Arun

  My skin is warm from the early morning bath, limbs pleasantly relaxed from both the heat of the water and how gently Alexios made love to me right before. I assumed he’d already be downstairs in his study, working away at a few ledgers. To my surprise, he’s waiting for me in our bedroom, my clothes for the day already laid out neatly.

  “Come,” he whispers, gesturing for me to step closer to him.

  I walk closer and he pulls me in even closer, grabbing the towel to help me dry my damp bits of hair before reaching for the casual tunic he’s picked for me to wear. I raise my arms so he can slide it over my arms himself. Then, he gestures for me to sit so he can brush my hair. Each stroke is careful this morning and I can’t help but close my eyes so I can fully relax in his care.

  “I’ll be with you on the way to your art class,” he finally tells me. “But I won’t be watching time time.”

  My eyes open.

  “You won’t?”

  “No, I have a meeting with a few merchants during that time. I need to secure a massive deal for the plantation.”

  It’s completely understandable, but a small part of me hates the thought of not having him there with me today. I nod anyway.

  “Oh.”

  The brush is placed back on the vanity before Alexios leans down to kiss my cheek.

  “I’ll be with you until you step inside,” he reiterates. “When I’m finished with the meeting, I’ll come back to you, just as I always do.”

  Alexios kisses the tip of a horn and it’s enough to remind me that we will always find our way back to each other.

  --

  The art studio waits just ahead, but even as Alexios and I step out of the carriage, he still keeps my hand tucked into his.

  “Let me walk you in, hmm?”

  I let him, of course. But today feels… different. Even when he’s just sitting quietly in the corner, my anxieties are soothed as soon as I look up from my sketch and see him there. I’ll have to do my best to find other methods of calming my nerves.

  As I walk in, other students are already setting out their supplies. I take my seat and lay out my pencils quietly, missing Alexios’s still presence more than I’d like to admit. I feel almost exposed.

  Taking in a deep breath, I force myself to focus on the blank page in front of me. As the pencil moves beneath my fingers, shapes slowly begin emerging and the soft voices of the other students fill the space.

  My eyes still look over towards the entrance anyway, wishing more than anything to see him step instead, but it stays closed. My focus strays to the empty chair where Alexios usually sits, but then I pull myself back to the page.

  Before I realize it, the lines I’ve laid down start to become the line of Alexios’s jaw, the smirk of his lips when he knows he’s right and the stern crease between his eyebrows. Then I add slightly more depth to throat and collarbones while small wisps are added to accentuate the bits of black in his mostly silver-white hair.

  “Wow,” someone breathes out behind me. “That’s beautiful.”

  The voice startles me from my thoughts and I turn to see a young man standing behind me. His deep auburn skin looks like it’s illuminated by the sunlight pouring through the windows. His small horns curve back from his temples just like mine do while his tail gently sways.

  His horns.

  A tail.

  I’ve… I’ve never seen another tiefling in this class. Hells, I’ve rarely seen another at all in Delaria.

  “You..” I try to say, but I stumble on the words. “You’re… you’re like…”

  “I’m like you,” he says, smiling warmly.

  His smile is contagious and I can’t help but return it. The student pulls over a stool and sits nearby, pointing towards my sketch.

  “Seriously though,” he continues. “This is wonderful. Who is he?”

  My eyes look down to see Alexios staring back up from the page.

  “My… my partner,” I answer shyly.

  Suddenly I close my sketchbook, oddly protective of the page now, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

  “I’m Kayel,” he says, resting his elbows on his knees, clearly content to just share the space with me. “It’s my first day here.”

  “Arun,” I reply.

  Out of nervousness, my tail swishes against the leg of the stool before I can stop it. His smile widens.

  “I’m sorry,” I add. “I didn’t expect to see someone like me here. I thought I’d never see another one again.”

  Kayel shrugs playfully.

  “Same, believe it or not.”

  As I start on a new sketch, Kayel leans over a few times to offer me a compliment. I can’t help but just… look at him and his horns. His tail even curls absentmindedly around the leg of his stool just like mine does.

