Call Me Yours [BL]

Chapter 2

Ardyn's 2 grapes, 4 pineapple chunks, and half a strawberry through his fruit cup when Prince pushes aside the beads separating the break room and storefront and quirks an eyebrow at him. "Hey—when's your break over?

Ardyn's ears twitch in confusion. He's not even five minutes into his break yet. "Like, twenty-five minutes. Why?"

"Okay," Prince sings, then pushes away from the doorframe. "Your favorite customer is here but I'll go ahead and ring him up."

Ardyn's chair scrapes loudly against the floor when he stands. "I'm done, you can take your break."

Prince laughs, fully expecting this reaction. "Your hours are gonna be messed up."

"Don't care." Ardyn tosses his unfinished fruit cup in the trashcan while Prince dumps himself in Ardyn's previous seat. It lacks any warmth, a reminder of how short his break was.

Prince kicks his feet up on the table and starts scrolling through his phone. "Don't flirt too much. Leave him wanting more."

Ardyn's ears twitch when he scowls. He mumbles, "I'm not flirting. It's just.." Ardyn always rings them up when they come. It's their routine—Valen's wave, Kahili guiding them over, Ardyn offering his help. It sounds stupid when he tries to explain it—the possessiveness of it all.

His cheeks puff instead. Says, "Shut up."

His stomach swoops when he sees Kahili.

He's tall and imposing in the cramped s*x shop. Ardyn grasps the small moment where Kahili doesn't notice him to greedily observe. He looks out of place, Ardyn thinks. He's dressed from head-to-toe in luxurious name brands and standing next to a rack of vacuum-sealed s*x dolls. He looks different, too. His hair's pulled back in a low bun, some messy, unthoughtful strands framing his face.

Ardyn's tail slowly wags.

Kahili looks away from the s*x dolls when Ardyn approaches and a smirk pulls at his lips. "There you are."

Ardyn smiles and takes his usual spot behind the counter, breathes out, "Here I am."

This isn't their routine. Kahili doesn't show up and ask for him, he doesn't wait for Ardyn like an off-duty model, and he never looks at Ardyn like he does now. He takes Ardyn in like he hasn't seen him in months, a dark, lingering glint in his eyes as they run over him. They dip lower when Ardyn inhales, eyes following the gentle movement of his chest, and then they click up. It's a quick movement, as if Kahili just realized what he was doing himself.

Ardyn thrums with exhilaration from the attention. Yes, he thinks. His chest falls when he exhales. Keep looking.

"Valen isn't with you," Ardyn says softly, almost scared to interrupt whatever trance blanketed them.

But then Kahili leans onto the counter, bends down so he and Ardyn are more at eye level, and Ardyn can smell him there. The gentle scent of vanilla that clings to him. It's unmistakably Valen. "He has work," Kahili says, his finger tapping on the counter in an absentminded manner.

Valen isn't here but Ardyn attempts to grasp at their crumbling routine. "Do you need help finding anything?" He tries, and desperately fails, at not thinking about yesterday.

Ardyn went home and spent an embarrassing amount of time going through his bedside drawer of s*x toys. He weighed each one carefully. Which ones brought him to his high the quickest, which ones filled him the best, and which one he'd be showing Valen and Kahili.

When his thoughts wandered too far—overwhelmed with the sudden image of them watching him get off—he slammed the drawer shut and decided on a simple vibrator.

Kahili opens his mouth, but it closes the next second.

Ardyn reads his silence as uncertainty and says, "We just got some new condoms?"

Kahili looks over his face and finally drops his head in a barely audible laugh. Ardyn's ears perk, not understanding, then Kahili's gaze lifts to his again and he smirks, something lazy and boyish. "I had this excuse before I came here," he confesses, "but I don't think I can buy another dildo without you thinking we have a s*x addiction."

Ardyn traces the lines of his lips. "Well... don't you?"

Kahili's smirk widens.

Ardyn likes it too much.

"They're heated," Ardyn says, a slow smile building on his lips. "You'd be the first to buy a pack. Is that.. is that a good enough excuse?"

