Gentle touches to his cheeks.
Fingers that slowly comb through his hair.
If there were ever a better way to wake up, Zye wouldn’t know it until now. The soft lull back to the waking world has Zye looking up at Jace. The man lies beside him on his side, keeping Zye up against him as they sleep.
It’s…peaceful.
Something that’s both blissful and terrifying at the same time. It’s a reminder that there are other things that aren’t. For right now, at least, he enjoys getting to stare up into those silver eyes as he wakes up.
Never has he thought soul mates existed. One person made for another? That sounds too good to be true. Or too tragic should they never get the chance to meet lest tragedy befall either of them.
But this?
Zye lets out a sigh as he realizes just how much he loves this— enjoys this. This something with Jace clicked and it keeps clicking. Where all the other times he knows he fell too fast or believed too many sweet nothings and lies, this is different.
It’s right.
He’s never felt so comfortable in his own skin before while lying next to another person. For a moment, he almost dares to think maybe he is dead and this was all of his imagination.
Drawing up a hand, Zye brushes a finger along Jace’s chin. It only has the man smiling all the more.
“Good morning.”
“Mm, mornin'.”
Jace waits for Zye to stifle a yawn before asking, “What are you thinking so hard about?”
“I can’t believe I get to love you.”
Maybe it’s the fact that he’s just woken up or that he really does want Jace to know. Either way, the fact spills from his lips so effortlessly. It has Jace blissfully blinded.
“I love you, too.”
“I’m glad, cause it feels weird to say.”
Jace’s hand moves away from Zye’s hair to rub at his shoulder and travel to his waist. “How so?”
There are a million reasons he could say. Admitting it aloud makes him feel far more vulnerable than he cares to admit. Telling someone how he feels can be dangerous. He has to trust that Jace won’t use that against him or to hurt him.
Not that he’d ever think Jace would do something like that.
Still, it doesn’t diminish the angry swirl of thoughts. What does, is reminding himself that Jace loves him back.
“I’ve never said it before. Well, in this kind of situation.”
The hand on his waist slips to his back, tugging him close into a hug. Jace presses his cheek to the top of Zye’s head. “You’re being adorable this morning.”
“Wait. What time is it? I thought we were resting for a second and leaving? Why did you let me fall asleep?”
Jace lets Zye push him back. At least this way, they can see each other. It makes it easier to discern that Zye isn’t truly upset with the situation.
“I didn’t want to wake you or carry you.”
“Well…then we relax until we have to leave? When should we do that?”
“We can stay as long as you want. Up until check out time.”
Zye pouts and lifts a finger, poking at Jace’s cheek. “Liar. You’re all sweet to wake me up, but I bet you’ve been awake long enough to be making up an itinerary for us already.”
“I was, I won’t lie.” Jace shifts his face to kiss Zye’s fingertip. “There is a lot to do. If only we could get Soren separated from the other two.”
“Okay, that’s it.”
Zye shoves at Jace’s shoulder with enough force to make him roll over onto his back. Sitting over his stomach, Zye leans over Jace and cups his hands around Jace’s face.
“You’re in bed with me and you’re really going to mention his name?”
“I, uh, didn’t mean it like that.”
“I told you I could get jealous.”
The look on Jace’s face is one of worry. He’s not sure how to fix it. The pleasant morning isn’t quite going where he thought it would. Well, midday considering they stayed up talking for quite a while last night.
Chuckling, Zye sits up straight and stretches his arms high over his head. He sighs when something finally pops in his back. “Relax, I don’t care. It’s fine. I know it’s a lot and you’re right, we should get back.”
Jace stares up at him. As he goes to reach out, Zye is moving. Up and off the bed, Zye grabs the robe he had left at the end of the bed. He makes a loose knot in the tie around his waist.
Zye grabs the one Jace wore and turns back to see Jace sitting up in the bed, halfway toward him. The blankets curl around his waist with normally strong shoulders slumping ever-so-slightly.
