Love & Stitches at The Asylum: Part Sixty-Eight
A hot, stormy weekend up here, but the perfect weather to cuddle up with a cup of your favorite drink and slip away into The Asylum.
Happy Reading!
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Other than the loft on the very top floor, nowhere was more familiar or comfortable than the clinic. Which was probably very strange to some, but even when things were hectic, and blood and other fluids made a mess of things, Wren understood this place. It was his Dom’s domain. Where he maintained an even higher level of control than anywhere else.
Tonight—no, it’s morning now—felt different. Wren tried to mirror Quint’s calm efficiency, tried to relax into Rhodey taking charge, but the moment on the roof kept coming back to him.
Choices he shouldn’t have made. A split second decision that did so much damage. Orders conflicting in his head as his emotions decided to join in on the…not fun. That hadn’t been fun at all in the end. Before that one choice, though, he’d been sure what Jared wanted for him for the night would actually happen.
A new experience with a Dom, a man, his Dom had once loved.
Instead, I almost bled him out.
Yes, Jared had told him if he ever needed to bite someone, not to let go, but Wren was fairly certain his Dom hadn’t intended for that to apply during foreplay.
Shaking his head to clear it, he sipped the Red Bull Rhodey had let Curtis get for him and stood a few steps back from Quint to eye the monitors. The readings showed Seth was stable, his blood pressure and temperature having come up to a safer level. The stitches Quint had given his Dom were absolutely perfect, covered now by a clean white bandage. Seth was still pale, but he wasn’t the same shade as the white strips anymore.
Or the snow.
Out of all that Wren had experienced tonight, seeing the glistening flakes tumbling down over the roof was one thing he didn’t regret.
The rest?
“Go sit down, Wren.” Quint glanced over at him before taking a few notes on Seth’s chart. His tone made it impossible to tell if he was upset, but that he hadn’t drawn a weapon on anyone in the past few hours was a good sign. “I don’t mind you staying, but I can’t have you hovering.”
Wren chewed on his bottom lip and nodded, going around to the other side of the bed and taking a seat on the stiff metal folding chair. “Thank you for letting me stay.” He looked around at the other men who’d remained for the whole procedure as well. “The rest of you should…try to get some sleep?”
Quint might not be a Dom, but he could take command in the clinic. There was no way Wren could pull off anything even close to the same.
One hip propped against the sink counter, Curtis hadn’t sat down once the entire time. He wrapped his lips around his pineapple juice box, taking a long sip as he shook his head. “We got you, my boy. I’m too wired to sleep, and I’m right where I want to be. Here, with you and Seth.”
“I’m not leaving you here alone with him.” Keiran gave Quint a look, frowning and shaking his head at a sharp glance from Rhodey. “I don’t mean it like… I just need to be here.”
A bit of a smile curved Quint’s lips as he met Keiran’s eyes. “I wouldn’t expect anything else. Don’t worry, I’m not offended. This isn’t the biggest crowd we’ve ever had in here, so it doesn’t disturb me. I only ask that it remain quiet and calm so it doesn’t disturb Seth. My Dom needs time to recover.”
Sitting up on his elbows on the padded exam table, Jacks glanced over at Shea. “I want to stay here for Keiran. Dallas trusted us to take care of him...and I know it’s not strictly necessary, but I’d like to give him back over to his Dom like we planned.”
That got him a raised brow from Rhodey. “You are aware I’m right here? We can make it all official if you want.” He lifted his shoulders. “Or you can do it over breakfast. And stay because it’ll give me a chance to make sure you didn’t crack that pretty skull.”
Proving he wasn’t too worse for the wear, Jacks batted his eyelashes in a playful expression. “Why, Rhodey. I had no idea you cared. How could I refuse such a sweet offer?”
“You can’t.” Rhodey gave the other Dom a lazy smile. “If you tried, I’d just tie you to the bed. Jared must have plenty of shit I can use for restraints around here.” He reached out and shoved Shea’s shoulder when the man grumbled something under his breath. “Cheer up. It’s not like Keiran threw him off the roof. That might’ve ended badly. Your man can’t stick a landing to save his life.”
Usually, Wren paid very close attention to those around him to see how the best way to react was. He could usually read Jared or Noah’s moods pretty well. Jamie’s could be trickier, especially if there was a horror movie on and he was under a blanket, but the rest…he often got it wrong. Add Rhodey and it was impossible to tell if a situation was dire or not.
He’d literally heard the man joking around while getting shot at.
But the fact that Seth had almost bled to death, because of Wren, should be serious…
Shouldn’t it?
“I’ll have you know I can stick a landing, just not from a hundred feet up.” Pouting prettily, Jacks winced and brought the ice pack back up to his jaw. “Give me something catwalk height to play with.”
Shea took the ice pack from him and scowled at Rhodey. “He’s also a damn good fighter and you know it. This was some fucked up shit no one who lives in the real world would know how to deal with. He was trying to stop two subs from shooting each other.”
