Page 52 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong (Lost Arts #2)

Inspiration struck, and Perian sat up from the bed. “I’m a little thirsty. I’m going to go ask for something to drink. Do you want anything?”

“I can go,” Brannal immediately offered, because of course he did.

“Fewer layers,” Perian pointed out with a grin, quickly pulling on trousers and a shirt. He no doubt looked entirely sex-tousled, but he was sure that everyone in the inn had worked out what they were up to by now.

He darted down to the kitchen and put his plan in motion, the ever-helpful innkeeper and her partner ready to provide anything Perian and Brannal could possible desire.

He headed back upstairs with tea, water, and ale, since he hadn’t been able to decide, and they were abetting him.

Brannal laughed when he saw the array, but they drank most of it as they continued to page through the sex book and consider what they wanted to try next.

Eventually, there was a knock at the door, and Perian called a “come in.” A server bowed and presented a blanket.

“I’ve brought this for you.”

“Thank you,” Perian said, taking it from her, and then turning around to Brannal with a grin as the door closed behind the staff member.

“Did you ask for another blanket?” Brannal asked, looking in confusion at the bed. “Are you cold?”

It was summer, and they were keeping themselves plenty warm in bed as it was.

Perian shook his head.

“So… why did we get a blanket?” Brannal asked.

Perian was trying—and failing—not to grin like an idiot.

“Guess why,” he instructed. “Come on, you know this.”

“So… we can have sex on the floor?”

Perian laughed. “Nope. Well, not entirely. Come on, why do I have blankets?”

“Why do you—” Brannal’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked at Perian with surprise. “A picnic?”

“Surprise!” he exclaimed. “I don’t get to have a lot of lunches with you. I love my picnics with Renny, but I’d really like to have a picnic with you. Would you like that?”

Brannal came over to press a kiss to his lips that got a bit heated, trapping the blanket between them.

“I would love to,” Brannal told him.

Perian knew this didn’t actually count as a big gift. He was borrowing a blanket, and the food was already being paid for by Brannal. But he hoped the gesture showed his gratitude and appreciation.

They dressed fully and then headed down to the kitchen, where they were presented with a heaping basket, which Brannal insisted on carrying.

“You have the blanket.”

Since it was so nice to watch Brannal with his muscles bulging as he carried what really did look like an overflowing basket, Perian decided that he wouldn’t argue and would just ogle to his heart’s content.

They stopped by the stables to check on the horses.

One of the stable hands came by to assure them the horses were being well cared for, though Perian could see that already, and then one of the servers rushed out of the inn with a container of jam, blushing and handing it to Perian and saying she’d forgotten to pack it earlier, and they couldn’t have the fresh bread without jam, now could they?

Perian noted the way her eyes strayed to the stable hand and how the stable hand’s eyes strayed back while they both tried to pretend they weren’t looking at one another .

Perian took the jam and thanked the server and watched her hurry back inside with a last lingering look. He looked at the bashful stable hand who was staring at the jam like it was the answer to the most important question in the world.

“Honey,” Perian said.

Brannal and the stable hand looked at him with confusion.

“I prefer honey on my bread rather than jam, although this looks lovely.” He addressed the stable hand.

“I don’t suppose you could run inside and get me some honey?

I would enjoy the bread so much more. But if you could just be sure to tell the server that Brannal is very excited by the jam—I wouldn’t want her to think we aren’t going to enjoy it when she was so thoughtful to bring it out. ”

The stable hand was already nodding, eyes wide.

“Yes,” they assured him. “I’ll do that. I’ll be right back!”

“Take your time,” Perian assured them. “We should really spend a few minutes with the horses.”

The stable hand rushed into the inn, and Brannal shot him a bemused expression. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”

Perian made a face. “Not really? They’re just so sweet, but if left to their own devices, they might never act on it. Maybe a little nudge is all they need.”

Brannal still looked amused. “We haven’t seen them for more than two minutes.”

Perian shrugged. “Some things are really obvious.”

Brannal laughed a little. “Not to all of us.”

Perian stared at him. “Really? You couldn’t tell?”

Brannal shook his head. “I think they looked at one another once. That seems a pretty ordinary thing to do when you’re near one another.”

Scoffing, Perian corrected, “She came out with the most transparent of excuses. What do you want to bet there is a jar of jam already in here, but she came up with that pretext when she saw us heading for the stables.”

Lip curling, Brannal said, “I think I know better than to take that bet with you.”

Perian nodded, satisfied.

In a few minutes, the stable hand was back with a container of honey and an entirely unnecessary blush across their cheeks which made Perian suppress a grin.

Perian had asked for directions when he’d made his initial request, and if everyone knew why he wanted a secluded spot, he figured that was more likely to keep it secluded. He led the way, and Brannal fell in at his side with the basket.

They turned off the main street past the pub with the blue sign, and the path soon became a dirt track that led them out past some gently rolling hills right out into the countryside, where it soon looked like they could be the only people for miles.

It was a beautiful summer’s day, perfect for picnics.

“How about here?” he suggested.

They’d crested and descended several hills away from the village, so they were well out of direct line of sight.

“Looks perfect,” Brannal told him.

That was what Perian thought about the whole set-up—about the whole holiday, really. He loved the castle and everyone in it. (Well, all right, not everyone , but all of his friends. And he’d try more with Cormal, honest.) But it was amazing to have this break, too.

