Caspian opened his eyes when he felt a wonderful pressure on his lips, catching Asher leaving the bedroom.
He sat up in a rush, too shocked to call him back or call out to him. How had he managed to sleep through the night?
The lights in the bedroom were turned down low, so he carefully navigated his way around to grab his phone.
The time said 4:02 AM; it was still the early hours of the morning, but Asher was already heading out.
It had to mean there was something rather important that he needed to deal with.
Caspian could completely understand that, as long as the Alpha came home to him every night.
He hoped, though, that this wouldn’t go on for too long because he doubted Asher remembered to eat properly with how busy he got recently.
Caspian went back to the bed with his phone held in his hand and fell back on it.
It was still too early to do anything, but he wasn’t sleepy, so there wasn’t an option to go back to sleep.
Asher groaned as Jael drove them out of the mansion, "I left Caspian a couple of hours early for an early morning drive?"
"You mean for the gang that is currently burning down one of your major clubs," Jael corrected as he swerved the car in a controlled manner, never taking his foot off the gas.
"Same difference," He grumbled, pushing his hand through his wild hair.
"I need you to fucking focus this time," Jael tossed at him.
"I did yesterday, and I still have to get out of bed at ass o’clock this morning."
Jael didn’t bother with a response, focusing on getting them to where they needed to be before there was any more damage and casualties.
Being woken up by a call this morning was so unexpected, if it were anything other issue, he would have handled it himself.
Small time gangs trying to go after Mafia Kings wasn’t uncommon, what was uncommon was the gang still making moves after their headquarters was cut down.
They had started out as a typical small time gang thinking all they needed to do to take over a Mafia house was kill a Mafia King.
But if this went on, it might actually prove to be a nuisance.
Asher cursed when they drove into the parking lot. When Jael had told him a major club was being burnt down, he had thought it was a metaphor.
But no, the fucking building was up in flames.
"Fuck me," He muttered as he got out, "It’s too bloody early for this."
"You’re back early today," Caspian beamed at Asher.
He had spent the entire day cooped up in the bedroom, he didn’t even bother the staff like he usually did.
Asher leaving so early had left him worried, but he didn’t let that show as he took the Alpha’s coat.
"You don’t have to carry that," Asher immediately tried to reach for it.
Caspian kept it out of his reach, "But I want to, plus you look exhausted."
It was a struggle to see and hold up the fur cost, but he did it, shoving it into the closet and shutting the doors, leaving it at the entrance in his haste.
Asher had a fond smile on his face as he watched him, but he did look exhausted.
Caspian walked right back to him, wrinkling his nose as he did.
"You smell like smoke, and not the nice kind." He quipped, taking the Alpha’s hand and pulling him to the bed.
Asher went willingly, sitting down at Caspian’s bidding.
His entire day had been a wreck, he had spent it chasing around nameless thugs, it had been excruciating.
"What’s the nice kind?"
Caspian got to work undoing the rest of his shirt buttons, and he let him.
This was what he had been looking forward to all day at work.
"Your scent." Caspian said bluntly, finger combing his hair. "Now you just smell like gun smoke and burning buildings."
Asher winced at the pinpoint description of the kind of day he had. "Ouch."
"Go wash up. We’ll eat dinner together." Caspian directed.
He waited till Asher disappeared behind the bathroom door before leaving.
He didn’t need to go get their food in person, but he wanted to check up on Jael, so he might as well.
If Asher looked so stressed out, then Jael couldn’t be any better off.
He knocked gingerly when he got to Jael’s bedroom, a confused ’come in?’ Was the response he got.
"Hey, you don’t look so great." He said softly after opening up the door.
Jael had been taking off his holsters, but when he stepped in, the Beta sat on the bed.
"Had to babysit your boyfriend, it’s no surprise."
Caspian laughed at that, "I’m heading to the kitchen, I’ll have your dinner sent to your room."
Jael groaned, "I’ll take a nap first."
"No." Caspian said firmly, "Shower first, then food, and then you can go to sleep."
"Aye, Captain," He limply saluted.
Caspian had a pleased expression on his face as he headed to the kitchen.
He had said he would send down Jael’s food, but the Beta looked like he had already been dozing off, so he would take his food to him in person.
It was a hassle to convince the kitchen staff to let him take the food, but he quickly learned that they couldn’t say no to him.
They could try to convince him not to do what he planned to, but if he asked outright, they couldn’t turn him down.
It was why he was gingerly pushing a mobile tray down the hallway of Jael’s bedroom several minutes later.
He knocked gently, wondering if the Beta was still washing up in the bathroom, but he got a muffled response, and that was enough for him to open the door and push his tray in
"What do you think you’re doing?" He narrowed his eyes at Jael, who was already tucked in bed.
Jael had a guilty expression on his face, "I even showered," He excused himself.
"And you’ll eat too," Caspian said doggedly, placing the tray that held his dinner on a side table.
"I’ll be back to clear out your dishes," He tagged on, the threat in his voice clear to see.
Jael rolled over with a muttered curse, "There’s no reason for you to even do that."
"Don’t tempt me," Caspian tossed over his shoulder as he pushed the tray out of the room.
He had left Asher alone for a while now, so he hurried back to their bedroom, not wanting to keep the Alpha waiting.
He fully expected to find Asher seated on the bed waiting for him, but the bedroom was just as empty as when he left it.
"Asher?" He called out, his frown evident in his voice.
Was Asher just getting dressed in the closet? That would explain his absence.
The food was covered so he could leave it and go searching for his Alpha.
Caspian went to the closet first, nearly tripping on the fur coat he had shoved in the doorway.
"Oh, for fuck’s sake," He muttered, gathering it up in his arms to put somewhere else.
But the coat still being where he left it meant that Asher hadn’t even gone into the walk-in closet.
When he stepped into the bedroom again, his eyes immediately zeroed in on the bathroom door.
He walked to it with focus in his eyes, putting the pieces of the puzzle in place.
Asher had fallen asleep in there!
He found it difficult to picture how the Alpha could have managed that.
If he had somehow fallen asleep standing in the shower, that would be impressive and honestly a little scary.
But it was more likely that he was sprawled on the cold tiles or bent over the counter.
He didn’t expect to find the Alpha soaking in the tub, his limbs hanging out.
Which was good because he was fast asleep in the cooling water and would have sunk under if he hadn’t done that.
Caspian couched beside him with a fond smile on his face, rousing Asher by gently scratching his wet hair.
"Why are you in the tub?"
Asher peered up at him, the bathroom lights too bright.
"Wanted to wash the bad smoke away," He muttered, leaning into his touch.
Caspian found it impossible to be upset at him, although Asher was dozing off again even as he spoke.
"I’m sure a shower would have worked just fine," He said kindly.
Getting Asher out of the bathtub was easier than getting Jael out of bed.
And even if Asher didn’t eat as much as he liked, he was satisfied when the Alpha got on the bed and immediately slept off.
Caspian gave into the urge to press a kiss to Asher’s forehead like the Alpha often did to him.
Needing to quickly hop out of reach when the Alpha immediately reached out to grab him.