Atticus' POV:
"I probably should have stayed quiet," I tell Lincoln as he finishes typing up his report.
He looks over at me. "What do you mean?"
"I told Silas that I noticed he was blushing whenever you got near to him, and that's when his heart rate spiked," I tell Lincoln, making him pause and whip around.
"What?!" he exclaims, his eyes wide. "That's not true! He was just nervous!"
I chuckle at Lincoln's obliviousness. "Sugar, love, light of my life," I say, putting my hands on Lincoln's shoulders and making him face me. "I'm not surprised he was blushing... I would too if you were my doctor."
"Shut up, Atticus," Lincoln mutters, printing off the hospital report and stapling it. "Just get his stuff to the car, okay?"
I spank his butt before I walk away, earning an irritated groan from Lincoln. As I leave the building, my phone rings.
"You left early today," Jared says irritably. "We didn't find the killer, but we have all of the surveillance from the area, so we should be able to find out who our killer is. There's only seventeen Americans with the malfunction born in 2003, so hopefully he's one of them and we can narrow it down. If he isn't and is from another age group, obviously our field where we're searching is wider."
"Let's just hope that our killer didn't escape the city," I say as I get in the car. "At least Sil- I mean, uh, the kid we interviewed, wasn't killed. Maybe he saw something."
Jared hums into the phone. "He's alive, then?"
"Yes, Lincoln worked his magic."
"Oh, did he now?" Jared asks, and I know he's teasing me.
I roll my eyes. "Trust me, my sex life is too good for your ears," I tell him with a light chuckle. "I'll be in tomorrow, but if there's any pressing updates, call me."
"You got it," Jared says before he hangs up.
Lincoln and Silas walk out of the office building, and I see Silas cower a bit when he makes eye contact with me.
Did I scare him?
Lincoln helps Silas into the back seat and hands him his bag before he climbs into the passenger seat beside me.
"I'm feeling pasta tonight," Lincoln announces as we get on the road. He turns in his seat to look at Silas "We could go to a restaurant if you want."
Silas shakes his head in the rear view mirror. "No thanks," he mumbles, his cocky and fiery spirit gone and replaced by a cold, nervous shell of a person.
"Let's order online when we get home," I tell Lincoln, because I know his happiness is a bit dampened because he wasn't able to cheer Silas up.
Lincoln is very empathic and feeds on the emotions and energy around him, so it's no surprise to me that seeing our guest, someone he's very intrigued by, upset makes him feel sad as well.
"That sounds better," Silas emphasizes, smiling at Lincoln, and I'm grateful that he does so because I think it cheers up my boyfriend. "So, uh, how long have you two known each other?"
I can tell Silas is trying to make our current situation a bit less awkward by breaking the silence, and I'm glad to say it's working.
"Oh, about a year and a half ago, though we were fuck buddies before we ever started dating," I say, making Lincoln shoot me a glare. "What? It's true!"
Silas snickers. "Well, your jobs must cause stress, so I can't say I'm too surprised."
I chime in, agreeing with him, and Lincoln groans. "Shut up, Atticus!" he whines, and I'll definitely have to show him later not to use that attitude with me.
Not because I'm a mean person who believes that I have the right to discipline my boyfriend, but because he likes it when I get rough. However, now we have to be a bit quieter because I can tell that Silas is interested in Lincoln and I don't want to upset him in any way because I don't plan on committing to abstinence while he stays with us.
When we get to our place, Lincoln tells me to get the bags while he offers to show Silas to the room he'd be allowed to borrow.
Silas shoots me a nervous look before Lincoln leads him inside.
Did my comment about him crushing on Lincoln scare him? It wasn't intended that way...
Besides, he's got abilities that are lethal should he choose to use them that way, so why would he be scared of me?
"Babe! Silas!" I call once I've set the bags down in the entry way.
The two come and find me in the kitchen where I have my laptop on the bar and open the webpage for Lincoln's favorite pasta place.
"You like Noodles & Company, right?" Lincoln asks Silas hopefully, hopping up on the bar and stretching his arms above his head.
Silas shrugs. "Never had it, but I like pasta," he says, blushing when Lincoln pats the spot on the counter beside him.
Lincoln leans over and looks at the screen as I select his order.
"Yes, I'm getting yours with extra shrimp," I tell Lincoln, and he kisses my cheek, and I look over to see Silas looking away and blushing at our interaction. "What do you like, Silas?"
"I can order separately and put in my credit card information," he offers, but I shake my head.
"Don't worry about it," I assure him, looking at where his bullet wound is hidden by his shirt. "I think you deserve a night where you don't have to worry about paying for yourself."
