After a restless night, I finally fell asleep as the sun began to rise. I’d only been asleep for a short while when I was awoken by someone slipping under the blankets behind me and snuggling up against my back. I instantly stiffened, even though the added warmth was undeniably pleasant.

This was exactly the kind of thing I had stayed up all night thinking about. How could I resist such overt affection? Did they really want me to stay? Did both of them truly feel the same as I? Their conversation hadn't left much room for misinterpretation, so I had to assume that they did. 

A part of me was so happy that I wanted to cheer. Although I had only known them for a very short time, I felt like I belonged with them. 

To be honest, I never once had an interest in taking a wife and oftentimes wondered if there was something wrong with me. Why didn't I want what everyone else seemed to want? But now, I started to wonder if this was what I had wanted all along.

Perhaps the reason I was spared was so I could make this discovery. 

Strangely, the fact that I had become interested in not just one, but two men didn’t unsettle me nearly as much as it should have. Our interactions felt natural, as did my growing feelings for them. I understood what Elio meant when he said that I fit, because they fit for me too.  

But I also knew that I had to go home. My family needed to know I had survived, and I had a responsibility to report what happened to my superiors. Trolls were usually solitary creatures, found in groups of two or three at most. A grouping of ten, possibly more, was a terrifying prospect. 

Then, I would almost certainly be assigned to join the extermination mission, since I had already been through the area. Refusing wouldn't be an option. No matter how much I thought about it, short of desertion, I couldn’t think of a way for me to return once I had left. 

Zale's words from the night before echoed through my mind. If I was leaving, then there was no point in considering it. My choice was already made for me. At most, I could bask in their momentary affection, then bid them goodbye. 

I wondered if it would be better to never know such enrapturing warmth, than to experience it and have to leave it behind. Not that the fox curled against my back was giving me much of a choice in the matter. A sly little fox, indeed.

“Bryy-yyyn,” he sang, his voice low and teasing, “I know you’re awake.”

He wrapped an arm around my waist and cuddled even closer, his chest flush against my back. Heat bloomed through my entire body and my stupid heart betrayed me once more. There was no point in pretending. There was no point in resisting either. I loved being close to him. I let myself relax, leaning into his warmth. 

“Zale thinks we shouldn’t,” Elio murmured, his breath teasing the back of my neck, “but he’s just afraid of getting hurt. I'm willing to take the risk, 'cause I think you like us as much as we like you. Am I wrong?”

He pressed his lips to the back of my neck and I drew a ragged breath, stiffening in surprise.   

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, giving me a chance to refuse.

It only took the slightest shake of my head before Elio pressed his mouth to my neck once more. His breath, his soft lips, the small flick of his tongue against my skin; every touch sent shivers rippling down my spine. 

His lips trailed lower, brushing across the exposed skin of my shoulders, suckling the tender flesh. The hand that had been gently stroking my stomach moved higher to my chest, caressing me, teasing me. His teeth lightly pressed into the skin of my nape, just as his fingers found the sensitive nubs that decorated my chest. A low moan escaped from my lips before I could stop it. 

Suddenly, I was pushed onto my back and Elio was on top of me. He looked down at me with a wild, almost feral gleam in his eyes, but when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm.

“May I kiss you, my sweet?”

Wide-eyed, I nodded. How could I possibly say no?

He leaned in, his lips hovering just above mine, giving me one final chance to pull away. I didn’t have the courage to close the distance, but I didn’t shy away either. Finally, he pressed our lips together, slow and soft, allowing me time to savor the sweetness of our first kiss. 

He pulled back and looked down at me, a soft smile gracing his lips, “Again?”

Once more, I nodded, not trusting my voice. 

His lips met mine again. He teased at my mouth, gently nibbling my lower lip before tracing his tongue along the seam of my lips, asking for permission. I parted them in response, granting him access.

