“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” Cold patted his thigh. “Come here.”
Jimmy practically sprinted over to Cold, jumping into his lap and snuggling close. He kissed him, running his hands over his chest with a happy hum. “Mm, I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve been right here,” Cold chuckled, holding Jimmy’s hip.
“You do know it’s possible for you to be in the next room and still feel a million miles away, right?”
“Is that so?”
“Yup.”
“What is it, Jimmy?” Cold asked, his hand squeezing.
“I just miss you,” Jimmy replied, wiggling in protest. “We haven’t... you know.”
“Haven’t what?” Cold asked coyly.
Jimmy glared.
“You’re still hurt,” Cold said, lightly tracing Jimmy’s bottom lip. “The things we normally do... could aggravate your injuries.”
“But I feel fine!” Jimmy argued, turning his body so he could straddle Cold’s hips. “I need you, Rod. I need... I need you to punish me, to fucking own me, I need, I need—”
I need to feel alive, I need to feel like myself again...
“Shhhh,” Cold soothed, his thumb pressing over Jimmy’s lips to silence him. The movement was gentle, but Cold’s eyes were growing dark. “You’re in your head, Mr. Poe, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir,” Jimmy replied quietly, a shock of lust pooling in his loins. He closed his eyes. “I don’t like...”
“Don’t like what?” Cold pressed.
“I don’t like who I am when I look in the mirror.”
“And who is that?” Cold asked calmly, his hand moving down Jimmy’s chest and slowly working open the buttons of his pajama top.
“Someone who, someone who isn’t a good person, sir,” Jimmy replied awkwardly, his brow scrunching up. He gasped when Cold pinched his nipple, and he jerked in his lap.
“Mmm...” Cold didn’t let go, rolling the tender bit of skin between his fingers as he spoke. “But you are a good person, Mr. Poe. My sins do not reflect upon you despite your insistence on carrying them.”
Jimmy’s breathing began to pick up, groaning when Cold’s attention moved to his other nipple. “They do,” he argued. “I’m not stopping you, I’m not helping... I’m... mmm...”
“Your inaction is not the result of a skewed morality,” Cold said, squeezing and watching Jimmy squirm. “It’s out of loyalty to me. You love me, you would never betray me, but you know I’m a monster.”
“Yes,” Jimmy whispered brokenly, gazing deeply into Cold’s eyes. He was certain Cold could see right into his soul, that pinpoint perception leaving him feeling so vulnerable.
“The decision is yours, Mr. Poe,” Cold went on, tracing a single finger down his lean chest. “You have to decide if you want to marry a monster or not.”
Jimmy came out of his lustful haze for a moment, fussing, “Okay, we’re already technically married, and I did finally accept your proposal—”
“Then why are you hesitating?” Cold asked firmly. “What are you so afraid of, Mr. Poe?”
“Becoming like you,” Jimmy blurted out, inhaling and swallowing nervously. He was afraid that Cold was going to be offended.
“That’s all?” Cold was smiling, warm and soft, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
“Yes!”
