nearby to reclaim their favorite evergreens. Joy looked around herself, viewing the melting ice dripping from the glistening green scenery.

"Uhhh, Joy..?"

The woman's attention refocused. "What is it, Momo?"

Moreau chortled humbly. The new title was just as endearing as his first nickname; perhaps even more so.

He pouted a bit in thought. "Are we still... besties?"

Joy lifted his hands, giving them a confirming shake.

"A'course, Mo! I'll always love ya as my bestie! Always!"

Moreau could not have made a big enough smile to represent how he was presently feeling.

My precious person always loved me! Just like how I always loved her!

"But..," continued Joy, "we're now heartmates, too."

Moreau's eyes broadened, being very intrigued by the new, lovely noun.

"Heartmates?"

The young woman shook her head up and down zealously.

"Uh-huh! My Grandma taught me dat heartmates are super-duper special. 'Cause heartmates're best friends who... ya love and connect your heart with. A heartmate is..."

She paused, craning her head, tapping a puckered, bottom lip.

"Oh, your lovtie!"

The man gasped. "L-L-Lovtie?"

His partner dipped her head with a coy giggle. "I... um, just made dat up. ...Ya like it?"

Moreau's eyes were squinting with surreal happiness. He was starting to wonder if his mouth-line would form a permanent smile. This was like waking up and living in one of his favorite romance movies!

Moreau's glistening sights saw his reflection in the awaiting, bright green orbs.

No... he was living in a memorizing fairy tale.

With a heartfelt swallow, Moreau raised their interlocked hands.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes! And Mo would... love to be Joy's lovtie!"

"Tee-hee... Good! 'Cause Joy would love dat, too."

The small man fluttered salty moisture from the beautiful view. Never had that longing word been said or expressed in such a short amount of time. If his hands were not being cradled so tenderly, he most certainly would've pinched himself by now!

Wiggling his toes, Moreau glanced at the ground.

"Uhhhhh... did Joy... like it?"

The woman flittered her lush lashes a few times.

"I-I-I mean our..." Moreau cleared his throat. "...our... k-kiss."

With a reappeared beam across her fair, round face, Joy brought her partner's knuckles to a tilted cheek. Moreau gasped at the familiar flutters and supple skin.

Still nuzzling, Joy looked up. "It was da best kiss, Momo."

The man's jaw quivered. "And, and so are Joy's butterfly kisses."

Following a serene minute, the couple closed their moist eyes, pressing their foreheads into one another while continuing to rub their thumbs with connected hands.

By the position of the sun, it looked to be early afternoon. The petite pair had lost track of time; not sure how long the dreadful previous events had occurred or that the length they spent in their silent company was greater. However, the latter was the most relevant.

The rising temperature enticed the couple to plunk on the grass and enjoy the pleasant cloudless sky in peace. Moreau shifted comfortably, sighing blissfully many times. The sensation of lying on his back and stretching his neck fully was extremely relaxing and refreshing. How many years he had craved to rest in this simple position would always be an enigma.

Quietly, holding right and left hands, side by side, Joy turned her head to discern her partner's quiet observance of the blue atmosphere. But behind those white corneas was much sorrow.

"Mo's eyes are frowning."

Moreau rotated his face. "Huh?"

His partner gave him a knowing smile. "Eyeballs can say more dan mouths can."

Moreau returned the proud mien for she remembered his phrase perfectly. Joy hummed and her curved lips lessened with empathy.

"Are ya thinking about your family?"

Moreau was surprised by the intuitive inquiry, but he assumed connecting minds was just a part of being heartmates.

He exhaled solemnly and nodded. Joy peered at her winter coat, lying beside her.

"Would'ja like ta use my phone ta call dem?"

The man swiveled his head. "I... I can't."

"Oh... Ya don't remember der numbers? Maybe we can try ta find out..."

Moreau's eyelids were closed tightly as he released a detained breath. Joy propped herself partway with her elbow and leaned in. Her partner's eyes opened when small fingertips traced along his cheek.

"I'm sorry, lovtie. We don't have ta look for dem if ya don't wanna."

With a low grunt, Moreau sat up and stared ahead at the lengthy circumference of the great lake. He laid his limbs around knobby knees, folding his hands.

"My... family... isn't alive anymore."

