ZEDD - FOUR DAYS LATER
"Finally." I sigh in relief as the castle comes into sight. Technically, it's the middle of the night, so Thomas' promised hello will have to wait for morning, especially given how exhausted I am.
"No kidding, I feel like the trip back took longer than our time spent on the planet." Pina lands the ship as quickly as she can. She's just as exhausted as I am, if not more so.
"Given how little we slept I'm not surprised. Thank you again, Pina. She wouldn't have made it without you."
She waves this away. "Don't mention it, Zedd." Shutting everything down and stretching as she finally leaves her seat, she looks to our bags before shaking her head. "I suggest that we just leave everything in the ship and we can get it tomorrow."
Even though I would like to give Thomas what I brought him, I really have no desire whatsoever to dig through our bags for it right now. "Agreed." We exit the ship and head for the living area. "I'm a little hungry, but not hungry enough to hunt up some food."
"Me either. I'll ask Dar to just bring us up breakfast in the morning."
"Sounds like a plan." Well assuming he can even manage to wake me up that is.
"Good night, Zedd."
"Night Pina." We separate - Pina headed for Dar's room while I head for mine. Right now, I'm so tired all I want to do is strip out of my clothes, climb into bed, curl up with Thomas and go to sleep. I've almost reached my room when I realize that the door is open and the room is dark. Where in all the hells would Thomas be at this time of night? I look in the room and see that my pillow and the comforter are missing.
Thomas must have had a nightmare while I was gone. Damn it, I was afraid that would happen, but at the same time hopeful that I'd be wrong. So, where is he? With Dar? In his old room? I sigh, not really looking forward to hunting for my mate tonight, but knowing I need to find him or else be unable to sleep from worry. "Zedd!"
I spin at Pina's voice. "What's wrong?"
"Dar's not in his room - or mine."
I frown. "Thomas isn't in ours either."
We exchange a look and begin tracing our bonds to our mates. Together we head down one floor, down the hall and around the corner to what the humans would call a 'recreation room'. On rare occasion, Pina, Dar and I would watch movies in here, but we haven't really bothered to use it since I brought Thomas to stay with us. The only light in the room is coming from the television. On the couch are our missing mates, Dar in the corner and Thomas stretched out on the rest with his head resting on Dar's lap. A closer look shows me that Thomas is wrapped around my missing pillow, face pressed into the fabric and the missing bedding wrapped around him. Well I will at least hand it to Dar, I asked him to watch over my mate and, despite any lingering dislike of the Ranger, he has clearly done exactly that. Still though, I can't help feeling bad that it came to this. After all, how many nightmares did he have that Dar felt it necessary to guard him while he slept? "Oh, Thomas."
Hearing my rather sad tone, or perhaps just able to feel my worry though our bond easier now that I'm home, he sighs in his sleep, muttering my name into the pillow. Dar cracks one eye open, yawning but otherwise remaining where he is. "Carefully, Zedd. He's not been sleeping well and has startled easily when woken from recent dreams."
Pina runs her fingers through Dar's hair, earning her a smile. "I missed you."
"Missed you too" Dar agrees before tilting his head back just enough to accept a kiss from his mate. "Missed my bed as well."
I crouch next to Thomas. "Thomas, love, I'm home."
I reach out to caress his hair as well when his eyes snap open, sudden fear filling them as he jerks back and then tries to scramble away from me. "I'm sorry!"
Startled by his reaction as that was not what I was expecting in the least, I move to take him in my arms and assure him he's safe, only to be stopped by Dar.
"Don't move, Zedd!" Dar barks. He turns his attention to my mate. "Easy, Tommy. It's not a dream. Zedd's really home and everything's all right. You didn't do anything wrong. Nobody's going to hurt you. Nobody's angry at you."
My heart sinks at Dar's reassurances to my mate. He's been dreaming that someone's going to hurt him again? He'd been doing so well, I had hoped that he wouldn't have had any nightmares in my absence. Guilt weighing down on me, I turn my attention to Thomas as he becomes more alert. "Thomas, it's okay, it's me, I'm home now. You're safe mate."
He anxiously searches my face for a minute before it seems to register that I'm really here, although when he does it's almost as if a switch is suddenly flipped in his mood. "Zedd!" he cries happily as he throws the covers off. I barely have a moment to brace myself before he's in my arms and kissing me fiercely. I'd almost think that I'd gone to war for years instead of to help a friend for a few days, the way he's acting. He finally lets me up for air and smiles at me. "Welcome home."
I smile back. "If I wasn't so exhausted, I'd go out and come back in again just for that greeting."
"I missed you."
