Page 49 of Rarely Pure and Never Simple
"For God's sake, McKenzie, he's a grown man. He says when he's had enough."
Shudder took a step closer, crowding belligerently into Blaze's space. "He needs someone to take care of him. I don't know him that well and even I can see that."
"Someone like you?" Blaze closed in the last bit so they stood practically nose-to-nose. Shudder didn't have his bulk, but he nearly matched his height. In a fair fight, Blaze could take him easily. Too bad Shuds never did fight fair. "You keep your fucking hands off him and stay the hell away from him. Hear me?"
He was so focused on Shudder, on being furious with Shudder, he was shocked as hell when something shoved them apart. Damien stood between them, straight-arming them back from each other, the barest spark of annoyance in his eyes.
"Gentlemen. I suggest you set aside whatever happened in the past. If you can't get along, I'll have to ask you both to leave. Working alone is not new to me. I prefer it."
Shudder turned his bright smile on Damien. "I am sorry. I was just worried about you, and Blaze? It seems he couldn't care less."
Damien stared at him without reaction or expression. He stared so long, Shudder actually fidgeted. When he finally spoke, Damien's voice could have frozen a lava pool. "I might be mentally unstable, but I'm not an invalid. Please keep that in mind."
He slapped a pop-meal tube against Shudder's chest, then smacked one into Blaze as well before he stalked back to the Raptor.
"Thanks for pissing him off, jackass," Blaze spat out.
"You can always come sleep out here, Blazey."
"No fucking way. Not even if he kicks me out."
Shudder tried his all-knowing smile. "You're afraid of him. Badass Blaze is afraid of little Damien."
Blaze ground his teeth, making a serious effort to keep his fist from flying. "Irespecthim, asshole. Something you wouldn't understand."
That shut the annoying shit up. Shudder's eyes had a wounded, haunted look as Blaze turned away, and he found himself not caring. He went back to sit on the tailgate with Damien, who was already shoveling down his stew.
"Sorry, Twitch. He just gets to me."
Damien halted the progress of his fork long enough to mutter, "I don't need the apologies any more than you do. Eat your dinner."
Blaze shrugged, figuring he was forgiven since Damien still sat beside him, devouring in contented silence. Eventually he finished, did that heart-tugging thing where he stared at his empty dish with a regretful frown, then he reached out a hand for Blaze's empty dish so he could tidy up for the night.
"What happened between you?" Damien asked unexpectedly.
Shudder was across the clearing, leaning against his skimmer and staring up at the sky, far enough away not to overhear.
"I loved him. He abandoned me."
"Simple as that?"
"Variant rights were more important."
Finished fussing with their bedding, Damien plunked down next to him again. "They're not important to you?"
"Yeah. They kinda have to be when you're vari. You'd have to be an idiot to say otherwise. But not his way. And not important enough to—" Blaze snapped his mouth shut. He was only willing to share so much, even with Damien.
Damien patted his thigh and nodded. "I'm tired, Blaze. So tired. Other people's conflicts just make it worse."
Then you shouldn't have invited him along. Blaze kept this to himself, though. Was he a grown man or not? He could put up with Shudder for the duration, keep the peace, if it helped Damien. He could do this.
"How many trails are we following right now?"
"Fourteen. Some older than others."
Blaze slid an arm around Damien's waist. "Shit. No wonder you're tired. Wanna go to bed with me, handsome?"
"Blaze, don't."
