Title: Angel of the Snowdrift
Authoresses: NCJP and ANT-chan
Fandom: ORIGINAL
Rating/Genre: Romance/Drama/NC-17 (for SLASH/YAOI/BL/GAY, sex sex and more sex, language, a bit of angst, and threesome.)
Summary: 'Life hates me. It always has. ...I'm really going to die here.' Neither Sin nor Draca ever thought finding a boy in the snow and doing a good deed would lead to so much. A Shadows & Seraphim story. M/M/M

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Angel of the Snowdrift

Chapter 22: Freedom

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In the center of a mass of blankets, curled up in the nest-like indentation, Milo slept, his knees close to his chest and his nose buried in the fluff of his tail. He began to stir, twitching and muttering mutinously. He didn't want to wake up yet. He was so warm and comfy...

But it wasn't really up to him.

His eyes flickered open slowly, and one hand came up to rub at them, his lips parting in a wide yawn. His tongue curled and his back arched, but he yelped at the sudden dull pain throbbing just below the base of his tail. He winced and shifted, muttering once again, until he recalled exactly what, or rather who had caused the soreness. His lips twitched into a smile, which quickly faded at a sudden realization. He looked around his blanket-nest, tail and ears twitching.

"D-Draca...? Sin?"

No one was there. He was alone.

Doubt crashed down on him in a suffocating wave. Milo bit his lip, his fangs digging into the soft flesh painfully, as he tried to quell the surge of panic and hurt that rose up on the heels of the doubt. ‘They wouldn’t… right? They said…’

‘They always say. Anything to get what they want.’

People did anything for sex. Some men Kandru had thrown him to had promised him gentleness or sweet gifts. Then they simply held him down and took what they wanted. It never meant anything.

'I was so stupid...'

"S-Stupid," Milo whimpered, the beginnings of a sob welling up in his throat. He tumbled limply against the rumpled sheets, burying his face in the blankets as he tried to block out the world. He didn't even hear the racket from across the hall until a dripping wet Sin walked into the room, a towel secured around his waist.

"Damn insatiable Vampyre," Sin grumbled, turning to shoot a glare over his shoulder. He shook his head, walking towards the bed, but froze as he caught Sight of the obviously, horribly distressed neko staring at him from the blankets. "Milo?" his voice rose in sudden alarm, prompting a sudden commotion from the bathroom.

Milo flinched, his ears drooping in confusion. Not a second later a stark naked, soaked Draca skidded into the room, his eyes wide and concerned.

"What's wrong, kitten?" he asked, striding forward and climbing onto the bed, heedless of the water dripping onto the sheets from his body. "You okay?"

Milo's eyes were tearful. With nothing more than a weak mewl, he pressed his face into the Vampyre's chest.  "I... I th-thought you l-left!" he cried, his voice muffled into the Vampyre's wet skin.

Draca's arms wrapped around the boy, cradling his bare, trembling body close. He shot his lover a dismayed look, which was unhelpfully echoed. "Milo..." he soothed, stroking the neko's soft ears. "We just didn't want to wake you..."

Sin had made his way to the bed and was now pressed to Milo's back, arms looping around his small waist. "We would've gotten back before you woke up, but a certain idiotic Vampyre decided to jump me in the shower."

Draca smirked. "You weren't complaining for long," he said with a snicker. “And you always look so pretty when I kiss you breathless.” This earned him a vicious glare, but as usual, the accompanying flush lessened the effect.

Milo sniffled, a smile tugging at his lips at their antics. The Fayth glanced up at them, and giggled when he found took in their expressions. He nuzzled Draca's chest with a shaky sigh. Then he turned to Sin and hesitantly curling into his body. The seraph jolted, but didn’t push him away, wrapping his strong arms loosely about Milo's waist.

"M'sorry for… panicking. And doubting you," Milo murmured, pressing his face against tan, warm, damp skin. These last two days had been an overwhelming emotional roller coaster for him. He was still confused over it. Why would they want him? Was sex the extent of their relationship? Was he... still nothing but a toy?

The cloudy gray wisp of worry and doubt caught Sin’s gaze and he fought back a sigh. He drew Milo closer, caressing his bare back to soothe it. "We didn’t make it very clear, did we, little one?" Sin tipped the boy's face up. "We want you to be our… lover, Milo." He stumbled over the word, briefly appearing embarrassed even saying it.

