"Finally!"

Hollem blinked blearily a couple times, trying to clear the remainder of sleep from his vision. He'd passed out soon after they'd left. The doctor still had him on some serious medication and it had knocked him out harder than he'd expected. He'd woken up recently, but hadn't really gotten the chance to completely wake up yet. 

It was probably because of the stress, too.

When he could finally see somewhat well, his eyes widened at the sight of Amia stripping his clothing off. His shirt was already gone and the young man was hopping around sloppily trying to remove his trousers. 

"Amia?" He said, trying to get his attention. 

The guy didn't look that great. His skin was pale and he had definitely lost a bit of weight. He really shouldn't be jumping around. 

When he stumbled near the bed, Hollem made his tired body sit up and reached out, snagging one of Amia's worn belt loops. "Calm down, Ami. I'm not going anywhere." He said as he pulled the young man into his arms. 

Amia grumbled when he was forced into the hug, but after a few awkward movements he managed to get his pants off, then wrapped his arms so tightly around Hollem's neck that he winced. 

"I missed you, too." He said with a smile as he felt Amia nuzzle into his neck and inhale deeply. 

When his arms tightened around the guy, the feel of Amia's ribs drew a frown to his face. 

"Need to get you something to eat." He mumbled, releasing Amia as he felt the guy pull away abruptly. 

He was about to question what he was doing when he felt his hands suddenly go into his pants and pull out a certain something that was becoming very happy to see him. Right before he could lean down, Hollem grabbed his shoulders and held him up. 

"Not what I meant." He said, chastising. Everything wasn't about sex! 

Amia struggled a little, but he was clearly tired and had limited energy, because Hollem, still recovering, could easily hold him still. When he finally gave up and sat down, Hollem smiled gently and nodded toward the door. 

"I want you to go downstairs and get yourself a good meal." He said, trying hard not to chuckle at seeing Amia's inner conflict. The man was obvious about what he really wanted. His eyes wouldn't stop dropping to Hollem's lap, making him quickly tuck himself back in to try and deter him. 

"Food now. We can do other things later. I'm not going anywhere and you are definitely not leaving this building for a good while, so go on. Come back to me when your stomach is full." 

Amia looked like a puppy that had just been kicked, but he grudgingly climbed off the bed and tugged on the pants he had kicked off. He only glanced at the shirt before shrugging and leaving the room, shutting the door a bit harder than necessary to prove the point that he was upset. 

The second he was gone, Hollem sighed and looked toward the washroom as a figure stepped out of it. Lauriette was smiling, but he knew better. She had slipped into his room while he'd been asleep earlier and none-to-kindly awoken him with a pistol to his already injured chest. 

He had already offered her all of the money that he had kept for himself before Amia arrived. Sure, there was more, but that he had saved to help Amia, if anything should ever happen to himself. The guy had wiggled his way into his bed, and at some point, his heart, and before he knew it, he had begun setting aside a little here and there for him, too. 

"Now then, shall we quickly finish our discussion before your lover returns and I need to kill him?" She said as she walked forward, crossing her arms, with the gun still in her hand. 

If I actually trusted my body right now, I'd take you down so easily. 

Biting back a stupid response, Hollem calmed himself down and waited patiently. Making a dumb move would be fatal, or at least result in another injury he really couldn't afford. 

"I told you, I gave you all of the money I have saved for myself. I do not make what you seem to think I do." He said, earning a scowl from Lauriette. 

"I've heard rumor of what some of the other highly requested whores get paid. You cannot tell me that the money you gave me was all that you had left. You are not a lavish man. There should be much more." She said, waiving the gun along with her frustrated gestures. 

Please, just shoot yourself by mistake. 

"Well, you of all people should know not to trust rumors, especially those generated inside of a whore house." He said, then added. "Why are you doing this, anyways? You wanted this job so badly, but as soon as Matilda came into the picture, you started acting strange and causing problems." 

Lauriette shrugged and walked closer, holding the gun pointed at his head. "I did just want the job at first... but then I saw you." 

Hollem frowned, remembering how much she tried to come onto him since she'd started working there. It had been constant, and when Amia came, he felt her glares and frustration as they got closer. He'd hoped that she'd just get over him. He didn't see himself as anything special to be fought for. 

Yet here is a woman, holding a gun to your head because you would not have her. 

"Do you know how frustrating it is to always be shunned by someone? Then that little whore came along and completely tied you around his finger." 

He couldn't argue that, but... 

"Me not liking you has nothing to do with him." He said as he straightened a little. 

She scoffed at his response, clearly not getting it, especially if her next words were anything to go by. "Once he's out of the way, you'll come around to liking me. Matilda had promised to have him out of my way if I helped her, but she failed. It's up to you now. You can choose how I get rid of him. I can kill him when he walks back through that door, or you can dump him and I might let him go with that." 

Doubtful. 

"You know, if you shoot that thing off in here, people will come running. Those aren't quiet." He said with a slightly raised eyebrow as he worked on getting his legs around the side of the bed. 

She seemed slightly surprised, but hid it quickly with a scowl. 

"I'm also not sure how you are going to get me out of here without causing a scene. If that was your intention? I won't just be allowed to stay in this room, and people will come and go, especially the madam and doctor." He said. 

Lauriette pursed her lips, her brows creasing with frustration. 

She clearly hadn't thought this through, at all. Or possibly doesn't even have the capability to do so. 

