Page 104 of Mortis

The words hit somewhere deep, and for a moment, I could only stare at him.

Because he was right.

Before Kael, I’d never thought there was anything wrong with my life. There wasn’t anything wrong with it. I had Grandad. I had Arlo. I had a job I loved and a home that had always felt safe. I’d been happy. But my life had existed almost entirely in the present. Wake up. Work. Go home. Annoy Arlo. Sleep. Repeat. I’d never been unhappy with the routine. I simply hadn’t thought much about what came after it.

Then Kael had crashed into my life with flesh around his mouth and a chunk of Dorothy Robinson in his stomach, and suddenly I was thinking about a future that hadn’t happened yet. The holidays I wanted to spend together. All the places I wanted to show him. Exotic foods I wanted him to try. Hundreds of ordinary tomorrows I’d never bothered imagining before. But now there was someone I wanted standing beside me when they arrived.

Fuck.

The old man really did know me better than I knew myself.

“You’ve spent your whole life looking after others, Teds,” he said softly. “It’s about time someone looked after you too.”

I lightly punched his shoulder. “I think you did a pretty good job of that, old man.”

Grandad barked out a laugh. I dropped my gaze, suddenly feeling awkward again, before peeking up at him through my lashes.

“So, you’re, uh . . .” I scratched the back of my neck. “You’re okay with him being around?”

Grandad shook his head in exasperation, but his expression was painfully fond. “Teddy, that lad looks at you like you hung the bloody moon.” My cheeks heated, and Grandad cocked his head. “More importantly, you look at him exactly the same way.”

That did it. Grandad opened his arms, and I folded immediately. I stumbled into him and squeezed, burying my face against his shoulder. He held me just as tightly, resting his cheek against my temple.

“Remember something, my boy,” he whispered. “You don’t have to make all the decisions on your own anymore. Protecting people and shutting them out aren’t the same thing.”

I nodded. His stubble scraped against my temple, and I breathed in the familiar scent of Old Spice that had reminded me of him for as long as I could remember. For the first time in two days, everything between us felt right again. And for the first time in weeks, the tension I’d been carrying finally began to melt away.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled against his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Grandad turned his head and kissed my temple. “I know, my love.”

Then he released me and headed for the door.

Before he could leave, I called after him. “Grandad.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Mm?”

“Look after Kael, okay?”

Grandad grinned. “Course I will. Can’t have lover boy getting himself into trouble, can we?”

I chuckled and reached for a fresh surgical mask. “Love you.”

Grandad winked. “Love you too, Teds. See you in a bit.”

Soon after Grandad disappeared, Kael popped in to give me a kiss goodbye. I warned him to stay close to Arlo and Grandad, just in case Sebastian and his group of heretics tried anything shady. He promised he would, then stole another kiss before finally leaving. Not long after, the three of them departed, Mr Syed in tow, for a service at the local crematorium.

I was alone again.

But I wasn’t lonely, because I knew the three people I cared about most would return in a matter of hours.

Grandad and I would end the day with a cup of tea, nattering about the service and whatever gossip he’d managed to uncover.

Arlo, Kael, and I would head home together, probably share a meal around the dining table, then collapse on the couch to watch a movie.

And later, Kael would take me to bed. He’d kiss me breathless. Maybe touch me, or let me touch him. Maybe he’d fuck me again, make me come hard enough that I’d finally sleep peacefully for the first time in days.

Grandad was right, I was thinking about the future. Tonight. Tomorrow. Next week. All those ordinary little moments I’d never given much thought to before because I’d always assumed they would simply happen. Now I was looking forward to them.