The Resort
If he was to connect with Aiden more, their time together had to be expanded. He had to stop being critical of everything Aiden said, at least to his face. It didn’t matter if Aiden was full of shit and knew it; Nathaniel had to get over that. He had to be the bigger person.
So far, their interactions had followed a pattern. They’d always started off on the right foot, with Aiden asking about Paradise, trying to learn more. While his intentions were probably good, he always ended up pushing too far; some topics were off-limits. Personally, Nathaniel didn’t think Aiden’s intentions were good all the time, or even most of the time; he seemed to lose some of his innocence as the topic dragged on.
It was obvious that he liked to make a big deal out of his interest in Paradise and Nathaniel’s life, while being critical of Nathaniel’s lack of interest in him and his life. He’d been doing so much to understand Nathaniel; how come Nathaniel hadn’t been doing the same in return? The amount of emphasis he regularly put on that behavior told Nathaniel that was how he cared. That was his love language—attention. If Nathaniel showed how much he knew about him, Aiden would finally start to see that he cared.
Thinking back, he’d inadvertently done that a few nights ago while showing Aiden to his new apartment. In a petty attempt at passive-aggressiveness, he’d actually given Aiden the attention he’d been looking for.
Surprisingly, when he walked into Aiden’s apartment that night, he found all the lights off and an eerie silence. Was he asleep? According to Aiden himself, he didn’t sleep, but he had slept yesterday. Nathaniel didn’t believe anything he said anyway, so a search was in order.
He flicked the living room light on to confirm its vacancy. Both doors at the opposite end of the room had been left open, shrouded in darkness. The bedroom and the bathroom were both empty. He honestly thought he’d find Aiden sleeping in his bed. Re-entering the living room, his eyes naturally fell on the pile of envelopes covering the end table, pulse skipping. A quick flashback overtook him then, Aiden fighting him for the letters, the closeness that had followed, the warmth of Aiden’s skin on his own—all for this. To protect this.
Hesitantly, he took a step toward the end table, eyes fixed on the envelopes. He shouldn’t. Morally, he shouldn’t; ethically, he shouldn’t, but Aiden wasn’t here and had lied too many times, had kept too much from him. If he really was the subject of Aiden’s search, then the letters must be about him. Assuming Aiden hadn’t lied about that too. Had the Oracle actually been talking about him this whole time? Sharing private information, his time with Zea, the way they used to be. It’d explain how Aiden knew about their years in the force and time on the field.
In a different line of thought—had the association between Aiden and Zea been made by The Bleeding itself? Had he been imagining it all, memories brought forward as the water infiltrated his bloodstream and affected his brain? Otherwise, he would’ve never even touched Aiden. Aiden must know that. He hadn’t seen it, though; the red mark, the fingers on Nathaniel’s skin—he didn’t know about it. At least, Nathaniel didn’t think he did, but the Oracle could’ve told him, allowing him to use The Bleeding to his advantage, playing with Zea’s memories when he knew The Bleeding would mix them up.
Had it all just been an elaborate prank? What for? He still refused to believe the purpose was sex; everything about it was far too planned out, too serious. Aiden was way too invested. There must be something else.
He reached for the letters just as the front door swung open, making him jump back and straighten up, heart beating out of his chest. Aiden stumbled in drunker than ever, semi-surprised. Standing awkwardly in the corner of the room, Nathaniel forced a smile.
“Didn’t think you’d come today,” Aiden remarked, shutting the door behind himself, an off-balance sway on his feet. He was hammered.
“I told you I’d swing by every day.”
“Yeah, but it’s late; I didn’t think you were coming. I almost sent a letter too, but I know you’re sick of me.” Words slurred together as Aiden crossed the living room toward him, carefully. His mindfulness showed just how hard he was trying to act normal. He knew he wasn’t doing well.
“You’re a mess.” The comment slipped right past his lips. He was supposed to be nice now and that wasn’t a very nice thing to say. It got an eye roll in return, making him cringe. Shit. Guilt-ridden, he joined Aiden on the futon. “I’m sorry for not coming earlier or really keeping to a schedule.” His mouth almost followed that up with the reason for his inconsistencies, but it wouldn’t have been much of an apology then. None of his other human assignments had ever cared what time he came around, but Aiden was clearly different. “I’ll do better, I promise.”