He tried to make a joke, to lighten what is surely troubling Jace. When in fact, he knows he has to do more. He has to do what no one else did for him in any of his relationships.
Jace glances up when Zye sits back down on the bed and scoots over to him. The robe is left to the side as Zye moves. The arms slipping around his waist catch him off guard. The way Zye hugs him tight, even more so. It’s sudden.
Zye rests his chin over Jace’s shoulder. “If something is bothering you, talk to me?”
Slowly, Jace lifts his hands to steady themselves on Zye’s waist. Even though the plush material of the robe gets in the way of that.
“I will. Even so, I know there’s a time and place for these conversations. I should be enjoying our time together. I wanted this so badly and—”
“Nuh-uh. If you say you messed this up, so did I. I grew claws and dug them into your back, man. If that’s not messed up I don’t know what is.”
Jace wraps his arms around Zye’s waist, finally returning the hug.
“You didn’t mess it up either. If you pressed me, I’d say I didn’t not like it.”
“See? It’s fine. I know you’re better at the whole people thing. But I’d like to think I know you well enough when you’re upset.”
Leaning his head on Zye’s shoulder, he heaves a sigh. “Thank you…”
“Okay. I know you’re frustrated, tired, and also very happy. Maybe not looking forward to dealing with everyone, but you’ll do it and make sure everyone is taken care of.”
“Tired, hm?”
“Yeah. You know the kind. Where you’re sick of living a certain way. You want to live but not like this. Always worried about some jerk making a mess makes it hard.”
“You’re not wrong. Is that what you learned?”
Zye sits up yet doesn’t pull away. He rubs his hand down Jace’s back. “My life wasn’t normal by anyone’s standards. Still…it was easier than this right now.”
“It’ll get easier, I promise.”
Zye pokes his finger against Jace’s spine and pulls away. His hands slap down on Jace’s shoulders and push him back so that he can scold him.
“What did I tell you about those?”
“Even if you don’t like them, I’d still promise you the world every time.”
“Haah…Fine. I can promise you something and you know I don’t say that lightly.”
Jace brings his hands down Zye’s arms to catch his hands. “Do they scare you that much?”
“When a lot of them don’t come true and people say it so easily, yeah. But…you do fulfill yours at least. So…I promise I’m not just saying it.”
Jace stares at him for a moment. He thinks he knows what Zye is referring to.
“I love you.”
The soft tone mixes so well with how boldly he states it. Hearing it again has Jace’s chest squeezing. He simply can’t help himself if Zye is going to keep saying it.
Surging forward, he cups one hand to Zye’s cheek and kisses him hard. Zye can’t stay sitting up because of how Jace comes at him. He falls over onto his back with a laugh.
“You idiot.”
Jace, having gone down with him, props himself up on an elbow. His other arm is beneath Zye’s neck, having braced for the fall. He smiles down at Zye.
“I love you, too.”
Zye gazes up at him. “I’m serious, Jay. I don’t understand how everything works, but I’m here for you.”
“Thank you. Does that mean you’ll tell me everything that bothers you and makes you unhappy as well?”
“Seriously?”
Jace nods. “Try it now. Here, I’ll start. The thought of having to manage everything between us and Orion and Celeste is daunting. We have so much to do to make sure the souls in our domains are well taken care of. It’s as if I’m back on that beach facing down the Nether all over again some days wondering if I’ll make the right decisions.”
“Jay…Even if you don’t, we’ll always take care of things the best we can. You’re a good guy, you won’t purposefully let anyone down. And some things are beyond your control, right? We both know how that feels.”
Laughing, Jace finally sits up and helps Zye as well. “A good point. And you?”
Zye rubs his hands down the front of the robe. It feels good— enough to calm his nerves and focus on something.
“Alright. I’m so overwhelmed I could throw up now that we’re this far. How do I even do this job? Do you think Kerse will give me tips? I get what I’m supposed to do, but…how did they do that day in and day out without having fun?”