Fucking Hell, Kahili chuckles. "Perfect." Ardyn grabs the pack of condoms off the shelf behind him. Kahili takes the unexpected moment to watch him—the deep, black hairs curling at Ardyn's neck, the sweater he's drowning in favoring one shoulder. He has moles, Kahili notes, sitting so pretty on his left shoulder.

His eyes dip lower, can't quite stop them from stopping at Ardyn's ass. His jeans cling to him well and Kahili would be lying if he said this was his first time looking. Kahili is a simple man with a simple list of things he enjoys. As it turns out, this was very high up on his list.

Ardyn turns and takes Kahili's attention with it.

His eyes narrow, a tilt to his head.

Ah, Kahili thinks, caught.

He smiles and raises his eyebrows in question, daring Ardyn to confront him.

"Okay," Ardyn drawls, returning to his spot across from Kahili. He doesn't confront him, but Ardyn does make a mental note to wear these jeans again. He was definitely staring at my ass. "You'll have to tell me if they actually warm up."

Kahili can't remember the last time he used a condom with Valen.

"What else do I need to buy?" he says, instead. His voice pitches low in a way that Ardyn finds attractive. He wonders if Kahili can see him hang onto his every word. "To make it seem like it's not weird I'm still here."

An unexpected laugh spills past Ardyn's lips because it's the last thing he expects. He tries ignoring the implication of it, but his body warms all the same. Thrums with delight over this new revelation. "Oh, you're far past that point," he teases. "The amount of s*x toys you've bought keeps me up at night."

Kahili's smile turns into a grin. "You mean you don't also have seven different vibrators lying around at home?"

Ardyn bites back his smile as much as he can and shakes his head. "Just the one."

"Just the one," Kahili repeats, voice drawing something husky and suggestive. His voice washes over Ardyn in deep, consuming waves, raining down his spine like hot water. His gaze remains fixated on Ardyn while the sudden silence that stretches between them suffocates Ardyn— and there's that disgustingly primal urge to please— to submit.

Self-indulgent as he was, Ardyn almost entertains it. As his heartbeat quickens and he turns hyper-aware of every nerve in his body, Ardyn considers leaning into the feeling.

This is the type of attention he yearns for.

"Would eight be too many?" Kahili muses. His eyes pierce through Ardyn, unwavering, and Ardyn hears the implication again. Finally understands the excessive amount of s*x toys they'd been buying. The new revelation that they were only buying them to see him makes him dizzy.

Ardyn dares a smile. "What will you buy next time?"

On the inside he internally begs— Please don't be wrong. Please don't let me be reading the situation wrong. But Kahili grins, and he shifts more of his weight into the counter. "I have a few ideas," he muses, staring at Ardyn like he has a price tag. "We need to get that new punchcard going."

"Hm." The sound is a breathy exhale, unimportant. Ardyn's eyes dance with mirth, uncharacteristically playful. "Why? Is a date with me not enough?"

It's not a coincidence that Kahili's gaze sweeps over Ardyn. Not when's staring so appreciatively, so openly with forbidden want. Finally, Kahili peels his eyes up. His voice is velvety smooth when he says, "I don't think one will be enough."

Ardyn swallows thickly.

"...You didn't spend 10 dollars."

"Hm?" Kahili says.

"To start a new punchcard," Ardyn says slowly. "You need to spend 10 dollars." And just because he can't help himself, he smiles a little, teases, "I already gave you two free punches."

The expression on Kahili's face is unreadable. Ardyn starts to think he said the wrong thing until Kahili hums in agreement. He seems amused, giving a nod as he leans back up. His lips curl and he nods his head behind him. "Surprise me."

Ardyn makes a show out of it.

He contemplates the shop's selection of toys with exaggerated little hums and thoughtful foot taps that he hears Kahili chuckle at. It's a nice laugh, Ardyn thinks, attractive. He pretends to consider the rows of leashes, right beside the collar they bought yesterday, and looks at Kahili over his shoulder.

