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“Look, Fin.” The kid breathed out and shook his head as he settled down on the couch beside the other boy. He pressed against the other’s side, invading his personal space without a second thought. “I’m just telling you the truth. He’s ours.”
“Uhtred…” Finan wrapped his arm around the other kid and pulled him closer against him.
“He’s our soulmate!” Uhtred insisted, interrupting Finan before the boy could deny it again.
Finan rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Ours?” He repeated and shook his head again.
Uhtred nodded his head as he shifted in Finan’s embrace, pulling his legs up on the couch and under him. He knelt on the couch beside Finan and leaned up to press a kiss to the taller boy’s cheek. “Yours and mine.” He whispered into Finan’s ear. “He belongs to us.”
Finan shivered and let his arm drop to Uhtred’s waist. He pulled the boy closer to him and bit his lip. “I would… be lying... “ He started slowly, pausing between the words as he hesitated to admit them outloud. “If I said… I didn’t… feel something… when… I look into his eyes.”
Uhtred nodded and leaned his head against Finan’s shoulder. “The same I feel when I look into his.” He said softly, his voice barely a whisper. “The same when I look into yours.” He felt the shift in Finan’s shoulder and lifted his head to gaze into those same eyes that he’d spent hours staring into. Uhtred sucked in a breath as he felt their connection, lighting his heart and soul on fire. He lifted his hand and touched his fingers to Finan’s cheek. “I am yours.” He said softly and Finan smiled. “But I am also his.”
Finan sighed and tore his eyes away from those way too intense blue flames that always threaten to burn him alive from the inside out. He exhaled a shaky breath and shook his head. “Uhtred, it is bad enough that I turned 18 last week and am dating a 17 year old. We cannot add a 14 year old to the equation.”
Uhtred rolled his eyes. “Fin, I’m not saying we attack Sihtric right now. At least not while I’m supposed to be babysitting him.”
Finan let out a groan and leaned his head back against the couch. “Don’t call it babysitting while we are having this conversation!”
Uhtred laughed and snuggled harder against him. “The boy will grow and we will wait.”
At the top of the steps, the younger boy sat, watching and listening to them. He had argued with his grandmother that he was too old for a babysitter, but the older woman kept insisting. Sihtric knew she was worried about him, being in a new town, new school, new life. She thought he was traumatized and didn’t want him left alone. Sihtric breathed out and kept the thoughts of his past at bay as he listened to the two older boys. He swallowed and bit his lip and he tried hard not to make any sounds as he continued to listen to them. He’d felt the same connection to them that they spoke of. He hadn’t quite understood what it meant but he felt it, he swore he could feel them .
It grew quiet and Sihtric continued to sit on the steps for a few more moments. The hour was growing later and he was certain they’d fallen asleep. He sucked in a breath as he finally stood up. He crept down the stairs silently and moved around the couch. They were both sleeping and Sihtric hardly dared to even breathe. Uhtred had his head in Finan’s lap and the older boy’s arm was draped over him. Sihtric bit his lip again as he watched them. Then he was moving before he even knew it. He leaned closer to the sleeping Uhtred and gently pressed his lips against the other boy’s. It was soft, barely a brush against him, and Sihtric pulled himself away.
Uhtred’s lips curled into a smile in his sleep and he breathed out.
Sihtric felt giddy as he watched him. Then he turned and crawled up on the couch, moving as gently as he could. He kept his eyes on Finan as he pressed in closer. He hardly even realized he was doing it as he lifted Finan’s other arm and snaked himself under it. He pressed himself against Finan’s side and wrapped the older boy’s arm around himself. Then Sihtric stopped breathing when Finan tightened his grip around him, pulling him closer.
“Sihtric…”
Sihtric’s eyes widened as he looked up at Finan. He gasped and trembled against him, suddenly afraid of being caught. Panic flashed through him and he silently cursed himself for being so stupid! “I’m sorry!” He whispered, his voice shaking just as much as he was. “I… I heard you… and I can feel you... and I couldn’t stop myself… I… I didn’t mean to…”
Finan sighed out as he again tightened his arm around Sihtric and pulled him closer. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on Sihtric’s forehead. Then he closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch. “Sleep. And do not tell Uhtred you kissed him.”