Chapter Twenty-Nine
KADE FROWNED WHEN he woke to an empty bed. The space where Killi should have been was cold when he ran his hands over the smooth sheets.
Groaning, he rolled legs slowly beneath him, pushing himself up to scan the room. His hips ached dully at the movement. His face warmed at the reminder.
Biting his lip, he replayed the night’s events.
It was a bit disappointing though, a mood dampener, to wake up alone.
Kade had always imagined waking up wrapped in Killi’s arms, after a night of satisfying sex and every other day in between.
But if Killi was called away, then Kade couldn’t complain, it was work after all.
He was sure there would be days it was him that was called away instead.
Oh, the curse of becoming important at one’s job.
Stumbling a bit on shaky legs, it took an embarrassing amount of small steps to reach the dresser across the room. Gods, Kade didn’t think he’d ever get used to this. Or get any work done ever again if he were going to be on wobbly legs everyday.
Kade gasped at the sight of himself in the large golden mirror that hung on the wall.
The state of him was something else. There were purpling bruises trailing down his neck and shoulders and collarbones, clustered on his hips and between his thighs.
Lasting evidence of Killi’s domineering presence in his bed.
A collar of his very own.
Kade was elated. This physical show of possession set off butterflies in his stomach.
He’d need to apply a healing salve once he went back to his room.
Honestly, what was Killi thinking? How was Kade supposed to hide this?
Kade could already hear the incessant ragging that he would endure if anyone caught a glimpse of the bruises sticking out the collar of his robes. He was fucked, so completely fucked.
Lost in his own head, Kade jumped when hands snaked around his waist, drawing him back into Killi’s chest. The older elf’s chin hooking over Kade’s shoulder so that their eyes could meet in the silvery reflection. He settled quickly, melting into the strong and steady embrace.
“Pretty, aren’t they?” Killi looked incredibly smug.
Kade hummed in agreement, running his hands lightly over Killi’s arms. “You can’t do it again.”
“And why not?”
“Someone could see.”
“Yes,” whispered Killi, pressing his lips to a bruise on the side of Kade’s neck. “That is the point.”
Scoffing, Kade argued, “No, Killi. We don’t want people to see. We don’t want people to ask questions. That’s the point. I can’t walk around like this all the time.”
“But you wear them so well.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Kade’s breath hitched as Killi began to trace over the marks on his stomach, and then dipped down over his hips and the tops of his thighs. He shivered as Killi’s teasing brushed right against the base of his cock. Valiantly, he tried to be stern. “You can’t.”
“Hmm. I’ll consider it,” said Killi. Then, much to Kade’s horror, Killi pulled away, taking all his warmth and comfort with him. Killi hooked his pinky through Kade’s and tugged him towards the bed. “Come eat.”
At the foot of the bed, which was empty just moments ago, lay a silver tray stacked with food. There was an assortment of things, delicate meats and soft bread, the sweet meats of ripe, succulent fruit, and even a few desserts.
Kade’s mouth watered at the sight. His stomach gurgled. He hadn’t realized just how hungry he was until it was right in front of him.
“So this is where you ran off to,” said Kade, a huge smile on his face. It was so sweet. “Leaving me all alone in your bed like a tossed aside lover. I thought you’d abandoned me.”
“So dramatic. Come, we only have a few hours before Hokda steals you away from me again.”
“Cake for breakfast?”
“It’s a celebration,” Killi said with a wink. “Come. Eat.”
Kade was helpless not to, he would follow Killi anywhere.
Killi rested against the headboard, his legs spread as Kade sat between them, his back plastered Killi’s chest. Kade felt like a pampered pup each time Killi brought a morsel of his hoard to Kade’s lips, insisting on feeding him by hand, but he preened under the attention, even as his face burned in embarrassment.
They basked in each other’s presence, letting the feel of them—together, as one—sink into their very souls.
There was no space between them, and Kade liked it that way. He was giddy knowing he could have this closeness with Killi forever, locked away in the privacy of this room, the one place they didn’t have to hide.
Truthfully, Kade didn’t mind the thought of hiding, he liked the idea of this thing between them being private, only theirs. He didn’t need it to be shared with anyone else. They wouldn’t understand. They wouldn’t see anything beyond what they wanted, minds narrow and judging.
Drawn in by the quiet and the calm, Kade didn’t realize he had dozed off until he was being moved, manhandled, into a different position. He grumbled, unhappy with the new development, but Killi only laughed at him and continued what he was doing until Kade was wrapped in his arms.
“Sleep,” Killi whispered as he carded soothing fingers through Kade’s hair, dragging blissfully against his scalp. “I’ll wake you in the morning.”
