This is what Lazerath was missing. Something comfortable and reassuring.
Despite his twin’s stiffness, Laz still gave him a big hug, only relinquishing his hold when he got a pinch to the armpit. And maybe because he was now very curious about the new human standing in his bakery, wide-eyed but laughing at their antics.
“This must be your brother,” Ember said with a grin.
“Oh, and is this the big bad murderer you warned me about?” he teased to his brother, turning to take her in fully. Tiny, even compared to Rosalind, though he could see a mind just as sharp churning behind her dark eyes. From what Rose had told him, she was as strong and capable as the woman he loved.
And it was precisely because he was thinking gooey thoughts about his human that when Sev pulled him aside to investigate a windowpane that wasn’t actually cracked, he easily read his brother’s unsettled demeanor.
“I have a problem.”
“Oh?” When he turned back to find his twin’s gaze lingering on the kitchen where Dav and Ember had disappeared, he gasped. “Youlikeher.”
This wasexactlythe distraction that Lazerath needed, because if there was one thing he excelled at, it was needling his uptight brother. Especially because after seeing Ozirax and Kalypso the other night being extra friendly, there was no doubt in Lazerath’s mind that his twin was completely obsessed with his human.
Of course, Laz wouldn’t divulge his own courtship because it was much more fun to make his brother wonder what sort of chaos Lazerath had gotten himself into. And he wasn’t entirely sure Severath was ready to hear how his brother and best friend were very intimately involved with their own human.
Then again, it seemed Severath might not have been entirely clueless.
So Lazerath gave him some doughy advice, because life made a lot more sense when compared to baking bread. Or maybe a box of cookies. No, that didn’t work, those were flat and you could always accidentally get one with wrinkly fruits that should never be put in a sweet pastry. Chocolates? Much better.
Lazerath only felt a little bad about snapping at his brother somewhere between Sev’s self-loathing and reverting to their childhood desire to solve everything with a quick punch to the jaw. In fairness, Severath deserved it because it was quite clear he was interested in the human but terrified to act on it.
After a long-winded explanation ofhow Sev really should be kinder to himself and understand that he would be a fantastic partner if he stopped sabotaging himself—with metaphors that Sev likely didn’t understand—Laz ended with: “I’m trying to tell you to be yourself and follow your instinct.”
“My instinct wants me to lick her from head to tail and beg her to stay with me for as long as she can bear my presence.”
“Yes,that.”
After teasing Sev a bit more about his mushy feelings for Ember, Severath had clearly had enough and asked Ember if they were ready to leave. Dav strolled out of the kitchen behind the human, amusement brightening his soft smile when they left the shop.
Laz was still waving as the pair walked past the window and said to his friend, “So, Sev likes Ember.”
Dav was also waving, pretending everything was normal. “Ember likes Sev.”
“Aww, two murder couples.” He boosted himself up onto the counter to sit. “So, I couldn’t help but notice the bag of ingredients you sent home with Ember… That doesn’t have anything to do with a certain grudge you’re still holding?”
Davarox’s smile turned downright evil. “Severath deserves it for what he did.”
“You’re still mad over him eating the last custard eight years ago?” Laz joked, shoving Dav’s shoulder.
Davarox grumbled and reached for the tray of cooledsweet buns that Lazerath had meant to put away. “It was the first batch you’d ever made successfully. You’d made them for me.”
Laz went still.
The way Dav had said those words, it had to be unintentional. How they dipped in volume. How he turned away and avoided eye contact in favor of putting the bread away.
Lazerath stared at the back of his friend’s head, recalling that day. He’d returned to a tension-filled room after he’d forgotten to turn off the heating rune in the oven. Davarox was furious at Sev for eating the last of the custards Laz had made, glaring daggers at the male.
It had been so ridiculous, like all the fights they’d had with each other throughout the years. But this one, this tiny fight, had lingered longer than Laz thought it deserved. Dav had been short with Sev for months after that day, even though Lazerath had offered a million times to just make Davarox a new one. Not that Dav didn’t have the recipe to make it himself. And the demon barely ate the treat nowadays.
But here, now, was a truth Lazerath had never heard uttered from Davarox.
You’d made them for me.
He’d made plenty of desserts for Davarox, but none had ever inspired that possessive and, dare he say,heartbrokentone. Over a small thing that he and Dav did daily.
Under Laz’s hand, the ledger and its contentsburned his skin. He could feel an uncertain weight settling on his shoulders, no distraction left and the air tense between them.
