Leap of Fate

Chapter Seven

 It has been almost 2 weeks since Lucien left for the Spring Court. The ache in my chest grows everyday he is gone. Occasionally he will send a loving caress down the bond. Those brief moments, make me swell with longing. I do some of his work here at the Night Court. I've gotten through 2 stacks and am on the final stack when I get a letter from Lucien explaining he will be back soon. Wanting to make sure he is well taken care of I pick up groceries and even buy a tulip for his study. I spent these two weeks cleaning his apartment thoroughly and making sure he doesn't have so much work to go through, and I take extra care of his work, making sure everyone's complaints are heard and answered and viewing the invitation thrice to make a wise decision before accepting and or denying. 

        A hand skims my back, causing me to jerk awake from my nap on the couch. I look around my heart pounding, and a sun-kissed face with an eye of russet the other of gold, hair loose, framing his face comes into my vision. Lucien kneels before me on the floor, smiling warmly. "You're back." my voice is scratchy from sleep and I clear my throat. 

"I am, dove." he strokes a hand through my hair and down my back, placing a tender kiss on my forehead.

 I close my eyes, smiling widely. "Mmmm I missed you." I can feel his smile against my skin. Reluctantly I sit up and make room for him on the couch, he sits beside me, wrapping an arm around my back, tracing the slight curve in my waist.

"As did I." he whispers, I lean into him, resting my hand on his powerful thigh, feeling the hard earned muscle beneath his black pants. 

"So I see you have made yourself at home?" there is amusement in his lovely voice. Suddenly I feel a bit nervous for having just moved myself in like this. 

"I'm sorry. I know I should have asked first. It just seemed better.. or more romantic as a surprise." he strokes my back. 

"No worries, love. In fact I am more than delighted to come home to m...to you." his mate. He was about to say his mate. I press my lips together, sliding my hand to his muscled stomach, that is covered by a white undershirt, his tunic lies on the low lying table. I lean up to press a kiss to his jawline. 

        In the hours that follow I tell him of all that happened while he was away. The meeting with Eris, seeing Azriel, even when I talk about him he doesn't seem as worried. The muscle in his jaw that typically feathers at the mention of Az doesn't move. I tell him about me doing some of his work, and he doesn't seem to mind the extra help. When I finish the recap of events on my end, he offers to make lunch. I accept and we both head towards the kitchen.

        The kitchen isn't small, but it's definitely not as grand as the kitchen in the House of Wind. He turns the stove on and I lean against a counter as he pulls out a broth and four pieces of bread. "How was the Spring Court?" Lucien stiffens, but doesn't stop his work on the broth and toasting the bread on the stove. "It's better. Almost completely done rebuilding. Lord Tamlin wanted help establishing some ties with other courts, wanted tips and for me to go with him to talk to other emissaries. I even looked at a few candidates to be his." his voice is monotone, but in the way his hands shake and his voice drops I can tell it bothers him to be replacing himself.

        As he cooks I wrap my arms around his waist from behind and rest my face between his shoulder blades, tucking his hair over his shoulder so it doesn't get in my mouth. I run my hands over his sides and the planes of his stomach. "Maybe you should stop returning his need for help... I know that goes against your own principle, but Lucien.." I place a loving kiss between his shoulder blades before continuing. "you need to heal too. You were in the same war as him. You left the place you called home for centuries and endured his emotional abuse. You deserve to heal." he takes the broth off the burner placing it on a cold burner to let it cool.