“Making soup,” Sila replied. “Don’t worry, I won’t make a mess, it’s premade. Just have to heat it up. It’s got snow flower root and coal blossoms. My brother says it’ll help with your throat.”
“You told you brother about us?” Bay hated that idea.
Sila snorted. “Of course not. I asked him what would help an irritated throat, that’s all. This was his suggestion.”
“Does your throat hurt?”
He sent Bay a look over his shoulder. “Let’s not with the stupid questions, shall we, Professor? I wouldn’t want to start thinking less of you so early in the game. I don’t think you would like that either, if the semi you’re currently sporting is any indicator.”
Bay glanced down and then quickly covered himself. The gym shorts he was in were made of a pretty thin material and the outline of his hardening cock had been on full display.
Sila laughed at him and went back to making soup, pulling out a small metal pot after searching the three cupboards in the tiny place. He’d also brought another tube of sun cream and a packet of pills, but Bay couldn’t identify them.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sila asked cryptically and Bay frowned all over again. “You seem out of sorts.”
“Oh.” He was, but considering he still didn’t fully understand it himself, the last thing he wanted to do was have a conversation with his student. Besides, all of this was strange enough as it was. One minute, he was accosting him and checking to be sure he hadn’t just had sex with someone else and the next, Sila was making him soup? What the fuck? “No.”
“Because you already discussed it with Nate?” Sila didn’t sound pleased by that prospect.
“Because I don’t think we have that type of relationship,” he countered.
“Ourrelationship,” Sila said, “is whatever I say it is. And I say you’re going to open up and tell me what’s going on with you today.”
“While you cook me dinner?”
“Is this the usual amount you’d consume for dinner?” Sila took in the small pot. “No wonder you’re so small.”
“I’m not small,” he huffed. “I’m average height for a Vital, I’ll have you know.”
“Ah, that explains why Berga is around the same size as you.”
Bay didn’t like the way that caused his heart to still. “You’ve paid attention to Berga?”
Sila turned and quirked a brow. “Now who sounds jealous?”
“That’s different.”
“How so?”
“If I tried to hook up with someone else, it’s pretty clear what would happen.”
“Murder,” Sila confirmed.
“Yes,” he adjusted his glasses, “exactly. But what about you? What happens if you sleep with another person? Am I supposed to just be fine with it?”
“Do you think I’d care if you weren’t?” Sila asked, and when Bay’s mood noticeably soured, he clucked his tongue. “I’m teasing you, Kitten. Don’t worry. I only have one main playmate at a time and you’re the most interesting thing on this planet anyway. Not to mention, why would I turn elsewhere when you’ve already said you’d willingly be at my leisure?”
“That does it. I’m insane.”
“You’re empty,” Sila corrected, but then he tilted his head and seemed to look at him more closely. “Or, at least you were. Something’s changed. Is that what it is then? Why you really called out of work and why Nate was here?”
“I…” He blew out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest protectively, unable to meet Sila’s gaze when he admitted, “I can feel again.”
“Is that so?” He hummed. “Interesting.”
“Insteresting?” Bay glared. “Is that all you have to say?”
“You’re welcome?” he suggested. “Is that better?”