“Yes. And he didn’t get shot himself.” Rhodey seemed genuinely confused. “It turned out fine. Do you need a fucking nap, because if you do, Curtis can bring you upstairs and tuck you in.”
Brows shooting up, Curtis straightened, looking between Rhodey and Shea, lips slanting. “I mean, I never looked at you that way, Shea, but I suppose there are more parts of you that are fun to tug on than your arms.”
“Fuck off.” Shea ran his tongue over his teeth, adjusting Jacks’ pillows, turning his glare on them like they’d insulted him by not being fluffier. “I don’t need a fucking nap. Or anything else. I need shit to make sense.”
Rhodey inclined his head. “Fine. I’ll spell it out for you. Sometimes, shit goes sideways. And people react. If no one needs to get dumped into acid to hide the body, it’s a good day. Clear enough?”
Lips in a thin, hard line, Shea stared at Rhodey as though tempted to tell him he was insane, then changing his mind. Moving to the side of the bed, he took Jacks’ hand, stroking his knuckles. “Crystal clear. I get a little pissy when one of my men gets hurt. Deal with it.”
Twisting his lips like he might be trying to avoid jumping in the middle of things, Curtis pushed away from the counter and crouched to meet Wren’s gaze. “Hey.” His voice was quiet. “You want to go into Jared’s office and talk about it?”
“No one goes into Jared’s office, sir. Unless they’re invited, but he can’t do that right now. I hope he’s having a better night…” Wren met Curtis’ eyes, his own widening. “Pike isn’t a biter, is he? I’d be very angry with him if he bit Jared. He’ll probably be upset when he hears about this. I can’t tell with Quint, but he’s very professional.” He wiped his hand under his bottom lip, making a face as dry flakes came away. Then realized what it was. “I must look like… I’m sorry, Quint. I didn’t realize…”
Quint shook his head, pulling off one of the layers of blankets covering Seth. “Your focus was right where it belonged. I’ve worked under worse conditions. Don’t worry about it.”
Standing, Curtis crossed to the towel warmer, and took a damp heated face cloth from the unit, bringing it to Wren. He shook it out, releasing billows of steam, holding it by two fingers until it was cool enough to hand to Wren. “I’d wash your face for you, but I kind of get the impression you’re not into being taken care of quite like that.”
“Only on very rare occasions, sir.” Wren shot him a grateful smile before taking the cloth and carefully wiping the dried blood from his mouth and chin. He’d scrubbed his hands automatically before assisting Quint, but his face wasn’t usually an issue. And getting Seth here had been the priority. The mess secondary, if that. Blood didn’t bother him.
Except when it was the blood of someone he cared about.
From…something I did.
Swallowing hard, he folded up the cloth and gave it back to Curtis. Did his best to compose himself. The clinic wasn’t the place to fall apart. So long as he stayed in here, he could see Seth was all right. Focus on his medical condition.
And not how close he’d come to killing the man.
Curtis tossed the towel into the laundry hamper, then rummaged around in a cabinet, coming up with a paper cup, a bottle of antiseptic mouthwash, and a pink plastic spit tray. He uncapped the mouthwash, poured some into the cup, and brought both it and the spit tray to Wren.
“Here you go. This will whiten your teeth so you look like Jacks doing a late night infomercial for his hoodies. Instead of Friday Night Fright Nights.” He winked at Wren. “I kinda think the look suits you, but I can’t recommend the nicknames that go with it. Big Bad Vlad doesn’t quite jive with the vibe you usually go for.”
Another thing Wren hadn’t noticed. He nodded his thanks, tipping the mouthwash to his lips and filling his mouth with it, the sting coming with the bite of copper, which quickly faded as the cool mintiness spread. It was like part of his mind and body had been put on hold and each section was coming back online in random order.
When he spit, there was red streaking the liquid. He closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling roughly. “I shouldn’t be in here, should I? It felt right to me, but he won’t want to see me. Quint doesn’t need me anymore. This was a selfish urge. I should…” He stood, grabbing for the spit tray before he could knock it over. “Excuse me, sir. I need to be…somewhere else.”
From the bay, Seth shifted, turning his head and opening his eyes. He wiggled the fingers of his right hand, motioning to Wren. “C’mere.”
Inching closer, Wren did his best to calm his breathing, squaring his shoulders and taking a proper wait pose by the side of the bed. “Yes, sir?”
Seth lifted the white hospital blankets a few inches. “Take off your snow gear and climb in. You’re still mine until breakfast.”
That was true. And the reminder cleared up exactly what Wren needed to be doing at this moment. Stripping off the large scrubs he’d pulled on over everything, he gathered them into a neat pile, then tugged at the zipper of his jacket with shaky fingers. Even though the material was black, the blood that had soaked into it was obvious.
“One moment, sir.” Turning, he caught Curtis’ eye. Usually he could manage any task set before him without bothering anyone, but the goal right now was to follow Seth’s orders. And he didn’t think he could do it alone. “Sir, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind…I need your help.”
“What’cha need, Freaky Friday?” Curtis crossed the distance between himself and Wren, gaze warm.
