Soul Bond: Part 4

The next episode.  

It's weird how I see things in my head.  Normally, I have trouble getting onto the page exactly like I see it.  I had the same problem with this ep, but actually, it turned out a little better than I saw it.  I hope.

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4

            After a quick discussion, they decided to leave Jezebel and Marvin inside since neither animal did well in the cold and it wasn’t strictly necessary that the practitioners have their respective familiars with them for the spell.  Liam looked back over his shoulder as he led Jared outside by the hand to see both animals pressed up against the sliding glass door, staring intently.  Jezebel was equal parts relieved that she didn’t have to go outside and pissed that she was being left out.  Liam let her know that she was invaluable and that she was with him, even if she wasn’t currently wrapped around his shoulders.  He smirked when he felt her smug satisfaction come back through their link.

            Jared followed along docilely and Liam liked the feel of the man’s hand in his.  The alder was magnificent as always, though its branches were bare, and dominated the center of the backyard.  Forty feet high, it had no equal in the entire state.  Liam felt that peace wash over him that he always felt by being in its presence.  When he was close enough, he took the hand clasped in his own and placed Jared’s palm on the bark.

            “What?” Jared asked quietly, a little unsure.

            “Just,” Liam took a deep breath and smiled.  “Just soak it in.”

            Jared nodded and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and relaxing his shoulders.  A few seconds later he gasped, his eyes popping open, and shock and awe crossed his features.  Liam was inordinately pleased that he was the one introducing Jared to the wonders of the tree.

            Liam stayed close but silent as he recharged his magic to its fullest capacity.  What they were about to do was a sacred rite.  Liam was well aware the trust Jared was placing in him.  He was damned if he was going to abuse that.  This was serious business and not to be entered into lightly.  He knew that it was the best solution but that didn’t mean it wasn’t nerve wracking.  Liam took the time to center himself.  He made a silent vow to himself that he would be worthy of the trust Jared was showing.

            He waited patiently until Jared has his fill.  Liam could almost see the moment the other man had charged to his capacity.  The smaller man lifted his head and his eyes fairly glowed with power.  A small smile crossed his lips and he took a deep, satisfied breath.  Liam couldn’t help the grin that stretched his own features.  Jared was really a very pretty man.

            Liam held out his hands.  “Ready?” he asked softly.

            Jared hesitated for just a fraction of a second before he placed his palms in Liam’s.  He took another, more steadying, breath and then nodded just once.  Liam squeezed Jared’s hands to try and reassure him.

            Because Liam was the one that was initiating the bond, he directed the spell.  He put his will and desire into his magic and pushed it at Jared.  Unable to help himself, Liam watched as his magic, a sort of royal blue, reached out and wound around the other man.  For a few excruciating seconds, Liam met with resistance.  He didn’t want to push too hard, Jared had to accept it in order for the spell to work, but he couldn’t help but nudge a little.  With a bit of a gasp, Jared finally opened up.  His magic, a deep crimson, started to swirl into Liam’s.  The effect of the colors was mesmerizing.  At first, the blue and the red just danced around each other, touching but not combining.  And then, when Jared fully accepted what was happening, the colors merged.  The result was a purple the likes of which Liam had never seen.  It eddied around them both, and Liam almost lost his focus for a second watching it.  But he tuned into the spell and pulled the magic toward him, absorbing it and what it meant.

            Liam felt the bond snap into place and it nearly stole his breath it was such a powerful feeling.  Like an invisible band that connected the two men, Liam could feel it running from his chest to Jared.  A dizzying wave of emotions crashed into him; fear being the most prominent, but also a bit of regret, a whole lot of trust, determined resolve, satisfying relief, and a touch of apprehension.  And then, probably the most important feelings of all, security and safety.  Jared felt safe and Liam was stupidly proud of having provided it for him.  Knowing the bond was complete, Liam slowly let the spell go.  The purple dissolved around them.  Liam took a deep breath.

            Jared burst into tears.

