bsumone | ❝ Earth is strung with lovers’ pearls ❞

Softly, he licked at his leg before letting out a long breath. He was exhausted, and now that he wasn't constantly being burned and in recovery mode, he could actually rest. So he allowed himself to sleep with his mate all the way until morning when he'd be in his human form again.

Whatever position that Su-jin had decided to be in to be with him, Silvio would still be pressed to him regardless, still with red marks from the chains but it was clear that he'd heal much faster this time.

Once Silvio's breathing indicated that he was sleeping, Su-jin shifted to lay on the floor beside him. He snuggled up to the wolf's side and draped one arm over him to keep that steady, supportive weight against Silvio's body. His fingers moved through Silvio's fur until he, too, dozed off beside his mate.

When morning came, Su-jin groaned softly, his shoulder aching slightly from sleeping on the floor. It's not even the worst place he's slept, but he's become a bit spoiled in these modern times. Blinking the sleep from his dark eyes, Su-jin pushed himself upright and looked over Silvio to examine the damage from the silver chains. It looked much better than he's seen over the years. Angry red, but not those horrible black burns.

Reaching down, he combed his fingers gently through Silvio's hair. "Are you awake," he murmured softly.

It was Su-jin moving that made him stir. His body hurt but it wasn't...in agony. The sensation was confusing. As was the scent of Su-jin. Disoriented, Silvio tried to piece things together but was quickly distracted by that beautiful voice that he loved so much.

Groaning softly, his eyes opened to show how red they were. Something that happened every fully moon but that Silvio was unaware of. He only knew how badly they were hurting right now.

"...Su-jin? What? What's going on?" He was having a little trouble gathering his thoughts together.

Oh, he'd need to get a cool cloth for Silvio to put over his eyes. But the burns from his chains didn't look nearly as bad as when Su-jin usually saw them. He continued stroking his fingers through Silvio's hair and, though his mate couldn't see it, he smiled down at him.

"Just rest a while. I'm here to look after you. Are you hungry?"

The hand in his hair felt so nice that he gave up on trying to understand what was happening, settling for relaxing and letting Su-jin being there soothe him. Closing his aching eyes, he sighed softly. His body didn't hurt as bad as before and it took him a second to realize he wasn't in the chains. When...?

But he was being asked something. "...yeah. I am."

“Will you be alright if I go upstairs to get you breakfast?” And a cloth for his eyes. And some ointment for the burns the chains did leave. “Maybe a blanket, too? Then we can rest a while. I can read to you if you like.”

"Yeah." All of that sounded amazing. So much better than being trapped all day in pain from the chains, waiting for night to fall. Disoriented and alone. This was much nicer. It was almost like a hundred years ago when he had a pack.

Because...Su-jin was his pack now. Even if he wasn't a wolf.

"I won't be long. Just rest," he murmured softly. He's typically soft-spoken, but there's more warmth in his voice now. He got up and vanished up the stairs just long enough to cook some oatmeal and cut some fruit. He also grabbed the small shopping bag he had prepped with bandages and ointment and a blanket from the bed was draped over his arm. In addition to all that, he wet a cloth for Silvio's eyes after he prepared breakfast. Blanket secure, the handles of the bag were around his wrist, ha carried the bowl of food in one hand and the damp cloth with a tall glass of water in the other. He was impressed with himself for managing it all in one trip.

He waited for Silvio to get up, setting things said to help him if needed, before the pressed the warm bowl into his hands. "I don't know what your stomach can handle right now, so I brought some fruit, too." He paused, looking around and frowning slightly. "Maybe we can get a bed down here for you so you don't have to sleep on the floor."

Silvio had managed to make his way over to a wall, resting against it with his eyes closed. He smiled a little at the mention of a bed. "I never put one down here because I knew I'd just tear it up."

Taking the bowl, he sniffed it. Oatmeal. He took a bite of it before lifting his head. "Were you...with me all night?"

"I was," he said with a silent nod. "And you were perfectly well-behaved. I think a bed would be safe with me here." Which, going forward, he planned to be here for Silvio's changes. One of the many perks of living within driving distance.

"Oh, I brought some cinnamon and sugar if you want that for your oatmeal." They were in the bag along with the bandages (which might not be needed) and some ointment he'd apply after Silvio ate.

"Could I have some of the fruit actually?" He held out his bowl to allow the fruit to be put into it, figuring that would go nicely with it. Sweeten it up a bit but also give him some of the nutrients that he needed right now.

And while he did that, thought about what Su-jin had said. He'd been with him all night, had managed to unchain him, and he'd been...safe? Silvio hadn't hurt him and had been well-behaved? That hadn't been true for him since...

Some tears formed in his aching eyes and spilled down his cheeks. "...you're my pack," he murmured softly.

Su-jin, who hasn't really eaten food in centuries, had a bowl of mixed fruit: some slices of apple, strawberries, actual berries. He spooned out a little of everything so Silvio could have a variety flavors in his bowl.

