10. Chapter 10
Chapter ten
A sh had trouble waking Hallow the next morning. He almost nodded off over breakfast. Ash told him to go back to bed, and Hallow trudged upstairs yawning.
Ash dropped Willow off at [work? The volunteer meeting point?] and Charli off at school and made his way to his father’s retirement village.
It was a huge place, built into a hill. It centred around four tall apartment buildings, with smaller houses scattered around them. He followed the signs to the visitor’s carpark, parked and went into reception. Willow had told him how to find their father but he’d forgotten most of it.
The woman at the reception desk directed him to the correct floor and room number. Ash walked through the building feeling self-conscious. The staff had clearly tried to make the place as homey as they could, but the sterility undercut it. The potted plants, spotless carpets and clean, white walls did not distract from the smell of lemon cleaning products and bleach. The helpful signs everywhere put him in mind of a hotel.
His steps slowed considerably as he approached his father’s room.
He found the plaque that sported the number and underneath it, his father’s name in Comic Sans: Brendan Wilson
The door was the same as all the others, fresh white, clean and sterile.
Ash stood there staring at the door for a long time, building up the courage to knock. The knowledge that his father was on the other side of the door had him frozen. His skin ran cold. He couldn’t move his arm to knock.
A nurse bustled past with a stack of clean towels. “You lost, dear?”
“No, thanks, I’m just—” He knocked on the door. “Visiting.”
She nodded and walked on, sensible shoes making no sound at all on the carpet.
“Come in.” The soft voice was barely familiar.
Ash stepped inside. The room was small. The bed was the main feature. It had hospital sides and a button panel to make it move up and down. A door on the right hand wall opened onto a bathroom, and two reclining chairs sat by a small table under a window. The bookshelf confirmed that this was, indeed, his father’s room. He knew the spines of those books, all his father’s favourite sci-fi classics, books of history and the plant life of New Zealand. Some framed photographs served as bookends. Ash recognised the photo of himself at the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. He’d sent it home attached to one of his infrequent email updates to the family. His father must have printed it off or gotten Willow to. That photo had done well on Insta.
“Ash?” His father’s voice shook him out of his reverie. He’d recognised the chair but not the man sitting in it. He had the newspaper folded in his lap and a pen in his hand. Doing the crossword. After a moment of looking at him, he recognised something around the eyes. His father had aged, his skin pale and sagging, papery. He’d used to be such a robust looking man, now he looked like a strong breeze would knock him down.
“Hey, Dad.” Ash hugged his father.
His shoulders were thin, all bones and angles. The last time he’d hugged his father he’d been muscled, strong and resilient as a stone. He’d become an old man. Ash’s throat hurt. “How are you?”
He pulled back, really looking at his father. Rheumy eyes and saggy cheeks. He didn’t just look old, he looked like he was wasting away. “I’m all right.” Brendan raked his eyes over Ash, drinking him in like he was dying of thirst. “How are you? Jet lagged, I’ll bet. Take a seat.”
Ash sat gratefully in the other chair. “A bit yeah. I’ve been helping Wills with the flood clean-up and that’s helping me fall asleep at night.” “Good, good.” His father couldn’t stop looking him over. “Been a while, hasn’t it? Where were you most recently?”
“I came in through Singapore.” Ash pulled out his phone, thinking he’d show some photos then remembered he hadn’t taken any during his layover. For once. “It’s the most beautiful airport in the world.”
Brendan nodded. “I’ve seen travel shows about it. Hard to believe. Do they really have that giant waterfall inside?”
“Yeah, they do.”
Brendan’s eyes cut to the window and his bleak view of the carpark and the next apartment building. “Do you want to see some pictures? I have some from the time before?” Ash moved to perch on the arm of his father’s chair and brought up his photo albums. He handed it to Brendan to scroll through.
After a few minutes his father handed the phone back. “What’s your plan now, Ash? Got a job? A flat?”
Ash frowned. “I was thinking I might write a book, but I wanted to take some downtime first.”
“Downtime.” Brendan scoffed. “You’ve had years of downtime, haven’t you?”
Stung, Ash moved back to the other chair and pocketed his phone. He hadn’t expected his father to think of what he’d been doing as downtime. He had to change the subject, or he’d cry or start shouting. Neither of those actions would be helpful. He just had to do his duty visit then leave.“I’m helping a friend from out of town just now.”
“A friend.” Brendan’s expression hardened. He sat up straighter and pinned Ash with a look that made him feel sixteen years old again. “It’s been too long,” Brendan said. “Tell me the truth.”
“The truth?” Ash choked back a laugh. Which truth would he like to hear? That Ash was gay? That he felt a void in his chest and that’s why he ran away from home in the first place—the reason he kept on running? That magic was real and he was tangled up in it? Maybe that he was trying to solve an interdimensional puzzle and the stakes were life and death? “About what, Dad?”
