La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Chapter 4.1

A/N: I love you guys. Thanks for the responses and votes on the last chapter.

Here's another without a need for a trigger warning, just more of Gabe being sweet and Henry being Henry, but what's that? Coming over the mountain...?

Gabriel felt guilty by the time Henry returned, late in the afternoon, with takeout from Gabriel's favorite Thai restaurant. He might be having all these new thoughts, that he knew made him a weirdo, whatever Sawyer had said, but it was completely unfair to expect Henry to change everything between them just to appease him.

Sawyer had messaged once or twice, but Gabriel was determined to ignore him – to make it up to Henry. He'd practiced for three hours in the morning, and then spent hours making sure the entire apartment was spotless, before picking his cello back up and practicing more. He'd forgotten to eat lunch, but he'd prepared a stew for dinner, which would luckily taste even better tomorrow now that Henry had unexpectedly brought food.

Gabriel didn't want to think too hard about what had happened. His bruises weren't fading yet – getting worse even, as they darkened into blackened shapes – but he couldn't think about what they represented. Not when Henry made it so clear – words and actions – that he wasn't going to suddenly decide he was into it; if anything, he was repulsed by it, and the confliction that created in Gabriel was enough to make him nauseous.

"Have some green curry," Henry offered, holding the container out.

Gabriel reluctantly took it. It was his favorite, and Henry might ask questions if he refused, but his stomach was in knots.

"Did you buy some more arnica? I can put it on you after we've eaten."

"Oh, no. Sorry. I stayed in today."

Gabriel had stayed in – just like he'd been told to – but Henry frowned at hearing he hadn't replaced the cream.

"How was your day?" he asked, to change the subject, but Henry's scowl got deeper.

"Fine. Nothing special."

"Oh? I thought you were tutoring."

"Well, yes. Mr. Brubaker asked me to give extra help to a student who has promise, but he's had a rocky start so needs some extra help."

That sort of made Gabriel think of his own circumstances, when he was younger, and his stomach clenched.

"Oh? Is that Tommy?"

"Yes." Henry took a large bite, and was unable to say anything for several moments, though Gabriel just waited, wanting Henry to tell him something. He needed to know why Henry had made this sudden change. Mr. Brubaker had asked him to personally tutor students before, and he'd always said no. So why was he willing to give this guy his time, just when he seemed unwilling to give time to Gabriel?

But Henry didn't say anything, taking another bite straight away – eating faster than he usually would. Gabriel needed more though.

"So...where's Tommy from?"

"Um, Iowa, I think. Single mother, little sister. He's a nice kid."

"How old is he?"

"I don't know. I guess eighteen or nineteen, probably."

Henry was answering, but his tone was dismissive. It didn't take a genius to see that he didn't want to be responding.

"Do you have a picture? I wonder if I know him?"