Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Miko woke in the pitch dark, and it took him a few seconds to orient himself to the strange environment: in bed, surrounded by Linus's scent and the lingering smell of sex. A very faint glow came from the bedroom doorway, probably from some appliance in the kitchen, but it gave him little to see by. He'd never been somewhere so completely void of light at night, and that clued him into how long he'd slept. Long enough for the sun to set and all remnants of them making love to dry up.

Not super comfortable, but Miko didn't care. He could barely make out Linus's sleeping face, and a wave of love surged inside him. He wanted to wake up like this for the rest of his life, and while that was a fantasy, at least for a couple more months, it was one he soaked in for a while longer. Until his bladder reminded him why he'd woken up in the first place.

He slid out of bed and found the cottage's bathroom without walking into anything or stubbing his toe. The bright lights seared his eyeballs briefly, but he did his business and used a washcloth to clean up a little. No sense in showering yet, unless Linus woke up and they remade the bed. He gazed at his reflection in the mirror and swore he saw someone brand-new looking back at him. Someone older, happier, who truly understood what the words "make love" both felt like in action and meant in his heart.

He understood what it meant to be loved by his bondmate.

Since he didn't want to wake Linus by rummaging in their suitcase, he rummaged in the linen closet instead, and actually found a couple of beige robes. Perfect. He slipped one on and wandered into the kitchen to get a glass of water. His stomach rumbled for food, though, since they'd slept right through dinner, and the clock on the microwave glared the numbers 8:45 at him. Oops. It was probably too late to go out or order in (even if he could find delivery menus in the kitchen), but they still had snacks in their cooler.

Curious, Miko opened the refrigerator. He stared at actual food where he'd expected to see empty space: eggs, bacon, milk, butter, a loaf of bread, a carton of orange juice and, in a drawer, deli meat and cheese for sandwiches. The freezer had a few ready meals, as well as ice cream, and the pantry had some other odds and ends, like chips. They hadn't asked for food, but Frey had certainly done them a solid, and Miko made a mental note to find a good way to thank Frey for this.

He decided to make breakfast for dinner, and just as the bacon was starting to scent the entire cottage, a yawning Linus emerged naked on his crutches. He blew a kiss at Miko on his way to the bathroom. Miko pretended to catch the kiss with his mouth and continued cooking. Linus joined him later in his own robe, and he kissed Miko for real that time. Long and hard, and if Miko wasn't afraid of the bacon burning, it might have led immediately to round two.

Linus had mercy and watched him finish the meal, invading Miko's personal space as often as possible. They ended up with bacon and fried-egg sandwiches, and the simplicity of it made the meal even more special. Miko didn't need expensive seafood or fine wine to feel like he was sitting down to the best meal in the world. All he needed was Linus.

"How do you feel?" Linus asked after they'd both finished eating and were sipping their juice. "Was I too rough?"

"I feel amazing, and no, it was perfect." Sure, he was a little tender because it had been his first time, and Linus didn't exactly have a small dick, but how could Miko complain? "We will be doing that as often as possible while we're in this house."

"Oh yeah?" Linus's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Are we limiting ourselves to the bedroom? Or are you feeling adventurous?"

"I'm feeling adventurous indoors. My butt does not need frostbite, thank you very much."

Linus laughed. "Mine either. I was thinking we get busy on the couch."

His full belly swooped in a wonderful way. "Oh yeah?" The couch faced a brick fireplace, and while the fire had diminished to embers, the visual of having sex by a roaring fire turned Miko's crank hard. "How about you get the slick while I stoke the fire?"

"Deal."

Linus went into the bedroom while Miko approached the fireplace. He'd gone camping a few times, and he knew the basics of building a fire. A built-in cupboard near a log holder had old newspapers, some random bits of kindling, and long matchsticks, so Miko used some of the paper to get those glowing embers burning brightly again. Then he added a few small logs to keep it all going. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the sharp, almost bitter scent of burning wood.

"We are so buying a house with a fireplace," Linus said.

Miko looked up. Linus stood by the end of the couch, the front of his robe tented by his erection, one pocket sagging with the slick. "We are?"

"Hell yes. Do you have any idea how sexy you look crouching half-naked in front of a fire? No, wait, take the robe off. I need to see you completely naked by a fire."

Adoring this forceful side of Linus, Miko stood and shucked the robe, letting the terry fabric flutter to the ground. The heat of the rising fire warmed his bare skin, while the heat in Linus's eyes burned in his groin. "You better take yours off, too."

