Page 84 of In This Iron Ground
Damien opened his mouth for a moment before huffing a slight laugh. He went to Hakan’s dresser, slipping one of his T-shirts on before moving towards Hakan. He stopped in front of his sitting form, looking down at him.
“I honestly think they thought they were helping me,” Damien said ruefully. Hakan’s frown immediately deepened.
“Don’t defend them. What they did…”
“I’m not defending them, Hakan. It’s about understanding the situation, I guess,” Damien replied. Hakan opened his mouth, but Damien shook his head. “I don’t want to fight about this,” he said, suddenly exhausted.
Hakan let out a slow breath. “Sorry. I just…”
“I get it. Thank you for the offer of murder.”
Hakan smiled slightly. He looked up at Damien for a moment before slowly lifting his hands and placing them on Damien’s hips. He pulled Damien in a step further, so that Damien was standing, pressed into the bend of Hakan’s knees. Hakan buried his face in the material of his own shirt where it hung loosely over Damien’s stomach. Damien ran his fingers through his hair.
“Fuck them.” Damien said. “I’m…we’re doing good, aren’t we? So, just. Fuck them.”
Hakan laughed slightly against Damien, wrapping his arms tighter around him.
“Yeah. You’re doing good.”
**********
The winter holidays arrived with little fanfare. It was Damien’s first semester of college, so the exams leading up to the end of the semester were minimal and pretty easy. Although he stressed about them anyway, their conclusion was overshadowed by the nervousness and excitement of returning to the Salgados for Yule.
He flew back with Hakan, Damien trying to distract him from the overwhelming stimuli of airport and plane smells and noises. He made the werewolf laugh a few times, but Hakan remained tense throughout the journey. He only truly relaxed when he sensed Cameron waiting to take them home from the airport. They hugged tightly when they reached each other. Damien stood to the side but was roped into an equally welcoming hug by Cameron’s bear arms. Damien felt something in him ease at the contact, as if he too was soothed by the renewal of pack bonds.
The welcome at home was equally as effusive. Lallo and Dee ran towards them, one latching onto each and then trading, two ping-pong balls bouncing from Damien to Hakan. Inside, Mia gave each of them warm hugs. Koko and Nadie, who had already arrived, joined in the fray until Damien forgot to be anxious at all.
The holidays swept them up. The house had remained undecorated until they arrived, and they all helped make it look like Yule was officially there. Damien hung his bird ornament on the Christmas tree with a lump in his throat.
He could never have guessed that first Christmas that he’d still be there so many years later.
Damien and Hakan kept it strictly platonic whilst they were there. Their combined scent would tip any of the werewolves off in an instant and neither of them wanted to answer awkward questions, even if Damien felt guilty for keeping it from Mia and Cameron.
He didn’t know how they would react to him sleeping with their son. Would they know he wanted more? They hadn’t invited him into the pack, so muscling his way in through Hakan was bound to unsettle them.
It was another reason out of many why sex and friendship were as far as their relationship could go.
On one of Damien’s last days there, Mia called him into the library. The anxiety he felt at the request was a reflex, but he was calmed somewhat by Mia’s smile.
“Having fun back home?” Mia asked.
Damien nodded, ignoring the disorienting use of the word ‘home’.
“Yeah. It’s great being back. The run was so fun this year.”
“Yes. I’m glad you’ve been with Hakan these past few full moons. He seemed a lot more settled this year.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Much.”
“Oh. Well, I’m glad.”
Mia’s smile widened for a moment, before settling into something a little more serious. “I actually wanted to talk to you, because I have a bit of a favour to ask.”
Damien straightened instantly. “Oh?”
“There’s a pack a short train ride away from Eketon. Their Kephale, Camille Niles, has asked for some advice regarding passing on the title to her adoptive daughter Alice. The thing is, the daughter is human.”
