Johan elbowed him.
“You should come back with us,” he added, although it wasn’t very sincere.
“It’s fine. I’ll clear some space and return with you tomorrow night,” Henrik replied, pretending to already be occupied with sorting through their belongings on the floor.
Johan left the bag of remaining food with Henrik and kissed him goodbye before they went on their way.
He only got a terse farewell from Elias.
With neither the space nor inclination to be totally alone with his thoughts, Henrik chose to get to work rather than try to get any sleep. Within the hour, his brown dripped sweat from moving boxes around and organising their things. It was another two hours before he had the space to lay the smaller mattress down to get some sleep.
The sun was beginning to rise, which meant Elias and Johan would be back at the shop by now. They probably had a lovely walk home without Henrik’s mood dragging them down. Elias will have happily talked Johan’s ear off, and the shoemaker will have smiled the entire time because he never made Elias feel bad for his endless chatter.
Once they’d had some food and drink, they would light the fire so that the room was warm enough that Elias could forgo nightclothes as he preferred.
Henrik could picture them vividly, climbing into bed. Johan would let his hands and lips roam all over Elias’ body until he was squirming beneath him.
Maybe without Henrik in the way, Elias would invite Johan into the tight warmth of his body. Let Johan chase his pleasure in a way he had never experienced before. Johan had a much larger cock than Henrik did, and he was sure that Elias would prefer it.
Henrik squeezed his eyes shut as a tangled web of feelings left him in knots of arousal, heartache, and jealousy. He wasn’t even sure who he was jealous of. Maybe both of them, maybe he was jealous that they were better people than he was and were worthy of each other’s love while he merely poisoned the well they all drank from.
Unsurprisingly, Henrik slept fitfully until he gave up and returned to work. By late morning, he’d done everything he could with the little hunting cabin and spent the rest of his time scribbling away on a piece of parchment, drawing designs for their new home and workshop they could build on the land.
If he couldn’t be any good, he could at least be useful, he thought.
Eighteen
Elias
F
rustration bubbled beneath Elias’ skin as he and Johan walked away from the cabin, leaving Henrik behind.
“You know what really infuriates me?” he asked without pausing for a response. “He goes from being rotten to me to acting like some sort of martyr when all I want is for him to be less of a miserable shrew!”
“Sometimes… you seem like you… enjoy the fight,” Johan said.
“Yes, when it’s playful. But Rik knows the difference, and lately it is never playful. He only has negative things to say about everything I do, and I am sick of it, Johan. I want to enjoy my life and not be punished for that.”
Johan paused on the path and pulled Elias into a tight hug.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Sorry for what?” Elias mumbled into Johan’s warm chest.
“Sorry… you feel that way.”
Elias took some deep breaths in Johan’s embrace and tried to calm himself down.
“Why do you put up with us?” Elias asked.
“Hmmm. Very sweet.”
Elias leaned back so he could peer up at Johan. He grinned impishly. “Was I sweet when I came all over your face the other night?”
Johan turned a shade of crimson. “Sweet… and a little… wicked.”
They both laughed before continuing on their way.
