Why did he feel this strange pull in his chest? The gnawing guilt and emptiness?Should I have been gentler? Checked in more?
“Hey…” Noah’s fingers brushed over Kaj’s thigh, bringing him back to the present. “You good?”
Kaj blinked, dragging his gaze back to Noah’s, then down to his lips, split enough to show a smudge of red. He thumbed the bottom one, wiping away the smear of blood. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Overdoing it.”
“You haven’t overdone anything. Drawing a little blood while having sex is not the end of the world. Happens to the best of us. Don’t worry.”
“But you… and your ass...”
“It’ll be back to normal in no time.”
“But—”
“I’m good, perfect. I’m just coming down from the high.” Noah gave Kaj’s thigh a gentle squeeze, his voice steadier now. “We both are.” Noah tilted his head, searching Kaj’s eyes.
“I know. It’s just…” Kaj exhaled sharply. “I’ve seen this happen before, but I’ve never…”
“Me neither. Not from this side.”
Kaj wrapped an arm around Noah’s shoulders and pressed a kiss on his temple. They were both dropping, but Noah had also taken the pounding of his life. He needed to be taken care of. “What do you need?”
Noah softly smiled. “The tea is great. And this…” He let his head rest against Kaj’s shoulder. “Maybe a bath?”
Kaj nodded. “I’ll set it up. Finish your tea.”
Slipping off the bed, Kaj walked into the en-suite. He turned on the taps of the oversized tub, testing the temperature with his wrist until it was just right—hot enough to soothe aching muscles but not so much to scald. Then he poured some chamomile bath oil, watching it dissolve into bubbles as it mixed with the water. Steam curled in the air, fogging up the mirror and blurring the sharp edges of Kaj’s thoughts.
By the time the tub was half full, Kaj stepped back into the bedroom. Noah was exactly where he’d left him, sitting on the mattress with the mug cradled between his hands. There was something achingly beautiful about him in this state, all his usual confidence and sharp wit stripped away, leaving him bare in a way Kaj had never seen before.
“Bath’s ready.”
Noah stood up, gripping the blanket tighter around his shoulders as he wobbled. Without thinking, Kaj closed the distance between them and steadied him with a hand on his elbow as he wrapped his other arm around him.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, guiding Noah to the bathroom.
“This is so stupid. You just fucked me.” Noah groaned, exasperated.
“Yeah, but your brain is still trying to reboot. Probably can’t tell which nerves belong to your feet and which to your ass yet.” He tried joking.
Noah snorted and rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”
Letting the blanket slip from his shoulders, Noah bent forward to brace himself against the edge of the tub. Kaj stayed close, watching as he eased himself in. It wasn’t graceful. His legs were still trembling, and his balance was completely off, so Kaj found himself resting a hand on Noah’s lower back as the other curled around his arm.
A sharp hiss escaped Noah’s lips as the water rose around him. “Fuck…”
Kaj frowned. “Too hot?”
Noah let out a sigh, sinking deeper. “No, it’s perfect. I’m just too sensitive right now.”
Kaj hummed, leaning against the tub’s edge, propping his cheek on his palm. He stared at Noah as he settled, head resting back and eyes closed. His lips were slightly parted, and the tension from before had smoothed out. It was just him.
“Why don’t you join me instead of watching me like a creep?” Noah muttered, cracking one eye open.
“This is for you.” Kaj dipped his fingertips in the water, little circular ripples appearing when he pulled them up. “You need to relax. Don’t want you feeling down tomorrow.”
