Page 49 of The Goblin Twins
A’bbni shook his head, swiping at his cheeks that tingled from crying. “A member of the royal family should be better able to hold their emotions.”
“Fuck that,” Lai replied, rolling his eyes and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to A’bbni. “You are a goblin first, and a prince second. You’re allowed to have emotions. Especially after all the shit you and your brother have gone through.”
A’bbni nodded, swiping tears off his face with the offered handkerchief. “Thank you,” he said softly, and Lai gave him a smile back. Without realizing he had moved, A’bbni suddenly leaned back into Lai’s arms, reaching up lightly to touch the tanned cheeks, and pressed his lips to Lai’s.
Lai jumped and pulled back, standing up quickly, and A’bbni scrambled to his own feet, flushing as he backed up a step. “I… I’m sorry!” he said quickly before realizing in his haste he had said it in Hanen-sha and quickly switching back to Cserethian again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
Lai shook his head quickly, shoving a hand through his blond hair like he didn’t know what to do with it. “No, that… It’s not…”
A’bbni swallowed. “I… I don’t even know if you… if you like... I shouldn’t have done that.”
“It’s all right,” Lai said, his own cheeks going red. “I… Your brother didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?” A’bbni asked.
Lai cleared his throat, glancing up at A’bbni through his lashes. “I, uh… I was married. He… he died last year.”
“I’m so sorry,” A’bbni said softly. “I didn’t know.”
Lai shook his head. “You wouldn’t know if Shi’chen didn’t tell you.”
“Do you… want to tell me about him?” A’bbni asked.
“I will,” Lai said softly. “But we should probably get back to your brother before he comes looking for you himself.”
A’bbni nodded. If Shi’chen had been worried enough to send Lai to find him, he’d be even more worried if he and Lai did not come back in a reasonable time. “Yes, of course,” he said, giving Lai what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “Thank you for telling me.”
Lai shrugged. “I just don’t want you to think that you… that I… I mean…” His face reddened again. “I just… haven’t kissed anyone… since Talen died.”
“I understand,” A’bbni said softly. “I shouldn’t have, I’m sorry.”
In response, Lai stepped in and wrapped his arms around him, gently pressing his lips to A’bbni’s again. The goblin melted into the embrace, letting his lips linger on Lai’s as he wrapped his arms around Lai’s chest, holding him close.
After a few moments, they both pulled back, and A’bbni’s ember-orange eyes met Lai’s beautiful green ones. “We… we should get back.”
“We should,” Lai agreed before their lips met again, hungrier this time, A’bbni’s fingers gripping the back of Lai’s shirt while the half-elf’s hands slid up to lightly tangle in A’bbni’s hair. Both were breathless when they finally pulled away. Lai flushed as he gazed down into A’bbni’s face. “Will Shi’chen be jealous? I will not turn brother against brother for my affections.”
A’bbni warmed at that, giving Lai a shy smile. “I don’t want to speak for him, but probably not,” he said softly. “He has never found any sort of… affections appealing.”
Lai nodded slowly, reaching down to take the handkerchief and brush it under A’bbni’s eyes, clearing away the remaining traces of tear marks there. “Are you all right? Truly?”
A’bbni nodded. The last few terrible hours suddenly did not seem quite as terrible with Lai gazing into his eyes like that. “Yes,” he said, squaring his shoulders and tossing his head so his ponytail hung straight down his back. “Thank you, Lai.”
Lai gave him a bright grin. “I haven’t done anything, Your Reverence.”
“You have,” A’bbni insisted, reaching up to touch his cheek lightly, then met Lai’s lips once more with his own for the briefest moment. Then he pulled back, missing Lai’s warmth as the wind suddenly picked up, and he realized how cold he was without him. “Let us go let my brother know we’re all right before he does something stupid.”
They made their way back into the house, Lai trailing half a step behind him. A’bbni made his way up the stairs, over to Shi’chen’s closed door. He glanced back at Lai and shyly reached to take the half-elf’s hand in his. Lai smiled and tangled their fingers together, giving them a soft squeeze. A’bbni took a deep breath and then knocked lightly on Shi’chen’s door.
It took longer for Shi’chen to answer than he would have anticipated; A’bbni was expecting his brother to be waiting by the door for their return, but evidently, he had not been. When the door finally opened, his brother’s eyes met his, and A’bbni was startled to see that Shi’chen’s eyes were rimmed red from crying. “I-sha,” he said softly, reaching up to touch his cheek.
Shi’chen just wrapped his arms around A’bbni’s neck and pulled him in for a close hug. A’bbni wrapped his free hand around Shi’chen’s waist, holding him close. “I’m sorry,” Shi’chen whispered in his ear. “I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not,” A’bbni insisted, pulling back to look at him, and Shi’chen’s eyes drifted down to see where A’bbni’s hand still clutched Lai’s. He smiled just a bit, looking up at A’bbni and then at Lai, but he didn’t say anything, just pressed his forehead to A’bbni’s lovingly.
“I’m sorry I tried to control you. I had no right.”
“I know why you did,” A’bbni soothed. “I’m sorry for being angry.”
