That thought was clearer than most of Tiiran’s thoughts had been in the hours since they’d carefully settled him on the bed with a pillow and his robe bunched beneath him. He decided not to share his realization, partly because the other two might decide to interfere to fog his thinking again but also because… doing nothing while he truly felt like doing nothing wasn’t all that terrible. Maybe he was more tired than he’d thought after the snuffles and everything else. But sitting with his back to the small bed’s headboard and staring at two beautiful people suited his current mood. It was as close as he could imagine to what being ruler might feel like—at least, the rulers who hadn’t been in fear of their lives every day.
Orin and Nikoly continued to sit apart, which was distantly vexing. Tiiran almost wanted to snap at them about it, and the more his mind cleared, the stronger the urge was. He didn’t think they were feigning disinterest for his sake. But he doubted either of them would have been as careful with some other bed partner’s bed partner or recent cocksucking partner.
No, they weren’t pretending anything; their conversation made that clear. But they were distant, as they were distant from Tiiran, and thatwasa thread more than willing to settle in Tiiran’s chest and knot into a new mess.
Orin hadn’t even gone to the barracks yet. He’d come straight from his journey to the Great Library to find Tiiran and then had spent several hours seeing to Tiiran’s—and then Nikoly’s—needs.
Nikoly was nearly the same, might have been if he didn’t also with work with Tiiran. He and Orin could cluck over Tiiran’s doubts all they wanted, but no other lover would have required this much effort just to get into bed. Tiiran was not wrong about that.
Although, technically, Tiiran was only in bed now because they had put him there and then stood over him until he’d agreed to stay put.
Bossy, the pair of them. Even Nikoly, who claimed he liked to be used.
Tiiran narrowed his eyes. He considered what he hadn’t gotten done today, and his “avoidance” projects, as Nikoly called them, and what he’d need to get done tomorrow, and if any more of the assistants were going to catch the snuffles.
He wasn’t avoiding anything. Those were real issues. And anyway, the only thing to avoid right now, outside of the mess Piya was creating, was the memory of what Tiiran had said, or done, or felt, that day, including why he had to sit on a pillow now.
His face wasn’t the only part of him warmer than it should be.
“That Head of House…” Orin said, far away on his chair in front of the fireplace. Nikoly had told him why the fireplace was unused because neither of them was to be trusted. Tiiran should be paying more attention. It had been bad enough when Orin had entered his room and stopped to look over the three small beds, two of them without bedding, Tiiran’s with extra blankets only because Nikoly had requested them for him. Orin had then turned to study Tiiran, and Tiiran had known he was going to hear aboutthatlater.
That he’d probably like what Orin had to say to him, or do to him, was irrelevant.
“…Dipping into the wine too much, or so they said. It’s certainly a nicer reason to give an outguard who asks why you let your Head of House go than ‘used to bully and beat the younger servants.’ At least they got rid of him in the end, but he’ll be harder to find now.”
That was not what Orin had told Tiiran he was currently doing for the Outguard, but perhaps outguards often found things to investigate. The country was full of problems, probably even in calmer times. Then again, Orindidlove to investigate, by his own admission.
“In any case, he can wait. The situation here is far more urgent.” Orin sat back in his chair, looking momentarily exhausted.
Nikoly must have seen it too. “Time to rest,” he suggested softly. “It was a long day for you, wasn’t it? Do you travel tomorrow?”
“No, thankfully.” Orin reached up to rub the back of his neck. “Which is good, as it will give me a chance to calm him if he needs it after this.”
Tiiran pushed out a silent breath.
“And to sleep,” Nikoly added, unusually firm. “You need that too.”
Orin’s eyebrows rose again. “You’re as bad as Tiiran, fussing over whether or not I’m cared for after an encounter.”
Tiiran still couldn’t see Nikoly’s face, but he could hear the sweetness in Nikoly’s voice hardly masking his stubbornness when he said, “Then, in Tiiran’s stead, I insist that you rest before you worry about calming him. What about you? Today must have been…”
“What?” Tiiran demanded, giving himself a start as well as clearly surprising the other two, who both turned toward him. Tiiran raised his head and hoped he didn’t look a complete mess. “Today must have beenwhat?” On the heels of the question, he flinched and looked to Orin. “Did I ask too much? I didn’t mean to. Are you dead on your feet? Do you need to lie down? Here—”
He pushed himself into a better position to rise from the bed, but then there was no need with Nikoly perching on the edge of the bed on one side of him and Orin coming to stand at the other.
“Are you feeling better, bee?”
Tiiran stared at Nikoly, more than a little baffled, then looked up to Orin. “You should tell me no if I’m bothering you, Orin. Or… you will not say ‘bothering’ but if you’re tired. Really, Orin. Or you too for that matter, Nikoly. Don’t ‘But, honeybee’ me either, I…” Tiiran stopped, nearly biting his tongue.
Nikoly’s eyes were wide but Orin’s great belly laugh had Tiiran blushing.
“I didn’t mean it like how it… fuck.” Tiiran crossed his arms to wait for Orin to stop laughing.
“He’s not making fun of you,” Nikoly assured him.
“I know that,” Tiiran insisted. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“What?” Orin wondered mildly. “Hearing yourself and realizing what a demanding kitten you actually are?” Orin wasn’t bothered by Tiiran’s glare. “We like you demanding. Don’t worry too much about it.”
