“You’re wonderful,” said Fionn, and pulled Johnathan down to kiss him, heedless of the lingering taste of his own seed in the kiss.
When they broke off the kiss, Johnathan settled next to Fionn on the rug, cuddling close. Fionn tucked his head under Johnathan’s chin and sighed softly. Johnathan wrapped his arms around the smaller man and dared, finally, to run his hands down the now-furled wings. The white feathers were just as soft as he’d imagined. He let out a long, contented sigh, which Fionn echoed.
“I am so glad you happened to land at my farm,” said Johnathan softly. “And I am so glad you gave me another chance after I’d been such a fool.”
“Hush, there’s no need to speak of that again. I’m glad I came here too. This has been better than I could have hoped. You truly are wonderful.” He paused a moment, then, his heard suddenly beating faster, said “I love you, Johnathan.”
“I love you too, Fionn.”
* * * *
He had lived with Johnathan for a year as Fionn, and next to him for a year as Herb, and now, just over a year later, they stood together and surveyed their farm. The fields were beginning to green with the first planting. The further fields where a smaller farm house had once stood were now a pasture for a whole herd of goats, which Fionn tended and occasionally grumbled about.
“It’s beautiful,” said Jonathan, putting his arm around Fionn’s waist, just below his wings.
“It is,” said Fionn. “It doesn’t seem to show the sweat that went into making it that way.”
Johnathan chuckled. “Sweat never ending, it seems. Still, the load is lighter when shared. I’m very glad you-” he stopped suddenly as a whir of wings overhead made him look up.
Fionn looked up too, and scowled faintly. “Such timing. I’ll be very annoyed if I miss the rest of planting.” he said as he raised his arm for the white dove to land. Johnathan put his arm around Fionn as he read the summons, and squeezed comfortingly when Fionn sighed. “Well, duty calls. The stipend for my absence should be enough to hire a little help while I’m gone, at least. You’ll probably need somebody else to milk the goats.”
“I still have no idea what I’m doing with dairy,” Johnathan said with a grin, “So yes.” They walked together back to the farmhouse. Fionn took his saber down from where it hung over the mantle of the main room. The mail shirt was in a chest against one wall.
Armed and armored he stepped out into the yard. Jonathan hugged him again, not minding the mail coat at all, and gave him a brief but intense kiss. “Come back safe and soon,” he said.
“I will,” Fionn promised, and then with a leap and a flash of wings he was aloft. Johnathan watched as he vanished into the sky, and he smiled. Then he turned and went back to the fields. There was always more work to be done. He still loved his farm, and the work—though hard—was rewarding. When Fionn returned, though, it would be more rewarding yet, for he’d found that the one thing better than working the land he loved, was working it beside the man who loved it just as much as he.
THE END
ABOUT STEPHANIE PARK
Stephanie Park, who goes by S.Park (yes, you can just pronounce it “spark”), has been writing stories since the age of six, when she wrote and illustrated a story about Care Bears giving each other balloons. College writing courses helped grow her skills, but also made her decide that writing as a full time job just wasn’t what she was cut out for. She now thoroughly enjoys writing part time, while chasing her toddler, cats, and husband about the house. She has finished half a dozen novels, most of which were terrible and will never be published. She also writes massive amounts of fan fiction and dubious erotica, and has a complete obsession with vampires and other non-humans.
For more information, visit sparkwrite.tumblr.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
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