Onyx
He didn’t want to piss Dominic off by taking too long; he’d already been punished too recently for his liking.
He stepped into the bedroom and got dressed before heading over to the desk, where a plate of pancakes awaited him.
He had the crawling sensation on his skin again when he got too close to Dominic, the need for distance biting at him, but he didn’t know if he dared to try to get space again.
So he sat down next to the other witch. “Thanks,” he said.
Dominic hummed noncommittally. “I have a couple of thoughts about tutors for you. Specifically with regard to magical tutoring, but it may take a few days to arrange it. What are you thinking about for a second subject?”
“Astronomy,” he said, more on a whim than anything. Though once he said it, it sounded interesting. He’d always liked watching the stars in the bayou, and he missed seeing the night sky.
Dominic arched an eyebrow at him. “Why astronomy?”
“Does there have to be a reason?” he retorted, feeling defensive about the thought, about the memories that it evoked. He focused on his breakfast, pouring syrup all over his pancakes, instead of looking at Dominic. “I like stars.”
Very few things were his own, but his memories still belonged to him. For all that Dominic was obsessed with him, he didn’t really ask questions about Onyx’s past much, and Onyx preferred to keep it that way.
Didn’t he?
“No, there doesn’t have to be a reason,” Dominic said. “It simply wasn’t a subject I had anticipated. Perhaps I shall have you study astronomy and astrology both: the stars and the myths around them.” He chuckled. “Would you like that?”
Onyx gave him an unimpressed look. “I agreed to two subjects. Not three,” he retorted in between bites of food. “Isn’t astrology just made-up shit? Like zodiac signs and whatever?”
Dominic chuckled again. “In most ways, yes,” he agreed.
“Despite the humans’ insistence in the divination of the stars, little of it played out in the ways they believed.
And divination as a magical craft does not typically involve the stars.
However, there is much that is still beneficial in the knowledge of the stars.
For centuries, humanity — and supes — looked to the sky and dreamed of the mysteries there.
Whether it was to travel to distant planets and galaxies, or to name constellations of stars after heroes and gods, the sky is an inescapable part of wonder. ”
Onyx listened to Dominic with some interest, even when he began doing that lecturing thing he did. Dominic did like hearing himself talk, Onyx had learned quickly, and that especially extended to things he liked. What did Dominic actually think of Onyx’s choice?
“It’s pretty,” Onyx offered.
And he’d been taught a few of those constellations by people who’d still dared to dream among the rebellion. Those had been quiet lessons, lessons he’d almost forgotten about until that moment, and his chest tightened strangely at the memory.
“It is,” Dominic said. He hummed thoughtfully after a moment, then with a few spoken words, the night sky spread as an illusion across the ceiling of the room, as clearly as if they had stepped outside at night.
Onyx stopped eating, looking at the representation of the sky on the ceiling.
“Orion,” he whispered, pointing at one of the star formations.
He didn’t know why he’d said it, didn’t know why he’d exposed that he knew anything about it at all.
There was so much he didn’t know, and it felt like this was one of the things he needed to hold closer to his chest.
Dominic did not get to have those memories.
Dominic hummed again. “Orion,” he confirmed, and the stars of the constellation flared slightly brighter. “The great hunter. His belt is the most well known part of the constellation, but the rest of him is also here, with his bow. Do you know others?”
“A few,” Onyx said, shutting down as quickly as he’d spoken. He went back to his food, though it didn’t taste like much now. “I bet you know all of them with your fancy training and all.”
“I know most of them,” Dominic responded, eyes still on the illusion.
“Ursa major, ursa minor.” The various stars of the constellations flared briefly as he named them.
“Cassiopeia.” The illusion of stars slowly turned.
“We’re at the end of winter, so some are dipping below the horizon while others appear.
” He waved a hand, and to Onyx’s disappointment, the illusion dissipated.
“And with each a tale of myth and history.”
Of course Dominic knew these things, too.
Was there anything he didn’t know? It was unnatural, and it made jealousy claw at Onyx.
What would he have been like, if it hadn’t been for the takeover?
Would he have known things like astronomy and history, too?
Or would he have still been just as useless at anything that mattered?
He pushed his half-empty plate away, licking syrup-sweet lips. “Yep,” he agreed unenthusiastically.
