Page 23 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong (Lost Arts #2)

Chapter Ten

B y the time dinner was over and they were heading out for the evening, Perian had assured everyone he would like to do this again sometime, and he was full and feeling like he had lots of good friends.

He caught a glare on the way out from one of the Warriors who had often been hanging out with Fomadin, reminding him that nothing was universal, but he wasn’t really surprised about that, either.

Of course, there would always be someone who wasn’t happy.

“I think that went well,” he said as they were heading back to the Mage Warrior wing.

“Very well,” Molun agreed. “You’re popular.”

“Sometimes,” Perian agreed.

“No, really,” Nisal agreed. “They like you. I wasn’t totally sure how they were going to react. I haven’t heard Onadal say so many words at once before.”

Molun was nodding his agreement. Onadal had spoken up several times, though he’d still been somewhat quiet. He got a lot done with a good facial expression and a no-nonsense attitude .

“He’s trained me really well,” Perian told them. “I mean, I still have tons to learn, and it’s not like I’m doing it all day every day, but he makes sure to look out for me and include me.”

“We’re glad,” Arvus said, speaking collectively, and they all nodded.

“You’re all really good friends,” Perian said, a little choked up. “Thank you.”

Molun nudged him in the side. “Speaking of ‘good friends,’ what’s up with you and Mr. Abs?”

Perian laughed. “You mean Bennan? Absolutely nothing physical. But we have a kind of mutual appreciation going on. He doesn’t mind that I ogle because it’s very positive appreciation.”

“So much so that he strips off his shirt in the middle of training?” Molun asked skeptically.

“All right, first of all, it’s getting hot, and he is absolutely not the only one who does that. You all have training; don’t tell me you don’t sometimes take off your clothes, I won’t believe you.”

They all shrugged, because they absolutely did, Perian had seen it.

“And second of all, you’re entirely right,” he agreed. “It wasn’t to benefit me in particular.”

“Ooh,” Molun said, sounding intrigued, “is there another interest in the air?”

“I think so,” Perian admitted. “But I’m still assessing. And, let’s face it, I need something to fill my time since I’m not allowed to actually train again until I’m all healed up. And Brannal isn’t here to distract me.”

“It’s good to have things to keep you busy,” Molun agreed, saying it like it was something that people had said to him a lot.

Perian laughed. “And, you know, amidst all the ogling and attempts to figure out who likes who, I might actually notice something that will stand me in good stead when I do start training again.”

Arvus rolled his eyes, but his expression was fond. “It’s good to know you have priorities.”

“Right?” Perian agreed. “Such firm priorities.”

Molun repeated, “ Firm priorities,” and they all laughed.

“On that note,” Nisal said, still smiling, “that’s enough for me for tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

They all nodded and waved them off.

“You’re coming back with us, yes?” Molun asked like it wasn’t really a question.

Perian eyed the two of them. “You sure you don’t want some time to yourselves? We’ve just spent lots of time together.”

“You’re still healing,” Arvus said. “You want more cuddles.”

“To be honest,” Perian admitted with a sigh, “I’m not sure there’s a time when I don’t want more cuddles.”

Molun slung an arm across Perian’s shoulder. “So you’re definitely coming back with us.”

Perian gave in to the inevitable, not at all sad not to have to face an empty bed.

They swung by Brannal’s room so he could change into sleep trousers and grab medical supplies.

Back in their room, Molun and Arvus insisted on helping take care of him again, unwrapping and cleaning his arm.

Thankfully, there was still no evidence of infection.

To his admittedly entirely untrained eye, it looked like it was healing well.

“How’s the pain tonight?” Arvus asked.

“Fine. Still sort of achy and maybe a little bit itchy, but nothing terrible.”

“Tonic,” Molun said, holding it out.

The doctor had told Perian to have it today and then check in tomorrow, so he swallowed it down.

Molun smiled brightly at him. “Now, what can we do to pass the time until we need to bandage you up again? Any ideas?”

Perian felt his breathing pick up. He’d tried not to think about what might or might not happen tonight so he wouldn’t have any hopes dashed.

This was entirely up to them and not something Perian wanted to impose.

But from Molun’s question and the indulgent expression on Arvus’s face, it was something they were entirely happy to do.

“Yeah?” Perian said, just to be sure.

They both nodded, and Molun said, sounding a bit incredulous, “Were you not here yesterday? That was so hot .”

