︵‿୨ - March 20 1951 - ୧‿︵
Shaving was always an unpleasant and contentious task for Bruno. Growing up with only women he had to teach himself how to do it. He wasn't very good at it. Going to the local barber was never an option for him. He attempted it once only to panic the second the razor came close to his face. The cleanest shave he'd ever had was when Agustín did it for him. He didn't want to repeat that experience. Having someone hold a blade against his throat was terrifying.
"I don't know. What do you think?" Dolores turned to Isabela as the two women hovered around Bruno's reflection.
"What does Wil like better?" Isabela replied. She called him Wil because Bruno called him Wil. It felt odd. Like Isabela was inviting herself into their friend circle. Camilo called him Wil, but Camilo knew him better. This felt wrong. Too personal. Isabela didn't belong in this part of Bruno's life.
"Uh…"
"Does he like beards or no?" Isabela clarified.
Bruno stammered in frustration. He shoved more curls out of his face with his fingers. "I don't know! I don't know what made him like me in the first place!"
He looked back at his reflection again and thought. His beard was a decent length now. Almost two inches he figured. He usually would have shaved it before it got quite so long but he'd been putting it off. Every time he'd considered it he was too anxious to attempt it. He needed a clear head to get it done. Wilfredo made him anxious. From day one he made him anxious.
"I don't think he's seen me with a clean shave. The last time I shaved was before we met." Bruno explained. "It's been a while." He pulled gently at the dark hair that curled around his jaw to inspect its full length.
Why hadn't he noticed how long it was getting? He just hadn't thought about it. Hadn't paid attention. Had Wil really single-handedly left him that distracted? Or perhaps, despite his anxieties, Bruno was just happy. Content and not considering how other people saw him. He didn't remember when he last got an unfriendly glare or skittish looks from people on the street.
"Then leave it." Isabela decided.
Bruno looked back at her skeptically. He wasn't confident in his beard. It was messy and coarse and flecked with grey. Then again he always looked patchy after a shave. At least at this length, his clumsy work was less noticeable. He wasn't confident in either decision frankly. He wasn't confident in much of anything right now. Bruno wasn't a very attractive man and all this preening felt like a wasted effort. Wil didn't care what he looked like, clearly.
"We don't know what his preference is, but we know he likes you so the beard can't be a deal-breaker." Isabela reasoned. "Better to not risk losing one of your assets."
"Assets?" Bruno scoffed. That was one way to put it.
"We should definitely brush it out though." Isabela reached for the box of grooming supplies. Retrieving her father's mustache comb.
She took Bruno's jaw in one hand and began to comb through his face. The gesture was sudden and rather invasive. He didn't like people touching his face. He grit his teeth and let her have her way. Isabela brought the shears out to try and trim it back in a few places to make sure it was even. She had some practice cutting hair so at least did a serviceable job of it. Bruno put his foot down when Dolores suggested cleaning up the hairline with a razor. He wasn't going to let a pair of girls, with no practice, take a razor to his skin.
A knock came at the door.
"You've been in there for a while. Do you chicas need any help in there?" Agustín. Great.
The girls exchanged mischievous smiles and Bruno braced himself for what he knew was coming.
"Sí. We're trying to get Tío's beard cleaned up and he's being stubborn."
How convenient.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Isabela and Dolores worked on him all evening. Semana Santa had started and the kids were out of school. Most of the family was home this week which complicated things somewhat. Everyone was home and relaxing and praying. Spending time together. The girls convinced Mamá to let them spend the day cleaning Bruno up for the upcoming festivities and church services. She'd been keen on clinging to him but seemed content with this idea. Semana Santa used to be bonding time for them. Bruno used to spend the week glued to his mother's hip. He felt especially guilty that he was passing up time with her and the rest of the family to go sin. It couldn't be helped. Wilfredo would only be here for such a short time and Bruno couldn't afford to waste another week. He needed to fix things now. He was selfish. He wanted as much time with this man as he could get. Even if it meant he was going to hell.
Ironically it had been the holidays that spurred Bruno on to take up Isabela and Dolores's offer. Wilfredo had been at Sunday mass like he usually was. Bruno couldn't stop peeking glances at him. Bruno was there with his hermanas and cuñados for Palm Sunday. Pepa caught him staring once or twice. Wilfredo was there with Diego but they didn't talk. Jacqueline wasn't present. Wilfredo looked exhausted. He smiled when Mamá addressed him and made small talk but Bruno could tell he didn't want to.
Monday came and despite the kids being out of school and most people taking off, Wilfredo was still hosting story hour. They'd be reading bible stories this week. Discussing the crucifixion and resurrection with the children in ways more accessible to them than the standard church services. He told Bruno he could take the week off if he wanted. It was the first proper conversation he'd had with Wilfredo since the incident and it was just so he could tell Bruno he wasn't needed. Bruno had skipped out as Wilfredo requested. He wanted to be there. He wanted to help. He didn't want Wilfredo to feel exhausted and sad and alone. Not during the holidays.
