Figuring Things Out

Summary: Follows Into The Dreaming. A play session turns into real punishment when Edwin makes a confession
Warning(s): Spanking; explicit sexual content; bondage; collars; D/s; references to violence; AU; sexual exploration
Pairings: The Cat King (Thomas)/Edwin Payne; Thomas/Edwin Payne/Monty
Author's Note: This fic actually comes from one of the reviews left on chapter two of Into The Dreaming, commenting that all of them deserved spankings for going off into the Dreaming without making full plans. And then Edwin decided that confession is good for the soul, so....
I don't know if any of the others will get spankings, though, since Edwin wouldn't want to get any of the others into trouble. We will have to see!
Also, although I'm not officially taking part in Spanktember on The Library Discord, this fic does fit day one of it, which is Not Guilty/Undeserved Spanking. But the person who doesn't believe it's strictly deserved might not be who you expect.
Anyway, enjoy!

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Travelling to Thomas' home, with people able to see him and interact with him, was still very unusual for Edwin...and he really wasn't sure he really liked it. He'd had help from Crystal and Niko so that he was no longer dressed in old-fashioned clothing like that he'd died in, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that people were watching him...that he looked as out of place as he felt. And he'd never really had that many friends the first time he'd been alive. Perhaps there was some form of irony to be found in the fact he'd only found his best friend after they were both dead, but since death was no longer a factor for any of them, thinking about it didn't really make any difference now.

Even though no one approached him, or even really looked at him, Edwin couldn't help the relief when he could get away from all of them and walk to where Thomas lived. He caught glimpses of some of the cats he'd counted when he'd been there the first time, but none of them tried to talk to him...and he wasn't even sure he'd be able to understand them if they were to try.

A tension Edwin hadn't even realised he'd been feeling seeped out of him as he stepped into the building and saw Thomas there, lounging in his throne. It was such a stark contrast to the last time he'd been there, the sense of relief of seeing Thomas in his rightful place was almost staggering.

Between one blink and the next, Thomas had left his throne and was standing in front of Edwin, reaching out and running his finger down Edwin's shirt, easily undoing the buttons wthout removing any. "Did you miss me?" he whispered.

Edwin shivered. Thomas' voice was like warm velvet and he found himself arching towards the older being's hand, wanting and needing to be touched. "I didn't want to wait until you came home again," he whispered in return.

"What was it like, travelling as a living human?" Thomas slid his hand in the opening he'd made and began to circle Edwin's nipple, before giving it a teasing pinch.

Edwin's breath hitched at the spark of pleasure-pain that went through him and he couldn't help the soft moan that escaped his lips. "I hated it," he confessed. "When I was a ghost, I could slip through crowds of people unseen. Now, I feel like their eyes are on me all the time. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Most humans are too caught up in their own lives to pay attention to others." Thomas pulled Edwin's shirt free and ran his hands down his bare chest and over his stomach. He took a step closer, moving into Edwin's personal space, and pushed his thighs apart with a knee between his legs.

"It doesn't...feel like that." Edwin's breath caught as Thomas grazed his member. Even through the layers of his trousers and underwear, he could feel himself reacting...responding. "I have a request to make." His voice was breathy, rough with arousal...but he wanted to make his request while his mind wasn't clouded with full arousal and pleasure.

"What's your request?" Thomas returned to playing with Edwin's nipples, absently tweaking and pinching each one.

"Will you put a collar on me?" Edwin asked the question in a rush, trying not to think about how the question might sound. It had never been something he would have thought he'd want or need in the past, but having experienced it in the Dreaming...even if wasn't at Thomas' hands...he'd found himself intrigued. More than intrigued.

"A collar?"

Thomas' lips were so close to Edwin's, they could have kissed. Edwin could feel the older being's breath waft over his lips, and he had to resist the urge to lean in so that they could kiss. "A collar," he repeated, shivering as the movement of his own lips caused them to brush against Thomas'. "In the Dreaming, I...Desire made me believe I was back with you. And the version of you I met in the Dreaming put a collar on me. I liked it," he admitted, his voice dropping into a whisper. It had felt good when he'd knelt at Thomas' feet and the older being had treated him like a pet. Having a collar put on him in the Dreaming had felt good, while he'd been under the illusion he'd been with Thomas. He hoped it would feel just as good now.