“You’ve got a look about you. I can tell you're lying and there's something else I recognise.” Brendan narrowed his eyes. “You’ve seen something uncanny, haven’t you?”
Ash froze, his stomach knotting up in sudden fear. “Uncanny?”
“Maybe it’s a shop that didn’t make sense, run by a man in a top hat?” Brendan fixed him with an intense gaze. “Maybe you’ve seen a fairy or a goblin? Maybe you can do something that the laws of physics say you shouldn’t be able to?”
Ash had thought astonishment was behind him. He’d seen so much now, he should be able to take surprises in stride?
But his wizened father talking about magic? About The Magic Shop?
Ash gripped the arms of his chair, desperately needing to steady himself. “I... yeah.”
His father nodded, apparently unsurprised. “Makes sense you’d have the gift. You were always sensitive as a kid. You’d notice things your sister didn’t.” Brendan, with some effort, turned in his chair and pointed at the bookshelf. “There’s a book there, a blue linen-bound one. Fetch it down, will you?”
Ash got up without hesitation to scan the shelf. The book sang out to him, tickling his magical senses until he took it off the shelf. It felt heavier than it looked, since it was relatively slim. “Death is sniffing around,” Brendan said. “I've sensed it for a while.” He held out his hand.
Ash gave him the book. Brendan nodded thanks. “You came home, after so long. I think you’re going to have to protect Charli. Willow too, but Charli most of all.”
Ash watched his father flipped through the book, itching to do the same, to find out its secrets. “Why Charli?”
“Never seen anyone more likely to cast magic in my life. Not soon — you have to grow into it, the way I understand it, but things are stirring. And Death? He wants a taste, I’m sure of it.”
Ash sank back into his chair, feeling dizzy. “Dad, please just start at the…beginning? You know about magic?”
“It’s in my bloodline, the Wilson family legacy.” Brendan marked a page with one finger and closed the book. His intense scrutiny landed on Ash again. “It doesn’t always surface. Willow got none of it, I’m sure of that. I think you felt it in Charli, or maybe me, wherever in the world you were and that’s why you came back now. The magic pulled you back as sure as an anchor. Death sniffing around, I might have inadvertently called for you.”The suddenness of Ash’s yearning for home jumped into his head. The conviction one evening that he’d seen everything there was to see out there. He swallowed. “I was brought back to protect Charli from...” The question died on his tongue. He didn’t want to know the answer.
Hallow coming through from another world, lurking shadow creatures, The Quetch. Death? It could be any or all of those things. Charli was in danger, that’s all that mattered.
His father handed him the book. “I don’t know exactly. But this section deals with defensive magic. It should help you as things progress.” “How...but how do I even begin to use magic? All I know is Hallow found me, came through my dream into this world from another place. I didn’t actively do anything.”
“Who is Hallow?”
“He’s from another world, a fantasy world. He looks like a fairy, and well, he’s my boyfriend.”
Brendan nodded. “I see. Dreams are powerful places. For you, it will come naturally. I think of it like an itch that starts on my skin, energy flickering out of my fingertips. It could be different for you. There’s more than one way to cook an egg, after all. Meditation helps, or just focusing on the flame of a candle. Find whatever works for you. Above everything, trust your gut. Your heart knows what’s what even if you don’t have a solid understanding of magic.”
Ash looked down at the page on defensive magic and tried to accept this weird new reality. His father was Gandalf, teaching him magic.
When he looked up, Brendan was pressing his fingertips to his forehead. His eyes were closed and his mouth hung slightly open. “Dad, are you okay?” Ash spotted a Call for assistance button on the wall. “Should I call a nurse?”
Brendan shook his head. “Just help me to the bed. I need a nap.”
Ash cast around for a bookmark. He checked his pockets and pulled out a business card for The Magic Shop. But he hadn’t been wearing these pants when they’d visited, had he? He slipped it into the book to mark the page.
His hand felt huge and steady, helping his father up. Brendan’s walk was a shuffle now, slow and wobbly. Ash put his other hand on his back in case he fell. He felt frail, paper-thin.“Sorry son, this is what I’m like these days.” “Could be worse, eh?” Ash was painfully aware of his father’s shaky grip on his hand. He helped him to lie down, waited while he kicked off his slippers and pulled his blanket up over him. His father blinked up at him, already half-asleep. “Good to see you.”
“I love you, Dad.”“Love you.” His father patted his hand.
Ash swallowed around a painful lump.
Brendan sighed, his eyes closing. “My Dad, he tried to beat it out of me. Told me not to talk about it. That’s why—” His chest moved fast, like he was out of breath.
Ash swallowed alarm. “It’s okay. Ssh.”
