Gray pulled back, his eyes shut, hands resting on Shadow’s chest. “Why would you do that? I wouldn’t get this close with just anyone, but I wanted to with you. Isn’t that enough for you? Why would the opinion of other people matter anyway?”
His words hit harder than Shadow expected, so he hugged Gray tightly. “Because I don’t want to lose you. He was so mean to me, and I’ve had all this time to think and panic while you slept. And here I am, whining, when that’s one of the things a man shouldn’t do.”
Gray let out a long exhale and cuddled Shadow even more firmly, pulling him to his warm, naked flesh. “I like you the way you are. I did even before we shared blood, okay? You’re not like most men around me. And I like that.”
Shadow took a deep breath, sliding his hands over Gray’s back. Nothing calmed him down as much as the skin-to-skin touch. “Thank you.”
Gray’s breath tickled his ear, so warm and tempting, like information about the inner body heat of his lover. Gray’s smooth hand moved up and down his jaw, gently massaging the sensitive skin until the touch made Shadow incredibly receptive.
They stood so close now he could sense the tiniest shift of scent on Gray’s neck and shoulder, and it was becoming sweeter, muskier.
“Soo… how hungry are you?” Shadow murmured, unable to take his hands off the human who understood him so well. “There’s some fruit, and some things in the fridge.” He still didn’t mention the crispy worms because it had been a turn-off for Gray every time the topic of delicious bugs came up.
Gray sniggered and clasped his hands on Shadow’s hips, getting to his toes to bump his nose next to Shadow’s. “I could maybe have a little snack in bed now and eat more later. What do you think?”
Shadow was quick to steal a kiss, but then slid his hands all the way down to Gray’s buttocks. “Yes. In bed. I will bring everything.”
Gray smiled at him and rubbed his face against Shadow’s chest. “Mm, I love how you smell. Be quick,” he said before stepping back toward the huge bed.
Shadow could only have moved quicker if he’d left the human body behind, but there was no need to be that fast. Or was there? The sooner Gray was fed, the sooner they would have sex.
Shadow got to the fridge, pulled all the food he could grab onto a tray, and took a bowl of fruit with his third hand on the way back to the bed. “I’ve got bananas. You love those, right?” He smiled, relieved to see Gray healthy and awake. His whole world revolved around this man, and he loved every second of it.
Gray snorted and reached for the penis-shaped fruit with a naughty glint in his eyes. There was something about the way he opened the skin while looking straight at Shadow that made the air feel dense even in the huge room. Shadow didn’t waste time and started undressing.
“You haven’t yet seen how much I like them.”
Shadow stopped breathing altogether when he sat on the bed opposite Gray once he was naked. He wouldn’t dare blink, mesmerized by how relaxed and comfortable Gray was when they were alone.
Gray put the tip of the banana against his lovely, pink lips, and Shadow couldn’t help but reimagine the fruit as his own cock. “Do you promise to stop with this ‘real man’ nonsense, then?”
Shadow nodded, already stroking Gray’s knee, but it was when the banana disappeared into Gray’s mouth that Shadow’s excitement skyrocketed, and his cock twitched.
Time and time again, Gray slid the fruit in and out of his mouth, never taking his eyes off Shadow. When the banana poked at Gray’s cheek from the inside, Shadow let out a needy whimper.
Gray chuckled and finally bit off a chunk of the fruit and chewed on it while opening the towel with his free hand. Shadow had seen his cock rising underneath it earlier, but now that it was free, it stood up in a pretty arch.
“Come here. We can both take care of each other,” Gray said, tapping Shadow’s knee with his toes.
“You don’t need to eat more? You sure?” Shadow grabbed a jar of peanut butter since he’d seen Gray eat it before, but he was quick to lean forward and cover Gray with his body. He pushed Gray to his back and when they kissed, for once, the aftertaste of the banana didn’t bother him at all. Maybe anything eaten off Gray would be tasty?
Gray chuckled and looped his legs behind Shadow’s. “Maybe you’re right. I’m sure you don’t want me dropping dead from exhaustion,” Gray said, unscrewing the jar.
“Don’t say that!” Shadow pressed his face into Gray’s neck, sighing with relief at the taste of warm, fragrant skin that still smelled a bit of soap. He rocked his hips against Gray, and the joy of their cocks sliding together was better than getting a hot bath in the dark while eating cockroach wings.