Kade obeyed. He closed his eyes drifted, safe in the arms of the one he called home.
“Late! I’m late!” Kade scrambled around the room in a panic, picking up stray pieces of his robes that had somehow ended up discarded in every corner of the room. “I thought you were going to wake me up!”
“I did,” Killi said, amused. He leaned against the wall by the door, dressed in a clean and pressed uniform. “It’s not my fault you’re lazy and didn’t want to get out of bed. You just watched me get ready.”
Kade paused, one arm half shoved in his sleeve. “It was quite a show. I couldn’t miss it.”
“I’ll put it on for you again sometime.”
“Tomorrow, I hope.”
“If you have a tomorrow after Hokda gets his hands on you.”
Kade cursed and renewed his dressing with urgency. He looked—and felt—a mess, but it would do until he could get to his own room and change. He paused by the door, pulled Killi into a quick and sloppy kiss by the front of his uniform, and was gone with the farewell of a whispered I love you.
“Where have you been?” Porthos demanded, clicking his tongue obnoxiously. “Out of bed all night without letting your Mother know.”
Taiga sniffed, dabbing at his eye. “What a delinquent you are. We didn’t raise you like this.”
“Not another word,” snapped Kade, pushing his way between his friends as they blocked his path. They broke easily but didn’t go away, opting to instead hover in his doorway. That wasn’t not ideal, he needed them gone, quickly.
To Kade’s horror, the apprentice dorms hadn’t been as abandoned as he’d hoped when he’d burst into the wing at a near sprint. Porthos and Taiga had waited for him, like the horrible, awful friends they were.
At the sight of him, they had both given Kade horribly knowing looks, smirking and waggling their eyebrows at the sight of his frumpy robes and tousled appearance.
Kade could crawl into a hole and die.
“Go away,” Kade said, shooing at them. “I have to change.”
“Go right ahead,” said Taiga, his expression sly as a fox. “Don’t let us stop you, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, we bathe together regularly after all.”
“The door is open.”
Porthos hummed and exchanged glances with Taiga. “No, I don’t think so. Everyone’s already downstairs and you know it. Try again.”
“Ah, but Porthos, it sounds like he has something to hide. Is that it, Kade? Is there something you don’t want us to see?”
They grinned at him, twin expressions of villainous glee on their faces.
Caught, Kade could do nothing but glare. He turned his face towards the ceiling and sighed, frustrated and embarrassed. Couldn’t they have mercy, just for today?
“Oh,” Porthos gasped. Then, he lunged forward into Kade’s space and pulled roughly at the neckline of his robes, peering down the front at the newly exposed skin. He was laughing at Kade, pure shock and disbelief. “Were you attacked? Were you mauled? How are you standing right now?”
Kade wrestled away, his ears burning.
Taiga’s eyes bulged. “Whoa. That’s intense. Who exactly did you fuck?”
“Blink twice if you need help, darling, because anyone who does something like that is surely crazy.”
“Yes. Not all there in the head.”
“On your first night together, too? How bold.”
“How possessive." Taiga paused, his eyes narrowing in speculation. “Which one are you? Top? Bottom?”
Porthos swatted at their dark haired friend. “You can’t ask that! It’s rude. Plus, there’s no reason to ask, it’s obvious. Could you really see Kade ever bending someone over? No. Obviously not.”
“Ah. You’re right.” Taiga eyed him sympathetically. “Are you sore? I can grab you a vitality elixir as a pick-me-up.”
“Enough! Leave me alone.” Kade was so incredibly over their antics. “Are you not worried about being late?”
“It’s still the feast,” said Taiga with a lax shrug. “There’s no way Hokda is showing up anytime before noon. He loves his drink. And don’t try and change the subject! You’re not getting out of this.” There was a gleam in his eyes that Kade didn’t like. At all. “Who?”
“No.”
Porthos narrowed his eyes. “Is it a secret?”
“…No.”
Another irritating glance between the two.
“Ah. I got it. They’re married.” Porthos waggled his finger at Kade.”Naughty, naughty.”
Kade scowled. “They’re not married.”
Taiga looked genuinely confused. “Then why won’t you tell us?”
“Because it’s none of your goddamn business, that’s why,” Kade snapped. “You’re not entitled to knowing the partners I choose. It’s not like I ask you about your bedroom habits even if I have to listen to them. These walls are thin.”
They blinked at Kade, not at all intimidated by his outburst.
Then, Porthos leaned ever so slightly towards Taiga and covered his mouth with his hand, as if that would keep Kade from hearing. “He’s quite defensive, no? That means it’s serious. Really serious.”