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"For now we will be taking shifts watching over him. I've already spoken to Arden about it," Jaygen finally said. He had left his seat and was picking up Porter's discarded clothes and placing them in the hamper. It was as if the space had to be in top shape even in such a crazy time.
Foi gave in to his urge and rolled his eyes at the tiger shifter. "Clean freak."
Jaygen didn't so much as bat an eye at him. "Not all of us can live like trash pandas."
Cyrus chuckled softly. "He said trash pandas."
Foi huffed. "It's called controlled chaos."
Jaygen pinned him with an unwavering gaze. "It's called being a slob."
Foi shrugged. "Don't worry with Porter being in your room, I'll just have to get you used to organized mess."
A look of pure revulsion crossed Jaygen's handsome face. "That will never happen, mutt."
Foi smirked as he settled down and laid back on Ozni's right, resting his hand on Porter's arm. Jaygen continued to put the ointments and medicines away, straightening up the room as if them simply entering his space had put everything out of order.
"Jaygen," Cyrus called out. A slight warning tinged his voice.
"I will join you all shortly." He walked out before any of them could say anything.
"Where is he going?" Ozni asked after a beat.
Foi shrugged. "Who the hell knows? Probably to go organize the fridge." He tried to make light of it, but he knew Jaygen needed to be moving, working, getting things in order. It was how he calmed down.
Cyrus chuckled softly but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Foi watched him keenly and reached over to the incubus. He'd been so close to Porter when his father had attacked. He couldn't say for sure what Cyrus was feeling but he knew guilt had to be part of it. They were all-powerful beings; they could easily kill a human in a matter of seconds and yet they couldn't protect the one that bound them all together.
"He's safe," Foi found himself saying.
Cyrus's big brown eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Yeah bu—"
Foi was up and pulling Cryus in a hug. Cyrus's small frame shook with a silent cry and Foi just continued to hold him. He rubbed small circles in the middle of Cyrus's back trying to soothe the man. He didn’t have any flowery words that would make Cyrus feel better, and he suspected his normal brash words would only do more harm than good.
Foi glanced over to Ozni and met his soft gaze. There was an understanding between them. Foi just held Cyrus tighter, remembering words that Arden had said to him once. "We cannot change what has been done but our actions going forward will create a new future."
Cyrus sighed and pulled back from the embrace, he wiped his red-rimmed eyes. "Yeah." A soft smile tilted his lips. "You get that from a fortune cookie or something?"
Foi rolled his eyes and growled at the man playfully. "No, Arden said something like that to me once."
"Oh Papa Arden always does say some wise, old-man stuff." Cyrus's gaze moved over to Porter and he took in a shaky breath.
"He's alive and safe in our arms," Ozni said.
Foi nodded. They had to take that as a win.
"Where he will always be safe, from now on," Cyrus whispered.
Foi watched the incubus closely. Cyrus was always so nonchalant and flirty, it was rare to see the man so serious. But the way his slender fingers curled into a fist and his pouty pink lips set in a firm line showed his concern.
He nudged Cyrus. "That's right. Porter is ours to protect."
No one argued with Foi or bothered pointing out that he, in fact, had grabbed every single one of their hearts in his own way. Foi settled back down and Cyrus curled around Porter's legs as if he always fell asleep wrapped around the man.
The door to Jaygen's room opened and Foi glanced his way for a moment. His gaze had caught sight of something and he quickly took another look. Jaygen carried what looked like silk pajamas in one hand and in another... It couldn't be. A tiny meow that echoed around the quiet room, before a little black head popped up and cat ears twitched.
Foi and Cyrus both locked eyes. Fuck. "Jaygen, that's—" Foi started but the ice blue eyes of the tiger had him clamping his mouth shut.
Jaygen placed Spooky down near Porter and the kitten meowed a few more times, before cuddling up on Oz's chest near Porter's head.
