Page 104 of Search for the Lost

Crispin’s stomach rumbled again. “They sound amazing.” He squeezed Leo’s arm to hold him back. “What about the Great Acorn?”

Leo shook his head. “It wasn’t in the bunkhouse or on any of the Red Dukes. The Oracle is not happy.”

Crispin sighed. He looked around the comfortable treehouse. Things were going to change, and soon, beginning with a move to his mother’s estate. He wondered if they could magick the treehouse there together? And maybe Mrs. Turtlerump too.

He leaned on Leo, squeezing him tight. “I love you, Chaos Man.”

“I love you too, King Crispy.”

Crispin laughed. “I guess that makes you Queen Leo?”

Leo grinned. “We’ll figure that out together.”

There would be time enough to worry about all the rest later. Crispin kissed Leo on the cheek. No matter your title, you will always be my beloved Chaos Man.

“Chaos man.” Minkis bounded onto Leo’s shoulder.

Crispin squeezed Leo’s arm. “Take me to our friends.”

Epilogue

“We could put the couch in the, erm, new exercise room. Or in the spare room,” said Crispin with false brightness. “Any spare room, really. We have dozens. You could make it your… what do they call them? Guy grotto?”

Leo put his hands on his hips. “Man cave. Although honestly, guy grotto sounds cooler. But I don’t want one. And you’re just too embarrassed to have my couch where people can see it.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Crispin lied. “It’s only, well, I suppose I’ll have a certain image to keep up now. King of the Fae and all that. Your couch isn’t particularly… regal.”

Face set, Leo collapsed onto the aggressively brown couch in question and crossed his arms. He didn’t want to have a fight, but sometimes a person needs to take a stand. Even if he sits down to do it.

The move to the Estate had been somewhat traumatic, as moves often were. First there had been a lot of research and discussion about whether they wanted to move the treehouse there and, if so, how they could do that. Then they had to decide where to put it on the Estate grounds. Crispin had wanted to tuck it into a remote corner because he liked peace and quiet. Leo didn’t mind being in the middle of things but had been willing to back Crispin up. But then an entire parade of underlings—Leo couldn’t keep their names straight—had insisted that the king needed to be accessible, so the treehouse got planted smack dab in the middle. Somehow it expanded in the process, so instead of a modest space, Crispin and Leo’s home now encompassed more rooms than a tech zillionaire’s compound.

More rooms meant more furnishings, and that was how they ended up where they were now, squabbling over the couch. Which Leo was ready to defend with his life, if necessary.

A few moments of mutual glaring ensued, until Crispin sat carefully into the ornately carved, leather-upholstered armchair that he’d recently added to the room. It was huge and imposing, and Leo kept referring to it as The Throne because Crispin hated when he called it that—and, okay, maybe Crispin wasn’t the only one being unreasonable about furniture.

“Why are you so insistent about this?” Crispin asked. “You could obtain literally anything you’d like to lounge on. Money is no object. Neither are several of the laws of physics.”

In truth, Leo had been eyeing a loveseat that looked like a giant soap bubble and floated gently above the ground. He could also get that for another room, however. Their bedroom, for instance—that could be interesting.

“I want this couch,” he insisted. “My couch.”

And then, because Crispin was clearly making an effort to understand, Leo tried to explain. “Look. After we met, my life changed about as drastically as a life can. Almost entirely for the better, although I could do with fewer quests and curses and undoings and almost-getting-eatens. But everything went upside down. I even learned that I’m not human and that my parents weren’t my parents, and Crispy, that’s a lot.”

“Are you unhappy here?” Crispin asked quietly, his gaze downcast.

“No! It’s amazing. You’re amazing. And I want to be with you, wherever you are. But I don’t want to lose every single connection with who I used to be. This couch has been through a lot with me. I spent a lot of time on it, relaxing, vegging out, recovering from shitty days. And Crispy, it’s really comfy.” He patted the cushion next to him, ignoring the small puff of dust it emitted.

After a brief pause, Crispin stood, stepped over, and then sank into place so close to Leo that their hips touched. He rested his head on Leo’s shoulder. “It’s not bad,” he said eventually.

Leo whispered in his ear. “Also, Minkis likes to store acorns in it. I’ve been pretending not to notice.”

Crispin chuckled, which was one of the most wonderful sounds in the universe. He was so serious nowadays, with the weight of his new status heavy on his shoulders. Leo’s main job recently had been finding ways to get Crispin to loosen up and lighten up. That was easy in the bedroom, but they couldn’t spend their entire lives in there. If only.

“I’m sorry,” Crispin said after a bit. He petted the cushion almost fondly. “You’re right. You’ve made a lot of sacrifices for me, and this is our home. Not just mine. If the couch is important to you, it should stay.”

Leo kissed one of those pointy ears. Gently, but it was enough to make Crispin gasp and grow suddenly warmer against Leo. And yes, they couldn’t spend their entire lives in the bedroom, but they could spare an hour here and there, and⁠—

Crispin squirmed around to face Leo. “There’s been something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you. Something that isn’t a couch.”