Dolores had ironed the one good suit Bruno owned while Isabela treated his face with some concoction. Something to reduce the puffy shadows under his eyes. It wasn't a miracle by any means but it was a slight improvement. They dragged him to the bathroom to poke at his face. They'd argued for at least an hour over his hair before agreeing to use some gel to keep it out of his face. Otherwise, they left it in his usual simple ponytail rather than cutting it or using a bun. Mamá complimented them both at dinner and gushed over how handsome Bruno looked. Bruno of course had eaten like a bird that night on the girl's request. He kept sneaking morsels to the rats so the rest of the family wouldn't notice.
The idea was to set up a candlelit dinner at the cabin. Bruno wasn't confident in the gesture. Wilfredo had seemed hesitant to eat before. Bruno didn't know the reason. Even when Wilfredo was shaking and plaid, Julieta could only manage to make him eat after Bruno had left the room. Bruno didn't know exactly what happened that day but it scared him. Scared him enough to know something needed to be fixed. He doubted at the time Jacqueline would be much help to him, considering he was the cause in the first place. He tried to think of a solution on his own but as days came and passed he thought of nothing. After being turned away at the library yesterday he finally caved and turned to the girls for help.
Something was wrong with Wilfredo and Bruno was the cause. He had to do something to fix this. Still. This felt wrong. He couldn't pinpoint why but it felt wrong.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Bruno couldn't shake the anxiety of being caught using the kitchen with the girls at such strange hours.
Much to his surprise, Castia seemed to be in on the scheme. Bruno half expected the house to eject him from the kitchen and demand he go to bed. Not only did they offer no resistance to being used at such an hour, they seemed to be trying to keep their volume down. Bruno nearly had a panic attack when he dropped an iron skillet. His hands wouldn't stop shaking and he was especially clumsy in his anxious state. Casita caught the pan between two cabinet doors and held it out to him.
"Uh, gracias." Bruno replied awkwardly. Taking back the pan.
"Tío, hurry up!" Isabela whisper-yelled from across the kitchen.
Bruno froze up. Once again questioned his decisions. This was a bad idea. He could feel it in his gut. His mind was starting to race. He wondered if he was only making things worse. He wondered what would happen if they were caught. The trouble the girls would be in for indulging him. Encouraging him.
Just as his mind began to escape him Castia nudged him gently towards his sobrina with a cabinet door. Bruno looked down at the cabinet before returning to Isabela with the pan she requested. Isabela took the pan with a smile and a nod to the house.
"See. Even Castia's helping out. Puedes hacerlo." She assured him.
Bruno leaned back against the counter and hugged himself tight. Casita was probably just trying to keep the peace. The house had helped him hide for years. They were simply keeping secrets again like they always did.
"This isn't going to work." Bruno bemoaned. "What if I just make things worse? I shouldn't have agreed to this. This is a bad idea." His spiraling thoughts were beginning to stumble out his mouth now causing him to knock compulsively on the cabinets.
"You're being paranoid." Isabela scolded. "You always do this." She explained. "You always assume the worst. Just trust us we know what we're doing."
Bruno turned around to collapse on the countertop. Head buried in his arms.
Perhaps Isabela was right. The plan was harmless enough. Bruno was always so afraid of the worst-case scenario. The demons in his head would never shut up about it. Why give these thoughts any more weight than the million other panicked notions that floated through his brain? He knocked on the cabinets again. He hoped Isabela was right.
The tiles next to Bruno fluttered softly. He lifted his head up to look down at the whispering countertop. They stopped and one stood upright to wave at him. Bruno skeptically reached a hand down to offer the tile his finger which it promptly hi-fived. Bruno pulled his hand back and offered the house a timid smile. Casita fluttered their tiles again. Bruno took a deep breath and tried to steady himself.
Things weren't as bad as he thought.
Even if Wilfredo never spoke to him again. His family knew about this part of him. A piece of his soul he'd felt so ashamed of for so long. Sure his mother didn't know. If Bruno had his way she'd never find out. But Isa and Dolores knew, Castia knew. Maybe he'd never love another man again, but, they knew. His familia knew, and they still loved him.
Bruno rubbed his arms in an attempt to soothe himself.
His familia knew. His familia loved him.
He was going to be ok. Whatever happened tonight. He was going to be ok.
Reassurances aside, Dolores and Isabela would be so disappointed if he didn't at least try. Bruno hated to waste all their hard work. Waste the support and kindness he hadn't earned but they offered him freely. The least he could do was try to be worth their investment in him. He could do this.
"Wilfredo's on his way to the cabin." Dolores announced. Isabela was finishing up the dinner she'd been preparing them. "We need to hurry up if we want to arrive before he does."
"I'm almost done." Isabela replied.
"Wil's not very fast." Bruno mused. He scratched his nose passively. "I doubt he's in a hurry to see me.
