Page 92 of Incubus
"Don't try and act like it’s easy, like it's not a choice between you sleeping with me...or having to sleep with somebody else." Nathan spoke softly but not bitterly—at least, not as bitter as he could have been.
Sasha's mirth crumbled, his suddenly mournful expression clear even in the dark.
"I don't want it to be somebody else, I just want us to be honest," Nathan spoke up quickly, and kissed Sasha again to banish any trace of that sadness.
When they pulled apart, Sasha was smiling again, if a little humbly. "I don't want it to be somebody else either."
“I should...probably tell you, though,” Nathan added. “Jim's onto us. More than guess work, he…pretty much knows everything.”
“Yeah…” Sasha said slowly. “I…kind of figured that after what he said when you slipped out to grab the guitar.”
“Said? What did he say?”
“Umm…it’s…not important.”
If Nathan could see properly in the darkness, he was fairly certain he would be able to see a blush in Sasha’s pale cheeks. “Sasha…” he prompted.
“He just asked how things were going, and when I asked ‘what do you mean?’, he said…well…'how are things working out being in love with my brother?'.”
Nathan was going tokillJim, drunkenness as an excuse or not.
“AndIsaid,” Sasha went on, grinning a little in the dark again, “much better now that he kisses back.”
Nathan laughed.
“Does it bother you?"
“It doesn’t seem to botherJim, but if you two start braiding each other's hair, we are so finished." Nathan grinned wide and tugged on the collar of Sasha's coat. "Now let’s get out of here. Unless you can think of any reason to stick around?”
Sasha pulled in close to Nathan again, his arms wrapping around Nathan’s waist, hugging him while his lips ghosted along Nathan’s neck. “Everything’s been wonderful tonight, Nathan. Thank you. Really. No one’s ever…done anything like this for me before. But yeah…” He pulled away, eyes twinkling brilliant blue. “Calling it a night sounds absolutely perfect.”
Finding Jim wasn’t difficult. They managed to get back downstairs, just as Sasha predicted, before Jim had even gotten into the bathroom. They paid their tab and left soon after, Nathan tossing the keys to Sasha since he was the most sober.
Jim started to doze pretty quickly in the backseat. Nathan would have shoved his brother right out into the street somewhere if Jim brought up anything embarrassing while they were driving.
It was still pretty early for a night out when they pulled up to the motel. Nathan asked Sasha if he would mind bringing Jim inside for him so he could have a minute to get some air. Sasha eyed Nathan knowingly but obliged and, after a few moments, Sasha and Jim went slumping into the motel.
Nathan just needed some time to calm his nerves. No amount of trying not to think would save him from reality this time.
He took a deep breath. Sasha had said there was no obligation, not that Nathan ever followed obligations anyway, but there was still a sense of need there.
"Talk me down, Walter,” Nathan whispered, holding both hands to the hood of the car.
“Do you mean, talk you out of it?” came Walter’s calm and steady voice, “or talk you into it?”
Nathan turned around to face his Spirit Guide, who he often didn’t even try to get advice out of because there was very little Walter could actually tell him. “Uh…either?” Nathan said. “I’m not out of my mind for wanting this, right? I’m not being swayed or manipulated or just plain crazy?”
“Nathan,” Walter said, almost patronizing. “You don’t need me to answer that.”
“Right. So...I guess I better head inside then,” Nathan said, though he wasn’t as confident as he tried to sound. Knowing what he wanted and being able to take it were two very different things, especially when the universe seemed to align against him.
Two steps toward the motel door, Nathan stopped in his tracks, and not because of Walter or any lingering nerves.
“Nathan,” cameGabriel’schillingly casual voice from somewhere behind Nathan's back. “You didn’t think you could hide from me forever, did you?”
Chapter 36
Nathanmovedwithdeliberatecaution as he turned around. “Gabriel,” he said in distaste. “I guess Jim's little power words to keep you away didn't stick, huh?” He had never been so close to Gabriel before, only a couple of feet apart with a street light above them lighting up every grey hair amidst Gabriel's otherwise dark locks.
