“You’ll know when the time is right.Even when you do move in with him, though, you’ll always have a home with us.”
Jasper’s eyes burned, but he didn’t want to cry.“Thank you, both of you.It would’ve been easier for you to dump me after we found out that I’m a monster, but you stuck around, and it means a lot to me.”
Corey pushed Jasper so hard he almost toppled off the bench.“Fuck off, Jasper.It’s the three of us against the world, or rather, against the hunters, but you know what I mean.What you are isn’t going to change that.Nothingis going to change that.We’re siblings, and that’s that.”
He made it sound easy, and maybe to him and Kerry, it was.Jasper would never forget what they were doing for him, though.How could he?Like Corey had said, they were family, and family stuck together, no matter what happened.It was something Leroy could stand to learn but never would.It was something Jasper had trouble believing, but he would eventually.Corey and Kerry weren’t going anywhere.They’d fight the hunters by his side if they had to.
He wouldn’t even have to ask them to do so.
* * * *
THE KNOCK ON ARCHIE’Sdoor came just past midnight.He’d been expecting it because Jasper had texted an hour ago saying he was on his way, and he smiled as he crossed the apartment to answer it.
Jasper stood in the hallway with a bag slung over his shoulder, looking exhausted.His training session with Kerry and Corey had run late, and from the tension in his shoulders and the dark circles under his eyes, he hadn’t been sleeping well recently.Archie had thought that maybe it was only when they spent the night together, but something told him that Jasper seldom got a good night’s rest these days.
“Hey,” Jasper said quietly.
“Hey, yourself.”Archie stepped aside to let him in, taking the bag and setting it by the door.“Long day?”
“You could say that.”Jasper moved into the apartment with growing familiarity and headed straight for the kitchen.“Do you have any tea?Coffee’s just going to make everything worse.”
“Yeah.”Archie followed him, leaning against the counter as Jasper filled the electric kettle.He was too quiet and tense.Something was eating at him.It felt like that was always the case lately.“Want to talk about it?”
Jasper’s hands stilled.“Not yet.Maybe after?”He set the kettle down and turned it on, then finally looked at Archie.“Can we just be normal for a bit?Forget everything?”
“Of course.”Archie closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Jasper’s waist.Jasper melted into him immediately, burying his face against Archie’s neck.They stood like that for a long moment, just breathing together, until Archie felt some of the tension finally drain from Jasper’s body.
“Better?”he murmured.
“Getting there.”Jasper pulled back enough to look at Archie.“Sorry.I know I’ve been—”
“Don’t apologize.”Archie brushed a strand of hair away from Jasper’s forehead.“You’ve got a lot on your mind.I get it.”He wasn’t the only one, but between the hunters, Sanctuary, and the help with the fighting ring, Jasper had more on his plate than Archie.
The kettle beeped.Jasper pulled away to make his tea, and Archie watched him move through the kitchen as if he belonged there.Archie wanted him to, but Jasper had enough to deal with right now without Archie adding to it.
Even though he wanted this to be permanent.
“So,” Jasper said, cradling the mug between his hands.“Normal conversation.How was your day?”
“Paperwork mostly.Braith thinks we need better filing systems.He’s probably right, but I’m not admitting it.”
That earned him a real smile from his boyfriend.“Of course not.That would be too reasonable.”
They settled on the couch, Jasper tucking himself against Archie’s side.For a few minutes, they just sat there, Jasper sipping his tea while Archie ran his fingers through his hair.The silence was comfortable, and Archie wanted Jasper to have this peace for as long as he needed it.
But eventually, Jasper put his mug down on the coffee table and turned to face Archie.The tension was back in his shoulders.
“There’s really nothing to talk about, you know.We’re going to take on the hunters.We’ll put an end to the fights.I’ll hopefully find out more about Sanctuary and my birth family.”
“We will,” Archie confirmed.“But right now, we should go to bed.”
Jasper laughed.“I don’t know if I can turn my brain off.”
Archie watched him.“Maybe if you tell me what’s on your mind, it’ll be easier.”
“I’m fine.”
“Jasper.”
