La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Arc 2 Chapter 2.2

"I'm not sure about this," Gabe said, biting the skin of his thumb.

"Stop," Owen admonished, but with no real heat.

Gabe stopped anyway, thrusting his hands under his thighs, against the soft fabric of the couch, where he sat, waiting for people from his old school to arrive.

Owen had told Gray what they'd managed to discover about being a musician. Gray had smiled at Gabe nicely, and seemed pleased, but he'd narrowed his eyes at Owen when he thought Gabe wasn't watching. It had made Gabe think about whether Owen would get into trouble – get punished maybe – for telling him things they'd apparently agreed they wouldn't talk about with him. Mainly, though, he wondered what other things they had decided he shouldn't know, and he also wondered why he didn't mind that they were making decisions like this for him. He really didn't. It was easier not to know.

Gray had agreed with only a little reluctance that it might be good for him to meet people from the Conservatory – though he insisted no more than two, and the ones that Owen trusted the most to stay calm for Gabe's sake. He'd wanted to be here, but he had patients today, and that was the one thing Gabe had been able to be adamant on. He didn't want to wait for this.

Though now it was about to happen, he was starting to regret that being the thing he stood up for himself over, the way his stomach was churning.

He thought maybe he would change his mind. He'd stuck up for himself to make it happen, surely he could stick up for himself enough to stop it. Owen wouldn't force it. He opened his mouth to speak when there was a knock on the front door and he jumped.

"Here are the boys," Mrs. Miggins announced moments later as she bustled in, followed by a tall, tanned, handsome boy, whose blue eyes were huge in his head as he stared at Gabriel, the other, shorter, new arrival staying behind him, only his messy brown hair visible.

"Thanks, Mrs. M." The boy kissed her cheek before turning again, facing Gabe as if the others weren't even in the room.

Gabriel stood, feeling the tension that emanated from the taller boy.

"Gabe," he whispered, after a long moment, "they said...I mean, do you know me?"

Gabe tried. He stared back, trying to make a memory form, but tears sprang into his eyes as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry," the boy said, with matching tears brimming. "Is it too much Owen? Should I not be here?"

Owen didn't answer, deferring to Gabe with a gentle hand on his elbow and a warm smile, clearly saying it was up to him, but that he thought he could do it.

"It's okay," Gabe said, finally, his voice croaky with nerves.

"Don't be upset he doesn't remember you, Ellis," Owen said, "the memories are patchy right now. He can make new friends, anyway. You can, Gabe," he turned, smiling again, "you might not know Ellis and River, but you liked them, so you can like them again."

It made sense, and Gabe let out a sigh, relieved that the pressure was lifted.

"Gabe," the boy – Ellis – began tentatively, "I'm sorry I didn't know. That I didn't do anything. I feel like I let you down so bad. I should have seen he wasn't‑ "

"Let things come naturally," Owen suggested, and Ellis nervously murmured 'of course' under his breath.

They ended up in the den, and Owen set up some computer games, which Gabe was surprised to find himself good at, even beating River a few times. He didn't beat Ellis though, but they agreed, with practice, he would. It made Gabe feel good – kind of secure – the way they spoke so casually about seeing each other again.