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Sebastian snorted. “Well, have you ever said things like that to anyone before?”
“No. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.”
“Well, there you go, then.” Sebastian rolled his eyes but still felt like he might burst with joy. How many times had he lain in this very bed, hugging this same stupid pillow, and wondering if a man would ever say these things to him?
Say them and really know who he was saying them to?
How could he sleep when…
But then he yawned. Right, teenage dreams coming true or not, he’d fled a brutal attack today and not the first one of his week. And Leon’s body clearly hadn’t slept a full night’s sleep since it had reached maturity.
Leon chuckled into his mind, then reached out and touched him with heartbreaking tenderness. “Goodnight, Sebastian.”
Sebastian all but melted and burrowed into the covers that now smelled of both home and Leon. “Goodnight, Leon.”
* * *
Sebastian woke to something annoying.
It didn’t quite annoy him enough to rouse him, but just enough to make him scrunch his face and roll over. He batted at the air, pulled a pillow over his head, and buried his face in the sheets, but the thing was still there.
What was it? It was like it was—pacing. Inside his head.
“Leon?”
The pacing stopped. “You’re awake.”
“Yeah.” Sebastian groaned and sat up. He rubbed a hand down his face. “Kinda hard to sleep with you buzzing back and forth in here.”
“Sorry. I didn’t realize you could feel that.”
“What are you thinking about?” Sebastian had always thought it must be exhausting in Hess’s constantly thinking mind. Now he was sure of it.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.” Sebastian rolled his eyes as he pushed himself from the bed and tottered to the bathroom.
Leon chuckled. “Everything. So it might as well be nothing.”
Sebastian splashed some water on his face, and now that he was more awake, he could feel Leon’s presence in his mind more distinctly. His very tired presence. Sebastian scowled at his face in the mirror. “Did you not sleep?”
“I tried.” Leon seemed to sag, and the exhaustion leaked out of him. “I think maybe you need a body to sleep.”
“Aw shit, I’m sorry, Leon.” Sebastian grimaced and pushed his hands through his hair. The last thing the man needed was to miss another night of sleep, and Sebastian had just taken one from him while he snoozed contentedly in his body. “I’m trying to get out of here as fast as I can.”
“I know.” One of their shoulders twitched to shrug. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. What time is it?” Sebastian went back out into the bedroom and peeked around one of the heavy, blackout curtains. Light had just barely begun to brighten the sky, which meant the staff wouldn’t be in yet. “It should be here soon.”
Too impatient to wait, Sebastian went back out into the hallway and started down to the kitchen.
“Dad’s an early riser. He’s probably around here somewhere,” Sebastian told Leon as they walked down the dark hall and felt a little curl of awkwardness. “What?”
“It never occurred to me that I might meet your parents one day.”
“Oh.” Sebastian blushed hard and scratched the back of his neck. Right. He was introducing Leon Hess to his parents. And he was introducing him as… “As what exactly?”
Oh god, he hadn’t actually meant to ask that.