“The zipper.” Wren’s face heated and he lowered his gaze. “I’m having difficulties with it.”
Crouching down, Curtis brushed his fingers away in a gentle swipe. “I got this.” His movements were smooth and gentle as he not only unzipped the jacket but also removed it. He lifted Wren into his arms and set him gently on the chair before doing the same with his boots and then drew his snow pants down his hips with a quiet command. “Lift a little for me.”
Somehow, Wren managed a smile, thanking the Dom softly as he relaxed into his control. Accepting this kind of care that didn’t feel right unless Jared or Noah claimed the task for their own pleasure, but at this moment? Wren appreciated it more than he could say.
He did something else out of the norm, reaching out without asking for permission to touch Curtis’ cheek when he was finished. “It’s rare, but I think…sometimes this isn’t too terrible. I’m sorry for pulling you out of subspace, sir.”
“You pulled me exactly where I need and want to be. Right now.” Turning his head, Curtis kissed Wren’s palm, his lips warm and soft against Wren’s skin. “I’m lucky. I get pleasure in all the things.” He stood, lifting Wren with him and carrying him to Seth’s bed to place him under the covers in the crook of Seth’s arm. “Love you, little bird.”
Wren smiled over his shoulder at the Dom, this one feeling more natural on his face. “I love you, too, sir.” He returned his attention to Seth, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “I know an apology won’t make up for what I did, but I’m incredibly sorry, sir. That was a very bad reaction on my part and I should have shown more self-control. I know it doesn’t repair the damage…all right, it actually did repair some of it…but I gave you some of my blood. I will give you more whenever you’d like. Or any other task you decide for me to fix this. Anything you ask from me, I’ll do. Or give. Though, I do like giving blood so that probably shouldn’t count.”
Chuckling quietly, Seth tucked the blankets more firmly around Wren’s shoulders, like he meant to keep him there for a long time. “I think you’ll need to discuss disobeying your Dom’s orders with him, but you and I are good.”
“Disobeying…” Wren stared at Seth, not sure what he meant. “I didn’t disobey Jared, sir. If anything I obeyed him, only without using the guidance he gave me the way I should have. I was told to bite and not let go, but that’s only for a threat. You weren’t a threat. Of course, that’s not really accurate either, you’re always something of a threat or you wouldn’t be a very good merc.”
Chin dipped to look at him, Seth raised one brow. “Obeying dumbass Doms? You told me yourself that was something like Rule 1. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir, the most important one.” Wren shifted back a little, bringing his hand up to Seth’s forehead. Not a very good way to check temperatures, but Tracey seemed to find it useful. And he didn’t think Quint would hand him a thermometer when he’d checked himself not even five minutes ago. Still, he needed to be sure Seth wasn’t running a fever. “Did you hit your head at some point, sir? You aren’t an idiot. I’ve seen your SAT scores and every other evaluation you’ve gotten over the years.”
Seth snorted, a little color rushing to his cheeks. “Thank you, but IQ isn’t a measure of intelligence in this case.” He gave Wren a level look. “I gave you an order to fight. You obeyed. I also told you that I wouldn’t be crossing lines with you tonight, and I did, even though I knew I needed to get to know you better first. Because you’re worth knowing, and being treated with care. The only thing you did wrong, as far as I can tell, was either to obey me or...you were triggered. In which case you didn’t react in any way that you shouldn’t have been expected to.” A soft kiss brushed Wren’s forehead before Seth drew back. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I didn’t take better care with you.”
That didn’t sound at all right, but Wren didn’t argue with Doms. He sighed, laying his head on Seth’s shoulder. “There’s no way to correct you without contradicting you and I won’t do either. I…” Okay, maybe he did have something. From his sessions with Stephan. He tipped his gaze up to meet Seth’s. “I feel like you took good care of me, sir. And I feel like that moment is…something I need to examine and work on. I don’t like that I hurt you. I’m really happy you’re okay.”
“Thank you, my boy. I’m sorry I hurt you, too. Forgiven.” Seth’s kiss was a little firmer this time, the arm around Wren’s shoulders tightening. “Stay with me? I enjoy having you near.”
Wren nodded, adjusting carefully so he was stretched out against the Dom’s side. “I would like that very much, sir. I needed to stay before, to make sure you were okay. I like it even more now that I know that you are. And that you want me here.”
Over at the other side of the bed, Quint laid Seth’s chart on the rolling table and pulled up a chair. “I don’t have an issue with it, so long as you both sleep.” He looked at everyone else in the room. “Whoever’s not sleeping here, please get to bed. You can visit in the morning, just text me first.”
Curtis looked to Rhodey and Jacks looked from Shea to Rhodey. Curtis spoke up first, glancing at his watch. “Breakfast is at eight. We’ll get about three hours.”
“Only if you’re pouring yourself cereal. I’m pushing it back until ten.” Rhodey shoved away from the wall, then lay his hands on Keiran’s shoulders, massaging lightly. “You can cook if you don’t make me throw you over my shoulder to get you to bed.” His lips slanted as he glanced over at Curtis. “Or have Curtis do it, since he’s still mine for the next whatever time I decide to keep this going for.”
