Page 31 of Dead Air
10. Repairing the rainwater filter after it “accidentally” fell off.
“You know what you need?” Cenn asked as he ran up the steps and got the cabin’s door for Niall.
He cast a wary glance at Cenn as he passed. “Normally,I’dsuggest sex, but I think we found my daily limit. ”
Cenn shook his head. “I wasn’t going to suggest sex.” He was. “You need a long, hot bath and a massage. I can workon dinner while you soak and feed you after the massage,” he suggested with a lift of his brows. He scooped Niall into his arms and danced him toward the bed so he could rest while Cenn got everything ready.
“Maybe later.” Niall wiggled out of his grasp and went to close his curtains. “Enough stalling, Cenn. You promised you’d show me what you look like.”
“Was I stalling?”
“Cenn.”If his tone wasn’t warning enough, the stubborn twisting of Niall’s lips confirmed that Cenn’s time was up.
Cenn sighed and booped Niall’s nose. “You’re adorable when you run out of patience. Did you know that?”
“Then I’m about to bereallyadorable. Stop stalling.” The tapping foot and crossed arms were precious too but Cenn kept that to himself, not wanting to set Niall off.
“Alright!” Cenn said and shushed to calm him.
Niall pointed firmly at Cenn. “No tricks!”
“Um.” Cenn gestured at himself. “This is a trick. Tricks are all I do,” he reminded Niall, making him stomp a foot.
“On me,”he clarified. “Don’t play any tricks on me so I’m not scared or I forget if I do get scared. I’ll get over it on my own.”
He was so marvelously brave, psyching himself up and preparing to comfortCennif he was as hideous as Niall imagined. “Oh, Niall…” Cenn had to kiss him. “My sweet Niall,” he groaned as he tipped Niall’s face back and claimed his lips. There was a strange, new tickle deep, deep, deep in Cenn’s chest. It was the faintest, tiniest flutter, like he might sneeze but from the inside, deep in the middle of his being. Cenn had no idea if it was good or bad but he knew that Niall wouldn’t turn on him if he was ugly. “I’m not capable of love but you make the place where my heart should be feel less empty.”
Niall grabbed the front of Cenn’s shirt, twisting it and blinking back tears. “I swear, if you’re just saying this to?—!”
“I’m not,” Cenn stated and kissed Niall until he was breathless. “Are you ready?” he asked, earning a rapid nod from Niall.
“I’m ready and I won’t let you down.”
“You couldn’t.” There really was no point in delaying any longer so Cenn set Niall away from him and took a few steps back. “Now, keep in mind that this is only one of many forms I can take, if you find this unacceptable.”
“But it’s therealyou, right? I want to accept you for who you really are, not just the body you created to make me like you,” Niall verified.
“Why, if you don’t have to? I can hide my true form when I’m with you, it’s not hard,” Cenn said and didn’t understand why Niall found the idea upsetting.
“I’m not worried about the effort, Cenn.” Niall’s head cocked as if it was obvious. “You can’t love someone unless you accept them for who they are, inside and out.”
“Love me? Do you think you could?” Cenn asked, his voice cracking as the tiny tickle in his chest grew stronger.
“Maybe.” Niall’s shoulders bounced and he turned red. “I might already, a little,” he mumbled, then cleared his throat. “If you stop stalling and show me. I won’t cast you out if you look ancient or scary.”
“You say that…” Cenn said, then held up a finger. “We aren’t talking about hiding scars or a missing eye or a humpback. This isn’t about being shallow or open minded, it’s about seeing the face of darkness.”
“Cool. So let’s see it,” Niall said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve been snooping around in my life and my dreams for months, it’s my turn to see what you’re really like. I want to know exactly what I’m getting into.”
Cenn threw up his hands. “Fine! I’ll show you, but if I sense that you’re scared, I’ll change back and you’ll never have to see it again.”
“Okay. But I won’t be,” Niall insisted and took a deep breath, bracing himself.
“Sit on the bed. I’m going to darken the room and slowly lighten it.” That way Cenn would appear gradually and Niall wouldn’t be hurt if he fainted.
He hesitated but Niall eventually backed away and dropped onto the bed. His head snapped up and he looked around the room as Cenn blocked all the light in the cabin, plunging them into absolute darkness.
“That’s a little scary,” Niall whispered, his voice a tiny squeak.
