Glen regarded his lover with gentle amusement as Becket prowled the clearing, examining everything then doing it all over again, from smelling a flower to tossing stones in the creek to watching birds flit about.
Then he’d go back to the cliff face and stare up. And up.
They had come here for him to attend to a matter in the city, but afterwards Becket had asked to explore and Glen was beginning to realize it was nigh on impossible for him to refuse his lover anything.
When they’d come across the clearing, it had seemed the perfect place to take a break.
Becket had sat still for all of ten minutes before he’d begun his prowling.
Glen chuckled softly as yet again Becket moved to the cliff, tilting his head all the way back to stare up the sheer length of it.
He was truly beautiful, though he doubted Becket would ever see it. There was a rough edge to him; it was clear Becket had not lived an idle or gentle life. Glen just thought that added to it, honing the edge of that dark-steel beauty.
More fascinating still was the way Becket simply did things. Even when they had been all but killing each other, memories which made Glen cringe and reprimand himself even now, he had noted that trait. And been highly envious of it. Every single day he carefully weighed everything he said and did. Only with Becket had he ever been so careless or thoughtless.
Becket simply did things, went with them – only his mouth ever tripped him up.
His thoughts broke off in an effort not to laugh loudly as Becket once more completed a circuit of the clearing and returned to the cliff. “Something intrigue you?” he finally asked.
“I was wondering if there was a way up,” Becket said idly, still staring, not turning to look at Glen. “I bet the view is great up there. Normally I’d give it a try, and I’m so tempted to now, but after hiking all day I’m not sure my legs would care much for it.”
Glen blinked. Blinked again. Then started shaking with the effort not to laugh. That’s what this was all about? And Becket had not thought…? Grinning, he stood up and soundlessly crossed the field. Becket started to turn at the last moment, but was a second too late.
He gave a startled cry as Glen swept him up and held him tight, almost shouting and all but choking him as Glen launched into the air, wings snapping out, catching the wind. So very rarely did he have any need to fly, though he loved to do it.
Though he’d always done it alone. Becket was heavy, but not too heavy. It was interesting, and somehow infinitely appealing, to carry his lover as he flew. “You could have just asked,” he said, mouth curving in amusement as he regarded his lover.
“Right. Wings.” Becket laughed, but it was a trifle shaky – and he looked a bit paler than usual.
“I won’t drop you,” Glen said gently. “You said the view would be nice, I figured you were not afraid of heights. Or is it the flying?”
Becket smiled at him. “The flying. Never done this before. Funny that I didn’t think to ask you, when I’ve always wanted to…but then again I once asked a fairy I was with for a bit…never dared to ask that again.” He made a face.
Glen growled low, not liking to think of his mate with anyone else. No one was allowed to take Becket flying but him.
The depth of his possessiveness was startling…but not really. He would never forget how Becket had looked that day he’d given Glen his ring back. Such pain…never again would he allow Becket to feel that way, especially by his own actions. He would rather kill himself than ever cause Becket that sort of pain again. He had gone on a Quest for this demon…so, yes. No one took Becket flying but him. That was his right and privilege, earned by Quest.
He landed lightly at the top of the cliff and slowly let Becket down, but kept his arms firmly around the demon’s waist. “You can always ask me.”
He’d never forget when Becket had once said he’d gone on the Quest for Glen’s smile. Himself, there had been many reasons.
Seeing the pure, unadulterated joy that flared in those pale eyes at the offer of something so simple as flying…for that, he would go on a thousand quests, and far more besides.