ᴇꜱᴄᴏʀᴛ ᴍᴇ

1.18

A few days after your suspicion towards Kael was cleared, you were finding comfort in your escort's company within the cozy confines of his abode. His bedroom exuded a warm and inviting ambiance, thanks to the soft glow of string lights that adorned the walls-casting a gentle, festive radiance.

Nestled together on the bed, you and Kael reveled in a lighthearted embrace. Your soft laughter filled the air as he shared stories of his past; a few of them were of his childhood but most of the topic centered around his coworkers and the founder who brought him home after 'bidding' for him at the auction.

"The founder likes to dress as if she were in her twenties, but actually, she has been alive since the great war between humans and Amorii," he whispered cautiously, as if it was a top secret. "I mean, I know that our race is popular for our beauty, but isn't the age gap too much? Shouldn't she be considered a pedo if she were to date anyone, especially a human?"

You laughed.

"Although I'm the first to join ROMANCE as an escort, I'm actually the youngest among my colleagues so the support staff would spoil me more than they would spoil others. Can't blame them though, the other Amorii is either too introverted or too indifferent to talk to them," he pursed his lips, acting pitifully. "Seriously, they should all learn from me and respect me more as their senior."

You smiled, listening attentively to all the experiences he had accumulated at ROMANCE before he started to talk about his colleagues again.

"I befriended everyone at ROMANCE, but there are only a few of whom I actually found myself comfortable to be with; one of them is Hollis. I like being with Hollis because I find him cute. He has this tough exterior that can make people view him as an asshole, but can you believe that someone like him actually yearns for a sweet, equal love where the other person would love him as intensely as he would love her?" He laughed. "It's cute how pitiful his yearning is. He should know better that the love we, Amorii, possess can never be felt by humans. Human loves moderately, while we? We simply have this peculiar approach in expressing our affection towards our significant other."

"Peculiar?" You tilted your head, seeking further clarification.

"When I say 'peculiar,' I mean that our love can be intense and passionate, perhaps even beyond what some might consider normal. We have this tendency to become fiercely devoted and protective of our significant other, to the point where we may exhibit possessive or jealous behaviors."

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the explanation. "So, it's like being deeply in love, but with an added layer of protectiveness? But isn't that how humans love too?"

Kael smiled, though there was a tinge of melancholy with a hint of vulnerability in his smile. "You're right, deep love often comes with a natural sense of protectiveness. However, what sets our way of loving apart is the intensity of how we express it. It's simply beyond what is considered normal in human relationships."

"Surely it's not that bad? I'm sure you will fin-"

"Then there's Yule," he suddenly changed the topic with a cheery expression as if not wanting to listen to your baseless comfort. "We're like two peas in a pod-though he's not as sociable as me. We share a lot of things in common, mainly our appreciation for gift-giving. If you noticed, many of the ornaments and decorations in this house are from him. Unlike Hollis who searched for love, Yule likes to become a bridge for people's love. You can often see his clients go to thank him at the headquarters for being the cupid to their successful marriages."

He giggled. His eyes were focused on you as he caressed your face, as if trying to imbue into his mind the structure of your face if he ever went blind, which is unlikely-probably, since you don't know much about Amorii's self-healing ability.