The Title Will Go Here - 2. Chapter 2

- II -

“So...” he heard behind his shoulder and turned his head.

It has been a couple of hours since he arrived to his sister’s huge house, which seemed to be the perfect size this particular night – the party turned out to be much bigger than he expected. To his surprise, he caught himself actually enjoying this gathering – usually, he didn’t care about so many people in one place at once unless he was on stage, but right now felt great and he accepted that as another gift.

“Hey, Leon,” he muttered after he looked behind his shoulder.

He caught a brilliant smile and gave one in return, even though he felt a very slight, uncomfortable pang as usual. Every time he saw Leon, he would feel this exact pang – uncomfortable and somewhat guilty. He found it amusing. Leon has been his manager for his entire musical career, and they knew each other ever since they were kids. However, there were those six months when both of them felt like they were head over heels for one another with all possible consequences following. Stratos suspected (strongly so) that his uncomfortable, guilty pangs had something to do with the fact that he was the one to stop all the sexual escapades and bring the entire matter to its normal, usual professional routine. (“You dumped him, Stratos, just face it. You dumped him brutally... You wouldn’t give him any reasons, you wouldn’t return his phone calls, and you would use every single trick in the book to avoid him. You almost started looking for a new manager! You would if he didn’t happen to be a bigger person than you and deal with everything professionally, even though you made him feel worse than crap...! Just face it – you dumped him! )

Stratos almost winced at the voice in his head that he would hear often he was with Leon. He drowned his wince in the glass he held in his hand, swallowing the rest of his drink so quickly that it made throat contract with an unpleasant tightness.

“So,” Leon said again and leaned on the counter with one elbow, his posture relaxed and almost lazy, a dark-red pool of wine splashing on the bottom of his short glass. “How was it?”

“How was what?” Stratos frowned and put his empty glass away, wondering whether he wanted to grab another drink.

“Your birthday present,” Leon grinned. That grin always made him look younger. Stratos sighed and blinked at the same time.

“You know about it?” he asked and sighed again almost immediately. “Of course, you know,” he nodded mostly to himself. “It’s been several hours... Of course, Loreya had to tell you all about it...”

“Mmm...” Leon slightly shook his head and finished his drink, emptying the glass in a smooth, lazy motion. “I knew about it from the beginning. Had no idea that she would actually do that...” He grinned again. “I mean, kelari are not easy to find nowadays! She did though...” He reached for the wine bottle not too far from him, and Stratos almost said, ‘No, thanks’ when Leon refilled his glass with an absent-minded look on his face.

“Thanks,” Stratos said instead and drank some of the smooth, dark liquid. Loreya sure knew her wine, he thought appreciatively.

“I had to restrain myself from sampling him...” Leon continued meanwhile. “I possess impressive self-control, by the way...” There was that grin again. “I mean, tapping into your present before you did, would be rude...!”

“What do you mean?” Stratos blinked and thought of setting the glass farther away from himself, feeling the wine start kicking up its effect in his head – he was never a great drinker. He took another sip of dark, velvety drink instead. “What do you mean, you had to restrain yourself?”

“Did you not see him?” Leon slightly frowned and refilled both of their glasses quickly, with almost an invisible gesture. “He is not just an eye candy; he is a damn box of truffles!”

“Wait...” Stratos narrowed his eyes and set his glass aside. “When did she get him?”

“Yesterday morning,” Leon nodded and reached for the wine bottle again.

This time, Stratos slightly shook his head ‘no’ and pushed his glass farther away.

“...afternoon, to be precise,” Leon finished, and Stratos frowned deeper.

“Afternoon?” he repeated slowly. “Had she even fed him after she got him?”

Leon blinked several times as if that question sounded very complicated.

“Fed him?” he repeated with a frown of his own. “I have no idea... Never even thought about that... Why?” He threw a quick glance at Stratos who realized that somehow, his glass was full again and resting in his hand instead of sitting farther away. “Don’t tell me he passed out!”

“No, he didn’t pass out,” Stratos let go of the glass, feeling strangely angry. “He just didn’t have any food for a day and a half...!”