“It’s whatever.” Aiden shrugged, leaned all the way back onto the couch, practically melting onto the padding. The scent on his body was strong, a mix of alcohol and sweat with something else that definitely didn’t belong to him. It clung to his skin and pressed a slight crease on Nathaniel’s forehead. “I’m fine, so you can go now if you want. I know you don’t wanna be here anymore.”
“Yes, I do, actually. I, uh.” Damn, what could he say here? Something about Aiden to show that he cared. “I don’t want to be alone right now,” he said, since Aiden had struggled with that his entire life and clearly still hadn’t overcome it.
Proving his point, two big brown eyes glanced up at him, wide with surprise. He held the stare, but the emotion on Aiden’s face just made lying about that much worse. It put a weight on his chest and a knot in his throat. Regret weighed on his mind. He was forced to break the stare, unable to handle it.
“Did you have fun tonight?” he asked.
There was a small pause before Aiden said anything. Out of the corner of his eye, Nathaniel saw him shift in his seat, but couldn’t tell what he was doing besides that. “Um. Yeah, sure, I guess. I mean…” Another movement, quicker, possibly a shrug. “They played my favorite music and served my favorite drinks. It was—I was just there for a couple of hours.”
“Got bored?”
“Maybe.” Aiden moved again. “Nathaniel…” The emotion in his voice was completely different now, eager, as if there was something stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.
Nathaniel turned to look, but Aiden furtively glanced away, a hint of color on his face. His shoulders were held up a bit, tense.
“What is it?” Nathaniel asked, softening his voice.
All Aiden did was shake his head, slipping right through his fingers. “I just feel weird.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just—it’s a lot to take in, you know? The—the possibilities are literally endless here; there’s so much to do that I don’t even know where to start. I don’t even know if I want to start. I just—I don’t know. I don’t want to live how I used to because that’s what killed me, but I also don’t know how to live a different life. I want to—I need to feel something that lasts longer than twenty minutes, man. I can’t—I can’t keep jumping from fix to fix forever. I need something that doesn’t leave me empty the moment it’s gone.”
Oh no, this was way worse than he’d imagined, way beyond his capabilities. Had Aiden always felt this way? He’d been doing fine just a couple of days ago; what had changed? Memories of his hand on Aiden’s neck, pushing his face against the window. His blood ran cold—had that been it? No, Aiden had liked it; the timing was simply a coincidence. Maybe it had something to do with the Oracle’s last letter. Aiden could benefit from The Resort.
Damn.
He reached across the seat to touch Aiden on the arm, an attempt at comfort. Aiden watched it for a moment, thumb brushing his skin.
“I want to show you something,” Nathaniel confessed, a conscious effort at tenderness. Slowly, Aiden nodded.
Far from downtown, hidden by the woods, was a wide grass field peppered with yellow flowers that overlooked the mountains where the lords lived and the deep valley that separated them. The Resort was two stories tall and as long as a football field, with big wooden doors and a porch held up by columns that formed overhead arches. No foundation or any steps, only a very long ceiling created by the second story.
Trees and bushes trailed out from the dense woods, forming a path toward The Resort, landscaping a sort of front lawn with beautifully green plants and bright flowers up to the porch. Aiden glanced around, awed and curious as they reached the front doors.
“Remember the hot springs in Greece and the spa hotels in Edipsos?” Nathaniel asked, shaded from the moonlight on the porch. The question made Aiden’s eyes widen, locked squarely on his face.
“Uh, yeah, of course.”
“This place is a lot like that, just less spiritual. You’ll see what I mean.”
The front doors opened to an entrance hall with marble floors, decorative indoor columns and intricate designs on the walls. The room was colored in dark oranges and reddish browns, white accents here and there. Loveseats and armchairs rested near one wall, a group of people chatted near the other. Detailed rugs separated the two environments, chandeliers overhead, flower arrangements in vases half the size of an average adult. At the end of the room was a hallway that crossed through east and west, as well as a wide reception desk where an angel sat quietly, busy with some chores. The generously high ceiling made it so sound could easily disperse and keep the place from becoming an intolerable echo chamber, given how many people were usually around. There was never a day when The Resort wasn’t bustling with activity.
