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“Yeah, I’m fine, just”—Leon didn’t lift his head but raised a hand up as though to fend Sebastian off—“just the worst fucking headache I’ve ever had.”
“I can see how having Sebastian in your head for over twelve hours might do that,” Sebastian’s mother said dryly as she came around the gurney and handed Leon a water bottle.
Sebastian scowled at his mother. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Here, sit down, give it a second.” Sebastian’s father directed Leon to a seat in the corner after he’d grabbed the water, then moved around him to get an angle on his bleeding neck. “And let’s take a look at this.”
Sebastian hovered uselessly as Leon drank some of the water, his eyes still screwed shut, and Sebastian’s father cleaned and bandaged the hole Sebastian had left in his neck. The more it became apparent that Leon was perfectly fine, if a little exhausted and hurting from Sebastian’s occupation of his body, the more irritated Sebastian became.
What the fuck had that been?
Telling Sebastian he loved him while Sebastian was halfway out of his mind? Before he could respond? And now Sebastian was all alone in his own mind, and the only way he could communicate with Leon would be to physically open his mouth and say words out loud with his parents very much within earshot.
Which, of course, was out of the question, so all Sebastian could do was sit and seethe when all he wanted to do was grab Leon and shake him and ask him if he really meant it, and if he did really mean it, then Sebastian—
Then Sebastian what…loved him too?
The thought shook him enough that Sebastian took a clumsy step back and bumped into his mother, who was bringing over a ration bar. Sebastian glanced down at it and shook his head without thinking. “He hates those.”
His mother raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, then.”
“Thank you. I just need some sleep.” Leon waved a hand and pushed himself up to his feet. Sebastian’s father slipped an arm under his shoulders when he swayed, and Leon slumped against him.
“Here, let me help.” Sebastian hurried forward, but his father snorted.
“I think we’ve got it.”
Frustration burst into Sebastian’s chest, all his own, and now that he had full rein of his mind, it expanded to fill the space. He scowled and opened his mouth, but then Leon gave him a subdued, crooked smile. The fight whooshed out of him, and Sebastian settled under that steady gaze.
“I’m fine, Sebastian.” Leon managed to clap a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder as Sebastian’s father helped him back into the hallway, and the heavy warmth of it made Sebastian’s heart leap. He wanted to grab Leon’s broad hand and clutch it to his chest, but Leon had already let it drop. “I just need to sleep.”
Sebastian fisted a hand and propped the other one on his hip. He gritted his teeth and popped his chin out. “And then we need to talk.”
Because damn Leon Hess if he thought he could drop that sort of confession on Sebastian and then totter off for a nap without having hell to pay for it later.
Leon looked over his shoulder with an unreadable expression and nodded. “Of course.”
Sebastian watched his father help Leon back down the hall with an impotent swirl of emotions when he finally realized his mother standing at his side, looking at him. He glanced at her
She raised an eyebrow. “Talk about what?”
Sebastian waved a hand and spun around to grab the ration bar Leon wouldn’t have wanted. “Nothing. Resistance stuff.” He ripped the bar open and bit off a slightly too-large piece. He chewed it anyway and said around his mouthful, “We’ll need guns and ammo too. We didn’t get any out of the capital.”
“We have plenty. We’ll get you some.” His mother eyed him as he chewed through the dry husk of rations. “Come on, let’s get you some real breakfast.”
Sebastian sighed and wrapped up the remains of his bar. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Leon and his father had gone far enough ahead that Sebastian and his mother didn’t run into them as they made their way back into the drawing room. As his mother bolted up the hidden door, Sebastian wandered into the kitchen and found Sarah perched on a stool at the large island with a steaming mug of klak.
“Sebbie! You’re—”
“Up early, I know.” Sebastian shushed her with a hand and climbed onto the stool next to her. He grabbed her mug, took a swig that burned in his mouth, and then scowled and shoved it back at her.
Sarah received said mug with a raised eyebrow. “I was going to say in a new body.”
Oh, right. “Yeah, that too.”
“And you seem so happy about it,” she remarked dryly as she took a sip of her mug.
