Talk To Me

37. A good man

Todo was in his study, glasses perched at the end of his nose, deep in thought, when Wale strutted in. Todo looked up with a weary sigh. "Need something, Wale?"

"Busy?" Wale asked, looking like he already knew the answer.

Todo shook his head, half-expecting some Kind-related drama, but decided to wait and hear Wale out.

"I just wanted to thank you for all the help finding Kind," Wale said, and before Todo could even blink, he turned on his heel, clearly set to leave.

Todo was left blinking in disbelief. That was it? A "thank you," no frills, and a quick exit? "You are an unbelievable piece of work, Wale! Let me guess, Kind sent you to say that?"

Wale paused mid-step, rolling his eyes. Yes, Kind had indeed sent him, but he turned back to face Todo with a mischievous grin. "Alright, fine, I'll stay. But fair warning—it's still about your favorite topic: Kind."

Todo groaned. "If this isn't about his actual well-being, I suggest you get back to wherever you crawled in from."

"Oh, it is about his well-being—mental, physical, and...otherwise," Wale said with a grin, settling back into his chair. "Actually, I came for advice. You know, tips. On how to be a good top for Kind. I mean, you do have some experience, right?"

Todo's face went blank. Wale's nerve was something to behold. Wale, looking entirely too pleased with himself, continued, "I read a lot about it on the island, even practiced, but let's be real, practice books aren't quite like the real deal. Any trade secrets? Techniques?"

Before he could finish, Todo launched his laptop in his direction, narrowly missing Wale's head. "Get. Out."

Dodging the flying device, Wale didn't budge. "I'm serious! Who else would I ask? You're Kind's only ex I actually like!"

Todo realized he was on his feet, fists clenched. He took a deep breath, slumped back into his chair, and spun around to avoid Wale's smug expression. He really should've known Wale was here just to mess with him. The guy only took things seriously when Kind was in danger.

Wale leaned forward, feigning innocence. "Honestly, Todo, I didn't think you were still this rattled about him. I mean, you're a good-looking guy; I figured you'd moved on."

Todo spun back around, glaring. "Please don't mock me in my own house, Wale. I've had about all I can take of you today. You've thanked me, so please, go."

"What about your poor laptop?" Wale pressed. "Happy to replace it, by the way. But seriously, you haven't even given me any tips yet."

Todo took a long, frustrated breath, giving in just to get him out of the room. "Fine. A good bottom makes a good top. There, that's all I've got. Now, please leave."

"So...you're saying I should let Kind be my top? Well, that's new. Never thought of that before," Wale mused, rubbing his chin as if he'd just uncovered some profound truth. "Being held by Kind...yeah, we might try that tomorrow."

Todo just watched, glancing down at his poor discarded laptop. What did Kind see in this guy? Todo cleared his throat. "Look, not every man can be a bottom. It's...an art, let's say. One that involves choice, trust, and all that good stuff. And this little heart-to-heart we're having? It's over. I'm not your romance coach."

"But we're talking about Kind here! I don't care about anyone else. Maybe there's some path I haven't crossed, some secret fetish of his? He told me a good top takes care of his bottom—so here I am, trying to learn from the best."

Todo couldn't help a small, sly smile. How serious Wale was about this! "I still can't believe he'd choose to be a bottom for you," Todo muttered aloud, and Wale's eyes went wide with shock and pride. Realizing what he'd said, Todo looked away. "Stop picturing it, for heaven's sake!"

"Wait, so he was good?" Wale's curiosity couldn't be tamed. "I mean, so you chose him? Guess I'm even more impressed with him now."

"Enough! This conversation is over!" Todo slammed his hands on the table, leaning in close. "Is there anything else you need before I lose all self-control?"

Unfazed, Wale leaned in, mimicking Todo's posture. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to let you know how it all goes."

"No one asked you to do that, and by the way, try to keep the volume down. The whole house heard you two during the day. Kind's still recovering, even if he's too stubborn to admit it. A good top knows when to hold back."

Wale grinned, feeling victorious. As much as he'd come to annoy Todo, he also realized that Todo still genuinely cared for Kind. Maybe he could respect that. "Alright, just one last thing—any tips on how to woo him? You know, to make it official."

Todo snapped. "Get. Out!"