Silas hesitates, considering arguing with me, but I think he can tell I won't waver.
"How much weight can you lift with your abilities?" Lincoln asks Silas, not even trying to hide the fact that he's gaping at Silas' mark. "Is it dependent on how much you personally can lift or how does it work?"
Silas perks up a bit, a small smile coming to his face. He can obviously tell that Lincoln is truly curious and means him not harm or danger.
"It's hard to explain," Silas says, trailing off. "It's not really based on my personal physical strength, but more based on the situation. Like, I can essentially lift five times the weight I can without my abilities, but more so in some situations. Like, if a car was driving at me and was about to kill me, I could have an adrenaline burst and stop the car instantly, but on a normal day I'd have a difficult time lifting a car for the fun of it. I'd be capable, but it'd be hard."
"Can you fly?" I ask, because it's something I've always wondered but I never had someone with the malfunction around to ask. "Like, if you can lift more than your own weight?"
Silas purses his lips, his nose wrinkling in the most adorable way.
Wait, no.
He just looks like a handsome young man.
Dammit, that makes me sound like an old perv.
"I never tried," Silas says, leaning back on his hands to stretch out the space where his wound is. "Maybe, but I don't know how high I'll get."
Lincoln's eyes light up, dazzling as he gapes at Silas. "Can you try? Please?!" he begs, before he shakes his head and clears his throat. "I mean, uh, would you be willing to try when your wound fully heals?"
"Sure, doctor," Silas teases, reaching forward to gently push Lincoln's shoulder, but he pulls his hand away when he catches my eye. "Uh, may I get a glass a water?"
I nod and grab him a glass, but Lincoln takes it from me before I can fill it up.
"Could you fill this with water?" he asks, so I spank his ass. "Hey!"
"Maybe you should wait until our guest has healed a bit before asking him to use his abilities," I whisper in Lincoln's ear, making him sigh and fill the cup, handing it to Silas. "Good boy."
Lincoln has a cute blush on his face. "I'm going to pick up the food!" he says, standing on his tiptoes and kissing my lips before he grabs the keys and leaves. "I'll be back later!"
"Should he go alone?" Silas asks, obviously concerned.
I nod. "Yes, he likes to take an hour or so every day after work to spend some time to himself so he can reflect and have a bit of time to wind down."
Silas lets out a small "oh" before he finishes his water and puts his cup in the dishwasher. He then leaves me alone, and I assume he's going to explore the house and possibly separate himself from me.
I am more and more convinced every second that Silas is afraid of me. It's a bit upsetting, because I actually find him cute and if he wanted to have a threesome with myself and Lincoln... well, I would not be against it.
My phone rings and I answer it without looking at the caller ID because I already know who's calling me. "What do you want?" I ask, but my tone is playful. "You called me not too long ago."
"Hello to you too," Jared says, and I can almost hear his eye roll. "I just wanted to check in on you."
"Awwww!" I squeal in a purposeful high pitched voice. "You do care!"
"Shut up, you dunce. I just wanted to make sure you were alive. I would hate to have to search for a new partner, so I'm just making sure you don't get murdered by a psychopath killer with telekinetic abilities..." Jared chuckles into the phone. "You know that we could have offered him a hotel room or something, right?" he asks, and I can tell he's laughing at me.
"Lincoln wanted to study him."
"Are you sure, Atty?" Jared teases. "Or are you just getting greedy? Big house that needs its beds filled, huh?"
I huff. "You're lucky I found Lincoln. Bottoming never suited you anyway."
"Well you're a prick who never let me top," Jared mumbles. "I'll find myself a cutie someday."
"You didn't fight when I told you that you'd be the bottom."
"We were both horny as hell and needed to let off stress! Don't hold this against me!" Jared exclaims, actually sounding offended. "Anyway, maybe keep it under wraps that you're housing Silas right now, or Darrel might show up and arrest him for something stupid."
I know he's right, so I hum and wish him a goodnight before hanging up.
Work takes up so much of my life that I don't really have other friends except for Jared. Well, and Lincoln, but he's kind of implied and he's my best friend.
Jared's words keep rolling over in my mind.
"Or are you just getting greedy? Big house that needs its beds filled, huh?"
I'm not greedy... I just want to help Silas because it's not fair to him that some psychopath tried to murder him and then my boss took his apartment for investigation.
I wouldn't mind sex with Silas and Lincoln, because that's something I've always wanted to try, but I don't know if I'd ever have enough room in my heart for two people.
I'm in love with Lincoln, and I can't let falling for someone I barely know ruin what I have with him.
That's not an option.