Cracking his knuckles, Curtis took a step toward Keiran, grinning. “I’m playing next time, and I’m pretty sure I know who I’m going to play to win.”
Keiran huffed, his gaze shifting over to Wren as he seemed to come to some kind of conclusion before meeting Curtis’ eyes. “I bet you’ll say that to every single sub before the next game. But I’m flattered that I’m one of the first, sir. And I swear not to punch you unless absolutely necessary.”
“Well, I have to keep all the other Doms guessing. It’s possible I’ll sweep the entire table and win the entire set.” Curtis shrugged a little, giving Wren a thoughtful once over.
From the doorway, where he’d managed to get with Shea’s help, Jacks motioned to Keiran, giving Curtis a narrowed eye stare. “He’s mine and Shea’s for now though.” He returned his attention to Keiran. “Unless he wants to stay here and sleep on the other bed.”
“I…” Keiran looked a little surprised at being given a choice. He grinned suddenly, crossing the room to throw his arms around Jacks and hug him tight. “Thank you, sir. Yes, I’d like that. And…whenever you want, you can call in the rest of your time. It will be my pleasure to serve you. Tonight, before everything… I meant what I said. It was a lot of fun.”
Skimming his fingers through Keiran’s silky strands, Jacks fanned them so they fell like a waterfall through his fingers. The adoration on his face was clear as he searched his sub’s face. “I had a really good time, too. Thank you for playing with us.” His lips curved. “If you’re up for a fun makeover, that’s what I had planned for later. We can definitely do a raincheck.”
“Let me know the time and place, sir, and I’m there.” Keiran pressed a kiss to Jacks’ cheek, then looked over at Shea. “That goes for both of you. I won’t be far.”
Shea appeared a bit less agitated now that he was bringing his co-Dom home. He nodded, even managing something close to a smile. “I’d say I’d meet you in the ring first, but I’m smarter than people give me credit for.” He made a thoughtful sound. “But…I kinda like Rhodey’ idea. Even though you’re staying here, no reason for Curtis not to make sure you get in bed like a good boy.”
“Depends on what the man says.” Curtis hooked his thumb toward Rhodey. “For once it’s not just an illusion of control he’s got over me.”
Chuckling, Rhodey reached over and gave Curtis a sharp slap on his ass. “Get moving, my boy. Faster you get Keiran in bed, faster I can get you up in mine. I told you I wasn’t finished with you.”
While Curtis did just that, Jacks moved gingerly over to Quint, speaking quietly to him where Wren could hear. “The invitation is for you, too. As soon as you’re feeling up to it. We can play as a foursome, or alone.” He leaned in to brush Quint’s lips with a soft kiss and squeezed his fingers. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, gorgeous.”
Quint smiled warmly at Jacks, inclining his head. “I would enjoy a chance to spend more time with both of you, sir. There will be more games and other chances. It’s been really nice, being able to join in and you made it into something special.”
For a brief instant, Quint and Keiran’s eyes met and it was clear they still had a few things to work through. Wren chewed at his inner lips, grateful that they’d at least decided not to kill each other tonight. Neither really seemed angry, and there was no animosity. He couldn’t even say for sure he knew what was going on between them. Aside from an uneasy peace.
Near the door with Curtis, Rhodey caught Keiran’s eye. “Don’t forget whose territory you’re in, sweetling. Let’s play nice.”
“Yes, sir.” Keiran laid back against the pillows. “That won’t be a problem. I’m here for Wren, or in case I’m needed. Otherwise, I’ll be sleeping.”
Jacks moved toward the door, one hand on the counter like his balance might be slightly off. He finger waved at Wren and Seth. “G’night, you two.”
Eyes mostly closed, like he struggled but the merc in him kept him awake while there were others conversing in the room and moving about, Seth lifted the hand that was on Wren’s waist in a vague response.
Goodnights exchanged, everyone who wasn’t staying out of the room, the space became peaceful, with Quint dimming the lights that weren’t needed for the monitors and basic surveillance of his patient. For a while, Wren just laid there, listening to Seth’s breaths slowing, and Keiran’s, before his own eyes grew heavy.
The last thing he told himself was that there was no way he’d possibly sleep in any later than seven.
But the next time he opened his eyes, it was well after eight.
Jared stood next to him, running over Seth’s chart, his light blue eyes unaware Wren observed him. He made a mark with the stylus, frown lines furrowing his brow. He had bluish circles under his eyes, and a firm set to his mouth.
Carefully easing out from under the blankets so he wouldn’t disturb Seth, Wren stepped onto the cool, tiled floor, having worked his socks off at some point during the night. He gave Jared an uncertain look, not sure how much his Dom had been told.
Or how upset he was.
“Sir…” Wren straightened, latching his hand to his wrist behind his back. “I failed to use proper judgment last night. I’m sorry.”
