“I’m fairly sure any comment I make about their meddling could be considered treason.And you told yourself true in the end.Better suited and braver than you and I, the both of them.”
A flicker of sun on a polished chrome surface, pleased and warm.The right thing to say.The truth, too.Braver, and more caring than anyone Declan knew.Antonio had faced Everil to help Bo, assisted Aisling even while telling her to fuck off, and stood firm here, in Faerie, a place where he’d been a pet, and put his arm around a sluagh to make a point.To stand by Declan.
“Much braver, in my case,” Tsuri said.Their lips quirked in a hesitant sideways smile.“I think Nae and I can make time to conclude our errand.I’d like my next visit here to be for catching up with a friend.And, hopefully, making a new one?”
Their nervous glance in Antonio’s direction was hard to miss.
“Sure,” Antonio answered.“I’ll bet we have tons in common.”
“You might be surprised,” Nae murmured, a smile curled in her words and on her lips, cheek pressed to Tsuri’s arm.They made a distressingly beautiful picture, with her autumnal tumble of hair and dark skin against Tsuri’s bright feathers.
Declan and Tsuri may have made a similarly distressingly pretty image themselves, had the Monarchs held their tongues.Riotous colors and song, beauty incarnate, and the black-and-white harsh, stark lines of death, just there at the elbow.
He would rather have that raptor figure tucked in against an insistently alive blaze of humanity who spoke of black or blue ink, unphased when death gave an answer.
Rust, leather, and sunbaked earth appealed far more than… Declan couldn’t quite remember.Not there, with Nae’s quiet smile and Antonio’s fear somewhat quieted.Whatever he’d perceived Tsuri’s magic as centuries ago, he knew it hadn’t affected him as Antonio’s did.
“Next time,” Declan agreed, allowing himself the pleasure of leaning against Antonio.Soon Nae and Tsuri would go to the library, and Antonio would drop his arm.Declan wanted to take as much as he could until that moment came.“Antonio and I have our own business to attend to.It was good speaking with you both.”
Perfectly on cue, Florian’s presence rang through the family wards.The wisp, while a frequent visitor even outside of his duties, didn’t generally drop by for fun save for his occasional poker games with Robin.
From Aisling’s pointed glance at Declan as she led the seelie away, she had the same thought as he: Florian brought news, and more likely than not, it was of Calloway.
Declanshouldhavebeenexhausted.
The rush of the day hadn’t ended with Tsuri and Nae.Nor with Florian’s confirmation that Calloway knew about the bond and intended to go to the Council.That news had meant battle plans with Mother, interrupted by Everil and Bo’s arrival.
Uncomfortable and stilted, with Bo speaking of the Council in the way only he could, voids and stars alike bless his vocabulary.By the time the curse had been lifted, and the pair departed, it was evening, and Antonio agreed to spend another night.
‘Time’ in Faerie had little meaning, but there was still that distinct feeling ofnightandday.Sluagh in particular were sensitive to those rhythms.They had to be.
Finally, the necessity of rearranging Declan’s room, with his bed kindly pulling itself in two, meant Antonio had a place to sleep.
Sleep.It was what Declanshouldhave been doing.What Antonio was doing, mere inches away.
And it was bloodyunbearable.
Declan, tucked against the wall, stared at the human, like the nightmare creature he was.He ought not.It was a betrayal.Antonio didn’twantfae, and he certainly wouldn’t desire something like Declan, even if he did.
The memory of his bodyburned.
Seared as Antonio’s hands had on the ridge of Declan’s spine.The twitch of Antonio’s cock against his stomach.The weight of his arm, steady and grounding, haunted Declan.The entirety of the day, when he ought to have thought solely about meetings and future talks he’d been preoccupied by howrightit felt to be held like that.
Disgusting, to take advantage of that bond-induced need.Pathetic.Grasping.Desperate.
And still, Declan couldn’t help imaginingwhat if.Just touching hands settled something deep, hungry.The press of his side…
No.
Just, no.
It took half a thought for Declan to leave the room.Nowhere far, just next door.Antonio’s room, invading despite his previous determination not to.Declan never had claimed a strong sense of self control, not when there was something he craved within reach, promising to fill his veins with euphoria if only he did it right.
The man trusted Declan, of all monsters, to protect him.Which hewould.Declan had sworn it twice, and would a third time without hesitation.
Did it count as betrayal?If one lusted over someone who trusted them, desired to the point of hiding away in the other’s room, ass to the floor, cheek against their empty mattress?
Voids knew Declan couldn’t say.