“So?” Leon blinked again, his expression genuinely confused.

“So?” Stratos repeated, feeling his anger stir and grow deeper inside his chest. He had no idea why he felt angry right now. He blamed the wine. “Absence of food for a long time is not a good thing...!”

“He is just a kelari,” Leon shrugged, and Stratos’ fingers curled tighter around the stem of his glass.

“Kelari is a race,” he said tightly. “Not a toy brand!”

“I beg to differ,” there was another grin. Suddenly, Stratos wondered if Leon even touched his own drink after he refilled it for the first time. It seemed that his glass remained untouched. “That’s exactly what kelari are! That’s what they were initially made for...! Too bad they are almost gone by now...” He sighed deeply and performed another near-magical move, making Stratos’ glass full yet again. “They are just sex dolls,” Leon shrugged again.

Stratos gritted his teeth and gulped down more wine. It made him feel a little better.

“Kelari are basically humans,” he said evenly, and slowly pushed his glass aside for real this time – he could feel a faint shadow of nausea stroking the back of his throat. “The only difference is the eye color,” he continued. “Well...” Now it was his turn to shrug. “That and the appearance, I suppose... They are genetically enhanced humans, nothing else,” he shook his head impatiently. “They started to become a separate race a while ago, since all the genetic tampering seemed to pass onto their offspring, but if you look at history, they are humans!”

“I don’t look at history,” Leon replied seriously. “Makes me nostalgic,” he let out a small smile, curving corners of his mouth, and Stratos looked away for a second, knowing exactly what he meant. “However...” Leon folded his arms in his chest. “This particular kelari is nothing but a sex toy. That is his only purpose... So, back to the beginning... How was it? Any good? Well...” He toyed with his full glass for a second or two, managing not to spill a single drop. “He should be good, considering where Loreya got him from...”

Stratos frowned at that and almost asked what the meaning behind those words was, but then he took another sip of wine instead. His nausea seemed to disappear.

“...is he?” Leon kept talking meanwhile.

“I don’t know,” Stratos muttered, correctly guessing the question he missed. “I didn’t do anything to him...”

“Why?” Now Leon looked plain dumbfounded. “Don’t tell me you weren’t in the mood! That little toy of yours creates a hell of a mood by just entering the room!”

Stratos silently agreed with that.

“I didn’t do anything because he was scared shitless,” he said evenly, immediately remembering panic that splashed in the golden eyes when Stratos asked what the hell he was doing unbuttoning his shirt.

“So?” Leon asked once again, his expression unchanged. “It wouldn’t block his holes...”

“So...” Stratos said slowly, ignoring another angry jab in the pit of his stomach. This one was weaker, however, thanks to the wine and sudden memories of the golden eyes and perfect features. Leon was right about a hell of a mood creating on its own every time that golden-haired kelari (“Gemini...”) entered the room.

“So...” he continued after he emptied his glass yet again, silently cursing his weak self with a passion. “I am not going to force myself onto someone who looks like he is about to drop dead from terror!”

“You wouldn’t have to force yourself,” Leon snorted and reached for the wine bottle that was almost empty by now. However, Stratos noted that his own glass remained full and untouched. “Believe me, he would do everything willingly,” Leon nodded.

“No,” Stratos said somewhat sharply when that wine bottle hovered above his glass again. “I am not drinking anymore tonight; get rid of it...”

Leon shrugged almost indifferently and set the bottle aside.

“I am not saying that he would be going crazy with lust,” he continued. “But he would do anything... Anything,” he repeated, giving Stratos a long, blink-free look. “And he would do it willingly,” he slightly nodded without looking away. “And let’s face it...” He smiled without baring his teeth. “Who gives a flying shit if he gets hard or not...?”

“I do,” Stratos almost said and blinked rapidly before he opened his mouth. He does? He didn’t care much even about Leon’s pleasure four years ago. Not that he would ignore it completely, but his own completion has always come first for him.

