Chapter 32: Chapter 31

Chris nestled himself, half between awake and asleep, although this time, he knew who he was pinned to. A smile crept over his face with the fact.

He was still jammed in between Jaxson and the sofa. It was just so safe. Nothing could get him, nothing could harm him. There were no cells. No chains.

Jaxson groaned next to him, shuffling as he put his hand to his head. “King wants to see me,” he mumbled sleepily. He swung his legs from the sofa, tearing himself from Chris.

“I’m coming,” Chris announced, stumbling his way off the deep squidgy sofa.

“The King ordered I come alone.”

“Tough.”

“Chris, please. We need to do as he says.”

“Fine! Fine.”

“I’ll come straight back here.”

“If you can,” Chris muttered solemnly.

“If I can,” he agreed, laying a delicate kiss on Chris’ lips before leaving.

Chris sunk back onto the sofa, anxiety rippling through his mind and chest. He hated Marc hadn’t linked him, allowed him to go. Rationally, he knew he couldn’t be part of the sentencing. Personally? He found it unfair and cruel. What if it were the last time he’d be able to see him free for months? What if the sentencing was harsher? He couldn’t sit and wait. He stood, pacing the room with the debate of going down to listen in.

No, he couldn’t do that, it could make it worse for Jaxson. He had to do as he was told. He couldn’t go anywhere in case Jaxson did come back… no matter how remote that possibility was.

Deciding to do something a little more productive than pacing, he went to his room, the bloodstain from Hunter had been cleaned and his room, tidied. He stripped, heading into his bathroom and stepping under the boiling hot stream from the shower. His groan could not be helped. He felt he hadn’t showered for weeks. Attempting to shut his mind off, he focused on the water pounding the marble floor. He really hoped Jaxson was going to be OK. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen in respects of their mateship and the crown… but at least let Jaxson be free.

He roughly towel-dried his hair, staring at the steamed up mirror as if he could see. It had been ages. He must have spent twenty minutes in the shower. Part of him was hoping for Jaxson to call to him while he was in the shower. Or at least when he got out… nothing. He was still alone. No one had even linked him.

Stomping into his dressing room, he flung on jeans and a t-shirt, not much caring. He ragged a brush through his hair, growling at every tangle that tugged and stung his scalp.

Jaxson wasn’t coming back.

It wouldn’t take this long if he were to be free. That would explain why Marc wanted Jaxson alone too… to spare Chris from doing something foolish.

“Chris?” his voice.

He was here!

Chris dropped the shoes he was about to put on and raced from his room to see Jaxson stood a little awkwardly in the hall. “Here, in here. You’re OK?”

“Yeah… I…” Jaxson followed Chris and gave a cursory look round. “It’s done. It’s over. I’m free and… and same-sex mateship is legal… accepted.” He looked unsure, as if he didn’t really believe it.

Chris wasn’t one-hundred percent he believed it himself, but found his feet striding to him and locking his arms around Jaxson. “You’re free.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” Jaxson leant into Chris, stealing all the comfort he could give, Chris was only happy to comply.

***

Chris tucked his hands behind his head, everything was going to be fine. He glanced down feeling Jaxson settle between his legs, his head on Chris’ stomach. “Happy?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Chris’ hand found Jaxson’s auburn hair, combing the soft strands. “So he really did just say the charges were dropped?

“Yup. Mitigating circumstance. He’s going to announce same-sex mateship is the will of the Goddess, just like male-female mateship.”

“We can… be?”

“If you still want that.”

Chris nodded through a content sigh. Jaxson’s weight pinning him into the mattress. A wall of safety between him and the door.

“Twenty questions?” Jaxson asked, stroking his large hand down Chris’ thigh.

“What are we? Thirteen?”

Jaxson let out a rumbling laugh, “It’s a good way to get to know each other.”

“True.”

“Alright, easy one, favourite colour?”

“Orange, you?”

“Green.”

“Where’s your favourite place to go?”

“Erm…” Jaxson pondered a moment, “The woods. But like you know on the Southern side there’s a really dense patch of trees? They get really close together and it’s quite mossy.”

“Oh, I know where you mean.”

Jaxson nodded against his stomach. “I think I know yours. Well… where you feel peaceful.”

“Hmm?”

“Water. When you want to get away, you always found water.”

“Suppose you’re right.”

They went back and forth for a while, finding out their likes and dislikes, asking about moments in their childhood, until Jaxson asked. “Why did you stop going to the training grounds?”

“Huh?”

“You used to go to the training grounds all the time, I saw you. Then… you just stopped.”

Chris stared up to the ceiling, it hadn’t been a conscious decision. He’d just not wanted to go to the training ground anymore. “I decided to train earlier, I like sunrise and it’s when Marc trains. I just… decided if it was good enough for Marc, it’s good enough for me.”

“How about joining me tomorrow? Can try the guard run together?”

“You could never beat me.”

A devilishly handsome smirk spread over Jaxson’s face as he rose up a little, balancing over Chris. “Wanna repeat that?”

“You. Could. Never. Beat. Me.” Chris grinned.

Fingers danced over Chris’ side, he cried out through an uncontrolled laugh. “No!” he wheezed as Jaxson’s fingers dug into his ribs and to his stomach. “Ah! Stop!” Chris giggled.

“Admit I’ll beat you!”

“Never!” Chris squirmed around, trying to get out from under Jaxson’s warm, hard body.

Jaxson flipped around, pinning Chris’ arms with his ankles before leaning over his legs, “Admit it,” he growled playfully.

“Nope, I’m lighter, therefore faster,” Chris panted.

“So be it.” Jaxson attacked Chris’ sock clad feet.

“NO!” Chris instantly fought against Jaxson’s hold, cackling without any permission. “Not the feet, not the feet!” he panted through belly-aching laughter. “Alright, alright! You may beat me.”

Jaxson stopped a moment. “May?”

“You’ll just have to prove it, won’t you.” Chris panted, still wrestling against Jaxson’s hold.

Jaxson flipped again to face Chris, a cocky smirk on his face. “Oh, I’ll prove it, right now.”

Chris’ smile faded. The childish delight instantly disappeared from the room. “Why not sunrise?” he asked worriedly.

Jaxson swiped his thumb gently over Chris’ cheek before flipping their positions, putting Chris on top. “Because it’s quieter?” he murmured with a hint of knowing, running his hand through silky brown strands.

“Yeah… I… don’t think I can… erm…” he squirmed in discomfort.

“Shh, it’s alright, I’m not going to force you to do anything. Sunrise. We’ll go at sunrise when it’s quiet,” he promised cajolingly.

Chris nodded in relief, flopping down onto his chest. Jaxson’s fingers rubbed between his shoulder blades up to the base of his neck. “You know there’s nothing to fear.”

“I just… I like quiet. I don’t like being watched.”

“You’re always being watched,” Jaxson muttered with a hunt of laughter rumbling through his words.

Chris sighed, “I know. Doesn’t mean I like it.”

“Ever thought of just having a cabin in the woods? Far from everyone?”

“Goddess yes,” Chris breathed out as if that was his life goal.

Jaxson laughed, flipping them onto their sides so he could look Chris in the eye. “Me too.”