“No, Theodore.”
“You’re such a h-hypocritical asshole.”Theo’s voice was still shaking, his vision blurry with tears.He got out of bed, and Peter just looked at him with the quiet regard of a frozen lake in the middle of winter.“He fed me h-his f-f-fucking blood, and he got into m-my head!This isn’t just some f-fucking prank call.”
Theo looked around for his clothes.He wanted to leave, storm out of the bedroom, out of Peter’s plush house.My stuff’s still in the basement.Fuck.
Theo’s gaze fell on Peter’s stupid silk bathrobe draped over the foot bench, so he pulled that on.
“Theodore.”
Theo spun, tying the robe just a bit too tightly.“I just asked you to make it fucking stop, Peter.Or d-do you get a fucking kick out of compelling me only when it f-fucking suits you?”
All Peter did was raise a perfect eyebrow.“Theodore.”
“Screw you.No one’s givingyoufucking nightmares.”
Theo stormed out.The hallway was dark.It was the middle of the night, which suited Theo just fine.He had no desire to be seen walking around in nothing but a silk bathrobe.The stairs were shitty to navigate though.Should’ve paid attention to where the light switches are, but fuck my life.I can do this in the dark too.
Theo made it all the way to the ground floor, grabbed his school bag, had his hand on the handle of the front door, and found that his hand just wouldn’t turn the damn knob.
“Fuck,” Theo said.Peter’s compulsion—the one Theohadn’tasked for.
The anger that had exploded just a few minutes ago was all burned away now, and instead of going into another outburst, Theo dropped to his knees and cried.It was pathetic, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“Shh.It’ll be fine, Theodore,” said Peter, the fucking stoic asshole, who was still just fuckingthere, arms ready and able to hold Theo.
Theo wasn’t so sure he would have done the same if their positions had been reversed.He wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t just hand the pathetic, crybaby twink over to the stalkery vampire who so very clearly wanted him and was willing to do heavens knew what to get him.
“’S your fault,” Theo managed.
It was too dark to see much in the foyer, but Peter had tilted Theo’s head up to get a look at him.Theo couldn’t read much on Peter’s face in the dark.“That you couldn’t leave?Yes, very much.You’re not safe outside on your own.”
“He’ll leave you alone if I go back to him,” Theo said, because he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he didn’t.“That’s what he said in the dream.He just wants me.”
Peter bent forward, and Theo jerked back, not even sure where that reaction was coming from.Peter stopped, but then he moved farther into Theo’s space until he could kiss him.It was just a chaste peck on the lips, but Peter’s cool skin felt nice.
“He’s a liar, Theodore.All he wants from you is your submission.He wants the thrill of winning.He wants to know he has power over you.He doesn’t want you, and he’ll have you over my cold, dead body.”
“Y-you promised.To run.”
Peter’s sigh was loud, and its echoes filled the house.“I’ll keep that promise.I’ll simply have no cause for running.You were saying you dreamed of me in the nude?”
“You should be kicking me out.I didn’t mean to say all that.I…I’m sorry.”Theo let his head drop forward.“For…for calling you all that.”
“Yes, you called me a Viking, and I’m not a Viking.But I forgive you, precious one.”
Theo snorted.“Not that.I called you an asshole.”Theo looked up at Peter, although he could only see the barest outline of his pale face.
“Most things said in anger are just twisted truths, ill-born shadows of our hearts’ true rhythm.There is nothing to forgive.”
“The fuck does that mean?”
Peter kissed Theo’s forehead, and this time, Theo didn’t jerk back.“You’re the university student.Read on until you figure it out, and do a little living too.It’ll help the words fall into place and settle neatly.”
Theo snorted and let himself sag forward into Peter’s embrace.“Thought you were a lawyer, not a poet.”
“Theo, dearest, I multitask.”
21
