The morning progresses in ways that make my injured arm irrelevant and my thoughts scattered and my body learn new definitions of warmth. He's careful and thorough and says my name like it's the only word that matters. When he holds me after, shadows wrapped around us both, I think about how sometimes the best things come from the worst circumstances.
"The coffee's cold," I observe eventually.
"I'll survive."
"You should eat something too. Real food. Your body can't run on spite and exhaustion forever."
"Are you seriously discussing my meal schedule right now?"
"Someone has to." I trace one of his scars, this one on his ribs. "How did you get this one?"
"Bar fight. I was nineteen and stupid."
"And this one?"
"Prison escape. Twenty-something and slightly less stupid."
"And this?"
He catches my hand, kisses my fingertips. "How's your arm?"
"Sore but manageable." I stretch carefully. "We should probably deal with the integration. The new people. They're probably terrified."
"Good."
"That's not good. Terrified people make bad decisions."
"Then we'll feed them." He presses a kiss to my shoulder. "Your way. Breakfast worked until..."
"Until someone tried to stab me."
"We'll have to implement a no-weapons-at-meals policy."
"That seems reasonable." I turn to face him properly. "You really need to sleep. Actual sleep. Not just passing out at your desk."
"Later."
"You always say later."
"This time I mean it." He pulls me closer, and his shadows wrap around us tighter. "After we deal with the new people. After we secure the territory. After—"
"After, after, after." I poke his chest. "Sleep now. I'll handle the integration."
"You can't—"
"I can. Ridge will help. Gray Streak too. We'll have lunch. With introductions. And vegetables. And absolutely no stabbing."
He's looking at me with that expression again, the one that makes my chest burn.
"What?" I ask.
"You're managing my guild."
"Someone has to. You're terrible at the people parts."
"I'm good at the killing parts."
"Yes, very good. Very efficient. But they need more than efficiency." I touch his face, feel the stubble there. "They need to know they matter beyond their usefulness."
