Troll Boyfriend: Ajin (special preview)

He ducks his head down. “Sorry,” he murmurs.

“For what?” His sudden apology shocks you.

He shakes his head. “I thought you might need help around here. I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“You aren’t,” you smile at him. “I’m surprised is all. I wasn’t sure what to expect.” You tuck your hair behind your ear. “What’s your name?”

He looks up at you with a timid glint to his eye. His cheeks darken and he glances back down to his hands. “Ajin,” he answers.

You motion to the house. “Would you like to join me for breakfast?”

A grunt escapes his throat. “I shouldn’t,” he shakes his head. 

“Why not?” You chuckle. “I have coffee and I was planning on using all the eggs before they go bad.”

Ajin tilts his head down again and his silver hair falls over his shoulders. “If you want me to,” he replies.

“No need to be shy.” You lead im into the house, feeling your pulse start to rise. 

Ajin looks around the place, his eyes focusing on the walls and then he sees your art supplies in the corner. You easel is set up with a half finished painting. He approaches it cautiously and looks it over, tilting his head one way and then the next.

“I’m trying to get over an art block,” you tell him.

Ajin looks at you then back to the canvas. “You’re good with color.”

You smile and sigh. “It’s been a long time since I felt the urge to paint. Before I came here I was afraid I’d get made fun of.”

Ajin gives you a stunned look of shock. “What? Why?”

Your shoulders slouch. “It’s a long story.” You notice the sad look to his eyes and give him a smile. “Do you want some coffee?”

“I doubt you make it strong enough,” he grumbles.

“Trolls make it potent?” You pour a mug and offer it to him. 

Ajin nods. “One way to put it.”

You admire him for a moment. He wears pants and then a thick belt, but his chest and arms are bare. He’s thin but very well built, nice to look at too. He reminds you of someone you saw at the gym once before your ex said it was stupid and you could work out at home. You had liked the gym, you had liked the window shopping it provided.

You quickly snap from your thoughts and start making the eggs as promised. You looked through your fridge, lamenting how you’d have to go shopping soon. You hated grocery shopping, it seemed people were getting ruder and ruder in stores and it made you feel sorry for the cashiers. 

“You don’t need to do everything in secret,” you tell Ajin. “If you want, I can feed you for all your work you do.”

“I don’t do it for any sort of reward,” he says quietly. 

“Oh?” You look up at him from the frying pan. “Then what is it?”

His face to the tips of his ears darken in color and he avoids eye contact with you. “It isn’t a big deal really. I’m usually looking for something to do most days anyway.”

“I’d still like to do it.” You tell him. “I wouldn’t mind having company for dinner every now and then.” You plate the food and offer him the biggest one. “I’m okay at cooking, but I’ve been trying to improve.”

Ajin smiles softly and he looks very cute. “Thank you.”

Your glad when Ajin takes up your offer. He starts to work on things around the cabin during the day, rather than at night. He shows you how he carves stone and he tells you about the river that runs through the woods where he gets the stones. You feed him dinner, learning to make big, hearty meals you think he would enjoy. It’s been worth the risk of going grocery shopping to have Ajin’s company at dinner now.