I sat in the shower; knees pulled up to my chest. I had been sitting here for a while now. I was dead tired, and I couldn’t really deal with anyone right now. I was so tired.

There was a knock on the door and Arlo poked his head in. “You okay? You’ve been sitting here for an hour.”

“Come in here,” I muttered and looked up.

He didn’t even hesitate. He walked into the shower, fully clothed and sat down in front of me.

“What’s up?”
“I don’t want to work at Euphoria anymore.”

“That’s alright. You want me to help you find another job?”

I shook my head. “No. I need to finish my contract there first.”

Arlo pulled me into his lap, leaning back against the wall. “Was it bad? With Apollo?”

I removed my hands from my chest. I had scratches on my hips and my chest. On my back. Arlo frowned as he looked down at me and then his eyes came back up to meet mine. He tried to put on a brave face for me, but it didn’t work. He rose to his feet, turned the water off and carried me to our bedroom. He found the t-shirt I had stolen from him to sleep in and my shorts, helping me getting dressed, covering up the scratches.

He wrapped a towel around my head, so the pillow covers wouldn’t get wet. And then he tugged me in, lying down with me.

“It’s going to be okay,” he murmured. “Do you want me to get Apollo blacklisted from your client list?”

“No…” I sighed deeply. “I liked it.”

He frowned. “You liked it? It looks like he tortured you and you’re telling me you liked it?”

“Please don’t be angry.”

“I’m not angry, Dion, I’m trying to understand what is happening.” He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t get it.”

“I fucked a god and liked it. Which part don’t you get?”

Wrong thing to say, asshole. Fucking wrong thing.

He looked back at me over his shoulder. He looked so… hurt. “Right.” He scooted to the edge of the bed, putting his feet down on the floor. “Must feel awful to come home to a dog after a night like that.”

“Arlo-”

“I’m going to sleep in the living room.” He rose to his feet and left without looking back at me.

I slapped my forehead and sighed deeply. That wasn’t fair of me. He was just asking to understand. He always did. I kept forgetting he wasn’t of this world. There were things he just didn’t get.

 ***

I didn’t fall asleep. I missed Arlo. I couldn’t sleep without his arms around me, no matter how hard I tried. So after some hours, I slipped out of bed and went to the living room. He had pulled the sofa out, so it was a bed. And he was fast asleep. 

I pulled the blanket aside and lied down next to him. I lifted his arm and put it around me. He curled it tighter around me, pulling me close.

So I guess he wasn’t as fast asleep as I thought.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“Don’t apologise. I’m the one who should apologise. I don’t even know why I told you I liked it. You don’t need to know that…”

He sighed deeply and kissed the top of my head. “It’s not like I want you to have bad clients or be bored. But… You’re so… Experienced. And I’m not. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“Arlo,” I said softly and took his face in my hands. He was insecure? I never picked up on that when we were together. “I pretend I’m with you when I’m working. It’s the only thing that’ll help me finish. I only wanna be with you.”

He smiled the cutest smile in the world. “Really?”

“Yeah. You’re so hot, Arlo. Like…” I looked down and ran my hands under his shirt. “You’re so big.”

He chuckled and then it turned into a moan as I ran my hands down, into his boxers. I used both hands on him and he whimpered softly, tipping my head up so he could kiss me.

“You don’t have to do this,” he murmured against my lips.

“I want to,” I breathed back. “I love you. And I love your body. I love hearing you.”

He growled and his hands shot down to mine, stopping me. He panted and I could see his teeth grow.

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “Don’t hold back.”

“I don’t… Wanna… Lose… Control…” he panted, struggling to get the words out.

“It’s just me.” I kissed his chin and then his throat. “I trust you.”

He loosened his grip on my wrists and allowed me to continue. He kept growling with every exhale, following the rhythm of my hands. And I kept kissing his throat. His hands ran over my body, pressing me closer to him.

He whimpered and brought my mouth up to his, kissing me very deeply as he finished. He pushed me on my back, moving down. He pulled my shirt up, kissing my stomach. I grabbed his hair and he looked up.

“Don’t,” I said softly. “I’m spent.”

“Really?” He smiled, showing off those fangs of his. He came back up to my face, kissing me so softly. His arms came back around my body and he pulled me close. “Wanna watch a movie?”

“Gods, yes.” I turned around and Arlo pressed my back to his chest. He kissed my neck and then bit down on my ear. My hips shot back, and he pushed his against my ass.

“You sure you’re too spent?” he murmured in my ear. His hand ran down to my crotch and I didn’t stop him this time. “You want me to stop?”

“Fuck no, not now.” I guided his hand down my shorts and he chuckled, filling my head with the sound of his happy voice. He was amazing.