Tyler was stunned. He hadn't expected Ashton to snap like that. Although Lance hadn't either. Neither man had ever seen or heard Ashton snap like this at anyone. Shock and near-madness overcame Tyler. At the same time, Lance looked almost feral in a way that wouldn't end with harm.
"Leave, Tyler!" Ashton demanded.
"Tch," Tyler breathed, then stormed off.
"..." As soon as Tyler was gone, Lance shut the door with a slam. "Where the hell have you been hiding that?!"
"Huh?" Ashton looked at Lance, and the scowl on his face dissipated. "Hiding what?"
"That demanding side of you," Lance made quick steps towards Ashton. "I didn't know that side existed in you."
"Oh, that?" Ashton asked, tilting his head a little. "All dragons have it. It's instinct to use it to defend territory from intruders or individuals we don't want in our space."
"And in the bed?" Lance loomed over Ashton's figure sitting in a chair.
"Uh, I don't know about that part," Ashton said, pressing back into his chair. Ashton looked between Lance's facial features and his well-muscled chest. "I've never really thought about what I would use it for. Especially since no one or a previous partner ever asked me about it."
"So, if I asked you to use it, you would?" Lance inquired, making Ashton's face flush. "Or, would that be too much since it's a tone often used to defend your territory?"
"I think my body needs more time to recover," Ashton tried to bargain. "Besides! I have work today! I start at twelve until seven."
"Then I'll have to wait and see," Lance teased and made his way to the door. "I'll stop by the cafe."
Ashton let out a heavy sigh. He knew he was in trouble later tonight. But Lance would be out of his hair for the next little while. Once Lance was gone, Ashton got up with shaking limbs and began to make his way to his room to get changed. He lied about when he gets done with work and when he starts. He starts at ten, in the next hour, and ends his shift at three. Although Lance might figure that out eventually.
"Let's get this done fast," Ashton said aloud to himself and rushed to get his uniform put together. "I can't risk this to wait long; if I don't leave fast, Lance won't let me leave the bed for a month!"
Ashton rushed out the door, locking it behind him, and keeping an eye out for Lance in case he hadn't actually left yet. As Ashton made his way out, he didn't see the gargoyle anywhere. But Ashton was unaware that gargoyles were overhead on the edges of the buildings, on the floors and near the windows. One is watching him—a female with sharp edges to her form. Shr raised her hand, pressing her claws to her temple.
"Sir," the female garloye's voice was rough and sharp. "Ashton is leaving in uniform."
"Got it," Lance said to her through telepathy. Telepathically, Lance instructed her to watch him discreetly. "Got it?"
"Yes, sir," the female said as she clawed along the buildings and followed Ashton on the same route by rooftop to the cafe where he works. Ashton was unaware that he was being followed. The female gargoyle slid down the side of a building in an alleyway. She followed close behind him, but not close enough to hear or notice her. The cafe ahead was opening up for customers. The gargoyle female ordered a black coffee and took a seat close enough to keep an eye on Ashton while using her phone to hide that fact, and kept sending updates to Lance.
"Ashton, would you mind taking out the trash?" A fairy woman with a manager tag on her shirt asked Ashton, checking her clipboard of items and tasks done. "We need to get a new one."
"I'm on it, Stacey," Ashton said and got to work on changing the garbage. The female gargoyle sent another update to Lance. Meanwhile, outside the cafe, Lance landed beside the alleyway, where people often placed trash for removal. He watched the alley as Ashton made his way to the trash bin.
"Now what's this?" Lance said, arms folded and smirking at Ashton.
"Lance?!" Ashton jumped, nearly slamming the trash bin shut. "Why are you here?!"
"Just came here after my... worker told me where you were," Lance said, making his way towards Ashton. "Now, tell me why you lied about your shift, little dragon."
"I-" Ashton backed away from Lance until his back made contact with the wall. "I just needed you out of my apartment so I could get ready for the shift today."
"Wow, I'm hurt," Lance pressed his forearm over Ashton's head at an angle. "Was I prohibited from seeing my partner at work?"
"We are in a situation you claimed that we were together when you didn't know I still had all my memories," Ashton said as he pressed his back against the wall behind him. "Then you wanted to hear me say what I wanted as a relationship between us, or if we would even have a relationship."
"Should I urge you to say what you want us to be then?" Lance pressed his face closer to Ashton's until their foreheads connected. "Or should I mark you until you tell me what you want?"
"Shut up!" Ashton shouted at him. Lance let out a laugh, seeing Ashton's red face.
"I don't think I will," Lance said, then began to press kisses into Ashton's neck. Ashton let out a whimper. "Besides, you have some explaining to do, my little dragon."
"Lance, I have to get back to work," Ashton tried to reason with Lance as he held onto Ashton's body and kept marking up Ashton's neck.