He expected the worst. He expected Eivind to react angrily, to come to him and manhandle him, to do what every other wolf had done with him and inform him in rough words that Blue didn't have a choice in the matter. When a wolf was overcome with lust he expected it to be sated regardless of whether that satisfaction came willingly or not. Blue steeled himself for this eventuality, knowing that he didn't have the strength to fight Eivind off if that was what it was going to come to. Hoping, at the very least, that Eivind would be done quickly.<br/><br/>But the seconds came and went, stretching out into long pauses pregnant with Blue's presentiment and Eivind's regret. The wolf eventually opened his mouth, but his words weren't what Blue was expecting, and his voice seemed to come out stilted and dripping with guilt. Blue's eyes examined Eivind's lean body, noticing the stiff, awkward way the wolf stood and how his erection had gone away almost instantly. Unlike the other wolves, Eivind didn't seem fueled by Blue's rejection of him. Instead, the wolf just looked pained, and Blue didn't know what to make of it.<br/><br/>Eivind exited the shower and stepped toward him slowly as one might approach a frightened animal. He pulled the toppled curtain from Blue's legs and placed the rod back in its proper place on the wall, the muscles in his damp back rippling as he carefully weaved the curtain rings back on onto the heavy bar. Blue sniffled as he sat there, watching, unable to wrap his head around Eivind's actions, and then lack of action after Blue had violently clambered to get away from him. Any of Blue's doubts about whether Eivind was sexually interested in him were aggressively dashed, but it seemed that Eivind was hurt by the way Blue had reacted. But what else did Eivind expect? Blue could hardly handle the idea that he was attracted to Eivind at all, and the wolf had come on to him rather suddenly. Regardless of whatever signal Eivind thought he was receiving from Blue, the older male should have known that it wasn't the time. Blue was damaged and jaded, and the idea of having sex, especially with a wolf, was one that made his stomach coil.<br/><br/>After Eivind had left, closing the bathroom door behind him with a gentle click, Blue slowly stood and wiped at his eyes with his quavering hand. The water was still running and the soap was beginning to dry uncomfortably on his skin. "It's okay," he whispered to himself, placing the half-used towel onto the edge of the sink and slowly making his way back to the shower. He stepped inside with the utmost care, knowing that were he to slip and fall there was now no one there to catch him. He scrubbed as his face for a second time, eager to cleanse himself of any remaining distress that clung to his elegant features. The water ran down his body and washed away the remnants of the soap and the rest of Blue's lingering nerves. He was still trying to make sense of what had happened, even after his body was scrubbed clean and there was nothing left for him to wash.<br/><br/><i>Why did you do that, Eivind? Is that why you took me? Because you want me? </i>But no, no, Blue had already played that scenario in his mind a million times. That couldn't have been the whole story. If Eivind just wanted him to himself, why did the wolf look so broken when Blue ran and screamed at him? Even on the wolf's relatively stoic face, which had previously only displayed to Blue shadows that ranged between apathy and annoyance, the boy could see contrition etched into the lines of his stern visage. Those lines didn't tell the story of a rapist, or a monster, or someone who only wanted to use and abuse someone weaker than himself. At least, that's what Blue wanted to tell himself. But it was so difficult for Blue to forgive Eivind for his transgression, despite the fact that he seemed to show genuine remorse for his actions. The older male had acted thoughtlessly, inappropriately, without consideration for Blue's feelings. Even if the kisses did feel . . . nice, in their way, he should have asked.<br/><br/>After what must have been at least twenty minutes soaking, Blue turned off the water and carefully exited the shower, grabbing the towel from the sink and using it to dry his body. He gently patted his injured side to absorb any excess moisture and placed the towel back down on the edge of the sink, unsure of where it was supposed to go. The boxers Eivind had brought him earlier sat on the counter, and Blue snatched them up and pulled them on. They hung slightly off of Blue's narrow hips, exposing the harsh "v" of his pelvis, but they covered what needed to be covered and that was enough. If Eivind was attracted to Blue, sickly-looking as he was, the sight of his naked abdomen might still inspire desire, but covering up his ass and cock would hopefully help quell any lingering feelings the wolf might have had, at least for tonight.<br/><br/>He opened the door slowly, peeking out to see if Eivind was there, waiting for him. Unsurprisingly, the wolf had been hovering, most likely listening to Blue as he moved around the bathroom. He had dressed himself part way in a pair of thick jeans, and when Blue appeared before him there was a palpable tension in the air that hung between them. He cleared his throat and took a few steps toward Eivind, but he stopped himself a reasonable distance away, far enough that Eivind couldn't touch him. "I left the towel on the sink. I didn't know where to put it," he said plainly, wrapping his arms around himself and directing his attention to the wooden floor, admiring the attractive grain that weaved through the panels.<br/><br/><i>What do we do now?</i>Blue asked silently, fighting the desire to look up and set his eyes on Eivind's face. He wondered if the wolf was looking at him now, examining him, what he was thinking. Eivind had slid from the bathroom like a dog with its tail between his legs, and Blue wondered if he would be walking on eggshells to make up for his mistake. Blue didn't want to test the wolf, not when he had seen what Eivind was capable of. Just because Eivind was repentant now didn't mean a fury wouldn't take him in the future.<br/><br/>"I'm tired," Blue said. He moved to the far side of the room, away from Eivind, and slowly climbed into the bed. It was just as soft as he had imagined, and the white sheets were cool against his skin. When his head hit the pillow, Blue found himself immediately calmed, although he couldn't seem to rid himself of the itch at the back of his neck, the one that hinted that Eivind might still be watching.<br/><br/>"You can lie down with me, if you want," Blue called over his shoulder. Despite his reservations, he knew that having Eivind close was both a benefit and a danger. The wolf seemed incredibly reluctant to ever stray too far away from Blue and he had a feeling that even if he requested Eivind leave, the older man would probably loiter at the top of the stairs, just out of Blue's sight, simply to monitor the human and make sure everything was okay. As long as Eivind kept his paws to himself, Blue hoped that it would be all right.