Dominic frowned slightly. “Are you finished?” he asked. “You missed dinner.”
Onyx flinched at the reminder of having missed dinner, the memory of why — and of what had happened instead of dinner — making him shudder.
His body was happy to remind him of what it had felt like to be trapped without sight or sound, making his stomach churn.
“I’m full." At least, he didn’t feel like eating more tasteless food right then.
“Very well,” Dominic said, not pushing the issue any further, and went back to finishing his eggs and toast. “I have work to do this morning, and then in the afternoon, I have two meetings. During the meetings, you will be allowed to remain in the rec room. Alone.” There was clear displeasure in the last word.
Onyx had gone still when Dominic started talking about what he’d be doing that day, and he was expecting the worst… only for Dominic to tell him that he’d get the time alone that he so desperately wanted. His gaze lifted, warily searching Dominic’s expression.
“Thank you. I won’t make you regret it, okay?” Onyx reached out, gingerly touching Dominic’s wrist in a gesture that felt bizarre even to him.
Dominic rolled his hand over, inviting Onyx wordlessly to take his hand, then lightly tugged Onyx out of his chair. “I am trusting you,” he murmured. “And I don’t do that easily.”
For all that he was reluctant, Onyx got up and stood in front of Dominic.
This was where there was an expectation of him to act a certain way, and he wanted things to go smoothly.
So he leaned in and kissed Dominic lightly on the mouth.
“I know,” he replied just as quietly. “I just want time to… to…” How was he supposed to explain what he needed to Dominic, who seemed to need to be right up Onyx’s ass — literally — as much as Onyx wanted to be away from him?
“I just need time to figure things out in my head.”
Dominic sighed and nodded slightly. “Very well." He lightly patted Onyx’s hip and turned to the desk.
Onyx didn’t like that sigh, but Dominic had already given his word. And Dominic kept his word, even when he didn’t like it. At least, he did with Onyx, and he had to assume that was a personality quirk that worked in his favor.
Dominic took a vial of vampire blood out of his drawer and uncapped it, holding it out to Onyx.
The vampire blood both made him salivate and rebel all at once. He wanted it, needed it, even though he knew it would preserve him forever. Even if he died, there would be a strong chance that he’d return, and he knew that had to be on Dominic’s mind if he was refreshing it right then.
“I’m not going to do anything,” Onyx repeated, but he took the vial and drained it without argument.
Dominic smiled faintly. “I know." He reclaimed the empty vial and put it back in his desk drawer before locking it up. “Music or book today?” He guided Onyx toward the bedroom door to head to the office.
Onyx licked his lips clean as they walked.
“Book,” he decided. He wasn’t going to push his luck on anything, not when he’d get time to himself that afternoon.
It felt like such a huge thing, and he didn’t think Dominic would be able to understand just how badly he needed it.
He had let his mood get dragged down, but the world looked a little brighter, a little sharper, in the wake of the vampire blood — and he had something to look forward to.
He settled down by Dominic’s feet to listen to his book while Dominic worked.
After lunch, Onyx looked at Dominic expectantly. It was afternoon. It was time to see if Dominic was going to keep his word.
Dominic smiled wryly at him and nodded, getting up from his chair. “Rec room time,” he said. “Shall we?” He gestured toward the office door.
Onyx quickly got to his feet, already bounding toward the door in the direction of the rec room. He didn’t get too far ahead of Dominic, but he did stay several paces ahead of him. He’d have a few hours all to himself, and he couldn’t wait for it.
No touching, no talking, no anything.
Just reveling in being alone.
“Okay, see you later,” Onyx said as soon as Dominic let him into the inner room.
“Wait,” Dominic said firmly when Onyx would’ve just rushed away. “Give me a kiss.”
Onyx wasn’t completely oblivious to Dominic’s darkening mood, but he chose to ignore it because he didn’t understand it. It wasn’t like he could do anything to change it unless he decided to tell Dominic that he didn’t want to do this after all.
And that wasn’t happening.
He fully expected to get regular time alone now that he’d agreed to these lessons — and the plug — and Dominic was just going to have to get used to it.
Right?
Onyx twitched with impatience, but he leaned up to brush his lips lightly against Dominic’s.