So far I hope you have been enjoying this one, it's very different than what I normally write so it's nice to try something fresh. Remember under all those scales Croc is still a man and a man who hasn't had company of any sort in a long, long time.

Everyday Superhero by Smash Mouth

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"Me?" I squeaked and pointed to myself, maybe I wasn't hearing him right but he had said it. Right? I must have looked very surprised and confused because he leaned down his gaze very serious now.

"You do understand…right?"

"…yes?" I grew up in a circus, I knew very well of the lascivious ways of people and they were not afraid to flaunt it in front of me even as a child. I looked down then up at him the idea of being lewd in anyway with him brought a furious flush to my face.

"Good." He reached out to touch me when I caught his hand, gripping it tightly and feeling its rough texture but strangely smooth palm.

"I've never—no one's ever—" I stammered clumsily and he paused, staring at me sideways now before he looked at how I clutched his hand. Unafraid of his scaly skin, so like mine, it was easy to touch him. "I'm a—"

Just speaking was becoming difficult.

"Alright. Don't piss yerself," He slowly withdrew his hand and sat next to me on the mattress, putting his arms on his knees. "I figured you was."

Looking down at my lap I bit my lip. "Can…this go slowly?"

Exhaling through his nose he rubbed at his left eye with a large knuckle. "Slow." With that he shifted and laid with his back to the wall and lifted an arm, the other was curled under his head. Beckoning me. Laying down I scooted so I was against him and he was so warm, like a regular furnace, whereas I was always cold. "Don't say nothin'. I'm just keepin' you warm, girl."

So this wasn't cuddling. At least officially it wasn't?

I rested my head on my arm and I could feel his breath on my hair making it flutter. "Thank you."

Grunting he put his arm over my waist and let it lay there, now that it was in my view I touched his long clawed fingers. My question felt stupid now. "Is it uncomfortable for you? I know it is for me sometimes, when my regular teeth started falling out that is…and I started getting these."

I poked at my mouth but at least I could close my lips around my teeth. For now.

"…pain ain't new to me."

"Pain sucks." I declared and he rumbled, could that be a chuckle? I smiled a little as I compared my hands to his. My hands were big but his were huge. "You're really warm you know that?"

"Its my metabolism….gives me a healin' factor. Or some shit," He didn't seem to believe it himself but I looked up at him curiously. A healing factor? Did that mean I had one as well?

"So you're, like, superhuman?"

"Something like that…" Was his soft reply and I felt his hand on my stomach now, moving in slow circles feeling my skin through the thin cotton tank top.

"I think it's cool…"

His fingers curled and he pulled me closer so my bum was squarely against his groin and my eyes got big as he rumbled a laugh. "Still think its cool?"

Did he have a shot gun down his pants? It felt like it as I blushed. "Y-You said slow—"

"Just teasin' ya, girl,"

I glared at his hand clutching my stomach. "You have a shotgun in your pants."

"Oh I do huh?" Suddenly he rolled me onto my back and he was half over me, supporting himself with one arm and the other was against my stomach keeping me pinned. "Should I have some target practice?"

I pursed my lips as his fingers were now touching my bare pale stomach. "I've never shot a gun before."

"Ya won't need to…guns are toys for meat sacks." Gazing down at me I felt a heat in my stomach from the intensity of his look and yet I wasn't afraid. I felt emboldened by his behavior and he cocked his head at me. "But you already know the taste of blood, don't you?"

I looked away and I furrowed my brow. "You smell it on me still."

"I smell everything," His words were almost honey and a blush lit up my cheeks again as his fingers were now fully underneath the shirt. Just inches from my breasts I put a hand on his and one on his chest I could feel his heart thudding away.

"Then you know I'm confused and…and I want…" I bit my lip. "I want…this. But you're moving too fast—"

"Then stop me." He met my gaze, it was a challenge and I blinked in surprise. Stop him? It slowly processed that he want me to be more assertive about my wants and needs especially looking like I did. So I pushed his chest, hard, hard enough to put a little distance between us and I sat up quickly.

"You're trying to trick me into wrestling with you."

"So?" He laughed and laid back down on his side and after a moment so did I but I caught his hand before it met my stomach and tangled my fingers with his. I couldn't see his expression but I know he was surprised as I got comfy.

"I'm not wrestlin' you, I'm not stupid." I had heard of him through the circus folk, how he had once been a headliner alligator wrestler until the tragedy that struck his troop. "I'm a lot of things but I'm not stupid enough to wrestle you."

"Too bad…" I almost didn't hear him as I closed my eyes and it was easy to fall asleep next to him.

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I woke up alone and I figured he had gone out to get more food or something because I stretched and sat up. Time was difficult to tell but on the radio it said it was well past mid morning and I couldn't believe I had slept that long.

Right next to a cannibal murderer.

Shaking my head I rubbed at my face, remembering what he had said as we fell asleep. It was clear he wanted to touch me but he restrained himself. Why? Was it something deep down inside him that felt he could not bring himself to sully my body? A body so close to his.

Touching my hair I blew my bangs out of my eyes and looked around, there wasn't much meat left so all I could do was listen to the radio. A catchy pop song played and I hummed along to it, rocking from side to side as I played with my fingers. Looking at the water I decided I would try to teach myself how to stay afloat.

Taking a rock I dropped it into the water and I couldn't see the bottom so I decided against it. Not without Waylon here, I might drown my scrawny ass without him.

Flopping onto my back I put a hand on my stomach where he had touched me and a flush filled my insides as I thought of him touching me there. Part of me was scared to try anything because, well, he was so big and despite me being bigger than the average man I had no clue if he'd even fit.

"Day dreamin'?" Came a raspy voice and I looked over to see Waylon climbing out of the water with another piece of meat and something was really wrong.

He was wearing a collar.

"What is that?" I sat straight up and he huffed, flicking it with his thumb as if he didn't seem to care.

"A toy collar to make them feel safe…it's my second this month."

"A collar? You're not an animal!" I jumped up to inspect it, getting close to him and I was allowed to touch it, the sturdy metal covered in nicks and gouges from his claws. "Those assholes…"

What if they collared me too?

He must of seen the horror on my face because he cupped my face in his large hand and made me look up at me. "They won't getcha…I swear." He moved his hand down to encircle my throat for a few seconds. "Not fit for this kinda collar anyways…"

My eyes got wide and I blushed at what he was insinuating. "You're terrible."

He grinned widely baring his teeth. "You have no idea."