Chapter 14 - Perception
Perception
? Oliver: You told him, right?
? William: He knows don’t worry
? Oliver: But you told him how bad it is, right?
? William: He won’t care, I promise
William couldn’t imagine Adathan reacting badly to Oliver’s scars, not with his training. Still, he hoped his intuition was right. Oliver’s support was crucial. It would be a disaster if they didn’t get along.
“Just told Oliver we’re almost there,” William said as he put his phone away. He took the umbrella back from Adathan and held it carefully over them both.
Adathan wore his teal shirt from hell for the occasion, and his only good pair of pants.
Soon, he’d have more to choose from—high-quality clothes that no longer fit Oliver.
Oliver had always had a great fashion sense.
With luck, only a few hems would be needed, and Adathan would have a better wardrobe than William.
“I’m excited to meet him!” Adathan said, hugging a food container to his chest. It held oatmeal raisin cookies he’d made. Oliver’s favorites. William had sampled one and been tempted to keep them all to himself.
“He’s looking forward to it, too,” William said.
Oliver hadn’t exactly said it, but William sensed his anxiety came not only from fearing Adathan’s reaction but also from the desire to make a new friend.
Since leaving the hospital, he’d interacted only with William and health care professionals.
He’d cut ties with his family long ago, and William doubted he’d bought anything in person since the accident.
William begged the universe for tonight to go smoothly.
He stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for the right of way even though there were no cars in sight. If he were alone, he would have crossed the street, but it didn’t feel right to make Adathan break the law—even a small one.
So they waited.
It was almost eerie seeing the city like this, quiet and sinister, as if they were the sole survivors of an apocalypse.
William strained to see past the thick curtain of rain, but there was no sign of life in any direction.
A chill ran down his spine, and he had the sudden impulse to pull Adathan close.
But Adathan needed no protecting. He was smart, resourceful, and resilient.
A pang of discomfort pierced William’s gut at the thought—one he wasn’t proud of. He should be feeling happy Adathan was adapting so quickly. Not . . . whatever this was.
“You look tense,” Adathan said.
William forced a smile. “Nah,” he said as they crossed the street. “Just a bit tired.”
“Did you have a bad day?”
Bad was an understatement. They’d had their first company-wide meeting with the new director, during which their fears were confirmed. The company wasn’t profitable.
According to her, it was a productivity issue, and measures would be deployed to remedy the situation. William knew what that meant: budget cuts. And who would pay the price? Those at the bottom.
Even if he wasn’t laid off, William wouldn’t be getting a raise this year.
“I . . .” William hesitated. He hated lying to Adathan, but he also didn’t have the energy to explain everything that was at stake. He’d only make Adathan feel responsible. “Sort of. I just don’t really like my job.”
“That’s awful.”
William shrugged. “Most people don’t like their jobs.”
“Can you get a new one?”
“Sadly, it’s not that simple.” William looked at him, and his chest squeezed at the deep concern etched across Adathan’s beautiful face. “But don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. It’s just a rough patch.”
“Can I do anything to help?” Adathan asked.
“No—I mean, you’re already helping a lot.”
Adathan’s face lit up. “I am?”
“Yeah,” William said, his smile genuine this time.
“Our home is a lot more comfortable now. It helps me relax after work. And you’re a great cook.
And great company. And . . .” Warmth crept up the back of his neck, his pulse quickening as if he were confessing something embarrassing.
“Your, uh, emails make me smile. But don’t feel like you have to do any of this,” he added quickly. “It’s not your responsibility.”
Adathan’s eyes crinkled. “But it can be my responsibility if I want, right?”
William huffed a laugh. “Well, yeah. But you’re allowed to change your mind any time if—”
William tensed as headlights blinded him. He tugged on Adathan’s arm and pulled him against his chest, narrowly avoiding a curtain of water thrown up by a roadside puddle.
“Asshole,” William hissed, glaring at the back of the speeding car. How hard would it have been to slow down?
William’s heart thundered as he looked down. Adathan met his gaze with a smile far too bright for the circumstances.
“My hero,” Adathan whispered, reaching to cup William’s cheek.
William let out a breath as warm fingers brushed his face. The tightness in his shoulders eased. Heat ebbed in his chest as tingles traveled from his cheek to his scalp, leaving him with an irresistible urge to lean into Adathan’s touch.
