Howl (BW version)

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Chapter 12:

"Win, you need to tell me what you're dreaming about." Tay couldn't keep the slightly panicked tone from out of his voice. It was god-knew-how-many-times that Win had woken up with sweat coating his skin, body trembling and Tay was sick and scared of it. After each time, Win withdrew more and more, refusing to mention what he dreamt about.

"Win, you started to say something about Bright the first time. What about Bright?"

Win kept his eyes on the bowl of soup before him, his voice flat. "It's nothing. Just leave it alone."

Tay tightened his lips. "I can't just leave it alone." Because I heard you retching in the bathroom this morning when you went to shower. He took a calming breath. "Win, just tell me."

Win took a spoonful of the clear liquid and swallowed it silently.

"Fine then. Can you at least agree with me that your dreams have something to do with Bright?" He'd phrased it as a question but both he and Win knew that it was meant as a statement. Win said nothing, stubbornly keeping his eyes on his soup.

Tay bent forward, trying the get the younger to look at him. "Win, if you're having nightmares about Bright, why do you insist in still working with him?"

"I have a contract, don't I?" Win said, voice stubborn.

"Win, I couldn't care less about a contract. You think he'll come after us for a breach of contract? It'd never stand up in front of a judge, after what he's don—"

Win raised an eyebrow, looking as if he were surprised by something in his soup as he was still looking at it. "And I'm sure that it'll make a lot of sense to a jury when it's explained to them that an individual who works as a bodyguard and is more than proficient in close-contact fighting and was armed got raped by a model."

Tay grit his teeth together. "It doesn't matter how it looks to the goddamn jury. I can't let you continue working with Bright."

"You can't." Win finally looked up at Tay, his gaze steady. "But you will."

The anger was there, blatant. "And why would I do that?"

"Because you haven't yet thought about what will happen between you and Joss if you're on opposite sides when it comes to Bright."

Tay's anger froze as his mind went numb. Joss. There was no doubt in his mind what would occur if he decided to side against Bright in a fight with Joss. Joss would view him as something only a step below a Council member. They'd end up enemies in the time it would take Tay to say that Bright would get no help. Tay's eyes widened. "You think I would put Joss before you?"

Win's voice was sure. "No." Tay wasn't relieved even though he knew the words to be true. "No, I don't think you'd do that but from the moment you find yourself having to do it, I know you'll regret it."

Tay flinched. "You think I'd regret protecting you? Is that why you're still going to work with him? So that my relationship won't be burdened?"

Win sighed and looked away, at the window where morning light streamed in. "That's a part of it. Not the original reason, no, but another reason for me to continue with this job."

"What's the real reason then?"

Win looked back at Tay before turning back to his soup. "Do you trust me?"