Page 113 of Bloom
The silence stretched out long enough for Jaime to think Aleric had finally drifted off for real. “I thought villagers would be closer. It’s not like a city.”
“It wasn’t the same without my Aunt, and my parents had been dead for so long.”
“I’m surprised you know you were an accident too.”
Jaime rolled over toward him, keeping the space between their bodies. “Mother told me. It was because a woman said I was a lucky accident. I don’t remember why, but I asked what she meant, and she refused to tell me. I asked Mother, and she said they hadn’t intended to have a baby just yet. A stork was confused and accidentally dropped me off, not realizing my parents weren’t married yet.”
Mother obviously hadn’t been ready to have “the talk” with him about where babies came from.
“Oh. I’m sorry about your family.”
He sounded nearly asleep. Jaime wanted to tug him closer and hold him because he too was sorry about a lot of things, and he wanted them to be able to find a bubble of safety and happiness together.
He couldn’t touch even if they’d talked for a bit. It didn’t equal trust, especially in the dark with no one else nearby. Jaime sighed as Aleric let out a little snore.
Aleric wouldn’t go tattling to everyone. Even if he did, so many years had passed, it might not mean anything, although Jaime wouldn’t dare risk telling whoever.
Aleric might be angry he’d waited to say anything at all. He didn’t need that on his plate either.
He pulled the blanket more over himself. In a few days, he’d sit Aleric down and tell him. Once he explained why he’d kept it secret, Aleric would surely understand even if was mad at first.
He knew what it was like to be unsafe.
***
He awoke in the morning to find Aleric fully dressed at his writing desk on the other side of the room. Unlike some fairies with white hair, Aleric’s didn’t have a silver sheen when the light hit it a certain way. It was the color of pure snow, bright in the morning light, and it was falling more one way since he’d tilted his head. It was always more straight after being freshly washed and combed. Dry, some of the ends curled up or under a little, and it looked soft.
Jaime wanted to run his fingers through it. His morning wood wasn’t helped when he imagined taking a good handful of Aleric’s beautiful hair, pulling his head back, and kissing along the soft curve of his throat.
Aleric mumbled a return good morning and kept swiftly writing when Jaime went by.
The thoughts grew a lot dirtier when Jaime took care of himself in the privacy of the privy room. It wasn’t like he’d forgotten what Aleric looked like with his slick dripping down the back of his balls.
Washed and dressed, he came out and wondered if Aleric would still be pleasant that morning. Jaime wanted to offer safe affection in a way without being over him, so he crouched by Aleric who had just folded what was presumably a letter.
“Clementine?”
“Yes. I figured I’d better tell her there’s a baby on the way and who the Father is. I’m sure she and Belle will be…surprised.”
“They can be Aunt Clementine and Aunt Belle.”
“Yeah…Oh, I forgot to tell you last night. Father agreed to send the court home so I can have peace for a while, and if Gautier has any secret allies here, he’ll lose them too.”
“Excellent. I guess Gautier can’t be booted out.”
“Unfortunately, no. Do you want to try to see if Gautier will find you again today? I should go speak to Delphine, and we can both go, but there’s always the afternoon.”
“Or we could see Delphine in the afternoon and forget Gautier.”
“I can’t exactly forget what’s going on. He will try to talk to you again. Even when he learns we’re getting married, I don’t think he’s going to give up either.”
Jaime took his hand. “I know, and I’m not saying to forget it. I mean leave it for today. Instead of us simply heading to see Delphine, I was thinking we could do something together.”
Suspicion instantly crossed Aleric’s face, and Jaime hurried on in case he thought it was sexual.
“We could go on a ride somewhere. Fresh air and sunlight would be good for you. Maybe you can try to relax a little. Constant stress isn’t good for the baby.”
“I suppose we can go out…”