            Liam could feel the relief coming off Jared in waves and he didn’t hesitate to pull the man into his arms and hold him tightly.  Jared sucked in great breaths as he sobbed, trying desperately to get himself under control.  Liam just hung on and murmured soothing words into his ear.  The man barely came up to his chest and Liam had to hunch down, but it was worth it as Jared calmed.

            “Sorry,” Jared muttered, his voice muffled by Liam’s chest.  “Sorry.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

            “There’s nothing wrong with you,” Liam assured him, not willing to let go until Jared was once again steady. 

            Finally, Jared pulled away and Liam let him, knowing it was important to him that he get himself under control.  When Jared turned away to wipe his face, Liam couldn’t help but place a warm hand on his back.  He slipped it up under the edge of the coat Jared was wearing so the man could feel his heat and know he was there.  That seemed to help settle Jared even more and a few minutes later, he was ready to go back inside. 

            Everyone had cleared out and Liam was grateful.  What he and Jared had just done had been intimate and, with the connection still new, Liam desperately wanted to get Jared home.  They needed to be alone.  It was important.  Without so much as a word, they colleted their familiars and headed outside.

            The twenty minutes it took for Liam to drive back to his place were excruciating.  He was inexplicably worried about Jared, even knowing the man was following in his own car.  Liam kept glancing in his rearview mirror to assure himself that Jared was fine, his little sedan following along.  Relief washed through him when he finally pulled into his driveway and he couldn’t be sure whether it was his or Jared’s.  Perhaps it didn’t matter.

            The instant Jared was out of the car, Liam was at his side, his hand once again finding Jared’s back underneath his coat.  It wasn’t enough for Liam and he pushed the sweater out of the way so he could feel skin.  That was better.  Warmth and skin meant Jared was fine.

            Once they were inside, Liam felt better about not having physical contact so he let Jared go and gave him a tour of the house.  The bungalow was only fifteen hundred square feet but it had been completely renovated in the three years since Liam bought it.  That was, after all, what Liam did for a living and he couldn’t not fix his own home.  The kitchen was small but functional and it opened right up into the living room/dining room combination that took up most of the space.  He gestured to the sun porch that Liam had winterized and converted to a huge habitat for Jezebel.  Down a short hallway, Liam opened doors to show the closet, the bathroom, and the spare bedroom where Jared would be staying. He could tell that Jared found the place lovely and that pleased Liam immensely.  After they poked their heads into Liam’s room, right across the hall from the guest room, they wandered back into the living room.

            “I want you to make yourself at home here, okay?” Liam said softly.

            Jared nodded and stood anxiously at the edge of the room.  He wasn’t sure what he should do, he was overwhelmed by everything, and Liam gave him a soft smile.  Plopping down onto his overly wide couch, he held out his arms.  Jared hesitated for a moment, his anxiety spiking, before he rushed across the room.  Liam took his hand and pulled Jared down to sit right next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and tucking the man close to his side.  Jared snuggled in.

            “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Jared repeated in a whisper.

            Liam gave him a little squeeze.  “I told you, there’s nothing wrong with you.  Once the bond settles into place, you’ll feel more like yourself.  Until then, we’ll get through it.  Which is something we probably should talk about.”

            Jared’s head jerked up, nearly clipping Liam’s chin.  “What do you mean?”

            “For a while, a few days at least, you’re going to want to be close to me.  And I’m going to want you there.  Which is fine because I’m not going anywhere,” Liam said.  Then he sighed, “Unless I get called to a job.”

            “What do you do?” Jared asked quietly.

            “I’m a painter.”

            Jared leaned back a little so Liam could see his face.  The confusion made his brow scrunch in an adorable way.  “Like with canvas and those little tubes of paint?”

            Liam chuckled and shook his head. “Like with drywall and big gallons of paint.  I work for a company that does home renos.”

            Jared nodded, taking that in.  He settled back against Liam’s side.  Liam found he really liked him there.  A big part of that was due to the bond, sure, but Liam also liked the way the man fit against him.

            “So what will we do if you get called in?” Jared asked after a long moment of silence.

            “Well,” Liam drawled out the word, considering.  “I supposed we’ll see how we both feel.  If we’re okay with you staying here, we can do that.  If not, you’ll come to the site with me.”