Before he could continue on his quest to confuse her enough to possibly get the gun away from her, a light knock tapped on the door, followed by the sound of it slowly creaking open. A fuzzy, large dog looked inside, its head bigger than any he'd ever seen. 

Did someone breed that thing with a bear? 

It sniffed a few times before nudging the door open, revealing no one behind it. 

It couldn't have knocked, or opened that on its own... 

When it slowly walked over to his bed, Hollem felt his body stiffen with worry. Sure, it didn't seem vicious, but that wasn't saying much. Wait. This was the giant dog that I had seen earlier with that old woman. It must be a pet she keeps around to keep her company. It was an odd choice, and definitely an odd size, for a comfort animal, but he supposed that it was up to the woman what she wished to keep. 

"Hello dog... you seem friendly, I hope?" He said, hesitant to try and pet it. 

At least the dog took Lauriette's attention away from him, making her lower the gun as her curiosity turned toward the giant dog. It flattened its ears to its head and sat down next to her, widening its eyes as she reached down with her free hand to try and pet it. 

Not too sure he looks happy to see you... 

Seemingly reading the dog correctly, it snorted a strange sneeze and opened its giant jaws before abruptly clamping them down on Lauriette's dainty hand. The woman screamed and dropped the gun, triggering it to go off. Thankfully, the bullet sank into the lower part of his bed, and Hollem didn't waste a second leaning over the edge and snagging the weapon and scooting away from Lauriette's screaming form. 

Like he'd stated before, shooting the gun off would likely bring a lot of people upstairs quickly, and it sure did. Madam was the first there, quickly followed by Amia, who still had a piece of a sandwich sticking out from between his teeth. 

The magistrate was third, along with his lover, Abel. 

"No wonder lady Lelynn said she was taking Kite for a walk, then headed up the stairs with him. I thought she was just going senile." Kirin mumbled, drawing a slight grin from his lover before he walked forward and reached over the dog. 

It pinned its ears back and growled, but Kirin just dismissed it silently and took Lauriette's free hand, pulling it behind her back before looking down at the giant dog. 

"Good boy. I promise you a steak for dinner, so can I have her hand from your mouth?" He asked. 

Not so sure he'll understand that. 

The look the dog gave the magistrate made even Hollem's blood chill. 

"Fine. Two steaks and whatever extra the cook has left after closing." He said, adjusting his offer a great deal. 

The dog seemed to think about it for a moment, then gave one last grumble before releasing Lauriette's hand and walking out of the room. It hadn't looked like it had done much damage when it was just holding it, but Hollem felt his stomach twist as he saw the deep gauges left from the beast's giant teeth. 

No wonder she was so dramatic. 

The magistrate didn't pay the damage much mind, and instead bound the woman's hands in a pair of cuffs and started pushing her toward the door. Blood was dripping onto the wooden floor, though spurring Abel to run forward and quickly wrap a cloth around the injury. It was no proper bandage, but it would keep the floor from being stained. 

Serves her right. She'll be tended to later. 

The moment they took her away and everyone left, including the dog, thankfully, Amia shut and locked the door. Hollem gulped as the guy turned around, his eyes furious. 

"You knew that she was here with a gun!" He yelled, stomping over to Hollem before promptly climbing over top him and pinning his shoulders down to the pillow. 

"You goddamn idiot!" He added, shoving Hollem down in frustration. 

I'm sorry, hun. I know you're mad, but I would have done the same thing over and over again if it would keep you safe. 

"Don't give me that look. You better tell me right now that if something like that happens again, that you'll call for me immediately! Not send me away!" He yelled before his lower lip began to shiver slightly. 

Hollem grinned, earning a frustrated scowl before he reached up and tugged Amia down into his arms. His chest hurt a bit where the guy rested a little weight on it, but it was nothing compared to how great having him back safe in his arms felt. 

"I promise I'll send you away every single time if it keeps you out of harms way." He said, earning a grumble from Amia before he heard the sniffle and tuck his head beneath his neck. 

Hollem began rubbing his back slowly, allowing his eyes to close as Amia cried against him. He could use a good cry himself, but he'd save his tears for when Amia was asleep, then he'd finally let his stress out. 

"Everything is over now, though." He whispered, only for Amia to sit up a little and shake his head. 

"Not everything. We won't be working here for much longer. Get ready for a new job." He said, his damp eyes full of determination. 

I don't think I can argue. After all, I want him out of this profession immediately, too. 

"I understand. We'll discuss it further and start looking around once you've got some more meat on your bones and I can walk for more than a few minutes a day. Deal?" He asked as he reached up, slipping one hand behind Amia's head to gently guide him down into a soft kiss. 

Amia settled in after a few seconds, sighing into Hollem's mouth. 

"We'll need to talk to the magistrate tomorrow, too. Then probably the madam." He mumbled after they finally broke their kiss and Amia dropped down onto the blankets beside him, only to cuddle right up against his side like a cat. 

"Yeah. I need to thank that old lady, too." Amia added, making Hollem's eyebrow rise. 

"Her dog was quite helpful." He said, earning a laugh from Amia as the guy stretched out, getting comfortable. He doubted that they'd sleep, but some nice time to rest with his lover by his side sounded perfect right then. 

"You'll understand eventually..." Amia whispered on a yawn. "But the dog wasn't the dangerous one."