Instantly, his partner pushed herself forward, mirroring Moreau's position, though not as hunched.

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, Momo!" Joy scooted closer and laid her arm atop his drooped shoulders. "I remember ya telling me ya didn't know where dey were... but... your mom, too?"

Moreau bowed his head but kept his eyes descending. He seemed to be in some sort of deep reflection.

Joy rubbed his upper arm. "Mother Miranda, right?"

Following several seconds of silence, her partner lifted his head and bobbed it one time.

Joy beamed lightly. "Mother Miranda's a very pretty name."

Moreau continued to stare in front of them. "But her heart wasn't very pretty."

The woman whipped her head, blinking widely from hearing the matter-of-fact response. From everything that her partner had gone through, this Mother Miranda was rather scary to her. Regardless, this was the first time he had said something derogative about his mother.

Joy clinched him a little snugger. "Welp... your lovtie's here if ya wanna talk..."

Moreau's mouth-line finally upturned. He surmised this was what heartmates did: share their heartaches.

He pecked her on the cheek and the small beings blinked rapidly. Neither of them expected to perform the action nor receive it! But flushed once more, they pressed into one another's sides. Perhaps being connected was more natural than they had envisioned.

The pair resumed watching the tranquil, shimmering view. Two ducks had flown in and were calmly paddling in the water. And the way the emerald-headed and brown-speckled mallards swam closely and in unison, it was most likely they were mates. Moreau could not help but think the charming scene wasn't just happenstance.

At length, his smile faltered as he exhaled somberly.

"I know for sure that my family isn't living. I think it happened when my old home was destroyed."

Joy looked at him with a large blink. "Destroyed? By a big spooky storm or something?"

"Uhh... maybe." Moreau jerked his shoulders. "I don't know, but I saw lots and lots of smoke when I was very far away." He took another prolonged breath. "No one gave me their phone numbers, but I was told they were not needed because our gifts made us all connected."

Joy droned softly. "You mean da baby thingy? Da cadou?"

"Y-Yes... I'm not sure how it all worked. Mother never told us how, but I think however it worked... it stopped when everything had explodeded."

The caring woman regarded him with sad interest as he went on.

"So, I think my cadou knew the cadous in them were gone. But it kept wanting to do what... what phones do. Uh... like what Joy said..."

Moreau blinked quickly from recollected memory and shook his hands.

"Oh, ya mean ta find a signal... Wave ta each other," Joy stated, happy to have taught him something of grand importance.

"Yes, yes, signal... It's why I kept telling myself Mother would return to me. But, but also tell me she was... not... returning. It was all so..."

The small man rubbed his light olive scalp roughly.

"...confusing."

Moreau perceived light touches over his cheekbone and his grimace lessened. Although his chest felt extremely heavy, it was good to let out his past consternations.

"I told myself lies... About Mother caring for me... Bringing me Joy..." Moreau gently gestured to said person. "All in all, Mother Miranda was an angel. She had wings like a bird and was magic."

"Wow," Joy gasped with attentive eyes. "Really?"

"Yes... Really... really..."

The woman noticed the usual response was without enthusiasm. Moreau shrugged again.

"But none of it mattered."

Recalling what his partner had mentioned beforehand, he gave a troubled yet accepting smile.

"If it was for her, I would've done anything." He glimpsed at the old tribute tattoo on his left upper arm. "But... Mother never thanked me for anything. Joy was right. Mothe- Miranda was never nice to me. You taught me that mothers should be caring. Not... Uhhh... con... condess... condense..."

"Oh!" squeaked Joy. "I heard Mama Bear say dis a lot on da phone about one'a her grumpy patients... ummm... Condescending?"

The man nodded. "Yes, condescending... Huh-ha, tricky word."

"Thank you!"

Reminiscing again, Moreau's mouth-line flattened.

"Once, I found a pretty daisy and I picked it for her."

Joy slanted her head. "Did she like it?"

"Well... she did take it. But when she flew away after a family meeting, I found it crushed on the ground."

Moreau heard a small but pronounced huff. He found his partner narrowing her eyes. With a very pouted bottom lip and red brows slanting downwards, he had never seen his precious person's face wear such a demeanor.

"Miranda might'a had wings, but I don't think she was an angel."

