“You wanted to bite me?”Blake echoed, blinking in shock.The way Marin had been talking, he was sure that the merman had wanted to devour him whole.The fact that he’d only wanted to sink his teeth into Blake was tame in comparison to all the other horrible ways he could have harmed him with the octopus limbs.“That’s… baby, not to downplay your fears, but that’s not… entirely uncommon?”
“It’s… not?”Marin frowned, looking a little mystified.Blake shook his head no.
“No, not at all,” he said.“Even outside of a… situation like this, things like biting and scratching and even bloodplay aren’t really out of the ordinary in.Uh.Certain communities.”
“That’s… that’s not me, though,” Marin shook his head, still petting Blake’s cheek, likehewas the one trying to comfortBlake.“I’d never want to hurt a partner.I’d never want to hurtyou.”
“I know, I can tell,” Blake assured.“Remember what Noel said?One of the reasons transforming like that can be dangerous is because you can pick up certain impulses from the different species—you probably got a little carried away by those new instincts.”
Marin’s body language softened, a tremulous tension in his posture snapping like a wire.He sagged against Blake in relief, shoulders trembling as he cried.
Blake continued to stroke his hair, pressing another kiss to his temple.“But even if itwassomething you wanted, that doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.It would be something we’d have to discuss beforehand.”
“I never want to hurt anyone,” Marin said after a moment, voice impossibly small where it was muffled against Blake’s sternum.
“I know,” Blake said again.
“I’m sorry,” Marin apologized once more.“I’m so sorry.I absolutely botched this whole thing.”
“I gotta say, it didn’t exactly play out like I thought it would,” Blake chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.“But as far as first kisses go, at least it was an exciting one?”
Marin made a wet noise.It was somewhere halfway between a laugh and a cough.
“That was a little more than a kiss,” he sniffed, and when he pulled away, he was smiling through his tears.“And even if itwasjust a kiss, it was our second one.”
Blake laughed.“You’re right.”
“Sorry—about all this,” Marin apologized, turning away from Blake whilst he cuffed away tears with his wrists.“I’m naked and wet and covered in snot… kind of a mood-killer, huh?”
“Honestly, sex is the farthest thing from my mind at the moment,” Blake admitted.He reached out to help Marin brush away his tears, catching one on the tip of his thumb.“I’m more concerned with making sure you’re okay.”
Marin laughed.“I think I’ll need some more time to calm down.Uhm…”
He looked down at his bare legs, which were still trembling with adrenaline.“Would you bring me my clothes?I’m getting grit in some really uncomfortable places.”
“Of course,” Blake said, standing up.After taking a moment to ensure that Marin was steady, he went around the side of the pool to gather up their clothes before returning Marin’s, slinging his own over his arm.
Marin stepped back into his underwear, Blake leaning over to help him slip his shirt back on.Although they were silent, there was little discomfort in the quiet between them.Despite the fact that little more than heavy petting had transpired between them beforehand, helping Marin through his transformation had brought them even closer.
“What did you want to get up to?”he asked.“I can go grab us something to eat or drink from the kitchen, or we could hang out and talk for a little while longer?”
“I’d kind of like to go to sleep, if that’s okay?”Marin requested, folding his pants over his shoulder.“After everything tonight, I’m feeling absolutely beat.”
He reached out, taking Blake’s hand in his.“And honestly… I just want you to hold me.”
Blake grinned, tucking his chin into his shoulder to hide his flush.It was stupid.They’d been close to having sex fifteen minutes earlier, but it was an admission likethatwhich made him blush.
“That means a lot to me, Marin,” Blake said, turning to face him.“That you’d seek out that kind of comfort from me.”
“Of course I would,” Marin replied, a disbelieving furrow on his brow.“Why wouldn’t I?”
Blake smiled.His chest could have been glowing for as warm as it felt.He leaned forward, drawing Marin into another brief kiss.
“Thank you,” he said before guiding them towards the guest house.
As they stepped inside, Blake frowned down at his boxers, still soaked in pool water.Not wanting them to ruin the expensive-looking sheets, he shucked them off, trading them for his jeans.
They settled down onto the little bed with an easy familiarity.Blake rolled onto his side and Marin tucked himself into his open arms, drawing in a deep breath.He had finally settled.
