Page 17

Finn

I couldn't believe I'd had an episode at Levi's. Last night had been so beautiful, and then I'd messed everything up.

I'd made him sleep in the closet, and he'd done it because I asked. Not just that, he wasn't even annoyed with me about it. Instead, he wanted to support me. He wanted to stay.

For a long time, I'd believed no one would make that kind of effort for me. My birth parents certainly hadn't. They'd stopped caring for me the moment I learned to feed myself, and my siblings even earlier, because they knew I would feed them, even if I had to use my share to do it.

When even that had gotten to be too much for them, they'd abandoned us at the side of the road. They must've been basilisks themselves, and they must've known what would happen to us when we turned eighteen. They still hadn't cared.

The foster homes hadn't been any better. Most of the 'parents' had taken one look at the way I took care of my siblings and decided I was parent enough and they didn't need them. No one had ever wondered if I needed someone to look after me .

Not until I met Dad and Papa. They cared. They had from the beginning, and it hadn't changed even after I accidentally turned Papa to stone on the night I turned eighteen.

Still, a part of me had always worried that if I let go, if I actually tried to depend on them as much as I wished I could, they would disappear too.

But here was Levi, offering me everything I'd ever wanted if I could just let him in.

Other than my dads, he was the only one who'd ever seen me as someone who needed to be cared for. He'd looked after me when we were younger—it was probably why I'd had a crush on him—and he was looking after me now.

"Gin?" he whispered, and I sighed. I hoped this moment wouldn't come back to bite either one of us in the ass.

"Okay," I said in a barely audible voice, but Levi heard me anyway.

"Okay?"

I nodded, and he pulled me closer, then made a sound of frustration. Before I could react, he slid an arm around my middle and pulled me up and into his lap.

I sucked in a sharp breath, then sank into him as he wrapped his arms around my middle. Laying my head against his shoulder, I closed my eyes and just...breathed .

"If I could go back in time, I'd stop myself from running away. If I hadn't, I could've been there for you all these years. I could've taken care of you."

"Or you'd be dead and I'd have no one," I murmured, and his arms tightened around me.

"I'm just glad Fate brought me back to you."

"Me too. Can we... can we just stay here today?

" I asked, then hid my face in his neck.

Penny would be going back to college this evening.

I should've wanted to spend time with her, shouldn't I?

Was I a bad brother for wanting to stay here when I didn't know how long it would be until I saw her again?

"Of course. Do you not want to go outside or be around people?" he asked, and I frowned, not expecting the question. I gave it some thought, and realized it was the first one.

"I just want to stay here," I murmured, and Levi hummed.

"Okay, then how about this? I'll make us some breakfast, and we can eat in bed like we planned to. And after lunch, we can invite Penny and the guys over to hang out here for a while. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," I said, the hitch in my voice clear. Levi squeezed me again, then pressed a kiss against my temple.

"All right. You wanna join me in the kitchen while I make us some pancakes? I'm sure Greta's wondering where we are."

"Yeah," I said, then pulled back and slid off his lap as I stood up.

"Gin," Levi said as he stood up, and I paused, turning to look at him .

"Yeah?"

Levi stepped up to me, then leaned up on his tiptoes and pulled me into a kiss as his hands fell to my hips, holding me close.

I kissed him back, and the million different thoughts and emotions that had been fluttering through my head ever since I woke up quieted down one by one until all I could think about was how fast I was falling for this man.

He pulled back before I was ready to let go, and I chased after him, pulling him into another kiss as I pressed our bodies together, needing to feel him against me.

The nightmare from last night still lingered in my mind, and I ran my palms up and down his arms, reminding myself he wasn't stone, or bleeding.

"Okay, okay," Levi said as he pulled back, a smile in his voice. He gazed at me, his blue eyes twinkling. "Let's get some food in us, and then we can make out some more if you want, okay?"

I huffed, but agreed, and he took my hand as we made our way to the kitchen. Greta spotted us as we were walking past the living room and chased after us.

Levi let go of my hand once we were in the kitchen, and I scooped Greta up into my arms as I hopped up onto the counter out of Levi's way.

Greta settled on my lap with a chirp, and Levi shot us a smile. "Aww, my two favorite people all cuddled up together? I love it."

Butterflies took flight in my belly at his comment, and I hoped my cheeks weren't as red as they felt. Judging by the smile on his face, it was a vain hope .

Levi started grabbing stuff to make pancakes, and when I offered to help, he told me I could help by "Sitting there and looking pretty for me," and to "Let me take care of you, Gin."

So I sat there and played with Greta as Levi stirred the batter and then made us some fluffy pancakes.

We ate on the counter, and I drew the line when Levi tried to feed me. Instead, we ended up feeding each other and making a mess of things.

Once we were finished, we went right back to kissing and licking the syrup off each others' lips until there was none left.

By the time we jumped into the shower together, my nightmare was nothing but a fading memory, and I was feeling lighter than I ever had so soon after an episode.

I could see why people liked getting taken care of. It felt amazing.

