On the Mountain

by Riley Hart

Sometimes it was scary how easy it was to fake it, to pretend you were happy and life was great. Most people didn’t take the time to look, not really, because if they did, they would see most of us were barely hanging on.

I knew I shouldn’t keep Cyrus on the mountain with me. Still, for once in my life, didn’t I get to keep something I wanted? Didn’t I get to have him?

“This mountain needs you up here. You belong here, and the only way to get back to your mountain is to calm down. Please, Crow. Come home.”

“You’re good at spoiling people. I’m warning you now, if you keep doing it, I’ll keep accepting it. I’m learning real quick that I enjoy being spoiled.”

All these pieces of me he was taking…I hadn’t known I had the ability to give. The short time we had known each other didn’t matter, only our connection did, the deep-rooted feeling inside me that said Cyrus belonged to me.

you sure do know how to use your heart better than anyone I’ve ever known.” Hell, maybe that’s why he could. Crow would always look at the world differently from other people. He would never be seen as “normal” by most. The man growled, for Christ’s sake, but I thought humanity would be a whole lot better if more people were like Crow.

Maybe it’s just…we get each other. Deep down to the bone, something about us is connected. I feel it, Crow.”

People like to throw stones at others for their choices, when most of the time, we’re just doing the best we can.”

How could anyone smell the sweetness of his skin and want to do anything other than devour him?

“You.” “Me what?” “You give me you. Not just your ass. All of you. Your…feelings, your words, your smiles. You.”

“You are the only person I ever want to be around.”

Now I knew my salvation was the man in front of me, and it was beautiful and right and I would never let him go.

Cyrus was my purpose. My redemption.

“We will do whatever you want. It’s all I ever want to do.”

somehow, together, we filled in each other’s imperfections. All my cracks and chips were sealed in by Crow, and his by me.

He needed me. I needed him.

Wasn’t the point of loving someone that you took care of each other? That you gave each other what you needed?

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Crow. I have nothing without you. I am nothing without you.”

“No. You’re everything.”

“I have nothing without you… I am nothing...

plan to keep taking care of you until you’re well. Anytime you need me, for the rest of my life, I’ll take care of you.”

you and became the best man I’ve ever known.”

“Thank you for giving yourself to me.” “Thank you for wanting me.”

A drop of moisture fell to his face, a stray tear of mine sneaking out. Crying wasn’t something I’d done much of, and never because something was so beautiful, so perfect. His mouth parted, a slight exhale as I was buried to the hilt. His body squeezed me, molded to me, but I didn’t move, just stayed inside him, looking down at this man who’d changed my world. “You are my sun too. My life was darkness until you gave me your light.”

“Mine,” he said, using the word I associated so often with him. Cyrus knew what this was, knew that while I’d told him before that I belonged to him too, that now I was giving myself completely, willingly, needed to be his.

“Look at me, little lamb. Look me in the eyes while you come on my cock and take what’s yours.”

I want you to find love and friends. Those are my greatest desires for you, Crow. Even if you stay here, even if you stay on this mountain that you love, you can have a life, a real life, free of Chosen and his twisted form of reality.

He should stay away from me. I want him to stay. I watch him sleep, want to touch him, have to bite down on my hand not to. He is…breathtaking. I don’t want to let him go. Ever. I can’t stop painting him. I love him, I love him, I love him.

part of me would always fear that he would wake up one day and realize he didn’t belong to the mountain the way I did. And that I would have to leave it because now Cyrus was my true home.

The way this man understood me, the way he supported me, made the chaos in my soul begin to ease.

I grabbed his wrist, pulling him to me, then took his mouth with mine. The need to claim him was too strong to deny. I rubbed my face against his, as if I could bathe him in my scent, warning everyone he was mine and to stay away. “Okay, that was hot. Hold that thought until I get back.” I tried to smile but couldn’t. “I love you,” Cyrus said, and the ball in my chest loosened. “I love you too.” I could live off the smile he gave me in return.

I’m so fucking lucky I get to love you.”

“I love you,” Crow said into the dark, stroking my hair. “You are…everything to me. My salvation, my reason for being.”