The Title Will Go Here - 3. Chapter 3

- III -

To his own surprise, Stratos felt just fine when he woke up in the morning. He was positive that he would have one hell of a headache and nausea, but there was nothing. “I guess good wine doesn’t give you a hangover...” he muttered and glanced at the clock. 11:30. He sighed and got out of bed, heading towards the bathroom, craving a hot shower, and hating his wrinkled, slightly damp clothes. “But it doesn’t stop you from sweating like a pig...” he muttered, pulling off his shirt and throwing it on the floor.

He finished his shower in half an hour or so, and felt much better when he emerged from the bathroom. He left his bedroom and headed towards the stairs, pausing slightly by the door on his right. “Not tonight...” he heard in his head and rolled his eyes. Son of a bitch, he thought gloomily and pushed the door open.

“Breakfast time,” he announced loudly without walking inside. “Come downstairs,” he left the door open and turned away, heading towards the stairs again.

He was pouring coffee into his mug when he felt a slight movement behind him. He turned his head.

“Coffee...?” he asked without a smile when he caught a cautious glance of golden eyes.

“Please...” came the soft reply.

...They ate in silence; Stratos kept shooting quick glances at that damn golden perfection whose shoulders redefined the word ‘tension.’ He ate his food carefully, as if afraid that it would be taken away the next minute, silver fork balancing in his long fingers. He is left-handed, Stratos thought when he noticed that the left hand was indeed the dominant one. By the time they finished breakfast, Stratos felt tired again. Suddenly, he made a decision. He drank more coffee.

“Tell me your address,” he said shortly after he set his mug on the table. “I will drive you home after you done eating.”

He blinked and looked up when there was a sudden clanking sound coming from the fork that fell out of the long fingers, hitting the plate before sliding onto the floor.

“Or give me your phone number...” Stratos continued slowly, confused by desperate horror suddenly darkening those golden eyes. “I will give your relatives a call, so they can pick you up if you would rather do that...”

“No...” The voice trembled with a shadow of quiet panic. “Please, don’t...”

Stratos frowned deeper.

“ ‘Don’t’ what?” he asked in the same slow, confused manner and caught a quick golden glance.

“Don’t send me back...” Now the voice was a little louder. “If you don’t want me, just kick me out... I’ll go; I won’t bother you... Just please...” The blond kelari closed his eyes for a few seconds and drew a quick breath. “Don’t send me back...” he finished in a whisper and opened his eyes.

Stratos remained mute for a few seconds. Finally, he cleared his throat and nodded very slowly.

“All right,” he said quietly and carefully. “I won’t send you back... I won’t send you back,” he repeated a little firmer and louder when he caught another desperate golden glance. “And I won’t kick you out,” he added a couple of seconds later. “It’s going to get cold pretty soon...” He briefly glanced outside, thinking that November was surprisingly mild this year. “This house is big enough, I am the only one here, and...” He paused and finished his coffee. “I almost never use that room,” he shrugged after his mug was empty. “Having someone to talk to around here would be a nice change,” he nodded without looking away from the eyes that reflected a very bizarre expression right now. There was a boiling mix of fear, desperate hope, panic, and grim defeat splashing in them. Stratos had never seen such an expression before. He let out a sigh. “Pick up that fork, would you?” he said and reached for another biscuit.

The blond kelari blinked several times, and then silently slid off the chair, reaching for the fork. Stratos cursed silently yet again when he saw a golden strand of hair falling over the half-lidded eyes when the perfection emerged from underneath the table with the fork in his hand. He looked at that strand for several seconds, and then shrugged to himself and returned his biscuit to the plate.

“You might want to start using a hair band,” he said quietly and reached out, noting a small, startled exhale when his hand got close to the perfect, suddenly blushed cheek.

He slowly moved the silky strand off the perturbed face and tucked it behind the small, pink ear.

“I have missed an entire day of practice,” he said a few seconds later, his hand lingering near the smooth skin and silky hair. “I am going to catch up today,” he nodded and picked up his biscuit again. “I don’t know what time I’ll be back,” he finished a second later.

He bit into his biscuit and reached for his phone, his expression unchanged.

“I will clean the table,” the perfection said in a small voice a minute later when Stratos started scanning through the address book in his phone.

The blue-eyed man tore his gaze away from the small screen of the silver gadget in his hand and briefly looked at the table.

