Page 81 of He is Poison

The question was soblunt yet didn’t sound like mocking. “N-no… I- It’s not that.” Partially itwas.

“What is it then?”Domenico leaned back to look into his face, placing both of his hands on Seth’sshoulders. He kept squinting to protect his eyes from the water, but it didn’tmake him look any less serious.

Seth rubbed the wateroff his face. “I’m lost in all of this. I have no control.”

Domenico’s hands slid toSeth’s chest, for a moment pushing his attention to the contrast in the colorof their skin. Dom’s cool, light olive complexion against Seth’s slightlydarker, warmer hue. Somehow, thinking about such details made him feel evencloser to the man in front of him. He slid his hands to the ones on his chestand finally looked back up into Dom’s eyes. Silence stretched but never becameuncomfortable as they gazed at each other in the steam. When Domenico eventuallybroke the silence, it was a shock to Seth’s senses, somehow too loud, too crispin the blur of their steamed up interaction.

“It’ll be all right.”

All Seth managed was awhisper. “Do you promise?”

“Yeah.” Domenico startedscooting down, but held on to Seth’s hands, urging him to do the same. Sethfollowed without question. This was exactly the assurance he needed, even if itwas just a lie.

“It’s all on me. You’restill in training, remember?” Domenico leaned back against the wall, sitting inthe shallow water. Seth nodded and made Dom part his legs, so he could sitcloser and hug his neck again. He even wrapped his legs around Dom’s hips, inhope that he could completely hide in the embrace. He wished being in trainingwould never end so he would never have to take back any control over his life.

Domenico watched Setheat. It was taking Seth so long because he kept talking. About the new movie hethought they absolutely needed to see, about the book Domenico got him, aboutthe broken socket he knew how to repair because, as he said, he took a DIYclass at university. Sun shone through their juice glasses, casting a brightlight on the table like in some fucking cornflake advert, and life becameperfect as soon as Domenico bit into the chocolate muffin he got at the bakeryalong with fresh buns for their breakfast.

It was odd.

Somehow, being with thattweeting coward was making Domenico’s chest pounds lighter, but the situationwas making him increasingly worried. Seth was not cut out for this. Too soft tomake difficult decisions, too frightened to really fight for his life, andeasily losing his temper over silly things. He should have been left where hewas, among civilians. You couldn’t teach a kitten to be a wolf.

He also had the memoryof a goldfish. Yesterday, Seth was so distressed he couldn’t handle ordering apizza, yet now, he chattered as if Salieri wasn’t locked in a cell next door.He was so convincing, Dom almost forgot about the kidnapping himself. Almost.

“We need to talk toher.”

Seth stopped midsentenceand blinked at Dom, with his fork buried in a pancake. He looked like a chickenthat knew it was about to get plucked.

Domenico chomped down ahuge chunk of the muffin and shrugged, grabbing his fork and poking Seth’s handwith it.

“Don’t.” Seth frowned insurprise. “I like the silverware though. Everything’s really nice in thisapartment. Some of the pots look brand-new.”

Changing the topicagain. Domenico pinched the base of his nose with a sigh. “I want you to watchwhat I do, but you can’t just be a fucking Care Bear in there.”

“Hey. What the hell? I’mno Care Bear. I could even do it myself,” came a far-fetched declaration asSeth stabbed the pancake in front of him again.

“All right, but you needto change,” said Domenico, looking at Seth’s T-shirt, gray, with a whitecartoon of a rhino and a speech bubble that read, “I’m a fat unicorn”. As if inan attempt to look the part, the T-shirt was clearly too small for Seth,although it wasn’t because of fat, but muscle. Domenico bit his lip. “Intosomething more intimidating.”

Seth opened his lips andlooked down at his T-shirt, but he must have understood because he actuallyshut up for once, already getting that pouty, brooding face. Dom had no ideahow Seth was supposed to deal with family politics, if his face was like awindow into his brain.

“Hey, show me you’re notsomeone to mess with. That’s something we need to practice.”

Seth squinted and pushedaway his plate. “You think that because we mess around I give you leeway.”

“‘Mess around’?”Domenico frowned at him. “The last time I ‘messed around’ was in elementaryschool.”

“Okay, okay, ‘fuck’. Ilet you do it ‘cause I want to, not because I’m a Care Bear.”

Domenico leaned back inthe chair, finishing his juice. “Where did that even come from? I want you toscare her, and that outfit just won’t do.”

“That I get, sure.” Sethleaned back as well, as if it were a contest in who looked more leisurely, andSeth certainly did when he took off his T-shirt. He crossed his beefy arms, andDom was sure he was showing off on purpose.

Domenico crooked hishead and leaned forward. “That might actually do.”

“Oh yeah? Am Iintimidating like this?” Seth spread his arms to the sides and raised hiseyebrows.

“To a woman? Definitely,especially after being captured and spending a night with BDSM accessories.”Domenico allowed himself a half smile.

“Why would I not lookintimidating to a guy? I’m tall and stuff.”