Equilibrium

Chapter 17 - You love me?

Kevyn's eyes shadowed at the advice, and then he blinked. He blinked again. "You love me?" he asked.

Zen didn't mean to say that. But it was true. "I do," Zen admitted, and bit his lip.

Kevyn took his hand. "And you think making a fuss with the law won't do any good?"

"He'll get off either way. The way I tagged along and beat the shit out of him probably won't look good."

"Cruz will polish it up the best he can," Kevyn interjected.

"Mandrake's lawyers will be very good. Cruz shouldn't have brought me, by the letter of the law."

"I'm glad he did."

"Me too. But, if that is grounds for his release, which I do think it is - the only difference would be what kind of trouble we get into for pointing the finger."

"Come with my family," Kevyn urged. "They can't just retaliate against other Fae like that. The Fire Tribe won't stand for it. We're close with the Chief's family even though we set out on our own in Kreta." Zen always thought of the Fuego's continued political involvement as similar to the regard people have for a retired General or something. Respect for the once powerful. Something the Lightning Tribe's leaders have no time or inclination to indulge at any rate, with except perhaps on the summer solstice. But, did the Fuego's have any actual sway in their Tribe?

"They'll protect you if you talk? Risk inter-tribal war? I would feel better if you asked them first."

"I'm not talking about war. It's a - disagreement."

"Between two tribes on bad terms," Zen argued.

"If they agree, will you come?"

Abandon his own family? Put a nail in that coffin? Be marked as a traitor by his peers? "Yes," Zen agreed. Though he doubted it would come to pass. It was a nice thought, though. To be free of it all. To be under Kevyn's protection. "And if not. If they won't protect us, will you stand down?"

Kevyn stared into his eyes for a long moment, then nodded. Relief washed through Zen. "I'll talk to Aunt Sonia. She's the head of our family. And Pillar, about holding off on accusations."

"Thank you," Zen said.

"I love you, too, by the way," Kevyn told him and smiled. He leaned close and put his forehead against Zen's. "Look at us, making compromises."

Zen's heart thudded hard in his chest. He angled his head and kissed him softly. His heart full of Kevyn. Kevyn wrapped his arms around him and pulled his body close. Zen opened his mouth, and Kevyn kissed him deeply. Fiercely. Zen ran one hand up Kevyn's hard chest, and the other cupped the back of his neck. Kevyn made an approving noise. Bit his lip. Zen's body flamed and his skin tingled wherever Kevyn touched. His neck, down his back, up his sides.

Zen pushed Kevyn down onto the bed. The words they'd shared reverberated in his mind. Words of forgiveness, and protection, and love. And the things they've done for each other adding weight to those words. Zen rocked his hips and Kevyn hissed and moved with him. Kevyn's fingers trailed up Zen's back, dipping under his shirt to touch his bare skin - then untied the tunic and pushed it off his shoulders, grazing his exposed flesh.

"You feel so good," Kevyn told him.

"So do you," Zen replied. Then, teasingly, "But we've barely gotten started." Zen pulled off Kevyn's shirt, placed heavy palms on his abdomen, and ran his hands up his body, muscles flexing under his touch. His thumb grazed a nipple, and Kevyn said his name in a gravely voice. Zen bent his head and licked the other nipple.