Part Two - New World - Chapter [034]

This topic seemed already incredibly hard to talk about with others - I had no idea how I was going to bring it up with Arslan. I was mostly afraid of how he was going to react. I had this feeling that it wasn't going to be that great. After making my way back through the gardens to avoid running into anyone, which did happen and that interaction went as well as you might expect, I managed to reach Arslan's room. I just played it off as cool as I could.

To my surprise, he wasn't there, but I heard the shower running so I took a seat next to the window and started pursuing my eye through his books. Some of these were highly complex, ranging from poetry to history to science and even old books on magic, which seemed incredibly interesting to me. 

I wondered if this had been the estate he had grown in. 

Oh what a wonderful life that would have been. 

After I finally heard the shower cut off, I wanted to let him know I was there, so I knocked gently. 

"Arslan," I paused, it felt weird calling him by his name now.

"Tiger? I'm outside - is there any chance I could talk to you?" 

"I'll be out in a minute shorty!" He shouted from behind the room. 

Before I knew it steam was filling out the room and he came out in nothing but a white towel, he looked incredibly, better than ever even. Muscle galore.

His pecs were massive and wide - shoulders of gods and arms that popped with every step he took. His abs were indeed great to look at, and beneath the towel, I could see how he had massive legs. One could say his manhood had something to be desired, but as previously experienced, it might just actually be the perfect size for me. 

His golden hair dropped like a wet cat, he made this move that pushed it back, it was kinda of sexy. It was so effortless. He knew in the gay world he was a sex icon, and he wore that pride.

There was no chest hair to speak of, but his arms and legs did have tiny black hairs.

I noticed his sideburns were black too. 

Did he die out his hair blonde?

I couldn't look away. 

He looked my way - my mouth gaped open. He smiled in that half-devilish smile with a little with a tinge of blush to it. 

"Keep looking like that and I'm gonna have to charge you -" he motioned, half joking.

Snapping me from my trance. 

He turned his back to me and started changing, I just curled up into a ball and covered my eyes. We were both blinded. 

"You've already seen me naked, what's up with the change all of a sudden?" 

A wiggly smile came from underneath my hands. 

"I don't know… Don't you want some privacy?" I peeked through my fingers. He was standing there, with his weight shifted to his dresser, posing for me. 

"I don't mind…" he said and suddenly dropped his towel. It made me shriek! 

But I soon realized he was only wearing boxers. 

I took a sigh of relief and felt more comfortable now. 

"You're so easy to tease," he admitted. "It's kinda cute actually." 

I blushed a little, couldn't help it. I curved my spine and placed my hands in between my tights, shuffling them about. 

"I need to talk to you about something…" I started. He stumbled to place a black sleeveless t-shirt, the front part went down just fine, but he stumbled with the back of it. His arms were too big to reach where it had gotten stuck in his neck. He couldn't pull it down, he tried everything, but his massive back didn't allow such grace. His wet skin didn't help. 

I stood up. 

"Here let me," I said and grabbed the shirt and unrolled it, pulling it down.

"Thanks," he said and went to sit down on the front of the bed. 

"So? What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked, curious, his beautiful eyes staring me down. 

The light shined brightly across the room and softly caressed his cheek. It gave him a sort of ethereal glow. His eyes shined like honey milk. 

Standing made it easier to bring up the topic for some reason. And with his sitting - I somehow got my confidence back. 

"What Everett did to you, it's not right!" I choked through my words, but still, they came out. 

"Oh, huh?" He dribbled. 

Excuse me? That was not the reaction I was looking for. 

"That's what you're worried about?" He effused. Like it was nothing - like I hadn't brought up one of the most difficult topics to talk about. Was he downplaying the situation? Or was he just not aware of how grave of a sin someone akin to his father had committed? 

"Hold on -" I grumbled. "Is he not like your dad?" 

"Yes - No - Sort of - it's kinda complicated," he said nonchalantly while scratching the side of his face with his index finger. 

"Then, how can you be so - so - blasé about it!"

"It's just how it is," he concluded.

I crossed my arms. Rolled my eyes. 

"Denial is a river in Egypt," I asserted. 

"Where?" he looked genuinely confused and smiled like I was making silly stuff up. 

