THE SUNLIGHT on his face stroked his skin with kind fingers while a soft breeze barely stirred his hair. It had a familiar quality to it, this light. He’d been here before. Toby blinked his gummy eyes open. Everything was blurry, but he knew those lace curtains waving by the open window. He knew the texture of this quilted comforter.
Home. Darius’s home at least, the place he’d come to think of as his home too. Though probably a good idea to check with Darius on that.
There had been terrible dreams of searching, ones that had turned ugly and tinged with scarlet anger in the end. He shivered, trying to banish the last threads. Some dreams, he didn’t want to remember.
Toby gripped the covers on a sudden thought. His last waking memory had been failing to channel, of nurses grabbing him and injecting drugs meant to put him out. I’m alive. Holy freaking cake balls! I’m alive!
Suddenly it was vital that he find Darius and make sure he was all right. Sure, he’d been told his griffin was okay, but someone Toby barely trusted saying it and seeing it for himself were two different things. Problem was, he couldn’t sit up. Dizziness assaulted him as soon as he tried to lift his head.
“I’ll just rest a second and try again in a minute,” he whispered to the ceramic owl on the bureau. He blinked some more, trying to unblur the figurine, which he knew was an owl from admiring it before.
A sound to the right startled him. Was that a snore? Carefully, he turned his head and, when the pillow blocked his view, found that he could turn over even if he couldn’t sit up yet. There beside him, curled into a ridiculously small space for such a large man, lay Darius, fast asleep with one hand reaching out toward Toby’s side of the bed.
A twinge of disappointment followed, even though Toby knew it was silly, that Darius wasn’t wrapped around him to sleep. Good enough that he was right there. No complaints. Toby reached over and took that outstretched hand, needing to feel Darius’s solidity. Dumb thing to do, of course. Darius snrked and woke up.
The one blue eye took a second to track, and then a slow smile spread across Darius’s face. “Hey.”
“Hey to you too.” Toby stretched a shaking arm far enough to run his finger down Darius’s nose. “I had the weirdest dreams, and I’m trying to forget them. But I just remembered something.”
“Oh?”
“I dreamt that you told me you loved me.”
The smile slipped a hair. “I did. You let… me in. After.”
Toby crinkled his forehead. “I let you in where? Into my dreams?”
“Not quite.” Darius shifted closer. “I’ll let… someone else tell.”
“Yeah? There’s someone here besides us?”
“Arden. Elias. Zubayr.”
“Cool. Everyone’s here? That’s… gods, I’m glad you weren’t alone.” Toby hoped the expression he wore was a smile. His face didn’t feel quite right yet. “You just can’t stop smiling, can you?”
“No.” Darius pulled their joined hands up and kissed Toby’s palm. “You’re safe. You’re home. Truly safe. And I do.”
“Do what?”
“Love you.”
“Even though I’m too young. And not, like, a PhD. And a whole mess of trouble. And probably talk too much. And eat too much junk food. And don’t know one finch from another. And will totally insist on a good gaming system for the basement.”
Darius chuckled. “Even so.”
“Damn good thing, Professor Valstad.” Toby managed to scoot close enough to nuzzle against Darius’s shoulder. “’Cause I’ve definitely fallen in love with you. Even if you’re a grouchy old griffin with self-esteem issues who doesn’t know how to feed himself when he’s on his own.”
“Hey now.” Darius’s protest lacked force, probably because he was laughing.
“Tell me where the lie is.” Toby heaved a long sigh that turned into a happy hum when Darius shifted and slid an arm around him. “We’re really safe, then? The guild’s not coming after us? No one’s gonna try to shove death drugs in my veins?”
“Safe.” Darius buried his face in Toby’s hair. “Completely safe. Well—”
“What? What part’s not safe?”
“Your parents… want a call.”
Toby poked at Darius’s ribs, making him twitch. “Oh, not funny. Not funny at all. But yeah, I guess parents are their own danger. Or dangers. I’ll call them when I don’t feel like my head’s about to pop off and float away.” After a few moments, a thought crept in. “Did you, um, meet them? My parents?”
“Not as… such?” Darius shifted onto his back, taking Toby with him. “Escaping angry vines.”
“Yeah, I’m definitely too dizzy for this still. It’ll keep.”