Thomas leaned in, capturing Edwin's lips with his own in a deep, hard kiss.

Edwin moaned softly into the kiss, hands raising to grip the front of Thomas' shirt. His body grew warm with arousal and he shivered, closing his eyes.

When Thomas broke the kiss, Edwin whimpered. He gripped the older being's shirt tighter, because otherwise, he would have fallen.

Thomas' hands glided down Edwin's sides and over his hips, squeezing over his waist. He then grasped Edwin's hand and led him over to the large bed that had appeared in place of the throne.

Edwin followed, his entire being focused on the older being. His trousers felt like they were too tight...uncomfortably so. But he was reluctant to do anything without Thomas' explicit permission, even something as simple as removing the rest of his own clothing.

Thomas stopped when they were standing right next to the bed and stroked his hands over Edwin' bare chest again. A second later, and he held a strip of thin black material in his hands: a collar.

Edwin breathed in deeply as he felt his member stir in interest, beginning to strain against his trousers. He stepped forward and tilted his head, closing his eyes as Thomas placed the collar around his neck. Once it was in place, Edwin could feel the soft, supple leather against his skin. It was a perfect fit; not too loose, but not so tight that it would cut off his breathing. He opened his eyes and focused on Thomas' face, giving him a smile. "Thank you," he whispered.

In response, Thomas reached out and brushed his thumb across Edwin's lips. "Take the rest of your clothes off," he ordered.

Edwin breathed in deeply and took a step back, causing Thomas' hand to drop. He immediately felt the lack of warmth, the absence of his lover's touch, but forced those feelings aside. After all, Thomas was still there...still right in front of him. He wasn't gone.

Slowly, Edwin toed off his shoes and then slipped his socks off. His hands went to his trousers and undid them, slowly easing them down over his hips and down his legs, before he finally stepped out of them. Finally, he stood naked in front of Thomas...naked, that was, apart from the collar the older being had put on him. Being naked while Thomas was fully clothed was a heady feeling. He felt vulnerable...reliant on the older being. It was an almost addictive feeling he realised he wanted more of.

Without conscious thought, without deciding to do so, Edwin dropped to his knees at Thomas' feet.

Gaze softening, Thomas reached down and stroked his fingers through Edwin's hair. "It's a good look for you. Being on your knees."

"But not entirely comfortable." Edwin shifted position slightly. As a ghost, he hadn't felt the discomfort of kneeling on hard floor. Now, his knees were quickly beginning to ache.

Thomas gestured slightly and a cushion appeared under Edwin's knees. "If it gets too uncomfortable, you may stand." He sat down on the bed.

"I've experienced far worse pain for far less reward." Edwin let his head rest on Thomas' knee and sighed as he felt the older being stroke his hair and down his neck. He should really feel more settled...but there was still a little bit of tension that made relaxing fully difficult.

"What is it?" Thomas' voice broke the silence.

Edwin closed his eyes and tried to force away that tension...that faint lingering sense of guilt that had driven him here, as much as his desire and need for Thomas had. He couldn't bring himself to lie to the older being, but maybe he could distract Thomas....

With that thought in mind, Edwin nuzzled against Thomas' leg and then pressed a kiss to his inner thigh. He then nuzzled along the older being's thigh, until he reached his groin.

This was something that Edwin had heard of, though only after he'd died the first time. When Thomas didn't pull away or stop him from nuzzling against his groin, Edwin slowly reached out and unfastened his trousers. His movements were slow and clumsy; hesitant and uncertain. But if Thomas didn't stop him, that had to mean he was doing something right...didn't it?

Once he'd freed Thomas' member from the older being's trousers, Edwin let his fingers run over the sensitive organ. He sat so close, he could feel the shudder that went through the older being...and it made him smile. He'd never been responsible for making anyone feel good before...and he liked the feeling.

Edwin stroked along the length of Thomas' member, watching and feeling as it began to swell and harden at his touch. It was fascinating, being able to bring the older being to this state of arousal. Drops of precum pooled at the tip and Edwin's thumb smeared it around, even as he continued to stroke...now more firm and sure, as his confidence grew.

"Edwin." Thomas groaned around his name.

Briefly, Edwin considered taking the older being into his mouth. He couldn't deny that he was curious to see how Thomas tasted; to see what it would feel like. But while his confidence had grown, first in death and now in his new chance at life, he didn't quite feel like he could take that step. So he just continued to stroke Thomas' member, feeling and watching as it grew and swelled to full hardness.

