Siku’s mouth opened, and Aputi braced for the question he knew had to be coming. After all, why would Aputi do such disreputable work and yet hide it from the person he cherished most? It was a question Aputi asked himself in the darkest hours of night when he couldn’t sleep. It was also the same question he would set aside, telling himself one day it would be better, and he could honor his father’s hardworking legacy and his mother’s struggles. Until then, he’d simply make do with the skills he had while he was responsible for them.
The sound of soft footsteps coming down the dim hallway snapped Siku’s mouth shut instantly. Trying not to look too relieved, Aputi turned to his mother. There was more color in her cheeks than there’d been when Aputi had left the morning before. The medicine he’d bought was working its magic, alleviating the weakness the plague had left.
Warmth and curiosity mingled in her dark eyes as she looked at Aputi and then to Siku. The curiosity flickered for a moment, and Aputi sighed when he saw her brow raise ever so slightly in interest. If there was one thing his mother loved, besides making sure the house was well taken care of for him when he returned, it was trying to interfere in his love life. He knew that twinkle in her eye, and he wondered how long it would take before she started dropping hints.
Aputi stepped out of her way, motioning to her. “Siku, this is my mother, Ainu.”
Siku took her hand, kissing the top of it gently. “It is my pleasure to meet you milady.”
Her laugh was warm. “Milady? Ainu will do just fine, thank you. I don’t think Aputi has brought someone quite as well-spoken and mannered as you home before…or as handsome.”
Aputi sighed. “Ten seconds Mom, that’s a new record.”
“I’m not allowed to comment on his good looks? I’m old, let me have my fun.”
Aputi cocked a brow at Siku. “For the record, she’s not even fifty.”
He couldn’t blame Siku for the bemused smile on his face as he looked between mother and son. Siku’s relationship with his parents sounded far more formal, or at least that was the best Aputi could discern from the man’s vague comments. It was probably surreal to watch a casual conversation happen between a child and parent.
Siku recovered gracefully, however. “Forgive me, while I know it’s terribly impolite to comment on a lady’s age, I would have figured her for half that many years.”
Ainu smirked. “You know what they say about flattery?”
“I am told that it gets you nowhere,” Siku said, apology heavy in his voice.
“Well, they’re full of shit, because, in this house, it gets you an extra serving of dessert.”
Aputi didn’t think Siku’s eyes could get any wider as he stared at Ainu. The poor man’s eyes dragged to Aputi, a plea in his expression as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to say. For a moment, Aputi considered letting Siku flounder as he tried to desperately figure out what he could do or say in the face of his mother. It was something he had done with any friend he’d dragged along with him before, but in the end, his pity won.
“I see you actually took your medicine and had a nap or two today,” Aputi said wryly.
“Amazing what I can get done when I don’t have you following me around all day, telling me to sit.”
Aputi grinned. “Maybe you should listen to me more often.”
His mother stepped close to him, her eyes still glinting with that light of humor and sharp wit. While his mother had never been strong of body, even before getting ill, she had always possessed a sharp tongue and even sharper mind. It was something his father had always been proud of, his vibrant and clever wife. It had always made Aputi swell with pride when his father would say his son looked like him, but took after his mother in every other way. It felt like a badge of honor, having somehow taken after both his parents.
Instead of a quip or a comment, however, his mother stood on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek gently. Aputi blinked, amused as ever by his mother’s ability to keep him guessing.
“It’s good to have you home again Aputi, even if it’s only for a little while. It feels more like home when you’re here,” she told him softly.
Aputi drew her into a hug, burying his face in her thick hair. She smelled of the incense she liked to burn, and the slight hint of the flowery perfume she’d worn for as long as Aputi could remember. It was the one extra expense for herself, his mother would allow him to purchase, and he never wasted the opportunity to find a bottle of the perfume whenever possible.
She patted his cheek as she drew away. “Now you two come in and sit. The stew should be almost already.”
