by H M Wolfe
''Poor Wilmot. I don't envy him at all, with all the attention he gets from Sophia, Margot, and Salome.'' Joraan grinned, while Sebastian draped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a protective hug.
''Yeah, gods forbid he gives one of them more attention than the other two because he'd be so finished.'' Vincent put his hand around the back of Nicholas' neck, in a gesture meant both to guide, but also to calm the younger man down.
''So, pet. What's all this about?'' Sebastian spoke in his grave, sexy voice, making the sub relax almost instantly. ''You may speak freely.''
''One of the things my deceased Master taught me was to pay attention to other submissives around me, and noticing the changes in their behavior. As you know, we are subjected to a strict routine, and even the subtlest change can be the sign of major distress. I bonded with Warrick because I recognized a lot of my younger self in him and came to know him real good.''
''Are you insinuating something's wrong with my son, pet?'' Vincent gave the younger man an encouraging smile when he abruptly stopped speaking and lowered his gaze. ''Is that what you are trying to say?''
''When I first met Warrick, he was thriving under his Master's guidance and care.'' Nicholas cautiously chose his words. ''Then, there was the unfortunate episode here, a few months back, when all those horrible memories flooded his mind. He came back from it, only to...'' The man stopped again, his voice shaky and thick.
''What's wrong with my son, pet? Don't be afraid to speak. Whatever it is, you won't be punished.'' Vincent was almost pleading. He was beginning to feel as if something horrible was wrong with Warrick.
''Back when you asked his Master what was wrong, he said everything would be taken care of. He said that without mentioning what Warrick had directly whispered in his ear. I have reason to think he was the victim of a very severe physical and emotional trauma, and now everything has come back with a vengeance.'' Nicholas wasn't sure if he was going to be punished or not for speaking out like this.
Nicholas' words came like a cold shower to the other three men. The implications were shaking all of them to their core. Sebastian, who'd endured so much from such a young age, was the one who saw first the ugly, four-letter word the sub avoided. That word that he was afraid to say aloud. In the light of the younger man's revelations, it was no wonder that Warrick had buried his emotions and feelings so profoundly and that he was afraid to express them.
If his lover's son had been there, in front of him, Joraan would have wrapped him in a warm blanket and place him on the couch with a big cup of hot cocoa in hand. He would have wiped the tears streaming down those pale cheeks. He would have embraced him and rocked the young man back and forth, whispering reassuring words in his ear just as he'd done with Daniel in his early childhood.
As for Vincent, he just sat there, his arms planted on the lounge chair's armrests, hands convulsively balling into fists. The lips of the man were pressed together tightly, the thin, white line they formed hidden by his thick, grey mustache. The idea that someone could do such a horrendous thing to his son, Warrick, who was one of the kindest, purest, most generous souls filled him with a wave of burning anger.
''Dad! Uncle Vale!'' The children's voices made all the men turn their attention to where they were playing, the unexpected arrival of Vincent's other two sons confusing them for a moment.
''Hello, boys. Welcome to our house of chaos!'' The older of the four smiled, hoping Vinson and Valeran wouldn't notice the confused look in his eyes. ''Everything is alright, I hope? We weren't expecting you this early.''
''Well, we came to take you with us, to Ian's house. He called us this morning, saying something's very wrong with Warrick. Together with his son, our brother's Dom devised a plan to keep an eye on him until we could arrive. Judging by his voice, he's afraid of what our brother could try to do.'' As Valeran talked, tears welled in his eyes.
''What are you talking about, son? What did Ian say? Be more specific, please.'' Sebastian touched the younger man's back, managing to calm him down a little.
''He was pretty elusive, but his voice was worried, and it sounded deadly serious,'' Vinson answered. ''That's why we thought to come here first and take you with us. We saw how Warrick reacted in your presence, how much he trusts all of you, and...''
''We'll go in a minute. Just let me call Willa and let her know we are bringing the kids to her place.'' Sebastian spoke in his warm, reassuring voice. ''They've been there before, and loved it.''
''Here, pet. Go start my car.'' Vincent threw the keys in Nicholas' direction. He reached out and caught them with dexterity. ''We'll take it because it's the most spacious. Boys, you can go ahead. We'll be right behind you. You can meet us there.''
''OK, let's go!'' Vinson nodded, walking toward his car. ''Come on, babe. Everything will be alright.'' He softly spoke to a worried Valeran. However, although on the outside, he was composed and smiling to calm down his agitated lover, the man prayed they could get there on time. Dormant for years, the triplet connection between him and Warrick was more reliable than ever, and what he felt was not good at all.
''A little change of plans, pet.'' The soft voice of his Dom startled Warrick out of his not-so-happy thoughts. ''Aubrey is a little feverish, so no school for him today. Also, he mentioned some stomach cramps. I think it's a bug or something.''
''I'm sorry, Master.'' His sub dropped his gaze and curled in on himself a bit. ''I'll pay more attention next time when I fix his breakfast. I don't expect to be forgiven for upsetting your only son's stomach this way; it was very irresponsible from me.''