For a moment, the nekojin just blinked at them, his eyes wide and blank with shock. Then, once again, tears filled the petite Fayth's eyes. "R-really?" he all but whimpered. He was disbelieving, somewhat wary, but more than either, Sin could tell, he was elated. And most likely on the verge of another emotional breakdown.

The blond thief snaked his hands over Milo's shoulders, squeezing gently and kissing the back of the slender boy's neck. "Really, kitten," he crooned. "There's nothing we'd like more."

Wide, hopeful amber eyes turned to Sin, who pressed a tender kiss to the feline Fayth's forehead. "So... do you accept?" he asked. As if he needed to.

With an overjoyed squeal, Milo threw himself at Sin, knocking him backwards onto the bed, scattering ecstatic kisses all over his face. Draca gave a sudden pathetic whine, and Milo whirled on the Vampyre to give him the same treatment. "Yes! Yes! YES!" he cried joyously.

The blond laughed, a dark, rich sound that never failed to send chills down Milo's spine. He purred as Draca slid one pale hand into his hair, holding him still so he could kiss him. Golden eyes flickered shut, his lips parting to accept the Vampyre's tongue. "Mmmm," Draca hummed, pulling back slightly. "You've no idea how happy that makes us, kitten."

Milo jolted as the bed shifted, but it turned into a happy moan as Sin leaned over them, brushing aside his messy braid to kiss back. "Very happy," the Fallen Angel murmured. The nekojin turned his head, silently beckoning the man to kiss him. Sin did so, leaning up to capture his lips in a soft kiss. It was so deliciously casual that Milo's breath caught. There was no true lust behind it, just a simple affectionate caress that was so utterly addicting that it wasn't even fair.

Breaking the kiss, Sin got up from the bed and paced over to the closet. "Go finish your shower, Vampyre. You're soaking the sheets."

"Not like they aren't dirty already," Draca said flippantly, sitting up. He turned his crimson eyes back to the sweet little neko perched in his lap. "How about I have this little kitty join me?" He smirked as Milo blushed softly.

"Don't jump him. He's sore, no doubt," the seraph called from inside the walk-in closet.

"Doesn't mean I can't suck him," the thief drawled. He gently pushed the boy off his lap, standing with a smile. "So how 'bout it, lover? You wanna finish my shower with me?" His cat-like eyes sparkled with intent. Milo could only nod. The word "lover" alone had made his heart throb wildly. Breathing was a challenge, let alone words. He squeaked as Draca scooped him off the bed and into his arms. "C'mon, kitten," he purred, "Let's go get you clean..." He peered over his shoulder as he stepped out into the hall. "And don't get dressed, baby! We're taking a naked cuddle day."

He ignored Sin's incredulous "Naked cuddle what?!", simply carrying their giggling lover back into the bathroom with him.

"That sound good to you, kitten?"

Milo only nodded, not able to get words past the giddy, squirming knot in his chest. The only thing that escaped his mouth was a dazed giggle. This had to be a dream. The best dream in the world.

Thankfully, Draca seemed to like carrying Milo, as, after being sucked off in the shower, the neko's legs couldn't quite support his weight. He was wobbly and faintly trembling, his eyes glazed and faraway as he clung to the Vampyre. He barely registered being dried off, before he was tucked into bed beside Sin, who was scowling faintly, but without much conviction, at his blond lover.

"I didn't fuck him!" Draca defended, chuckling. "Poor kitty's never had a blowjob before us! Not to mention I'm brilliant at it. He needs a bit to recover."

Sin gave him an arch look before settling close to Milo's side, smoothing down a few stray tendrils of damp black and silver hair. The Master Thief slipped into bed as well, pressing against the feline Fayth's other side. Milo was staring, dazed and heavy-lidded, up at the ceiling. A tiny smile curled his kiss-swollen lips, and, as of their own accord, his hands sought Sin and Draca's, lacing their fingers together.

"You... You two are amazing," he murmured.

Draca grinned wickedly. "Oh, I know."

He dodged as Sin moved to backhand his arm, a flippant laugh on his lips. "Hey!"

"Enough of your arrogance."

"He said you were amazing too, baby."

"Yes, and I'm humble enough not to gloat."

"You?! Humble?!”The blond broke down into helpless laughter, leaning his forehead against Milo's ribs. The boy was far, far too relaxed and dozy to bother with stopping them. He just listened to them bicker quietly, letting go of Draca's hand to card his fingers through his hair instead. The thief leaned into the touch, his chuckles taking on a distinct purr.