It'd been a while since his last visit. The layout didn’t seem to have changed in this meantime though, so there should be no navigational issues. Aiden remained silent as they crossed for the reception desk. Along the hallway were groups of residents in white robes on leisurely strolls while angels hurried back and forth, probably from one task to the other. Open doors led to public rooms where certain activities were hosted, always by angels; indoor swimming classes, ballet, meditation and a whole lot more. Aiden raised an eyebrow at it, peeking into the doors as they walked by.
Out on the back porch, they could see the outside pools, and a little off in the distance, the hot springs. The building itself was shaped in a semi-circle that rounded the pools and opened to a handful of sports fields up ahead. The moon shone on the surface of the water, swaying slightly, stars like little spotlights all around.
Aiden stared at them. “This is a lot like a hotel in Palm Springs that I stayed at once.”
“Except with angels and company.”
That made Aiden glance up at him, eyes glinting, eyebrows raising just the tiniest little bit, a bright look without a smile, delighted surprise that made his heart jump, face turning to look away. What was that?
“Care to hit the hot springs with me?” Nathaniel asked, quick to move on from whatever his heart was doing right now.
Aiden’s reply was a lot more enthusiastic than he’d expected it to be, considering the drunken melancholy from a moment ago.
The rock formation that sprouted from the back corner of The Resort formed dozens of little pools along the hillside, cascading into The Valley. The warm water rushed from the top of the outcrop down the stones below, disappearing into the fog. Access into The Valley was restricted. Twinkling lights poked out through the fog, deep in the chasm, shining over the buildings that permeated the area, flat tops and long structures, almost entirely swallowed by darkness. He followed Aiden down the stone steps to the furthest pool below, because of course Aiden would like to be as close to the gods as possible.
It never occurred to him that Aiden, of all people, would have a problem undressing in front of him, especially given the last few days and how shameless he’d been since they’d met. Yet, he turned around to pull his shirt off, making Nathaniel’s brows furrow, an off-hand comment in his mouth. He didn’t say it, though, because he was nice now and he cared. Naturally, he didn’t stare and he never would, anyway. Turned around, he placed his clothes on some stones by the towels and stepped into the pool.
The warmth of the water sent a pleasant shiver down his back, steam on his face, condensing as soon as it touched his skin. Way down the valley, clouds roamed, fog moved, and lights flickered as if trying to send him a message. It was dark, darker than anything he’d ever seen. It puzzled him how The Valley could provide strength to beings of light, let alone cure them.
A sound, movement in the water, and he glanced up to see Aiden approach the edge of the pool, looking down into a portion of his vast curiosity. The steam put a sheen over his skin that made him glow, water lapping his shoulders, eyes focused into the distance. In the quiet of the night, lit up only by the reflection of the moon over the water, he looked like a wingless angel; beautiful, delicate, introspective. The look on his face made Nathaniel expect questions about The Valley, but Aiden simply watched the chasm, saying nothing. Preserving the silence, Nathaniel leaned back onto the warm stones and let out a breath.
Eventually, Aiden glanced at him, turning to lean his shoulder against the side of the pool. “Why did you bring me here?” His voice was quiet, carrying an emotion that Nathaniel couldn’t read.
“Thought you could use some peace.”
“It’s peaceful in the apartment.”
“Thought you’d appreciate the view.” His words were accompanied by a quick glance down the valley to indicate it.
Aiden stared at him. The fact Nathaniel couldn’t read him was beyond disconcerting.
“Are you lonely?” Aiden asked, voice wrapped in silk. It weighed in a very unfamiliar way. Sincerity sounded foreign in Aiden’s mouth. “Is that why you’re hanging out with me?”
His mouth quickly opened for a flat-out no, but before ruining everything, he remembered the lie from earlier, adrenaline washing over him for a moment. He wet his lip before starting over, on the precipice of a disaster. “Not necessarily; I just wanted to spend some time with you.” Negating a lie with the truth. “I realize I haven’t been doing that and you’re right for calling me out on it. I don’t hate you like you think I do.”
Aiden searched his face, unconvinced. “Is this you trying to prove that?”
“You’re overthinking it; I just want to be around you. Can I have that?”