''Don't blame yourself for this, pet. I'm certainly not holding you responsible. It just seems to be your average teenage stomach bug.'' Ian grabbed his briefcase from the little table in the hallway, kissing Warrick on the forehead. ''Message me every hour. I want to know how you are. Both of you.'' He looked deep into the younger man's soft brown, heavily, tired eyes.
''I will, Master.'' He automatically answered. He was cherishing the moment, as one of the last he was going to spend in the company of that strict, stern, but very affectionate and caring man.
''See you later. I love you both.'' Ian said, stepping outside and leaving his sub behind. His heart was bleeding for the pain he was about to cause to his Dom.
Alone in the kitchen, Warrick started to wash the dishes from breakfast and clean the table. He wanted to leave everything in order as he always did. At some point, the man started to wonder if the sub, Ian, replaced him with would be as obsessed about cleaning as he was. Most likely, he would; his Master would not accept less.
For the moment, Warrick thought he was still alive. And he even had to carry on those duties for the Dom and his son. He brewed a pot of medicinal tea, that was supposed to calm Aubrey's cramps and lower his fever. Putting it on a tray, the young man carried it upstairs to the boy's room. After listening intently for a few seconds, he discreetly knocked on the door.
''Come in, it's open!'' The boy called his answer from inside. ''Oh, that's so sweet of you. You shouldn't have bothered to...'' he cut himself short, blushing.
''It's my pleasure to be of help.'' Warrick tentatively touched a strand of the kid's auburn, slightly curled, long hair. He thought he could do that one more time, anyway. ''and besides, you need to get better soon, so you can go back to school. This is a medicinal tea for your cramps and fever.'' He offered Aubrey a barely-there smile along with the cup of tea.
''Um...there's something you need to know.'' The thirteen-year-old blushed, even more, looking straight into Warrick's eyes. ''I lied to my father. I'm not sick or feverish. That was so I could be alone with you. I have to talk to you about something before I tell my father. I'm not sure how he will react if I talk to him directly, and I need you to...you know...smooth the way for me.''
''Your father loves you very much. He's also one of the most patient, caring, affectionate, and understanding men I've ever had the privilege to meet.'' Warrick passionately spoke, his eyes shining wi
th passion and love. ''I'm sure there is nothing you could tell him that he would disapprove of.''
''Well, I'm not so sure about that,'' Aubrey whispered, getting under the bed and pulling out a medium-sized suitcase. ''Take a look and tell me if you understand and approve. Mom did, but then again, she was a woman. You and father are men, with an entirely different perception on this kind of...thing.''
Falling silent, the teen opened the suitcase, revealing its content: several pairs of lace panties, a significant number of lace crop tops, fishnet and silk stockings, and three pairs of very short shorts. There were also several bottles of nail polish, make-up kits, brushes, eyeliners, and mascaras, all of them renowned brands.
The clothes and lingerie items weren't vulgar looking, and indeed they weren't cheap, Warrick thought. The dreamy, somewhat painful expression in Aubrey's eyes was a valuable clue to the man. It was an indication of the fact that the boy's mother not only knew of his preferences but also encouraged him. Strangely, that bit of information made him smile internally.
''I think your father will understand and support your choice. Especially once you talk to him and explain why you like wearing these.'' Warrick pointed to the neatly folded stacks of clothes. What other people or I think is irrelevant.''
''But you will stand by me, won't you? I don't have any friends at school or elsewhere yet. No one who I can trust with this kind of secret, anyway.'' Aubrey said in a small, sad voice. ''Even if I dress normally, they still consider me a weirdo. Almost no one talks to me at school.'' He hesitated just a moment before blurting out to Warrick. ''Who am I trying to fool? No one does, except father and you.''
''I was a loner all my life, so this aspect doesn't bother me at all.'' Warrick started, after a brief moment of silence following the boy's confession. ''I haven't brought this up until now, but if you want company, I know some kids your age who will be more than happy to become your friends. They are open-minded and very inclusive. You can express your true self in their presence and feel safe and comfortable doing it.''
''Thank you, Warrick. I knew to trust you was the best decision I could have made.'' Aubrey threw himself into the man's arms, letting out a long sigh of relief and contentment. ''You are the coolest friend I've ever had, almost like an older brother.''
Awkwardly at first, the man hugged the thirteen-year-old, holding him tight. There was still time, he thought. It would be better to do it at night when everyone was sleeping. Closing his eyes, Warrick wrapped Aubrey in his embrace, and they would have stayed like that for a while, had the sound of the doorbell not interrupted them.
CHAPTER 21
''H
i guys. How are you? Master is not at home, I'm afraid.'' Warrick's eyes became wide, with surprise at the sight of his brothers.
''Hey, Ian isn't the only person who lives here,'' Vinson replied. ''You're the one we came to visit. Vale has been pestering me for quite some time and...''
''You're right.'' Warrick moved out of the doorway, leaving room for his brothers to enter the house. ''Sometimes, even I forget about my own existence, not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Please, come inside.'' He gestured for them to enter the foyer.