Linus reached for his robe's belt then froze, his gaze focused somewhere off to Miko's right. The immediate hesitation sent Miko right to his bondmate's side. He cupped Linus's cheek with his right hand. "What? What did I say?" Miko asked.

"It isn't you. I, um." Linus tilted his head sideways so their eyes met, but the position was still submissive. Hesitant. "I've never just stood there, completely naked in front of someone since the accident. Or actually ever, and now with my leg…you know."

"I'm sorry." Miko brushed his lips over Linus's. "I didn't even think. You're probably self-conscious anyway, and here I am asking you to prance around naked."

"Prancing would be a little difficult." Linus finally smiled and fully raised his head. "I know you won't judge me and that you love me, but this is still so new. Be patient with me?"

"Absolutely, as long as you're patient with me. I will do my best to be considerate of your feelings and how your perspective of your body has changed."

"Thank you. Um, you still wanna do this?"

"If by ‘this' you mean you fucking me while bent over this sofa? Then absolutely, I wanna do this." Miko slipped his hands behind the folds of Linus's robe and grasped his hips. "I need to feel you inside me again, alpha."

It wasn't easy, and they shared both laughter and grunts of annoyance, but Miko had never felt more in love or safe than when he knelt on the couch cushions, and Linus pushed into him from behind. He was a little tender and it burned for a brief time, but then the absolute joy of being taken by his alpha dimmed the discomfort. Miko gripped the back of the couch and thrust backward, his ass meeting Linus's hips, nonsense words dripping from his own lips.

Everything was so different this time because of the angles and positions and how amazing Miko knew sex could be, and they moved together for an eternity before completion. This time they washed each other in the shower, stripped the bed down to nothing but the top blanket, and curled up together to sleep.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Linus looked up from his repeat of last night's dinner of bacon-and-egg sandwiches for their late breakfast/early lunch meal. After sleeping in most of the morning, Miko had just brought his plate to the table and sat opposite Linus before asking the question.

"Build a snowman?" Linus repeated dumbly. "Like they do in the movies?"

"Of course, dummy. I saw a few in different yards on the ride from the train station, so we know the snow is the right kind. Or the right weight? I don't remember, but it has to be the right kind to pack together and make big balls."

"Big balls, huh?"

Miko laughed out loud. "Don't do that. You're giving me naughty thoughts, not only about your balls, but about what we could build with snow."

"You'd better be careful about the lawn ornaments we leave behind, or Frey will never let us come here again."

"Good point. But snowman? Please?"

"Absolutely, we can build a snowman." Linus would do anything short of hopping around the cottage bare-ass naked, if it made Miko happy. "Plus, it'll give me a chance to try out the grips on my crutches."

"Okay. Awesome."

They finished breakfast, and while Linus did the dishes, Miko rummaged around in their suitcase for extra layers. By the time they went outside in sweatpants over jeans, and sweaters under their winter coats, Linus felt a little like a stuffed sausage. But his crutches did well gripping on the snowy walkway, and he was concentrating so hard on walking that it took an extra minute for the cold to smack him in the face. He knew cold, but this was a different kind of cold. Less sharp, almost damp, and also…quiet.

Maybe it was growing up in the middle of a bustling province, but Linus had never experienced this particular sort of silence before. As if the world around them was tucked under a blanket, muffling outside sounds, keeping them safe from all things.

Directly in front of them, the lake was a wide sheet of snowy ice. The houses were so far apart that Linus wasn't sure what was a blob on the horizon, and what was a home. The only thing that could have made this more beautiful, more perfect, was if the sky opened up and dropped a fresh snowfall on them.

"This is magical," Miko said, his breath puffing out in clouds of vapor. He tilted his head to the sky and smiled, and Linus wished he had his mobile ready to snap a photo of the moment. So perfect, so beautiful.

"I've never seen anything more magical in my life." And he didn't just mean the environment. "So, um, how do we start building a snowman?"

Miko bent and grabbed a handful of snow from the pile on the left side of the walkway. He tossed at Linus's chest, and Linus squawked when it hit and shattered. "I guess we start with one of these, but make it a lot bigger?"

Linus growled. "I'll get you for that one, Tovey."

"I hope so."