“Anyway,” Leon sighed and shifted his posture ever so slightly. “Enough about that kelari already... Oh, by the way!” He snapped his fingers as if suddenly remembering about something. “You free this weekend?”

“It’s Friday night,” Stratos frowned. “It is the weekend...!” He rolled his eyes when Leon kept looking at him with a silent question. “Yes, I am free this weekend,” he sighed in defeat and got another grin in return.

“Seems like you need some help easing into your birthday gift...” Leon said in a low voice. “I am going to help you...”

“Meaning?” Stratos arched one eyebrow.

“You know what I mean,” Leon leaned closer. “You always liked audience; never had stage fright... I won’t be alone; I’ll bring a couple of guys with me... It will be fun,” he murmured. “Just like it used to be... Remember?”

Stratos blinked when all of a sudden, Leon was sitting right next to him, his hand slowly caressing his thigh, his warm breath tickling his ear.

“You like to watch also,” Leon leaned even closer, and Stratos briefly closed his eyes when he felt a light, almost unnoticeable drag of teeth on his earlobe. Anger was gone completely by now. “And with your new toy...” Leon pulled away just a little, so he could look into the startlingly-blue eyes that started becoming hazier. “...we will have a hell of a show,” he finished in a whisper, and Stratos closed his eyes again when there was a quick lick on the side of his throat. “The only question is...” Whisper kept pouring into Stratos’ ear, making him shiver. “Saturday or Sunday? You decide...”

“Sunday...” Stratos muttered automatically, his head swimming from a strong mix of wine and sudden lust. Leon always knew which buttons to push to turn him on in a matter of minutes.

“Seven-thirty...?”

“Sounds good...” Stratos tilted his head to the right, giving those quick licks better access to his neck.

“We’ll be there...” Leon murmured, and suddenly pulled away, making Stratos sway on his tall stool. “Come on...” he said quietly, entwining their fingers together. “Time to give you my present...”

Stratos slid off the stool and followed his very professional manager without asking a single question. They walked upstairs and headed down the dimly lit hallway, and when they got to the end of it, Leon pushed the door that was hiding next to the mirror, revealing a big bathroom. Stratos winced when the bright lights suddenly came on, making him hiss and turn his head. Leon let out a small, quiet laughter and dimmed the lights, while guiding Stratos towards the farther wall of the bathroom. Stratos thought of asking whether he locked the door, but let out a quiet moan instead when his back pressed tightly into the cold marble wall, which felt good against his heated skin.

“Leon...” he muttered unevenly while his very professional manager was undoing his belt and pants zipper smoothly and with great inspiration. “We haven’t done anything ever since...”

“Don’t worry,” the darkness murmured warmly. “I am not trying to get back together... All of that is in the past, believe me... This...” The darkness was smiling now, even though Stratos couldn’t see it. “...is your present for your thirtieth birthday... Important date, sweet gifts...”

“Leon...” Stratos muttered again, and then realized that not only his pants were completely undone, but so was his shirt.

“Shhh...” was the response he got, and then the warmth and smoothness of Leon’s mouth were the only things he knew.

He closed his eyes and threw his head back, swallowing all the sounds that threatened to escape into dimly lit darkness. His mind was hazy from the wine that still pulsated its dark rhythm from somewhere on the bottom of his throat, and from all the sensations that ran through him like some powerful electric shocks.

He wasn’t surprised a bit later when he felt that familiar heat enveloping him from the inside. Leon always knew how and when to get him to that abrupt edge. He let out a quick, loud exhale and his hand sneaked downwards, tangling its fingers in smooth warm hair that kept brushing against his flat stomach. He pulled on that hair somewhat harshly, but Leon wouldn’t even budge. Stratos closed his eyes again when he felt his hand slide off, and pressed his palms against the cold marble behind his back.

Heat grew bigger, and he hissed something through his clenched teeth when the quick tongue wrapped itself around him in a strange, very creative knot. He felt warm, quick fingers caress and massage him the way that used to drive him crazy, and his completion ripped through him in one quick, blinding-white flash. He let out small, harsh exhales while his fingers kept trying to dig into the cold smooth marble of the wall behind him, his eyes squeezed shut, his teeth locked on his lower lip. He shivered when the last wave of dark pleasure rolled through him, and took a long breath, relaxing his fingers and letting go of his own lip.

