Page 17

Three days later, things had finally unfrozen enough that people could safely leave their homes without risking a broken limb. Luca was relieved, frankly, because he’d felt a little antsy cooped up indoors.

Not that he minded three days with his fiancé. Far from it. There was just so much he wanted to put into motion and he felt restricted.

Which was likely why, the very second he could manage it, he left Noe’s ryokan and went to his own. His ryokan was farther out than Noe’s, so he packed everything up and brought it back to Noe’s room. He also changed clothes. His fiancé was a good four inches shorter and lighter in frame, so needless to say, Luca hadn’t been able to borrow any clothes from him. It was a relief to wear fresh clothes.

Then Luca sent a runner asking the Brahmses if they’d like to have dinner together that night, and which restaurant, and got an immediate yes as an answer. No surprise there. They all voted for an early dinner, which meant they beat the usual dinner crowd by a good hour. Also fine by him. Luca was so excited, he could barely contain himself.

Luca had also invited some of his favorite lads. His captains, Caedmon and Devaughn, plus Caelan, Ewan, Tavish, Keithan, and Bram. They were a fun-loving bunch. They’d also been the most supportive of his endeavors to find a husband, so he wanted to tell them all first.

It made for a very full table—actually, two longer tables had been pushed together, all of them seated around it and catching up with each other as they got settled.

Luca waited until orders were placed and appetizers and beverages were served before he called for attention and stood. “Everyone, first of all, I’m glad we all survived the sudden ice storm.”

There were cheers and laughs.

“I know Shiirei’s got mild winters, so thankfully that should be the worst of it. In truth, I’m rather thankful for it, as it gave me a chance.” Luca put a hand on his fiancé’s shoulder, smiling down at Noe, who looked up at him with an answering smile, adoration in his eyes. Heady stuff, that. Every time Noe looked at him in that way, Luca felt like he could succeed at anything. “Everyone, Noe and I are engaged.”

Stunned silence for a moment, more than one person shaking their head as if questioning their hearing, then Sho let out a whoop.

“You lucky bastards!” Sho laughed in pure delight and stood, snagging his sake. “I’ll toast to that. May you both be happy, healthy, and stronger together than you are apart.”

Luca felt his eyes burn at the well-wishing, his heart full as everyone immediately lifted their glasses and drank to that. Even Sakura, with her tea, toasted them.

Luca tossed back his own sake, beamed, and addressed them all once more. “Thank you. Truly. I felt half mad even attempting this, but I’m happy to say I really couldn’t have picked a better man. Noe and I had a chance to sit and talk about the future while we were all locked in. I think we’ll do very well together.”

Caedmon, seated next to Noe, cleared his throat and spoke. “Sir, I think we all be relieved ye did find a man crazy enough to marry ye. No offense, Mr. Keller—”

Noe was already laughing. “None taken. I am a little crazy, I can own that.”

“—but yer husband-to-be’s known to do stupid things because he can, and why not? So good luck to ye on keepin’ up with Himself. That said, I be relieved ye two chose each other. We’d rather have a competent laird, one we can look to for guidance in rough patches, and I think ye’ll be very good at that. I’ve already seen ye in action, after all.”

Noe looked touched by this compliment and at a loss for words.

Luca just felt justified. He wasn’t the only person who had seen Noe at work and knew him to be a smart man, and it was a good thing his men had already seen this and were on board with having him as a future leader.

Not able to stay serious for more than a minute, Tavish jumped in. “Now, future laird, I must give ye a word of warnin’. First, don’t ever get into a drinkin’ contest with yer hubby to be. The man can drink a horse under the table—”

A laugh went up, but it was Keithan who rebutted this. “Ye be just a lightweight. Fault’s on ye.”

“I beg yer f—” Tavish’s eyes went to Sakura, who was the only girl and child at the table, and he visibly changed what he was about to say. “—inest pardon, I be not!”

“Four beers and ye start singin’, man.”

“I can still stand at eight!”

“That not be the measure for sobriety and ye know it!”

Luca let their argument play out without any attempt to even try and stop them. It was all in good fun and free entertainment, to boot.

Instead, he sat down again, an arm around the back of Noe’s chair, enjoying the atmosphere.

Sho sat directly across from him and was all questions and curiosity. “How and why the proposal?”

Luca shrugged. “He’s everything I need and want for a husband. Why wait? That’s my take on it. As for how, I may have accidentally stolen a page from Brahms’s book and done so naked?”

Sho gave him a long-suffering look. Brahms snorted a laugh, silently shaking.

Which amused Luca enough he chuckled. “Not on purpose, I promise you.”

“I’d fucking hope not.”

“It’s just, the words tumbled out of my mouth while we were in the onsen together. I was too excited to check them.”

“Apparently.” Sho shook his head. “You’re damn lucky he agreed. How long will your engagement be? Will you marry here or go home first?”

“Six months for an engagement,” Noe cut in. “Probably we’ll marry here. I, um, rather misled you last we talked about them. In fact, my family, isn’t keen on my orientation. Although we’ll likely go home long enough for my parents to meet him. I won’t know until we arrive if they’ll fully accept us, but I feel like I should at least try.”