Having set the chart down on its stand the moment Wren moved, Jared pulled him close. He smelled like chlorine and soap, sharper than he normally did, but still somehow like himself. “Shh... You’re all right.” Surrounded in his Dom’s warmth, he was lifted off his feet. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I wish someone had come to get me. I heard what happened, and it sounds like it was very scary for you both.”
“It was, sir.” Not much scared Wren, but he wasn’t ashamed to admit moments like that, when the danger was very real? Could be terrifying. He wrapped his arms around Jared’s neck, enjoying the feeling of being held and unable to do anything else for his Dom right then, more than ever. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. I don’t like having to say that to Doms, it’s very argumentative. But I don’t see what else I’m supposed to say. You weren’t there because no one got you and why should what I did ruin your night? It’s bad enough I ruined Quint and Keiran’s…and Curtis’...and several Doms…” He blew out a breath. “And now I’ve scarred two people I like. That is not a trend I intended on setting. Even though the marks look very nice with how good you and Quint give stitches.”
Covers rustled, Seth sitting up a little to eye them both blearily. “I told him you’d say his only mistake was in obeying a jackass order.” Somehow, coming from Seth this morning, the way he said it evoked images of Jared having said something similar to him or maybe within his hearing when they worked together long ago. “I’m sorry, Jared. I fucked up.”
Rather than putting Wren down, Jared held him a little tighter as he gave Seth a long, assessing look. “I should have prepared you for how I trained him, and how Noah trained him.” Easing back, he met Wren’s eyes. “He’s incredibly obedient.” There was a small smile playing about his Dom’s lips now. “I would’ve been angry if he hadn’t followed our orders.”
“But…” Wren’s brow furrowed as he studied Jared’s face. Then looked at Seth to make sure he hadn’t been dreaming about almost taking a chunk out of his shoulder, so close to his neck the amount of veins he could have—or had—damaged made his chest hurt. “Sir, I should have shown more restraint. It was…a game.” He nodded a bit to himself. “Like what Jacks and Shea do with Danny…” He shuddered at the thought of what had happened last night having happened in front of Danny. Or Jamie. They would be completely traumatized. “I don’t think I’m very good at that kind of play.”
“Do you remember the pursuit, takedown, and capture scene Noah and I did with you and Jamie as the graduating test from your survival training?” Holding Wren with his hands laced together beneath Wren’s ass, Jared leaned back to hold his gaze. “How you were supposed to fight, to resist giving up your passphrase, and Noah was prepared to see you through the experience? That is the mindset to go into those scenarios with, and it sounds to me like Seth was a bit impromptu about things and neither of you knows one another well enough to have gauged the kind of response of which you’re capable.” Turning so he took in both Seth and Wren, Jared continued. “You were not the Dom in this scenario, Wren. If Seth sets up a scene, he needs to be prepared for what happens next, and he wasn’t. I’m sorry you were both hurt, but the blame lies entirely with the man who was in control.”
Another situation that was hard to fully grasp until Jared broke it down, and Wren could compare what he knew, what he’d experienced in the past, to what had happened last night. Both Noah and Jared had taught him and Jamie to use their own unique strengths to get out of whatever situation that might arise. For him, it was often biting, because…well, it was pretty effective.
Both his Doms read him, and evaded serious damage. Didn’t let him actually latch on. Sometimes, he even got a tap on the cheek, which helped remind him it was training, or a scene.
That hadn’t been part of his exchange with Seth. He nodded slowly. “I understand, sir. I’m also responsible for…negotiating my limits and making sure I understand the scene I’m involved in. Except…with you and Noah, I don’t usually have to. I prefer that. But it’s not fair to expect it of every Dom I play with if I’m going to participate in things like this.”
Jared settled onto the end of Seth’s bed, setting Wren on his knee so he could see both of the Doms. “Negotiation is something that Seth knows to initiate going into a scene, and if that didn’t happen you could have asked to stop and do so. However, he is still supposed to be well trained enough as a Dom to remember to take that step with a sub who is as new to him as you are.”
“Guilty.” Seth raised a hand. “I didn’t plan to. Things...it seemed like pretty run of the mill kink, and I assumed. I’m sorry, Wren. It was no excuse, and I hope you and Jared will let me play with you again sometime under supervision of one or both of your Doms so we can get more comfortable with each other.”
Reaching out, Wren placed his hand over Seth’s. “If you’re not too afraid of me to try it, sir, I would enjoy that. If you are afraid, please tell me so that something good could have come out of the whole thing? Aside from the snow. The snow was perfect. Now that I know that you’ll live I won’t feel so guilty about still enjoying that, too.”
Lips curving, Seth ran his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. Giving up, he dropped it to his side. “I promise the next time I ask you to fight, I’m scared enough to make sure you’re wearing a gag. Your dentist and Reed’s could build a secret weapon with both your sets of pearly whites.”
“Shut up, Bizzy.” Jared’s reply held more than a touch of amusement. “Get some more sleep and I’ll have someone bring you breakfast. And now that I know you’re awake, I’ll send Pike in.” He stood, setting Wren on his feet and taking his hand. “I’d say I’d send him in with your food, but I don’t think it’d make it here.”
