𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃

Chapter 11

One Step Back

Bright hazel eyes glinted in the shop's low light directly in front of Draco's wary grey. "Sorry," Daman said sheepishly, his accent as thick as ever, "Flour on your nose, you know." Draco absorbed the man's apology, as well as the fact that he still had not taken a step back.

A calloused thumb brushed over Draco's nose and drew out over his cheek, where Daman now stroked back and forth. Draco breathed in deeply as if it would help prepare him for what happened next, Daman leaning closer, honey colored hair tickling his brow, a sharp nose pushing into his cheek, hazel eyes sliding closed, a hand folding over his bicep, and his lower lip being sucked into a gentle mouth.

His own cheeks must've been burning the other man with the intensity of his embarrassment but Daman only pressed closer, unconcerned. He nipped Draco's lower lip lightly and risked sweeping his tongue out over the chapped skin. Daman's tongue soothed away the cracks in Draco's lip and he willingly parted his mouth with a sigh.

Daman's flour covered hands held Draco in an easy embrace as he tilted his head further forward and explored the blonde's mouth. Draco watched him, open-eyed and amazed. Daman's face was screwed up in concentration, interrupted only by occasional sighs of pleasure. His eyes were closed but he was gauging Draco's reactions, what caused his muscles to tense and relax, what made little sounds of encouragement and displeasure escape him, creating the perfect kiss.

But it wasn't perfect. It would never be perfect,because Draco couldn't close his eyes.

Daman pulled back slowly, accustoming Draco to the withdrawal rather than ripping away harshly. Apparently just two months at the bakery was enough to broadcast that he was damaged, so much so that Daman had picked up on it. He felt unbelievably pathetic.

Daman's eyes were just opening as Draco offered him a tentative smile. Daman frowned slightly and moved back to his side of the kitchen. He sighed heavily and began rolling dough underneath a floured pin. He grunted unabashedly, "I apologize for my actions, Draco."

Draco wished Daman would look at him. He hated feeling as if he'd disappointed the man, someone he considered a friend. He swallowed nervously and slipped down off the counter Daman had sat him upon. He placed a hand gingerly on Daman's tensed back and asked cringingly, "Why?"

Daman slammed the pin so hard into the kneaded dough that Draco jumped. He turned around, scowling, though not at Draco, at least, he wasn't looking at Draco. His voice was a low growl that he seemed to be trying to stop, "Is it what you want?" He asked, though it did not sound like a question, at least not one he needed an answer to.

Draco looked away, unsure how to answer that. What he wanted was no longer an option. Nor should it to be. But it didn't change the fact that he wanted it. He crossed his arms over his chest, more protective than contemplative and bit his lip carefully, "I-I don't know."

Daman's hazel eyes, which had dimmed in their frustration, now brightened to their normal illumination. "Not no?" He questioned slowly.

Draco offered him a small smile, the best he had to offer at the moment, and said in a low voice, "Not no."

Daman immediately moved to hold him, undoubtedly more fiercely this time, and the idea made him grimace. Draco took a step back as Daman took one forward and averted his eyes, admitting, "It would have to be slow." He looked back into Daman's open, trusting hazel and elaborated, "Very slow."

He placed his hands on either side of Daman's clavicle and swallowed at his own audacity. He rubbed lightly with his thumbs through the flimsy fabric and held Daman's gaze seriously, "You may want to give up on this – me – now because I-I may not be ready for years." He gave Daman a weakly amused smile and remarked, "Jump ship as it were, get out while you still can and all that."