  “Can I see more of your work someday?” he asks curiously.

  Heat rises straight to my cheeks.

  “Um… maybe. I’ve never really shown it off before, I guess.”

  “I can be patient,” he answers politely.

  I close the sketchbook again, fully aware that Kayel is probably more curious now than he was before. He sketches quietly for a while too, then he looks up at me again.

  “The man in your drawing,” he starts. “Your… partner. You love him a lot, don’t you?”

  My hand freezes over my sketchbook.

  “More than anything,” I admit.

  Kayel smirks and nods to let me know he understands.

  “I can tell,” he tells me. “You can always tell when an artist loves their muse and subject.”

  He turns back to his page and the rest of the class passes smoothly by before I even know it. I sketch a little bit longer, but I can’t stop thinking about how Kayel could see my love for Alexios through my art alone.

  When we are finally dismissed, Kayel stays beside me as we both gather up our sketchbooks and pencils.

  “Will you be here next week?”

  I nod, smiling brightly as he slings his satchel over his shoulder and heads for the door.

  “Good. Show me more next week, yeah?”

  Soon enough, I’m stepping out into the late afternoon sun, eyes finding Alexios instantly. He’s standing near the carriage, speaking quietly to the driver before spotting me too. As soon as I walk over, he’s already reaching for my hand to help me back into the carriage.

  “You’re awfully delighted today,” he notes, pleased. “Did something happen in class?”

  “Yes,” I answer happily as I pull my sketchbook to my chest. “I think I made a friend today.”

  Alexios’s eyebrows raise.

  “Did you now?”

  “He’s a tiefling, actually. About my age from what I can tell.”

  “Really?” he asks, curiously. “That’s incredible. The rest of Delaria is rather… empty when it comes to drow and tiefling populations unfortunately.”

  “His name is Kayel,” I say excitedly, practically interrupting Alexios. “He’s very friendly. Saw one of my sketches of you.”

  Alexios smirks as he runs one of his hands along my inner thigh.

  “And what did this… Kayel think?”

  “He could tell how much I love you,” I admit, blushing.

  “Good,” he answers back while sliding his hand up over mine. “The entire world should know how much we love each other.”

  The heat in his voice has me almost melting into him and I let the sketchbook fall into my lap as his arms wrap around me. He lets out a frustrated sigh.

  “I wish my day had gone better,” Alexios admits quietly. “The merchants want more than I can give. They just see the plantation as nothing but a mean to make money rather than focusing on the quality of the plants.”

  My head angles up to look at him. I can see the weariness in his eyes now.

  “That must have been difficult. Is there anything I can help with?”

  He shakes his head slowly.

  “’Difficult’ is certainly one word for it. Every deal is starting to feel like I’m walking a tightrope now.”

  I squeeze his hand, letting him know I appreciate him more than words can say, even if the merchants don’t.

  “Were any agreements made?”

  “If we’re lucky, a few. It’s enough to keep things moving forward, but not without cost. It’s becoming rather exhausting now. The promises they make are truly just traps at this point.

  “I don’t know how you endure it,” I say and I mean it too.

  My heart aches for him. I see how much time and effort he puts into keeping Blackwood going. I lean my head further into him, turning my head slightly so I can leave a gently kiss on his neck.

  “I endure it because of you,” he explains. “I endure so you don’t have to endure a single thing. It’s more than worth it, in my opinion.”

  He may be smiling down at me now, but the exhaustion in his eyes is impossible for me to ignore.

  --

  Alexios helps me step out of the carriage when we arrive back at the manor and to my surprise, Je Suis is waiting for us at the front door with her wool coat draped over her shoulders.

  “Welcome back, you two. How did your class go, Arun?”

  Her genuine curiosity for my hobbies never fails to make me smile.

  “Today was… great, believe it or not. I made a friend.”

  “Oh, really?” she asks brightly. “Come in and tell me about them, sweetie.”

  The three of us move into the smaller dining room as the servants bring in roasted quail and a bottle of wine. Je Suis pours a glass for herself the second it’s placed on the table. Her eyes move to Alexios.

