“Nikoly calls me jealous,” Tiiran complained. As if Tiiran was a new assistant getting their heart broken because their lover had another lover. He wasn’t. Hewasn’t.
“Some are not meant to love widely,” Orin answered placidly. “Some prefer a one-and-only, or a select few. Perhaps the fires in you are too big and too bright for just one, but perhaps others have been afraid of those fires, so you don’t trust that they are truly wanted. Did your jealousy lead you to try to hurt him—other than when you left us?”
Tiiran muttered to himself before growing louder. “I do nothing. He swears he can see it and hear it, that’s all. It pleases him.”
“The way it pleased you to imagine my hands rough on you, leaving bruises for Nikoly to see?” Orin said it so easily. “The way it pleased me? What about if I left those bruises on someone else? Some pleading pet in the far reaches of the country? There, there.” He pulled Tiiran tight to him and Tiiran’s stream of low, furious objections ended. “Jealous, indeed, beautiful. Yet you ask if I’ll tup your boy?”
“I can’t stop you from any of it.” Tiiran would have sunk his teeth into Orin’s shoulder, but the sturdy fabric of the gambeson wouldn’t let him.
“All you need to do is say so, kitten. You might not have accepted this yet, too worried about your new place by the fire to call it what it is. But do you really believe some random pretty could equal you? No need to answer that now,” Orin went on. “Let it simmer.”
Nikoly wasn’t a random pretty. He was a known pretty—and more than pretty anyway. He was helpful and clever, maybe even too clever. Which Orin liked. But Orin didn’t want Tiiran to think about that now.
Tiiran said things anyway; he didn’t know how to cook and simmering took too long. “You get tense on your journeys.” He pointed out, frowning as more heaviness set into his bones. “If a lovely cockwarmer wants to submit to you and let you hurt them, or… or bind them… or praise them as you did Nikoly, and it makes you feel better, then you should.”
“And have to contend with your wounded eyes when I return?” Orin scoffed. “I think not.”
“You could not tell me,” Tiiran pointed out.
Orin made a garbled noise and urged Tiiran’s head back by tugging on his hair. “No hiding anything. I worked hard to earn your trust. I will keep it.”
“Well, then, Nikoly,” Tiiran rolled slowly on, thinking even more muddled by Orin’s excitingly firm hold on him.
Orin started to make that noise again, then stopped to study Tiiran with his eyes narrowed. “Is this another test?” His voice was even yet Tiiran shivered and quickly shook his head.
“‘M not a child.” Tiiran’s words stuck in his mouth again. His thoughts wouldn’t clear and he scowled for it. “Assistants play at bed sport. He’ll be a duckling you deserve. You’ll both be pleased. With each other.”
Orin slid his fingers through Tiiran’s hair, gently this time. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you leave.”
“Then why did you?” Tiiran stared up, genuinely bewildered.
“There was a library problem, and I wasn’t going to get in between you and your library.”
“Because it’s all I have?” It spilled out, Tiiran’s mouth suddenly working just fine.
“Do not make me spank you again,” Orin warned him, wonderfully mean and serious. “You have me. And your beat-of-four other half down there. And the rest of the assistants who worship you. And you have Nikoly. Do not shake your head or even attempt to argue. We can ask him when he shows up.” Tiiran had a feeling his eyes were very wide. Orin eased back enough to smile. “He’ll go wherever you go, Tiiran most worthy. Wherever you send him.”
Like a hunting dog.Tiiran shivered. “His people swear to certain others, he says. The way guards swear to noble families. Or something like that.” He blinked several times, then swallowed. “Me? You mean me? Why?”
Orin raised his head, turning toward the nook entrance. “Right on time. He really was trained well, likely to serve a noble of high station.”
Tiiran studied the side of Orin’s face, then followed Orin’s gaze. His heart kicked against his ribs as Nikoly appeared, once again carrying a tray.
Nikoly kept his gaze on the floor until Orin said, “Thank you, pup.”
Nikoly’s attention went from Orin almost immediately to Tiiran, which was when Tiiran remembered he was cradled in Orin’s lap. But Orin’s arm around him was solid and Tiiran’s limbs seemed to be lighter than air. Anyway, Nikoly had known something of what had gone on here already.
Despite that, Tiiran suspected he was blushing. At the very least, he was hotter than he had been.
“Salves, in case they’re needed.” Nikoly lifted the tray slightly in demonstration before setting it on the table. “And tea meant to calm.”
“He’s not even a tiny bit surprised,” Orin remarked, possibly to Tiiran.
“Tiiran has mentioned your plans for this,” Nikoly replied. He finally turned back to Orin. “He’s well?”
“Tiiran?” Orin prompted. “That’s for you to answer.”
Tiiran stared at Nikoly from his comfortable burrow on Orin’s lap. “I liked it.” The confession was quiet, in a small voice. He realized he was worried about Nikoly’s opinion only once a grin burst from Nikoly like the sun after a storm.
