Defying Dominance (MxM) (18+)

24

Small TW: Discussions of non-consensual behavior

Chapter 24: Daniel

Jace is absolutely beaming the entire time we're heading upstairs, half-bouncing on the stairs. Even with me helping him, the sundae had been a lot. "Jace, you're going to fall."

"No I'm not." Jace bounds up the next few steps within a matter of seconds, grinning at me from the landing.

"You're also going to make yourself puke. Slow. Down."

He pauses before he can bolt down the hall, like I know he wants to, pouting at me. "You're annoying when you make sense sometimes." He waits for me to reach the top as well, then pulls me towards his room. "Let's practice bondage. I-"

I'm not quite in his room when Jace goes scarily still and yanks his hand out of mine. "D-Dad..."

"Jace."

I quickly step up behind Jace, and his dad's eyes land on me immediately. They're...cold. Emotionless. He looks exactly like an older version of Cameron-same brown-blonde hair, darker than the twins', and his eyes are the same green all of his children share. But unlike even Jacque's, the man's eyes look dead.

"Why...why're you in my room?" Jace asks, voice barely loud enough to carry across the room.

"Getting it presentable for Kyren."

"Dad...What?"

"He's coming over tonight. You owe him an apology."

"So he's coming to our house? Dad, I have class tomorrow. And I was going to rewrite some notes. And review things with Daniel."

"Well, guess you won't be doing that. Send Daniel home and get presentable for your date."

Jace shakes his head. "No, Dad. I won't."

"Pardon?"

"I won't do that because I don't like Kyren. I'm not going to pretend I like him, either. That's not fair to him." Despite his relatively stable voice, I can see Jace's shoulders shaking slightly. "It isn't a date, so don't call it one."

"You're telling me no? Hmm. Surprising. You still have to apologize to Kyren. Sincerely."

"Okay. Just not in my room. That's too far, Dad. He'll think we're hooking up."

"You're being unnecessarily difficult, Jace," his dad says, eyes narrowing further. "You let Daniel in your room."

"He's my friend. Kyren is not."

"Friend. Right. That's all Daniel is?"

Jace nods, but I can see him hesitate, and by the look his father gives me, I think he's caught the hesitation as well. I step a bit closer to Jace. His legs are trembling.

"I'll talk to Kyren," Jace says, "I promise I'll apologize. But Daniel's staying because I had plans with him already. I'm not cancelling that. I'll hang out with Kyren in the theater until he's ready to leave."

"We'll be discussing Daniel after your classes tomorrow." Jace's dad walks out, letting the door slam behind him.

There's a beat of silence, then a second, then Jace whimpers and slumps against me, staring at the wall. "I don't want to see Kyren again. He makes me uncomfortable."

"I know. But I'll be there, so maybe he won't be so...bad?"

"I hope so...I guess I gotta change clothes." But Jace seems hesitant to move, just letting me hold him for several more seconds before he straightens up and trudges over to his closet.