Chapter 20 #2
“But all tythwig are to uphold the standard set by the elders. So while any given tythwig could technically be anywhere, they’re obligated to report whatever they see to the Triad of elders of the area.
Any tythwig that is proven to withhold information in regards to someone breaking the decree is, you guessed it, also sentenced to death.
” Arze explained with the utmost respect, despite there being a real fear evident in his voice.
“That’s why I was so worried about us being out on the street talking outside the restaurant.
Any one of my kind could be anywhere, watching, observing.
And if they ever…” He looked around us, taking in the scene of the surrounding trees.
An interesting glaze came over his eyes for a quick second, and then I could physically see his body relax.
“If they ever found out about what we did last night, we’d both be subject to a death sentence. ”
“But surely tythwig can’t just kidnap a human like they could centuries ago. Everything’s recorded nowadays and if a random human went missing, there’d be police everywhere.”
Arze displayed a smirk of caution. “You assume that tythwig and your human police aren’t in contact. You’d be wrong in that.”
My mouth dropped. “The police would cover it up?”
Arze nodded. “Anything to prevent a war with tythwig. And it’s a known thing that once Orbs were announced to the world that tythwig would eradicate any form of fortified peace if the decree wasn’t upheld by the humans as well.”
“Fuck.” I said, astonished by this output of Orb education.
I liked Arze but I couldn’t ask him to risk his life to entertain my desire to keep hanging out with him.
I’d never forgive myself if something happened to him because of me.
Not that I’d have long to worry about it, considering the chances of me also being killed were pretty high.
My mouth opened to ask him what he thought we should do, but his earlier apprehension leaving after he took in the surrounding trees gave me pause to shift my line of questioning. “Can you…sense other tythwig?”
The smile that crawled over his face and made his lips upturn was hateful, because I wanted to press my lips against his so fucking bad as it happened. “You’re very observant.”
“You hesitated to mention what we did last night,” I nodded. “Then you relaxed after scrutinizing the trees.”
“Tythwig can communicate telepathically.” He described with finesse.
“We can also locate one another from long distances. For example,” He titled his head away from me, his eyes peering out into the distance, the RV park his entire field of view, taking in all the trees and those beyond my vision.
“There’s a few tythwig outside the park grounds.
Maybe four or five? But they’re much farther away from here to stay as far away from the humans as possible, I imagine. ”
“Especially loud ones, like them.” I gestured toward the group that resided beyond our sight, muffled hoots and hollers still being lifted into the air.
A silence built between us, Arze reaffirming his gaze to me, the feeling of his eyes on me causing my skin to heat.
“I feel like I already know the answer,” I didn’t want to do what I was about to do, but I needed to know just the same.
If the thing between us was indeed just the one time, I had to steel myself for that truth.
“But how do you feel about what happened last night? And what are your thoughts going forward, I guess, in that same regard.”
His shoulders rolled, his purple skin rising and retracting with its beautiful ridges moving so fluidly that I found myself staring and wanting to lick those ridges until Arze was overstimulated and begged me stop.
Fuck, now I was hard underneath the damn picnic table.
“I…enjoyed myself last night.” Arze said, divulging his truth for me to absorb.
“And while I think the tythwig decree against humans is absolutely ridiculous and outdated, there’s a group of tythwig that live in the wild forest around Jane’s.
We were reckless to have done what we did in the haunted house. ”
“But you enjoyed it?” I said with a smirk, unable to really register anything else because I was still stuck on that delightful admittance.
His cheeks blazed a dark mauve again. “I did. Very much.”
“I did too.” I reached across the table, feeling bold enough to grab his hands and take them in mine now that I knew there wasn’t the risk of us being overheard or overseen by other tythwig.
“I really like you, Arze. And I know it doesn’t make sense for us to start or continue anything, since I’m leaving after Halloween, but I don’t know.
All I know is that I like you and I’d really like to do what we did again but in a more… slow-paced setting.”
Doubt and indecision splayed themselves over the surface of Arze’s profile.
My heart sped up at the thought that he could potentially want to see what we could make out of the time we had left together.
But as much as I wanted that to happen, I could see that as much lust for me that lingered in Arze’s eyes, there was just as much hesitation.
“I want to, Krueger.” Arze said evenly, squeezing our still conjoined hands. “But if we’re caught, it’s over. Is us having fun for the next several days worth the risk of our lives?”
Well, when he put it like that, it certainly didn’t seem like the hypothetical orgasms were worth it.
I didn’t want this to be over. The feelings surrounding my crush on Arze were so intense and maybe I was chasing the adrenaline of that, but was chasing something so euphoric supposed to be bad?
Was I supposed to let go of something soul-melting simply because the end date was plastered obviously around every field of view I saw?
A crazy thought scrambled across my mind.
What if Myers and I didn’t leave Phoebe?
What if we stayed? Even then, I’ll admit, there were obstacles.
Arze and I would only ever really be able to be together in secret.
The fact that I saw him as something more than someone to keep my bed temporarily warm was a feat.
There was just something about him that I needed to explore to satiate my inner curiosity.
“I want to see what comes of this,” I stated sternly, lightly shaking our hands.
“I know I’m leaving, and I know that no one can find out or we risk it getting back to the other tythwig.
” I nodded, to prove I understood what risks I was claiming to be okay with.
“But I’d at least like to give it a shot.
I mean, I didn’t even get to see your body or anything. ”
Arze let out a sharp but playful breath, laughing as his lips curved so beautifully, my heart lurched in my chest. “You barely know me.”
“But I’d like to. If you’d let me.”
Curiosity mixed with the doubt and want from before, a storm cloud of decisions raining in his orange eyes. Just when I thought that he was going to tell me we could keep at it, I could see the finality in his eyes before he even spoke. My heart did a somber jolt by the time his mouth opened.
“Can I have a day to think about it?” Arze countered, which surprised me. I’d been so sure that he was about to fully shoot me down. Maybe there was a chance after all. “I can’t deny my attraction to you. But I just need some time, if that’s okay.”
I instantly melted at the possibility that this wasn’t the end. “Of course. I think that’s totally understandable.”
“Great. So I’ll let you know tomorrow at work?” He stood up from the picnic table, enabling me to do the same. “I don’t want to take up too much more of your time, since I’ll see you at work later today too.”
“Sure.” I nodded along. “Tomorrow sounds good.”
“Great.”
We parted shortly after, telling each other that we’d see each other at work. But the elation running through my veins were setting my soul on fire. I had a shot with Arze, and that was all that mattered. I just hoped that by tomorrow night, Arze was as on board to give us a trial run as I was.