NOTE: I will be using this text size from now on as transferring it from my writing document erases my edits and it makes it a pain to re-edit everything. Thank you.

Once I could move properly and post-nut clarity kicked in, Freyja and I got dressed. However, she was noticeably touchier with my body and made an effort to stick close to me. As a matter of fact, she helped me put my shirt back on all the while feeling up my chest and back. Apparently, almost sucking the soul out of a man is one hell of an icebreaker for Bevu women. 

After we got dressed, I sat on my bed while Freyja sat beside me with her upper body resting on the bed in the space next to me. She stared at me fondly and brushed a few errant hairs away from her face with a toothy grin.  

“What’s up?” I asked, leaning back slightly on my hands. Freyja sighed thoughtfully and traced a few fingers up and down my thigh. 

“My two stomachs were in complete chaos for the past two days wondering how you would react to my advances. I knew you were attracted to me and yet...the fear was there that you would reject me given your circumstances. And I was deeply conflicted given my status compared to yours, I'm still worried about that. But, I see now that most of my fears were unfounded, thank you, Dean.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that, she was acting like I did her a favor when all I did was indulge in a little recreational sex. If anything, I should be the one thanking her for her efforts.  

I placed a hand on her cheek, causing her to stiffen at my touch. Even after what we did, a small gesture like that still was getting to her. How cute. 

“Don’t sweat it, Frey. I had fun, and strangely I feel closer to you. Ha-ha, let me guess...it’s the pheromones working their magic yeah?” I patted her cheek and laughed. 

“You are correct, even so, a relationship cannot truly last if it is not cultivated. And as fun as that was, we still have much to discuss and learn about each other. I hope you are willing to do so?” She looked away as she said this, embarrassed.  

“You better believe I am,” I replied with gusto. She sat up giddily and moved over to place her chin between on top of my knees and looked up at me. 

“Excellent. Since we must learn about each other further, what did you think of my performance? I studied as much as I could about what human males enjoyed to satisfy you.” I told her, while hiding my enthusiasm, that she did better than I could have ever imagined. Still, even after saying this, her smile faltered, and she pulled away. 

“What’s wrong?” I’d get down on the floor with her if I could. I heard her mumble something and asked her to speak up. 

“W-Was she better than me?” Ah shit, she was really going to go there. I didn’t want to get into my recent failed relationship with her. While I debated what to say, Freyja’s massive form deflated. “So, you do prefer the companionship of a human female.”  

“That’s not it!” I yelled out before catching and composing myself. “Sorry. I’m just not comfortable answering that question, Freyja. Fresh wounds and all that.” I leaned forward and put my hand up to partially cover my mouth like I was telling her an arcane secret. “I will tell you this though...I’ve never come that hard in my life.” The corners of her mouth perked up. 

“Is that so, you are not lying to make me feel better?” Her smile grew wider. 

“Scout’s honor,” I said while making a cross over my heart. We both laughed. “Alright, alright, enough of that talk. It’s half past ten, did you want or need to go home soon?” Freyja answered my question by pulling out her phone tablet thing and rapidly tapping away.  

“It is most unfortunate, but yes, I have a meeting with Hilda tomorrow morning, and she is anything but courteous to those who are late.” I made a show of throwing my hands up. 

“Darn, and here I was thinking you could spend the night.” Freyja’s eyes widened. 

“You’re not joking, are you? D-Dean, I do not think I could hold myself back if we were to do something so forward, sharing a bed with a man I am not wed to. The last thing I would want is to damage your reputation by staying the night in such a fashion.” She stuttered, struggling to put her phone away. 

“Who said anything about sharing a bed?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“I-I didn’t mean that... Ugh! Look at me, a princess of one of The Three Houses and you are turning me into a bumbling buffoon!” I laughed at her expense and eased myself off my bed. 

“Yeah, I’m just yanking your chain. Here, I’ll walk you back to your apartment.” I said as I got my jacket and shoes on. She told me she’d be happy to take me up on my offer.  

Leaving my dorm was a rather awkward affair since a few students were roaming the hallways, giving us disapproving looks that Freyja failed to notice. Instead, most of her attention was spent elsewhere. 