The next two hours were the most fun and most free of Linus's life. He wasn't super helpful in building the tiers of the snowman, but he could balance well enough on his knees to help roll the base ball and the body ball. He ended up with soaked knees and calves, but he didn't really care. While Miko situated the snowman's head, Linus searched around a nearby tree for branches to make the arms and form some of the facial features. When he returned, Miko was kneeling in front of the snowman and trying to carve a snow penis on the statue.

"Oh my goddess, really?" Linus belted out laughter. "You're terrible."

"Come on, I'll take it off before we leave tomorrow." Miko looked up and pouted. "Who's going to see it?"

"Fine. Pervert."

"As if you'd change me." Miko flicked a bit of snow at Linus then kept shaping the snowman's new appendage. "But I promise I won't leave the snowballs to scandalize the caretaker. Now that I know how pretty it is here, I definitely want to come back next winter."

"All this talk of balls and coming is not endearing me to staying outside much longer."

"Shame. I thought we came here to experience the snow."

"And we're definitely experiencing it. I can barely feel my feet, I'm experiencing it so much. Well, foot." Linus waited for a flash of annoyance or shame at forgetting he only had one biological foot left, but it didn't come. Sometimes slips of the tongue were just that, and they didn't have a deeper meaning. "Anyway, it's fucking cold. I love the snow. But I traveled this far to spend time with you, alone, just us, and if you want to spend it freezing outdoors, then fine. That's what we'll do."

Miko watched him with an open, curious smile, while his right hand stroked the snow penis at the base of his snowman. "I promise to make it up to you later. If we can stay out while the sun's up? Or until one of us turns blue?"

"Okay, sun or blue." Linus would promise Miko anything, even if it meant clambering around in snowdrifts on his soaked, cold knees. His challenges mattered less than the joy shining in Miko's eyes as they completed their snowman, slogged through the snow in a jagged path around the perimeter of the cottage, and even walked a small bit along the shore of the semi-frozen lake. Miko brought out the camera he'd borrowed from Liam and snapped an entire roll of film.

Once the sun dipped close to the horizon, they silently agreed it was time to go inside. For as cold as he was, Linus still wished for more time. He also hoped they could have another trip next year. And the year after that, until they were old and aching in their bones. Their time together became a wonderful blur of food and bathing and making love, all out of order, and Linus was grateful to tumble into bed with Miko at some point that night.

Linus slept, sad the quick trip was almost over this soon, but also happy to be heading home. He'd proved himself a capable alpha these last few days, and he would continue to prove himself to Miko at the Solstice Gala this weekend. Their promised first dance as a bonded couple.

The next morning, Miko stomped out the snowman's snowpenis before the taxi arrived to take them back to the train station. For as nervous as Linus had been to arrive in Ampshire, he was incredibly sad to leave it behind. They hadn't seen much beyond the lake and surrounding areas, but they made a promise to return together with time to really experience the province and all it offered. This trip had been them with each other, not so much them with the outside world.

One day.

Carrying less anticipation and a lot more exhaustion, Linus dozed for most of the trip home, not waking until the train was stationary and Miko gave him a good shake. Their families had been given their return trip time, but Linus had still expected to take a taxi home. He wasn't prepared to step onto the platform and find his parents, plus Miko's parents, all waiting for them. Instead of annoyance that their families were acting like he and Miko had been gone for months, or that they were children incapable of managing their own transportation, Linus felt a surge of love. And gratitude. So much gratitude. Because without the unconditional love of those four men watching with huge smiles on their faces, Linus wouldn't be standing there today.

Standing with the help of crutches and a fake leg, but whatever. He was standing. And in two more days, he would be dancing at a fancy gala with his bondmate.

"I didn't expect a welcome home brigade," Miko said, tugging their suitcase along behind them.

"We couldn't help ourselves," Brogan said once they were close enough for his soft voice to carry. "We aren't used to not seeing you boys for days at a time. Which I know we'll have to get used to now that you are independent adults with future plans to mate, but give us this."

"By us you mean you and Liam?"

"Absolutely," Papa said with a grin as he reached out to hug Linus. "Welcome home."

Linus returned the awkward hug as best he could with one arm, and without dropping a crutch. "Thanks. It was an amazing trip. I wish we could have stayed longer, but I did promise Miko we'd dance at the gala." He glanced at Miko, who was hugging his omegin. Brogan was whispering into his ear, and by the shy smile on Miko's face, it probably had something to do with the specific reason why they'd gone out of town.

Brogan wants to know if Miko's okay. That his first time was everything Miko imagined.