He's already watching Ardyn. Leaning backward against the counter with his arms crossed, that same amused expression on his face. He looks relaxed, entirely content to just watch Ardyn. Ardyn would let him watch for hours if he wanted.

Ardyn nods at the leashes, a tilt to his head.

Kahili's eyebrows raise with interest. His expression seems to say Oh?

Ardyn fully turns to him, his hands fitted to his hips. "That's insulting for hybrids, y'know?"

Kahili chuckles. It's a deep, rich sound that Ardyn is growing to like more and more. "You seemed to like it plenty yesterday."

Ardyn turns, a gentle heat setting on his cheeks. "That's different."

Kahili drawls a hum.

Ardyn returns to the counter with a new toy all picked out. He was merely teasing, but he still skips over the leash and settles for an anal plug. He slides the small box next to the condoms and makes a show of punching Kahili's new punch card. "Anything else I can get you?"

Kahili draws in an exaggerated breath, then shakes his head. "Since I'm sure this isn't helping curb your thoughts about any s*x addictions, I'll cap it here."

Ardyn ignores the split second of disappointment he feels.

Instead, he jokes, "You two are keeping this place running," It's far from the truth but he likes the way Kahili chuckles. Ardyn pretends to be offended, even gives a little c**k of his hip, "I put a lot of thought into picking out all those vibrators, y'know. You could've told me it was all for show."

"I'm sorry," Kahili breathes out a gentle laugh. "I knew it probably started looking suspicious four vibrators ago."

"I've lost sleep wondering what you're doing with them." It comes out wrong, he immediately realizes. The implication of it, Ardyn flushes in embarrassment. "Not that I've pictured it." And he's not lying. "Just.. it's a lot of vibrators," he finishes lamely.

He hates the way he blushes. Hates the way his playful banter melts within seconds and he's left in a mess of pink because maybe it's a little true and he hopes Kahili can't tell.

"It was a bad excuse," Kahili admits, then he smirks boyishly. "But it's been working pretty well up until now."

Ardyn's tail quickens behind him. He hates the way his body gives him away, baring his emotions so easily for Kahili to dissect.

"You don't need one, y'know," he says. He's bagging the small box of condoms, can't bring himself to be so bold and look at Kahili when he says, "An excuse, I mean. Both of you... you don't need an excuse."

Ardyn smells the vanilla again. He thinks of Valen.

Kahili's finger taps on the counter. It's thoughtful. He taps it again. It's decisive.

"Your number," he says. "I'm gonna regret it if I leave and didn't ask."

Ardyn's tail wags slowly. He can't get too hopeful, he's married, but, "So, ask."

The shop bell rings and it knocks both of them out of that trance. Ardyn sucks in a silent breath and turns to the register, quickly typing in Kahili's total. He doesn't realize how close they'd gotten until Kahili straightens and the vanilla disappears. He's watching Ardyn, his stare so heavy that Ardyn flushes.

Ardyn's eyes stay firmly glued to the register. "..You look like you wanna eat me," he mumbles and hopes it comes off as a joke, but the trance is broken. It doesn't come off flirty and Ardyn only feels shy.

Kahili can't help but his lips twitching up, because well, "I'm hungry."

Then he sees how shy Ardyn is getting—the pink that gradually deepens on his cheeks and his ears pressing low into his hair.

Kahili leans back down and gently knocks on the counter as he dips his head, all to get Ardyn to look at him. "I'm serious," he says, softly, like it's a secret just meant for them. "I'm gonna leave and kick myself that I didn't ask for your number. It's gonna ruin my whole day, I bet. I'm gonna get home and Val's gonna find out, and f**k, happy husband, happy life right? Now I've just got him mad at me and nothing to show for it."

It coaxes the smile Kahili thought it would. A small one, accompanied by a quiet giggle.

"I'm not doing the work for you," Ardyn teases. "You have to ask. So... ask me."

When Kahili is gone, with Ardyn's phone number scribbled on the back of his receipt, Prince will judge Ardyn from the doorway. "Not flirting, huh?"

