In Aid

40. Are You With Me?

"Blowjobs?"

"No."

I flailed childishly on the bed, grabbing the nearest pillow to hug for comfort. "Why not? I'll be the one giving. You just have to sit back and relax. You don't have to return the favour."

"It is hard for me to say no to you since I did enjoy it a lot, but blowjobs fall under oral sex and I already said no sex."

"Do I get to see you naked at least?"

"No."

"What the-? Half-naked then?"

"Yes."

I grinned. "I'll take it."

"What about you?"

"No rules. You can do whatever you want with me whenever you feel like it. If I made rules, they'd just be boring. Your rules, while they keep me in line, they also honour your approach towards relationships and I respect that. I'm trying to, at least."

I knew there were a lot of things to discuss when it came to what we had, but I had underestimated just how much. Or rather, I had underestimated just how much his way of life came into play. Thankfully, he was willing to meet me halfway. I didn't expect him to turn his back on the way he was raised to suit me. I preferred for him to be the better half of our pair. If he started slipping, who was going to keep me in line?

We spent a great deal of time talking about each other, mostly about him and his life in Downton Isles and Karys. There was always something to learn and I never got tired of hearing him talk about his homeland. I even found out something that honestly, I wished I had been told before: Aubyn did not live alone with Coen.

"Is that an issue?" Aubyn asked, hanging up the clothes he had insisted I get for the dinner that I was thinking of ways to get out of.

I shrugged. It was more that I wished I'd had more time to mentally prepare myself for having to live with more than just Aubyn, Coen, Sang and Milan. I was reminded again that Aubyn and Sang lived in two different countries, but they both worked in Karys. That meant that whenever Aubyn wasn't working, he would be back in Downton Isles with Coen and whoever else he lived with and I would need to be with him.

I didn't see how it would make a big difference whether he lived alone or with his parents. Heck, it wasn't like I was one to judge. I'd been mooching off of him for months and couldn't imagine surviving on my own. He was a young, single father. Needing help wasn't a surprise. My issue was who he lived with and if I'd be able to get along with them.

"It's not an issue per se. Who do you live with?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"My older brother, Hran."

At least it wasn't his parents. I didn't think my anxiety could handle meeting and living with them as soon as I landed. I was nervous enough to live with Aubyn. "Does he know about me? That I'll be living with you? Or will I need to stay somewhere else when we're in... Tsuk'ki, right?"

"Where I go, you go. Wherever I live, you live. Yes, Hran knows about you and he is very curious about humans in general. He is very laid back and open-minded, so I do not doubt that you two will get along. He is a bit disappointed that he will not be able to communicate with you though."

"He doesn't speak English?"

"No. In school, he chose Alunai because of our father and Thiori because a cousin of ours has a significant other who speaks that language. Speaking English has become somewhat of a trend in my world due to the number of English-speaking visitors and immigrants and some words are used as slang so it is not as if he is completely useless. Not to mention what he learns while taking care of Coen. However, he will not be able to hold a conversation with you."