“She might. Orion or Celeste might be a better call for tips. And besides, we’ll have fun. I don’t want you to work yourself to a second death.”
Zye watches Jace scoot off the bed and take the robe, tying it around his body. As he begins to gather up their clothes, Zye continues.
“Do I have to interact with all the stars? I just…this is a people job. I’m not a people person. I hated customer service with a passion. I can only smile for so long without telling someone to shove it. And I know it’s for a good cause and we’re doing all this blah, blah, and blah.”
Jace chuckles as he folds and stacks their things on the end of the bed. He’s careful not to forget the wine or an extra robe for Callua.
“If you’re tired, they have to accept that. Being in a higher chair compared to the rest doesn’t mean you don’t have limits. Listen to them.”
Crossing his legs, Zye holds onto his ankles and leans forward with a cheeky grin. “If I said I need time with you?”
Jace finishes what he’s doing and strides back over to Zye. He stands at the edge of the bed. “I’d come running as soon and as fast as I can.”
“And you won’t throw a fit when I have to go on missions?”
“Small fits of worry won’t hurt you.”
Zye grins and pushes Jace away so he can stand up. Except Jace only takes a step back for him to do so, not get around him. “Ass. I guess I can handle that since you worry me plenty, too.”
“You shouldn’t. I have more than one reason to live and come home.”
“Hm…good. Glad to hear it. Cause you didn’t feel so alive when we first met.”
“In part, that’s thanks to you that I do now.”
Zye pushes his palms to Jace’s chest and hangs his head. “You’re such a handful and way too honest.”
“Wouldn’t you say that’s one of my better qualities?”
Jace holds Zye’s wrists and pulls them away, instead keeping them at their sides. Doing so makes Zye lift his gaze to meet with Jace’s. There he can see the blush already forming on Zye’s face as he answers.
“It’s one of the best. You’re still a good person either way.”
“So are you.”
“Really? Cause you wouldn’t say that if you knew about what I’d love to do to Soren right about now. Spiteful little thoughts.”
“I find them endearing. Besides, watching you get worked up for a good reason is cute.”
“Seriously? You might be as crazy as I am.”
Jace laughs and steps aside, back over to where everything is. He hoists it all up into his arms. “Why’s that?”
“Shit. Walked into that one. You’re kind of a whole meal when you’re in the zone and fighting.”
“Then I need to take you on missions with me after this.”
Zye raises a brow at that, “Like a date?”
“The date comes after.” Jace focuses and opens a portal where the door out of the room would be. “Ready to go get some fresh clothes?”
“Yeah. Some new clothes would be nice, too. Can’t wait to get to my room. I don’t know how you all don’t go crazy wearing the same thing every day. I’d lose my mind.”
“You get used to it.”
Zye strides over to the portal. For a moment, he watches the colors. It’s hard not to be intrigued by this magic. “You didn’t enjoy dressing up to come hang out with us?”
“No, not particularly. Callua helped me pick out what was right to wear and not.”
“So, I could pick something out for you?” he asks while spinning back around on his heel.
“I…don’t see why not.”
“You can do something for me too so we’re even.”
“I wouldn’t want…” Jace stops himself. Rather, the ideas in his head do that for him. “Ignore that, I’d love to.”
Zye chuckles and clasps his hands behind his back. “God, sometimes I wish I knew what you were thinking. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.”
Jace meets him by the portal and nods. Zye slips through first with Jace right behind him. Coming out in Jace’s room, Zye can’t help but stare.
He’s in complete and utter awe at what Jace has done with it. He can only imagine it’ll continue to evolve as Jace finds what he likes. Still, everything is different.
The floors are now a light wood, almost white, with a large, dark brown rug beneath the sitting area. It includes a low-to-the-floor wooden table. There are no seats, only purple and yellow patterned pillows placed all around it.