Aputi raised a brow, smiling. “I thought you weren’t expecting me home anytime soon.”
Ainu snorted, making her way back down the hallway. “You can be gone for days at a time, I never know when to expect you. But you can bet I’ll always make sure there’s a hot meal waiting for you, or easily warmed, when you come home. Now come sit.”
Aputi grinned at Siku. “Happy you insisted on meeting my mother?”
Siku blinked, mouth stretching into a wide smile. “I think she’s absolutely amazing.”
Aputi wasn’t sure if he should be amazed that someone as reserved and well-behaved as Siku would be charmed by his mother, or resigned. His mother had always found a way to charm those who came into her home. Perhaps she didn’t have the polish and titles Siku was used to in the people he dealt with before, but she had him warmed up to her already.
Shaking his head, Aputi gestured down the hallway. “Then we’d better go sit down before she gets even more amazing.”
Unable to eat another bite, Aputi let the carved bone spoon fall into the bowl with a clatter. Beside him, Siku had given up trying to eat long before him. The stew had been rich and filled with plenty of fish and vegetables. One of the most important things Aputi made sure he bought were the freshest vegetables he could find. A snowbound kingdom wasn’t exactly rich in fertile ground for growing, but the people found ways, with specific tracts set aside for growing, hardy plants, and careful maintenance. It wasn’t cheap, but Aputi never hesitated, anything that helped keep his mother healthy was worth every sekham.
Siku smiled. “That was wonderful, thank you very much.”
“Think nothing of it. Aputi so rarely brings anyone home anymore, so it’s a good excuse to spoil guests.”
Siku chuckled. “I imagine he doesn’t have a lot of time for socializing.”
His mother sighed. “He works hard, much as his father did. Got his looks, and his work ethic, my dutiful son who cares for his ailing mother.”
Aputi fought to keep his face neutral, but a rush of heat to his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment. His instinct to chide her for calling herself ailing was buried beneath the warmth in her voice as she spoke. It was compounded by the soft expression on Siku’s face as he turned to look at Aputi. He wasn’t sure if the look was compassion, understanding, or some mixture of those and other emotions, but Aputi couldn’t stare at it for long. It felt like trying to stare into the sun for too long, and Aputi didn’t want to end up blinded.
Aputi shifted a surviving potato around in his bowl. “She calls herself ailing, but she’s got enough energy to try to embarrass me.”
“I believe she’s done better than to simply try,” Siku said with a smile.
Aputi pointed his spoon at him. “Don’t encourage her.”
Dessert was served with a chuckle from his mother as she laid the plates with a tart on each before them. Siku eyed the plate for a moment, and Aputi could see Siku debating if he should eat more. Aputi had no such compunctions and immediately stabbed his own tart with the fork his mother had provided. It was the perfect balance of sweet and sour, bringing a low hum of pleasure from Aputi.
“Will you be staying the night this time, or are you going right back out?” his mother asked as he happily chewed.
Aputi grunted. “Mom, I really don’t wanna talk about work while I’m eating.”
“A
nd when are you going to talk about work? You’re gone for sometimes days at a time, come home at any and all hours, and always look worn out and ready to drop when you come in. I think this is the first time you’ve ever come in happy, well-rested, and with decent company.”
“I don’t have bad company,” Aputi protested.
She wrinkled her nose. “Your friend Pukak came by earlier.”
The sweet tart became bland on his tongue as he finished his last bite. He’d suspected Pukak knew where he lived, though there’d been nothing substantial. That Pukak had decided to act on the knowledge not long after Siku helped Aputi trick him didn’t bode well.
“First of all, he’s not my friend,” Aputi began.
“He was very charming, but you should tell him he needs to work on sounding more genuine. Comes off slicker than an oil puddle,” his mother remarked.
Siku sighed. “Would that I had your sense, I might have avoided my…altercation with him.”
Aputi pointed his fork at Siku. “Happens to the best of us. Pukak is a thief and liar Mom, I hope you didn’t give him too much attention.”
