Robin would never lie to Lucas. The few times he’d tried, it had not been convincing.I’m fine, Robin had insisted, and Lucas had known it was false before Robin had.
As for the rest… it had only been a little over two months. And over a decade. But really just a few months.
But it was true, wasn’t it? Mallory had implied it, and the ravens were here, and Lucas had made no move to go back home to stay and Robin certainly hadn’t hinted that he should. Because Lucas would listen and Robin didn’t want him to go.
Persephone carried on. “He thinks the world of you. Which the others maybe didn’t notice at first, like I didn’t notice, because we so rarely saw you two together. Now we have, and I bet they’re shitting themselves.”
Robin tried to scoff. “They haven’t seen us together. We barely leave the house.” He stopped when Persephone wrinkled her nose. “Because of work and… things.”
But people had come to consult Lucas. They’d found Robin at the door and been surprised, as if it wasn’t Robin’s porch they were on. And sometimes Robin would get up from his work to get tea or a sugary decaf coffee and seek out Lucas to bring him some, and people would stare and gape as though Lucas accepting a cup from Robin’s hand was strange and unnatural.
Maybe it was Robin’s other hand on Lucas’ shoulder or his thumb brushing the side of Lucas’ neck.
Maybe it was Lucas saying, “Blessing?” softly, to indicate Robin should stay.
Robin did his best to ignore his hot face. “However Lucas has positioned himself…”
The wrinkled nose made another appearance.
“Oh, shut up.” Robin threw a dishtowel at her. He left the sink to the sound of her laughter, left the groceries on the counter as well, and said, “Let me show you the storeroom,” to watch Persephone’s eyes light up again.
Everything else could wait until the caffeine had left his system and it was only thoughts of Lucas and the future making his heart race.
When Persephone and Connor and all the dogs had been packed into Persephone’s car for the drive back to the Greysmith house, Robin went into the living room to collapse on the couch. He was not in there for long before a fire roared to life in the fireplace and Lucas appeared in the doorway, a raven on each shoulder.
The ravens left him almost immediately to perch on the top of the armchair.
Lucas’ hair was already starting to grow out, not quite long enough yet to for him to need to brush it from his eyes, but close. He was wearing his coat from outside, and his boots, though that was likely because the ravens on his shoulders hadn’t wanted him to stop to deal with either of those things.
He looked at Robin and immediately frowned. “Did something happen?”
“Persephone got to play in the storeroom,” Robin answered without thinking, but then shrugged because that wasn’t what was at the forefront of his mind. He extended his arm. “Come here.”
Lucas came and sat down next to him. Robin thought about remarking on the boots and coat but was distracted by the bits of twigs and burrs and other such natural things all over Lucas’ head and shoulders. He wiped the smudges off one cheek and pulled a stick of some kind from behind one ear, sighed, “Lucas,” and Lucas bent his head so Robin could pluck out anything else offensive.
Robin kept the pile of debris in one palm as he worked. “What were you two up to while we were in town? I thought Connor just wanted to let the dogs run someplace new.”
“We went out along the fences, checking for what needs to be repaired.” Fences that were meant for sheep Robin did not haveanymore. Or did not haveyet, Robin supposed. Lucas wouldn’t have done it for no reason.
But that was a nerve-wracking thought and Robin currently had enough of those. “And how is Connor? You two did whatever siblings do when bonding?”
He knew Lucas was smiling. He didn’t have to see it. Lucas said, “He’s enjoying some down time. Spring and summer get busy, so he’ll be run off his feet the next few months. Hedidseem preoccupied. Did you say something to him earlier?”
“Oh, nothing like that.” Robin ran his fingers over the back of Lucas’ neck because he could. “Nothing serious,” he assured Lucas. “It was about Josiah. I haven’t forgotten what I told him, I’ve just been resting and getting things in order here.” And spending every spare minute with Lucas.
“Ah.” Lucas raised his head to study Robin. His expression clearly said,The weaver has plans, but he didn’t ask what they were.
Which Robin should resent. “It’s not much of a plan,” he replied out loud. “Just getting him to work here in some way. Get him away from people who make him feel bad about himself. It’s… it’s not much of a plan.”
“Persephone too?” Lucas had dropped his head again but he was definitely smiling.
He had mud on his ear and his shoulder, probably Flint’s doing. Robin brushed it off Lucas’ earlobe and then wiped it onto the coat since it was already dirty.
“Hmph. Always so wise. Yet, all this dirt on your coat.”
“Not always,” Lucas answered mildly, though proving himself wrong in the next second by taking the hint and sitting up to remove the offending item. He put the folded coat behind himon the arm of the couch and then deposited the sticks and burrs and leaf bits Robin had collected on top of that bundle. “You and Persephone had a good time in town?”
He bent down to deal with his boots next.
