Page 96 of A Phoenix Reborn at Christmas
Leo took Percival’s hand and kissed his fingertips. “I’ve only lived one life. I imagine it’s pretty short in comparison to most of your lives. But I love you, Percy. And I can’t imagine loving anyone more than I love you.”
Percival leaned down and kissed him.
Chapter
Forty-Five
Leo watched as Percival cut the pastry into leaf shapes. His tongue stuck out from between his full lips. He frowned in concentration.
Leo chuckled.
“What?” Percival asked him, looking up to meet his gaze. “Is there something on my face?”
“No. You just look ridiculously cute.” Leo pecked him on the cheek.
Percival flushed as he continued cutting the pastry. “It’s nice to be working in the bakery with you again, even if it is just for one day.”
Leo placed a hand on Percival’s back, unable to stop himself from touching the phoenix. “I’ve missed working with you.”
“I’ve missed working with you too.” Percival glanced around. “It is loud though. And crowded.”
“That’s what happens on Christmas Day.”
The bakery had opened early that morning. Leo had worked, and so had Percival. They’d now closed, and the family were preparing for their own Christmas feast. His siblings and their partners moved around the bakery, baking, cooking, and chopping.
“Does this look okay?” Percival placed the pastry leaves he’d made carefully on the middle of the mushroom and ale pie.
“It looks great!”
“Are you sure?” Percival tilted his head. Then he looked at the pastry decorations Leo had made on a second pie. They’d made two large pies for lunch. “Mine is not as pretty as yours.”
Leo had also made pastry leaves. But his were far more intricate and part of a large tree design that covered the entire pie. There was also a raven sitting amongst the leaves.
“That’s because he’s been fiddling with pastry since he could hold a knife.” Jasper laughed. “When we were children, Mum would let us decorate the pies she’d bake. Remember?”
Leo laughed. “I do. I think that was the first thing Mum let us do in the bakery. Remember when we made those horrible face pies where we’d cut a mouth, nostrils, and eyes into the pastry and all the filling would spill out!”
Jasper cackled. “They were horrifying! Mum would still sell them, though, and tell every customer we’d decorated them.”
Leo and Jasper would stand beside her at the counter on a box, both swelling with pride at their gruesome creations.
“That sounds sweet.” Percival glanced between Jasper and Leo. He smiled.
And so did the krampus standing beside Jasper.
The evening before, Leo had gone to give Jasper his tea, as usual. But he’d discovered his twin’s absence. He’d panicked.
Then Jasper had returned. With the krampus named Kraghol.
Jasper had spoken to Leo briefly and told him that everything would be better now. But he’d said he was too exhausted to explain properly. However, he promised to tell Leo everything soon.
Leo was dying to know what the fuck was going on! But they hadn’t had time to talk today.
Still, even though they hadn’t spoken, Leo couldn’t help but grin as he watched Jasper and Kraghol slice dried figs. Like magic, the circles and deep lines had gone from Jasper’s face. The haunted look in his eyes had also disappeared. He laughed and smiled. Just like his old self.
And Percival had told him the strange haze that hung around Jasper was gone. Leo didn’t understand.
But as he looked at his brother, he felt lighter than he had since his brother’s accident. And if Kraghol had something to do with the abrupt changes in Jasper’s appearance and manner, then Leo would be forever grateful to him.
