hic sunt dracones - 2. Returning Early

Returning Early

"Just slowly rub it in."

Ashton froze with his hand hovering over the doorknob. A frown creased his forehead at the unfamiliar voice in his bedroom—the bedroom where Kye was supposed to be sleeping.

"Like that?" Kye's voice asked softly.

A grunt from the other side of the door had Damien sucking in a sharp breath. "Oh, boy, you can do better than that. Firm, even strokes... Oh, yeah, that's it."

"... so slippery but smooth... it's beautiful..." Kye murmured.

Ashton's eyes widen, his heart beating wildly. What the hell was Kye doing in there with ... with... whoever was there! Yes, he was back from his trip early, but still!

Kye wouldn't have turned to another man for... for comfort... would he? He felt his breaths coming in harsh pants at the thought of Kye with another man. Maybe Kye had found someone younger...

But then the person had called Kye 'boy'... so not younger, then. Older? But why would Kye allow himself to be called 'boy' by a-a... lover. Ashton nearly choked on the last word.

"When is he due to return?" the stranger's voice asked softly.

"He should be home soon. We need to hurry and finish. I wish we'd thought to do this earlier, so we have more time to enjoy it," Kye responded.

Ashton dropped his head against the wall, his eyes stinging with tears at the thought of his Kye, his little one, his consort, having relations with someone else. It was obviously stupid of him to assume that they would be monogamous when he hadn't explicitly talked to Kye about it.

And Kye had never been with anyone but Barrett and himself, so maybe he felt the need to explore a little...

Footsteps approaching had Ashton looking up to see Donnelly making his way down the hall.

"You're back. Glad you made it before dinner," Donnelly greeted.

"Yes," Ashton managed not to growl at his friend, even though his fists were clenched so tight his nails were digging into his palms. "Amelia said Kye had gone up to our room after lunch, so I was coming to let him know I was back."

"Oh, is he done yet?" Donnelly asked glancing at the closed door. "I know they were trying to hurry to finish before you got back."

Ashton gaped at the man. Fazito enferni! Did everyone know Kye was taking another man to his bed?

"What?! You knew this was going on?" Ash accused harshly.

Donnelly looked perplexed. "Well, yeah, he asked me to help him find someone to teach him what to do."

"What?" Ash snapped out. "Teach him? Who exactly did you send to him?"

"Marcus. He knows all about that kind of stuff, so—"

"Marcus! My stable master is in there with Kye!" Ash nearly shouted.

Donnelly was frowning at him in confusion, when they heard hushed voices and scurry on the other side of the door. Ashton huffed loudly before throwing open the door, his eyes immediately searching the bed.

Empty.

A moment of relief washed over him when his frantic search found Kye sitting on the couch... next to Marcus.

They were both looking up at him with mild surprise, but Kye's soft blue eyes morphed quickly to excitement.

Not fear. Not anger. Not embarrassment. None of what he expected when he'd barged in. Plus, he belatedly realized, both men were fully clothed.

Kye jumped up, dashing over to him. Those warm arms wrapped around him as the lithe body snuggled into him, burying his nose in his chest. "I'm so glad you're back."

"You are?" Ashton intoned, not quite sure what was going on now. He was so sure of what he'd heard, what he thought had to be happening in here, that he was thoroughly confused.

"Yes, of course," Kye said, staring up at him with those innocent eyes of his.

Ashton had a sudden pang of regret, as he was beginning to realize that he may have rushed to judgment. His eyes flicked over to Marcus, waiting with a smile on the couch, and then over to Donnelly who was leaning in the doorway with a grin as well.

Ashton was sure his cheeks were heating up with embarrassment already. How could he have thought that Kye would betray him like that, and that Donnelly would condone it, and Marcus would participate.

None of these men had ever given him a reason to doubt their loyalty. And Kye had never indicated he was unhappy or unsatisfied with their relationship. So why had he automatically jumped to that conclusion?

Because he was scared, that's why.

Scared that Kye would leave him, would find someone better.

"I have a surprise for you," Kye whispered before kissing his stubbly cheek. When Kye moved to pull away, Ash found himself unable to let go.

Kye chuckled and pushed playfully at him, but Ash needed Kye right now. To reassure him, to hold him, to make him strong again.

"Ash?" Kye tilted his head, concerned by Ashton's tight hold on him.

Ashton leaned down and nuzzled against his lover's neck, taking in the scent of him, need the comfort of him in his arms. "I just need to hold you for a moment. It-it was a long trip."

"You were gone two days, and you're the one who insisted that I stay here," Kye jokingly admonished, even as he let Ash manhandle him.

"Seemed longer," was all Ash could manage, especially after the torrent of jealously, hurt, and anger that had raged through him in the last few minutes outside the door.

Kye wriggled, freeing himself enough to take Ash's hand and pull him toward the couch. "Look!" Kye waved excitedly at the small table in front of them.

Ashton blinked. In his haze of jealousy, he hadn't noticed that the low table had been draped with a cloth and several of his most favorite books were stacked on it. He wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to notice.

Kye rescued him by picking up one of the leather-bound volumes and holding it carefully. It was shiny and clean...

"Marcus taught me how to care for the leather. To condition it with oil to keep the leather from cracking and drying out. We've been working on them since lunchtime. I thought you'd be back later, and we might finish, but...." Kye shrugged, still grinning happily at what he'd done "...but we got a lot of them done."

Ash was speechless as he gingerly took the treated book from Kye, examining it with awe. Marcus and Kye had been working with his books. Books. And Marcus, being the stable master, had knowledge on the care of leather, which is why Donnelly had suggested that Marcus teach him. Teach him to care for leather.

Gods, he'd been so stupid. It all made sense now.

He was apparently silent for so long, Kye obviously began to worry something was wrong. "Is it okay that I did it? I didn't mean to overstep—"

"No!" Ash blurted out, cutting off Kye's train of thought. "No, dulcine, it's perfect. I-I just can't believe you even thought to do this..."

Kye breathed out a sigh of relief, looking up at Ash with those wide light blue eyes of his. "I know how much you love to read. How much you love these books. I just wanted to do something for you that I thought would be helpful. To help keep them in good condition."

Ash closed his eyes, overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of Kye's gift. When he opened them again, and wrapped Kye up in his arms, tears glistened in the corner of his eyes. "Thank you. It's perfect. You are perfect."[1]

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