Dolores delivered Wilfredo an invitation earlier that day while she was doing her rounds. All they had to do now was arrive early and get everything set up. Bruno was honestly shocked Wilfredo had even responded to the invitation. He wasn't expecting him to come. Wasn't expecting him to be willing to talk. Not after their last encounter certainly. Bruno needed to talk to Wil, didn't he? He missed him so terribly it ached. If this only got Wil to talk to Bruno, say more than a few curt sentences, then it would be worth all the trouble. Even if it was only to tell Bruno to leave him alone. Anything would be better than anxiously enduring Wilfredo's grim silence. He wouldn't talk though would he? Bruno would have to be lucky for that. A lucky man, he was anything but.
"Don't be so pessimistic." Dolores tried to assure him. "I'm sure he's been missing you too."
Bruno chuckled awkwardly. "Whatever you say mija."
He wished he could explain his misgivings to her. He could barely articulate them himself. Something in him told him this was all wrong. Perhaps a demon or just intuition. He couldn't tell the difference anymore. He needed someone to make sense of his reality for him. The girls were the only ones Bruno could turn to right now.
Dolores tucked a bottle of wine she'd managed to retrieve from Juileta's room into their basket. Alongside ceramic containers, plates, and silverware. She was the only person Bruno knew who was stealthier than him. Or perhaps she was simply less anxious sneaking past her sleeping Tía than Bruno would have been. He wouldn't have been so bold as to sneak past his sleeping sister. The whole family knew by now that he was drinking again. Mamá seemed to be unbothered as long as he controlled himself. Well, perhaps a bit bothered, but she left him to his own devices. Mamá was content with him as long as he was home for dinner more often than not. She seemed very pleased to see Bruno out on the town most days. Whether it was the tablas or story hour at the library. Just going for walks, or spending time with his new friends. Félix and Agustín were proud of him. Bruno never had many friends. Bruno had two. He was down to one. It didn't take him long to mess that up.
He didn't feel like he was really doing much. The girls were doing most of the work tonight. The best Bruno could do was swallow a panic attack and follow their instructions. He felt like a doll, being dressed up, made over. Told what to do. Where to go.
They were just trying to help.
This was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea. Bruno's brain was too blurry from the constant internal screaming to put to words why. He knew this was a bad idea. It was only the demons he convinced himself. He shouldn't listen to the demons. Mamá always told him he was paranoid. Bruno could always use his gift. There would be no point. He'd only set his fears in stone if he did that. He should trust his family.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Once they made it to the cabin Isabela was quick to decorate with her flowers. Dolores set the table inside. Bruno sat on the steps tuning an old guitar he hadn't touched in over a decade. He used to play. Dolores told him he should try writing a song. It was about the only thing Bruno actually did himself today. It was rushed and not very good. He'd just been so anxious to try and act quickly. The girls shared Bruno's anxiety after what happened last week.
Wilfredo looked so weak and sickly. The girls saw it too. Everyone saw it.
Bruno was sure Dolores had overheard the shouting that day too. Wil wasn't ok. Bruno didn't know what to do. He hadn't meant to hurt him so badly. Dolores was convinced this was a matter of unrequited love. Surely Wilfredo would do well to know his feelings were reciprocated? They'd tried to convince Bruno to act then and there. Instead, he'd still dug in his heels and tried to think of something himself. Bruno was skeptical of Dolores's diagnosis. Then again Bruno had never been the best at reading people so what did he know? He was taking advice from his sobrinas. That alone spoke volumes. They were his familia though, they were only trying to help. They had his best interests at heart. He needed to trust them or he'd spend his days too paralyzed by his anxiety to do anything at all. Wil would leave him and Bruno would never know the extent of the damage he caused.
"And you remember your song?" Isabela asked.
Bruno nodded numbly. Plucking absently at his guitar strings. The song was terrible. Why was he doing this?
"He's almost here." Dolores whispered to Isabela. The girls hurried off into the woods to hide. Isabela offered him a confident. "Tú puedes."
Bruno offered the girls an awkward smile before they darted off. Why was he doing this?
Why had he been so desperate? Acted so quickly. "Quickly." He waited a week and could think of nothing. What was the point? This plan was barely a plan. More of a collection of shallow cliches. Bruno wasn't handsome, or talented, or romantic. Wilfredo wasn't cheap. Why was Bruno doing this?
Bruno strummed away at his guitar as he waited. His mind kept trying to spiral. Each time he'd pause to knock on the guitar for luck before continuing. It created an odd sort of rhythm, his stress. Maybe his musical skills weren't completely lost. Mediocre certainly. It could have sounded worse. Maybe the demons in his head were just surprisingly talented. He almost liked the little melody that began to form around his knocking.
Bruno stopped dead when he heard Wilfredo's heavy footsteps approach. Bruno's body seized up. He looked up to stare. The music, the rhythm he'd discovered, came to an abrupt halt. He watched Wilfredo lean over to catch his breath.
