Chapter 474 - 475: I...Missed You.

Chapter 474: Chapter 475: I...Missed You.

It’s just a couple of stitches; Khobi doesn’t know what they’re complaining about.

But the funny thing is that Khobi does sneak a nap in today. It’s Loac’s doing, probably. He swings by the infirmary before training’s even finished; risking Drogger’s ire to make fun of him for getting his face caved in. And once he’s finished laughing, he pokes him in the nose and makes it bleed again. That gets him shooed away by a couple of medics wielding brooms, but of course he sneaks back in while they’re not looking by which point the bleeding’s stopped again and the soldiers have finally stopped squealing.

Khobi’s pretty sure he’s right to be wary about his nose getting poked again, but Loac defies expectations and goes for his ribs instead, digging in hard enough he would’ve gagged had Loac not had the forethought to stuff a hand over his mouth. That of course deserves retaliation in kind, followed by escalation on Loac’s part, and on it goes until a couple of nearby servants shoot them warning looks to tone down the horseplay before the matron catches wind. And clearly Loac’s willing to risk Drogger’s wrath but not the matron’s too, because he eases up. It doesn’t escape Khobi’s notice that he keeps an arm wrapped around him though, and when he gives him a light tug, it’s all the invitation Khobi needs to lean up into him.

It’s one of the last things he remembers, actually, because his next memory after that is of waking up with his face squashed against Loac’s chest and their legs twisted in knots on the too-small infirmary bed. How they’d gotten away with it –and for hours apparently, since he was pretty sure it had still been light out when Loac had dropped in unannounced –Khobi will never know, because the instant they were awake they were being chased clean out of the infirmary.

It had only been a couple of hours of sleep, but he’d felt all the better for it. And while he’d like to blame the knock to the face for keeping him up that night, Khobi finally decides that the reason he can’t fucking get a minute of decent sleep at the moment isn’t because the couch isn’t comfortable and it isn’t that it’s too hot or too cold or even because the couch is too short.

It’s not even that it’s not his own bed.

( It seems like he misses you .)

It’s what’s missing.

So really, in a roundabout way, this is all Loac’s fault.

Neither Mozry nor Khojin stir as he levers up off the bed and slinks towards the door. When he knocks, Bongo’s quick to answer, yawning and looking appropriately weary for the time of night. Weird, Khobi didn’t even hear him unlock it, but it’s late and he’s tired and he barely feels like a person.

Bongo doesn’t ask where he’s going; just wishes him a good night, and tells him he hopes he has a good sleep.

Barefoot and bleary-eyed, Khobi backtracks his way through the castle without much difficulty, yawning and rubbing his eyes the whole way. There aren’t many people out at this time of night, but those that are barely so much as bat at an eye at him being out this late. Some of the servants dip their heads to him and a couple of the castle guards out on patrol offer him a greeting. The words he offers back aren’t exactly coherent, but they seem to catch his meaning well enough, and they chuckle to each other as he carries on his merry way.

...

Even half asleep, he remembers the way, and his bedroom door is right where he left it. He’s pretty sure he could find his way in pitch dark, now. And while it’s only been a few nights, really, since he was last here but it feels like a long time ago.

The door creaks lightly as Khobi sees himself in, and shudders closed all on its own as the evening wind carries it home. Loac’s left the shutters open, letting moonlight pour in off the night and bathing the entire room in twilight blue, and Khobi’s eyes soften at the sight of Loac’s shape forming familiar valleys and crests beneath the blankets of their bed.

On his side, no less.

( His side.)

( Their bed.)

Inexplicably able to breathe a little easier, Khobi sidles around towards Loac’s side of the bed; treading light so as not to wake him. Once he’s there, he pulls back the blankets and slips back into bed.

It immediately feels better, and he groans in relief, sinking back into his pillows. The sound, and the dipping of the bed rouses Loac. For a second there he doesn’t seem to know what’s going on, brow pinching and his eyes cloudy with sleep as he tosses; starting a little when he realises he’s no longer alone in the bed.

"Hmm?" he hums, not so much a word as simply a sound of recognition. His voice sounds even thicker than it usually does; cast deep and soft with sleep. "...Khobi? You’re back."

"Ah, didn’t mean to wake you," Khobi mumbles apologetically, and Loac scoffs low in the back of his throat as he gravitates towards him. No sooner is he within arms reach than Loac’s arms curl around him, pulling him in the last few inches to bring him flush to his chest, and there’s a kiss being pressed against the crook of his neck.

"...I came here to sleep," Khobi informs him, reproachful but not uninterested as a second kiss gets pressed into his skin just as the first is ending. It kinda makes him want to arch his neck and let him keep going. "...Not for sex."

Even though he says that, Loac’s mouth on him feels good. Lazy and surprisingly aimless.

"...Who says I want sex?" Loac mumbles, instinctively curling around him but not letting up the light press of his lips into the pressure points Khobi likes most.

"You always want sex," Khobi reminds him with a small laugh, turning in his arms and slinging an arm around him to better tangle them together. It’s only the truth but Loac still makes an offended noise into his throat.

"...Not true," Loac grumbles, and even though his voice is slurred with sleep, Khobi can hear the pout as he winds tighter around him and buries his face into his neck with a contented hum, "...Sometimes I just want you."

Khobi’s heart stutters, falters, and then decides to just give up completely.

He’s glad for the darkness because he’s sure he’s the reddest he’s ever been in his life.

This guy .

The only saving grace is that he doesn’t have to suffer it for too long, because no sooner has he pressed a light kiss to Loac’s temple than he’s drifting off to sleep.