  “How did your day go with those lousy merchants? Charming as ever, I imagine.”

  Alexios scoffs and takes a gulp of wine. That well, it seems.

  “More like insufferable,” he says sharply.

  Je Suis laughs softly and pours a small glass of wine before sliding it over to me.

  “You don’t look completely defeated so I’m assuming you inevitably bent them to your will?”

  “Some,” he admits. “Only tolerated others, I’m afraid. It’ll do for now.”

  “Still seems like a productive day,” she responds. “Arun, you said you made a friend today?”

  My tail swings wildly once before curling around the leg of my chair.

  “His name is Kayel,” I answer her. “He’s a tiefling, just like me.”

  Je Suis’s eyebrows raise in surprise.

  “How rare, especially in this region.”

  My cheeks darken with color.

  “He saw a sketch of Alexios,” I admit quietly. “Said he could tell when an artist loves their subject.”

  She smirks and glances at Alexios.

  “Ah, what a wise boy.”

  I lower my head, suddenly far shyer than I should be, and pretend to focus on my dinner. Je Suis places her wine glass down and turns back to me.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  ‘What did it feel like to look at someone who looks back at you with horns and a tail too?”

  For a moment, I’m not sure I can even find the words even when Alexios looks over at me expecting an answer.

  “It felt…” I try to speak. “I never thought I’d meet another tiefling here, then he was just… there, looking at me as if he’d been expecting me all along.”

  Je Suis leans over to hug me tightly.

  “That must have been such a comfort. People who can remind us we’re not alone in this world are rare treasures.”

  I nod, soothed by her words.

  The wine keeps flowing even after dinner, with an additional bottle being brought to us by the kitchen servants. Even when Alexios almost fills my glass to the brim, I still drink it anyway. By the time the servants bring over small treats, we’re both leaning towards each other with drunken smiles.

  Je Suis sips her more lightly, however.

  “I think I’ll keep my wits tonight,” she says, laughing kindly. “Besides, I won’t be able to enjoy watching the two of you make fools of yourselves if I have too much wine.”

  Alexios downs the last of his wine and offers me his hand as he stands.

  “Dance… with me,” he says, words almost slurring.

  I roll my eyes, laughing anyway.

  “There isn’t any music playing, Alexios.”

  “Theeeen I’ll make some,” he insists.

  Before I can protest, he pulls me up from my chair with more strength than I initially gave him credit for in his state. I can’t help but laugh even louder when Alexios starts humming off-key.

  “I don’t think that counts as music,” I tease him.

  “It countsssss,” he says, trying his best to sway us back and forth.

  Then, Je Suis’s much smoother voice begins humming too, carrying the tune properly unlike Alexios. Between his drunken humming and her sober counter, it leads us into the night in an unexpectedly sweet way.

  Alexios twirls me clumsily as genuine joy flows through him. It makes me realize how rare of a sighting that truly is. But when he spins me too quickly for how unsteady he is, I stumble right into his chest, almost toppling onto the table as we break into loud laughter. He leaves a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

  “We’re still terrible dancers,” I manage to say between my laughs.

  We sway for a few more steps before his foot stumbles over mine causing us to actually fall this time. I end up sprawled across his chest as we both cry with laughter. Je Suis stays seated, half-full glass of wine resting near her. She shakes her head, sighing softly as she watches us.

  “You two are ridiculous,” she says, smiling. “But it is nice to see you both so happy.”

  “Seeeee?” Alexios mumbles. “It’s… fine.”

  My cheeks hurt from smiling at this point so I lift my head to look at him. His hair falls messily across his face as he smiles so wide it looks more like a boyish grin rather than anything a man such as Alexios would give.

  “Alexios?” I whisper. “Thank you.”

  “For… what, my love?” he asks me, still keeping that smile on his face.

  “For being a better man,” I say, my hand moving to rest against his chest to feel his heart beat rapidly. “You told me years ago you would try and you did. You kept your word to me.”