Wilfredo wasn't very good at navigating the forest. He was clearly accustomed to well-paved streets and car rides. Bruno found it rather humorous the first time he brought Wil to the cabin. He thought it was cute watching him try to hide his struggle. Wilfredo wasn't trying to hide his fatigue this time. He just looked tired. Bruno's anxiety was suddenly overwhelmed by that same desperate longing that had spurred on him to take such desperate action. That clawing overwhelming need. This feeling robbed him of his senses.
Bruno hated seeing Wil so tired. He recalled the way all the color had drained from his face. The shaking. The shouting. The wounded animal that had stolen Wil from him. Stolen the man he loved.
Bruno loved him.
Right or wrong. Sensible or not. He loved him.
Bruno missed Wilfredo. He missed the way his nose crinkled when he laughed. His dry wit. His confident posture and his shy bluster. The way his eyes lit up when he enthused about his latest fascination. Bruno missed being the object of Wil's fascination. If this wasn't love then Bruno didn't know how to describe such a feeling. It had to be. Or possibly guilt. He felt guilty about a lot of things. He was very good at hurting the people he loved. Perhaps those feelings had become too intertwined to untangle at this point.
Bruno cautiously eyed Wilfredo's bewildered expression. He adjusted his glasses and looked over the cabin. Finally, his eyes fell on Bruno and he felt exposed and small.
"H-hola." Bruno greeted Wilfredo timidly. He offered him a small wave before fidgeting with his guitar. He didn't know how he looked sitting there in his suit. Hair gelled, beard groomed, guitar in hand, surrounded by flowers and the sounds of the forest. If the hard work of his nieces had done him any favors, it clearly wasn't appreciated.
Wilfredo looked down at him with a mix of disgust and confusion.
Bruno felt like that piece had been ripped from his chest again. That wretched ugly thing that left him bleeding out onto the steps. Waterlogging his guitar with his dwindling life force. Wilfredo could see it certainly. See the ugly thing for what it was. It wasn't what Bruno thought it was. It couldn't be. Wilfredo might have been a bit too much like him, but he wasn't... He wasn't an ugly wretched thing. He wasn't like Bruno.
Wil had such a warm wonderful smile. The look of disdain on his face felt like an abomination. An affront to god. Bruno felt like he destroyed something beautiful. He felt wrong.
"I-I uh," Bruno tried to muster up the courage to speak. Tried to force a smile past the numbness. It seeped into his body as he bled out on the steps. "I thought maybe, maybe we could talk…"
Wilfredo said nothing. He crossed his arms and waited to hear what Bruno would say. His chest heaved slightly as he stared down at Bruno. There was suspicion in his gaze.
"I…" Bruno tried to steel his nerves. He'd already committed to this. The least he could do was try to apologize. He owed Wilfredo that much at least. "H-have you eaten?" Bruno asked. He stood up and gestured inside. "I made dinner." That was a lie. He wasn't going to tell Wilfredo about the girl's involvement. He didn't need to know. It would only scare him off.
Wilfredo's face fell. Bruno watched in horror as it relaxed into a look of bitter resignation. He looked less anxious at least. Now he just looked insulted.
Bruno gave him a weak smile and nodded back towards the open door.
Wilfredo only shook his head and retrieved his cigar tin from his back pocket. Bruno thought he heard Wilfredo mumble something under his breath. When Bruno looked back he saw no indication Wilfredo had spoken. He retrieved a cigar from the tin. Wilfredo didn't bring his cigars with him unless he expected to be somewhere for a while. A single cigar took about an hour to get through. He wouldn't bother with them if he didn't think he'd have the time to enjoy it. Bruno wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad sign. Either way, Wilfredo came with a feeling they'd be here for a while. Bruno wasn't sure what he had been expecting. He wasn't sure what he would have expected had the situation been reversed.
Inside the girls had set up dinner with wine and candles. It was honestly lovely. A romantic little display. Wilfredo still wasn't speaking. He sat down opposite the door. Bruno set his guitar down and gave the door frame an anxious knock before trying to laugh it off.
Wilfredo looked up at Bruno. He pulled out his pocket knife but said nothing.
Bruno swallowed hard as Wilfredo stared at him.
He scurried over to sit across from him. Fiddling with the buttons of his coat as he did so. He watched Wilfredo cut the cap off his cigar with his pocket knife. He had a proper cigar cutter before but apparently lost it in their most recent move. He'd even told Bruno the story once behind the pocket knife with the decorated wooden handle. It had a tree carved into it and was polished to an impressive shine. A gift from one of many friends Wilfredo had made in his travels.
Wilfredo had friends, didn't he? He had many friends. They came and went surely, but unlike Bruno people liked Wilfredo. Liked having him around. Mamá liked Wilfredo.
Bruno never realized just how aggressive the gesture was before. Watching Wilfredo slice the cap off with a quick flick of his thumb made Bruno flinch.
"Y-you should be careful with that. You could cut yourself." Bruno awkwardly fumbled out loud.