“Knock yourself out,” he shrugged and returned his attention to the phone. “Rose has weekends off anyway.”

He listened to the silence for a minute or so, and then sighed and pushed one of the black glowing buttons just below the silver screen.

“Hello, my darling,” he said in a low voice after several long, monotonous beeps. “Did I wake you up?”

“Well, it’s so nice to hear your voice finally,” Loreya’s voice sounded expectedly sarcastic on the other end of the line. “Forgot to wish me a good, refreshing night?”

“Long story,” Stratos smiled briefly, even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “Any plans for this afternoon...?”

“Not yet,” she answered coolly and he smiled again. He knew this particular tone of her voice – she was going to play ‘hard-to-get,’ but she would cave in because she was extremely curious. Loreya was surprisingly easy to read sometimes, even though she was three years older.

“Care for some coffee with your one and only brother?” he asked in a low voice, having no idea why he accentuated the word ‘brother.’

She sighed deeply on the other end of the line.

“I guess,” she said slowly and somewhat hesitantly. “You okay...?”

“Perfect,” he said seriously, glancing at the golden shine of hair that shimmered in the sunlight that came through the sliding glass door. He was serious about cleaning the table, Stratos thought, and looked away. “One o’clock? The usual place?”

“Sounds good,” she answered melancholically. “And by the way...” She paused. “It’s noon; you did not wake me up.”

“Good to know,” he nodded seriously. “See you at one.”

He clicked the phone shut and stood up.

“Have fun,” he muttered, briefly glancing at a couple of plates, mugs, and some biscuit crumbs that seemed to occupy a pair of hands hovering over the table.

He didn’t wait for a reply and walked away from the table, silver phone uncomfortably cutting into his palm with one of its sharp edges. He resisted a sudden urge to look back, slid his feet into a pair of shoes not too far from the door, and patted his pocket, making sure he had his keys. That seemed to be the case, and he sighed and walked outside, shutting the front door as he did so.

****  

“He looked terrified,” Stratos said forty-five minutes later, absent-mindedly turning a small silver spoon in his fingers. He glanced into his cup and thought of getting another shot of espresso.

“Well...” Loreya paused, lighting one of her slim, long cigarettes. “I am not surprised, really...” She shrugged and lightly tapped her forefinger on the cigarette, shaking off the ashes. “Considering where he came from...” She tapped her finger again without even noticing it.

“Where did he come from?” Stratos slightly moved his chair aside, getting out of the cloud of smoke that decided to float his way. “Where did you find him?”

“Ever heard of Sin Heaven?” Loreya narrowed her left eye from smoke, her finger habitually tapping the cigarette, shaking off nonexistent ashes.

“No,” Stratos leaned on the table with his elbow. “What is it...? And will you stop doing that?” He winced at yet another tap. “It’s like talking to a cicada!”

She hemmed and stabbed the cigarette in the ashtray that was sitting near her coffee cup.

“What is Sin Heaven?” Stratos asked when she wouldn’t say anything, slowly sipping her coffee.

She threw him a quick glance and let out a small smile.

“It’s a whore house,” she said calmly, and Stratos just stared at her, mute.

Loreya drank more coffee, studying his expression. Then she blinked as if remembering about something.

“Oh, don’t worry!” she said quickly and set her cup on the table. “He is completely clean! I checked,” she nodded seriously and pulled another cigarette out of the skinny pack in front of her.

“Whore house...?” Stratos repeated slowly, ignoring the expected tapping.

“Yeah,” Loreya nodded once again and blew a small cloud of smoke through her thin nostrils. “Apparently, he was the favorite for quite a few clients...” She smiled. “Guarantees that he is good,” she added with another small nod. “How good, by the way?” She narrowed her eyes, her expression genuinely curious.

“He was terrified,” Stratos said slowly, ignoring her question. “What did they do to him...?”

Loreya let out a small sigh, habitual tapping slowing down somewhat.

“I don’t know,” she said. “And don’t care, really,” she shrugged. “Maybe fucked him until he passed out...?” she offered, and Stratos blinked at that. “He is a whore,” she shrugged again. “That’s what whores do...” She watched Stratos’ expression for a silent minute, her eyebrow forming a thoughtful arch. “You actually care?” she asked finally, and Stratos glanced at her, his finger slowly running over the rim of his coffee cup.

“I was trying to figure out the reason for his...” he paused for a few seconds. “...fright,” he finished and looked at his cup.

