Page 11 of The Jorogumo (The Sanctuary #2)

Haruto

How had I not noticed someone walk into the shop?

Liam's touch, his scent, his skin, his arousal...he'd enveloped my senses so completely I probably wouldn't have noticed if the building came crashing down on us.

I pulled back from him, turning to look at the newcomer as I tried to figure out how we'd keep whoever it was from freaking the fuck out. My wheelchair was nowhere close, and the headmaster would not be happy that I'd revealed myself to another human.

"Diego," Liam said, and there was something like relief in his voice.

I realized why a moment later, when Diego came closer and I noticed the cane in his hand. Oh, he couldn't see.

"Sorry," he said, his cheeks slightly pink as his eyes slid to Liam, though it was clear he wasn't actually looking at him. " The door was open, so I walked in. You weren't at the counter, so I followed the sounds. You're probably busy, so I'll come back later."

That jerked Liam out of his stupor, and he stepped forward hurriedly. "Oh no, it's okay. I was just taking my lunch break, but I'm done now."

"Lunch break, huh?" he teased with a small smile, and he must've heard enough to know what we'd been doing.

Liam's cheeks turned red as he glanced between us before clearing his throat.

"Uh, Haruto, this is Diego, my friend," he introduced finally, and Diego held his hand out. "Diego, this is Haruto, my..."

"Boyfriend," I finished smoothly as I leaned forward and shook Diego's hand.

"Whoa, you're tall," he murmured as I shook his hand, and I shot a wide-eyed look at Liam. Diego's senses were too sharp for his own good.

"Ah, he's actually sitting on the desk," Liam said, his brows wrinkling at the lie.

"Yeah," I hurried to add, since I could tell he didn't feel comfortable lying. "I needed a few moments out of my wheelchair."

"Oh! Was that what I stumbled into? Makes sense." Diego nodded slowly, clearly accepting our lie.

Thank fuck he was blind. I'd have been in a lot of trouble otherwise. Not that I felt good about lying to a blind man, but it was better for him that way.

I really needed to be more cautious in the human world. I'd gotten away with revealing myself to Liam because he was my mate, but it would land me in big trouble if anyone else found out .

Liam asked Diego to wait at the counter while he 'helped' me get back into my wheelchair, and then we both went back to the front.

It turned out Diego was a good guy, and I already liked him because Liam did. I knew he didn't have a lot of friends because most humans were unnecessarily judgy, but the ones he did have seemed to understand, just like me, what a good man he was.

Liam helped Diego with something on his phone, and I stayed back, watching them interact. The smile on Liam's face was different than the one he gave me, but no less happy.

Unlike me, Liam was a people person, an extrovert. I knew that meant we'd have to compromise sometimes to balance the scales, and I was honestly looking forward to it. Even though I wasn't as social myself, I liked watching Liam around people. I loved the way he brightened up when he had people to talk to, and I wished he hadn't been so starved for company.

Luckily for him, though, I knew a Sanctuary full of people who were eager to be friends with him.

Diego left after twenty or so minutes, and Liam switched the signs on the door, shooting me a glance. "Next time, remind me to double-check I've locked the door."

"Yep. We're lucky it was him."

Liam bit his lip, then walked closer, leaning his back against the counter as he watched me. "What would happen if a human found out? Me knowing is okay because we're mates, right?"

"Yes. If someone else finds out, well, I'd have to tell the headmaster. He's a sorcerer, and he has spells that can make someone forget things. He'd use it to make the human forget what they saw. "

Liam hummed thoughtfully, then tilted his head. "But not all supes have that magic, yes? So what if they can't erase the memories? What then?"

"That's why most supes are very, very careful. Supes who live in the human world are skilled at keeping everything unusual hidden. I'm just out of practice because I don't have to worry about it at the Sanctuary," I said with a sheepish shrug. "Also, even if it happens, almost always no one believes the human. Like the guy Silas showed his true form to."

Liam's eyes widened, and he leaned forward, almost tripping in his haste. "Silas showed someone his true form? Isn't he a troll?"

"Half-troll, yeah. The human was hurting Touya, and Silas lost control."

I explained how Touya had ended up at the Sanctuary because he could see supes and people thought he was crazy because of it, and how this particular human had been the worst of the lot.