"Never mind - has it happened before then?"

"I mean - " he diffused the question. 

"Has it?!" I continued. 

He sighed, and then suddenly hid his face by turning away from me towards the corridor, his face instantly covered in shadow. 

"Once - before I turned 15 - " he disclosed in a low tone of voice. 

"Oh my god," I exclaimed.

"That's not acceptable Arslan - no one should have to go through that kind of trauma, especially from someone like your dad." 

"HE'S NOT MY DAD-" he cackled so loud the birds standing in the large tree outside his room took flight. 

I took a step back, my body arched, and I raised an eyebrow. 

"And that makes it okay?!"

"WHY DO YOU CARE ANYWAY!?" A beat, his breath's short like some sort of panic attack - but he continued. 

"He's the captain of my guild," he commented that last part - like he meant it. It wasn't metaphorical. 

"You're guild?!" I said softly.

"YES! - He's the captain I chose for my men - if he deems violence necessary to get his point across - then so be it - I must contend with it - otherwise The Red Lions could disband - and I've built this guild from the ground up, ever since I was 13 - when I finally turned 18 all my assets were finally liquidated and I could have access to them. That it includes this manor."

He confirmed in a tone I've never seen him use. It was like he felt uncomfortable talking about the subject, but not about the violence. More like he didn't want to talk about his family's past. Or was it the money? I couldn't tell.

"Then why aren't you the guild master?!" I shouted. He met my eyes.

"Guildmakers can't be guild masters, GUILDING 101 Aiden!!" he declared in that same tone of voice. 

Right … Of course…

The way he shouted - it scared me.

He was indeed like a tiger, with a saber tooth, ready to attack. 

There was a beat between us. He just looked away again, after a long time of exchanging a sigh, he met my gaze with sad eyes and a curious expression with his lips in a grimace. 

"I'm sorry -" I said brushing the back of my head, I started pacing the room.

"I shouldn't have brought it up." His eyes softened and his mouth felt ever so slightly agape. 

"You're right - maybe I looked wrongly into it" I stopped in my tracks.

"Still - it's no way to treat someone, and I will talk with him, even if he was riddled with anxiety because of the demons and even if you did a 'stupid thing'" I air quoted.

"By giving me the EB thingy - it's still no excuse, how can a leader show that kind of violence? That's not a leader in my book - that's just weakness." I expressed. 

Arslan contended by not saying anything.

He pushed out his hand, asking me to get close to him. 

He grabbed my forearm softly and pushed me to meet my chest with his. I got in between his legs, he man-spread a moment. Even with all the cardio I did daily, I was still a twig compared to him. I could fit two of me in between the space of his thighs. 

From this angle, my chest reached to his head, and he had to look up to meet my gaze. 

He softly touched my back his hand spreading, big enough to wrap around me twice. 

He just motioned in a soft caressing motion. I calmed down. And I couldn't help but smile, pushing his hair back through his ears. 

"Then maybe - that's why you'll be the next leader of The Lions of the Red Sea," he declared in a soft sweet voice. 

"Me?" I fretted suddenly a big smile propping on my face.

"Yeah - why not? Maybe The Red Lions needs a healer for a leader - even if it's unprecedented." His hands were on my hips now. 

I couldn't help but shy at the thought, placing my hands on his shoulders. 

"Maybe - if you'll have me," I confided. He smiled back. 

Then something unexpected happens. He pushed me against him and hugged me lovingly around him, his face buried in my belly. I was taken aback a moment but soon recovered.

"You were worried about me - right?" He muffled through my shirt. 

"I was - indeed - my big tiger," I heard a smile from him. The hug didn't end. He just turned his cheeks towards the window. 

"I'm so glad to have you as my husband - sorry" he paused.

"I'm getting used to that - my inamorato, my cute shorty." 

I bent down a little to meet his hug back. 

"Then you better throw us a party!" I said not sure if I would be down for that. The fact we had gotten "married" in secret was my favorite part of all of this. No one has to know of our business. But a party to show our love - could be fun.

We stayed like that for a moment, and the moment broke far too soon.

But still long enough. 

He looked me in the eyes, held my right hand, and kissed it a moment. 

"I promise - I will."