A Business Pleasure

Chapter 6: Are You Happy?

^^^ they look so handsome in this.

I don't know if Dec is allergic to cinnamon but my friend is and I wanted something random 😂 it's fiction anyhow.

Dec fidgeted as he waited for the man sitting opposite to him to say something. He hadn't expected to see Simon until the end of his and Ant's two years and, though he felt that time was slipping at an incredible rate lately, he was sure that only a few months had passed. So why was Simon here? Had he somehow gotten the idea that Ant was unhappy with him? Or had he changed his mind of letting Ant go with Dec in the first place?

"Mr. Donnelly," Simon began, "I must apologize about this sudden visit, but I'm afraid it's protocol."

"Protocol?" Dec frowned.

"Yes. When we loan someone, after a few months, we make a surprise round to make sure that person is not being ill-treated. It's been six months since you've purchased Ant so I've allowed you some leeway in that sense."

"Oh," Dec looked relieved. However, now a new scary thought was going through his mind. What if Ant really wasn't happy? What if he was just pretending to be just so that Dec wouldn't hurt him like he was expecting? He knew personally that he hadn't so much as raised his voice at Ant and would never hurt him, but Ant couldn't read minds. He hoped he had shown it through his actions and he could tell just by looking at Ant that he was happy, but that didn't lessen his worry.

"I'm not saying that you're mistreating him," Simon assured him and Dec started. Had he been showing it on his face? "But I have to check. If he's fine, there's nothing to worry about."

Dec smiled slightly to show that Simon's words had helped but he still felt his heart beating rapidly. God, he hadn't planned for this happening so early. If Ant were to go....

"Why don't we just go now?" Dec spoke rapidly, grabbing his coat from the stand and moving towards the door. "Ali, cancel all my appointments today! I have some important work!"

His secretary stared at him in surprise, but smiled and nodded. He was the boss after all. Dec turned back to Simon and gestured towards the door, "Shall we?"

Simon shook his head with a sigh but followed him. He knew the reason for Dec's odd behavior and that concerned him. Dec wasn't worried about not getting his money back if Ant had to be taken from him, but because he didn't want the other man to leave. Dec was going a dangerous road that would result in pain for both of them and Simon didn't want that to happen. Looked he'd have to remind Dec about a certain rule of Utopia that he seemed to be forgetting and that wasn't something he was looking forward to.

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"......"

There was complete silence in the car on the way to Dec's home, both due to Dec's reluctance to say anything and put his foot in his mouth and due to Simon's policy of not making small talk with a client. By the time they arrived at the mansion, tensions were at a breaking point and Dec looked like he was going to faint at any moment. Bruce opened the door and his eyes widened at the sight of his boss.

"Master Donnelly, it's not like you to be home so early! Is everything alright?" Bruce asked.

"Y-Yeah," Dec tried to smile but it came out strained, "Is Ant there?"

Simon raised an eyebrow behind him, at the question but kept silent. Bruce nodded and moved to allow them in, "He's with Ms Deeley, they're painting his room."

Dec nodded and led Simon up to Ant's bedroom, his heart seemingly beating faster with every step. He stopped in front of the closed door and took a deep breath. This is it. Moment of truth, Dec thought and knocked at the door.