  If I wasn’t staring at him, I would have missed his smile drop for a second, but then his grin slides right back into place as if nothing’s wrong. I rest my head back down against his chest while Je Suis keeps watching us, wine glass still in hand.

  When I try to push myself up from Alexios’s chest, he’s already moving to wrap his arms around my waist.

  “Where do YOU think you’re going?” he slurs playfully. “You are allllll mine. Upstairs… now.”

  I can’t stop myself from laughing at this version of Alexios. He seems so… free and bright-eyed now. Smiling as if the horrors of his past never come back to haunt him in the night.

  “You can hardly stand right now,” I say, pressing a hand to his shoulder. “Bet you’ll drop me before we even make it to the stairs.”

  Even as Alexios struggles to stand, his grip on me stays firm.

  “Don’t make me drag you to the bed,” he teases. “Je Suis will help me, won’t you?”

  “I certainly will not,” Je Suis laughs. “Please try not to kill yourselves on the staircase. That is not a story I’d like to explain.”

  Alexios wraps a strong arm around my waist, half-guiding but also half-carrying me down the hall.

  “Bye, Je Suis!” he yells back, his balance stuttering every other step.

  Somehow, he gets us to the staircase without incident. I’m still laughing at him when he pushes the bedroom door open and draws back the covers on the bed, helping me slip comfortably beneath them.

  “You are so beautiful,” he breathes out as he slides on top of me. “Like an angel. You must be one.”

  He sloppily moves a few stray curls back from my forehead.

  “Remind me not to let you drink that much wine again,” I tell him, but the laughter is never ending. “Sleep?”

  “Nuh-uh.”

  He’s already sliding down my body, his lips exploring one of my underarms before moving to lightly tweak a nipple. Even in a dazed state, it pulls a gasp from me and my fingers slide through Alexios’s hair. He slides down even further and soon I’m met with the feeling of his warm mouth wrapping around me. It's almost impossible not to ache for this every single day.

  --

  A week later, I’m sitting beside Alexios in the carriage, sketchbook resting in my lap as my eyes focus on the scenery outside the window. Springtime has settled nicely in the Moving Waters region. When I look up at Alexios, it seems as if his mind is already elsewhere even as the carriage slows in front of the studio.

  “I’ll be with an important client today,” he reminds me. “If this agreement goes through, it’ll change everything and we might even be able to start expansion into Faerun.”

  I nod politely and pull the sketchbook to my chest, trying my best not to let the disappointment show.

  “If you’re not back by the time class ends, is it alright if I walk around town with Kayel?” I ask.

  “Of course. You don’t need my permission for that, Arun.”

  He reaches into his coat, then places a small pouch of coin into my hands.

  “Here,” he adds. “Buy yourselves something sweet… or whatever you’d like.”

  “You don’t have to…”

  “Arun,” he interrupts gently before leaning down to kiss one of my cheeks. “It’s your coin too. All of it, remember?”

  As I nod, the pouch is tucked quickly into my bag. When we make it to the entrance, Alexios kisses me softly and doesn’t turn away he sees that I’m safely inside.

  When class begins, Kayel slips into the seat beside me, tail swishing gently. I whisper a quiet greeting. The tutor guides us through today’s lesson on a few classical techniques. When we take a break, Kayel leans in.

  “Your partner… he’s a drow, isn’t he?”

  My eyes widen.

  “How did you…”

  “I saw him help you into the carriage,” Kayel says, shrugging. “Most people don’t exactly walk openly with a drow at their side. Quite unique is all I mean, nothing more.”

  “You should see him in his business meetings,” I whisper. “What about you? Do you… have someone?”

  His grin is wide now.

  “I do,” he answers happily. “His name is Eoin. A high elf from Meafonua. He works with glass. You should see the beautiful things he can create.”

  “That sounds amazing,” I answer genuinely.

  He begins sketching small, swirly shapes in his book.

  “He is amazing. He spends hours melting sand into stars while I spend hours over graphite. We have a nice balance.”

  Even though it’s a small revelation, I can feel the love Kayel has for his partner. I wonder if others can feel that when I talk about Alexios. We fall back into the soothing rhythm of our pencils against the pages in front of us.