Levi

By the time we got out of the shower, Finn seemed to be doing a lot better.

Since his clothes were still in a pile in the bathroom, I gave him more of my clothes to wear and put his stuff in the wash.

I imagined he wouldn't want to be wearing my clothes when we had company, no matter how much I would prefer it.

Finn had texted the others while I started the laundry, and they'd all said they'd be here.

I was looking forward to seeing Miles and Mateo again after all this time, and seeing Ames and Penny again.

Somehow, we found ourselves back in bed. I sat with my back against the headboard and Finn in my lap, his knees on either side of my hips. His hands slid under my t-shirt as I cupped his face with mine, and he touched me all over as we kissed, his fingers smooth and firm against my skin.

He played with my nipples, making me hum into the kiss. My nipples weren't the most sensitive, but Finn's touch still felt good on them. So very good.

We made out for a while longer, but didn't go further. I wasn't sure if I was just taking it slow or still reacting from what happened last night, but Finn didn't push for more either.

Afterward, we lay in bed, holding each other as we talked.

Finn told me a little about his nightmares, and about how he'd gotten over the closet thing for a while but it'd started again since Dean left for college.

Throwing meeting me again in the mix couldn't have helped, but Finn insisted it wasn't because of me, though I was pretty sure the nightmare he'd had last night had involved me.

When Finn decided he didn't want to talk about his nightmares anymore, I told him stories from my past, the good stuff from the years since I escaped.

I told him about the people I'd met, the things I'd learned, the places I'd been.

He listened with fascination, asking all kinds of questions that kept me talking until well into midday .

We continued our conversation as we made lunch together—sandwiches and salad—and then as we ate and then cleaned up after.

Finn had just finished putting on his newly washed and dried clothes when the doorbell rang.

Greta raced for it as if she was going to open the door herself, then stopped short in front of it when she was rudely reminded she didn't have the opposable thumbs or height required to open the door.

She shot me a look as if it was somehow my fault, and I rolled my eyes at her before opening the door.

"Hey, Levi," Ames said as she stepped inside, her dark brown eyes sparkling as she tucked back her straight black hair, and I held the door open wider when I realized the others were with her too.

"Oh wow, you got big," Mateo commented as he eyed me, and I chuckled. I could tell it was him just from his words. Even back then, he'd been the outspoken one out of the two. They both had blond hair, brown eyes, and a similar lean build, but their personalities made it easy to tell them apart.

"Hey, Mateo, Miles," I greeted with a smile, and Miles smiled back.

"Hi," he said in a soft voice, and Mateo's eyes flicked from his twin to me and then back again.

"Come on in. Hey, Penny, it's nice to see you again."

"You too!" she said with a grin, then glanced around as I closed the door behind them, her bright red ponytail dancing as she moved. "Now, where's my brother? I have some teasing to do."

"Hey, guys," Finn said as he came into the room, running his fingers through his messy hair.

"Hey, big bro. Did you have a nice night?"

Finn ignored his sister as he adjusted his glasses and moved to sit on the armchair while the twins and Penny took the couch and Amelia claimed the other armchair. When I'd bought my furniture, I hadn't really thought I'd have many guests. I might have to get some more chairs or something.

"Drinks, anyone? I have Coke, water, tea, and coffee." I didn't really drink alcohol, but maybe I should start keeping some beer for visitors? Did Finn drink? I'd have to ask him later.

"Water for me, please," Ames said, and Penny and Miles asked for the same while Mateo picked Coke.

They all looked healthy and happy, their eyes devoid of pain and fear like they'd been the last time I saw them. It made me happy to see them doing so well.

"Finn?"

"I'm good," he assured me with a smile, and I smiled back at him before walking into the kitchen.

"You are totally smitten!" Penny whisper-shouted, but she was still loud enough for me to hear.

"Shut up," Finn growled, making me smile. I could just imagine the blush on his cheeks .

"Aww, look at him blush," Ames chimed in, and Finn huffed.

"Hey, now. Have some mercy on the guy," Mateo said, though I had a feeling he was grinning as he said it.

I quickly gathered up the waters and Coke and took them to the living room before they could gang up on my mate.

I knew they were just being friends, but after last night, I was starting to realize Finn was more fragile than he let people see, and I didn't want them to say something hurtful without realizing it.

"Here we go."

Once everyone had their drinks, I perched my ass on the arm of Finn's armchair, glad I'd picked the ones with padded arms.

We talked for a good long while, sharing stories and catching each other up on our lives.

Finding out Miles and Mateo's dad was Cassian Romanov, a mage I'd only heard stories about when I lived in Ravenshire, was a shock.

Finding out he'd been wildly villainized in those stories?

Not so much. There seemed to be quite a few ex-Ravenshire residents here in Mistvale, and I hoped I'd get a chance to talk to them at some point.

Reuniting with the people I'd spent the worst time of my life with felt strangely freeing. Seeing them all happy, healthy, and safe, with families that clearly loved them, freed me of the guilt I'd been carrying around since the day I went to rescue them and found them gone.