Thomas grasped Edwin's shoulders and pulled him up and into a hard, almost biting kiss. He nipped at Edwin's lips, and when they parted, he took advantage and thrust his tongue inside.

Edwin groaned into the kiss, pressing his body against Thomas. He felt warm and flushed with arousal and when Thomas stroked down his spine, he shivered and arched his back.

A split second later, Edwin found himself pinned on the bed, with Thomas leaning over him. He looked up at the older being and reached up, wanting to draw Thomas back down into his arms. "Take me," he whispered.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Edwin blinked several times, trying to focus on the question Thomas had just asked. What wasn't he telling Thomas? He frowned, trying to push through the lingering warm feelings of arousal, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Edwin." Thomas reached down and stroked his cheek. "I've been alive for centuries. I know when someone's trying to distract me with sex. Even if it is damned good sex," he added.

Edwin flushed and then winced, closing his eyes. "I wasn't trying to be dishonest," he whispered. "I just didn't want to have this conversation until I felt ready for it." He opened his eyes again and focused on Thomas' face. "I'm sorry."

"If it wasn't obvious you were trying to distract me, I wouldn't have tried to stop you," Thomas said, giving a wry smile. "But I can feel the tension in you. And it's just going to continue until you give voice to whatever's bothering you. So what is it?"

"I made a mistake." Edwin made the admittance in a quiet voice. He didn't feel guilty...not exactly. At least, he didn't feel guilty for acting on his own. But he felt guilty for... "I led everyone into the Dreaming without doing the proper research first. I decided that it was unnecessary to stop and hesitate and make a plan."

"You decided?" Thomas stroked his fingers through Edwin's hair.

Edwin let himself lean into the touch as he admitted, "Not...decided. I let my fear and worry for you overwhelm me, to the point that I acted without thinking. I let Monty get himself turned human...and it nearly killed him. I should have planned better. I should have done more research, like I usually do." He abruptly realised he'd been babbling and bit his lip.

"That's bothering you? That you weren't as careful as you usually are?"

"I was impulsive." Edwin shook his head. "No, it's more than that. I let my emotions get the best of me. Even if things ended well this time, they could have easily gone so much worse. And maybe if I'd taken more time to think and plan, Monty wouldn't have been in the position of having to try and save his own life." He swallowed hard, surprised to feel moisture filling his eyes. After escaping Hell, the only times he'd cried had been during physical punishment...and when he'd thought Niko had died...but in each of those situations, the tears had come more from his emotions than the physical pain he'd been experiencing.

This time, there was no catalyst of pain that he could blame the tears on.

"Edwin."

Blinking rapidly, trying to focus on Thomas and not on the emotions swirling inside him, Edwin whispered, "I'm sorry."

Thomas shook his head. "I'm not looking for an apology."

"Are you going to punish me?" Edwin asked.

"Do you think you need to be punished?" Thomas asked directly. "The situation has already happened, and it was far from ideal. Do you think you'd learn anything from it, or benefit from it?"

Surprised at the questions, Edwin found himself thinking seriously about them. Did he feel the need to be punished? Did he think he'd learn anything from it...or was he just looking for a way to free himself from the guilt he felt? He pushed himself up slowly, so that he and Thomas were on a more equal level...sitting opposite the older being. "I feel like I should have acted differently," he admitted. "I should have taken more time to think and plan. If I had done, maybe you wouldn't have had to give up some of your lives for our sake."

Thomas' smile was soft as he reached out and took Edwin's hand, squeezing it gently. "I don't regret giving up my lives. I love you, Edwin. You were robbed of the chance to live a full life. I had the opportunity to give you that life back that was stolen from you. And Charles is your best friend, so I couldn't make a bargain for you and not for him."

"And Monty?"

"Monty had a raw deal," Thomas admitted. "Esther forced him into human form the first time, and he developed emotions he'd never felt before. This time, he was dying. He was dead. And I know that it hurt you. Besides, I care about him as well. He couldn't free me from Desire's prison, but he tried to help as much as he could."

"Even without his emotions...." Edwin sighed, relaxing as Thomas stroked his hand. "I'm glad it's over," he admitted quietly.

