Chapter 3 - Precious Doll
Precious Doll
William’s brooding was cut short by a knock on the door. “Must be our food,” he said as he stood up, grateful for the distraction.
He opened the door and froze. There was no one on the other side, only an unattended room service trolley. He ignored the chills racing down his spine; this wasn’t a horror movie. Rich people probably just preferred not to interact with staff.
“Wanna watch TV while we eat?” William asked, even though he knew Adathan would agree to anything. He turned and jumped at Adathan’s unexpected proximity.
“I’m sorry, William,” Adathan said as he took two steps back. “It wasn’t my intention to startle you. I promise to be more careful in the future.”
“It’s all right,” William said, giving him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
Adathan beamed. “I would love to watch TV with you!”
William willed his heart to calm down as he rolled the trolley inside and closed the door. He needed to relax—and fast. Otherwise, he was going to lose it. “Can you bring our drinks to the coffee table?” he said, realizing too late he’d just given Adathan an order.
“It will be my pleasure, William!” Adathan said eagerly. He turned and walked back to the dining table with a spring in his step.
William let out a breath as he watched him pick up the two bottles they’d been drinking from. He had mixed feelings about Adathan’s enthusiasm, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t a relief to see him like this.
He rolled the trolley toward the living room area, following Adathan’s lead. Adathan carefully placed the bottles on the coffee table, as if he were afraid they could shatter with the barest impact. He gave William a smile before heading back to the kitchenette.
William already felt calmer just standing there. The kitchenette and bathroom were nice—all sleek and modern—but it was this part of the room that had caught his eye when he’d first walked in. It reminded him of those ultra-luxurious cottages he’d seen on social media. Warm, cozy, and expensive.
He’d been looking forward to lounging here after the tournament. He supposed he still could, if by some kind of miracle he managed to relax tonight.
William removed the metal lid from one of the eight plates, focusing on staying calm. Underneath were four tiny bites surrounded by a swirl of orange sauce and sprinkled with fresh herbs. He should have known the portions would be ridiculously small. At least he wasn’t paying for their meal.
Adathan returned and set the remaining three bottles on the coffee table. “Do you want me to take care of the rest, William?”
“No, I’m good,” William said, placing plate after plate of highly fragrant miniature meals on the coffee table. The mouthwatering aroma of warm butter, toasted nuts, and unfamiliar spices wafted through the air, making his stomach growl.
William pushed the trolley out of the way and sat down on the sofa, a moan nearly slipping past his lips. It was like floating on a cloud while being cradled in the tender embrace of happiness itself. It would be a perfect improvised bed for Adathan tonight.
William looked at Adathan with a slight frown. He was standing with his hands joined, silently holding his gaze, as if . . .
William nearly face-palmed. Of course Adathan was awaiting his permission to sit down. He was a fucking slave.
William patted the seat, and Adathan readily joined him, sitting much closer to William than he’d anticipated. William did his best not to let his discomfort show. He’d already rejected Adathan to his face once. He couldn’t let it happen again.
It was probably William’s fault, anyway. He’d patted the seat right next to his thigh, forgetting that Adathan had been trained to execute his master’s orders to a T.
Adathan smelled awfully good, William noticed despite himself.
It reminded him of a mixture of cherry and lilac—sweet and comforting.
He grabbed his beer and took a big gulp to distract himself from the way his body reacted to Adathan’s scent.
“I ordered a bit of everything, since I didn’t know what you liked. ”
Adathan’s face lit up. “Just for me? Thank you, William! You’re very kind.”
William reached for the remote. “Go ahead, eat whatever you want.” He gave Adathan a wicked smile as he turned on the TV. “It’s all paid for by the poker company, so we don’t have to hold back.”
Adathan pressed his fingers to his lips and giggled.
William averted his eyes, uncomfortable with the way his heart fluttered. He looked at the TV, his gaze landing on a close-up of his own face. The channel was replaying key moments from the competition.
Bitterness burned William’s mouth as he watched himself play. His brand-new cashmere sweater had made a big dent in his budget, and to what end? He might as well have shown up wearing one of his twenty-dollar shirts. It wouldn’t have changed a thing.
He wasn’t part of this world, and even if he aspired to be, people like Richard would swiftly remind him of his true place—at the very bottom of the social ladder.