  Class ends and the room is filled with the shuffle of stools and closing sketchbooks. I move to the door, hoping that Alexios is waiting outside for me, but when I peek through the window, there’s no sharp red eyes looking back at me.

  Kayel throws his satchel over his shoulder and steps closer.

  “Not here yet?”

  I shake my head.

  “No. Looks like he’ll be wrapped up in his meeting a bit longer. Actually… would you like to get a treat with me?”

  Kayel smiles brightly.

  “Now you’re speaking my language,” he beams. “There’s a bakery just down the street from here, run by a halfling family. Their fruit tarts will ruin every other fruit tart in existence for you.”

  “I know that one,” I tell him as we step into the street. “Alexios and I go there after class most days.”

  Kayel talks effortlessly as we walk down the street and even points out his favorite shops as we weave through the crowd. When we reach the bakery, my stomach growls at the sweet smell of sugar and cinnamon.

  “Two fruit tarts,” he tells the baker. “What about you, Arun?”

  My eyes sweep over the trays piled high with fruit tarts, rolls covered in syrup and pastries dusted heavily with sugar.

  “Maybe something with strawberries?” I say, pointing to a slice of loaf cake before sliding over enough coin for both of our treats.

  “Sounds like your partner spoils you,” Kayel says, smiling as he nudges me with his elbow.

  My cheeks darken with color, but I nod anyway.

  We step back out on the street with our small boxes of desserts, but my mind drifts to Alexios and how I long for him to be here with me to enjoy the treats. Kayel gestures towards a small bench, but before we make it there, a bookshop catches my eye. I slow and tug at the sleeve of Kayel’s robe.

  “Can we stop here first?”

  He nods quickly, smiling widely at me.

  “A man after my own heart. I can never say no to books.”

  The bookshop owner is an older human who greets us with a gentle wave, glasses sliding down his pointed nose. I move between the rows and run my fingers along the books until one catches my eye. Resting against a bookend is a leather-bound collection of poetry, The pages are yellowed but thankfully still intact. I pull it free and open to a verse about the sea.

  To my shock, the book is pricier than I expect for a used book. I bite my bottom lip for a moment, but…

  Alexios did tell me to buy whatever I want.

  Before I can talk myself out of it, my legs are already leading me to the counter as I hand over the money.

  “You’re just going to buy it?” Kayel asks, almost surprised. “Just… just like that?”

  “Yes,” I answer back, tucking the book carefully under an arm. “Alexios doesn’t mind. He likes when I buy things that make me happy.”

  He shakes his head, chuckling softly.

  "Ah, Alexios. Beautiful name. Spoils you rotten though.”

  “Maybe,” I admit.

  “Well, I’ll consider it money well spent if you read me something from it later.”

  We head back towards the bench and even though we’re still close to the bustling crowd, it still feels quieter, as if we’ve found a piece of the world where the cruelty of the world can’t find us.

  Kayel takes a generous bite of his fruit tart and I watch as his eyes practically roll back.

  “Best you’ll ever have,” he says, shaking his head in delight.

  He pushes the second one over to me, but I’m already reaching for the loaf cake topped with bits of strawberry. After a moment, I take a bite of it.

  “How did you and Eoin meet?” I ask after finishing my bite.

  Kayel’s smile brightens instantly at the question.

  “We met at a harvest fair,” he answers. “He was selling little glass charms. I was an idiot and dropped one. It shattered to pieces and I tried to pay him for it, but instead of being angry… he offered to buy me a drink. Apparently, I looked like I needed one. We’ve been almost inseparable since.”

  “How romantic,” I say sweetly as I pick at the edge of my slice of cake.

  “Now your turn. How did you and your Alexios meet?”

  “I was in a… rough situation in Baldur’s Gate,” I admit quietly. “Alexios saved me… brought me home with him.”

  Clearly intrigued, Kayel leans back on the bench to get a better look at me.

  “What in the hells was he doing all the way in Faerun?”