“You have a point. Doesn’t happen often, but I’ll concede you’re right in this instance.” Seth shifted his attention to Wren. “May I have a goodbye kiss?”
Now that the night was over, Wren didn’t feel right answering for himself. Hand in Jared’s, it was like his submission was securely back where it belonged. Looking up at Jared, he tightened his grip on his fingers a bit just to absorb the solidness of him. “Sir?”
“That is something I very much would enjoy watching, little raven.” Leaning down, Jared whispered in Wren’s ear, his breath a hot wash. “Let’s make certain he can still get hard, yes?”
Wren grinned and nodded, slipping away from Jared and onto the bed, careful not to put too much weight on Seth as he leaned over the Dom. He brought his lips close. “Goodbye until you’re well enough—and rested enough—to get out of here, sir. I suspect Quint will keep you here longer than strictly necessary. I promise not to bite you again to help him do so, though it would probably help him not be upset with me after all this.” He slipped his lips back and forth over Seth’s in a soft breath of a kiss. “If both he and Pike ask, though, I might have to reconsider.”
“Cheeky sub.” Seth’s laughter puffed over Wren’s lips before the Dom banded his arm around Wren’s back to pull him close for a slanted kiss that delved deep and swept the breath from his lungs. Other hand cupping Wren’s ass, Seth made free use of the moment to explore his crack with his fingertips and dug his fingers into Wren’s flesh in a way that was sure to leave a mark before he released him with a nip to his lower lip. “Very nice.”
Wren grinned, reaching between them and feeling Seth’s hard length. He glanced over at his Dom, giving Jared a nod of satisfaction. “He’s still able to get an erection, sir.” A thought occurred to him as he moved his hand, carefully climbing off Seth and sitting on the edge of the bed. “If he was still lacking blood, that wouldn’t be possible, which means giving him blood and kissing him had the desired results.”
“Very much desired.” Though Seth’s eyes were already a darker shade of blue than Jared’s, the heat in them deepened the color in a way that wasn’t unfamiliar. “We will be finishing our snow party. Those snowmakers are yours to keep and use whenever you like. As long as it’s cold enough outside, you’ll have your snow.”
Reaching out, Wren squeezed Seth’s hand, smiling softly at him. “Thank you for that, sir. And I look forward to spending more time with you. For now, I’ll let you rest.” He held his arms out to Jared, needing to be close to him now that the night was over and things could return to normal. With some slight changes in the dynamics. “Aside from the snow machine, Seth brought penguins. Curtis got them to Tracey’s. It was a thoughtful gift but I do not do well with pets. Do you know how much care penguins take? I don’t, but I imagine it’s considerable.”
Jared lifted Wren into his arms, kissing him soundly on the cheek and shook his head. “No, and I doubt March of the Penguins would tell us.” He glanced at Seth. “Stay in that bed, Bizzy, or I’ll take great pleasure in tying you to it.”
“Promises, promises.” Seth grumbled, but a smile played about his lips. He sank back against the pillows, pulling the covers up to his chin and closed his eyes.
“Hmph...” Giving the other Dom a long look, Jared nodded to himself, then left the clinic for the bar, Wren in his arms. “I missed you.” He paused outside the doors, meeting Wren’s eyes. “Pajama day after breakfast?”
Careful not to make a face at the change in routine, Wren tilted his head in thought. “I suppose that could be comfortable. Will I be allowed to study one of your medical textbooks? I finished the book Noah asked me to read to take a break from studying. I enjoyed it very much, but I don’t want to fall behind and I need to do a lot of work on the ethics portion. How doctors handle patients in different scenarios is very interesting, but sometimes complicated.”
“I had a new one delivered for you. About bedside manners. I’ve never been strong in that myself, and it wasn’t something that was quite as in vogue when I was in training. Especially in the military.” Jared’s focus was wholly on him, the intensity of his gaze for Wren and Wren only. “I think you could teach me a few things there. I’ve always meant to read up. We might share this part of your studies and both benefit.”
“I’d like that very much, sir. I’ve never found your manners lacking in any way, though.” Wren brought his hand to Jared’s cheek, studying his expression. “Did your night go well, sir? This was a unique experience, and I can see how it would be good for the Core, but there’s still the chance of some being less compatible than others. I hope Pike didn’t make things too stressful for you?”
The way Jared’s lips curved, his gaze warming, said that there was no chance things hadn’t gone very well for him and Pike. “He didn’t seem to appreciate the bubbles as much as I thought, but we had an enjoyable evening. Thank you for asking.” Turning his head, he kissed Wren’s fingers, speaking against them. “I’m sorry yours wasn’t as good. I really wanted you to have an opportunity to relax. You’ve been working very hard for quite some time.”
Lifting his shoulders, Wren trailed his fingertips over Jared’s lips, then stroked his beard. “I enjoy the work, sir. And I very much appreciate all the effort Seth put into making the night something special. I…have a feeling he wasn’t quite sure what to do with me and decided to try everything at once. Which I suppose makes sense. We did not get off to a good start. He said I resembled a Dom and I very much disagreed. Noah forbid me from putting myself on speech restrictions. That ended up being a good thing, or we’d still have penguins.”
