Page 62 of Suffer No Fools
They fit together easily for their morning routine, sharing the paste Efren had left in the drawer beneath the basin. Finished and minty fresh, they headed outside into the mist. The air felt close, like one of Hannah's manufactured fogs, but the light rain fell beyond the deck above them, tapping against the wood and onto the paving stones with a gentle melody.
Hugo grinned as he accessed his power. Tovey could almost feel the warmth in the air between them as he heated the water. Steam rose from the top after a moment, their sign to climb inside.
Hugo sat in the middle, with Stan to his left and Tovey to his right. Tovey stared out at the pool for a few moments, wondering where his parents and brother would celebrate Solstice, and if they were all right. He questioned if his little brother even remembered him. He'd seen Cenric across a tavern in Rodan once, but he'd been too afraid to say hello. What if he was mistaken, and that wasn't him, after all?
No, he was certain. That had been him. Same green eyes and golden hair as ever, same scar across his left cheek where Tovey had accidentally caught him with an air weave when they were kids. Same dimple in his chin, a family trait. Tovey's wasn't as pronounced as the ones in his cheeks when he smiled, but he couldn't deny it existed when Hugo slotted his thumb there and turned his head for a kiss.
"You were far away," Hugo said.
"Thinking of my family."
"You're lucky they got away." Stan's voice sounded rough and strained. His family had died on the island after a horrible storm. It had been early in Tovey's tenure aboardStarlight Specter.They'd been docked in Luminest, warm and sunny, while Aquarion had suffered her worst storms in years. So close, but so far away.
"That was the year we picked up Hannah," Tovey said. "We haven't had a storm like that since."
"Are you saying Hannah caused the storm?" Hugo asked.
"Not at all." Stan's tone was warm and gentle as Hugo rested his head on his shoulder. He kissed Hugo's hair. "We've wintered here every year since. Hannah's a fucking gift."
"I agree," Hugo said, turning more fully toward Stan. Their lips locked in a sensuous kiss.
"Aye." Tovey had seen a little something in the pile of riches from Glamiere they might like, but he'd forgotten to add it to their stash for the crew. He would look for it again before the banquet started.
Guilt made him pause in his glee. He hadn't asked permission to give Hugo's gifts to Hannah. He had every intention of asking, but Hugo was still kissing Stan.
"It will be from all of us."
Tovey nearly leaped out of the tub at Hugo's voice in his head. Hugo and Stan were still lapping at each other, their kissing noises loud over the rush of the tub water.
"How are you talking to me in my head?"
"I'm not ..."
Stan jerked back, hitting his head on the side of the tub and cursing. "Fuck's sake, what was that?"
"I am?" Hugo asked aloud.
"You are," Tovey said. "That's ... weird."
"Not if we have a bond." Hugo clasped his hands beneath his chin. "Yay!"
"We don't have a bond," Stan said. "It's too soon, and none of us are telepathic."
"Klaus was right." Hugo leaned his head back against the tub and sighed. "You are the fun killer."
"Fun killer!" Stan lunged for Hugo, shoving him back into Tovey, who caught him around the arms and hoisted him intohis lap to keep his head above the water. Stan proceeded to tickle him until they were all three breathless from laughing. Then, his touches turned into something gentler and more heated, and Tovey added to the fun by kissing along Hugo's neck, following the trail of marks he'd put there the night before. His cock was already hard, but it could wait while he and Stan worked together to make Hugo feel good.
Tovey helped Hugo to his feet in the middle of the tub and held him there while Stan bobbed on his cock, his chin sinking beneath the water each time he took Hugo to the back of his throat. Tovey rubbed his index finger along Hugo's tight entrance, not wanting to hurt him.
Hugo came down Stan's throat with a moan and sagged back against Tovey. He tugged Tovey to his feet by his hair until they were kissing, sloppy and wet and needy. When Stan stood up, Hugo clung to him instead, wrapping his arms around Stan's neck. He pulled him in for a kiss that made him moan again. Fuck's sake, Hugo was eager for more already.
"Breakfast," Tovey reminded his lovers. He hopped out of the tub and dried off with a towel and a bit of air. They still had a loaf of paradise fruit bread from Tim and a tin of berries Hugo had picked from the bushes along the side of the house earlier in the week. He set them on the table and scrounged through the cupboards for anything he might have forgotten.
"We don't need an enormous meal," Stan said, motioning for him to sit down. "We'll have the banquet tonight, and Bea will send us home with enough food for a week."
Tovey took the chair beside Stan and leaned over to kiss him and steal his piece of bread.
"Get your own!" Stan stole it back with an earth weave that dissolved it in Tovey's hand and rebuilt it on Stan's plate. Tovey's hand wasn't even sticky from the residue.