His tongue was like honey as it slowly slipped inside, sliding sensually along my own. I twisted my tongue around his, accepting his gentle exploration. It was my first time kissing someone, so I was acting on instinct alone, but I did my best to follow along with his more experienced movements.  

My arms moved of their own accord, one finding the small of Elio’s back, the other sliding into his hair. He groaned against my lips and ground his hips into mine. I gave myself over to the electrifying sensations and melted into his embrace. I was so completely lost in the moment that I jumped when someone loudly cleared their throat. I instantly sat up, pushing Elio off of me in the process.

Zale stood near the doorway to the bedroom, watching us with an unreadable expression.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” he said with an eyebrow arched in Elio's direction, “but I thought we agreed to forget about this.”

“You agreed, not me,” Elio shot back with a sassy smile, “and you could have said something earlier. You've been watching us for a while.”

My entire body felt like it was on fire, but I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or excitement. Zale had been watching us? 

“Have to admit, I got distracted,” Zale replied roughly, “That wasn’t exactly what I expected to wake up to. Not that I’m complaining. I was enjoying the show.”

“Zale baby,” Elio coaxed, his lips curving in a sultry pout, “You're so far away. Why don’t you come join us? I’m certain Bryn would like it if you did.”

Zale’s gaze shifted to me. I had trouble looking him in the eye, but I still managed a small nod. Yes, I definitely wanted him to join us. 

He moved toward us slowly, his eyes focused solely on me. He looked hesitant, unsure, but he didn’t stop until he was kneeling beside me.

His face was a mix of emotions as he confessed, “Bryn, I… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want this. But honestly, I’m afraid of getting too close to someone who’s going to leave. Maybe I’m being selfish, but I’ve had enough loss in my life. I know you can’t promise us anything and I know you feel honor bound to go back, but I’m still going to ask you. Would you consider staying here with us?”

“I can't stay,” I told him honestly, “but I also can't deny what I'm feeling. You know, I thought I was a brave man, but now... I’m beginning to think I’m actually a coward. I’m just as afraid of this as you are. I don’t want to fall for you, only to have to give you up.”

“If you can’t promise to stay,” he asked hopefully, “then could you promise you’ll try to come back?”

Zale lifted a hand to my cheek, his eyes pleading. In that moment, I knew without hesitation that if there was any way for me to return to them, I would. It didn’t matter that they were beastmen, that they were already mates, or that they were both male. The war didn’t matter. The army didn’t matter.

All that mattered was that I wanted to be by their sides. 

"I will," I responsed, "come back, that is. Not just a promise to try, but a promise that I will. Once honor is satisfied, I will find my way back to you."

I leaned forward and kissed him; a long, gentle kiss, just like the first one Elio had given me. Just as I was about to pull away, the hand on my cheek slid behind my head, cradling me gently and holding me in place. Zale deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into my mouth.

It was different from how Elio had kissed me, rougher, less skilled, more primal, but I liked it just as much. Zale growled low in his throat, tasting every inch of my mouth like he was claiming me. 

“Wow…” Elio murmured as he watched us, “I understand why you got distracted earlier. That was… wow.”

Zale pulled away from me to claim Elio’s lips with the same ferocity. Watching the two of them, so familiar with each other, so loving and passionate, made something inside me ache. I wanted to be a part of that love.

When they finally broke apart, they wrapped their arms around me and we fell in a pile on the blankets. It was just as I had imagined it, laying between them, wrapped in a loving embrace.  

“This is almost perfect,” Elio stated, sounding relaxed and content.

“Only almost?” Zale asked, raising an eyebrow, "What else could my greedy little fox possibly want?"

As if on cue, Elio’s stomach rumbled, indicating exactly what was missing. 

“It’ll be perfect if Bryn makes us breakfast,” Elio declared cheekily, “Bryyy-yyyn, can you do that thing with the grilled potatoes again?”

I laughed, filled with a warm feeling of contentment, and assured him that I could.