Liam walked behind Josh, who was checking out a tiara with a series of truly resplendent teardrop-cut diamonds suspended along the bottom edge.As he passed, he nudged Josh’s fingertips with his wrist and got a twitch in return.
He was the last in place as he pulled the security guard aside and asked him if there were any more stained-glass oriels in the place, nodding soberly as he got an answer not merely for Neuschwanstein but for several other of the Schlosses around Stuttgart.
Josh turned, and, as Liam’s watch buzzed, began his study of the jewel-encrusted casket, glowing in the sun.
Liam had never had an out-of-body experience before, but as he listened to the nice security guard speak with pride of this castle that he’d guarded for twenty years and expound on the importance of the Swan Knight heraldry to King Ludwig’s family, Liam’s soul seemed to rise up above Liam’s thundering heart and count silently to itself.
Ten for the picking, one for the placing, one for the closing, one for the turning, ten seconds, nine, eight, seven—
Michael appeared from around the corner and sauntered by, indicating he’d frozen the wires for as long as possible and….
Josh was on his way out now, posture as relaxed as Michael’s, and Liam was back with the nice security guard, who was only a little older than he was, and looking, well… oh.
Liam gave him a truly grateful smile and said, “I would love so much to stay and talk more, but my bus is leaving, and I will be flying out tonight.”
The guard seemed satisfyingly crestfallen, and he slipped Liam his card, asking shyly for Liam to call him later.
Liam said he’d try, but he was already turning around and heading out the door, legitimately worried about the bus as he went.
He caught up with Josh right as Josh swore and pulled his T-shirt up to his face.
“Shit,” he mumbled as Liam took his elbow.“Make sure I don’t get any on the rugs—my God, they’re priceless.”
“I’m surprised you have any left,” Liam said bitterly, and to his surprise, plan be damned, Michael took Josh’s other side.
“Here we go, buddy,” Michael said.“Let’s get you outside.”And quietly, he added, “I’ve got an extra shirt in my pack.You can wear it and use that one to sop the blood.”Michael and Josh were of a size—two of the smallest in the group, sans Grace and Tienne.
Dad, Liam thought blindly.Michael was such a good solid father figure.It was hard to overestimate how much dad energy could calm a situation down.Liam had always been the dad energy in his house—it’s what happened when you were the oldest.But he couldn’t seem to summon that now, not when his lover, oh God, hiseverything,was bleeding and sick.
They made it outside in time to board the bus, where Josh hurriedly changed into a T-shirt with a Pokémon character on it, laughing a little as he held his ownChicago the Musicaltee up to his nose.
The original plan was for the three of them to split up even on the bus ride, but Liam couldn’t make himself do that.He took the seat next to Josh’s and murmured, “Is it done?”
“You know,” Josh panted, obviously fighting the sudden weakness that had beset him the night before, “you keep saying you love me, and then you insult me, cut me to the quick, by suggesting things like this.I’m starting to doubt your sincerity.”
In spite of the worry and the adrenaline thundering through his bloodstream like timpani, in spite of the seriousness of what they’d done, Liam smiled.
“You’d better believe I’m sincere,” he said, pulling out the card that poor Horst Tiesler had given him.“It’s not like I don’t have other offers, mate.”
Josh tilted his head back and gave that wonderful, terrible jumping-off-buildings grin.“Lucky me, I’m a thief,” he said.“Stole your heart already.”
Liam gave a broken laugh and leaned back against the seat, squeezing Josh’s thigh.“How you doing, thief of hearts?”
Josh seemed to melt under his touch.“My head is killing me,” he confessed.“Could you pull some ibuprofen and water from my pack?”
“Protein bar?”Liam asked hopefully, but Josh shook his head.
“Real food,” he said apologetically.
“Steak tartare and schnitzel?”Liam teased, because Czech food, which awaited them in Prague, was traditionally pretty rich.
“I’m missing London and gyro,” Josh said dreamily.Well, the kiosk Liam had taken him to on the way to the train station had been one of the best, with seasoned lamb and cucumber-mint yogurt that Liam missed when halfway across the country.
It was also not nearly as rich as steak tartare.
“When this is over,” Liam promised rashly, “you and me—we’ll stay at my flat and sleep in and then go explore and….”
“And spend more than two hours with your family,” Josh said.“You have good people, Liam.”
