Leo smiles softly, his hand petting one of the blankets. He looks so proud of his nest and my chest surges with affection. Gods, he’s so cute. All I can think about is wrapping him in my arms and holding him tight, so that’s exactly what I do.
“Lie back with me?”
Leo nods his head. Once I’m on my back, he places his head on my chest, his arm around my middle. Then he grabs the blanket I gave him today, using it to cover us both. I might not be able to smell things like Leo can, but even I can tell this nest smells like the both of us. A perfect representation of our budding relationship.
I run my fingers up and down Leo’s spine, feeling him relax against me. He’s still far too pale and looks like he’s in pain, but just being here with him seems to be relieving a lot of his discomfort. I’m so thankful I can help Leo like this, just by being here. I want to help. I want to take care of him. I want to do everything in my power to make sure he’s safe and happy and okay.
“Leo,” I say softly, brushing my lips against the top of his hair. “I want this heat to happen without any misunderstandings between us. You mean so much to me. I didn’t even know it was possible to fall so thoroughly for someone so quickly but ever since I bumped into you, you’ve become a staple in my life. It’s like you reside inside my ribcage, right next to my heart, and somehow that’s still not enough. I want more and more and more. I’m completely obsessed with you in every way.”
Leo lets out a soft breath, something like a gasp and a sigh. His hand finds the front of my shirt, holding on tight.
“Oh,” he breathes out.
“I know why,” I tell him softly, my lips tugging up into a grin. “Do you remember when we met? There was this tattoo artist.”
“I remember,” Leo says, barely above a whisper. “I remember everything about you, Jin.”
Oh my gods. My heart cannot take this. I think it might actually explode.
“She was offering soulmate tattoos. At first I was so fucking confused. I thought the tattoo meant I was destined to be alone which made my feelings for you all the more confusing. How could I be alone when all I could think about was you?”
Leo sits up so that he can look down at me. His brown eyes are wide, full of emotion. He nibbles on his bottom lip for a moment before softly asking, “Can I see it? Your soulmate tattoo?”
I nod my head. Leo sits back, giving me room to properly sit up and take my shirt off. Then I turn around, showing him my back. I hear a soft gasp before tentative fingers touch the ink.
“Leo?”
Leo makes a broken noise before I feel his entire hand cover the tattoo, his forehead falling against the nape of my neck. His other arm comes around, wrapping around my middle, holding me tight in this backwards hug.
“Jin,” Leo gasps out, his breath hot against the back of my neck. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
“I know,” I say right away, needing him to understand. “I know, Leo, because I feel it too.”
I hear Leo start to sniffle against my skin, feel the wetness of his tears. I give him a moment, just one moment, before I turn around and pull him against my chest once more. I hold him tight, allowing all the emotions he’s feeling to present themselves. He doesn’t have to feel them alone.
“I’m here,” I whisper into his hair. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere, Leo.”
“I want you, Jin. I want all of you. I want you in my nest and in my life and in my heart. I want you to be my mate.”
“I already am,” I tell him with a smile. “You’re my soulmate.”
“When my heat hits, I want you to mate me.”
I squeeze him tight, my heart skipping a beat. “I can do that,” I tell him right away. I touch his chin, forcing him to look up at me. Then I kiss his lips.
The kiss is soft. It’s a physical representation of solidifying my promise to make him my mate. I have no idea what that entails but that’s okay, I’ll figure it out. Right now, all that matters is making sure Leo knows exactly how I feel, how much I adore him, howwantedhe is.
“I’ll mate you,” I say against his lips. “You’ll have to tell me how to do it, but I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you want. I am yours.”
Leo whines, pulling me into another kiss, this one more fierce. His tongue sweeps across my bottom lip and I open for him, allowing his tongue to brush against mine. He tastes so good, feels so good. Gods, Leo himself is just sogood.
I’ve never felt like this before about another person and I doubt I ever will again. Leo is my person. He’s it for me. I want to do everything in my power to make him feel as happy as he makes me. I want to make him feel good. I want him to neverdoubt what he is to me or how much I adore him. I want to give himeverything, every single part of me.
I pull away, ready to have Leo explain everything to me but just then, his stomach rumbles. I can’t help but grin. Reaching up, I run my fingers through his thick, black hair that always looks like he’s just rolled out of bed.
“I’ll go get you something to eat.”
“Nothing too heavy,” he says, wrinkling his nose. “My stomach really hurts.”