"I believe we all are." Thomas reached out and took Edwin's other hand. He shifted slightly, swinging his legs down over the edge of the bed, and used his grip on Edwin's hands to guide him across his lap.

Edwin sighed, feeling his body relax as he was positioned over the older being's lap. He nearly said the words thank you, but it seemed a little odd to thank Thomas for deciding to punish him, even though he did feel guilty and was grateful for Thomas choosing to act.

Thomas rubbed Edwin's back for a few moments, then moved his hand a bit lower. Edwin couldn't help but tense up slightly, then winced as the first smack landed to his bare bottom. He'd been expecting it, but it still stung more than he'd anticipated.

"I understand you feel guilty." Thomas continued to deliver firm smacks as he spoke, spreading them out evenly over Edwin's entire backside, going from the crest down to mid-thigh...making sure that every inch received attention.

Edwin whimpered softly, unable to help it, and quickly began to squirm in response to the sting. It didn't take long for the sting to become a burn and his legs began to twitch...not quite kicking, but in reaction to the punishment.

After about a minute or so of steady smacking, Thomas paused and rested his hand on Edwin's bottom, rubbing it gently. "I understand you were worried. I understand you were scared. But that wasn't an excuse to go into a dangerous situation without making sure you were fully prepared for the situation and without making sure you had all the information first."

Edwin whimpered softly. The rubbing felt soothing, because it was affection being given by someone he loved and who loved him. But the rubbing still stung a little, due to the burning pain in his bottom. He wasn't unhappy about that, though. He was grateful for the fact that Thomas was taking this seriously...and was giving him what he needed without belittling him or even asking why he needed it. "I know," he whispered, his vision beginning to blur with tears. "It was my responsibility to make sure our plans were safe. I should have been a better example...."

"Perhaps," Thomas said. "Maybe you could have waited. But I assume that no one else suggested that you wait. I'm going to assume that they all went right along with you and didn't suggest waiting to make a plan."

Edwin shifted slightly, not entirely comfortable with the direction Thomas was taking this. "I'm the one in charge of the Dead Boy Detective Agency." Of course, they couldn't call it Dead Boy Detective Agency anymore, could they? None of them were dead.

"I'm sure Charles would disagree."

"It wasn't his fault. He doesn't deserve any blame for this." Edwin said the words quickly, not wanting Thomas to get any ideas in his head about his best friend. Mostly because Charles was fair, and if he knew that Edwin was being punished for acting recklessly, he'd insist that it was only fair he be punished as well. Even though the only reason Edwin was in this position right now was because he was unable to let go of his guilt.

"Hmm." Thomas didn't say anything else. Instead, he stopped rubbing and lifted his hand once more.

Edwin flinched when the next smack landed on skin that was already sore and aching. He couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped him, or the whimpers that he continued to voice as the firm smacks continued to land on skin that was already tender and sore.

By the time Thomas stopped again, gently rubbing his backside once more, there were tears rolling down his cheeks and he was barely holding back the sobs. He wasn't quite sure why it was hard for him to fully relax and accept the punishment. It felt like part of him was unable to fully let go and accept the spanking, even though he didn't want to actively fight Thomas. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he confessed, breath hitching with the effort it took not to just outright start sobbing.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Edwin." Thomas' voice was gentle...kind...both more than Edwin truly felt he deserved. "You're learning how to be a real boy again, after more than a century of being dead and a ghost. It's not easy to get used to being alive again and everything that comes with it."

Edwin closed his eyes. Thomas wasn't upset with him. He wasn't even upset with him about acting so foolishly when it had come to trying to rescue Thomas from the Dreaming, even though Edwin knew he should have been more careful and less hasty in his decision to just go straight into the Dreaming without taking any time to prepare. "You're more understanding than I deserve," he whispered finally. "More understanding than I ever expected you to be," he admitted, remembering their first meeting and how it had gone.

Thomas didn't respond directly to his comment, instead rubbing for a bit longer...for long enough that some of the tension seeped out of Edwin and he found himself slumping over the Cat King's lap.

The spanking started up again, but Thomas was no longer delivering hard smacks. Instead, he was giving what could only be termed firm pats. And then he began to speak again. "You might not have handled the situation in the best way, but you were worried and you were scared. You don't believe Charles deserves punishment for doing the same thing. You need to give yourself the same kind of leniency that you give him."