“I should have been more up front with you.” He nodded once. The classic New Zealand stoic man. “Sorry.”
Ash could count on one hand the number of times his father had apologised to him. Throughout his entire life, Brendan had taken the hard line. My way or the highway. Never show weakness, never back down.
On reflection, that was the main reason Ash had run away. He’d never felt like he would be able to make his father truly proud. Better to run away and do his own thing and forget than be a disappointment.
But this? This magic thing, his inheritance? That was something that Brendan could be proud of.
He squeezed his father’s hand. “I’ll protect Charli.”
“No! Help her learn.” Brendan’s eyes snapped open. He fixed Ash with a steel gaze. “When the time comes, she should be prepared.” His eyes slid closed again. The next noise he made was a deep sigh as he fell asleep.
Ash stood for a while, watching. Tears ran down his face.
The tears were for a lot of things; how his father had faded, how Charli would grow up, get into danger, and for his own, confused self. He swallowed, bent down to kiss his father’s forehead and left, the book tucked under his arm.
Ash’s emotions had been a tumultuous confusion the entire drive home, but they all crystalised into affectionate joy when he returned home and saw Hallow’s baby-pink mop of hair, and pointy ears as he sat on the couch, reading.
He wanted Hallow. He wanted him like a burning match wanted dry paper. Only it wouldn’t be Hallow who burned, it would be Ash and his useless heart. He walked towards him, drawn inexorably, wanting with every fibre of his being. “You’re back! How’d it go?”
Ash sat beside him too close, crowding into his space. “Dad knows about magic. Apparently, it runs in our family. He thinks it’s why I came back from travelling. He thinks Charli has it too.”
“Really? That’s amazing.” Hallow reached for his hand and squeezed it.
“I’m...” Ash started and stopped again. What was he trying to say? How could he turn this impossible longing into words?
Hallow watched him, eyes curious and sparkling, a smile teasing at his lips. “Yeah?” “I’m falling in love with you.” His cheeks warmed. He hadn’t meant to be so blatant about it. But it was out now, might as well keep going. “I know there’s no future for us, but... I want to protect you and cherish you. I want to be with you all the time, wake up with you, fall asleep at night beside you... all of it.”
“Ash.” Hallow lifted Ash’s hand to his mouth and gently kissed his palm.
He didn’t say anything more, so Ash barrelled on. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You’re perfect. Beautiful, funny, I love the way you appreciate everything around you, the wonder you have, you really see things. This is going to sound weird, but... But it reminds me of me. I like that we can share that. I want to show you so much, so we can be in awe of it together, you know?”
Hallow’s eyes had crinkled shut. He pulled on Ash’s arm, urging him closer. Ash moved easily, crashing his mouth against his with a relieved sigh. Hallow wrapped his arms tight around Ash and held him close. “I feel the same way, Ash. You’re the answer to a question I’ve been asking my whole life. I can’t believe I had to travel between worlds to meet you, but I’m so, so glad I did.”
Ash needed to be closer. He climbed on top of Hallow, straddling his lap, choking on the strength of his need for him.
They kissed, wild abandon making it messy. Ash’s lips were sloppy. He licked inside Hallow’s mouth and moaned as Hallow bit his lip. His hands roamed over Hallow’s frame, teasing and squeezing, tugging on his shirt.
“Maybe we should move to my room?” Ash’s voice cracked, betraying just how intensely he needed Hallow.
Hallow kissed down his jaw and to his throat. “Good idea.”
Ash could barely breathe as he climbed off Hallow. They hurried up to the room, touching each other and giggling like teenagers.
Hallow chased Ash into the bedroom, closed the door behind them and launched himself at Ash, tackling him onto the bed.
Ash yelped, laughing, enjoying the weight of him on top.
“You said something the other day, about doing what you’re told. Do you remember?”
Ash blushed. “Maybe.”
“You said, tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it. If you like, I’d be happy to tell you what to do right now?” Hallow leaned in to rub his nose on Ash’s, teasing and sexy as hell.
Ash groaned and rolled his hips, grinding up against Hallow. He’d never really traded power like that before, but he trusted Hallow and the idea sounded hotter than anything else he could imagine. “Okay.”
Hallow grinned and moved off him. “Take off your clothes then.”
That was easy enough. Ash sat up to pull his shirt off and toss it aside, humming as Hallow ran his hands over his newly exposed chest. He moved to the side of the bed to remove his pants and underwear, kicking them away and turned back, suddenly shy.
Hallow moved behind him, pulling his back close to his chest. “You’re so handsome, Ash.”
Ash flushed. “Compared to you? Hah.”
“Quiet. Don’t argue with your master.”
Ash shivered, his body responding to that in ways he hadn’t expected. “Master?”
Hallow’s hands stroked and teased him, moving further down each time but never quite touching his aching cock. “That sounds divine, coming from your lips.”