“Uh huh,” Loreya nodded slowly without looking away from her brother’s face. “But do you actually care?”

Stratos sighed and pushed his cup away, ignoring the question. He stood up.

“I am going to the hall,” he said. “Going to do a run-through, and maybe touch up a few spots here and there...”

“Got a soft spot for him?” Loreya stabbed her cigarette in the ashtray, and stood up as well. “I guess I know why...” she shrugged and smiled. “He is your type after all... Blond, skinny, almost androgynous... Just the way you like ‘em...”

“It’s good to know that my sister knows the type that turns me on,” Stratos muttered, and Loreya let out a small laughter. “Good and not disturbing in any way...” He added a second later.

“That’s what older sisters are for,” the brunette put her hand into her purse and pulled out a set of car keys. “Oh, hey...!” She snapped her fingers. “Guess who is running that whore house!”

“Who?” Stratos cocked his head slightly to the left.

“His uncle,” she let out another short laughter. “Yeah,” she nodded at Stratos’ expression. “Apparently, the man has no problem with selling his relatives!”

“His uncle?” Stratos repeated with a frown. “He is a kelari too?”

“No,” Loreya shook her head and moved the chair out of her way, heading towards her car. “He is human. His sister was your doll’s mother; she was human too. He is only half-kelari...” She paused and looked at him with a small frown. “I hope that doesn’t turn you off...”

“Was?” Stratos asked, ignoring her last words.

“What?” she frowned deeper.

“You said his mother was human too,” Stratos wouldn’t look away. “Was...?”

“Oh, yeah...” Loreya’s frown smoothed out. “She died a long time ago.”

“How old was he?” Stratos followed her towards the parking lot.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged indifferently. “And I don’t care,” she pushed the button on her key set, making one of the cars in the closest row blink its headlights a couple of times. “I wasn’t researching his family history, you know?” She briefly glanced at her brother. “Well, thanks for coffee, little brother,” she said and stopped for a few seconds, just so she could give him a quick hug. “Have fun with that piano...! Can’t wait until your concert,” she gave him a brilliant smile and planted a small kiss on his cheek, which he returned absent-mindedly.

“Drive safely,” he muttered automatically, watching her open the door of the car.

“As if,” she snorted and got inside. “Later, Stratos,” she gave him another glance and closed the door.

“Bye,” Stratos muttered, listening to the sound of the awakened engine.

He watched her car pull out of its spot and zoom down the parking lot without slowing down when it turned around the corner. He sighed and pulled out his own car keys. Why did he care? He sighed again and shook his head, concentrating on his concert program and shutting all other thoughts out of his mind.

**** 

On Sunday evening, Stratos was studying one of the scores, his pencil hovering above the notes and clefs, making quick marks on the paper, when there was a sudden chime of the doorbell rolling loudly through the quietness of the house. Stratos jerked and looked up with a small frown, startled. He put the pencil on the table and stood up. “Who the hell is that?” he thought while heading to the front door.

“Hey,” the chiming intruder said brightly when Stratos opened the door. “Precision is my middle name, right?”

Stratos blinked at that and looked at his watch. It was 7:30 in the evening.

“Leon...” he said and his eyes darted behind the other man’s back, pausing on two silent figures that were patiently waiting in the shadows. “What are you doing here?” he returned his gaze to Leon’s face.

“Oh, do not tell me that you forgot...!” Leon said slowly, his eyes slightly narrowed. “You weren’t that hammered!”

He sighed when Stratos’ expression stayed the same – confused and thoughtful.

“Sunday,” Leon said patiently. “Seven-thirty in the evening...? We decided to put on a little puppet show to help you to ease into your birthday present...?” He raised his eyebrows, and then Stratos remembered.

“Oh...” he muttered and looked at two silent figures again. “Right... I completely forgot...”

“Figured,” Leon nodded and tilted his head to the right. “Are you going to let us in?” he asked in a low voice, and Stratos blinked again. “Those are devoted fans of puppet shows,” Leon nodded when he noticed Stratos looking at the men behind his back with a silent question. “I told you I would bring a couple of guys with me, remember?”

“Right...” Stratos muttered again and looked at his friend. “Leon...” He lingered in the doorway without moving aside. “Look, I don’t really feel like...”