Perian could only laugh and nod because he absolutely agreed.

“Whatever you want,” he invited. “I’d like to watch whatever you’d like to show me.”

Like yesterday, they went to get ready while Perian went to get comfortable in the armchair.

It was entirely worth the wait. Today, Arvus stretched out naked on the rug in front of the fire, beautiful body entirely on display.

Molun, equally naked, knelt between his legs and sucked him off until Arvus arched off the floor, pulsing down Molun’s throat.

Then it was Molun’s turn, and he was on his hands and knees, ass up, face pressed into the rug while Arvus knelt between his thighs, spread his cheeks, and ate him out like he was starving, until Molun groaned and spurted onto the carpet, coming untouched, an orgasm that Perian echoed, furiously milking himself, splashing come all across his hand and thighs and chest.

Only then it got even better, because Arvus had had time to recover, and as Molun lay there, lax and blissful, Arvus lined up his cock and slid into him, fucking himself to another orgasm.

Perian let out a strangled sound, head flopping back against the chair as he took in the two of them, the satisfaction coming off of them in waves.

He felt ever-so-slightly more functional than yesterday evening, and he managed to take the cloth Arvus handed him after he got Molun cleaned up and bundled off to bed. Then Arvus was there again, smearing ointment and re-wrapping Perian’s arm.

“Do you want to be carried again?” he asked.

Perian admitted, “I really don’t need to be.”

Arvus correctly interpreted that and scooped him into his arms once more. Perian leaned his head against the other man’s chest.

“You’re really good at caring for people,” Perian told him.

He could hear the smile in Arvus’s voice as he said quietly, “Thank you. I’m very grateful to have people to care about.”

And then they were settling in the bed once again, Perian wrapped in and around two men who had figured out how to be together in a way that worked so well for them.

Waking up between Molun and Arvus didn’t exactly feel normal , but it wasn’t weird now, either. Perian couldn’t wait until Brannal was back, but this cozy connection settled something inside him.

Molun still managed to convince them he should have a few more minutes in bed, and Arvus indulged him and made sure Perian’s wound still looked all right.

Perian decided that it made sense to leave it clean and unwrapped and head to the doctor’s to have her look at it without them going through the trouble of wrapping it again.

“You sure?” Arvus asked.

Perian nodded. “I’m just going to have breakfast and a cup of tea, and then I’ll head to the doctor’s.”

He assured them both he would be fine and then went off to do what he’d said, cleaning up for the day, eating breakfast, and drinking his tea. Only two more days, and then he could do this with Brannal again, and that would be even better.

Breakfast finished, he grabbed up his shirt and carefully pulled it on but didn’t bother to tuck it in, grabbed his vest and coat but just folded them over his good arm, and headed for the doctor’s.

He’d never been so early before, but she was there, just like always, and she smiled when she saw him.

“Ah, Perian, I was wondering when I’d see you.”

“Thought I should come right away before I applied salve for the day.” He offered a sheepish grin. “Or possibly got distracted and forgot.”

She laughed. “Come, sit, and let me take a look at you.”

So he shrugged out of his shirt and came and sat down as directed. She washed her hands and then came to look at the wound, peering at it closely, fingers gentle as they touched his skin.

“It looks like it’s healing very well,” she pronounced after a moment. “While this is by no means a recommendation to get hurt again, you seem to be one of those lucky individuals who heals more quickly than the average.”

Perian laughed. “I’m grateful, but I’ll definitely try not to take advantage of it.”

She nodded, reapplied the salve, and wrapped the wound once more.

“You can leave off the tonic unless you find the pain is not being managed well enough by the salve. No more than two a day.”

“I think I’ll be fine without it,” Perian assured her. “I’m aware the wound is there, but it’s more a sort of… distant ache?”

She nodded. “Continue with the salve and bandages. There’s a reduced risk of it getting infected compared to the first several days, but it’s still very real. You don’t want me to have to cut the stitches, drain the wound, and have to start all over from the beginning.”

Perian made a horrified face. “No, I definitely don’t want you to do that. Wrapping and salve. Every day. Promise!”

She helped him get his shirt on, although really, he only got twinges when he tried to use his left hand, but she was insistent.

“You only have twinges because you’re giving it the rest it needs. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

He subsided, got helped into his vest and coat as well, thanked her for her time, and headed for the training yard. He had some investigating to do.