Ardyn blushes like Prince knew he would. "Shut up."

"I know you totally weren't flirting or anything, but if it means anything, he was definitely flirting with you. Seems to lay it on thicker and thicker each time they come in."

Ardyn bites his lip to hide his smile. He can't— for the life of him, still his tail. "You think?"

"Don't look too excited. You're gonna make me think you actually were flirting," Prince smirks.

Ardyn sniffs and lies like the liar he is. "I wasn't."

Prince hums, then nods his head toward the beaded curtain. "Go finish your break, I'm done."

Ardyn's ears perk. "Are you sure? You don't mind?"

Prince shoos him off and takes up Ardyn's spot behind the counter.

There's a new fruit cup waiting for Ardyn when he sits down.

🍃🍂🍃

"f*****g hell," Prince says, squeezing through the crowd at the bar to get to Ardyn. "It's a Tuesday night, why the f**k is it so busy?"

"Sports?" Ardyn guesses. He takes one of the drinks from Prince with a little noise and his shoulders do a happy dance when he takes a sip. "So many meatheads."

Prince slides into the booth beside Ardyn, because for as long as they've been friends they've always sat next to each other. It started with an argument the first time they hung out. Both of them wanted to sit on the booth side until they realized they could just sit next to each other, and now they automatically sit like this.

The pizza they ordered earlier sits in the middle of the table, completely gone save for the tray and pepperoni slice that touched the bare table. Ardyn wanted to eat it, Prince went on a tangent about germs. "They could've pissed in this pizza and you'd have no clue," Ardyn grumbled.

Prince was pretty confident he'd know if someone f*****g pissed in his pizza. "Blow me."

They find out pretty quickly that yes, it's definitely some type of sports night. The bar keeps erupting with cheers and shouts, and the similar jerseys littering the restaurant really should've been their first clue. They're not exactly the sporty type, sue them. They just wanted pizza and drinks.

Ardyn's phone buzzes on the table and he ignores it, trying to down his drink quickly so they can leave. Prince's look of distaste was progressively growing more and more blatant with every shout the meatheads gave.

When Ardyn's phone buzzes again he grows curious enough to set his drink down. The only notifications he ever gets are from Prince or his mom, and he knows for a fact that she's sleeping.

Even Prince is curious, "Who is it?" Then his eyebrows shoot up when Ardyn checks his phone, chokes on his mouth full of margarita, and slaps the table excitedly. He shoves his phone in Prince's face, too close for him to read. Prince catches his wrist and steadies the phone. "Pretty? Who is this?"

"Well," Ardyn blushes, and Prince already knows. Of course.

He's had the absolute displeasure of watching Ardyn gush on and on about the same couple that frequented the s*x shop. Prince rang them up once, once, the entire three months they've been consistently coming and they certainly weren't calling him pretty.

And Prince is pretty, too, dammit.

Prince shakes his head at his best friend. Pokes fun at him a bit, "You're a lot bolder than you look."

Ardyn nibbles at his straw. "What's that mean?"

"Two married men, rich married men, want to f**k you and you're totally down."

"I'm not 'down'!" Ardyn denies. "I'm just.. curious."

Prince finishes his drink and slides out of the booth. He leaves some bills on the table, waving Ardyn off when he tries handing him his half of the bill. Ardyn pockets the money, knowing he'll just get the tab next time they're out.

Outside, Ardyn reads over the text again, an unconscious smile pulling at his lips. Prince watches him from the corner of his eye while they walk back to their apartment. Curious, he muses, then almost snorts, bullshit.

"What should I say?" Ardyn asks, biting at his lip. "Is it too eager to text back now?" His heart beats loudly in his ears, and he's brought back to those times in high school when he first texted a boy he liked. It leaves a giddy feeling in his stomach, so boyish and immature. He's unsure how to feel about it.

Kahili left the s*x shop with Ardyn's number four days ago.

Ardyn has half a mind to ignore the text for four days.