Liam listened to the whole story, barely breathing, then leaned back with a whistle.

"Never hurt a supe's mate, got it," he said in a low voice, and I snorted.

"That's an understatement, sweetheart."

Liam stared at me, his lips parting slightly, and I tilted my head, confused.

"What's wrong?"

His mouth moved without words coming out, and he cleared his throat before speaking. "Ah, nothing. Just surprised by the pet name."

"Would you rather I didn't?" I knew some people didn't like pet names, but I'd gotten the feeling Liam would.

"No, no." His cheeks turned pink. "I like it. "

"Got it, sweetheart," I added, just to see his blush deepen.

A customer came in then, a harried-looking mother with a list of comics, and I stayed out of their way as Liam helped her find all the issues.

"These are some very good choices," Liam told her as he brought everything back to the counter, and she gave him a smile.

"My kid is a bit of a comic geek. I figured there are worse things to be addicted to." She shrugged, making Liam snort.

"True that."

"Can you recommend any others they might enjoy? I want to add a few surprises."

Liam looked like someone had told him Christmas came early. The two spent another ten minutes conversing over comics as he helped her find some gifts for her kid, and I watched it all with a smile on my face.

I'd known since I figured out Liam was my mate that I'd fall in love with him at some point.

I hadn't expected how fast I'd be falling.

Liam

Haruto left when I closed the shop after giving me another brain-melting kiss, and I blamed the mate bond for how much I missed him.

I'd never felt like this in a new relationship before. Then again, I'd never dated anyone like Haruto, even if you removed all the magical bits.

Haruto understood me in a way no one else ever had. The way he instinctively took over whenever we kissed without ever feeling the need to ask me first, the way he never got annoyed when I spent minutes chatting with customers, the way he didn't expect me to focus only on him every minute we were together...

If I honestly sat down and started making a list of all the things that made Haruto a wonderful man, it would be never-ending.

"Mate," I mumbled the word to myself. Haruto had introduced himself as my boyfriend to Diego earlier, but the word boyfriend didn't hold the same weight.

Mate was magical. It was permanent. It meant that what Haruto and I had was forever. Our bond would never break...unless one of us consciously wanted to break it.

I'd asked Haruto if that happened often, mates breaking their bond with each other, and he'd told me it was so rare he'd never heard of anyone who did it. It was a painful process, and it could be done, but no one really wanted to.

The thought brought me great comfort. It wasn't that I thought Haruto would leave me otherwise, but it gave me the assurance that he wouldn't even if I fucked up. I'd get a chance to do better instead of just being kicked to the curb because I wasn't what he wanted.

Sighing, I turned on my stomach, burying my face in my pillows. Even though I'd spent half the day with Haruto, I wished he was here now. I wondered what it would feel like to cuddle with him in bed.

I didn't think he'd be comfortable on a mattress, but his silky hammock had seemed comfy enough. What would it be like to lie on one, with Haruto's arms and legs wrapped around me? With our chests pressed so close I could feel his heart beating against mine?

I sighed happily as my imagination went wild, cuddling a pillow close since I couldn't actually hold Haruto right then .

I was falling fast, and while I was worried it was too fast, I couldn't slow down. I wanted to spend every waking moment with Haruto, and it was only my love for my store that kept me from trying to make it a reality.

As much as I enjoyed spending time with Haruto, I loved my job. I couldn't imagine a time when I wouldn't want to be here six days a week, but what I would love most were more days like today. I'd loved having Haruto in the store while I worked, even though I'd had to focus on the customers more than once. He hadn't seemed to care, though, and he'd even chipped in with his own suggestions once in a while.

That night, I dreamed I was in the shop with Haruto, except he wasn't in his wheelchair, and no one seemed to care. People walked past him or talked to him without ever being freaked out or puzzled by his legs, and then some of the Sanctuary residents showed up at the shop, also not getting any looks from the human customers.

It was a world where supes and humans lived side by side, and while I knew it wasn't possible in real life, it was a nice dream nonetheless.

I woke up with a smile on my face, and when I saw the good morning text waiting from Haruto, my smile reached manic proportions, and I was glad I was alone in my apartment.

Fuck, I was in so, so deep.