Brannal set the basket down, and the two of them spread out the picnic blanket. Perian couldn’t stop smiling.

“What?” Brannal asked, lifting the basket and setting it down on the blanket.

Perian shook his head, plopping down onto the blanket and waiting for Brannal to join him.

“Nothing that isn’t silly. I’m just really excited about doing this with you. I thought it might be a little weird, like picnics were suddenly just for me and Renny, but being here with you like this is totally different, and I love it.”

Brannal smiled at him. “I’m glad. No one has ever invited me on a picnic before. I’m so glad to be doing it with you.”

Perian started pulling things out of the basket and told Brannal he could just look around, but of course, that didn’t work, and he started to pull things out too.

“Do you let other people do things for you?” he asked.

Brannal considered this. “Maybe… not that often? Unless it’s their actual job?”

“And if it isn’t their job but they want to show they care for you?”

“That’s very generous, and I appreciate it a great deal.” He hesitated for a moment and then blurted out, “And I’d still like to get all of this laid out so we can start eating. ”

Perian grinned. “That’s fair.”

When Perian triumphantly held up two identical-looking jars of jam, Brannal laughed and assured him, “You win.”

They continued to set out the bountiful array of food, as good as anything Perian was given at the castle for him and Renny.

Contemplatively, Brannal said, “It feels weird to just be sitting here. I guess I’m truly not used to this sort of thing. I don’t like to be idle.”

“Unless we’re cuddling,” Perian prompted.

Brannal smiled widely, his face relaxed and open. “If we’re relaxing together, that is a different matter. And it certainly serves a purpose for us.”

Perian nodded, gaining another small insight into the man. He really was committed to doing the very best work as Summus that he could, and he didn’t let a lot get in his way.

“Can I ask you something?” Perian inquired.

“Of course.”

Perian smiled at the promptness of the answer, no apparent concern that it might be something he didn’t want to reveal.

“Why did you look after me after I was attacked—when we met, I mean?”

A frown furrowed Brannal’s brow. “I would never have just left you like that, not when you were so badly injured and could clearly not attend to yourself!”

Perian shook his head, holding up a hand.

“No, no, of course not. That, I understand and am deeply grateful for. But after. Once you’d brought me back to the castle.

Once the doctor had examined me and you had tonics and salves and had got me bandaged up.

Why didn’t you hand me off to her or get someone else to care for me? Why did you do it?”

Silence fell, and for a moment, all Perian could hear was the chirp of birds, the hum of insects, and the gentle rushing sound of the wind through the tall grass and flowers, sighing around them.

After a long moment, Brannal spoke.

“I’m not entirely certain,” he admitted. “I did think about handing you off. It certainly seemed the logical course of action. But I was… drawn to you in a way I cannot explain. I wished to care for you, and so I did.”

“I’m glad,” Perian assured him.

Brannal flashed him a smile. “Me too. Very much so.” He hesitated for another moment and then continued.

“I didn’t think there was room for anyone in my life.

I told myself I didn’t need or want anyone, that I had so much to do, that they wouldn’t fit.

I’m so grateful to be wrong. I couldn’t possibly have known all of that when I first found you, but maybe…

the possibilities were there? And now you’ve made a Perian-shaped space in my life, and that is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. ”

Perian could feel tears stinging the back of his eyes. “Me too. I mean, Brannal-shaped, I guess.” He laughed a little. “I had no idea someone like you even existed, and I couldn’t have imagined you sweeping into my life and literally sweeping me off my feet, but that’s what you did.”

And Brannal gazed right at him with those dark eyes gleaming so bright, and said, “I love you, Perian.”

A shiver raced across Perian’s body, raising goosebumps in its wake as he sucked in a sharp breath, and the tears he’d been combating won, spilling over onto his cheeks.

“Oh, Brannal, I love you too. I love you so much!”

They came together as one, kissing and hugging and sort of laughing at one another, which Perian was pretty sure was just an outlet for all their emotions because there wasn’t actually anything funny about it at all. This was the best thing ever.

Brannal had told him he loved him. Brannal had said it first , and that meant Perian could stop second-guessing himself and could fully acknowledge the emotion he’d been feeling for longer than he wanted to admit.

Brannal was now wiping the tears away with his thumb, the drag of the calluses against the soft skin under Perian’s eyes making him shiver again.

“I’m so happy,” Perian told him. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

Brannal leaned in and pressed a kiss to that delicate skin.

“Happy tears,” he whispered, breath ghosting across his face.

“So happy,” Perian agreed.

He hugged Brannal again, luxuriating in the feeling of being enfolded in those strong arms, of every tangible reminder that they were together, and Brannal loved him .

He wasn’t sure how long they remained in that embrace until Brannal spoke.

“Let’s see how this all tastes. It certainly looks lovely.”

And that’s what they did. Brannal stretched out on his side, long legs stacked, propped up on one elbow.

Apart from in bed, Perian was certain he’d never seen the man look so relaxed.

It was definitely a good look for him. Perian knew he probably wouldn’t see it often outside of Brannal’s rooms, and he was all right with that.

He understood the man’s responsibilities, and it made moments like these all the more precious.

Perian knew he wasn’t ever going to forget the afternoon they lounged on a picnic blanket in a beautiful meadow, with the summer sun shining down upon them.

It was where Brannal had told Perian he loved him .