Sometime later when the sunlight had softened further toward evening, Toby finally sat up successfully, and Darius hobbled out to do something that Toby only caught as mutter, mutter, mumble. Some yelling followed as Toby wondered why Darius was limping so badly; then soon after, a herd of forty elephants assaulted the stairs. Fine, no elephants, but four mages wearing expressions ranging from dark glower—Darius—to barely concealed amusement—Elias.
“Back in bed.” Arden’s pointing was imperious and worthy of the stage.
While Darius complied, growling, Toby asked, “So why are you all gimpy?”
Arden didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Because he’s a stubborn, bull-headed idiot.”
The phrase flurry of activity had never been more appropriate as Zubayr sailed in with a tray, Elias brought Toby’s backpack to the side of the bed, and Arden fussed with pulling up Darius’s right pajama pant leg and getting ice on a knee that looked more like a grapefruit.
“Dude….” Toby leaned over for a better look. “What did you do?”
“Twisted it,” Darius grumbled. “Not a big… deal.”
Arden tsked and continued fussing, propping the knee up on a cushion. “Not a big deal if you never want to use it again, certainly. You just like upsetting people. It’s what you do. Now stay in bed, dammit.”
“He’s going to punch you one of these days.” Zubayr addressed Arden while he pushed Toby back against the pillows and set the tray across his lap. “And we’ll all laugh and laugh. Eat what you can, Toby. It’s just chicken and rice. Nothing fancy.”
“Thank you. But I don’t think—” Toby’s stomach interrupted him with a monstrous growl. “Never mind, I’ve been overruled. Apparently, I am hungry.”
“All your stuff’s by the bed.” Elias pointed to the pile of backpack and clothes. “We’ll just leave you two in—”
“No, no, no,” Toby objected around his first bite. Dinner was plain and absolutely heavenly. “You guys can’t go until someone explains all the things. He hasn’t even tried.”
Elias laughed as he perched on the end of the bed. “Darius would have to write it out for you. It’s not simple like someone told him where you were and he just walked in and got you.”
The story Elias told sounded stranger than Toby’s dreams while he’d been under. Assaults by Air mages, coming to find Darius in despair, a persistent vine with a message, following the plants, the vegetative fortress—it all sounded like something from an old story. But they all backed it up and added enough detail that it was impossible to dismiss.
When they’d finished, Toby pointed from himself to each of them. “So I rescued me and you rescued me. Also. In addition. This is some weird stuff.”
“Yes,” Darius said at his driest. “But channeling… undeniable.”
Zubayr nodded. “The guilds can’t classify you as a wild mage any longer. The evidence of your Arcana channeling was all too real, and forcing you into anything had become a clear and present danger.”
“They were thinking about having me die faster before you came, weren’t they?” Toby swallowed hard and forced down some water. Not a happy thought at all.
“Honestly, they didn’t know what they were doing,” Arden said with a delicate snort. “Considering it, yes, but they had no idea how the plants would react if you died. Possible that everyone in the hospice would have been crushed. Darius was both the hero they needed and the one they deserved.”
“Oh, now you make pop culture references?” If Zubayr’s side-eye had been any harder, it would’ve knocked Arden down.
“You good for now, Toby? We could go argue downstairs and leave you in peace.” Elias rose and stalked pointedly to the door. “Come on, kids. We’ve done all the things.”
Arden heaved a put-upon sigh, but he took the hint. Zubayr gave Toby a quick hug and followed, while Elias sent Darius a mock salute before he left. “You’re welcome, Captain.”
“They’re interesting people, your friends,” Toby said once everyone was safely out of earshot. “And they’re good friends, coming to help like that.”
“They are.” Darius nodded, not a hint of snark or sarcasm in his rasping voice.
Toby ate what he could, then passed the rest off to Darius, who devoured it as if he hadn’t eaten in days. What do I know? Maybe he hasn’t. Finally, tray set down on the floor, the loudest thing in the room the old bracket clock on the bureau, Toby snuggled close again with his head on Darius’s chest. A contented sigh gusted from Darius, and he gave Toby a squeeze.
“So what happens now?” Toby slid a hand under the hem of Darius’s T-shirt to stroke the fuzz on his belly.
“Nap?”
“Probably at some point, but I mean what happens with the guild and stuff.”
Darius tapped a finger on Toby’s forearm. “You learn control. Most important. Then….” He shrugged. “I have… ideas. The guild. Looking at it… backwards.”
