Page 34 of Warrior's Cross

“Did you, now?” Julian drawled with a pleased smile, his hands in the pockets of his heavy coat and his head down, seemingly watching his steps.

Cameron sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, just answering with a quiet hum.

“I thought about you as well,” Julian admitted freely.

Cameron looked over to him, a happy smile on his face. “Really?”

“Of course,” Julian stated as he looked over at Cameron and smiled. “I have something for you,” he added as he reached into his coat pocket.

Stopping in front of a holiday window display that cast multicolored light on the white-coated walkway, Cameron frowned slightly. “What is it? Christmas was last week.”

“Yes, and I felt badly for having nothing for you,” Julian reminded him as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small box. It was wrapped in plain gold paper. He handed it to Cameron and smiled at him. “Please don’t feel obligated to accept.”

Cameron looked at the little box amazement. “Do you... do you want me to open it now?”

“As you like,” Julian answered with a lopsided shrug.

Cameron blinked at the gold paper for a moment before holding out the heavy bag to Julian so he could have both hands free. Without a word, Julian took it while he watched Cameron’s face intently.

Turning the box over in his hands, Cameron chanced another look at Julian before running a finger under the seam of thepaper to unwrap the box. It came off in no time. Julian smiled, but he looked unsure as Cameron opened the box. Intrigued by Julian’s uncertainty, he pulled the top off and peered inside the box.

Inside was a flat disc of battered gold with a single garnet in the center melded to a chain so it could be worn around the neck.

Cameron stared at the glinting gold, highlighted by a flash of deep, dark red, before he glanced up at Julian with wide eyes. “This is like yours,” he said, a smile curving his lips as he dipped a finger into the box to touch the pendant. He remembered dragging his fingers over it and the feel of body-warmed metal sliding over his chest as Julian moved against him.

“Itwasmine,” Julian told him with a smile. “One of a kind. Now it’s yours, if you’ll have it.”

Looking up in surprise, Cameron searched Julian’s face for some clue about the meaning of the gift. Julian obviously wasn’t the type who needed to recycle things as gifts to save money, so the necklace must have some sort of significance. Cameron stroked the gold again.

“Is it important to you?” he asked.

“It has meaning,” Julian answered. “And it’s important in that I want you to have it.”

Cameron nodded slowly. “Thank you,” he said solemnly. “I’d like to put it on, but I think my fingers are already frozen,” he said with a shiver. “I guess I ought to get some gloves.”

“Don’t be silly; it’s only Chicago in winter,” Julian scoffed sarcastically as he set the bag down. “Why would you need gloves when you can have frostbite?” he asked logically, smiling slightly as he reached out to take the pendant. He unhooked the clasp and stepped closer, sliding his arms around Cameron’s neck slowly and fastening it before letting the pendant fall a few inches below the hollow of his throat. He tilted his headas he looked into Cameron’s eyes. “It’s called a warrior’s cross. The garnet and the gold symbolize the Roman god Mars,” he explained quietly. “The god of war.”

“God of war,” Cameron repeated slowly. “Like the one I’m supposed to ask Blake about?”

“The very same,” Julian assured him. “The thinking is it gives you strength and protection.”

Cameron held still as the cool metal settled against his skin inside the collar of his shirt, and he lifted his free hand to touch it. “Do I need protection?” he asked softly, not looking away.

Julian’s eyes flickered briefly. “I know I would if I lived with your four savage beasts,” he finally answered just before kissing Cameron chastely on the very corner of his mouth.

Unable to hold back the smile, Cameron lifted his chin to accept the kiss, and he wished it had lasted longer. “Thank you for the gift,” he murmured while Julian’s lips were still close.

“You’re most welcome,” Julian whispered in response before taking a step back.

After a few moments, Cameron realized they were standing there silently, staring at each other in the cold. “C’mon,” he said, sliding the box and paper into his coat pocket. “We don’t want dinner to get cold.”

“No; that would be tragic,” Julian murmured in earnest.

“Yes, it would. Now, come on.” Cameron grabbed Julian’s hand and started pulling him along the sidewalk at a faster clip.

Julian just barely managed to snag the bag of food he’d set down before Cameron yanked him along. “Is there a reason we’re expending unnecessary energy?” he asked.

“You’ll get plenty back with all this food,” Cameron promised as they turned the last corner heading to his apartment building. “And I’ve got dessert too.”

---