"I missed you too. I see Goldar kept you company though. Are you all right?" Still worried about his initial waking fear and the fact he did have to seek Dar out or vice versa so he could sleep, I look at him closely for a minute, trying to determine how little rest he's actually gotten.
"We were watching a movie and I must have fallen asleep." Something about his tone and how he is now avoiding direct eye contact with me leads me to believe it's not as simple as that, though I'm not sure if I should really push it or not.
"Well if you're done with your movie, how about we head off to bed?"
"Bed huh?" Suddenly looking interested and giving me a rather telling grin, I know exactly where his mind is. "Ready for that welcome back I promised you?" If only I could.
"As much as I'd like to say hello properly, I'm just too exhausted. Would you mind terribly, Thomas, if we just go to bed and sleep?"
Looking a touch disappointed he however gives a nod very likely still a bit tired himself. "Sleep now, hellos later," he agrees.
I raise my hand to brush it through his hair and am startled when he flinches. "Thomas?"
"Sorry, just…guess I'm more tired than I thought." He doesn't quite hide his guilty look as he gives me a quick peck on the mouth before turning to retrieve my pillow and the cover from the bed. As he heads for the door, he addresses the other couple. "Thanks for watching TV with me Dar. See you guys in the morning. Welcome home, Pina."
I shoot a questioning look at Dar as I move to follow my mate, who is already out of the room. His expression is unreadable. "I think the expression, Zedd, is 'kid gloves'."
"That bad?"
Sighing and stretching the kinks out of his neck and back he shakes his head. "Let's just say this isn't the first night we've spent in here."
"Goldar!" The former Ranger is in the doorway and looking at him furiously. "What the hell?"
Dar looks at him calmly. "I promised nothing and I've said nothing. What you choose to tell your mate and what you choose to hide from him is still entirely up to you. Though if you want my personal opinion I'd would advise you to tell him just what has had you getting so little rest these past few days as he might be able to put your mind more at ease for the next time he has to venture out for a few days on business."
Thomas throws a glare at him and stalks out of the room, muttering under his breath. I hurry after him, feeling like sleep is going to have to be put off for a little while longer. Or perhaps the conversation should be delayed? After all, I've discovered that trying to talk to him about things like this when he's angry rarely go well.
Once in the room, he tosses my pillow in its place and, without a word, I help him replace the covers. However, a quick look at the sheets before he covers them tells me that he's at least been trying to sleep in our bed before going to Dar. I strip out of my clothes and climb into bed, commenting, "Come on, Thomas. Now that I'm finally home, you aren't going to make me sleep by myself, are you?"
He reins in his temper and pulls off his shirt and sweatpants. "No, of course not." He gets in bed and curls up against me. As I put my arm around him, he sniffs me curiously. "Zedd? Why- why do you smell like- Pina?"
Without thinking, due to the fact that I'm already almost half asleep, I reply, "Her ship only has one bed, Thomas." The low growl brings me back to full wakefulness just in time to restrain him from leaving our bed. "We didn't sleep together, Thomas. We were sleeping in shifts - and short ones at that."
"I don't like you smelling like her." He regains control of himself - kind of - at least enough to keep him from leaving the room. He rolls on top of me and kisses me with bruising force. I realize that - this time - the bond is screaming at him to remove her smell from me.
In spite of my exhaustion, my body responds to his aggressive overtures. "Easy, mate. Nothing happened, just like with you and Dar, it was just where I had to sleep given the situation."
Only getting a louder growl in response I'm about to suggest that I grab a quick shower when he works his hand between us, stroking me hard and fast for a minute before doing something and then I feel him pressed against me. "Mine" he growls before latching his mouth on my neck and thrusting into me before I even have time to contemplate the entire situation.
"Yours" I gasp back in agreement and oh by the hells the powerful lunges are going to undo me completely. "Thomas, yes!" He releases my neck and takes my length in hand, stroking in time to his movements.
He leans in close and claims my mouth for another hard kiss. The low snarl/hiss of "Now" accompanied by the hard, deep thrusts push me over the edge. Maybe I should go away more often.
"Ugh, you're going to kill me one day, you know that right." Now exhausted for an entirely new reason it's all I can do to keep awake long enough to make certain he's regaining control of his instincts.
"Good way to go." And isn't that the truth. He cleans me up with long swipes of his tongue as he backs out, still hard. When he's done, he curls up with me, yawning. "Sleep now."
Struggling to stay awake, I reach for him. Some corner of my mind is worried about him having denied himself release again. The worries dissipate immediately when I touch him and realize that he's softening. He must have made it with me and it disappoints me that I missed it, being too lost in pleasure. Still, knowing that he's not actually denying himself allows me to relax completely and in moments I'm asleep.