''Don't lock the door. Father and the other dads should be arriving any minute now. They were right behind us.'' Valeran hugged his brother, shivering when he noticed how thin and bony the man had become over the ten days since last they'd seen each other.
''I can't say I'm not happy to see all of you gathered together, but I don't see the reason behind this small family gathering. Shouldn't the dads be with Wilmot and Marinette? Who are they with, right now? You know we can't afford to make mistakes right now. Not with that plotting bitch of your ex around!'' Warrick exclaimed, turning to Vinson.
''Hey, buddy. Is it so bad that we came to see you?'' Vinson's voice had a tinge of sadness in it. He was noticing his brother's tendency to keeping them at arm's length was coming back. ''We are concerned about your well-being, all of us, and...''
''Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I'm not glad to see you.'' Warrick turned to his brother, looking tired all of a sudden. ''But how many times do I have to remind you. Of the responsibilities, you have towards your children and our brother? You have to protect them, take care of their needs. Forget about me. I'm a big boy now.''
''Hello, son. I'm so happy to see you!'' Vincent almost barged into the house, heading straight to Warrick, whom he hugged affectionately. '' I haven't had the chance to see you a lot lately. What have you been up to? You don't look very well right now. Or is just these old eyes of mine seeing that?'' Vincent pushed Warrick out to arm's length, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
''Well, Aubrey is a little sick at the moment, and I've spent some time with him. Although he's not related to me by blood, we are very much alike, and I”m worried about him. The boy has no real friends to talk to, and...''
''Hi there!'' Sebastian, Joraan, and Nicholas said almost in sync. They stepped into the house at the same time and pulled Warrick into a group hug. ''We hope you are well, dear boy.'' Seb ran his fingers through the young man's light brown hair.
''Mallory is anxious about you.'' Joraan examined his lover's son's pale face and tired eyes. ''He told me you hadn't answered his emails for more than a week. Knowing you, that worries me, too.''
''They were some emails of less importance and more of a personal nature.'' Warrick was making a colossal effort to keep himself together. He couldn't let the other see how badly he was hurting. ''All the others that were strictly work-related received a prompt answer.''
The young man tried to calm himself down. He was hoping that, with his answer, the subject would be closed, or else shit was going to hit the fan. He desperately wanted to keep everyone out of it until tomorrow morning. That was when everything would be explained in his goodbye letter. No one would stoop so low as to stain the memory of someone who would confess horrors from beyond the grave. Not even him.
Warrick tried to empty his mind of thoughts. He started inhaling and exhaling slowly, in an attempt to keep the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him at bay. He just couldn't let the others realize that he was troubled. After a couple of minutes, he succeeded. It was only thanks to the skills he'd honed in times past and to the new tricks Ian had taught him.
''So, the rumors are true, after all,'' Joraan spoke again. ''Albert Richards will officially join our office tomorrow morning.''
''To-tomorrow? Wasn't it planned for the day after?'' Warrick spoke, visibly shaken by the news. That was going to throw a wrench in his works at the very least. ''At least, that's what I understood.''
''You're not the only one, son. A lot of people were taken by surprise, Mallory included. The guy called him and told him that he's ready to come to work sooner if the others had nothing against it. Since he hadn't any valid complaints against it, the boss agreed, so starting tomorrow, we have a new colleague.''
''Wait, Albert Richards?'' Vinson spoke, visibly enthusiastic. ''Wasn't he also your professor back in law school? The one you admired the most? You are so lucky to be able to work with your idol finally! I'm so happy for you!''
''Well,'' Joraan shrugged, ''I've heard some pretty bad things about Albert Richards, but none of them were related to his professional capacity. And, since an impeccable professional reputation is one of the most important qualities Mallory looks for in a potential employee, I guess he fits the bill.''
''What exactly did you hear about him?'' His curiosity was mixed with the surprise in Valeran's voice. ''The guy had the reputation of a straight arrow back when we were in college. Everyone talked about him with admiration and respect. He even had a group of followers, students who looked up to him as a role model.''
''The Purifiers!'' Warrick spoke, his voice flat and hollow. ''They...they raped queer students, to straighten them up. Eric killed himself after being attacked. I...I couldn't do that, and I couldn't report the attack, either.'' He shivered violently at the memory.
''You
were...when was that!?'' Vinson asked while Vincent was talking to Ian, as calmly as he could, given the situation. ''Oh my god!'' he gasped in shock, horrified by the realization. ''It happened on our eighteenth birthday, the same day Vale and I...Warrick, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say...''
He tried to wrap his arms around his brother, but the man went stiff in the embrace. He'd become tense like the chord of a bow, ready to launch the arrow. He moved to the furthest end of the couch, away from everyone, and curled into himself. After spending time in the position, he started to shake. It was violent and uncontrollable, his stare empty, and his breath shallow.
The other men in the room were looking at Warrick with scared and helpless expressions. None of them dared to approach him, afraid of what might happen if they touched him. The sound made by the tires of Ian's car made everyone sigh in relief. The Dom was sure to know what to do to bring their brother and son back. From the dark place, he was in.