“Oh, please,” Leon snorted and lightly shoved him aside. “Appetite comes with eating,” he nodded and walked inside the house, gesturing for two silent figures behind him to do the same. “The last time we did this, you didn’t really feel like it either... And an hour later, I couldn’t get you out of my way,” he smiled almost slyly. “Missed my turn,” he shut the door when everyone was inside. “Come on...” He kicked off his shoes and headed towards the living room. “...whistle for your puppy,” he finished after turning on the lights. “I can hardly wait...” Here he gave Stratos another smile and sat down on the couch, crossing his legs and patting the cushion next to him with his hand. “Sit with me,” he said in a low voice, and Stratos pressed his lips tightly.

“I don’t want to...” he started saying a minute later, but Leon interrupted him once again.

“Do this for me,” he said quietly. “Please...? I really need to unwind...”

Stratos briefly closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and turned towards the stairs.

“Gemini...!” he called loudly, and Leon let out a satisfied smile. “Gemini...!” Stratos called louder.

“Where is he?” Leon studied his fingernails for a second or two.

“In his room,” Stratos muttered without looking at him.

“His room?” Leon’s eyebrows flew up in sincere surprise. “You gave him an entire room...?” He snorted. “If it was up to me, I would keep him chained to a radiator!”

“Gemini...!” Stratos called again, ignoring his words and marveling at his weak-willed self. He never had lots of willpower; Loreya called him a pushover several times. Apparently, she was right, he thought gloomily and looked up when he heard light steps.

“You called, Stratos...?” The voice cut off immediately when the blond kelari saw three other men in the room.

“Yeah,” Stratos muttered, avoiding looking into the widened golden eyes. “Come down, will you?”

“Stratos...?” Leon repeated and got off the couch. “Seems like we need to teach him some manners,” he slowly walked towards the stairs. “It’s ‘master,’ ” he stopped and raised his hand, beckoning the frozen figure with his finger.

“No,” Stratos said sharply. “I told him not to call me that. I hate that word, and you know it!”

“Oh, that’s right,” Leon hemmed with mild amusement. “Even your housekeeper calls you Stratos... Keeping your help on a long leash,” he hemmed again, and Stratos briefly closed his eyes.

He walked towards the mahogany cabinet after he opened them and pulled out a bottle of cherry-colored liquor.

“Come, come now,” Leon moved his finger again. “Don’t make me repeat myself; I do not like that!” He glanced at Stratos who wasn’t looking in his direction. “Want to go first?” he asked in a low voice. “It is your toy after all...”

“No,” Stratos muttered without turning around.

Leon shrugged.

“All right,” he murmured. “Let me show you how it’s done then...”

He walked back towards the couch and sat down again without looking away from the slender figure that slowly walked down the stairs.

“Come...” he patted his own lap slightly and sighed. “You are making me repeat myself,” he said with mild reproach. “Sit...” he said a minute later when the tense figure got closer to him.

He let out another sigh and reached for the rigid hand when the figure just stood there without moving or saying anything. He pulled that hand harshly, making the golden-haired perfection to sway slightly on his feet and drop into his lap.

“I really don’t like repeating myself,” Leon said quietly and snaked his hand up, tangling his fingers in silky hair. “Really,” he nodded, and suddenly, he jerked that hair hard, yanking the head back.

Gemini let out a small, sharp inhale and closed his eyes when there was another harsh pull.

“We’ll call this lesson number one,” Leon continued in the same low voice and reached for the light-blue shirt with his other hand. “I am a good teacher...” he said almost intimately, and roughly tugged on the thin material, ripping off several buttons, and making the shirt come wider apart, revealing the pale chest.

“Now...” Leon finally let go of the golden hair and threw a quick glance at his silent companions. “I will start, and you two pull straws... Decide who is going to join me first...” He looked at Stratos who stood by the mahogany cabinet without turning around, squeezing a short glass in his hand. “Unless you want...” Leon started saying, but the other man interrupted him in an unusually harsh voice.

“No,” he said without looking at him.

Leon shrugged, shifting his gaze again, and ran his fingers on the smooth skin of the shoulder, slowly moving up the stiff neckline.

“Yummy...” he muttered, and suddenly, he lowered his head, sinking his teeth into the pale flesh.

Gemini let out another sharp inhale, squeezing his eyes shut, and this time, Stratos turned around.

“Enough!” he said loudly when he saw a thin trickle of blood running down the smooth skin. “Enough!”