Namely, groping my body in ways that were not so subtle, thank God she stayed away from the private areas. Once we got outside, I felt like I could relax as we wandered the now barren campus lit by the golden lights of streetlamps.  

We were making small talk about some of the math questions I had on the way, and Freyja offered to help tutor me, to which I agreed. I could make it through most of my classes relatively unscathed from poor grades, but math was a beast of its own. And I would need all of the help I could get. Plus, it would be neat to see a Bevu brain in action solving problems.  

“Dean?” I stopped cold in my tracks at the sound of a feminine voice. “It is you isn’t it, Dean? Care to explain what you are doing with one of them?” Freyja was quicker to act than I was and swiftly turned away, putting two arms up in front of me and I could see her body slowly grow in size, her horns sprouting. 

“Freyja, relax, please,” I said, turning around to face Claire, she was standing about thirty feet away and steadily approached until I could see her face clearly under a nearby light. “Claire, we broke up. It’s none of your business.” She scoffed and rolled her eyes.  

“Seriously? We were together for eight years and you move on to shack up with one of our oppressors!?” She screamed at me, stirring up some rage within me. I moved past Freyja and pointed a finger at her. 

“You left me, Claire! You! Not me! Everything we had was thrown aside in an instant. I wanted to stay together, and you left.”  My voice choked up by the time I was finished. Claire, taken aback by my sudden outburst, lowered her voice as well. 

“Well, how do you think I felt, Dean? My boyfriend is siding with the same ones who destroyed my father, what did you think would happen?” 

“I thought we could work things out,” I said with a shakey voice. Freyja looked at me, apprehension on her face no doubt thanks to my admission of lingering feelings. Claire looked between the two of us and narrowed her eyes. 

“It would never work out, not now.” She turned to leave the way she came, but after a few steps, she stopped and said one more thing without turning to face me. “I only met your father a few times Dean but now I see...he was right about some of the things he said about you.” And off she went. 

I clenched my fists, fingernails boring into my palms as I seethed. Freyja read my expression before turning to hiss in Clarie’s direction. 

“You dare!” She shouted imperiously at Claire. I patted Freyja on her back and kept walking towards her apartment. 

“Let’s just go.” Freyja stammered out a rebuttal but grew silent when I wasn’t responding. She jogged up to me and muttered an apology. I shook my head and just kept going. As we neared her place, she worked up the courage to ask me a question. 

“Do you still love her?” Her deep voice filled with hurt. How else would she react when her potential partner got all emotional over another person whom he used to be intimate with? Right in front of her!  

“I do, but not in the way you’re thinking, Freyja.”  

“I see.”  

“Yup.” 

“Say it.” I stopped short of reaching the door to her apartment and turned to look up at her, those blazing blue embers she called eyes met my sight.  

“Say what?” 

“That you and she are done...that you wouldn’t l-leave me for her. I know I have no right to ask this of you. And in Bevusian culture, males may have multiple partners but...never her. Never anyone like her. You must promise me this.” I grunted, damn right she didn’t have a say in the matter. But if I had to be honest with myself, I knew that the old life that I had was over that day in class when she first arrived.  

Also, the expression she had on her face was the embodiment of sincerity, doubt, jealousy, confusion, and apprehension all rolled into one. How could I refuse her? 

“I promise, Freyja.” I’m not sure if she believed me or not, but she accepted my answer, nonetheless. “Look at that, we’re here. Look uh, sorry for Claire, she came out of nowhere.” She unlocked her door and started to head inside before I grabbed onto one of her hands and yanked her down to my level. Without waiting for her to say anything, I kissed her softly and cradled her head between my hands.  

“W-What was that for?” She gasped out when I pulled back. 

“I’m excited to try whatever this is Frey, my life got fucked over but the one thing I know is that you are one of the few good things in my life right now. And I’m tired of fucking things up, so let’s give this a shot.” I didn’t put a label on it yet, too soon, but Freyja happily agreed and said that she would text me every day and see me whenever possible to work on it. 

