Soulmate Cravings

Low-key Macabre Streak

     Sarawat cleaned the blood from his face. He rarely kept spare clothes in his office since his home was a short elevator ride away, but seeing as how Tine was waiting in his penthouse and Sarawat didn't want to see him covered in blood had him regretting not having a spare shirt in the office. It was too late now and couldn't be helped. He sighed as he turned to close the office down for the night before taking the elevator upstairs to meet Tine, a little worried about how Tine would feel about Sarawat coming home to him looking like the macabre monster he was.

     The elevator opened, and Tine was leaning confidently against the shark tank. He smiled and pushed off from the shark tank to walk towards Sarawat. "Teerak, look at you," he tut-tutted. "You got blood on your shirt, and look at the tatters of your sleeves," he said, holding up one of the sleeves of Sarawat's shirt. Sarawat remembered McClenaghan had fought against him and had tried to claw his way out of Sarawat's grasp, but he hadn't noticed his struggles had been strong enough to rip his clothes. "I'm afraid this shirt can't be salvaged. You'll have to change before we go anywhere," Tine finished with a simperingly sweet voice as he unbuttoned Sarawat's shirt.

     Sarawat watched Tine's expression, trying to see if there was any reticence in his face at all, but all he saw were the same hungry eyes Tine always had when he looked at Sarawat. Tine finished unbuttoning his shirt, and ran his hands up the expanse of Sarawat's body, up to his shoulders and then down his arms, stripping him of his shirt along the way. Sarawat pulled his lower lip between his teeth and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, inhaling Tine's scent as he leaned into the warmth of Tine's exploratory hands.

     Tine pulled his lower lip between his teeth as he shamelessly stared at Sarawat's naked upper body. Sarawat leaned in for a kiss, but Tine covered his mouth with his hand, and grabbed Sarawat's hand with his free hand and tugged him towards the bathroom. "Brush your teeth first. I have no desire to taste that poor excuse for a human on my tongue."

     Sarawat's eyes widened. "How did you know I fed on him?"

     Tine giggled as he handed Sarawat his toothbrush. "You said you wouldn't kill him, but you came up here soaked in blood. I trust you and for someone who abhors violence, it makes more sense that you used a non-harmful feeding as a means to show your monstrous side and scare him than it does to assume you tortured or killed him. Also, I remembered Type telling me that the only time the two of you feed on humans is when you want to intimidate or scare them. Well, the only time you feed on humans besides me, of course. But I'm your healthy exception," he said with a smile and a flirty wink, while Sarawat brushed his teeth. Sarawat was a little shocked at Tine's candor.

     Sarawat was scared Tine would be put off by Sarawat's obviously violent acts, but Tine was acting more like the entire thing was blasé. "But, baby, I wish you would have more faith in the strength of my feelings for you. I understand why you wanted me to come upstairs. We both know I knew what was going to happen when I left. You don't lie to me about your nature, but you seem to be terrified of the idea of me seeing you that way. Do you really think that by seeing your more monstrous form that I would see you any differently than I do now?" Tine asked seriously.

     Sarawat had finished brushing his teeth and looked at Tine. He knew Tine was being sincere, but knowing Sarawat had that side and seeing Sarawat show that side were two different things, and he'd already seen the fear flit across Tine's face when he'd seen hints of Sarawat's darker sides and it scared him to think he could chase Tine away with his uglier sides. "Tine, I've already scared you twice, once when we first met and then with Pear. I don't want you to fear me, and I don't want you to see me as someone to fear or loathe," he answered honestly.

     Tine sighed a little. "But baby, when we first met, there was a lot happening all at once, and the intimidating aura with Pear was the first time I'd seen you that way, and it caught me off guard. But I didn't see you any differently from how I see you now. I don't love you any less for those moments, and I didn't love you any less during those moments, either. Even when you are terrifying, I know you still love me. I know you are the safest place for me. It's comforting to know the man that protects me can strike that kind of terror into the hearts of those that would hurt me."