Wilfredo raised an eyebrow at him but again said nothing.
Bruno knocked on the table. Don't jinx him. He does this all the time. He's not some clumsy idiot. If he cut himself someday it'd be Bruno's bad luck that made it happen. There was a reason people didn't like Bruno.
Bruno drummed his fingers along the table. He tried to think of something to say. He desperately wished Wilfredo would talk. Bruno didn't know how to carry a conversation with a man who only silently stared.
He watched as Wilfredo brought out a match to light his cigar. Turning it slowly to get an even light before shaking the match out and carelessly tossing it to the floor. All the while Wilfredo never took his eyes off Bruno. The flickering candlelight turned his reflective silver eyes a bright vibrant gold. Bruno could see the candlelight flicker in those eyes. It only made the burn of Wilfredo's gaze all the more intense.
Wil wasn't usually one to litter. Typically he was very organized and clean. He knew how much the cabin meant to Bruno. Knew this was a sacred place. He didn't care. Watching him closely Bruno noticed Wilfredo's hair was a bit messier than usual. His clothes were wrinkled. Bruno could swear he caught a hint of a coffee stain trying to hide under Wilfredo's cardigan. This wasn't Wil. Whatever anxious, tired, disrespectful, spiteful creature sat across from Bruno, it wasn't Wil.
"So uh." Bruno tried to speak. "Food looks nice, I think, I mean, I did my best." He didn't mean to lie. He didn't want to. He realized he'd paid so little attention to what Isabela had made he could think of nothing to actually say about the food. It was simply there and he'd barely even registered what it was. Something vegetarian. Lent and all. Bruno doubted Wilfredo cared either way. He didn't seem to celebrate really. At the very least he didn't plan on taking it easy during holy week as far as Bruno could tell.
Wilfredo continued to stare at Bruno. That same flat cynical expression. He took a puff from his cigar and held it a moment. He leaned forward to blow smoke directly into his bowl. Again his eyes never left Bruno's. He leaned back and brought the cigar back to his lips.
"B-bueno, I-I guess, you probably already ate. I-I should have told you…" Bruno stammered. He drummed his fingers on the table again. His heart was racing now. He was sweating. Wilfredo's glare was burning holes through his face.
Bruno wanted the ground to swallow him up. He wanted to retreat back into the wall with his rats. Rats would never stare at him with such barely restrained contempt.
Bruno felt a faint tug on his pant leg that pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced down under the table to see one of Isabela's vines pulling at his ankle. The small vine pointed towards the door where Bruno had left his guitar. He smacked his head on the table as he bolted upright. Wilfredo raised an eyebrow at him again. His eyes flicked down then back up like he was asking what strange urge had possessed Bruno to momentarily duck under the table
"I uh, I wrote a song." Bruno explained awkwardly.
He jumped up to go retrieve his guitar. Tripping over his chair in the process and nearly slamming his face into the floorboards. He looked back at Wilfredo with an awkward chuckle. Stretching out to right his chair with his foot while collecting his guitar with his hand.
Wilfredo looked almost a little startled by his fumbling. Still annoyed. Still, if only for a second, the faintest hint of concern on Wil's face was almost reassuring.
"I uh, it's not as good at your poem." Bruno complimented. He loved Wil's poem. It was beautiful and intense and sincere. No one had ever described Bruno so lavishly. He never felt very beautiful or impressive. Wil made him feel like he had been worth something. He desperately wanted Wil to be right. He wanted to be worth something.
Bruno crossed one leg over the other in his chair to prop up his guitar in his lap. "I-I'm a bit rusty." He apologized. Double and triple-checking the strings. He'd already tuned the guitar only minutes ago but couldn't stop checking them. Just in case. Just one more time. Just one more-
"Bruno."
Wilfredo's voice stopped Bruno dead. Every muscle tensed. His blood turned to ice. The man now had his full undivided attention. Bruno stared obediently like a soldier. Waiting to hear what Wilfredo would say next.
Wilfredo took another puff from his cigar. Slowly. He held it. His eyes finally closing as he collected himself. Giving Bruno a short reprieve from his burning stare.
Wilfredo blew smoke slowly. His breath shuttered ever so slightly. A sigh that Bruno recognized as an attempt to keep his voice even and calm. Bruno had a lot of experience trying to steal his nerves. He knew what stress sounded like.
"Why am I here?" Wilfredo's voice was even and calm. He looked down at the table. Fidgeting with the cigar in his hand.
Bruno drummed his fingers along his guitar. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to answer that.
Wilfredo looked back up at him again. His head still hung low as he took another puff and waited for an answer. He looked so tired. At this angle, dark shadows cast over his eyes in the candlelight.
"Why did you ask me to come here?" Wilfredo clarified. Smoke poured from his lips as he spoke. Still, his voice was calm.