“I watched the competition,” Adathan said as he reached for a mini quiche. “I was hoping you would win.”
William looked at him in surprise. “Really? Why?”
“Because I knew you would be kind to me.”
William gazed back at the TV. Many things came to mind as he studied his poker persona, but kind wasn’t one of them.
“So you already knew I’d won when we walked into the lodge,” he muttered, his heart sinking at the realization. “I’m sorry. For the way I reacted when—” He winced. “That must have sucked.”
Adathan shook his head and placed his hand on top of William’s. “It’s okay, William. You had a long day.”
William froze as Adathan gently stroked his hand.
Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, accompanied by a wave of nausea.
Just how touch-starved was he? Adathan’s concerns weren’t even genuine.
He was just doing what he’d been taught.
If anything, he was walking on eggshells, trying to prevent another outburst from his “master.”
William really did have a long day, though.
“Everything tastes exquisite,” Adathan enthused as he let go of William’s hand.
“That’s great,” William said awkwardly, flipping through the channels until he found a stupid comedy show—the kind he watched when he was brain-dead after work.
He’d lost his appetite, but he grabbed a small skewer of grilled shrimp all the same, not wanting Adathan to feel self-conscious about being the only one eating.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
? Oliver: How are things?
William replied one-handed.
? William: Awkward. I suck at making conversation
? Oliver: I’m sure you’re fine. He must be grateful just to be with someone as kind as you.
? William: Please, we both know I’m a self centered asshole
? Oliver: I wouldn’t be your friend if you were.
? William: Admit it. You’re a magnet for self centered assholes
? Oliver: You’re just pretending to be selfish. It’s obvious to whoever pays attention.
? William: Maybe to you. You find the good in every human shaped dumpster fire
? Oliver: Not my fault I’m all-seeing. ;)
William cringed. Oliver had started making these kinds of jokes lately, and William never knew how to respond. It was a good sign—it meant Oliver was recovering—but William wasn’t yet ready to forgive the universe for what it had put him through.
? Oliver: Anyway, I’m reading the instruction manual now. It’s uh...
? William: Fucked up?
? Oliver: That’s an understatement. Have you checked it out?
? William: No, feels wrong to read it in his presence
It also felt wrong to be having this conversation in his presence.
? Oliver: Right. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, alright? I’m sure you’re doing great. He’s safe with you, and that’s all that matters. I’ll let you know as soon as I find something that can be of help.
William relaxed at Oliver’s words of encouragement. He even dared to hope. Oliver could absorb an extraordinary amount of information in one sitting. He’d figure this out in no time.
? William: Thanks man, I owe you big time
William leaned back and breathed a silent sigh. He watched Adathan reach for a canapé, his movements stilted and cautious as he brought it to his mouth. William wished he could tell him he was allowed to relax in his presence, but Adathan would probably just fake it to please him.
William lifted an eyebrow as he noticed Adathan’s wiggling toes. He’d undoubtedly been trained to mask his emotions from his face, but feelings tended to leak out in one way or another. The body always told the truth.
William’s intuition was confirmed when Adathan put sushi into his mouth and his toes immediately stopped moving.
Adathan didn’t like sushi.
William nibbled on his shrimp while he studied Adathan’s body language. He’d barely paid him any attention until now, busy as he’d been freaking out and awkwardly averting his gaze. He wasn’t proud of himself. It was no different from the way people treated Oliver.
He needed to do better.
William allowed his gaze to wander as he leaned deeper into the sofa, just out of Adathan’s sight. From what he could see, Adathan’s smile appeared to be genuine, which was concerning. Adathan should be scared shitless right now, yet he seemed to be thrilled to be here with him.
Adathan tucked his hair behind his ear, directing William’s attention to how thick and shiny it was.
The skin on his face was pale and velvety, like he’d never been out in the sun before.
It reminded William of smooth, unglazed porcelain.
Combined with the dimples in his rosy cheeks and the freckles on the bridge of his button nose, he looked like a precious collectible doll.
William’s eyes widened as he reached for his phone.
? William: Do they have a gender?
He’d assumed Adathan was a man because of his flat chest, but what if she was a woman? What if they were nonbinary or even genderless? Had William been misgendering Adathan all this time?