#dev:zayde

He hadn’t wanted to believe Liss when she said Zayde was there but she wasn’t big on lying, not when she could do more damage with the truth. Still, Devin had hesitated, weighing the options before going down to the bar. If nothing else, Zayde generally needed a babysitter in bars and he doubted this would be any different. 

Catching sight of him made the shifter’s entire chest tight. God, he had missed Zayde and seeing him did nothing more than remind him of that. But he forced himself to shove the tsunami of emotion down and cross the room to confront him.

Zayde hadn’t even been paying all that much attention to the desk clerks attempts to flirt with him, his attention fixed entirely on Devin instead, so he was startled when the clerk made an obvious reach to touch his hand, making Zayde flinch just as quickly as Devin had grabbed the other man.

If Zayde had been alone, he would have been too timid to do or say anything, the years of abuse and internalising so much of his father’s homophobia making him entirely uncomfortable with any attention that didn’t come from Dev, so he was grateful when his boyfriend took decisive action in defending him instead, Zayde clinging to Devin in an instant.

It wasn’t the first time someone had made a pass at Zayde in front of him and Devin knew it would hardly be the last, but that didn’t mean he liked it or was willing to put up with it. No, Zayde was his and he wasn’t about to let anyone disrespect either one of them like that. Especially in such a bold manner. 

His arm wrapped around his boyfriend protectively, a muttered “we’re leaving” growled before he led him back towards the door. There was no way in hell they were staying anywhere that had staff willing to treat Zayde like something to be pawed at or bought. It wasn’t a safe setting for him and Devin would never intentionally put him in a position like that.

The assholes wanted money, figured they could get it from Cassar Saros by holding his eldest son to ransom. It hadn’t even been all that hard to kidnap Zayde, given that he already had an extensive habit of getting fucked up on drugs and passing out in all manner of places. All it had taken was to follow him and wait for him to do the work for them.

Cassar wasn’t playing ball though and Zayde was getting scared. Not because he thought his father was about to let him die so he didn’t have to pay up. No, he knew his kidnappers would likely end up dead before he would.

What made him afraid was not knowing what the kidnappers would do to him when they started to panic after they realised they were all fucked.

Scent wasn’t always the easiest thing to go by, but Devin wasn’t easily deterred. He spent enough time with Zayde to know his scent, to know how to find him, and he had made damn sure Lissa knew not to bother him or get into any trouble until he got back with Zayde. 

He knew there was something wrong when his boyfriend hadn’t responded in days. A day or two was to be expected with how Zayde’s father could get, but this long was alarming and he was determined to find him. 

Giving as much blood as he did was always physically exhausting and Devin wasted no time just falling into his bed once he was sure Lis was stable. He was out of it enough to, for a moment, forget that Zayde was still there until he sat up to make sure his phone was plugged in and practically jumped.

“Please don’t give me that look, Devin. You know I wouldn’t be doing this if I had any choice.”

                                                 ---

The storm raged on outside, sheets of rain pelting the windows of the motel. Cracks of lightning streaked the sky, bathing the room in flashes of bright light, even with the heavier curtains drawn. 

How Zayde could sleep through it was a mystery to Devin. 

He wanted to get up, to pace the room until the storm passed, but he knew if he tried to untangle himself from his boyfriend, then and only then would Zayde stir. It hadn’t been like that before, but being on the road and staying night after night in unfamiliar places had taken a tol on the both of them. 

Devin understood though. It had been a rough couple of months for both of them. Lissa too, he reminded himself. She could have stayed at that bar and no one would have minded, but she refused to stay anywhere without him and he understood that too. 

After so many years of only having each other, he doubted he and Lissa would ever live more than a few feet from one another. 

Thunder made the room shudder, pairing with another flash of electric light and the power flickering enough to set the alarm clock’s glowing numbers to flash 12:00 am despite it being closer to three. 

Gentle fingers moved to comb through Zayde’s hair, making sure he stayed asleep. He needed the rest when he could manage it and Devin wasn’t about to deprive him of that just because of a storm. 

The storm would pass eventually, he knew it would, and the morning would be that sort of cold and hazy grey that happened in warmer winters. Cold enough to be annoying but enough to turn the rain to ice and snow. 

He wondered if the storm they were living in would ever pass too, but he was less hopeful about that. 

For now though, they had each other. Their merry little band of three, on the road and looking for anywhere to call home, if only for a couple of nights. 

falls asleep on the couch

Zayde, but usually only on nights when Devin isn’t home 

makes friends with the neighbors

Devin. He’s a little more easy going when it comes to people in general

is the adventurous eater

Devin. 

hogs the covers at night

Zayde 100% but Devin doesn’t mind

forgets to do the dishes

Neither. Devin usually does them as soon as they’re done eating

tries to surprise their partner more often

Devin but it’s always smaller surprises, nothing huge or flashy

leaves dirty laundry on the floor

Both of them 

stays up til 2 AM reading

Devin but that’s because he generally works nights so it’s better to stay on that sort of schedule

sings in the shower

Devin on occasion, but not often

takes the selfies

Neither. Lissa takes a bunch of pictures of them though and tells them they’re gross

plans date night

Devin because he likes doing things like that.