"B-Bueno I," Bruno tried to think of an answer. Tried to find some way to explain the frenzied pain that motivated him. "I just, I-I really wanted to talk to you." He couldn't look Wilfredo in the eyes. He sounded pathetic. "I, I don't know…"
Wilfredo shut his eyes tight and sighed. His shoulders heaved. Fingers twitching around his cigar before he pushed off the table. His posture only exaggerating his frame. He looked large, heavy, like moving was a struggle.
"If you don't know why I'm here, then neither do I." He said bluntly. He opened his eyes once more though they stayed cast on the floor. He looked so tired. "I have better things to do with my time."
Bruno's heart sank into his gut. Watching Wilfredo leave. Heavy footsteps made the old floorboards creak. Another puff from his cigar. His free hand tucked in his pocket. His eyes were off of Bruno. The gaze had left him. The tense burn had been snuffed out. Leaving him feeling empty and cold.
Bruno was lifeless as he watched Wilfredo leave.
No. No, Bruno needed to talk to him. He needed to apologize. He needed to fix what he broke. To make things right.
"W-wil, espera, por favor!" Bruno pleaded. Scrambling to untangle himself from his chair. His old guitar made a pained sound as it hit the floor. He didn't care. He rushed out as fast as he could.
Bruno grabbed Wilfredo by his arm. Clinging to him desperately. He tried to recapture the man's gaze. He didn't care if it burned. He wanted, needed, to be seen.
"Wilfredo por favor." He begged. His voice trembling. The larger man finally came to a stop. Bruno clung to him like a life raft. Trying desperately to keep himself afloat as waves of panic and guilt crashed over him.
Wilfredo glared down at him. A mix of emotions battling for dominance on his face. His eyes no longer burned. They were glassy and sad, though he sneered with some bitter disgust. "What kind of game are you trying to play?" He spat.
Bruno's eyes grew wide. His grip tightened though his body grew limp. Wilfredo shoved him away from his body.
"I, it wasn't, I wasn't," Bruno struggled for words. His mind was escaping him. This was a bad idea, he knew it was. The demons were right. The demons were always right. "It's not a game…" He whimpered.
I love you. I miss you. Please don't leave.
"I just wanted to talk to you. You mean so much to me and…" Bruno stared down at his feet in shame. Still clinging to Wilfredo's forearm. The arm he held it out away from his body. A barrier between them. The gap between them felt like a chasm.
"Perdóname, lo siento." Bruno choked. His body was trembling. His legs threatened to buckle under the weight of the guilt that kept trying to drown him. "I didn't mean what I said. I just, I was scared, I still…" He didn't know what else to say. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He apologized again. "Te quiero."
"Hurt me!?" Wilfredo ripped his arm away with enough force to send Bruno stumbling backward.
Wilfredo's voice was deep and loud…
"Rejection I can live with!" He spat. There was so much venom in his voice. Bruno never knew he could sound like this. "Don't insult me!"
Bruno stepped back. Shrinking as Wilfredo approached. He towered over Bruno now. The fire was back. Ablaze, even in the moonlight. Heat radiating off of him and burning everything around him.
"I'm not a toy! You don't get to just decide on a whim that I'm suddenly worth something to you! You don't get to expect me to wait for you! To throw me away the next time I become an inconvenience to you!"
"Don't yell at our Tío!" Isabela shouted back. Vines coiling around her like snakes poised to strike.
Bruno turned to see the girls spawn from the woods. If he hadn't done revocable damage already, he certainly had now. He watched as all the color drained from Wilfredo's face. He froze like a dead man. Eyes wide,. Terrified.
"L-le dijiste a tu familia." Wilfredo's voice escaped him in the form of a cracked wheeze. A stark contrast to his deep roaring.
"No! No!" Bruno quickly assured Wil. He rushed over to try and console the panic that he could see threatening to consume the object of his affection. "Dolores overheard our conversations." Bruno tried to explain gently.
"O-of course she did." Wil's laugh was manic. His free hand now combing through his hair. His fingers aggressively running tracks through the golden plumage. Bruno rushed to try and pull Wil's hand from his hair before he could strangle. Missing it just barely as Wil started pacing franticly.
"H-how many people now? Is this why, this is a trick right? Where, I can't…" Wil kept trying to formulate questions. The only thing that came out was an unintelligible ramble.
Bruno finally managed to grab him by the arm again and pull his hand from his hair. Wilfredo looked down at him. Eyes round as dinner plates. Pupils constricted to panicked specks. Bruno held his panicked gaze as he took in a deep breath and held it before releasing it slowly.
Wil stared back at him before bringing his cigar to his lips and holding the smoke. His eyes screwed shut. His body tensed in an effort to stop shaking.
"No one else knows, it's just us." Dolores soothed from the safe distance where she stood.
"And Castia." Isabela added. Dolores elbowed her in the ribs.
"I only told Isabela 'cause I knew she wouldn't mind." Dolores explained.
Wilfredo finally freed the breath he was holding. Blowing smoke into the open air. His right leg still shook restlessly.