Ash relaxed into the attention, leaning fully back on Hallow. “Yeah?”
“How do you feel about me tying your hands?”
Ash closed his eyes. It was something he’d toyed with, experimented on with various one-night-stands, but he had always been the one doing the tying. His mouth went dry. “Yeah.”
“Yeah? That’s not an answer.” Hallow tweaked his nipple playfully. “How does it make you feel, to hear I want to bind your hands?”
Ash’s face couldn’t be any redder. “Good. Hot. You can do that.”
Hallow giggled in his ear. “Yeah? Then put your hands together.”
Ash did so. He was so hard. All this talk was driving him crazy.
Hallow gestured. Pink light coalesced into solid pink rope, winding around Ash’s wrists and pulling tight into a knot.
The rope was soft but unyielding. Ash tugged against it and moaned.“There you go. Now. What to do with you now that you’re mine?”
Ash swallowed his pride, too turned on to resist. “Anything.”
Hallow nipped his neck. “Get on your knees on the ground. I want you to suck me off.”
Ash slid onto the floor, rested his bound hands on his knees and waited patiently while Hallow removed his clothes. He sat back down, knees spread and beckoned Ash forward. “Lick me, Ash.”
Ash shuffled forward on his knees and leaned in to lick Hallow’s long, pink cock. He couldn’t help moaning at the delicious salty taste of him. He moved closer, wrapping his lips around the head and bobbing up and down, each time going a little lower, teasing, really. He wanted a little revenge for the touching earlier.
“You’re such a good pet for me.” Hallow hummed, stroking his hands through Ash’s hair and then suddenly gripping it tight. “All the way now.” He pushed Ash’s head down.
Ash went happily, loosening his jaw just a touch to avoid the scrape of teeth. He was full of him, barely able to catch his breath with how aroused he was.
Hallow held him there and pumped his hips a couple of times.
Ash slipped into a happy place, a fuzzy bliss of having nothing to do in the world but this. To pleasure his gorgeous fairy boyfriend, bound up and utterly his.
Hallow tugged his hair sharply and pulled out of his mouth. “I could come like that, you know. Use your face and leave you hard. I won’t right now, but I could. Maybe another time.”
Ash didn’t respond, he wasn’t sure how to. The concept of being used and left hard was so hot he couldn’t form words.
Ash’s head spun at the threat, surprised to find he liked the sound of it, how hot it would be to be tied up and helpless, kept at the edge at Hallow’s whim. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to respond to that, so he didn’t.
With his surprising strength, Hallow pulled Ash up and onto the bed, laying him flat and using magic to bind his hands to the headboard.
Hallow straddled his hips and reached behind himself, his face crumpling as he prepped with a magic spell. Ash moaned, harmonising with Hallow’s noises, and bucked his hips uselessly.
“Almost. So needy for me, aren’t you, Ash? Say it out loud I want to hear it.”
“I’m so needy for you, Master.” Ash groaned. “Please!”
Hallow lifted to line himself up, the tease almost too much for Ash. Then the press of muscle, the tight sheath and the incredible heat of Hallow engulfed him.
“So good, saying please and everything.” Hallow braced himself with one hand light on Ash’s chest. He wasted no time rocking his hips. “You look so good, laid out like that for me.”
Ash could barely process his words, focused on the feel of Hallow around him. He rocked his hips gently, smiling when he was rewarded with a moan.
“There’s nothing more beautiful than you,” Ash managed to say. “You’re... everything. You’re hot, sweet, kind and so fucking sexy.”
Hallow’s chest puffed out a bit. “Thank you, pet. For that I’ll let you come. I like to hear you flatter me.”
The dam was broken, Ash let all his praise for Hallow fall out of his mouth unfettered. “I love your eyes, the colour of your hair, your wings, god, your wings are the most incredible thing...” The words spilled out of him, on and on as Hallow rode him faster and faster.
Ash felt his balls tighten and moaned. “Please, I’m so close.”
Hallow moved his hand to stroke himself and groaned. “Me too, come for me, baby, I wanna feel it.”
Ash jerked his hips and came, just as Hallow spilled over his stomach.
It took a few moments for Ash to recover. Hallow banished the magic holding him bound. He rubbed his wrists, surprised how they didn’t hurt. He almost missed the feel of the ropes.
Hallow cleaned them with magic and then wrapped his arms around Ash. “We’re going to need to clean properly this time.”
“We’ll have a shower in a moment, I want to hold you.”
“Of course.” Hallow kissed him softly and squeezed him against his chest. “Anything you want, my darling.”
Ash swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. How wonderful, how perfect it would be to have this moment over and over again. For the rest of his life. He wanted it so much it hurt, it scared him. But it was the best kind of frightened he’d ever been.