Henri - 36

 

After making certain nothing in them would damage the ecosystem, Henri disposed of the bags of trash from Xavier's lab in the simplest way possible—he teleported to the bayou near his home outside of Paradis. Then, using his airboat to go deep into the swamp to a small island, he buried the bags.

 

With that finished, he went for a long run in his wolf form before returning to his house. He knew the place wasn't much, compared to homes in New Orleans, but it was his and had been forever it seemed like.

 

"Do I want to live here again?" he asked himself, walking through it, ending up back in the living room.

 

Standing at the window, looking out over the bayou, he pondered the question.

 

"It's a long drive from the city, but then," he chuckled, "since I don't drive it's hardly a problem. I can come and go with no one being the wiser. Spend time with Taegan whenever I want and still live here. But if I came back, would I be as happy as I was in the past?"

 

That brought up yet another question. Had he really been happy? Or had he been deluding himself? I had all the freedom I needed to run and be me. But did that make me happy? All I had was freedom, when I wasn't working. No friends and very few acquaintances.

 

"Now I have both," he murmured. "And there's nothing to say I can't come out here whenever I want to, just to breathe fresh air and feel the breeze on my face when I'm being my wolf."

 

Going out onto the porch, he sat on the steps with his arms wrapped around his knees. If I do stay in the city, what will I do? He wondered if he could get a job with one of the swamp tour companies. He did, after all, know the ins-and-outs of that. What else am I capable of doing? Not a damned lot when it comes right down to it. Helping Allyn when he needs it is great, but it's not a paying job. "Sooner or later, I will run through my savings. So, I guess job hunting is in order."

 

With a sharp nod of his head, he teleported back to his apartment and, after fixing a very late supper, went to bed.

 

* * * *

 

"You did what?" Taegan asked Henri the next evening. The gallery was closed for the day, and they were down by the river after deciding it would be a pleasant place to eat supper.

 

"I started job hunting." Henri smiled wryly. "Apparently I don't have enough training to do much of anything. I did put in an application with one of the swamp tour places and found a couple of outfits looking for carpenters. That I do know how to do, thanks to a man I worked with on a logging job, way back when. Of course I can't use him as a reference, since he died forty-some years ago. I could probably get a job in some shop selling tourist crap but…" He shuddered.

 

Taegan smiled, patting Henri's leg. "There are worst jobs, like…umm…"

 

"That's not the encouragement I was looking for," Henri grumbled.

 

"Why are you searching for work in the first place?"

 

Henri looked at him in disbelief. "I have rent to pay. Bills. I like to eat. And that's just for starters."

 

"The rent problem is easily solved. Move in with me."

 

"No."

 

Taegan seemed genuinely puzzled by his reply. "Why not?"

 

 "We're nowhere near that level in our relationship, and you know it."

 

"We'd get there faster if…"

 

"Taegan, it is not happening. And if you try to push it, I'll go back to where I lived before all this crap with Xavier came down. I was happy there."

 

"You aren't now?"

 

"Of course I am. But I will not become a kept man. I need to be me."

 

"I see," Taegan replied slowly. "So living with someone you care about, who cares for you, would make you a kept man?"

 

"It's hard to explain, but right now? Yeah, it would. I'm beholding to you and everyone else for my freedom. I have to prove to myself I was worth your effort."

 

"Henri—" Taegan clasped Henri's hands, "—never doubt we all think you were. Are. Especially me."

 

"That's all well and good, but this is my self-respect I'm talking about. Let me make it on my own—make something of myself—before we decide we should be living together." He looked pleadingly at Taegan. "Please?"

 

"Of course," Taegan replied, hugging him. "I do have a question however. Would you at least let me help you find a job you like?"

 

Henri nodded, kissing his cheek. "I may be stubborn but I'm not stupid."

 

"You are definitely stubborn," Taegan agreed, smiling. "All right. I have a friend who is an expert at creating reproductions of antique furniture. She's been searching for someone who knows their ass from straight up, as she puts it, when it comes to woodworking. I can introduce you to her and let you take it from there."

 

"She's not trying to sell them as the real thing, I hope."

 

"Camilla would never do that. Much of what she creates is used in shops around the area that want a high-class look without having to pay a small fortune for the real thing."

 

"Then, sure, I'd like to meet her."

 

"Done. Well, first thing in the morning it will be. For now, if it doesn't go against your independent streak," Taegan winked, "why don't we go back to my place and end the evening in my bed?"

 

Henri grinned. "Or in mine?"

 

"Deal." Taegan stood, pulling Henri to his feet.

 

As they strolled back to the gallery to get Taegan's car, Henri wondered if his need to be independent would end up ruining their slowly blossoming relationship.

 

As if Taegan had read his mind—although Henri knew it was more likely Taegan's strong empathic ability kicking in—he said, "I'll give you all the time you need. I promise. I don't want to drive you away. You're too important to me."

 

"Thank you," Henri murmured, pausing their walk long enough to kiss Taegan quickly, despite the fact they were in the middle of a busy sidewalk. "Thank you for understanding."