When he looked back up from the task he saw the tears and alarm lanced through him. But the words his lover uttered gave them context. He scooted a little closer to him and cupped Silvio's face in both hands. He thumbed the tears away and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips.

"Of course I am," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We're mates, remember?"

"I never thought I'd have one again." But he'd bonded himself to Su-jin without even realizing it. This man was his pack now and it didn't matter if he was a wolf or not. Laughing softly, Silvio gave him a little kiss back then smiled at him. He loved him so damn much.

"I'm really glad you're here."

"I'm really glad you agreed to come here with me." His thumbs brushed over Silvio's cheeks a couple of times before he pulled back to let the wolf finish his breakfast. "Eat up, now. You need your strength."

Nodding, he finished up the meal that he'd been giving, making sure to eat every single bite. Once the bowl was taken away, he rested against the wall again. For a moment, he was quiet. Then he rolled his head to face Su-jin.

"I love you. You're my light in these shadows."

It's still a little startling how open Silvio is with those affectionate words to him. It's not something Su-jin's accustomed to, but he definitely liked the way it made him feel warm inside and left little birds fluttering in his stomach.

He reached over to take one of Silvio's hands in his, threading their fingers together. "I plan to be for a very, very long time."

Bringing that hand up to his lips, he pressed a kiss to the back of Su-jin's hand. "I know that I have to share you with your partner. I know we've talked about him before. But I want you to truly know that I won't ever make you pick between us. I'm happy to share you and to treasure the time we have."

It was important that Su-jin know that. That Silvio respected that he had two partners who were incompatible with each other but who shared him. Because above all else he just wanted Su-jin to be happy.

While Su-jin was enchanted by that sentiment, he couldn't help laughing quietly.

"You should have seen the fit he threw before I told him it was you." In retrospect, it's actually quite comical.

Silvio laughed a bit, only wincing a little. The burns weren't as bad as usual but they were still there. And there was no denying how bad his eyes were hurting at the moment. But, he was glad to have Su-jin's sense of humor here with him now.

"Yeah? He was only okay with it because it's me?"

Su-jin noticed that wince and reached for the cool cloth he brought for his lover's eyes. He pressed it into Silvio's free hand, keeping the other in his grip.

"Prom and I don't talk about feelings. It's never been necessary between us. I think... It upset him to hear I loved someone enough to want a relationship. But once he realized it was you, his temper defused completely. He even chided me for not beginning with that."

He chuckled softly, shaking his head at the memory.

"That said, you are someone I treasure, Silvio. It might take a little time, but I'm working on finding a rhythm that will work for all of us. I don't want either of you to feel like an afterthought."

Grateful for the cloth, he thought about just tilting his head back and then... No. What would be better was if he laid down. More than that, he knew Su-jin would be okay with him doing this. So, he carefully turned to lay down with his head on his mate's lap before resting the cloth over his eyes.

Sighing, he relaxed and went back to holding Su-jin's hand.

He did laugh softly at what he was told about the partner. He'd heard some things over the years and he seemed like quite the character who deeply cared about Su-jin. "So he would have stayed angry if it was anyone but me? I feel special and I've never met him."

Su-jin only moved his arms out of the way if necessary for Silvio to get comfortable. Once he was settled, he happily took Silvio's hand again, his free one moved to thread his fingers through the wolf's hair.

"I suppose it makes sense. It's easier to understand falling for a dear friend of many years than some stranger he'd never heard of. I'm surprised you weren't his first thought, if I'm honest. Now that you're so close, it won't be hard to figure out how to divide my time. I've already made some adjustments so I can be here with you during the full moon."

"You guys don't talk about feelings a lot right? It's more action over words? That could have been it. You expressing feelings for someone else was what he heard first so his mind couldn't process who it was until you told him."

He didn't know the guy but that made sense to him. Especially for someone as strongly emotional as that incubus seemed to be from Su-jin's descriptions. They'd probably never meet but it was always something he noted when he heard stories about him.

Huh. He wondered what Tiras thought about him in turn. Obviously something good if he had no problem with Su-jin seeing another as long as it was him.

"That was a huge risk you took coming down here while I was feral. I could have really hurt you..."

A quiet hum answered Silvio's comments about Tiras. That made sense, in a way. Su-jin rarely confided details of his friendships with Tiras either, but he's heard much about Silvio. Perhaps that's why he accepted that it was him. Well, whatever was going through Tiras' head and heart might remain mysterious, but Su-jin was just glad that everything was working out smoothly.

"I trust you."

And, well, he was pretty sure he could heal fast enough to avoid being eviscerated by a lone wolf. Maybe.

Okay, sure, it was risky.

"It's important to me that you know you can trust me, too, when you're not thinking clearly. I had to try."

And if he'd failed? He told Tiras he'd be gone for a week. If he didn't come back, he's positive Tiras would do something about that.

"You're insane..."

But he meant that with the greatest admiration. It was completely insane to have done what Su-jin did and yet he had. He was here with him after a night of the full moon with his lap holding Silvio's head.

Tears fell past the cloth as the emotions overwhelmed him. He was in complete awe of his mate and what a big heart he had.

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