Edwin wanted to point out that Thomas was still spanking him, even if the older being didn't believe he'd done anything wrong. But that response felt churlish and unfair. Thomas was only doing this because Edwin believed it was deserved. Because Edwin thought he should have handled things differently; should have handled them better. The rest of them had looked to him to lead them and to provide guidance...and if he'd stopped to make a better plan, maybe none of them would have had to suffer through their desires turned into something dark and twisted.

Or maybe you wouldn't have saved Thomas at all, because he was going to die if he couldn't get back to his subjects.

The whisper crept through his mind like an insidious shadow, and once he realised it was there, he couldn't ignore it. The whisper brought with it an image of Thomas in the dungeon, chained to the wall.

Edwin shook his head, trying to force the image from his mind, but it only continued to grow...until he couldn't see anything else. Thomas could have died, if they hadn't gone into the Dreaming...and waiting could have meant the difference between life and death.

He didn't realise he'd slumped over Thomas' lap, tears staining his face, until he realised he was no longer over the older being's lap, instead being held in Thomas' arms in a tight embrace. He sniffled and wrapped his own arms around Thomas, leaning into the embrace.

"Don't apologise," Thomas whispered, when Edwin opened his mouth.

Closing his mouth again, Edwin gave a slightly trembling smile. "Can I apologise for crying all over you?" he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"There's no need to. Your emotions are high at the moment, which is understandable." Thomas stroked down his hair and over his back; brushed a kiss over his head. "I was expecting it to happen."

"I was not," Edwin admitted quietly. "I would have preferred just to spend some time with you reconnecting. It was why I came here. Not for a...not for you to punish me."

"It wasn't a punishment." Thomas placed a hand on his cheek, gently stroking it. "I spanked you because you needed help to let go of the stress and anxiety you've been suffering from."

Edwin turned his head and pressed a kiss to Thomas' palm. "Thank you for choosing to help me."

"Any time." Thomas leaned in and pressed a kiss to Edwin's lips.

Closing his eyes, Edwin leaned into the kiss, parting his lips to allow Thomas to slip his tongue into his mouth. He moaned softly in response, shifting forward and letting his hands run over Thomas' chest, sliding down before going back up below his shirt, stroking over the bare skin of Thomas' stomach and chest.

When Thomas broke the kiss so that Edwin could breathe, he whispered, "Would you like me to show you how to travel here quickly and easily even now that you're alive?"

Edwin's eyes widened a fraction. "That's possible? It would make it so much easier to come and see you, if you could do that." Of course, he wasn't just thinking about the ease of seeing Thomas. After all, none of their members were dead anymore, but that didn't mean they were going to stop solving cases and stop helping people.

"If you get dressed, I'll show you."

Edwin pulled his clothing on, excitement for learning a new skill he could utilise while alive thrumming through him. Once he was dressed, he touched the collar around his neck, briefly considering removing it. Instead, he pulled his shirt collar up higher, until he was sure it couldn't be seen. He didn't care about any of the Dead Boy Detective Agency seeing his new collar, but as he didn't want to show that relationship to anyone outside of the few people he trusted, he needed to get used to hiding it. The alternative was choosing not to wear it...but the collar helped remind him that he was Thomas' submissive. That he was wanted. No...more than that. The collar helped remind him he was loved.

As they approached the mirror, Edwin reached out and gripped Thomas' hand. Holding hands...it was such a normal thing to do. Normal for a living person, at least. But that was what he was now. Not dead anymore. And abruptly, the finality of that hit him; the fact that he'd been irrevocably changed. He'd tried not to think about, because he didn't want to seem ungrateful or churlish, but getting used to seeing the world through the eyes of a living person....

"Will you come through with me?" Realising that Thomas could get the wrong impression, Edwin hastened to add, "I'm not scared of travelling through the mirrors. I did it all the time when I was dead. But I'm not dead anymore, and I think...it's just going to take a little while to get used to it."

Thomas didn't answer with words. Instead, he squeezed Edwin's hand reassuringly and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Standing in front of the mirror, Edwin took a deep breath and then turned to Thomas. "How do we travel through?"

"It's all about knowing the right pathways. They're still there, just harder to see for a living human. It's going to take practise." Thomas stretched his free hand out and ran a finger down the surface of the mirror. As if it had turned to liquid, it parted around his finger and Edwin glimpsed glowing stars through the opening. "Follow me. Don't let go," he directed, before stepping into the opening and drawing Edwin through behind him.

