"I'd be worried about you but — we know his full name, it isn't like you're meeting someone we don't know anything about —" 

He's mostly convincing himself. 

"Yeah. That's what Asher said too. 

He's been sweet so far. And we do need the money. — I'd get it up front, so I can get a ticket back early if he freaks me out —" 

What he needs isn't an assurance that everything will be fine. 

"I'll call every evening and we can text and I'll be right here. And you can come back early if he freaks you out, and if anything happens we'll know where you are — do you want to put something on your phone so I know where you are, we can do that —" 

"I don't know." 

He buries his face in Marlo's shoulder. 

"....if we delete it as soon as I get back, I think yes." 

"Okay." He holds him tighter, more protective. "We can do that together. I love you." 

"I love you." 

That evening he texts Lev 

I can do two weeks but I want the money upfront 

of course

when are you free?

I could fly down the Tuesday three weeks from now and leave two Tuesdays later? 

If that works for you 

sounds good!

jsyk I don't... actually like sex that much in person

that's chill 

I'll make sure to bring my art tablet

and you can tell me all about math 

<3 

okay <3

I want to kiss you and hold you

and maybe go out, san francisco has a lot of cool touristy stuff

we can go shopping

I'll make sure to leave room in my suitcase! 

kissing and holding sounds lovely <3 

maybe I will do kink things?

but it's kind of problematic

because I want to do things to you that you don't want

and I also don't want to... hurt you

He types a message and deletes it and then types

I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out that works 

and sends. 

okay

and if not I'd really be happy just to see you smile

....cute. 

I'm always happy to smile for you <3 

For the next three weeks, Lev can't concentrate on anything except Luna. 

He reads a book and thinks about maybe reading snuggled up next to Luna. He tries to write code and finds his mind drifting off to thinking about Luna. He watches a movie and imagines watching it with Luna. He spends perhaps a slightly excessive amount of time trying to get the house ready for her. (His staff, appalled, find themselves working as many as twenty hours a week.)

His private shows keep returning to the topic of how much he wants to hold her and kiss her and pet her hair and how he is so excited and happy and this is the best thing he can imagine. 

Sasha is especially cuddly with Marlo; he packs and repacks, debates which dresses Lev likes seeing him in most and how much space to leave for the flight home. He draws; he does shows; he talks to Lev about being held and kissed and cuddled and about how happy he is. He downloads a tracker app with Marlo and watches as Marlo sets it up and is quietly reassured by its presence buried in the utilities folder of his phone. 

He brings Luna's clothes with him, mostly — dresses Lev bought him, skirts and cute shorts, a few of Marlo's shirts. The flight to San Francisco from Seattle isn't long, and the airport is quiet on a Tuesday morning. 

And he's met in the airport by an extremely smiley Lev.

"Hi, Luna!"

Alright. He puts Luna on like a coat. 

"Hi!" He hugs Lev at the arrivals gate. 

"Oh. --It's really nice to get to touch you," Lev says into Luna's hair.

He nuzzles his shoulder and then squeezes and then lets go. "I don't have any checked bags — I assume you have the ride to your house worked out?" 

"Yeah, I have a driver. You smell nice," he says wonderingly.

"Thank you." 

The drive is fairly long but they can cuddle in the car, if Lev wants. 

He does want this!!!!

"You're so warm."