            His words surprised Jared and made the man a little bit worried.  “Will that be a problem?  I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

            “It’s not a problem,” Liam was quick to reassure.  “By the time I get called in, it’s just me and another guy, Lucas, working on the painting.  And he won’t care if you’re there as long as you aren’t in the way.”

            Jared’s nerves spiked and Liam rushed on.  “You won’t be in the way, Jared.  I promise.  Besides, they all know I’m a practitioner and Jezebel is always at my side.  They’re used to it.  And Lucas is a practitioner, too.  If I tell him what’s going on, he’ll be more than fine with it.”

            “Okay,” Jared whispered.  He still wasn’t sure, Liam knew, but there were no words that Liam could give him to make him feel better.  Time would be the only thing that really proved to Jared that he was safe and not in the way.  Liam tried anyway.

            “It’s going to be fine, Jared.  We’ll work this out,” he said firmly but kindly, dropping a kiss on the other man’s head.  He let Jared know just how confident he felt about that and the man in his arms relaxed a little, his tension easing a touch.  Liam smiled.

            They were going to be just fine.

            For the fourth time in as many hours, Liam woke up feeling anxious and restless.  He couldn’t pin point the reason why and he turned over yet again to try and find a comfortable position.  He never had any trouble sleeping so this was a new experience for him.

            Suddenly, he sat upright, feeling like a fool.  He blamed the fact that the bond was less than twelve hours old and that was why he didn’t recognize it for what it was.  He wasn’t feeling anxious and restless, Jared was.  It was his job to take care of the man and he was already failing.  Sighing at his own stupidity, he got up and padded across the hall to check on Jared. 

            Cracking open the door slowly, Liam peered into the dim room.  Jared was sleeping, but not peacefully.  The sheets and blankets were twisted around his body in a confining manner.  His hair was matted with a  bit of sweat, his face frowning even in sleep.  Poor guy.  Liam needed to do better by him.

            Walking into the room, he started to untangle the blankets only to have Jared jerk awake and come up swinging.  Liam was bigger and faster and he had no trouble stopping the punch.  Jared’s panic invaded his senses and Liam sent soothing and reassuring thoughts down their link.  Within a moment, Jared settled, his whole body sagging in Liam’s hold. 

            “Sorry.  Didn’t mean to wake you,” Jared muttered, feeling stupid. 

            Liam sighed.  “Stop apologizing.  It’s my fault.  I shouldn’t have left you alone when the bond is so new and you’re still so overwhelmed.”

            Jared quickly jerked out of his hold.  “I’m fine.”

            “Mhmm,” Liam said with an amused smirk.  He held out his hand for Jared to take but the man stared at him like he was crazy.  With another sigh, Liam reached out, grabbed him, and hauled the smaller man over his shoulder.  Jared gave a squeak and his hands scrabbled on Liam’s back seeking purchase.  Liam didn’t respond to the protestations Jared was giving.  He just walked back across the hall and dumped Jared into his bed.

            Jared gave him a shocked glare and tried to get up but Liam was done with interrupted sleep.  Jared needed to know that he was safe and it was up to Liam to make him feel that way.  He slid into bed and grabbed Jared tight.  The man struggled for a moment.  Liam rolled until Jared was half underneath him and looked directly into his eyes.

            “Knock it off.  We both need this.  Nothing is going to happen but sleep.  Relax, Jared.”

            The man must have felt Liam’s sincerity through the bond because he immediately ceased his efforts to escape and collapsed back against the mattress.  Liam held his position for a few minutes longer before he was certain that Jared had given in.  When he was sure, he let go and flopped onto his back on his side of the bed.  With a yank and a bit of shuffling, Liam had them both covered.  He let Jared wiggle away from him until he was on the other side of the bed, practically hugging the edge.  That was fine.  As long as Jared was in the bed, they would both know he was safe and would both sleep more soundly. 

            When Liam woke the next morning it was to find Jared clinging to him like a barnacle.  Liam smiled.  That worked, too.

 
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