“Are you alright?” she asked.
Mike cleared his throat, forcing a smile before he answered. “I’m fine. Just frustrated those things did all this damage.”
The petite hero eyed him for a moment, clearly not buying his excuse. But she let it pass. Looking around at the busted streetlights, overturned cars, and broken shop windows, she nodded in agreement.
“Ugh, me too. I know there’s funds and crews to cover villain attacks but it still chaps my ass every time. Well, at least the mission was a success, right?”
Mike, glanced at Stardust, who stood with Frost, poking at one of the shards of ice that had previously been a water goblin. “Yeah. I guess the mission is all that matters.”
∞ ∞ ∞
“So, are you going to bring it up? And if you saybring what up?I’ll turn your house into a meat locker.”
Aiden moved around the kitchen, getting the post-fight snacks ready for him and Frost. He’d noticed his friend eyeing him and Mike tonight. And of course, Mike’s sudden absence was a dead giveaway that something was wrong, so he’d expected this question. He answered with prepared nonchalance. “We broke up, exactly like I knew we would. I’m surprised it happened this fast but other than that I’m unbothered.”
“What happened?”
“I made him an offer he was easily able to refuse.”
“Which was?”
Aiden answered while punching in the time on the microwave. “He hates his job. Came over one night so tense from work I thought he’d shatter if I touched him wrong.” Aiden watched as the light came on and the plate of Hot Pockets began to spin. “I calmed him down and the next morning I told him to quit, move in with me, and let me take care of everything. He thought the idea was absurd and we split.” When he finally turned around, Frost was leaning against the counter, their arms crossed over their chest.
“You sprung being his sugar daddy on him and he reacted with adverse surprise. Shocking.”
“I wasn’t offering to be his sugar daddy!” Aiden protested. “We’re in a relationship. I simply wanted to help with his problem and taking care of him seemed like a good way to do it.”
“Had you had this conversation before?”
“No.”
“Did you try to talk about it with him or work out a solution that satisfied you both before you broke up?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he basically said he can’t trust that I won’t abandon him on the side of the road when I move on to the next shiny new boy toy that catches my eye.”
Frost winced, dropping their arms from their crossed pose and clasping them behind their back. “Ouch.”
“Yeah.” Aiden relaxed now that he had Frost on his side. “That comment stung and as far as I’m concerned was completely undeserved. That’s when I told him we were over.”
He’dthoughtFrost was on his side, so he was caught off guard when a slushy ball of ice splatted against his forehead.
“Ow! What the fuck?” he angrily demanded, glaring at his friend.
Frost glared right back. “That was to cool your hotheaded ass off.”
Aiden stood there, ice cold water dripping down his nose before he spun away and grabbed a towel. “I wasn’t being hotheaded,” he snapped as he dried his face. “He made an assumption and I gave him what he expected. It was ridiculous for me to think he’d be down with submitting the way I want a partner to submit. Really, I don’t have anyone to blame but myself.”
“Aiden, he’s new to submission. You are literally his first fucking Dom. He knows nothing but what you and Google teach him. And you expect him to be on board with putting himself completely in your hands without any type of assurances or even knowing what that means? You’re lucky he didn’t laugh in your face.”
“He did laugh a little,” Aiden mumbled.
Frost snorted. “You deserved that. Listen, I know you two fell hard and fast for each other. But you’re both adults so you should have talked this out. Especially you. You want to be his Dom then you should have acted like one.”
“I can’t believe you said that many words at once just to read me the riot act.”
“I speak when I need to. And I’m not finished. If Mikewasonly a fun fling for you, then don’t worry about the breakup. But if you really thought you could have something with him, it’s not too late for you to fix it. So, what do you want to do?”
Aiden knew what he wanted. But deep down, he was afraid. Afraid of what would happen if he really did try to build a long-term relationship with Mike. And that was the true reason he’d so easily pushed him away. As a superhero, Aiden didn’t let fear get to him. But as a man falling in love, he couldn’t defeat the fear that dogged him.