Moreau discerned that Joy didn't refer to Miranda as a mother, either. Which was just as well. The dark priestess was anything but a loving matriarch.

He swayed his hung head. "I'm not sure what Miranda was... But..."

Breathing in shakily, he tried repressing a catch in his throat but failed miserably.

"...I, I, I r-really, really wanted her to-to be my, my... Ma-Mama..."

"My Momo," Joy crooned, her encompassing arm rubbing along his back. The relieved man let out a sigh at the endearing reference and he reciprocated by embracing, as well.

Finally, he was someone's someone.

"My big brother, my big sister, my little sister with her mean doll... and my three nieces... They all made fun of me. So, I didn't try to love them. But Miranda said we were to be a family with the cadou, so I tried to get them to respect me."

Joy pursed her lips to the side. The empathetic woman didn't like hearing about him being mocked. In the past, there were a few close-minded classmates who had done the very same to her. Even pretending that their toys laughed at the wide space between her eyes. But Mama Bear reminded her that she was the better person for overlooking the insults. And Joy showed those kids that she could learn just like them, if not faster!

"Ummm... So... da cadou made ya guys a family? Was it like being adopted?"

Moreau slowly blinked once. There was that always out-of-reach verb again. He shook his drooping head.

"I think we were... nothing to her. Nothing but servants and... testers..." He raised his eyes, deep in memory. "I used to think Miranda's heart was just as strong and beautiful as she was. She never smiled at me, but I don't think she said anything bad about me. And I thought she would lo-love me back if I tried really, really, hard."

Clamping his knees, Moreau shut his eyes with a downtrodden sigh. "I guess it was never enough because I could never be like Rose... her real child."

Moreau opened his bright blue sights when he felt his brown strands being stroked by little fingers. Gratefully, the small man leaned in; still amazed that once upon a wretched time, he would've never foresighted that he'd ever be granted such doting tenderness. Much less by a partner.

"Nobody should make fun'a anyone," declared Joy softly. ...Was dare anybody else? Before Miranda, I mean."

Gradually, Moreau straightened up somewhat, and during a mute moment, he bit his lower lip.

"Joy means... Mo's parents?"

The young woman bobbed her head, and Moreau emitted a meek moan.

"Well, I..." He idly scratched his temple. "I can't remember a lot about them. But, but I do know they... aren't alive, either."

Joy placed a hand over her partner's bony knuckles, and he flashed a small smile, appreciative of the condolence.

"My parents were doctors, but they didn't like me very much. Before Miranda, I had trieded lots and lots of times to make them proud. It's why I became a doctor, too."

Moreau grinned faintly at some bits of mixed, distant recollections that oddly enough, seemed pleasant.

"I did like helping the sick peoples get well. I gave the childrens little candies for being very good patients... But... my parents didn't think I was a very good doctor."

"My Momo's da best doctor!" exclaimed Joy, wiggling her thumb, healed from the lancing tinfoil.

Moreau's heavy expression lightened. "Well, I did my best as a doctor. But... I liked boating much better anyway." His frown reappeared as he feigned a chuckle. "My parents didn't like that... almost as much as not liking me..."

Blinking slowly at her heartmate, Joy squeezed his hand, relating to an old empty sense of being disregarded. Then with an absent stare, she took hold of her knees, as well.

"I kinda know how ya feel..."

Moreau veered his enlarged sights to the young woman beside him.

"But, but, but..! But your mother loves you very, very much!"

"Yes, she does. But..." Joy's shoulders fell alongside her chipper tone. "I'm... not talking about Mama Bear."

Moreau furrowed his brow. "Uhhh... Papa Bear?"

Joy's gloomy gaze turned his way. "When I was very wittle, I wondered about him a buncha times... But he really never was my Papa Bear if he wasn't ever my dad."

With lifted eyebrows, Moreau tilted his head. Joy hummed to herself.

"Welp... I mean dads're supposed ta be dare for ya. And I know I'm here 'cause someone was with my mom. But dat someone went away before I was born. So... tho he's my father, he still isn't my real dad." She blinked quickly. "Um, does dat make more sense?"

Mulling, the man jutted his bottom lip. "I... think so..."

Sighing sharply, the woman fixed her posture.