He didn’t feel drunk anymore; instead, he felt refreshed and energized. He felt Leon’s fingers swiftly zipping up his pants, fixing his belt buckle, and buttoning his shirt. He opened his eyes when those fingers let go of him a minute later.

“Happy birthday,” Leon got off his knees, his grin audible in the dark.

He leaned closer, and Stratos involuntary pulled away, turning his head to the right, avoiding an upcoming kiss. Leon let out a small sigh, making Stratos wince slightly at his own scent that was playing on Leon’s breath.

“Still can’t stand the cock flavor, huh...” the other man muttered and stepped towards the sink, grabbing a bottle of mouthwash out of the cabinet behind the mirror. “Not even your own...”

“Sorry...” Stratos said, watching him take a gulp out of the bottle. He couldn’t tell exactly what he felt right now. It felt great, sure, but at the same time, he felt... Irritated...?

“Don’t be,” Leon shrugged in the darkness after he spat the mouthwash into the sink. “It’s just the way you are, no big.”

He put the bottle away and turned on the lights. Stratos closed his eyes at the unexpected brilliance.

“Happy birthday...”

Stratos opened his eyes when he felt Leon’s mouth brush against his.

“Minty fresh,” Leon murmured, and Stratos let out a small smile and returned the kiss quickly, without parting his lips. “See you out there...” Leon said a few seconds later when he pulled away, his expression calm and undisturbed. “Come mingle...” He gave Stratos a wink and left the bathroom, leaving a minty scent shimmering in the air for several seconds after he shut the door.

Stratos sighed and pulled away from the wall, running his fingers through his hair. This was one strange birthday, he thought melancholically while checking himself in the mirror. Strange day, strange gifts... He threw one last glance at his reflection and turned off the lights when he opened the bathroom door. He wasn’t going to drink anymore tonight, that was for sure.

****  

He got back home a little after two in the morning, and muttered something darkly when it took him almost a full minute to fit the key in the lock.

“You are pathetic...” he said quietly to himself when the door finally opened.

His decision not to drink anymore tonight didn’t work out as well as he hoped it would. He ended up consuming quite a few more drinks, and an hour ago, he found himself following his manager upstairs to one of the bedrooms, hard and breathless. He had no idea how he managed to stop himself from doing that. Somehow, a hazy realization formed in his swimming mind – going any further with Leon tonight would be a hell of a big mistake that could lead to grim consequences. Leon was a great manager, and Stratos really didn’t want to start looking for another one, knowing he would have to do exactly that, since he had no desire of resurrecting their dead relationship; and dumping Leon once again would definitely make the other man to drop his manager position like a hot potato. He managed to control himself, and after making several half-hearted and completely lame excuses, he left Loreya’s house without even saying good night to his sister.

...“You are pathetic,” he repeated in the same tone of voice when he made his way to the bathroom. “...and horny,” he finished after he washed his hands. He studied his reflection in the mirror for a minute or two, his mind slowly becoming less hazy than it was an hour ago, and considered making a cup of strong coffee. Instead of doing that, he left the bathroom and headed upstairs, suddenly remembering about his strange birthday gift. Golden eyes flashed quickly and brightly in his mind, and he felt another sharp wave of lust rush through him. “This particular kelari...” he heard Leon’s voice in his head as he walked. “...is nothing but a sex toy...”

“Happy birthday...” he muttered and paused by the door of one of the rooms. He thought about something, and then pushed the door open, walked inside, and turned on the lights.

He quickly walked to the big desk that had several computer monitors sitting lifelessly on top of it, and tapped a button on the bottom of one of the flat screens. The screen lazily came to life after one long blink, which immediately reminded Stratos of those golden eyes again. He pressed his palms into the desktop and stared at the screen. He installed miniature cameras in every room of the house several years ago when there was a sudden outburst of surprisingly bold robberies spreading around his usually very secure neighborhood. After everything calmed down, he left the cameras where they were, figuring that an extra touch of security never hurt anyone.

