Lachlan slid his arms under Apollo's knees, lifted him up off the bed, and carried him into the bathroom. He didn't let him go as he turned on the shower, waited for the water to get warm, and guided him underneath it.
"You are way too strong. I'm kind of offended you can carry me about like a damsel," Apollo said, lying with every word.
Lachlan gently put him on his feet and lathered up with a soft cloth.
"I told you you would need aftercare if I fucked you, so let me take care of you," Lachlan said, running the cloth over Apollo's shoulders. "I wasn't too rough with you, was I?"
"Are you kidding me? You made me more ready for sex than I've ever been in my life," Apollo replied.
Lachlan pulled him up against his chest so he could wash his front. "I like it rough, but I never, ever want to hurt you," he said.
Apollo swallowed the lump in his throat. Stupid feelings. He never would have suffered anyone else washing him after sex. How Lachlan knew he had a weird thing about being clean was beyond him. It made him seriously wonder what else he knew.
Lachlan washed him all the way down to his feet before rising back up and grabbing the shampoo. Apollo didn't know how to feel about the intensity of the sex or the aftercare. He moaned a little when Lachlan massaged the conditioner into his hair before detangling his curls. He must have been quiet for too long because Lachlan wrapped his arms around him and kissed his shoulder.
"No freaking out on me about this tomorrow, okay?" he said, his arms tightening. "You promised you would give me a chance."
Apollo's dragon rolled through him, and he turned in Lachlan's arms. He pressed him up against the tiles and ran the edge of his teeth down his neck. Lachlan's scent was alwaysstrongest there, and Apollo wanted to sink his teeth in and mate him so hard that the whole world could finally know.
"The same goes for you," Apollo growled. "I should warn you that if you try, there would be nowhere you could run where my dragon couldn't find you, Lachlan."
Lachlan raised a brow. "Are you trying to make me hard again? Because if your dragon makes any more threats, I'm going to have no choice but to fuck you."
Apollo fought back the dragon's need to bite and kissed him lightly on the lips. "If you get hard again, you're on your own. I need my beauty sleep, and you need to spoon me because I am feeling emotional and needy."
"Whatever you want," Lachlan said with a goofy smile on his face.
Gods save me. Apollo didn't know how to cope with him being so sweet.
Lachlan dried them both off and tucked Apollo up in bed before going to get him a bottle of water.
Exhaustion hit Apollo, and he snuggled his face into the soft pillow. The last few days had been too much to process. Lachlan curled around him and pulled him close.
"Please let me keep you," Lachlan whispered against his hair, but Apollo was too sleepy to even respond.
24
Lachlan woke early and energized for the first time in over a week. Apollo was snoring softly beside him, wrapped in all the blankets like a sexy man burrito.
I can't believe last night happened, he thought. The suck marks on his chest and the overflowing amount of soft feelings of love and relief he got when he looked at Apollo proved that it had.
Lachlan kissed Apollo on the forehead before getting dressed and slipping out quietly into the kitchen. It was still too early for Valentine to be awake—magicians didn't seem to be early risers as a rule—so he got to work brewing coffee and pulling things out of the fridge to make breakfast. He found his phone and rang Cosimo, hoping that he might be awake. After three or four rings, he finally answered, "Someone better not be kidnapped again."
Lachlan grinned. "Actually, no. I wanted to let you know that last night was a success. I wasn't sure if Val had told you. They are both still asleep."
"Val sent something about everyone being alive and that he had some presents for me. Speak slow. I'm making espresso, and my brain isn't alive yet," Cosimo replied.
"Sorry if you were worried. I thought Val would have been a bit more comprehensive than that," Lachlan apologized and told Cosimo about what they had found in the labs. "I've got Layla and Ciara working on finding this other facility. I know we can't let them keep experimenting on creatures, but we need to be tactical about this."
"I agree. Gods, I can't believe we are having to deal with this shit in this day and age. I thought we were more enlightened as magicians and scientists. It's abhorrent," Cosimo growled.
"You're a good person, with morals and ethics and honor. They have none of that. So we will talk to Kian and take them out as a family. I know France isn't his diplomatic purview as an ambassador of the fae, but there were fae in their folder, so they have stolen them like they stole Apollo," Lachlan replied. He glanced at the door of the bedroom. "I don't want him involved, and I know he won't stay behind. I don't know what to do."
"You are a good man to be worried about him, Lachlan, but Apollo knows his strengths. He can build and brew whatever you need and support this in his own way."
Lachlan ran a hand over the back of his neck, butterflies in his stomach. "Cosimo? I would like your permission to court him."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Lachlan didn't want Cosimo to think he only wanted to fool about with Apollo. He wanted him to know that he was serious.