“He wanted to know if you’d been around lately and if you still had your ‘cute company’ with you. I would watch out Siku, I think the little man has his eye on you.”
Siku’s lip curled. “Then he may turn his eye elsewhere, for I want none of it.”
His mother eyed him. “You haven’t been getting into trouble, have you?”
“No, Mom.”
“Good, we don’t want you hurting your chances of getting back into the academy again. It wouldn’t look very good if one of their returning star students had a mark on their record.”
Siku perked up at that. “You were at the academy?”
Aputi turned his eyes down to the tart once again. “I was studying law.”
“In the hopes of becoming a judge,” his mother beamed.
“What an…interesting field,” Siku said slowly.
Aputi shot him a dirty look. The irony that a once aspiring lawman was now little more than what he’d accused Pukak of being. The difference between himself and Pukak however, was that Aputi couldn’t go to school and pay the bills. Pukak didn’t have any other obligations, he just loved tricking anyone and everyone, the more gullible and innocent, the better.
Aputi cleared his throat. “Anyway Mom, I’m sorry to do this…”
“But you have to run, another job that will take you away. I know.”
It was said so matter of fact, but it broke Aputi’s heart all the same. If there was one thing he couldn’t give his mother, it was the company she so sorely deserved. His cons and thieving kept him away from her for too long sometimes, and he worried about leaving her alone for so long. She was tough, but inevitably she was a social person who had few friends left over the years.
“We’re leaving?” Siku asked.
Aputi raised a brow. “Are you not working on the same site as I am? Or did you pick up a different shift?”
Aputi hoped Siku caught the subtle hint, he didn’t dare be blunter with his sharp-eyed and eared mother sitting right there. Siku blinked, pink flashing on his pale cheekbones, and smiled awkwardly.
“I suppose I got a little caught up enjoying your mother’s company.”
Aputi rolled his eyes. “You mean enjoying her making a spectacle of me.”
“They don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”
Aputi sighed, pushing away from the table. “And that odd sense of humor continues to show itself at weird times, of course.”
His mother smiled, gathering up their dishes. “Well, I’m glad you were able to sit down for a fresh meal this time. Maybe you can sleep in your own bed next time.”
“Mom…”
She turned, kissing his chin before resuming her cleaning. “Be safe my son.”
Siku followed Aputi to the hallway, inclining his head to her. “Thank you for the meal. It was absolutely lovely, and I hope to revisit your company again soon.”
To that, she gave Siku a hug, drawing him tight in her thin but surprisingly strong hold. Aputi smiled as he watched Siku tense and eventually give way to the gesture, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her.
“You bring yourself back here some time too,” she told him.
With a last glance at his mother, privately swearing he would make more time for her after the next job, Aputi escorted Siku down the hallway to retrieve their coats.
“Is there really somewhere to be, or were you trying to get me away from your mother?” Siku asked.
Aputi looked up in surprise at Siku’s soft tone. “What?”
“I assume you didn’t want me to be here for too long, either risking telling her more than I should or because you don’t intend to keep me in your life for too long. Not that I would blame you, all things considered,” Siku added in haste.
Aputi shook his head. “I know we don’t know each other very well, but I’m actually getting fond of you. Truth is, there’s one more job I want to do, and…well, I really wanted to ask your help with it.”
“Another scruple-less banker?”
Aputi handed Siku his coat. “Something like that, I’ll explain on the way.”
Siku took it, smiling. “You’re really becoming fond of me?”
The smart comment Aputi wanted to say died at the hopeful, eager expression on Siku’s face. He remembered how Siku had been so amazed at how casual Aputi and his mother were with one another, and how surprised and happy he’d been to be hugged by her. There was something lonely about Siku, and Aputi felt the truth fall from his lips.
“Yeah, I am.”