“Well, good? Still percolating in there, huh?”
“Yes.”
“And what about us? I feel like I’ve kinda invited myself, but am I living here now?”
Darius kissed his forehead. “Yes. If you want.”
“Good. I want to be here with you. Did that sound clingy and pathetic?”
“No.” Darius chuckled, stroking Toby’s back slowly.
Toby took that as an invitation to snuggle closer, his now-interested cock plastered up against Darius’s hip. “You know, if you keep doing that, I’ll probably want to jump you.”
A frown creased Darius’s forehead. “You feel… well enough?”
“I feel great. Maybe not run-a-marathon great, not that I ever ran those, but slow sex in bed with you on your back because, oh my gods, your poor knee, great? Yeah, I’m up for that.”
“I….” Darius’s frown only deepened. Not what Toby had been hoping for.
“It’s okay to tell me no. I want you to tell me no if you don’t feel like it. This cuddling stuff is great too.”
“No, it’s….” Darius cleared his throat. “I don’t… have anything.”
“Oh, is that all?” Toby flipped around and reached over the side of his bed for his backpack. “Usually, I’d be doing PrEP, but the last couple of days…. Yeah, I’m all off schedule.” He fished in the second largest pocket and tossed his finds on the bed. “Anyway, I’ve got stuff.”
Darius blinked at the condoms and lube. “Always… this prepared?”
“Hey, I’m a responsible person. You just never know. Tell me you weren’t always carrying supplies in your old life.”
“Well… yes.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear you were a responsible horndog.” Toby grinned at Darius’s snort. “So, interested or not?”
With a wave at the obvious erection starting to tent his pajamas, Darius said, “Yes. Interested.”
“Woohoo!” Toby clapped a hand over his mouth. “Oops. I promise to be quieter than that.” He slid off the bed and kept a hand on various pieces of furniture in case he wasn’t as steady as he thought while he hurried over to close and lock the door. “Incoming!”
Not quite the leap he’d wanted, but he did land partly on Darius with a satisfying whoomp, and he even managed to miss the grapefruit knee. Since Darius eyed him with devouring heat, Toby stripped his T-shirt off first and tossed it across the room.
“Messy,” Darius whispered, fingers trailing through the central patch of hair on Toby’s chest.
“More important stuff going on than folding clothes right now.”
Toby leaned in and caught Darius’s lips in a soft kiss that turned heated and hungry when Darius grabbed his arms. Darius didn’t just slobber his kisses. No, that tongue moved with precision, stroking over Toby’s like it was intent on hitting every spot.
“Mmmm, nice.” Pulling back so he could kiss Darius’s eyebrows and the bridge of his nose, Toby scooted off far enough to slide Darius’s pants and boxers down to his knees. He got just enough time to lick up Darius’s swiftly hardening cock before Darius tapped his knee.
“Now yours.”
“I was getting to it.” More than happy to oblige—naked was one of the universe’s three best things—Toby shucked his briefs. “And you. I want all of you this time.”
Darius arched his back to wrangle his T-shirt off, and wasn’t that a gorgeous sight, lean muscles stretching. Scars ran down the right side of his ribs, ones Darius obviously thought were ugly since he tried to drape the shirt over them.
“All of you, Dar.” Toby tugged the shirt away. “They’re your history, all part of what makes you my griffin, my hero. Thank you for finding me. For not letting me die.”
Darius reached up to smooth the hair back from Toby’s forehead. “Thank you for… finding me. And helping me… live.”
That rated a full-body hug, partly so Toby could hide the tears in his eyes until he could control himself again. Of course, him lying on top meant their cocks were all lined up and rubbing together with every movement, which was a fantastic distraction.
“You good with me bottoming from the top?” Toby offered the condom to Darius.
“Perfect.”
“Just so we’re clear, I’m good with just about anything you feel like that day, but if you’re not into taking it yourself, that’s completely cool.”
Darius’s eye twinkled as he rolled on the condom. “I like… variety.”
“Even better.” Toby turned one of Darius’s hands palm up and squeezed out a mound of lube. “I hope it’s okay to do this on this comforter. Mmmmfff….” Toby lowered his head to Darius’s shoulder as a slippery finger pushed inside. “Oh… that’s good. Fuck.”
“Intend to, yes.”
