“When it won’t hurt you, baby, I promise to follow through on all the promises that Perian apparently made on my behalf,” Arvus agreed.
Perian sniffed. “Just that you’d give him lots of sex and take such good care of the wound, put salve on it and bandage it, and cuddle him and love him so, so much.”
Now Arvus’s eyes were suspiciously bright. “Yeah, I can definitely do that.”
“Do you want to head back to our room for a little while?” Brannal asked. “Maybe have a bath?”
“Oh, is it me that smells?” Perian asked, staring down at himself. “I wasn’t going to say anything. I thought it was Molun.”
Laughing softly, Arvus said, “You’re both a little rank, if you want the truth, but we love you anyway. You’ve been in this bed for days.”
Perian had no sense of time, just those brief moments of waking and clinging. The idea of leaving Molun had been impossible at that point; he’d just… known he had to be here.
But Molun was on the mend now, and he might appreciate some time with Arvus. Perian should really not invade their privacy.
“A bath sounds like a great idea,” he conceded.
Molun groaned. “Yes, it does.”
“No bath for you,” Arvus argued immediately. Then he winked. “But I’ll clean you up, promise.”
Molun’s eyes sparked, and arousal rippled through the air, heady and decadent.
Yeah, Perian could definitely give these two some alone time. A lot had happened, and they needed to connect again.
“Let’s go,” Perian told Brannal.
He shouldn’t have been surprised but was when Brannal swept him up so that his feet didn’t even touch the ground.
“You’re not to even try using your magic until you’re further recovered,” Brannal admonished Molun, somehow managing to look every inch Summus despite carrying Perian. Perian stared happily at his arms and chest.
“I—” Molunstarted.
“Don’t even think about it,” Brannal said sternly. “Arvus can get water the old-fashioned way, or I can stop by later, and we can manage something that won’t get your leg wet or involve much movement, all right?”
“Fine,” Molun said, pouting. “I was going to agree with you.”
Brannal’s expression softened. “Sorry. I think overprotective mode has been thoroughly engaged. I’m so glad you’re all right, Molun.”
Molun’s expression softened. “Me, too. Thank you, Perian. Thank you, everyone. I’m sure that I will thoroughly annoy everyone before I can get out of this bed.”
They all laughed, and then Brannal carried Perian to their room and ran him a bath. He stripped them out of their clothes and then scooped Perian up again and settled them in the bath together. They were soon arranged in Perian’s favorite position, and he leaned happily back against the other man, who wrapped his arms around Perian.
“I’m so sorry,” Brannal said.
“What are you sorry for?” Perian asked, confused.
He thought Brannal had been kind of great this whole time. He’d supported Perian in his need to sleep in Molun’s bed, not seeming to find it weird the way other people did. He’d cuddled up to Perian so that he felt warm and cozy. And he’d even managed to get some sexual release in there, which was guaranteed to put people in a better mood.
Brannal’s voice practically vibrated with self-loathing. “If I hadn’t set up that training exercise—”
“Whoa, no, hey,” Perian protested immediately. “Don’t even start with that. Or are you going to blame me for suggesting that we go out there to begin with?”
“No, of course not.”
“Prince Horsey for remembering how to get there? The Prince for finding the spot to begin with? Nature for creating it?”
“Don’t be absurd,” Brannal said.