Around them, the rain still drummed and splashed relentlessly. An umbrella could only do so much to shelter them. They had to keep walking.
And yet, William was frozen in place.
Time stood still as Adathan softly caressed his cheek, holding his gaze with eyes so warm, so full of life. Had anyone looked at William this way before? Judging by how foreign the sensation in his chest felt, he doubted it.
But it didn’t matter. He wasn’t allowed to have these feelings. He wasn’t allowed to let his mind wander, to explore the fantasy of a timeline where they’d have met under different circumstances—where they’d both been born free.
He wasn’t allowed to keep holding Adathan close. To glance at his lips. To lean in. To brush his nose against Adathan’s. To get a taste. To never let go.
So he let go.
“Oliver’s apartment is just over there,” William said, tearing his gaze from Adathan’s. He pointed at a building with yellow brick. “We shouldn’t make him wait.”
Adathan hugged the container of cookies again and resumed walking without a word.
Lassitude settled in William’s body, making him ache to return home and go to bed early. He’d been counting on Oliver to educate Adathan about boundaries, but it would hardly matter if William failed to control his own urges.
Adathan hadn’t once tried to seduce him since they’d returned home. He’d been affectionate, sure, but he hadn’t even come close to being provocative.
Maybe he’d never been truly attracted to William in the first place?
Well, that would simplify things . . .
. . . wouldn’t it?
William pushed those thoughts aside—and the emotions that came with them—as they walked down the few steps leading to Oliver’s door. He knocked, waited a few seconds, and let himself in. The scents of vanilla and chocolate wafted out, putting a smile on William’s face.
It seemed Oliver and Adathan had had the same idea.
William shook off the umbrella and closed it before walking into the barely lit basement apartment.
Oliver tended to keep his blinds closed and most lights off, but his place was darker than usual—evidence of his anxiety.
It reminded William that, out of the three of them, he had the least important concerns.
“Hey,” William said as Oliver came to greet them. He’d styled his hair so that it concealed half of his face, and wore an oversized poncho that made it harder to notice his missing forearm. William hadn’t seen him like this in months. It hurt.
“Welcome,” Oliver said with a slight tremor in his voice.
William took the cookies from Adathan as Oliver offered his left hand.
“Adathan,” Oliver said. “It’s really nice to meet you. William has told me a lot about—“
William flinched as Adathan made a sudden movement, and nearly let out a chuckle of relief when he understood why. A hug, of course. At least William had warned Oliver about Adathan’s affectionate nature.
Oliver carefully wrapped his arm around Adathan, giving William a smile.
William smiled back. They were off to a great start. A hug was the ultimate proof that Adathan accepted Oliver just the way he was.
Adathan stood on his tiptoes and appeared to be whispering something in Oliver’s ear.
Oliver’s smile fell.
William tensed, his eyes widening as Oliver’s face twisted—shock? Horror? Pain? What the hell had Adathan—
William reached to intervene but stopped just as Oliver hugged Adathan tighter, a tear rolling down his cheek. Their gazes met again, and from the look in Oliver’s eye, William knew Adathan had worked his magic. Just like he’d done at the hotel.
William let out a calming breath as he turned to give them some privacy. He hung his umbrella on a hook next to the door and crouched to unlace his shoes.
A three-legged ball of fur hobbled his way with an enthusiastic, “Mrrp!”
“Hey Biscuit,” William said, scratching behind the black cat’s ears. He smiled as the hearty-purr machine immediately started production. Biscuit had always been so easy to please. “It appears you’ve just made a new friend. Even more scritches for you, you lucky bastard.”
William leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on the cat’s head. “You better take good care of them both,” he whispered. “Or else.”
———
“Hey. Have you heard?” Tom whispered.
William spun in his desk chair to look at his coworker, making a conscious effort not to stare at the orange tie hanging from his neck.
He could never get used to seeing Tom in a suit, his long black hair tied into a neat bun, and his face clean-shaven.
That was the effect of layoff threats. Once this was all over, Tom would start wearing his retro video game T-shirts to work again.
“No,” William said.
Tom walked into William’s cubicle and took a seat on the edge of his desk. He leaned close, and the sharp scent of his aftershave mixed with too much cologne assaulted William’s nose. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt for him to dial it down a bit.
“They escorted five people out while you were at the gym,” Tom whispered.
William’s eyes widened. “Five?”