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"Seriously?" I glower at Killian.

Killian is completely relaxed laying on my bed. "What?" He quirks an eyebrow.

"What the hell are you wearing?" I groan in annoyance. "Or not wearing, rather."

Killian frowns, looking at his boxers. The only thing he's wearing.

"This is what I wear to sleep, darling," Killian says. "As you keep reminding me, we're only going to sleep, therefore I'm wearing what I wear to sleep."

"Put on pants or something!" I glare at him.

"Why?" Killian grins cockily. "Scared you won't be able to keep your hands off of me? I do have the sexiest body out of everyone in this dimension. And I would know."

"You seem a little biased to be making that judgement," I scoff.

Killian shrugs, and makes no move to put on more clothes. I stare at him expectantly. He sighs.

"Fine, how about a deal?" Killian's eyes light up with mischief.

"Absolutely not." Didn't need my Sight to know that I should never make a deal with Killian.

"You didn't even hear it!"

"Don't need to."

"The deal is," Killian continues, ignoring my lack of interest. "For every piece of clothing you take off, I'll put one on."

"You're so annoying!" I shriek.

"What?" he asks incredulously. "That's fair!"

I rub my temples, already feeling a headache coming on from the irritating Alpha.

"This was a bad idea," I mutter. I was already regretting the agreement Killian and I came to this morning.

Killian sighs. "Fine, if it'll make you more comfortable, I'll put on more clothes."

"Thank you," I exhale in relief.

"Anything for you, my darling." He winks and disappears.

I crawl into bed, reading texts from my sister from the past week that I haven't responded to. Probably wouldn't respond to. Gwen sucks the energy out of me more than anyone, and I didn't have much to spare.

Gwen: Hey sis!

Gwen: How's it going?

Gwen: Everything okay?

Gwen: Haven't heard from you in awhile. Just wanted to check in.

Gwen: ????

Gwen: Come visit. Please. I miss you.

I stare at the messages, debating on texting her just to get it over with.

"That's the problem with you youths," Killian says, reappearing next to me suddenly, and at least he put a pair of sweatpants on, though he decided against a shirt apparently. "Always on your damn phones."

I roll my eyes. "You're only a few years older than me, Killian."

"Who are you texting?" he asks, stretching his neck to peer over me and look at my phone.

"That's private," I say shortly, and I'm about to turn it off when he yanks it out of my hand.

"Killian, give it back," I groan.

He reads the texts, cringes, and gives the phone back. He gives a sheepish smile. "Sorry?"

"You're so nosy." I roll my eyes, and put the phone on the nightstand.

"Are you going to text her back?" he asks curiously.

"Boundaries, Killian."

"I have no idea what that word means."

"Obviously."

I reach over and turn off the lamp, leaving us in complete darkness.

"You're going to fall off the bed if you move any further away from me," Killian states.

I ignore him.

"You know the whole point of this slumber party is so that we touch so you don't have nightmares, right?" Killian asks, and I'm sure if there was any light I would be able to see a stupid smirk on his face.

I don't move away from my corner of the bed.

Killian sighs. "Katrina, if you don't want me in here, then just say so, and I'll leave."

I swallow. "No, I-I do. Sorry."

And yet, I still can't make myself move over to him.

Killian is silent for a few moments. "Have... Have you not ever slept with someone before?" he asks quietly.

"That's not your business," I tell him. Of course I haven't. My Sight freaks guys out, and I get freaked out when I touch them and See something.

"It's.. You just seem nervous," Killian says hesitantly. "That's all. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I'm not nervous," I snap.

More silence.

Neither of us move.

"Oh, fuck this," Killian says finally, and pulls me to his bare chest.

"Thank you," I say quietly. Why the fuck am I so nervous?

"Of course."

Silence.

"Your heart is beating insanely fast," Killian whispers.

"Shut up, I'm trying to sleep!"

More silence.

"Are you asleep?" I whisper.

"What a dumb question. If I wasn't, then you should have just said whatever you plan on saying. And if I was, then you just woke me up by asking," Killian says bemusedly.

"I hate you."

"Ditto, darling."

It's quiet.

"Are you asleep?" He whispers.

"Yes."

"You're being awfully annoying for someone who's supposed to be asleep."

"You're always annoying," I tell him.

More silence.

"Fuck, Katrina, can you just relax?" Killian groans. "You're so fucking tense it's stressing me out!"

I hadn't realized that my muscles were tightened with anxiety. I relax them.

"Thank you," Killian exhales, sounding extremely distressed.

His arms adjust so that one is cradling the back of my head, and the other is draped on my lower back. He starts stroking my hair, and I hate how good it feels.

No one has ever touched me so... tenderly.

"Do you do this a lot?" I ask, my curiosity burning a hole in me.

"What?"

"You know. This."

"Cuddle?"

"Don't call it that."

"Snuggle?"

"Definitely never call it that again."

"What would you call it then, Katrina dear?" I can hear the amusement in his voice.

"Symbiosis," I mutter, and he laughs, and I can't stop the small smile that crosses my face.

A few moments of silence.

"No," he says suddenly.

"What?"

"No, I don't snuggle with girls," he says uncomfortably, an emotion I didn't know he was capable of.

"You've been with them," I state. Not an accusation, just a fact.

"Yes. What we did doesn't usually entail snuggling." He laughs.

I frown. "You just kick them out after? Seems harsh."

"It's the way it had to be."

"I don't understand." And I don't.

"I know."

More silence.

"Are you going to explain?" I ask curiously, not really sure why I care.

"Do you want me to?" He asks after a pause.

Yes, I do. "I don't have anything better to do right now."

Another pause. "I couldn't form any kind of relationship with any of them. Selene made it clear she would hurt anyone I care about, especially someone who would be a romantic interest. No strings attached was the only way it would be safe."

I cringe. Thank whatever Gods that are left that Ares Alstott is so insanely savage and was able to kill her.

His explanation only perplexes me further. I really don't understand him. Any time I think I do, he reveals something that completely changes my perspective on him.

And not in a bad way.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. We were both dealt such shitty cards in life.

Killian is quiet for a moment.

"Why haven't you been with anyone before?" he asks hesitantly.

I open my mouth to tell him to mind his business, but that wouldn't be fair, not after he just told me that.

"It's too loud," I mutter. "I wouldn't want to touch someone and See everything about them. And they wouldn't want that either. It would probably also would kill the mood if my eyes turned black and started gushing blood."

He doesn't say anything for a few minutes, and I thought he had fallen asleep.

"I'm sorry," he says finally. "That it's so loud. If I could, I would silence everything for you."

My throat tightens.

I wish that he could.

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