  “Business trip,” I say smoothly. “He owns a plantation nearby. I work as the healer there.”

  Kayel nearly chokes on a small bite of his fruit tart.

  “Wait… what? A plantation…? Do you mean Blackwood Plantation?”

  My eyes widen.

  “Yes, actually. Why?”

  He lets out a small laugh and shakes his head.

  “Gods above,” he breathes out. “Blackwood is the plantation, Arun. Your partner supplies a majority of the apothecaries across Delaria and here I was thinking you were just another student with expensive pencils.”

  My head lowers at his words.

  “I am just another student. I’m just Arun.”

  “No, you are not. Gods, that plantation is truly something, Arun.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It used to be small farm owned by the Blackwood family years ago, I guess. Way before you and I were even born, but then they just... left. No one really knows why though. Guess your partner swooped in and took over.”

  I lean forward, giving him a silent nod for him to continue.

  “Anyway, it wasn’t an overnight success or anything like that, but no one has ever come close to matching the success of Blackwood. The farms around here are lucky if they can even supply three shops. Surely Alexios mentioned how he became so successful?”

  “He works hard,” I tell him, shrugging casually. “He’s always been that way since I’ve known him. I guess most of it is just… determination.”

  As I brush stray bits of cake from my lap, I look over at Kayel and find that he still hasn’t lost that spark of amazement since mentioning Blackwood.

  “You could visit sometime,” I say. “I don’t think Alexios would mind. He’s... protective of both me and the land, but certainly not unreasonable.”

  Kayel’s eyes widen.

  “I’d…. really get to see the plantation?”

  I nod, not fully certain that Alexios will actually agree, but it’s worth a try.

  “Yes, it would be nice to have a visitor. Eoin can come to, if he’d like.”

  “I’d love that, but only if it’s alright with Alexios.”

  His eyes move to the sun, watching as it starts to dip even lower in the sky.

  “I promised to meet Soryn before the evening,” he continues. “He worries if I’m late.”

  “Maybe before you both visit Blackwood, we could all go to dinner. Just the four of us.”

  Kayel nearly gasps in excitement.

  “You are full of good ideas, Arun.”

  As we brush more stray crumbs from our lap, Kayel suddenly perks up, tail flicking wildly back and forth as he waves at someone just down the street.

  “There he is,” he breathes out, his golden eyes almost sparkling under the warm sun.

  When I turn to look, I see a tall high elf with pale blond hair moving through the crowd. The moment he spots Kayel, I see his shoulders relax.

  “That’s Eoin,” he says, already standing and gesturing for me to stand as well so I can meet him.

  Eoin stops before us, pale green eyes looking me over gently.

  “You’re Arun, aren’t you?” he asks politely. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  I can’t help but blush at the thought of Kayel speaking to his partner so openly about me.

  “It’s wonderful to meet you,” I answer, bowing slightly.

  “You as well. I must say… thank you for keeping Kayel out of trouble today.”

  Kayel scoffs teasingly.

  “You think I’m incapable of finding trouble on my own?”

  He wraps an arm around Eoin’s waist, both leaning into each other to fit like puzzle pieces.

  “You both look stunning together,” I admit.

  Kayel smiles brightly and presses a kiss to Eoin’s jaw.

  “Told you he’s kind,” he whispers before squeezing his partner’s side. Then, he turns back to me. “You’re right, let’s all plan a dinner date together, Arun.”

  “I’d love that,” I say.

  Eoin’s eyebrows raise, caught off guard.

  “A… dinner date?” Eoin questions. “Your partner would be comfortable with this?”

  I shrug, but nod quickly.

  “I think so. He likes making me happy so… I’ll ask him.”

  Eoin gives me a small but genuine smile.

  “It isn’t often Kayel suggests anything outside of our usual daily routine.”

  Kayel playfully bumps him with his shoulder. The amused way Eoin looks at him reminds me of how Alexios looks at me sometimes. I can’t help but smile.

  “We’ll make it happen,” Kayel tells us. “Besides, it won’t just be any simple dinner.”

  “What do you mean?” Eoin asks.

