Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
MATEO
“Do you want to talk about it?”
No, he did not. He’d finally cleared his head for the first time in days and enjoyed a little quiet. He forgot just how much he loved swimming. He didn’t want to ruin that. But Dax had done something nice bringing him here, and he didn’t want to throw that in his face. He sighed heavily.
“It’s stupid...”
Dax rested his elbows on the pool’s edge, propping up his chin, making it obvious he wasn’t going to just accept that alone. Mateo’s shoulders slumped.
“It’s not… I’m not even sure I have the right to complain.
I lived alone before and living with roommates now is hard to adjust to.
It’s only been a week, things might change once people settle in.
I’m just tired. The guy who lives across the hall from me is awake at odd hours and makes a lot of noise like he’s tinkering with electronics or something.
I feel like I could handle the rest if I could just get some decent sleep. ”
Maybe. Or maybe not. Yes, the loud neighbor was annoying, and the lack of sleep was the most difficult thing he’d been dealing with, but it wasn’t the only annoying thing his roommates did.
The messes, the constantly moving furniture, it all made his eye twitch.
He liked things organized. His jaw almost constantly ached now from grinding his teeth, he was so on edge.
“Have you considered a spell?” Dax suggested.
Mateo stared at him blankly. “I’m human.”
Snorting, Dax lifted a tentacle to poke him in the shoulder playful. “I know that. But you work in a company literally filled with supes. I’m sure one of them would be willing to help. And you could always hire someone to do it if you’re not comfortable asking a friend.”
Shaking his head, Mateo reluctantly admitted, “I can’t afford that. My old landlord kept my deposit, and everything I have is allocated to food until the next payday.”
It was embarrassing admitting just how broke he was, but he hoped it was temporary.
Without being charged rent and utilities, as long as he was careful how he spent his money, he should be able to start saving.
Spells or even wards, while nice, weren’t in the budget right now and he didn’t have any friends with magic who he’d feel comfortable asking that kind of favor.
Thanks to his previous jobs being less open to supes, most of his friends were all human.
And a few of them dropped him like a hot potato when he started working at Spellbound.
Speciesist assholes.
Nodding with his lips pursed thoughtfully, Dax said, “Okay, I get that. But payday isn’t for another ten days, and I don’t want you to suffer that long.
” He straightened, snapping his fingers.
“Tell you what. I’ve got a friend who owes me a favor.
Let me talk to him. He’s a mage, I’m sure he can handle it. ”
Mateo’s frown deepened as he studied the kraken. Their interactions had been short and work related. He didn’t understand why Dax was even offering. “Why are you so determined to help me? You don’t even know me.”
“I’m part of the reason you’re so wiped out.
I feel like I owe it to you,” Dax shrugged, though there was a level of apprehension in his voice Mateo didn’t fully understand.
Guilt maybe? He changed the subject pretty quickly, perking back up and beaming at him.
“Besides, no one else is ever willing to swim with me. I want you to come back.”
He looked around, confused. “People don’t come in here?”
“No, my friends don’t come in here,” he corrected. “Plenty of people come to the pool throughout the day. My friends are just not interested. They’d rather get their gains with the weights.”
Mateo wrinkled his nose. “Gains? Really?”
Dax’s eyes danced as he pushed away from the edge of the pool, paddling around with an easy grin on his face. “Be careful, Mateo. I’ll start bringing up macros and muscle definition, and then you really will get sick of me.”
The swim really had helped, at least in getting him to a place where he could function and finish out the work day. He couldn’t say he was better, not by a long shot, but with the weekend coming, maybe he’d finally get some real sleep. Surely his neighbor would actually sleep on weekends… right?
He tried not to dwell on that, shimmying out of his soaked briefs and pulling on his work clothes without them. When he stepped out of the stall he’d used to change, Dax was back in his white coat and button up, practically climbing into his locker while looking for something.
“What are you doing?”
For a supe, he was apparently not as observant as the rest of their coworkers. Dax yelped and jerked back, nearly tripping over the bench behind him before Mateo caught his elbow and helped him right himself.
“Goddess, you’re quiet for a human,” he complained, pressing a hand against his chest.
For the first time all week, Mateo felt a smile pull at his lips. He hadn’t actually meant to startle him but watching the way he scrambled was kind of funny.
Dax noticed his poor attempt at hiding his grin, and for a minute he looked a little stunned. He shook it off and narrowed his eyes, pointing a finger at him. “Be nice or I won’t bring you that charm I mentioned earlier.”
Mateo raised his hands in surrender, forgetting for a moment that he held his wet briefs in one hand. He’d heard Dax mention spells for drying things but before he could ask, the kraken zeroed in on the fabric, and his gaze jerked to Mateo, eyes wide.