It was a damn shame that Luca felt the same way about his own parents. “We’ll throw a dinner party as our reception but won’t do all the pomp and fuss with a ceremony. Although, if I can ask the two of you to be our witnesses?”

“I’d be very pleased to.” Sho beamed.

“We felt it only right,” Noe explained to them both. “As both of you were so pivotal in our relationship.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Brahms promised. Even he was smiling, in his own quiet way.

Good, good. Luca hadn’t expected them to answer differently.

Food arrived, so people started eating and dividing up into different conversations. Noe and Caedmon discussed the differences between Scovia and Bhodhsa, what Noe needed to prepare for, and when they might be moving. It was a very heartwarming conversation, and Luca had no intention of horning in on it.

He knew Noe could hold his own in a fight, but he also wasn’t a trained fighter. He leaned more toward the intellectual. There was nothing wrong with that, but it was something Luca needed to be aware of and plan for. He’d bend Caedmon’s ear after this, impress upon the captain he wanted someone in Noe’s orbit for protection from here on out. Just to prevent trouble.

Sho leaned forward to quietly ask, “So have you two had sex yet?”

Luca about spat out the liquid in his mouth.

“Oh, you have! How was it? Must have been good if you’re engaged.”

This man, seriously. “Do you have shame?”

“I do, in fact, but not on me. I think it’s in a trunk at home somewhere. I keep forgetting to pack some before going out. I’m quite shameless at the moment.”

Luca had half expected his answer.

Brahms leaned across the table a little, eyes intent. “You’re fine?”

“With what? I mean, yes, but what?”

Sho swallowed the bite in his mouth before translating. “Sex.”

“Ohhh. Yes, it’s all fine. I wanted to settle once and for all if I could desire Noe and have sex with him. I asked Noe if I could try with him, and he immediately agreed. As a matter of fact, we were at it the better part of the night. I’m satisfied that I can, and do, apparently, desire men. Or at the very least, I can desire Noe. But it’s also a strange feeling to realize this when I’m damn near halfway through my lifespan. Did it feel this strange for you?”

Brahms let out a long sigh and nodded, as if just the memory of it pained him in some way.

“Was it an instantaneous realization?”

Another nod, this one more glum looking.

“You weren’t happy about it?”

“Realized because Ren had a lover,” Brahms answered with an unhappy curl of the mouth.

“Ohhh. Jealousy realization, huh? I discovered recently I’d only heard part of the story of how you two got together. Well, now, I suppose your experience is rather different from mine.”

Brahms gave a noncommittal shrug but eyed Luca carefully. “I still don’t desire men. Just Ren.”

“Ah. It’s true, I’ve not developed any awareness for my own sex. It seems to be limited to Noe. That’s not strange?”

“No. Some people are that way.”

This reassured Luca quite a bit. Sometimes, he felt like he had approached his sexuality all backward. Or maybe he was scrambling to put together the why of it all. It also felt reassuring to know Brahms had felt the same way, and still did, even after he and Sho had been together for a while.

“It’s fine,” Brahms assured him again with a nod.

The main courses were served as Sho changed the subject.

“O’ Broín, has anyone mentioned something to you about exchange students coming here?”

Luca blinked, not expecting the question whatsoever. “Uh, no? Not since your queen and Empress Sera were here.”

“Hmm.” Sho seemed perplexed, frowning down at his tempura. “I got a cryptic message this morning, and I’m not sure at all what to do with it.”

“From who?”

“Princess Alexandria. She’s in the habit of sending carrier pigeons to me to keep me updated, and I try to do the same, so that in and of itself isn’t unusual.”

Luca had been vaguely aware of this, certainly, but the actual building of the fortress was up to Sho and Brahms. He was over security and staff, so he didn’t need to report in as much as those two did. Well, as much as Sho did. No one was under any illusions—Brahms couldn’t reliably report anything to anyone with much depth.

“What did the message say?” Luca prompted.

“Six are incoming. Along with a smiley face.”

Luca blinked at him, expecting more context. “Uh…six what? Ships? People? Problems?”

“You now understand my confusion. I don’t know either. I think, from the context of the last message I had from her, she means people? But the only people I’m expecting next are the exchange students.”

“We’re not set up for them,” Luca pointed out. “The program doesn’t start for another eight months.”

“I know, which is why I’m scratching my head over here. If she sends people to me right now, what am I supposed to do with them? I’m not even supposed to be over them to begin with.”

True, he wasn’t, although Sho always seemed to get pulled into things like this.

Luca pondered the situation for a moment. The New Year’s celebrations started in a little under a week, and the whole city would be in festival mode. Hardly conducive to learning. Surely they wouldn’t be sending in people right now?

Then again, knowing how enthusiastic Princess Alexandria could be, she might very well do so.

“Just a heads-up,” Sho assured him. “I don’t know what she’s up to, but I didn’t want you blindsided in case it really was people.”

“And I thank you for it. I guess tomorrow let’s put together a contingency plan on what to do with people if they do arrive. I’m hoping she meant something else, though.”

“I am as well. In any case, tonight we celebrate.”

He clinked glasses with Sho because he absolutely could drink to that.