"Mmmm... You're the amazing one, kitten," he said, resting his head happily on the nekojin's belly. His fingers traced nonsensical patterns in the scarred flesh, until Milo began to squirm and stifle weak giggles and protests. Draca smiled, rolling over to nip at the pale skin. Milo squeaked and pushed at the man's tousled blond head.

"Stop!" he exclaimed. Draca laughed.

"Ticklish," he teased. He was fully prepared to give the boy's stomach a full-on tickle, but he was halted by a flicker of shimmery black out the corner of his eye. His lips curled into a bit of a leer. "I completely forgot about this..." he said, more to himself than either of his lovers.

He slid closer, eyeing the simple black tattoo just about Milo's hip with interest. He'd been delighted to discover it, all those months ago. But since then, he'd been too preoccupied with other things about the nekojin - including his startling attraction - to think on it at all. Draca dipped to press a kiss over the marked flesh. If he didn't know any better, he would've assumed it was a slave mark. But he'd seen those enough in his lifetime to know the difference. This was just a tattoo. The only magic flowing through it was standard issue - to keep the tattoo from fading and to keep it glistening brilliantly on his skin.

"Oh," Sin whispered, settling into Milo's side and watching the blond. "His tattoo?"

"Mmmmhmm..."

Milo blinked dazedly down at them. "What about it?" he asked.

"Just admiring it, kitten," Draca said, tracing the swooping lines. "When’d you get it?"

Milo let his head fall back on the pillows again, looking pensively up at the ceiling. "Two... Almost three years ago, I think. Not long after escaped from... him. It hurt."

Draca chuckled. "Then why'd you get it?" he asked.

Milo smiled towards the ceiling, closing his eyes and enjoying the way his lovers' hands and mouths were stroking over his skin, tenderly and without real purpose. "Because I could," he breathed. "It was... the ultimate rebellion. To get a tattoo is even above a slave learning to read or write or do something artistic. To mar flesh that isn't yours to mar is punishable by death. I... I wanted to prove to myself that I really was free. That my skin was my own, my body was mine to do with whatever I wanted. It was... almost surreal. The pain was nothing compared to the... the freedom I felt, looking at it after."

Neither of them could say anything to that for a long moment. Until Draca let out a quiet, strained chuckle and pressed his lips to the mark. "Our little rebel..."

At that, Milo pouted. "Hey..."

"It's a compliment, kitten. Take it as is."

"What the Vampyre is trying to say," Sin's voice breathed very close to his ear, "is that you can do whatever you want now. It's not rebellion if you're free."

Milo squirmed between them, his hands groping once again to find and capture their fingers. He squeezed, looking down at them both in turn. His eyes were slightly wet, his lips curled in a small, tender smile. "I... I know," he whispered. "It took coming here... meeting you... to... to really cement it, you know?

"Flattery will get you everywhere, kitten." Draca smiled crookedly, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed his flippant tone. He slid back up to lay beside Milo, his fingers absently stroking the back of Milo's hand. "See? You're making Sin blush." And then he snickered. "Oh wait, no. That's just because you're holding his hand."

Indeed, the seraph's face had turned a lovely shade of pink, as it always had due to his bewildering quirks about intimacy. And, predictably, Sin's face further reddened in annoyance at his mention of it. "Draca--"


But his growl was cut short as their new lover squirmed between them, gazing up at the Vampyre with - to Draca's delight - stern golden eyes. "D-Don't be mean to him..." Draca couldn't decide what was more adorable, the commanding tone that was ruined by that quiet stammer or the fact that Milo actually meant it.

"Whatcha gonna do if I am?" he smirked. "Scold me?"

"Y-Yes?"

He leaned in to press a kiss to Milo's brow. "Good. I like it when you get assertive."

Milo bit his lip, his heart giving an extra hard thump in his chest. Assertive. He'd never been called that. That was just a step away from brave, which he had never considered himself by any stretch of imagination. But... here?

Here, curled between these two, who had taken him in and cared for him? Who had taught him and pushed him and teased him until he'd finally stopped running?

Yes, maybe... he could be. He was free to be brave, after all.

Milo ducked his head, a giddy smile slipping onto his face as Sin's fingers finally stroked against his, breaking from the tense stillness. The seraph's lips caressed his bare shoulder, the faintest hint of a smile on them, and with a jolt, Milo realized that Sin was Seeing whatever amazing change was happening in him. Feeling lighter than he ever had, Milo looked up, meeting Draca's eyes.

"You'd better."