"It doesn't matter if your mom and dad are your real mom or dad or not. It matters if dey love you. Dat makes dem your real mom and dad!"

Moreau's eyes were squinting from his beam. He wiped his nose with a thin wrist.

"Joy's always super-duper smart."

Thanks, Momo." Her smile ebbed away. "I'd always hoped he'd visit or call my mom one day, but he never did. I think he blocked himself from us." She firmly closed her watering eyes. "Mom said she used ta love him, but I guess he got another family or something..."

Joy's frown lessened when a lean limb curled around her.

"Does Joy know his name?"

Exhaling through her nose, the young woman shook her head.

"Mama Bear did ask me if I'd like ta know it, but I said no thank you."

"Why not?"

Joy stared indifferently at her hands and knees.

"'Cause I don't talk ta strangers."

This brought back Moreau to their very first introduction.

"But Mo used to be a stranger."

Joy turned her head and gave her partner a quick smile.

"Dat was before my heart got ta know ya." She viewed the great lake. "Still... I think it woulda been nice if he asked ta see me so he wouldn't be a stranger anymore. Den it woulda been okay. Y'know?"

"Oohh," Moreau drawled. "I know..."

In silence, the pair watched the slow, rippling water as they recalled the people who were never truly there. After a while of watching a trio of squirrels in the near distance chitter over a pinecone, Moreau decided to focus on more pertinent matters.

"Uhh, Joy? What do we do now?"

The low and calm query brought Joy out of her somber reflection.

"We go home."

"Uh... which home?"

"Da beach house in LA is our home now."

Moreau's raised mouth-line spread to his small ears. He could figuratively hear the gulls calling him amid the waves. However, the hope for the dreamy reminder was short-lived.

Joy canted her view. "What's wrong, Mo?"

Moreau's shoulders rose and fell with a long respire.

"Is Joy... sure?"

Wrapping an arm around his back, his partner nuzzled her cheek on his shoulder.

"Joy's super-duper sure. We're lovties now. Connected forever." She motioned a free hand to the natural reservoir. "Dont'cha wanna live on da beach and see ta ocean? I know my Momo hates da cold."

The small man resumed gazing at the appealing body of water, then at the world around him. Though it was turning out to be such a welcoming sunny day, there hardly were vibrant skies like this in this dark, mountainous region, even in the warmer months. Just the idea of inhaling real, salty air, touching soft sand, and witnessing all the beautiful boats and the soaring seagulls cawing as they shrank into the offing...

"Um, Mo..? Hello..?"

Joy was waving a palm in his idle vision. Moreau flittered his eyes with a short shake of the head.

"Oh! He-hee-hee... I think a beach house would be a... super-duper place to be."

The woman grinned, but it faded when she saw his contented countenance drop.

"Why does Mo look sad again? Are ya gonna miss living in our lodge?"

Her partner smiled briefly from her still referring to the cabin as theirs. He edgily rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm worried that Joy's mother won't like me."

Joy blinked incredulously. "A'course she will! She's Mama Bear!"

"She may be Mama Bear," said Moreau timidly, "but, but she's not Joy. Because... there's only one Joy..."

With a sharp huff, the small woman shuffled and got to her feet. Crossing her arms with a big, stoic pucker, caused Moreau to stifle a chuckle.

"Momo, do ya love me?"

Unblinkingly, and stammering incoherently, Moreau hastily stood up.

"Y-Yes! Yes! YES! Mo-Momo loves Joy!"

"Welp, I know and love my Mama Bear. And 'cause I love you... Mama Bear'll love you, too!"

The man's beam could have outmatched the radiant sun. That wonted, treasured term... And the determination in the returned light and chipper proclamation was awe-inspiring. Indeed, his tripes with Miranda and her façade of a family were gone for the better.

At last, his combative wolf duo who'd been snarling at his psyche for nearly forever, had peacefully retired to their dens. Because the once deprecated, afterthought, understood what affection and a true connection were.

Joy looked at her coat. "Lemme see if I can call Mom. Maybe we can get a signal here since da weather's super nice."

She bent and outstretched her arm for the coat pocket, but abruptly straightened.

"OH NO!"

Moreau jolted from the loud, verbal gasp.

"Joy, what's, what's wrong?!"

