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The day had been exciting and dangerous as Caleb and Essek settled in to camp in a small room deep in Aeor. Caleb had exhausted most of his magic and was setting up his dome. He’d discarded his coat and Essek had pulled it on, feeling a bit chilly and finding comfort in it while carefully cataloging the day's findings.
“Come here,” said Caleb, stifling a yawn as the dome sprung up around them.
Essek left his work and turned to the man who had invited him along, struck not for the first time by his blue eyes and the way his hair curled around his shoulder.
Seemingly oblivious to Essek’s distraction, Caleb reached for him and Essek went willingly, settling on Caleb’s chest.
Caleb wrapped an arm around him. Essek sighed and closed his eyes. He’d wake up in a few hours and get back to his work but for now this was perfect.
As he felt Caleb fall asleep two things suddenly occurred to Essek with crystal clarity: 1) he was fully and irrevocably in love with this man and 2) here in one of the most dangerous places in the world he felt perfectly safe, protected by Caleb’s magic.
Essek took a long, slow breath, listening to Caleb’s heartbeat and blinking back a wave of emotion. The man he’d been a year ago could never have imagined this life. But Caleb and the rest of the Nein had crashed into his life like a meteor. And he was grateful every day.
Hey Essek, it’s Jester. Her familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. How is Aeor? Are you and Caleb finding all kinds of cool magic things? Hope I’m not interrupting anything important. Tell-
Essek smiled despite himself. “We’re fine, Jester. Caleb is sleeping. I’ll tell him you said hello when he wakes.”
Caleb’s hand shifted from Essek’s back to briefly run through his hair before returning to his back. “She worries,” muttered Caleb without opening his eyes.
“I know,” said Essek. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Light sleeper,” mumbled Caleb, already drifting back asleep.
Essek knew that. He didn’t know all the details of course, but traveling with Caleb for any length of time it was easy to see how fitfully he often slept, though he seemed to sleep better with Essek in his arms. That thought made Essek’s heart do complicated things.
He raised his head and studied Caleb’s face in the dim light of the dome. Caleb’s eyes fluttered open and he turned his head to meet Essek’s gaze. Before Essek could change his mind he leaned down and kissed Caleb.
Caleb sighed like a man coming home after a long journey. He cupped the back of Essek’s head and returned the kiss with passion that sent sparks of electricity down Essek’s spine.
Essek broke the kiss and tilted Caleb’s head to kiss his forehead. “You should sleep. You need to rest.”
Caleb retaliated by kissing Essek’s neck. “You started it,” he said.
Essek shivered, and not from the cold. He forced himself to move down until he could rest his head on Caleb’s chest again. “Sleep,” he commanded gently.
Caleb muttered something in Zemnian under his breath but he did settle in again and soon his slow breathing told Essek he was sleeping again.
Essek’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. There would be time enough to taste Caleb again in the morning. There was still so much to explore in Aeor but part of Essek wanted Caleb to put up his tower and spend the day exploring other things entirely.
Putting those thoughts aside, Essek breathed in the faint woodfire smoke scent of Caleb and turned his mind towards trancing. The truth was he rested better in Caleb’s arms, too. Tomorrow would bring its own discoveries and perils; for now they were safe and they were together and that was all that mattered in the universe.