Blond brows furrowed, eyes watching him very closely. The persistent skepticism made his blood run hot, jaw setting in the only way he’d keep from snapping and saying something incredibly unhelpful. Aiden was starting to annoy him again, but the stare soon dropped, and the skepticism was quickly replaced with the diffidence from before. It pulled an exhale out of him, bringing him back down, slowly, breathing in deep. He was nice now and he cared.
Aiden moved to lean his back on the stones, sitting across from him; eyes up at the outcrop alongside the hill where pools formed and water ran down to bathe them in warmth and sound. The same expression from before was on Aiden’s face again, the one Nathaniel couldn’t read, a mixture of poignancy and something else, something serious that fell over him like a veil. It tugged at his heart and pressed down onto his chest, heavy, making him feel bad for almost blowing up in Aiden’s face. It made no sense; he hadn’t even done anything and Aiden hadn’t noticed it either, so why did he feel this way?
“Are you thinking about Ben?” he asked, shooting in the dark, reaching for something, anything. The question doubled the size of Aiden’s eyes and immediately locked them on his face, as if he’d shocked Aiden with it. Huh.
“No, actually, I—I wasn’t,” Aiden stammered, head shaking as he spoke. “I was—I was actually thinking about you.”
Okay, so he was going to blatantly skate over that right now, heart hammering. They were not doing this.
“I thought the hot springs would remind you of him.”
“Yeah, they did. When we got here, they did.” Aiden talked while staring at the water, the gentle ripples over the surface, their own reflections swaying slightly. “You know, last time we went to one, we had a really big fight. He said I’d started it and that it was my fault, but back then, I didn’t believe him. Now, considering I can even pick fights with an angel, I’m starting to think he was right, that maybe a lot of what happened really was my fault.”
“Even if it was, it wasn’t bad enough to land you in The Abyss. You’re up here after all, and anyway, it wasn’t all your fault; he had his own fair share to account for, even if he didn’t always do it.”
“Well.” Aiden shrugged loosely. “I guess it doesn’t really matter; I can’t go back and apologize now. He wouldn’t believe me, anyway.”
“Whether or not he’d believe you is inconsequential; this is about catharsis.” His pulse skipped. “From what I can tell,” he quickly added.
Aiden glanced up at him, studying him again. “You’re a lot like him sometimes, did you know that? I mean that in a good way, like you’re the admirable parts of him, despite how much of a dick he was. He is, I guess. I’m the one who’s in here, after all.”
“Sounds like you have a type.”
“Yeah, well, everybody does. You’re no exception.” That comment was rougher, closer to the Aiden he was used to. Was he talking about Zea?
“You sound awfully sure of yourself for such a baseless claim… or do you know something I don’t?”
A shrug, cocky, accompanied by an almost-smirk that closed Nathaniel’s hands into fists underwater. “Call it an educated guess. I’m really good at this stuff.”
“Are you actually good or were you asking the Oracle about me?”
Sharp eyes found his face. Slowly, the corner of Aiden’s mouth tugged up into a non-smile. “Were you going through my mail before I got home? Is that why you were there all alone?”
“No, idiot; I was looking for you. You’re usually home, but thanks for answering my question. It explains a lot.”
That dropped the stare and put some color on Aiden’s face, darker across his nose and over his cheeks, visible even in the moonlight. “I hope that’s not some type of crime; I was just curious about you. I don’t know how to have a normal conversation with anyone. I’m sorry.”
His blood boiled and his fists shook, hidden beneath the surface, but he kept his breathing in check, voice soft and light, because he was nice now. He cared. “That wasn’t right, Aiden. You could’ve asked me.”
“No, I couldn’t!” Aiden shouted, loud and passionate, staring straight at him, eyes wide under a scowl. “We don’t hang out and you don’t talk about yourself! You’re so fucking reserved, dude; you’re like a fortress. I don’t want to break in, but I still want to get to know you. I…” A falter, a swallow. “I care about you.”
Oh, goddammit. “I care about you too, but you don’t see me going behind your back for personal information, do you? I’ve always been very straightforward.”
“Dude, it’s not the same; you already know everything about me. You probably have a whole file on me sitting on your desk right now! I have nothing! I don’t know who you are; I don’t know what you stand for. I don’t even know what you think about me. You never even told me you’re a soldier.”