Whimpering, the woman quickly about-faced him, pushing up a sweater sleeve.

"My-My birthday bracelet! It's-It's gone!" she bemoaned, her chin trembling. "It... It must'a come off when I was in da water!"

With raised lower eyelids and inner brows, Moreau discerned Joy rubbing her small, bare wrist yearningly. Seeing his heartmate so unhappy, triggered his lower lip to quiver. She had lost her beloved birthday gift to save him.

Once the sniffles began, the small man's face grew firm.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! This will not do!

Joy opened her teary vision when her partner cupped her shoulders.

"I'll find it for you, Joy!"

Small digits blotted moist lids as a smile revisited the soft, brighter features. Joy brought laced hands to her bosom, sniffing twice.

"Really?"

"Really, really!"

With hands on his small hips, and a square jawline held high, Moreau stood as perpendicular as his curved, smooth back would permit, displaying nearly all his five foot and four-inch height.

"Mo found it before, and Mo will find it again!"

"Yay!" Joy bounced several times. She turned towards the vast shimmering lake and hummed with concern. "But da lake's so big..."

"Don't worry, lovtie!" Moreau put the side of a fist to his chest, attempting to look as heroic as possible. "I can do it!"

And without another word, he pitched himself headfirst with fronted hands into the water.

"Oohh~!" squealed the young woman, clapping at her heartmate's sleek nosedive.

She hurried to the lake's edge and following nearly ten seconds, she marveled at Moreau's face returning to the surface, breathing heavily but grinning proudly as his swirling four limbs instinctually kept him buoyant.

"Whew!" he exhaled refreshingly. "How was that?!"

"Wow! Mo doesn't need fins ta be a merman!"

Moreau eagerly prepared to go under, but Joy held up a palm.

"Wait! Would my Momo like some help?"

The man bobbed his head, his chin splashing.

"Yes, yes, Come on in! The, the water's nice!"

Joy backed up a yard away and excitedly squatted, freeing her feet of the white sneakers and lavender socks. However, Moreau's arched mouth-line went agape when she got up and unbuttoned and pulled the zipper tag of her petite blue jeans down.

"Wh-Wha? What is Joy doing..? Oh!"

Stepping away from the removed jeans, the woman tugged her sweater over her head and arms and carefully tossed it aside. She stood quietly, averting her eyes every so often while shifting a forefoot on the ground.

Still wide-eyed, Moreau stared at his short, curvy partner, clad only in green briefs and a pink sports bra. Despite the cool water, his face was also the identical hue as the revealed top undergarment.

"Uhhhhh... Why did Joy take off-?"

He spat out some water that had trickled into his mouth. The afloat man had to halt his inquiry for he had to remind himself to continue to wade his arms and legs.

Joy tucked some loose, medium-length strands behind a little ear.

"I don't want my clothes to get soggy woggy again. And it'll be easier ta swim."

Moreau finally resumed blinking. The blushing woman held a lowered, left hand.

"But it's alright 'cause we're lovties now... Right?"

Moreau swallowed but found his beam brightening up the shy scenario.

"He-hee-hee! Right, right, right! Joy's right! We're lovties!"

Giggling, Joy ran a little further away and prepped herself.

"Please move over, Momo! Here I come!"

With a few bounds, Joy left the dirt and wrapped her legs, her bottom meeting the lake.

Moreau shook his wet hair, snorting out some water. He chortled as his partner's grin breached the surface.

"What was that, Joy?!"

"A cannonball. Super fun! Tee-hee-hee! Sorry, I'm not graceful like Mo."

"No, Mo wants to know how to cannonball, too!"

"Tee-hee-hee! I'll teach ya after we find my birthday bracelet, okay?"

"He-hee-hee, okay!"

After a minute of silly splash bantering, the pair held their breaths and dipped a couple of meters underwater. Reopening his eyes, Moreau beheld Joy twirling around him like a small, flawless fish, making him ponder if she was ever a mermaid. Perhaps in another lifetime.

Once she levitated before him, she connected her closed lips with her partner's; deep red hair fluently brushing his cheeks.

After the couple pulled away, they elevated to take in more air, then slowly descended once again. And with sealed left and right hands, the swimming heartmates scanned the pebbled bottom of the great lake for their tiny but most valued, lost treasure.