They have no clue how long he spent obsessively checking his phone. The amount of times he perked so visibly when the shop bell rang, only to deflate when it wasn't them. Even worse, Prince was always there to witness his rollercoaster of emotions. He had to apologize on Ardyn's behalf once, barely containing his laughter as he did, when Ardyn greeted a customer with so much disappointment.

"What did he say again?" Prince asks.

Ardyn reads the text from Valen, "Are you still available for a drink?"

"Not gonna read the 'Hi, Pretty'?" Prince teases. Ardyn pushes his shoulder and Prince laughs even as he stumbles on the sidewalk. "Say yes and let them do the rest of the work. They're clearly interested." And married, he doesn't say.

"You think?" Ardyn mumbles. He weighs his phone in his hand, thumbs hovering over the screen unsurely, and gives a little smile when Prince nudges his shoulder softly, go for it.

Ardyn texts back something short, because maybe he's a little upset they didn't text him sooner. He's more than surprised to immediately get a text back and his reaction shows it. He stops walking, surprised noise falling past his lip, and his heart races.

"Well?" Prince asks.

Ardyn grabs Prince by the wrist and starts running.

"What the f**k," Prince exclaims, "what did he say?"

"They want to see me tonight!"

"Tonight?" Prince follows after Ardyn without any protest. His wrist is still held tightly and he's tugged along, but Ardyn should know Prince would follow him anywhere. Because, well, it's Ardyn.

🍃🍂🍃

Ardyn stares up at his ceiling and attempts to curb his nerves. His hands absentmindedly wring his bed comforter while Prince scrounges through Ardyn's dresser to find him something to wear.

He's elbows deep in Ardyn's shirt drawer when he asks, "What are you going for? Casual? Flirty? I'm a broke college student who needs a sugar daddy to support me and my roommate-" Ardyn's pillow cuts his sentence in half, and Prince smirks to himself.

Ardyn chews at his lip. Unsurely says, "..Flirty?"

"We might need to look in my closet."

Ardyn looks Prince over and immediately changes his mind. "Casual." Because Prince is... he's just so Prince. Confident, bold, self-assured. He carries himself in a way that Ardyn wouldn't know where to begin to mimic. He wears his confidence so well, all smiles and flirty banter with anyone willing to indulge. They always indulged.

"And just so we're clear, this isn't a crush?" Prince asks.

"It's not," Ardyn denies and knows Prince doesn't believe him. "It's not even— I don't even think this is a date. They're married, so.."

"What do you think it is, then?" Prince asks. He glances at Ardyn and raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "They flirt with you all the time and you met at a s*x store."

Ardyn blushes and shrugs a little. "I don't know.." He's thought about it. Spent an excruciating amount of time when he was meant to be sleeping thinking about their intentions. They did flirt, that much was obvious now, but they're also married.

Ardyn couldn't wrap his head around it. He danced around the topic of s*x in his head and with Prince. "If it is.. y'know... I wouldn't mind."

Prince's mind reels.

Ardyn continues, "They're attractive and.." He truly had no other reasoning—none he'd admit aloud—so he shrugs and avoids Prince's stare.

Prince's hum of acknowledgment is the only response he gets, and a minute later he's dumping clothes on top of Ardyn. Ardyn slides the sweater off his face and blinks up at Prince. "Can I just ask you one thing?" Ardyn sits up and makes a small, questioning noise. "Can I mooch off you when you get rich?"

Ardyn falls right back against his pillows, can't help but laugh a little. "I'll buy us a better apartment."

Prince collapses into the bed next to him. "No cockroaches and everything?"

"And a fridge with ice."

Prince whistles, impressed. "Someone's splurging."

Ardyn shakes his head, smiling. He sits up and scoops up the clothes Prince picked out for him, before carefully stepping off the bed. "I'm gonna change, thanks for helping me." And Prince only hums while he watches Ardyn leave.

Watches Ardyn twist the knob to his door and then gently click it shut. He watches the door even after Ardyn's gone and he can hear him in their shared bathroom.

Prince taps his thumbs on his chest once, twice. Three times, and then he sits up to leave.