Page 72 of Changeling
Sasha dropped his head. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to make things right.”
“It wasn’t up to you to make it right,” Nathan said quietly.
“It was my fault you got hurt,” Sasha insisted.
“It was my own fault.”
“It was just as much my fault,” Jim interjected.
Sasha and Nathan whipped their heads around to stare at Jim as if he had two heads.
“Seriously. I’ve been watching your back in places like that for long enough to read the signs, Nate. I never should have left you alone there.” Jim’s feelings of guilt were clearly strewn across his face.
Nathan sighed.Not another one.
“And Sasha,” Jim said, “you have to know that beating those guys up doesn’t solve anything. It just gives them more reason to hate people different from them.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Sasha said. “But do you really think people like that ever change? If nothing else, maybe now they’ll think twice about doing that to the next guy.”
They sat in silence. Then the moment was shattered by a loud grumble from Nathan’s stomach.
“What?” He raised his good eyebrow. “It’s after noon!”
Jim chuckled. “Fine. Let me take a shower and then we can get out of here and get something to eat.”
Nathan took the moment of reprieve to gulp down an eager mouthful of coffee.
“Nathan?” Sasha said quietly once Jim had disappeared into the bathroom. “You don’t…think you deserved that beating, do you?”
“What?” Nathan sputtered. “No. Why would I? And why would you even ask that?”
Sasha frowned but didn’t elaborate. Nathan heard the unspoken words anyway.
“Dude,” he said plainly, “that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” He grabbed Sasha’s wrist as it reached for his coffee cup. “I’m not ashamed to be with you. Don’t ever think that. It’s just that it’s been so easy up ‘til now…”
Sasha snorted. “Easy? Do you remember how long it took me to get you to admit you evenhadfeelings for me? Do you remember how many times you denied it and back tracked and all out ran away?”
“This was never how I pictured myself,” Nathan admitted quietly.
“What? In a relationship? In love? Happy?”
“Any of it.”
Sasha gaped. “Nathan, you deserve to be happy. We both do.” He reached a hand to Nathan’s face, then gently stroked his cheek with his thumb, carding his fingers back through Nathan’s hair.
Nathan leaned into the caress, and his eyes fluttered shut with a sigh of familiar bliss. “Somehow I don’t think the rest of the world shares your opinion.”
“Fuck them, then,” Sasha said fiercely.
“No thanks. I’ve already had that invitation and turned it down.” Nathan quirked one side of his mouth up into a bitter smile as he opened his eyes. He found Sasha’s expression raw with pain.
“I wish I could have protected you from that forever, Nathan. It’s hard when you realize some people will hate you for what you are and what you can’t change.”
Nathan realized that Sasha was talking about more than just his sexual orientation. Sasha had had to deal with being an outsider his entire life. Nathan touched a hand to the one on his face, then reached out to the redhead in turn. He gently stroked the crimson hair back from Sasha’s face, and it was the incubus’ turn to lean into his touch.
Nathan smiled and drew Sasha to him across the table, gently but firmly kissing him on the lips. “Don’t ever think I regret this, that I’d take it back. And never think for one second that I’m ashamed of you. I mean, who could be? You’re adorable. And baby…I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”
“Pretty sure?” Sasha raised an eyebrow.
