“What?” he asked.
“I will go with you to the med bay, then to see Seth.”
“You’re not jealous, right?”
“No,” I answered. “I know you love me, Vince.”
He smiled, kissing the corner of my mouth, and my soul picked up. It took very little to stir me. I ran a hand over his back, and he arched into my touch. I couldn’t help but think of how terrified he used to be of me when we first met, and now, he loved me and my touch.
“I want to go with you,” I said, palming the back of his head. “Please, Vince.”
“Why? I’m just going to the med bay. It’s not a big deal.”
“I need to make sure you’re healing.”
Vince kissed me. “You like to worry, my Don.”
My soul stuttered.
“But fine. As long as we walk slowly. I don’t want you to strain your injury.”
“I can do that.”
Klars walked around me. He looked so human, even though he wasn’t. Amorians were apparently closely related to humans in the grand evolutionary scheme of the universe or some shit. They were faster, stronger, and had better sight I believed, not mentioning the dots that went down in a V to their nose and then another V on the sides of their mouth. The dots could rip open and reveal fangs and tentacles, according to Seth, but I was pretty sure he was shitting me.
Don said from behind me, “He’s not.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“It’s the truth,” he said.
Klars glanced at us, probably confused by the one-sided conversation. I ignored him, since I didn’t really like him anyway, and reached for Don with my good hand. He was pacing far too much as he waited for the results. Klars had merelyscanned me. Nothing more. I was fine, even if the plasters had to stay on for a few more days.
He stood in between my legs, and I wrapped my arm around him, chin on his chest. I told him, “I love you.”
Don bent to place his head on mine.
Apparently, I only had to say it once, and the words wouldn’t stop coming out. I’d never told anyone I was with that I loved them, besides Seth, and that didn’t count. Of course, I never loved someone like I loved Don.
His hand ran over my back, and he rubbed his forehead against mine. “Vince.” He didn’t say anything more than my name, but it was enough.
Klars returned, tablet in his pale hands. “From my scans, our techniques are not working as well on you, which I should’ve anticipated since the plasters on your hands hadn’t worked quite as planned.”
“What does that mean?” Don demanded, tail thrashing. “Vince will be fine, right?”
“Yes,” he replied, not even looking at us, eyes on the tablet. “The plasters will take more time than I estimated, but he should make a full recovery. The bruises are fading, the scratches look excellent, and his scan is promising. Vince simply needs time.” Klars tucked the tablet under his arm and smiled kindly at me. “Another week at the most, and you will be back to normal.”
Well, I wouldn’t be fucking Don tonight.
He pulled me closer. “Don’t worry. We still can.”
I frowned. It was fine if we didn’t fuck; we had time.
Don looked at Klars and asked again, “But my Vince will be fine?”
“Yes. The damage, while colorful, wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Arachlyns are exceedingly strong, and humans, from my study, are quite fragile.”
Don straightened like a bolt of electricity had shocked him. I shot Klars a glare, and dragged Don closer. Fucking Klars. This was why I didn’t like that fake, smiley asshole. He didn’t need to scare Don. I was fine, and humans weren’t weaklings.