Linus truly hoped he'd delivered on that dream. His own had certainly been fulfilled beyond his expectations. And he hated that they'd be going to separate homes tonight when all Linus wanted was to sleep next to Miko every night, for the rest of his life.

Soon.

"Miko also came home with the floorplan for his future house," Linus teased. "We'll probably have to hire the same guy who designed the Porter cottage, but I love the look of it, too."

"I hope you took pictures," Papa said. "I'd love to see the place."

"I took a few on my phone, but we'll have to get the roll Miko took developed so you can really see the place. It is definitely imprinted in my brain, though."

"It was gorgeous," Miko said to their group. "With or without the snow, I loved that cottage. Definitely something to save and plan for."

"For here in Sansbury. As beautiful as the snow is, I like that it's at least a few degrees warmer here, and I'm less likely to slip on ice."

"Here in Sansbury sounds perfect to me," Brogan replied. "Our province is big enough for our families to have space, while still being close enough for weekly brunch. And, of course, to be close together in case of emergency. Not that I am advocating for you two to get a place together in the immediate future, but I remember how quickly things moved with Peyton and Layne when they acknowledged their feelings for each other."

Linus held back a flinch at yet another mention of their elder siblings. "Miko and I still have a lot to figure out before we can get our own place. We know that. It's not as if I'm in any position to financially provide for us, not with my soccer career blown to shit." He cringed at the self-pitying way he'd said that. "Anyway, um, we should go. I'm getting hungry for dinner. Miko?"

"I could definitely eat." Miko's gentle, understanding smile made Linus want to weep. "One day at a time, right?"

"Yeah."

Instead of a sit-down restaurant, they did a little negotiating (since their parents had driven in separate cars) and ended up at a popular fast-food drive-thru, and they took their respective bags of food back to the Higgs house. Tarius came home halfway through their group meal, and he heated up leftovers from the fridge. Linus and Miko took turns narrating their adventures in Ampshire—leaving out the sexy stuff, obviously—as they ate.

Papa made coffee and offered drinks to everyone after they cleaned up from dinner, and the gathering became less formal. Linus took this as his chance to pull Mikel to the side and quietly asked, "Will you allow Miko to spend the night here, sir?"

Mikel gazed down at him with familiar warmth in his dark eyes. "You know you don't have to call me sir, but I appreciate the respect you're showing. And shouldn't Miko staying over be up to your parents?"

"It is, but I wouldn't dare ask them without your permission first. Miko and I might be bondmates, but we are not mated, and we both live with our parents. I love Miko to bits, and I want to be with him, but I don't want to disrespect you or Brogan. Or my parents."

"Thank you for saying that, Linus." Mikel glanced around, but they were alone in a corner of the kitchen. "I know I can be overprotective of Miko, but he's my only biological child, and he's omega. But I also know he is safe with you. And he is definitely safe in this house, if he chooses to stay."

Linus's heart swelled. "Thank you. I know I have an uncertain future when it comes to my career, but I do love Miko. I will do right by him and by your faith in me."

"I know you will." Mikel rubbed his eyes with the fingers of one hand. "Goddess, it seems like only yesterday you two were toddling around the house in diapers, trying to play hide-and-seek with Morgyn and Jaxson."

"And now we're all grown up."

"Yes, you are." Mikel extended his hand, and Linus carefully shook it. "I know you haven't asked, but you absolutely have my blessing to mate with my son. I look forward to the eventual celebration."

"Thank you." Linus blinked back hot tears. He excused himself and found Miko in the living room, showing what few photos he had on his mobile to Tarius and Dad. As sweet as the scene was, Linus was exhausted, aching, and ready to ditch both his prosthetic and his crutches, so instead of asking Miko to stay, he went to his room and removed his body of both accessories, before stretching out on his bed.

He'd get used to it eventually, according to his physical therapist, but Linus wasn't there yet. He hated his new body and missed the days when standing and walking were so fucking simple he didn't have to think about either. He didn't have to wait and plan and strategize his every movement. But he could hate it all day long, and it would not change his new reality.

He had to adapt, period.

For all Linus's formality in asking Mikel permission for a sleepover, Miko must have taken his own initiative, because he came into Linus's bedroom with their suitcase. Eventually, they fell asleep together in Linus's bed, arms wrapped around each other. Linus clung tight to Miko, hopeful for their future as mates, and desperate to make each moment going forward as perfect as possible.