“Did thathappen?” Lucky demanded, appalled.
She shook her head, a rueful smile taking the edge off what she was really saying. “Actually, no. But Alistairthoughtit had once. What Scout had doneshouldhave made it lethal, but, you know, Scout. He’s such a sweetheart. It came out as soda—cola, I think. We didn’t get a lot of junk food in the compound. He made a big show of oh God, he was going to die, and then he made sure I got some, because it wasdelicious.”
Lucky made a hurt noise. “This is not…. How does someone like your brotherhappen?” he asked, wanting to crawl into bed and protect that weird, wonderful noggin on Scout’s shoulders.
Kayleigh gave a sad little chuckle. “Magic. He’s the reason for it. It’s why I think he’s insanely strong. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s not going to take over the world because he can—he’s going to fix the spirit trap on the island because he should.”
“And we’re gonna help him ’cause he’s Scout,” Lucky said, and it sounded simple and not thought-out at all, but looking at that softly breathing figure in the corner of the room, he got it now. He got why Kayleigh hadn’t been so quick to forgive Lucky, either. Scout needed people in his life who were going to be kind and not going to desert him because of their own fears.
But then, Lucky had stayed that day. He’d felt the burning in his pocket, knew his enemies had almost caught up to him, and had stayed.
“Now you’re getting it,” Kayleigh told him. She yawned and stretched. “I work the magic shop tomorrow all day, which means it’s Scout’s day off. You guys do something fun, okay? I’ll warn you, though, he’s going to try to take you swimming on the east side of the island. It’s cold as balls. I’m not even kidding.”
Lucky snickered. “I know it is. Who goes swimming in the Atlantic in October!”
“My brother,” she said softly. “And sometimes he needs someone to tell him something is a really bad idea.”
In his head, he was already packing swim trunks and fleece. “And sometimes he needs someone who will do it anyway and then help him fix things when it goes wrong,” he deduced.
“You really are getting it.” She patted his cheek. “Enjoy the spaghetti!” And then she left.
Lucky had finished his dinner and cleaned up and then done some laundry in the industrial strength washer/dryer that Helen kept in the back of the kitchen for linens before Scout woke up. Lucky came downstairs hearing the comfortable sound of the dryer above him and found Scout sitting on one of the chairs in front of the television, eating steadily while watchingThe Road toEl Doradoon Lucky’s TV.
Lucky remembered what he and Kayleigh had talked about, how much rougher their home life had been than they ever let on, and how much the two of them adored cartoons.
He loved cartoons for the same reason.
He pulled up another stuffed chair and sat down next to Scout, quietly enjoying the movie. When it was over, he took Scout’s bowl without a word and came back with a couple of cookies on napkins and a glass of milk to share. Next up wasThe Emperor’s New Groove, and they watched that one appreciatively, laughing at the funny parts, giving commentary, and finally, when it was over, standing and stretching. Lucky switched off the lamp by the bed, which was the only light, then grabbed the remote from the arm of Scout’s chair and clicked the TV off, leaving them in the ambient light from the window above the kitchen sink.
In the darkness, he helped Scout to his feet.
For a moment, they regarded each other silently. The air was so quiet they could hear the pounding of the ocean from beyond the breaker wall, and the moment grew heavy with promise.
“Scout?” Lucky said, not even caring that his voice cracked a little on the single syllable.
“What?” Scout asked huskily.
“When we go to bed tonight, I want to do serious stuff there. Serious stuff with you. And I don’t want to worry about anybody else. Do you understand?”
“You mean, like, the boyfriend thing?”
“Yeah. It’s real. Last night we were like, ‘Until we can’t stand it anymore,’ and that’s playing around. This is real. My biggest fear showed up on our doorstep, and I stayed, and then you got rid of it for me. I’m never gonna fuckin’ leave you. You get that, right?”
Scout gave one of those dorky little smiles and ran his hand through his wild hair, making it part on the side a little.
“So, like, you’re mine for life?” he said. “I can live with that.”
Lucky wanted him so badly his stomach hurt with it. “You’re gonna have to,” he mumbled, taking Scout’s face in his hands and pulling him forward. “I’m gonna make you mine tonight, and if I have to learn big magic to do it, you’re never going to leave me.”
“You’re the magic,” Scout said guilelessly. “I’ll never want to leave.”
He meant that too. Lucky squeezed his eyes shut, because they were burning and threatening to overflow, and pulled Scout in for a kiss.
For a moment their lips were briny, and the kiss was a little harsh, edgy and full with promises, uncomfortable conversations, and the ever-present threat of loss that both of them seemed to have lived through and embraced with their hearts.
But then, as with all things Scout, it softened and wonder crept in, and Lucky was transported to a place where the kiss was safe and Scout’s arms were all the haven he’d ever need.
Scout’s hands—wonderful, questing—ran up his back, under his shirt and sweatshirt, and Lucky ducked his head and allowed Scout to look at him. He was sturdy, he knew, stocky and muscular, and while not exactly a pinup, he wasn’t bad. But Scout skated his lips along Lucky’s shoulder like he was precious, too beautiful to touch, and Lucky threaded his fingers through Scout’s hair and pulled him back for a harder kiss.
