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Itori inclined his head. “Much energy. But with enough, I could walk on dryland.”

Will’s thoughts hedged up to the other thing Itori had just asked.

“And the–what we did last time–it helps? Gives you energy?” He could barely talk about it. It felt forbidden, like just speaking about what they’d done would summon a witness to castigate them.

“If you are open, if you give willingly, yes.”

Will remembered vividly the smooth feel of Itori’s scales against the pads of his fingers. The softer, hot weight of his cock in Will’s hand. The way Itori had touched Will last time, so careful despite the teeth and the claws. Before the bite, it had been almost tender.

Would you give again?

Will knew what his answer was going to be. He wouldn’t be much use against a corporate suit, but Itori was telling him that he had the power to help in other ways. That he could give Itori something that healed him, that would allow him to leave.

And it cost Will nothing.

“Willowtree?” Itori prompted.

His name, made into something more beautiful by Itori’s cultural misunderstanding, caught Will off guard.

“Okay,” Will said. “If you think it would help.”

Itori looked at him for a long moment. “It does not take from you?” He asked again.

Will shook his head. “No.” He’d never admit this to anyone, but what they’d done last night had given him something too. Something so precious that Will hadn’t even been able to reopen the box in his head and look at it.

But he was being gifted, now, the opportunity for more. It felt too good to be true.

Itori’s leg slid off of Will’s lap. “I will not bite you this time. Too much blood exchange would be dangerous.”

“Okay.” Then, “I’m glad it allowed us to talk.”

“Me too.” Itori leaned in. Will could see the diamond of his pupil and a lighter shade of gray around it. He was so beautiful. Will hadn’t forgotten, but he was being confronted with it all over again. “I have never talked with a human. I do not think they are all like you though, are they?”

Will almost laughed. “No, I–probably not.”

“I bit you and you did not know why, yet you returned.”

“I had to know if you were real,” Will confessed.

“You could have done so with a weapon. Humans usually return with weapons when they are scared.”

“True,” Will shrugged, “But what would that have accomplished?”

“A… trophy, I think the word is,” Itori said, and some of his fangs appeared as his lips pulled back.

Will grimaced, couldn’t help it. “Is that–has that happened before?” He’d never heard of anyone finding a creature like Itori.

“Yes. A long time ago. We do not let ourselves be seen anymore. The danger has become larger than just death.”

Will understood that. Once upon a time humans would have just killed something that scared them. Now, a human would capture and keep it, would put it in a cage and study it.

There were worse things than a quick death.

“So you come here with no weapon, and you help. And you would help again. Curious.” The word came almost hissing. The dark eyes were on Will, watching him as if he were the most interesting thing Itori had ever seen.

Will remembered all over again how much he’d liked being looked at by Itori–the direct and intentional weight of his attention.

“Tell me,” Itori said when Will didn’t respond. He settled a hand on Will’s shoulder, nails skimming the sensitive skin. “Did I pleasure you good, last time? I do not know your body, and I wish to repay your sweetness.”