Blood Match

Chapter 6: The Morning After

Liam woke up and for a moment he didn't know where he was. Then he remembered that Leo has brought him upstairs and lain him in the bed and held him while he cried. He had eventually fallen asleep in Leo's embrace. He realize that he was no longer in his clothes, instead he was wearing the most comfortable pajamas he had ever felt. He stretched and sat up in the bed. He wondered where Leo had gone and then suddenly he was there as if his thought had drawn him out of the ether.

"Good morning, I took the liberty of fixing you some breakfast." Leo said setting down the tray. He looked at Liam sheepishly. "I wasn't sure what you would like so I made a little of everything."

Liam looked down at a tray that had a stack of silver dollar panckaes, scrambled eggs and canadian bacon, waffles with butter and syrup, french toast with cinnamon and stewed apples, coffee, orange and cranberry juice and fresh fruit and cheese.

"Leo, this is enough food for a small army!" Liam said taking a bite of the eggs and bacon.

"I didn't know what to bring, so I guess I went a little overboard." Leo said plucking a grape from the tray.

"What time it is?" Liam said savoring the fluffiest scrambled eggs he has ever eaten. "It's about noon. " Leo said looking at his watch. "Noon, I wouldn't have guessed. Ahhh, the shutters reflect the UV rays and mute the light." Liam said looking at the windows. The shutters were made of photochromic smart glass and slid into place as soon as the sun began to rise. They must have cost a small fortune. "Yes, one of the drawbacks of dealing with a sensitivity to direct sunlight." Leo smiled self-deprecatingly.

Liam continued to eat while watching Leo and analyzing this strong ethereal being who literally just walked into his life out of the blue or should he say the blizzard. "Leo, thank you for helping me with the gallery opening and thank you for last night. Your music touched me and let me grieve in ways I had not been able to. I lost Alex and then a year later I lost my mom, I have been living life sort of day by day, going through the motions and finally I realized that it was Alex's and my tenth anniversary and I had to keep my promise even though he was no longer here. You helped me keep that promise and yesterday you helped me say my final goodbyes to my mom and to Alex. I will always love him but he would want me to start living again." Liam reached out his hand and took Leo's.

"Liam, you helped me too, I haven't had a reason to care in a very long time, you gave me that. I am forever in your debt for waking me up from a long slumber and letting me live again." Leo kissed Liam's hand.

"Shit, the gallery! It should have been open hours ago." Liam said setting the tray aside to get out of the bed.

"Don't worry, The gallery opened on time, I took the liberty of giving Tristan your keys and he is supervising your new staff right now to make sure everything goes smoothly. You can meet them this evening. I was kind of hoping you would spend the day with me, you did challenge me to show your my world." Leo looked up shyly.

Liam took a minute to think. "Ok, but can we call Tristan and see how things are going?" "Absolutely, I will get him on the phone now." Leo said pulling out his cell phone. Leo tapped the phone and after 1 ring Liam heard that characteristic bass voice. "Yes sir, how may I serve?" Leo looked over at Liam a half smile on his lips.

"I have a nervous gallery owner here who wants to make sure that you are taking care of his baby." Leo said motioning Liam to come to the phone. When Liam was within arms reach, Leo snaked an arm around his waist and pulled him close.

"Tristan, thank you for taking care of the gallery, I just want to know if everything is alright or do you need me to come in?" Liam said smiling at Leo.

"Mr. Von Anderson, everything is going smoothly. Kara is settling in and you have already sold 4 photos. We of course have gotten 20 offers for the portrait of Alexander, but all have been rejected and told it is not for sale."

"Tristan, thank you for that. Please have Kara move the portrait into the office so that there will be no more inquiries. Leo has asked me to spend the day with him so I won't be in until sunset unless you need me. "

"No worries, we have it all well in hand. Please enjoy your day with Mr. De La Cruz." Tristan hung up.

"Well, does everything meet with your expectations?" Leo said smiling up at him.

"Yes, thank you. What am I going to do with you? You are too good to be true." Liam said running his fingers through Leo's hair.

"Well for starters, you can let me give you a tour of the townhouse. But I think you will need to put on some clothes first. Through that door you will find the walk in closet and the bathroom. Pick out whatever you want to wear. Everything in there should fit, Tristan did a little shopping for you." Liam's jaw dropped in shock.

"Leo! You have to stop! I can't keep accepting these gifts even if we are friends." Liam said grabbing Leo's attention so he looked him in the eyes.

"Money is immaterial to a vampire, it is only good for pleasing those we care about. Immortality is a potent financial asset. Wealth is easy to accumulate when you will live forever." Leo said calmly. "Your friendship is important to me."

"Ok, but you don't have to give me gifts, my friendship is not for sale, I will give it to you freely." Liam said taking Leo's face in his hands and kissing him on the cheek.

Leo nodded and hugged Liam, he breathed in Liam's scent noticing for the first time how he smelled like Heliotrope, honey and warm summer rain. It calmed him and made him feel alive like nothing else had in the last 300 years.

"Go take a shower and pick out something to wear. I will come back in 30 minutes." Leo said kissing the top of Liam's head. He released him and pushed him towards the door he had indicated.