Page 85 of Magic in My Bones

Ren bit his lower lip, a habit I’d come to recognize as a sign of his inner turmoil. “I... I don’t know what to say,” he admitted, his voice cracking slightly.

My heart swelled with affection for this beautiful, vulnerable young man before me. “You don’t have to say anything, love,” I murmured, reaching up to cup his cheek. “You deserve to feel comfortable and confident in your own skin. If this helps with that, even a little, then it’s worth it. And if you never want to look at it again or speak of it, that’s fine too.”

Ren leaned into my touch, his eyes closing for a moment. When he opened them again, there was a slight flush to his cheeks. “Can I... can I try it on?” he asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” I said, smiling warmly. “Would you like some privacy, or would you like me to help?”

“I... I think I'd like your help,” Ren said softly, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink.

I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and tenderness bloom in my chest. “Of course, love. Let's start with the harness, shall we?”

With deliberate slowness, I helped Ren remove his clothes, my fingers trailing over his skin with reverence. Each inch of him revealed a new marvel, his body lean and beautiful in its own way. As I eased his shirt off, I couldn't resist pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder, admiring the strong lines of his body, the natural grace in the way he moved. Every inch of him radiated quiet masculine energy that had nothing to do with clothes or accessories. It was simply him, undeniably himself.

Step by step, I helped him into the harness, adjusting the straps with gentle precision. The leather was soft and supple, molding against him in a way that felt right, that felt like it belonged. When I attached the prosthetic, I could feel Ren's breath hitch, his body tensing briefly.

“How does it feel?” I asked, my voice low and soothing, a careful question.

Ren didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned, slow and deliberate, and faced the mirror. In the mirror, I watched Ren take in his reflection, his eyes widening with recognition rather than surprise, as if he was finally seeing on the outside what he'd always known was there inside. His confidence didn't come from the prosthetic itself, but from the way it aligned with his inner truth, like the final piece of a spell clicking into place.

I could see the shift in him, subtle at first. His shoulders straightened. His chin lifted just slightly, and a small smile began to tug at the corners of his lips, growing slowly, like it was something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time.

His hands, which had been clenched at his sides, slowly uncurled. Fingers reached out tentatively to trace the outline of the prosthetic, as if confirming it was really there. Then, with a quiet confidence, he lifted his arms, flexing his biceps ever so slightly, and I saw the way he held himself differently, as if he had unlocked something in himself that had been waiting for this moment.

“You look...” I paused, my voice thick with emotion, “Incredible.”

Ren’s eyes flickered back to me, and for the first time, I saw something in them I hadn’t seen before, a spark of power, of affirmation, like he was seeing himself clearly for the first time.

A slow breath escaped him, and he gave me a soft, almost disbelieving smile. “I didn’t expect to feel... like this,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. “I feel... I don’t know. Just more... at home in my body.”

I stepped closer, my hand resting lightly on his arm. “That’s the only thing that matters, love. Thatyoufeel good, however that looks. You’ve always been yourself, with or without this.”

The confidence radiating from him wasn't new. It was the same masculine energy I'd always seen in him, the same strength that drew me to him from the beginning. It was just more visible now, like sunlight breaking through clouds, illuminating what had always been there.

A grin spread across his face, wide and joyful, lighting up the room. His hand trailed down his body, fingers grazing the harness before resting lightly on the prosthetic. He didn’t linger; his touch was thoughtful, almost reverent, as though it was a part of his personal discovery rather than something new defining him.

The air around us felt charged, a subtle shift in the atmosphere that made my chest ache with affection. I couldn’t look away from him. The confidence radiating from his posture, his expression, hisbeingwas intoxicating. It wasn’t about the harness or the prosthetic; it wasRen. He had always been powerful, always himself. Now, he was standing in that truth with a clarity and comfort that made my heart swell with pride.

He took a step toward me, his movements deliberate and sure. The energy in his stride, the light in his eyes, was intoxicating. He stopped just inches from me, his breath warm against my cheek.

“Kiss me,” he said, his voice steady and confident.

I didn’t hesitate. My lips met his with a hunger that caught me off guard, the kiss sparking an electric current between us. Ren’s confidence only deepened the connection, his body pressing against mine with a sureness I’d never felt from him before. His hands, once hesitant, now roamed boldly, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathless, Ren’s eyes were dark and full of want. “Touch me,” he whispered, his voice husky, his hands guiding mine. “Please.”

My hand trailed down his chest, pausing over the rapid beat of his heart. Beneath my palm, I felt the rhythm of his life, his energy, his being. I let my fingers brush the edge of the harness, where leather met skin, tracing a line that felt intimate and reverent.

“Is this okay?” I murmured, my voice low and steady, though my own heart raced in time with his.

Ren nodded, a soft whimper escaping as his hips shifted forward, his need palpable. I moved lower, my fingers wrapping gently around the prosthetic. The moment I did, Ren let out a shaky breath, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Oh,” he gasped, his voice trembling but filled with awe. “I can... I can feel that. Not physically, not exactly, but... Ifeelit.”

I smiled, my thumb brushing over the enchanted surface as I watched his reaction. “It’s enchanted,” I explained softly and with a smile. “Did I forget to mention that part?”

His laugh was breathless, full of warmth and disbelief. “You didn’t think that was important enough to tell me?”

I chuckled, my hand tightening slightly, and his laughter turned into a moan. “I wanted you to discover it for yourself,” I said, leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth.

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