La Maison 2: Differences (Complete: BDSM mxm)

March 15

A/N: ooh another chapter straight away. This is especially for the, I think, six people who like this fic enough to consistently drop a vote when they get each chapter. I can't give you much to show how much I appreciate knowing that you're enjoying it - but I do a happy dance for every notification I get because it's so warming to be made aware. (I won't tag you, but only because I don't want to put you on the spot if you hate it now 😂 )

Anyway, I love all my readers but to a writer, feedback is life, so, for you guys, here's a resolution to one of the mysteries that's brewed.

Nikolai

I'm nervous when I go to meet Ellis at school. I could have done this at the house, but, for all the wrong I feel about the situation, it felt even more wrong to break this to Ellis in his home. And perhaps there is a little motivating factor in not wanting Master François to know too soon.

I managed to get a good seat, a comfortable couch tucked into the corner, and Ellis brings our drinks over. I take a sip too fast, almost sending the whole thing over myself at the shock of the burning liquid.

"You know they make coffee hot these days?" Ellis grins as he takes a far more careful sip of his own. An old Red Hot Chili Peppers song comes on and Ellis bobs his head, quietly singing along. "I don't ever want to feel like I did that day, take me to the place that I love, take me all the way."

"You have an incredible voice, Ellis. You must get it from your mother."

"What?!" he sounds panicked. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," I try to soothe him, but it's purely selfish – I'm simply trying to avoid saying what I need to say; what I came here to say. "It's just, well, I know your musical ability didn't come from your father."

"How would you-?"

"Will you tell me about your family?"

He just gives me a strange look and shrugs.

"As long as you promise to tell me what's going on after. I don't talk about my family much, but the therapy's helping, so I guess this would be good practice. My younger sister is Aliena and my younger brother is Stanis; he'd be almost seventeen now, and she's fifteen. I haven't seen them since they were eight and nine. Or my mother. So...that's it."

"What about your father?"

"Never had one. Or- I presume there was a sperm donor, I know that much about science regardless of my lack of education."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that. I don't have education. Music, dance. That's it – the main extent. I'm not smart like you, Nikki."

"I had no idea." And it's the truth. Ellis is smart, he just maybe doesn't realize it yet. I want to take it further – to ask him of he's thought of extending his education. Maybe I could help him, even. But then I remember he might not want my help. At all. For anything. And I have to get brave and quit procrastinating.

"I have to tell you something, Ellis. And I want you to know, and to remember; no matter how you feel after I've told you; you're my friend, and I love you as such, and even if you hate me, it won't change."

"You're scaring me, Nikki," he's wide eyed, his big blue eyes glistening.

"I'm your brother." I shouldn't have done that, so harshly, but I couldn't keep leaving him hanging. "My father is your father."

He's completely silent for a long, long moment, until he closes his mouth and blinks, sharply.

"You've known the whole time?"