"Don't be mad at Tío Bruno. This was our idea." Isabela asserted.
Wilfredo winced in disgust. He looked back at the girls.
"Los dos están tan bien juntos." Dolores cooed. The starry-eyed romantic now showing her hand. "We couldn't just let Tío Bruno give that up."
"I just want him to be happy, but if you're just going to be un pendejo…"
Dolores swatted Isabela again. "You're not helping!"
Wil looked so broken and confused. Watching the girls bicker.
"Perdona." Bruno apologized solemnly. "I shouldn't have gotten them involved."
Wilfredo looked back down at him. Heartbroken and utterly baffled.
"I was just so desperate." Bruno looked back up at him pleadingly. "After what happened last week. Outside the school house... You scared me." He confessed. "I just wanted to fix things. I've been trying to think of something all week-"
Wilfredo growled in frustration and pulled away again. "Dios mio Bruno!" He let out an exasperated groan. "I already told you! That had nothing to do with you! Not everything is your fault!"
Bruno felt almost a little indignant. Wilfredo was so very clearly not ok. Something was very, very wrong and it was obvious to anyone who cared enough to see it. "How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me anything?!" He spat. "I've seen you lie. How am I supposed to take you at your word!"
"I'm going to be homeless in may!" Wilfredo shouted.
Bruno shrank back. Not in fear this time, only confusion.
"B-but, your new job."
"I didn't get the position." Wilfredo confessed before taking another exasperated puff from his cigar. His leg wouldn't stop shaking.
"But you said-"
"I lied!" Wilfredo confessed. Arms outstretched. A snide, cynical, almost sarcastic reply. "I was so confident…" He started to pace again. His face alternating through various stages of fear and frustration. "It was a new school, my resume was flawless, but noooo, they had to decline me the position on the grounds of a decade-old sodomy charge that-"
Wilfredo cut himself off. Screwing his eyes shut in frustration. He pinched his fingers together and gestured to the girls in a way that reminded Bruno of his mother when she was at her wit's end. "Niñas should not be here for this conversation." He scolded firmly.
Dolores hung her head in shame. "Lo siento Señor."
Isabela rolled her eyes but apologized when Dolore glared at her. "You're right. Lo siento." Isabela conceded. "We were just trying to help." She muttered bitterly under her breath.
Wilfredo's face softened considerably at her words.
"You two should go to bed." Bruno instructed. "That means you too Dolores." He added. Her room was soundproofed. "I think we need some time alone."
Dolores replied with a timid squeak before nodding and taking Isabela by the arm.
Wilfredo looked down for a moment. He looked back at the girls as they turned to leave. "Gracias." He told them.
Dolores replied with a sad, knowing, nod.
Bruno watched their silhouettes disappear into the night. Wilfredo took another puff from his cigar before turning back to the cabin. He collapsed onto the bottom step. Legs outstretched in front of him. He blew smoke into the night sky. Leaning back on the steps above.
"How long do you think it'll take them to get back to Castia?" He asked as he stared absently at the stars.
"I don't know, maybe half an hour?" Bruno rubbed his arm awkwardly. His feet attempting to mingle through his shoes. He never liked having his toes covered.
Wilfredo grunted and took another puff.
Bruno decided to take that as an invitation to take a seat beside him on the steps.
Wilfredo simply continued to stare up at the sky. Smoking slowly. He didn't look angry anymore, just tired. Bruno kicked off his shoes and removed his socks. The cool night air felt better on his bare feet. His toes could now fidget freely. Wilfredo didn't seem to mind, or if he did, he didn't say anything.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Some time passed. They just sat there in surprisingly comfortable silence. It gave Bruno time to collect his thoughts. No longer racing, desperate, and panicked. He could think clearly. He could see why Wilfredo had been so upset. Bruno knew now why he'd been acting so strange. It really wasn't Bruno's doing. At least not entirely. Not even mostly.
Wil looked so exhausted. So drained.
It wasn't Bruno's fault.
Wilfredo's life was a struggle in ways Bruno didn't properly understand and could barely relate to. He didn't know what it was like to travel, to wander. To always be scrambling for purchase. For a safe place to rest his feet. Wilfredo made it look easy. Bruno was starting to realize that it probably wasn't.
Bruno's life hadn't been easy, but despite all his fear, he always had a home. He belonged somewhere. Even if he wasn't always wanted.
Wilfredo was charismatic and charming. He was well-liked and skilled. He was valued, and yet, he belonged nowhere.
Bruno dug his toes into the loamy soil. He watched as Wilfredo's cigar continued to shrink. Occasionally Bruno would look up at the stars. Try to guess what Wilfredo was thinking. He imagined Wil was tracing the constellations with his eyes. That seemed like something he would do. If he felt so inclined he would have told Bruno stories about them. Told him their different names in different cultures. He'd fashion some obscure story into playful teasing. None of that happened though.
Surprisingly Bruno was ok with that.
