Page 53 of Saint

“In the bath. West always adds healing…stuff.”

“Healing stuff,” Lake repeated.

“I don’t know what it’s called,” he snapped.

Lake picked up his multi-slate from the bathroom floor where he must have set it and typed a message out to West. “There. I told him to bring some of that magic healing stuff and tea. Better?”

He settled back against Lake’s chest, refusing to answer.

“Don’t be stubborn, Songbird.”

“You like it when I’m stubborn.”

He laughed. “True. Mostly because I like the thought of being able to reprimand you for it later.”

“Later,” Nix emphasized, “being the most important word in that sentence.”

“Yes.” Lake’s hand dipped between his thighs, and he clicked his tongue when Nix made a sound of protest. “Relax. I’ll keep my word. No more fucking for now.”

He turned his head to look at him. “For now is a very broad statement. Narrow it down.”

“I don’t think I will.” Lake’s palm stroked lightly against the soft inner flesh of Nix’s thighs before trailing higher. He brushed against the underside of Nix’s balls, down his taint, and then settled at his abused entrance. “I’m going to insert my fingers and clean you out.”

Nix scrunched up his nose. “So that we’re soaking in your spunk? Pass.”

“It’s dripping out anyway,” he reminded. “Tell you what, I’ll let you shower after as well. Deal?”

“What’s with you and making deals every two seconds all of sudden?” Nix lifted his ass slightly despite his protests, wincing when one of those thick fingers prodded his rim. “Careful.”

“I got you, baby.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Why? Does Yejun own the term or something? West calls you Nixie or babe. June calls you Firebird or baby. I—”

“Songbird,” Nix filled in. “I’m your Songbird.”

Lake considered it. “How about mate then? Can I call you that?”

He thought about it and ended up nodding once.

That single finger slipped in deeper. “You’re drawing lines between us in that head of yours, is there a reason for it?”

“The three of you aren’t the same person,” Nix reminded. “Even if you grew up together and it sometimes might feel that way to you. You aren’t. You didn’t exactly give me a lot of time to adjust here, either. It’s easier for me this way. Easier to learn your similarities and differences.”

“Give me an example.” Lake added another finger and Nix realized what he was doing. Trying to keep him distracted to help ease the discomfort.

“An example would be West always thinks about how to heal any injuries he gives me ahead of time.” Nix sighed, decided to go easy on the Imperial since he was so obviously trying his best. “But that’s because he’s used to inflicting pain on his bed partners. He’s had practice with aftercare. You…not so much.”

Lake hummed in agreement. “I had a tendency to take my pleasure and go, that’s true. And June? What sets him from the rest?”

“Yejun…” Nix arched into the touch when Lake inserted a third finger and started to curl them within him.

“Focus, Songbird,” Lake suggested. “Unless you want me to change my mind and take you again after all.”

“Yejun is protective.”

“I’m protective.”

---