Up against the far pale yellow wall is a low-rise shelf. It’s the same dark wood as the table. On it is a stone vase with symbols carved along the base and flowers sat inside of it. Blue and purple ones— small buds all bunched together to seemingly form one large one.
Zye steps forward, glancing between the other two rooms. A door to the left that’s made of the same light-colored wood is different. The one to the right reminds him of where the cleansing area originally was. Instead of curtains, it’s sectioned off by an accordion-style door.
Jace chuckles as he strides over, setting the wine and robe on the table. The clothes he keeps under his arm. He moves for the door and opens it. “The bedroom, let’s get changed.”
Entering the larger room is breathtaking. It feels like Jace just looking at it. So very different from what was here originally.
On the wall across from the door is a billowing white curtain that Zye can only assume is to hide the closet. To his immediate right is a large bed held up to the ceiling at five different points. Each one is connected with a thick wooden bar at varying levels to create the perfect hammock.
The gray and brown bedding is topped by white pillows and what appears to be a rather fluffy white blanket. Beneath it is a violet rug with a brown trim.
Across from it, pincering the closet between them, is another type of bed. This one is a moderately sized cot placed on the ground with huge white and purple pillows propped up against the wall. It sits catty-cornered with several lavender-colored blankets laid out atop it.
Jace comes in behind him, watching as Zye stands in the middle of the room taking it all in. “Everyone else had rooms that were more…personal. Even yours back in your world had you written all over it.”
“I didn’t even do anything special. Not like this. You have a whole ass hammock! How am I supposed to get on that? Please tell me we’re not having sex on that.”
“I can help you and there are plenty of other places to have it.”
Zye spins around with a blush on his face and a playful glare in his eyes. “Seriously?” When Jace gestures at the cot, Zye rolls his eyes. “Fine, I’ll get in the damn hammock too.”
“It’s great for cuddling since you like to do that so much in your sleep.”
“I do not.”
“You do. It’s why I usually can’t slip away before you wake up.”
The Mark ambles in behind Jace to which he hands it the stack of clothing. A simple touch to its head is all it takes for it to have those vanish and a fresh stack appear in its hands. Taking them, Jace turns back to Zye. All while the Mark walks out and shuts the door.
“You’re clothes, dear.”
Zye smiles, surprised by the word, and takes his off of the pile. “Thanks.”
Jace moves over to the hammock, setting his on it so that he can strip off the robe. “I’ll probably keep adding things. Seeing that Hax kept so much from this afterlife, I want to do the same.”
“Then we’d better hurry up so you can.”
Zye joins him and begins to do the same. The fact he stands next to Jace while he takes the robe off and begins to dress means the world. Of the two of them, Jace is the first to get dressed. If only because Zye keeps sneaking glances over at Jace.
Trying to get his shirt on, Jace turns and takes his hand. Bit by bit Jace makes sure Zye’s thumb goes through the correct hole. Once he has, Zye chuckles and shoos Jace’s hands away. He reaches up and fixes Jace’s collar from where the coat has it bent under. Unfurling it, Zye smooths his hands out over it and tilts his head down.
“Thank you.”
Zye smiles down at him. “Welcome. I kind of like getting ready together. As if we’re both going off to work.”
“We technically are.”
“Okay, you don’t get it, it’s fine.”
Jace chuckles at the huff Zye lets out. “Then explain it to me.”
“The shows you’d watch with Shae. The typical little housewife stuff. I wouldn’t mind seeing you off for the day and being here when you get back.”
“That sounds really nice. But, you will be. We’ll always get to come home.”
“You’re not wrong. If anyone, I’m glad I’m in this with you.” He presses a kiss on Jace’s lips and steps back. “Ready to go? I already told Kerse I need to talk to her.”
“Let’s not keep her waiting then.”
Leading the way, Zye takes them out of the room, out into the hallway, and finally down the stairs to the first floor.
ns 15.158.61.23da2