An unexpectedly-loud sound made him jerk and turn his head. He frowned when he saw the cherry-colored liquid spread all over the hardwood floors, pouring out of the broken bottle. Apparently, Stratos managed to hit that bottle with his elbow when he was whirling around, sending the remains of cherry liquor to its shuttering demise. He took a small step away from the dark, slowly spreading puddle on the floor and turned his head again.

“I said enough!” he said once more in the same tone of voice.

Leon raised his head and blinked several times.

“Oh...” he muttered after glancing at the bleeding neck. “My bad... I won’t damage him, I promise...”

Stratos turned away again without saying anything.

“You are wearing too much clothes,” Leon murmured, looking at the rigid figure in his lap. “Lose them... Look at me while you are doing that,” he added a few seconds later when slender hands trembled their way towards the remaining buttons on the light-blue shirt. “Look at me!” he said louder when the golden eyes remained shut. “Why am I saying things twice?” he frowned slightly, and suddenly, his hand flew up and slapped the smooth cheek.

Stratos slightly jerked at that – the slap came out unexpectedly loud. There was yet another very sharp inhale, and then the golden eyes slowly opened, staring at the other man’s face without blinking.

“Good,” Leon nodded without a smile. “You might learn fast...”

“I am joining you first,” one of his silent companions said suddenly, and Leon shifted his gaze.

“Be patient...” he said in a low voice when he saw the expression on the man’s face. “Let me finish this...” He looked at the blond kelari in his lap. “Strip,” he ordered quietly. “And after you do, get on your hands and knees like God intended...” He let out a small smile. “Let’s make you scream,” he finished with a slight nod.

He silently watched the trembling hands for several long seconds, and then frowned.

“Really...?” he muttered and raised his hand again. “I want you to look at me the entire time...!” he said louder when the golden eyes closed once again.

He delivered another heavy slap, on the other cheek this time, and Stratos turned around, setting his glass on top of the cabinet. He looked at the red handprint on the pale skin and frowned when he saw one single tear slowly making its way down the flushed face towards the sharply sculpted chin. He gritted his teeth.

Slender hands finished unbuttoning the shirt all the way, and slowly moved towards the black slacks.

“Take off your shirt,” Leon ordered in the quiet manner, and delivered another sudden slap when the golden eyes shifted away from his face.

Stratos closed his eyes for a second, a sudden, unexpected jolt of hatred making him dizzy. “I can’t...” he thought. “Goddammit, I can’t...! I will never...” He opened his eyes without finishing the thought.

“Enough!” he said sharply. “That’s enough!”

He crossed the room, stepping into the dark puddle on the floor without even noticing it, and grabbed the rigid shoulder, jerking Gemini upwards, off Leon’s lap. He met his manager’s surprised gaze without looking away.

“This is not going to damage him,” Leon said slowly. “It won’t even leave a mark...” He smiled without baring his teeth. “I guarantee that,” he nodded. “Watch this...” He raised his hand, clearly getting ready for another slap.

Stratos slightly tightened his grip on the trembling shoulder.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said quietly, and Leon blinked at the unexpected dangerous steel in his voice. Stratos had never sounded like this before, ever since Leon met him for the first time when they were both nine.

He slowly lowered his hand and let his eyebrows to creep up just a little.

“Really not in the mood, huh?” he asked in the same slow manner. “Don’t want to watch or participate...?” He glanced at the other men in the room who were silent again, watching the entire scene with identical confused expressions. Leon sighed. “Well, damn...” he muttered and leaned on the back of the couch. “I guess I’ll have to take a rain check...” He crossed his legs without making a slightest attempt to get up.

Stratos gritted his teeth again, experiencing a sudden, unpleasant desire to hit his manager hard.

“No,” he said quietly. “There will be no rain checks...” He nodded when he caught Leon’s surprised look. “He is not going to be passed around,” he continued without looking away.

“Stratos...”

“Nobody is going to touch him,” Stratos said, ignoring the unsaid words. “He is off limits... For everyone,” he nodded again. “Get out now...” He glanced around. “All of you.”

Two silent men looked at each other with slight disappointment, shrugged at the same time, and turned around, heading towards the front door.

“Off limits...” Leon said very thoughtfully without even pretending to get off the couch. “For everyone...” He threw a quick glance at Stratos. “Everyone but you,” he finished in the same thoughtful manner.

Stratos closed his eyes.

“Get out,” he said quietly.