“Are you going commando right now?” he asked, a huge grin spreading across his face.
Mateo felt his face heat a little as he tucked the wet material behind his back. “I told you, I’m only human. I don’t know magic.”
Chuckling, Dax put his hands on Mateo’s shoulders, spinning him around and pushing him toward a device on the wall that looked like a large shirt press.
He wasn’t sure why Dax was bringing him there, it wasn’t like he needed his underwear steamed, but he didn’t have time to ask before Dax snatched the boxers from his hand and laid them on the press himself.
“Hey!”
The kraken ignored him, pressing a few buttons and closing the device, all without using his hands once. Mateo eyed the tentacles with just a hint of envy. Having several more limbs would make getting things done so much easier.
There was a small whoosh sound, just like a shirt press, but when he opened the device again, the briefs weren’t flat and stiff like he expected. They were dry and warm and felt freshly washed.
“Hey… that’s kind of cool,” he murmured, tipping his head to study the device a little closer. He wasn’t great with the magic devices since he had no magic himself, but he was fascinated by them. If he could figure out a way to use magic himself, he’d die happy.
“Right?,” Dax beamed. “And it expands if larger clothes need drying. It’s incredibly helpful when you’re in a hurry and drop your clothes by the pool's edge and end up splashing them by accident.”
“I take it you’re speaking from experience–” Mateo began, snagging the boxers and turning around, only to come up short when he realized just how close Dax was to him. He sucked in a breath, attempting to take a step back and bumping into the device instead.
For a moment, Dax didn’t move, his eyes running over Mateo in a way that almost felt like a physical caress.
When he eventually cleared his throat and looked away, there was a slight flush to his cheeks, and he looked just as rattled as Mateo felt.
He backed up a few paces, one tentacle rubbing the back of his neck.
“I, uh… I’ll let you change. We should get back to the cafeteria and grab lunch to-go before going back to work.
It’ll give you a little boost of energy at least and help you get through the day. ”
Mateo nodded once in agreement, but didn’t reply, his throat suddenly dry as he watched the kraken flounder, waving a hand toward the door. “I’ll just, uh… meet you out there.”
Once Dax scuttled out of the locker room, Mateo let out a long breath, leaning against the device behind him for a moment before realizing what he was doing and pushing away again.
He shook off the interaction, thinking maybe he imagined it because he was exhausted.
He hadn’t made a good impression on Dax by having a meltdown and needing to be coddled through it.
There was no way the man was interested.
After buying lunch, Dax led him to the elevators, hovering awkwardly like he wanted to follow Mateo upstairs and couldn’t decide if it was the best idea. Mateo felt a little bad about that. Dax looked like he felt bad for being part of the problem, and he really wasn’t.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he offered. “You’re not the first person to pester me about their stuff getting fixed, and you were a lot nicer about it than most people are. You don’t need to feel guilty or anything.”
Dax’s eyes snapped to his, studying him for a moment. What he was looking for, Mateo wasn’t sure, but he doubted the guy could find it. Mateo still felt beat. His face likely didn’t show anything other than exhaustion and dread over heading home.
He saw Dax shake his head a little, like he was clearing it, and he forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You say that, but I still feel bad. Can I make it up to you somehow? Aside from not pestering you anymore?”
“I’m okay,” Mateo reassured him. “I should have your computer done in about an hour. I’ll bring it downstairs once I’m finished.”
Dax didn’t look satisfied with that answer, but there wasn’t much more to say on the topic.
And Mateo was too tired to think of how to make the guy feel better.
He waved a hand toward the elevators, lifting his lunch with an awkward smile.
“I, uh… I think I’ll go eat. That way I can get your computer done faster. ”
Was it just him, or did Dax look apprehensive about letting him go?
He winced internally. That was a definite sign that he’d been imagining things earlier.
There was no way the guy was still interested after he made such a bad first impression that Dax didn’t think he could go back to his office alone.
Not that Mateo would know what to do about it even if he was.
He had barely enough energy to function.
There was no way he could do anything about potential relationships, even if he did find Dax to be one of the most beautiful men he’d ever met.
Especially in the water with those swirls of blue and silver that appeared on his skin.
They were gone now, he assumed they only appeared in the water, but they’d been distracting when they’d been in the pool.
“You’re sure you’re alright?” Dax asked again.
Mateo nodded, giving his best reassuring smile. It felt like a grimace, but he was trying. That had to count, right? “I’m good. I’ll see you later.” And hopefully not embarrass himself again by nearly crying in the office. He bit back a whimper. He was never going to be able to live that down.