The man’s smile was brilliant and warm, lighting up his entire face. Aputi’s heart thumped a few paces faster, wishing they could finish what they’d started in the theatre. His fingers twitched at his side, wanting to plunge into Siku’s hair and draw him close. Reminding himself there would be time afterward, he shoved his arms into his coat and opened the front door.
“Now, let’s go have a bit of fun.”
Siku
The estate was a sprawling, beautiful affair. An ice garden spread out before the house proper, sparkling in the dying light of the setting sun. It was absolutely breathtaking, and Siku couldn’t help but pause in his fussing with the latest change in clothes to admire it.
Aputi leaned in close, his breath tickling Siku’s neck as he whispered. “Going to get moving or take in the view some more?”
Siku frowned at him. “Am I not allowed to admire the sights?”
Aputi grinned, motioning down his body. “You can admire them all you want.”
Siku blinked, taking a moment to decide if Aputi was being genuine or not. They’d come so close in the theatre to being more than friends, or at least, Siku was beginning to think of him as a friend. He’d never had a friend before, not one he could rely upon. Trust was in as short supply in the castle as sekham was in the slums. Yet, he found he trusted Aputi, and wasn’t sure if he should risk anything by trying to push the boundaries of their friendship.
Aputi chuckled. “You look like I just asked you about the meaning of life.”
In an odd way, Siku thought he almost had. Deep down, for all his enjoyment of his time with Aputi, Siku knew one day he’d have to return to the castle. His time with Aputi had taught him so much about the outside world already and built what felt like the first real friendship Siku had ever known. Yet Siku wanted to push past the line drawn between two friends.
It wasn’t just the human side which craved Aputi. Each time he looked Aputi in the eye, Siku felt his inner bear stir restlessly. It certainly didn’t help when Aputi drew close to him, allowing Siku to smell that rich, earthy smell around him. It was enticing, demanding, and Siku wondered what it would mean to give in.
“You’re an alpha,” Siku said.
Aputi’s breath caught. “And you’re an omega. What’s your point?”
Siku turned to him, watching carefully. For all his ignorance about the world
outside the castle, he was skilled in reading people. Of particular note, and pride on Siku’s part, he was excellent at reading men. Yet with Aputi, Siku found the man was both easier to read, and more difficult. The difficulty lay in Siku not knowing if he could trust what he was evaluating, or if he was seeing what he wanted to see.
What he saw in Aputi’s startled expression was the same desire Siku felt for him. The closest they’d come to expressing it had been in the theatre, and Siku still wasn’t sure if he’d been reading the situation correctly. There was so much about the culture of the city he didn’t understand, and just like with Aputi’s teasing having been meant innocently, how could Siku know if Aputi really wanted more from him?
“Am I mad, or is there something more than just…friendship and a professional relationship here?” Siku asked.
Aputi’s brow raised. “Wow, that’s forward.”
It was, but despite the burning in his cheeks, Siku didn’t regret the question. The human side of him was confused, the only thing holding the desiring bear half in check. If they were never going to be more than friends, Siku wanted to know and get it over with.
Aputi took his hand, drawing him toward the gate and out of view of the windows of the estate. In the growing shadows beneath the wall, Aputi drew him closer.
“You have interesting timing,” Aputi remarked.
Siku winced, knowing they were supposed to be making their way into the house for a small dinner. Siku was dressed in clothes ever so slightly too small for him, and he hadn’t wanted to ask where the original owner was. Aputi had disappeared for over an hour previously, reappearing with the clothes and a whole new name for Siku to use.
Aputi lay his hand on Siku’s neck, holding him in place for a moment as he gazed down at him. Siku’s breath caught as he stared into the most genuine expression of warmth and pleasure he’d ever seen someone have when looking at him. Something in his chest ached as if something heavy and large was growing within him.
“I’m enjoying being around you, and I want to keep you around as much as I can, okay? You’re fun, intelligent, and you’ve got a good head on your shoulders even though you don’t know much. You even tried to fight for my honor against some asshole who insulted me. Does that answer your question?”
Claiming the ice Prince Page 6