Leon sighed and looked at Gemini, who stood rigidly-still, his eyes glued to the floor, it seemed.

“Pity,” Leon muttered mostly to himself and got off the couch in one quick, almost fluid motion. “Get some sleep,” he said carelessly, and Stratos opened his eyes. “You are cranky,” Leon smiled without baring his teeth again. “Let me know when you change your mind.”

“I am not...” Stratos started saying, but the other man interrupted him.

“I will see you tomorrow at the rehearsal,” he said, waving his hand lazily. “Have a good night!”

With that, he walked out of the room without saying anything else and without looking back. Stratos stood still, his fingers tightly gripping the rigid shoulder. He let out a deep sigh when he heard the sound of the door opening and closing.

“Come on,” he said quietly without letting go of the shoulder underneath his fingers. He frowned when he saw two trickles of blood running down the pale neck, racing each other towards the sharp collar bone. “Son of a bitch...” he muttered darkly without looking away from the bite mark. “Son of a bitch...” he repeated and straightened up.

He walked towards the bathroom, never letting go of the trembling shoulder.

“Sit,” he said shortly when they walked into the bathroom and finally relaxed his grip, slightly pushing the pale kelari onto the top of the toilet lid covered with dark blue soft material. Gemini obediently sat down, his gaze glued to the tiled floor, his jaw locked tightly. Stratos got a bottle of rubbing alcohol from the cabinet behind the large mirror and a couple of cotton balls. He unscrewed the bottle cap and quickly soaked the cotton ball with colorless liquid.

“Dammit, Leon...” he muttered when he grabbed the sharp chin and turned Gemini’s head slightly to the right, getting better access to the bleeding neck. “Let’s hope he had his rabies shot...” he said a bit louder and sighed when he met a quick, confused glance of golden eyes. “It’s a joke,” he said evenly. “No...? Nothing...?” he sighed again when the tight expression never changed. “Okay...”

He pressed the soaked cotton ball against the bite mark, after quickly cleaning the blood streaks off pale skin, and Gemini let out a hissing inhale and closed his eyes, his shoulders rigid once again. Stratos glanced at his tightly frowning face.

“You know...” he muttered without taking the cotton ball away from the neck that had a quickly pulsating light-blue vein right underneath the chin. “It’s okay to make sounds when you are hurt...”

“I never do...” Gemini said softly after several seconds of silence. Stratos blinked.

“Why?” he asked with genuine confusion.

He met a golden glance that shifted away almost immediately.

“I just don’t,” the blond kelari muttered without looking up again.

“Was it forbidden...?” Stratos slightly frowned.

“No,” came the soft reply, and Stratos frowned deeper.

“Then why wouldn’t you...” He stopped talking for a few seconds, as if suddenly realizing something. “Because it’s the only thing you can control...” he said slowly, meeting another quick glance.

They were both silent for a minute or two. Finally, Stratos sighed and lowered his hand. He threw the used cotton ball into a trashcan underneath the sink and grabbed a band-aid from the white box behind the faucet.

“There,” he said after several seconds and took one step back.

Gemini slowly raised his hand and ran his fingertips over the band-aid on his neck.

“Are you hungry?” Stratos asked after the slender hand dropped back onto the stiff knees.

“No,” came the reply he expected.

“Go to bed then,” he nodded when Gemini finally raised his head without looking away this time. “Brush your teeth and go to bed,” he nodded again, and the golden eyes blinked at that.

The pale kelari slowly stood up and hesitantly stepped towards the door of the bathroom.

“I meant it,” Stratos said suddenly, and Gemini stopped in front of the door and turned around, his expression slightly confused.

“I always brush my teeth,” he said slowly, his forehead wrinkled with a small frown. “More than just once a day,” he added a second later, and Stratos let out a small snort.

“Good to know,” he said seriously. “That’s not what I am talking about though...” He looked into the golden eyes for a few seconds. “You are not going to be passed around,” he finally said in a quiet manner, and Gemini froze in his spot. “I meant it,” Stratos nodded, and sighed after he received no reply. “Good night,” he said in the same quiet manner, and Gemini finally blinked.

“Good night,” he muttered almost inaudibly, and blinked again when Stratos walked by him, brushing against his shoulder as he stepped out of the bathroom.

He stood still for several minutes, and then took a slow breath, turned around, switched off the lights, and left the bathroom, leaving the door slightly open.