“Funny guy.” Toby moaned as Darius slid deeper. “I don’t need much to go. Just nice and slidey.”
“Not a… word.” Darius snickered as he slicked himself up, stroking slowly.
“Don’t care. Also, getting impatient.”
Darius kissed his ear, then pushed him up and back until ass met cock. He held himself still while Toby sat back onto that just-the-perfect-girth erection. Slowly at first, no good rushing this part, Toby bore down as he sank onto Darius’s length.
The hard groan from Darius was the best sound Toby’d heard in months. Maybe years. Maybe ever. He put his hands on Darius’s shoulders and began a slow ride up and down, the fit so perfect he knew he was ruined for anyone else.
“I do love you,” he whispered. “Even if you hadn’t been able to come get me, I’d still love you.”
“That….” Darius gasped, his hands flying to Toby’s waist and gripping tight. “Makes no… sense.” He arched up to meet Toby coming down. “Love you too. So… much. Toby….”
“Yeah?”
“Perfect. So perfect. Won’t… last.”
Toby took him deeper and sped up, adjusting his hips so Darius could hit his prostate. “S’okay, big guy. More than okay. I’m right behind you.”
Darius surged up, hips pumping, as he locked their lips together and muffled his bellow against Toby’s mouth. Toby moaned and hung on for the ride, the skin of his sac drawing tight in a sudden rush as he came hard all over their chests and stomachs.
He collapsed, panting in Darius’s arms, content to let the world spin, never wanting to move from that tender embrace again.
EVERYONE HAD gathered around the kitchen table for breakfast—an eye-popping feast courtesy of Zubayr and Arden competing for domestic god title. They ate in silence while they waited for Darius to finish writing whatever he’d been scribbling for ten minutes without a pause. Finally, he put his pen down and turned the pad to Zubayr.
“Dar, your writing is terrible.”
Arden stretched a long arm over the table. “Give it here. I had lots of practice reading his pigeon scratch.”
Reluctantly, Zubayr relinquished the notes, and Arden made a show of getting out his glasses and frowning over the paper for longer than anyone had patience for.
“Well?” Elias kicked Arden’s chair with a foot blade. “What’s it say, Mr. Translator?”
“It says—Dar, are you sure?” All of Arden’s affectations fell away in a serious moment of concern and confusion.
Darius nodded and waved to his words.
“All right.” Arden squared his shoulders. “It says that we’ve been looking at the guild issue all wrong. We’ve all been living as separate entities rejected by the guild, for one reason or another. Instead of being separate outcasts, we should be rejecting the guild.” Arden put the pad down. “Darius proposes that we form a different kind of guild. One that will teach young mages and wild magic sufferers regardless of anything the guild might deem an aberration or a dangerous level of wild power. A guild….” Arden removed his glasses and wiped at his eyes. “For us.”
“Cooperative,” Darius rasped out. “No director. Teachers. Students.”
“That sounds idyllic,” Zubayr said with a sigh. “But we’d never get recognized as a new guild by regional.”
Darius spread his hands. “Why… should we?”
“No, I get it.” Elias tapped his fingers on the table. “I get it. We’d be outside the system. And we’d get students by word of mouth. The local guilds might even send us their problem cases like they used to call Darius in for.”
“A place for wild magic instead of oops, you don’t pass, so it’s death drugs time for you.” Toby gave Darius’s cheek an enthusiastic kiss. “It’s fucking genius!”
“They’ll come after us,” Zubayr pointed out, though his “us” gave him away. He’d already agreed.
“Maybe,” Darius said softly. “Let them try. We’re together. Stronger.”
“The guild on the hill.” Toby laughed as he threw his arms around Darius. “So everyone’s staying?”
Elias’s nod was more enthusiastic than Zubayr’s, while Arden held up a finger. “On one condition.”
Darius raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“That you don’t call it that. Maybe you don’t want a director, but let’s call it what it is. Valstad’s Guild.”
“Love it! Seconded! Everyone else is overruled!” Toby couldn’t contain himself any longer. He leaped up from the table, planted a kiss on Darius, and skittered to the door.
“Where are you going, small tyrant?” Elias asked with a laugh.
“Outside! The koi need food and the birds need food and I have to talk to some plants—all the plants!” Toby turned in the act of pulling on his jacket, his volume coming down from an excited yelp. “I’m going to live.”