A little excessive but she had spirit. 

We bid each other goodnight and I returned to my dorm.  

“On a scale of one to ten, I’d give today a seven.” I tossed my phone and keycard on my bed and went to the bathroom to take a much-needed shower for my sore body. “One day at a time Reyez. One day at a time.” 

 ***

A few days went by without incident, and I managed to get a good chunk of assignments done. Sadly, I wasn’t able to see Freyja as Hilda kept her busy with royal stuff that she had to attend to since she wasn’t in classes for at least another week. What those things were, I had no idea. But we had plenty of fun texting each other and calling when we could. She was even bold enough to sext me a couple of times once she realized it didn’t bother me as a guy. I was not allowed to do the same, however, as it was uncomely according to her for a man to do such a thing. 

Culture and societal expectations are a hell of a thing. 

My body was doing much better, aside from the discoloration from my black eye, things were going well. Pretty soon I think I’d hit the gym again and try my hand sparring against some more Bevu constructs, maybe with Freyja in tow for pointers. 

As I contemplated these things my phone rang and I picked it up without thinking, believing that it would either be Freyja or Joel, to my surprise it was a third party. 

“Hey there Dean! It’s been a while, haven’t forgotten about your friend Astrid, did ya?” Fuck, I did for a minute there, but I wasn't going to admit that.  

“N-No, not at all. In fact, how would you like to get something to eat for lunch? I’m buying.” I was bored out of my mind with Freyja so busy and Joel spending all his time with his rich boyfriend flying him in and out of state. And home was, well home. 

“For real? I thought you never wanted to see me again, whew, it’s not every day a girl gets a man to call her back.” It came out like a joke, but something told me there was a lot of truth to that statement. “If you’re serious, you can come on down to my club, but don’t worry, I’m the only one here, plus it’ll save you money.” I figured since it was just her, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to revisit the place where one of the top three worst things happened to me. 

Besides, with a living tank with me, I didn’t think I had anything to worry about. And when I remembered how her eyes glowed as well, I felt more confident in my decision to agree. 

“Great! Then it’s a date, I’ll be here! See ya!” With that, she suddenly hung up. I then pulled up Freyja’s contact on my phone, I felt a little guilty going on a date thing and wanted to let her know what I was doing. 

I explained to her about how Astrid came to my rescue and, like her, it appeared she and I had one of their ‘predestined’ connections. And after prodding me with questions about my assault, she came to a decision 

Thank you for informing me of this. And thank you for trusting me with something so...sensitive, I'm sorry you had that experience. I'll be here if you ever want to speak on it further. As for this Astrid, as long as you use this as an opportunity to explore the relationship, I will be fine. Ultimately, the decision to accept her into our bond is up to you, but if I believe her to be ill-suited, then I will reject her regardless of your feelings.  

I thanked her, genuinely, for understanding and letting me decide to talk with you about what happened on my terms before asking if she was truly okay with me seeing someone else for a date. 

Why would I not? It is your right as a male, if you do not give her or me false promises of more, you are simply fulfilling an obligation many Bevusian males are not particularly keen on. If anything, Dean, you are doing a good thing. But let me reiterate, if I despise her, or if she hurts you, then she is gone. As is my right as your first. 

Damn, she sure could type. I told her of our plans and that I would also be busy this weekend hanging out with Erik and Joel, but that I was all hers Sunday. She said that was acceptable. 

One more thing, Dean. Do you mind if I send you some...photos? 

I told her it was cool with me. And the next thing I knew my phone was flooded with pictures of her bare breasts, spread open legs, and even one with her horns exposed with her tongue lulling out of her mouth.  

She was really getting into this whole sexting thing, and it was driving me crazy.  

If you ever want me to stop, let me know. I’d hate to drive you away by being so...lewd. I know you said that you were okay with it, but I don’t want to cross any boundaries. 

I laughed out loud at that; she sounded like a dude worrying about being a horndog with his new girlfriend. Deciding to tease her a bit, I told her that I’d have to think about it and sent a picture of myself shirtless.  

“Welp, that’ll keep her occupied for a while. Time to get a move on.”