  “Because Arun’s partner is the owner of Blackwood Plantation,” Kayel answers, grinning eagerly.

  “Blackwood?” Eoin asks in shock. “Well then… a dinner with the owner of Blackwood himself. You’ll let us know if Alexios agrees?”

  “I will,” I promise him.

  Kayel’s tail swishes as he adjusts his satchel and pulls Eoin back over to the busier streets.

  “Bye Arun!”

  Eoin politely bows his head as he steps away.

  “It was lovely to finally meet you, Arun. We’ll see you again soon.”

  “Good to meet you too,” I say back, waving at the two of them before they disappear in the crowd.

  Eventually I turn away from the crowd and begin walking back to the studio, but before I make it there, a familiar voice calls out to me. I turn and see Alexios standing beside a fountain. I run to him without a second thought.

  “My beloved,” he whispers as soon as I reach him. “I missed you… far more than I should have in just a few hours.”

  His hand wraps around mine and I squeeze back.

  “I missed you more.”

  “How was your time with Kayel?” he asks, voice full of intrigue.

  “It was nice. We went for desserts and then visited a bookshop. He even introduced me to his partner, but I’m glad you’re here now.”

  Alexios pulls me tightly to his chest, leaning down to kiss the base of one of my horns.

  “I cannot stand being without you,” he admits softly.

  He pulls back but doesn’t let go of my hand as we start walking back to the carriage. He walks slowly like he wants to stretch out the time between us.

  “Would you… like to meet Kayel one day?” I say warily. “I thought it would be nice if we have dinner with him and his partner. Maybe we could even invite them back to the plantation afterwards?”

  His hand tightens around my hand for a moment.

  “Would that make you happy?”

  “Yes,” I mutter. “But I want it to make you happy too.”

  Alexios nods slowly.

  “Then I’ll meet them. Dinner and after that… the plantation. But only because it’s impossible for me to say no to you.”

  I’d be lying if I said I thought he’d say no for a moment. I smile up at him.

  “Thank you, Alexios. I mean it.”

  When he leans down, I feel his teeth softly graze my ears. I laugh softly, cheeks burning brightly as we continue walking to the carriage together.

  --

  Alexios keeps his hand over mine the entire journey back to the plantation. The servants bow kindly as Alexios and I make our way upstairs. I place both my sketchbook and poetry book down on the table as we make our way into our bedroom. Alexios eyes the poetry book at once before picking it up and flipping through the pages.

  “Was this with you this morning?”

  I bite my bottom lip nervously.

  “I found it in the bookshop that Kayel and I went it. It was a little expensive, but… I couldn’t leave it behind. Are you upset?”

  He turns a page and keeps reading to himself.

  “My love, I told you before… you can have anything that makes you happy. If this brings you joy, then it’s worth a million times more than whatever you paid for it.”

  My shoulders relax instantly and I lean into his arm.

  “Thank you.”

  “Will you read some of it to me sometime?”

  I smile, nodding happily as he bends down to leave a gentle kiss on my lips to remind me that I’m safe here and in every choice I make.

  --

  I’m curled up under a blanket on the couch in Alexios’s study, reading from the poetry book when Alexios stretches out beside me.

  “Read to me, beautiful.”

  My fingers turn the pages quickly until I find the poem that made me buy it in the first place. Alexios keeps his eyes on me instead of the warm fire coming from the hearth and when I pause to take a breath, his hand moves under the blanket to grip my hip.

  “You were made for poetry,” he whispers.

  I turn the page to the next piece to read about flowers that hide their beauty from the sun but reveal it to the moon. Alexios’s hand drifts lower to my thigh. When I lower the book, his lips are already finding my collarbone.

  “I can’t get enough of these quiet nights with you,” he admits. “No business… just us. I’ve been… consumed with other things lately. Too much in my head, I suppose.”

  His arms wrap around my body, pulling me into him. I close the book gently and nestle against his solid chest. With how busy Blackwood can get, I think he forgets how peaceful we make each other feel.

  I hope we remember moments like this, even during our worst days.