A strong urge to tell Aiden off came over him like a tide and almost, almost burst, hot and foaming, right out of his mouth, but he managed to bite his tongue and breathe in deep, because that would’ve ruined everything. Not only tonight, but any future chances to be able to bond with Aiden, so he took a step back and calmed down. Aiden didn’t want to hear that. He should make a more sentimental remark instead, what Aiden probably wanted to hear. Incidentally, he wished he could show Aiden this entire decision-making process just to prove how much he cared about him. What a waste.
“You’re right; I’m difficult. I’m distant and unavailable and I’m sorry.” But you kind of knew that since day one, he didn’t say, swallowing hard. “I’ll do better. I’m trying to do better right now. That’s why we’re here and that’s why I’m with you. Just please have some patience with me.” The same way he excelled at remaining patient with Aiden. Struggling, sure, but succeeding.
Aiden sighed, shoulders dropping. “Alright, just—just answer me this: now that you know, do you hate me?”
His lips parted, and staring straight into Aiden’s eyes, he said the truth, searched through and through. “I don’t hate you. I don’t condone the way you went behind my back, but I don’t hate you either.”
Meekly, Aiden nodded, eyes dropping.
“I’ll forgive you if you tell me exactly what she told you,” Nathaniel offered. His tone was wicked, just above a whisper. Aiden’s gaze moved, considering it. Venom ran in his veins. “I know she told you about my past and the people in it, which you used in the most abhorrent way possible, pretending to be someone you’re not. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
“I was just trying to get your attention; I didn’t—”
“You were trying to get far more than that,” he corrected, louder, speaking over Aiden. “And you got exactly what you wanted. It just took some questionable decisions to get there, but knowing you, those were made without second thought.”
“Nathaniel—”
“Why were you looking for me, huh?” His tone was sharp. None of the kindness he was supposed to be using here remained, blood boiling. “You got here and immediately started looking for someone; how didn’t you know it was me?”
“I just had this—this intuition telling me I had to find them, but I didn’t know who that was. I knew they were important, and the more I talked to the Oracle, the more it all started pointing to you. I don’t know why I had to find you but I did.” Here, brown eyes finally glanced up to meet his face again. “The fact you were assigned to me just proves we were always supposed to meet.”
That hit him like a truck. While he’d never believed in fate, the way Aiden had said that, coupled with all the strange inconsistencies regarding their involvement, planted the seed of doubt in his mind. Their encounter might’ve been intentional; strings could’ve been pulled long before Aiden had even arrived. If that was the case, then there must be a lot more to this, a lot more people involved.
“I’ve been thinking about that actually, how unusual it is for an Archangel to get the welcome wagon. Normally, I’m on more complex matters.”
“Looks like we were written in the stars,” Aiden half-joked, coy. One shoulder raised into a half-shrug, lips curled into a shy smile. Nathaniel squinted, distrusting of this faux bashful behavior, because Aiden wasn’t bashful, much less shy. Aiden was possibly the crudest man he’d ever met.
“I guess so.” He didn’t, not fully convinced. “How about we just enjoy this soak for now?”
A half-smile from Aiden, far more genuine than the stunt from a second ago, and the two of them leaned against the warm stones, legs touching beneath the surface.
Aiden’s golden curls shone silver under the moonlight, brushing over his forehead, skin glossy with steam. His hands gestured as he talked, illustrating his various points, speaking of frivolities to pass the time and lighten up the atmosphere. A lover of dogs, a food enthusiast, an amateur chef and a gym rat for all the wrong reasons, Aiden showed a different side of himself that wasn’t necessarily in the reports, because it constituted minimal details that wouldn’t exactly make a whole lot of difference in the assignment. Still, it made Nathaniel picture him at a dog park in sunglasses, then walking along the beach where the ocean swallowed his ankles, then window-shopping at a strip mall in downtown LA.
Aiden spoke of himself, his interests and experiences, and for as rich and exclusive as they were, Nathaniel couldn’t help but notice a consistent theme of loneliness throughout, even when some of those stories had happened during a relationship. His partners were either not around very much, or emotionally distant for most of their involvement, which painted every story in a shade of gray; a lover of dogs that had never owned any, an amateur chef that had never found time to cook, a gym rat that had spent most of his time fooling around in locker rooms. The image Aiden had of himself wasn’t necessarily accurate, but Nathaniel wouldn’t highlight that to the one who knew it best. Instead, he listened, commenting here and there, trying to talk about himself so Aiden would start to feel a little less alienated.