Rather than laughing or snorting, like Curtis might have, Jared took him very seriously, nodding and Mhm-ing as Wren related his evening’s events. When he got to the part about the speech restrictions, his Dom’s brows winged down, but lifted again at the part about the penguins.
“It’s a good thing Jamie and Noah didn’t see the penguins, or we’d still have penguins.” It was also a good thing Jared didn’t go into the bar until the sentence left his mouth, because there was no way Jamie wouldn’t have tried to get them back.
Wren wrinkled his nose, bringing his arms around Jared’s neck and adjusting his position. “That’s very true, sir. Curtis said Tracey got Vani involved in transporting them somewhere appropriate. I’m glad she was able to do that for them. And that Curtis didn’t mind going, even though it cut his time with Rhodey short…as did what I did to Seth. There must be a way to make it up to him and everyone else involved? I’ll consider my options once I’m done studying.”
“N.W.P.” Though Wren was used to Jamie using acronyms for all sorts of things, Jared’s use of one was unusual outside of a medical context. He lifted his brows. “Not Wren’s problem. You may apologize if you like. Simply and succinctly. If Rhodey would like to play with Curtis again, he may petition Lawson for the privilege.” Jared entered the bar, pushing through the doors quietly. “Or simply steal Curtis like he does everyone else.”
Over at the bar, cuddling Avery while speaking quietly to Blain, Rhodey glanced over at Jared’s words and grinned. “I’d tell you off for spoiling the surprise, but anticipation is good for the soul.”
“Oh?” Jared affected mild surprise, taking his usual stool and settling Wren on his lap. “Was there any doubt to sow the seeds for surprise? I thought it was a given.”
Lawson arched a brow as he sipped his coffee, one arm around Matt’s shoulders. “It is not. And you will be asking me before you have a scene with any of my subs, Rhodey. I might consider it in a month or so, when I’m not feeling so greedy of their time.” His fingers stroked up the side of Matt’s neck and his brow furrowed as he turned his sub, inspecting his skin. “Noah, you left paint on my boy. You need to learn to clean up after yourself.”
Sitting in a booth with Jamie, Connor nowhere to be seen, Noah slid him a slanted smile, feeding Jamie a large bite of what looked like an over-sized, double chocolate muffin. “No worries, my man. I cleaned everywhere that matters very well.”
Chewing, Jamie met Wren’s gaze sleepily and gave him a thumbs-up under the table.
The stairwell door opened, Curtis carrying Reed piggyback as he ducked through the low entrance and stopped by Lawson’s stool to give him a kiss. “Who wants pancakes?”
Rhodey nudged his chin toward the galley. “Keiran’s baking up a storm, it got him settled. Sit down and relax.” He met Reed’s eyes and winked at him. “Your man might need to borrow your cushion.”
Over in the corner where he was half hidden by a pillar, Jacks chuckled. “Or ask me to make a pair of padded jeans for you.”
“And ruin the line of my ass?” Curtis’ eyes sparkled with humor as he set Reed on the edge of the bar by backing up to it. “Thanks, but I don’t have a desk job. I can stand.”
So far, everyone seemed to be in good spirits. Wren relaxed against Jared’s chest, sitting back up as Pike burst out of the galley with Quint a step behind him. Apparently, whatever issues had lingered between Keiran and Quint were resolved. Likely over copious amounts of food.
Some of which Pike still appeared to be wearing. The muffin Jamie was eating looked to be splattered on the younger man’s bright blue shirt, like he hadn’t bothered to wait for it to cook before digging in.
His gaze immediately landed on Wren, his aqua colored eyes surprisingly not full of anger. More like he was seeing Wren for the first time. “I thought Matt was the one I had to worry about, but he only gets slap happy. Remind me not to get on your bad side, I don’t wanna end up with pieces of me missing.”
In the mirror, Jared’s gaze snapped to Noah at the booth behind him, then to Quint. He met his sub’s eyes, shaking his head very slightly. “I’ve taught him to use what he has. I hear the snow was quite beautiful. I’m sorry I missed it.”
“I’m sure you’ll get another chance, sir.” Quint smiled as he lifted Pike up in his arms, stepping close to Jared’s side and grabbing a few napkins, which he used to clean the worst of the mess off his co-sub. “No need to concern yourself, sir. Rhodey debriefed everyone not that long ago. I believe it’s understood that it was an unintentional injury caused by a lapse in communication.” He wiped Pike’s face with a fresh napkin. “This one just has a big mouth.”
Pike batted Quint’s hand away, using his tongue to lick around his mouth, as though he didn’t know he didn’t have the reach of his kitten. “I do not. I was just saying… Anyway, it’s all good if Seth says it’s good and you said he did. Can we go see him now?”
“I told him you’d bring him breakfast.” Standing with Wren in his arms, Jared leaned over to brush a lingering kiss on Quint’s lips. This close, Wren could see their lips touch and feel the increase in his Dom’s heart rate. He held Wren tighter, like he wanted him to be part of what he experienced with the other man.