He looked at the room in the flat screen, his eyes immediately shifting towards the bed, wondering whether his ‘present’ was sleeping in the nude, when suddenly, he frowned and leaned closer.

“What...” he muttered and tapped one of the buttons, making the camera to zoom in on the bed.

The golden-haired kelari was sitting on the bed, fully dressed, tightly hugging his knees, swaying slightly back and forth, his eyes fixated on the bed covers, and his lips were moving nonstop as if he was muttering some endless prayer. Stratos frowned deeper and pushed another button, turning up the volume.

“...tonight,” he heard a few seconds later. “Not tonight, not tonight... Please, not tonight... Anything, anytime... Just please... Not tonight... Not tonight...”

Suddenly, Stratos felt stone-cold sober. He looked at the screen for another minute, and then he turned off the volume, pushed the button on the bottom of the monitor, making the screen turn black once again, and straightened up without looking away from that monitor. “Not tonight...” he heard in his head once again, and gritted his teeth. “Dammit, Loreya...” he thought gloomily and walked out of the room, turning off the lights as he went.

He slowly walked down the hallway, and when he made it to the right door, he paused in front of it for a minute or two. Then he took a deep breath and turned the doorknob, making the door silently sway inwards. He walked inside, knuckles of his right hand tapping lightly against a small table by the door.

“Not tonight, not ton...” The murmur cut off in mid-sentence when the tapping sound rolled through the night surprisingly loud. Stratos walked closer to the bed, noting suddenly rigid posture, painfully straight back, and huge, unblinking golden eyes.

Suddenly, there was some muffled crashing sound, and Stratos jerked, startled. He looked up and realized that one of the crystal candle holders fell off the dresser, breaking into small pieces when it hit the uncarpeted area of the floor. He blinked and frowned, trying to figure out what just happened. Then he noticed that the window in the room was open, and his frown smoothed out. Apparently, when he opened the door, a sudden draught ruffled the curtains, making the candle holder to fly off the top of the dresser. A slow movement made him shift his gaze towards the bed. The blond kelari was standing up now, his posture as rigid as before, his expression tight and unreadable.

“Tell me what you want me to do...” he said, his voice even and indifferent. “Tell me what you want me to do to please you... Tell me what you want me to do...”

Stratos looked at him silently for several seconds, noting that this time, the golden eyes didn’t look away.

“I want you to go to sleep,” he said finally, and the eyes blinked, losing some of their tight emptiness. “I want you to go to sleep,” Stratos repeated quietly. “It’s two-thirty in the morning. We will figure things out when the sun comes up. I want you to go to sleep,” he said again and turned around without waiting for a reply. He left the room and closed the door without saying anything else.

He stood still for a minute or two, listening to the silence, and then headed towards the computer room once again. He turned on the same monitor several minutes later, and absent-mindedly tapped the volume button without looking away from the screen. The golden-haired perfection stood frozen by the bed, his posture the same as it was when Stratos left the room, his eyes confused, scared, and hopeful at the same time.

Finally, he slowly lowered himself on the bed, resting his head on the pillow without closing his eyes, watching the door warily.

“Just go to sleep...” Stratos muttered tiredly, knowing that he couldn’t hear him. “And use the damn blanket,” he added a minute later when he saw the perfection on the bed shiver slightly from cold air that kept seeping into the room through the open window.

He watched the blond marvel pull the blanket over himself hesitantly a few minutes later, and let out a sigh when he noted that the golden eyes wouldn’t look away from the door.

“Just go to sleep...” he muttered one last time, and nodded when those eyes finally closed and tight shoulders relaxed underneath the blanket. He looked at the screen for several more minutes, and then sighed and turned off the monitor.

“Dammit, Loreya...” he grumbled when he left the room and headed towards his own bedroom. “Subscription tickets to the opera would work just fine... Dammit...”

He made it to his bed, and collapsed on it without taking off his clothes – he was too damn tired.