Every word that left him was scooped up and taken to heart. Aiden listened very intently, eyes wide, breath caught halfway up his throat. Awestruck, he didn’t interrupt. As soon as Nathaniel was done with a particular topic, a flood of questions followed, trying to pry more from him; how many angels he knew, what the mountains and other creatures looked like, what he did all day, if he’d ever seen The Abyss. Nathaniel didn’t answer all that; Aiden could go off on his own tangents and cook up whatever insane line of questioning he wanted, while Nathaniel would simply watch the movement of his hands, the curve of his lips, and the color of his eyes.
Aiden’s half-finished thought processes were never revisited, and whatever next conversation topic Nathaniel chose to pursue would be blindly followed. The attention reminded him of the barracks, when he spoke and soldiers listened. His unpopular approach to discipline might have worked, after all.
As the night progressed, questions morphed, becoming more personal, more daring, about the people he knew, and cared for, and had been with; his co-workers, his friends, his lovers. That was when he decided to stop playing this game and straightened up, making to leave with a brief comment that it’d been getting pretty late.
The threat of parting prompted Aiden to move closer and take his arm, eyebrows drawn upward, shameful and pained, a look that tugged on his chest and drove straight through his heart. Aiden apologized, damn near begging him to stay, hand firm on his arm, remorse in his voice. Regardless of how genuine that might be, it kept him from leaving all the same; he sat back down. The grip on his arm loosened, a hand circled Aiden to touch him on the back, and a feeling inside—a sympathy, a tenderness—made his heart swell. A question left him, if Aiden wouldn’t tell him more about Earth. A soft half-smile tugged on the corner of Aiden’s lips, and the hand on his arm loosened the hold.
The way they sat put Aiden against one of his wings, where the feathers touched the water, like a blanket between his skin and the stones that formed the hot spring, a shield that blocked him from view. When he spoke, his eyes shone and his lips moved. The curve of his Cupid’s bow was perfect; the white of his teeth was mesmerizing, and the way he formed words around a smile was absolutely gorgeous.
Watching him, Nathaniel could barely focus on what was being said. Aiden’s sharp eye to this sort of thing soon curled his mouth into a smirk, placing a different kind of glint in his eyes. Slowly, Aiden approached, closing the small gap between them until a hand warm on Nathaniel’s chest, fingers splayed between his pecs. The faint scent of cardamom reached his lungs. By now, the other, unfamiliar cologne on Aiden’s skin was barely there at all. The hand on the low of Aiden’s back brought him closer, making him lean over for a kiss.
With the flat of his palm on the softness of Aiden’s skin, Nathaniel leaned back and let Aiden take charge, totally unconcerned; teeth tugging on his lips, breath hot on his face. Aiden’s weight was welcome, leaning his head back, pushing on his chest with a hand. A feeling in his heart, warm in his bloodstream, resonated against his ribs, causing the hand on Aiden’s back to draw him nearer. It was foreign in a way he couldn’t recognize, but that made his heart beat deeply and the center of his soul burn like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Teeth bit into his bottom lip as the hand on his chest moved down, touching his stomach, tracing his abs. It was fine until Aiden pushed too far, past his navel, forcing him to snatch his wrist away. Aiden broke the kiss, eyes locked on his face.
“Why can’t I touch you?”
“That’s not how this works,” Nathaniel explained. Fingertips ran along Aiden’s spine, up his back, barely there. A shiver spread across Aiden’s skin, shoulders rising. Nathaniel leaned forward, away from the edge of the pool so his lips would find Aiden’s jaw and kiss it, down his neck, a trail just over his pulse. The hand on Aiden’s back moved down, over to the side of his body, gliding across the shine of his skin, half-submerged, half-damp from the steam and the mist. A touch on his arm, a lean on his shoulder, pushing on it for support, and Aiden moved to sit in his lap; a comfortable weight on his thighs, pressing down on his crotch. From here, he knew exactly what to do.