Enjoying the feel of his Dom this relaxed and happy, Wren hugged him a little, then patted his Dom’s arm to let him know he needed to get down. From how tired most in the room looked, not many had gotten enough sleep. If nothing else, he could make himself useful. “I’ll go help Keiran prepare a tray for Seth, sir. Would you like something while I’m there?”
“I’d like you to stay with me for a while longer, little raven.” Easing back from Quint, Jared didn’t let go in the least. “Curtis, would you mind grabbing something for him?”
Pouring Matt an orange juice and Lawson his second cup of coffee, Curtis glanced up from behind the bar. “I’ll grab him something when I grab Lawson, Reed, and Matt’s in a sec. Glad to.”
Reed scooted over on the bar, his lips twitching as he leaned in to kiss the side of Curtis’ neck. “Or, now hear me out, the guy who got a full night’s sleep—namely me—can pretend to be a proper service sub and take care of his Doms.” He lifted his left hand, wiggling his fingers so his rings, including the new one on his pinky from Matt, sparkled in the light. “And his…sub spouse. I’ll be a good boy and not argue about it. I’m just gonna do it and you can spank me later if it was the wrong move.”
Mock glaring, Curtis watched Reed go, calling out, “You just want to see my face when I sit down!”
“Very much so, sir.” Reed grinned at Curtis, sticking his head out of the galley, the sweet smells of pastries and bread baking spilling out and adding to the homey atmosphere. “I’m gonna memorize it for posterity. When Lawson beats your ass, sometimes I can’t even tell it happened. You two are all secretive about it. This time? I don’t think you’ll be able to play it all cool.”
Speaking around a cookie he seemed to have pulled out of thin air—maybe Matt was teaching him magic tricks—Pike met his cousin’s eyes. “Your subs are betting on how much of a reaction you’ll have. I bet you won’t even make a face because you’re a badass and you can take anything any Dom can dish out.”
Curtis standing this close to Wren meant it was possible to read his lips when he leaned over to whisper to Pike. “You’re right, but I don’t disappoint my boys.”
Chuckling, Quint gathered all the dirty napkins and tossed them in the nearest trash bin. “I told you not to spend Seth’s money on silly bets. Maybe this time, you’ll learn your lesson.”
“Yeah.” Pike nodded, looking very serious for about a split second. He twisted one of Quint’s buttons and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll just use yours.”
Jared crossed the few steps to Noah’s table with Wren still in his arms. “May we join you, love?”
“Of course.” Noah scooted over to make space at his side, smearing a bit of chocolate on Jamie’s cheek when he missed his mouth with the movement. He tipped Jamie over his arm and bent down to lick it off. “Excuse me, I think our little cat has forgotten how to eat properly.”
Turning his head at the exact right second, Jamie stole a kiss, then grinned up at Noah. “Yum.”
Noah laughed and stuffed another piece of muffin in Jamie’s mouth. “Finish your breakfast. Then naptime. For all of us.” Straightening, he slid his other arm around Jared’s waist, giving him a kiss that looked very chocolatey. “Good morning, love.”
Returning the kiss with an appreciative sound, Jared tightened his arm around Wren so he felt both his Doms and Jamie close. He eased back to catch Noah’s eye. “Someone smells like paint and cocoa. Very interesting combination.”
“I enjoy covering my subs up in all my favorite things.” Noah settled back against the booth, his eyes drifting partially shut, as though he was more than a little tired, but nicely sated. “Aside from a few mishaps, this turned out very well. I think we need to do it again some time. With…a few precautions in place to avoid issues. And maybe set up some boundaries.” He chuckled. “Lawson wasn’t thrilled about Curtis and Rhodey spending their scene in the woods. Connor let me know in advance he’d be taking Jamie for a drive before their fun, so I didn’t mind, but I can see where it might make some uncomfortable without some prior negotiations.”
“Negotiations and a proper dose of Dom 101.” Jared’s lips thinned, but the warmth didn’t leave his gaze as he tipped Wren and leaned over to sample Jamie’s lips. “Did you enjoy your drive, little tribble?”
Jamie smiled against Jared’s mouth with his breathy laugh. “We did.”
The idea of Dom 101 sounded strange to Wren, though he did know most of the Doms in The Asylum did training for different stations in the dungeon, so it wouldn’t be that different than what already took place. He wondered if the subs would be able to observe the same way the Doms did, but decided not to ask. Right now, all he wanted was this moment, right here. With the men he loved, a peaceful morning, and the one thing he’d been missing not too far out of reach.
Snow, whenever he wanted it. Between Noah’s paintings and Seth’s machines, he never had to be without it. Not something everyone would fully understand, but that was one of the best things about The Asylum. Being with people who may not always have the same passions, the same needs, but for those as close as the members of the Core?
Finding a way to satisfy each one, in any way possible, was something that brought them all pleasure.
And the most important thing they could share.
****
Check back tomorrow for PART 70!
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