CARNIVORE [MxM+]

Chapter 28 [Revised]

Fable by Gigi Perez is fuckin' me up rn

I will never accept myself

Alexei Abbots.

RILEY'S LAUGHTER BOUNCED THROUGH THE ROOM, WHILE I wrapped my arms around his naked torso. It was night, and we were getting ready for bed. Riley told me he had an especially good day, but he wouldn't tell me why.

"No, but you have to tell me," I poked his nose with my index finger, to which he let out a giggle. "What's got you so energetic? It's like you won the lottery or something. I mean, I didn't know someone could dance so much without music while making dinner."

He crawled onto me, trapping me underneath him while he sank his face into my neck. "I don't want to tell you, but I kinda wanna show you 'cause it's like, amazing. And adorable. And I can't help but feel proud and- fuck, I feel like such a mom." I could feel him smiling against my skin.

Then it clicked. "Wait, did Tycho do something? That's the only thing I can think of because you guys were left alone all day." 

He shot up and looked at me with this little smirk on his face, telling me that I was on the right track. He still refused to budge, so I wasn't going to play the nice cop anymore.

I flipped us, Riley letting out another of his adorable giggles in the process. He might've been stronger and bigger than me, but he didn't fight back when I took his wrists and pinned them to his sides while I straddled him. He liked the attention, the little shit. 

"Riiileeeey," I dragged out the syllables in his name as far as I could. "Tell me! Tell me, please- you should tell me, please?" 

I gave my best pout, but to my disappointment, it didn't work. I kept repeating the same thing over and over again while he just sat and laughed at my poor attempt at interrogation. 

It didn't bother him, and it frustrated me. "You know what? Fine." 

An idea struck my mind, one that would bite me back, but an idea nonetheless.

"'Fine' what? Hm?" This time, I was the one who knew something he didn't.

As quickly as I could, I let go of his wrists and started pinching his sides. He howled and tried his best to buck me off, but when he realized that wouldn't work, he tried to return the favor. Except I wasn't ticklish on my sides, only my feet, which he couldn't reach.

"Okay! Okay! OKAY!" He stopped squirming as fast as he started and gave me a serious face. "I won't tell you, but I'll show you, okay?"

"Okay." I stopped, but didn't move.

He made a baffled face. "Okay. Okay? Wait, you mean right now?" 

I nodded slowly. "Yes, I mean right now. Why would I not mean right now?"

He huffed. "Okay, you little shit. I can try, but he might be sleeping." 

I knew Tycho. He wasn't sleeping. I don't think he ever did. Riley knew that too.

I let him stand so he could pull on his shirt to leave the room. He turned around and grabbed my hand, excitement lighting up the room. I followed him into the hallway and stopped when he held a finger to his lips. I giggled at his seriousness and listened to his demand. 

He faced the door. I observed the light coming from the space between the bottom of the door and the floor. He was awake, but, as usual, he didn't make a sound. For such a big guy, he was quiet-- even when he slept.

Riley knocked on Tycho's door. We waited in suspense for an answer and practically burst through the door as soon as we heard his quiet "come in."

We opened the door, and Tycho was to our right at the desk. The small lamp on the shelf above him was on, illuminating the countless assignments he had sprawled in front of him. He had a pencil in his hand, and he was leaning back in his chair. He looked exhausted.