The travel through the mirror was the same as it usually was, but exiting through the mirror in Edwin's room in the Agency took a little longer. As he had when entering the mirror, Thomas had to find the correct 'pathway' before it opened up for them and he led Edwin through.

Monty, sitting on the bed with an open book on his lap, looked up as they entered, his eyes widening slightly. "You can travel through mirrors again?"

"Thomas showed me there's a way of doing so." Edwin walked over to Monty, tugging Thomas behind him, and leaned in to press a kiss to his lips. "Any excitement while I've been gone?"

"No. It's been suspiciously quiet, according to Charles." Monty shrugged. "It seems like he might start looking for cases, if one isn't brought to our attention soon."

"Charles always feels better when he has something to do." Edwin sat down on the bed next to Monty, managing not to wince. He didn't want Monty to realise he'd been spanked and start asking questions.

"What's that?" Monty's attention was on Edwin's neck.

"Oh." His shirt must have slipped enough to show his new collar. Edwin pulled the neck of his shirt down further, so that Monty could see it more easily. "Thomas made me a collar. When we were in the Dreaming, I realised it was something I wanted. So I asked for one." He hesitated, glancing at Monty's face. The three of them were in a relationship, but Monty hadn't voiced how he felt about the Dominant and submissive part of it that Edwin experienced with Thomas. "Does it bother you?"

Monty shook his head, touching his own neck. "No. It...I mean...It looks...good...." He lowered his eyes as he added, "Natural."

"Do you want one?" Thomas dragged a chair over and sat down in it, facing Monty directly.

Monty blinked and focused on Thomas before looking at Edwin. "I don't...we haven't really talked about it at all." He swallowed, gaze shifting to Edwin's collar before focusing on Thomas. "I don't know if I want to be in that kind of relationship all the time. Even though I want to be in a relationship with you both," he admitted quietly. "I just...."

Edwin reached for Monty's hand and squeezed it gently. "What is it?"

"Is it what you both want?" Monty asked. "I want to be with both of you. If...if this is the kind of relationship you both want, then I'll agree."

"Monty..." Edwin started...then stopped, not sure how to continue. He didn't want Monty to feel like he had to agree to be in a relationship where he was a submissive, but Edwin didn't even really know all the details involved in that kind of relationship himself. He just knew that he felt better to cede that control to Thomas; to be the older being's submissive. And part of that meant he didn't need to worry about how it worked, because he could trust Thomas to take over and make the decisions that were the best ones. He could trust Thomas to know how it worked for both of them.

It was so easy to think the words. Less easy to put voice to his thoughts.

"Monty, you don't need to be in a Dominant and submissive relationship to be with us." Thomas' voice broke through Edwin's thoughts. "Neither of us have any expectations of you joining in this part of the relationship if you don't want to. If you think you might like to be involved in that part of the relationship some of the time, that's okay too." He reached out and took Monty's other hand. "It's entirely up to you. Just like choosing to be submissive to me was Edwin's choice. I have no expectations other than that you do whatever makes you comfortable and whatever makes you happy."

Monty looked down at their hands and took a deep breath, then raised his head and gave them both a trembling smile. "I don't know how I feel about it. Not yet. I do know that I...I want to be with you both right now. Not for anything sexual or...anything like that. Just to cuddle, I guess."

Edwin could hear the uncertainty in Monty's voice and he gave the other man a gentle smile before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I think we can do that." He glanced at Thomas.

"It'll be a tight squeeze, with the three of us. But as long as you both don't mind being pressed together...." Thomas shrugged.

Edwin's smile grew. "I feel like that's the whole intention." He let go of Monty's hand and moved over to his chest of drawers. He didn't really worry about his modesty when he found his nightshirt and pulled it on. After all, if he wanted to be modest, he wouldn't be in a relationship with two other men.

By the time Edwin was dressed and returning to the bed, Thomas had removed his own shirt and trousers and Monty had put his book down. Thomas had been right. It was a tight squeeze. But they managed to all fit on the bed, with Thomas in the middle and Monty and Edwin curled in on either side of him.

Edwin closed his eyes and nuzzled against Thomas' chest; reached out with one hand and stroked Monty's hair. "I love you both," he whispered, weariness suddenly taking him over.

As he slipped into sleep, their responses followed him into his dreams.

The End