Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Shoes, then belt, were taken off before Luka scooted in closer, the cot dipping a little under the additional weight. Amaru barely let Luka get settled before snagging an arm and pulling it over his waist, like hauling a disobedient teddy bear into the right position. It was, frankly, adorable.
Luka found it so, too, obediently snuggling against Amaru’s back. Even as he moved, he gave Vasily a ‘what the fuck’ look.
Vasily lifted his shoulders in a barely perceptible shrug. He kept telling Luka he belonged with both of them. Perhaps now he would believe him. Amaru certainly wasn’t being shy about what he wanted.
What he did know was two things. One, Amaru wanted them both there. Two, while Vasily’s dragon had been happy to have Amaru to himself, it was downright ecstatic about this cuddle pile including Luka. Smug, too, like it had finally achieved a dream or goal that had been centuries in the making.
His dragon was so happy, in fact, that he couldn’t begin to cage the feeling. A rough, rumbling purr started up, vibrating his chest and throat. He couldn’t help it. Vasily had two of his favorite people right here with him. Luka’s dragon did not join in, but he visibly relaxed. In that moment, everything was so comfortable and perfect. It gave Vasily hope. They belonged together, he knew it; this moment felt like a validation and confirmation.
“Purring,” Amaru slurred, his body growing steadily lax in Vasily’s arms. “No fair.”
Luka lifted his head a little to see Amaru’s face better, but it was clear he was dead asleep. Finally.
“I didn’t realize he was this sleep deprived,” Luka whispered with a concerned look at the mage.
“I didn’t either. He masks it well. Sora hunted me down and put a bug in my ear about it.”
“Ah. Of course he’d be able to tell.” Luka bit his lip uncertainly before asking, “Did he really insist I be here too?”
“Was on the verge of throwing a fit about it.” Vasily tacked on pointedly, “And he wouldn’t let me leave either. Kissed me and told me to stay. He wants both of us. Do you believe me now?”
Luka’s brows shot back up again. He glanced from Amaru to Vasily, confusion mounting in his expression. “So he wanted us both. I, uh…honestly, I am very strongly attracted to him. I am trying to spend as much time as I can with him. I just don’t know if all of this is enough.”
From what Vasily could see, Luka was in a better place than he had been two days ago. Clearly, some good strides had been made. Two days ago, Vasily would never have been able to get Luka into this cuddle pile with them. It was what gave him the patience to not push.
Well, not push much. “Just give it a little bit more time. I think you’ll see it for yourself soon enough.”
“I think…we should talk about this later. Let him sleep.”
The last thing Vasily wanted to do was wake Amaru back up. It was true, this was not the time or place to talk about this. He agreed and settled back into his pillow, getting comfortable. Leaving right now would only disturb Amaru. And honestly, he hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a while. Napping with these two was absolutely no hardship.
A smile teasing up the corners of his mouth, he slipped into dreamland.
Amaru’s wild cackle filled the tent and Luka’s heart. The mage had the best laugh in the world. It was so large and free. How it fit in his body in the first place was a mystery. Maybe that was why it spilled out of him so frequently. There was no room in his frame to hold it in.
The mage rocked away from him and then back, only to lean most of his weight against Luka. Amaru did that often and Luka was not quite sure why. Amaru seemed to be a very physically affectionate person by nature. Luka certainly wasn’t complaining; he just wished it would activate his dragon somehow. The more time he spent with Amaru, the more he enjoyed the man and his attraction grew. But he was no closer to that knowing a dragon experienced when they found their mage. His dragon, in fact, was horrifically silent.
As much as he enjoyed being around Amaru, at the same time it depressed him. Maybe angered him. No one had told him anger could feel so much like fear. It felt like Amaru was taking Vasily away from him. Luka did not believe this mage was his. And despite everything else Vasily had said, it wasn’t Vasily’s choice on whether they could stay together. Luka knew very well the instinct of a dragon to claim their mage was stronger than anything else. Vasily would not be able to ignore it.