There was no lesson to be learned this time around. That was very clear in his mind, that taking Aiden’s thighs, sinking teeth into his neck, and making him moan in his ear was entirely self-indulgent. He knew it, he understood it, but still disregarded it, because this was Aiden’s language and he wanted to show that he cared. This whole time, he was just trying to make Aiden see it, and if kissing his jaw and pushing into him was what it took, then he’d dedicate himself to that.
Aiden whimpered in his arms, breathing hot on his neck. Hands scratched his back and held onto a wing, right where it sprouted from his spine. Nathaniel let him; he didn’t mind, not while sinking fingers into the meat of Aiden’s thighs and muffling himself on his neck, teeth bared. A bite, not firm enough to hurt, tongue on skin, against his pulse. This was for Aiden. The sounds in his ear and the kisses on his face told him he was on the right track.
When the waves crashed, washing through him, he held Aiden close, tight in his arms, breath unified and quick. Different in a good way; different in how Aiden touched him on the back, face nuzzled into his neck, a warm embrace that didn’t make Nathaniel hate him. Instead, his chest felt warm. The ugliness from every other time before wasn’t there. A tight squeeze, mimicking the pang in his heart, and he buried his nose in the curls of Aiden’s hair, eyes closed, lungs filled to the brim with cedar wood and cardamom, the only scent he cared to know.
Something in his chest resonated, pulling him away to look Aiden in the face. His hand found the side of Aiden’s neck and a kiss landed right on his mouth, softer this time around, with an emotion that he couldn’t name, pure by nature. It wasn’t chaste, but full of feeling; it made his heart grow three times its own size. When Aiden broke away, there were stars in his eyes, the moon in his irises. Nathaniel’s heart could’ve burst right out of his chest.
As they climbed the stone steps back to The Resort, Aiden asked if he was leaving, a breath in his throat, anxiety in his voice. When Nathaniel turned to look at him, a slight furrow of the brow confirmed his suspicions, that Aiden was terrified of his departure. Not yet, he reassured him, but he couldn’t stay for too much longer.
Up the side of the hill where the pools weren’t as warm and The Resort overlooked them all, it occurred to him that he’d never actually told Aiden why they’d come here. While this was a very pleasant place to stay, that wasn’t all it was meant to be. The whole reason it’d been put together was to treat the souls that needed mending. Sure, they were all ready to reawaken and function as normally as they’d done in the past, but not everyone had had the privilege of a great life. Some scars never really faded. From what Aiden had said, he could definitely benefit from staying here a couple of days, maybe even seeing one of the professionals. Spelling it out to him would probably do Nathaniel no good, though, so he’d have to get creative with it.
In a white robe, Aiden already looked like one of the inpatients—unknowingly, of course. When Nathaniel invited him to watch the sunrise together, a bright smile rounded his face and made his eyes shine, accepting it with a small yes. The fact that put a skip to Nathaniel’s heart was neither here nor there.
Past the sports courts was a porch that overlooked a large meadow full of flowers, steadily drooping with the incline of the hill. Beyond it was a hint of the ocean, and over to the right were the famous mountains where the lords lived, so far up in the distance that their summits were shielded by clouds. Nathaniel took a seat on the steps, accompanied by Aiden, who seemed to mirror everything he did, finally behaving how he should. The sky was dark and the stars were dim, but near the ocean, lighter hues of blue and violet began to form, giving way to pink and orange, closer to the surface of the water. A light breeze ruffled the curls of Aiden’s hair, grass swaying before them.
“You should stay here for a few days,” Nathaniel suggested, light and conversational as the first few rays of sunlight shone from behind the ocean, coloring its surroundings in bright yellow. “There are a lot of activities you could try.”
A hum from Aiden, thoughtful. “Are you coming back tomorrow?” he asked, turning to glance at Nathaniel, brown eyes golden in the first breaths of sunlight. He was so breathtaking that Nathaniel almost missed what he’d said.
“Yeah, around six or seven. We’ll see.”
A nod in agreement, and perhaps it was Aiden who’d started it, or maybe Nathaniel just leaned in without a thought, but they met for a kiss so naturally that, for half a second, he even believed this was how they parted now. When they pulled away, he didn’t want to leave.
ความคิดเห็น