"You know you don't owe me anything, claro?" Wilfredo asked slowly after a time.
Bruno looked over at him. Wilfredo had made it about two-thirds of the way through his cigar and was now removing the label before it burned. He crumpled it up in his hand. For a moment he looked like he was going to throw it. He stopped himself, looked down at the paper in his hand, then tucked it into the pocket of his cardigan instead.
Wil looked back at Bruno expectantly. He looked hurt.
"Cuál es tu punto?"
"Una relación? Sexo? Whatever you think this was about?" Wil looked mildly horrified. Seemingly less at Bruno and more at whatever he feared had motivated him. "You shouldn't be with someone out of guilt, o-or pity, Bruno I shouldn't have to explain that."
Bruno reached out a hand to take Wil's before it started combing through his hair again.
"It's not like that." Bruno tried to explain. He was calmer now. It was easier to find the words. If still a struggle to say them. He liked holding Wil's hand. Seeing the way he softened under Bruno's touch. He looked down at the stain on the cuff of Wil's sleeve. "I worry about you. I do. No es por eso que te quiero."
"You dont…" Wil protested softly. He made a weak attempt to pull his hand away but didn't fight him when Bruno resisted letting go.
"This was a bad idea." Bruno confessed. He offered Wil an awkward chuckle. "It was a really bad idea. I don't blame you for thinking… Well… I don't know what I was thinking. I just wanted to talk to you."
Bruno pulled Wil's hand close to his chest. Leaning in closer. Hesitant, but Wil didn't resist. "Me encanta todo de ti, your face, your smile. You're passionate and kind, and curious, and… and wonderful. You're so much smarter and stronger than I will ever be." Bruno had to restrain himself as the words kept tumbling out. Gentle, wonderful, feelings he'd never expressed.
Wil looked sad. His eyes scanned Bruno's face. Despite the sorrow staring back at him, Bruno couldn't restrain the smile that overwhelmed him.
"You must not know me very well then." Wilfredo replied. He finally pulled his hand away. Tucking it in his lap. H took another puff from his dwindling cigar.
Bruno pulled his knees up to hug them. "None of this changes how I feel about you." He gently reassured.
Wil closed his eyes and sighed sweet-smelling smoke. "He tenido mucha gente juegue conmigo. I can handle rejection, I just, I thought you were better than that."
"It was never my intention…"
"I know." Wil smiled softly. "It explains a lot. Knowing you didn't set this up." He brought his cigar to his lips and held it there as he mused. "You're always so sincere. Llevas el corazón en la mano. I wish I could be like that."
Bruno laughed out loud. He almost felt bad as Wil eyed him curiously.
"I don't know what kind of espíritu libre you think I am." Bruno laughed. "I'm afraid of everything, all the time. I'm not honest, I'm just a bad actor."
That made Wil laugh.
Bruno missed that laugh.
"No, you're a good actor." Wil insisted. More sweet-smelling smoke poured from his lips. "You're just a bad liar." He clarified.
Wil grinned, leaned closer, and held his free hand to his chest. "I'm a bad actor." His smile faded as he pulled away. "And a good liar." He lamented bitterly. He looked so broken. "You're a good man Bruno. I wish I was like you."
Bruno leaned in close again. Taking Wil by the arm. He didn't reject the affection, though he still looked away. "Creo que me perderé la cabeza si fueras perfecto. Estamos iguales." Bruno teased affectionately.
Wil looked back at him. "Bruno?"
"Hm?" Bruno replied dreamily. He had started to lean on Wilfredo now. Intoxicated by this closeness he'd come to crave like a drug.
"What is it you want? From me?" Wilfredo asked.
Bruno hadn't really thought too hard about that. He never actually thought he'd get this far with anyone. He wanted a lot of things. Some were things he knew Wil could never give him. Some were things that made his blood boil to consider.
"Bruno?"
He could feel the flush on his cheeks. His mind was beginning to wander. Wilfredo was staring down at him expectantly. The moonlight washed out the color in his hair and made his eyes into shimmering silver. Light glinted off the frame of his glasses.
Bruno grabbed hold of Wilfredo's collar and pulled himself up to his face. "C-can I kiss you?"
Wilfredo looked a little stunned by the question but nodded slowly. That was all the invitation Bruno needed.
He took Wil's face with both hands and ravished his lips with frenzied passion. Savoring the taste of chocolate and tobacco. Wil's lips were soft and plump and delicious. Bruno combed his fingers through the blond hair that framed his face. He barely even noticed when he climbed up to straddle Wil's lap. His body acting on some primal instinct he'd suppressed all his life. Awake now, alert, starved. Wil's body felt so warm and sturdy. It felt right. Made Bruno shudder.
Wilfredo finally pushed him back. Eyes scanning Bruno's face hesitantly.
"Bruno you didn't answer my question."
Bruno chewed his lower lip. He tried to articulate an answer. "I want to touch you." He confessed. "I want to hold you. To be there when you're sad, or scared, or hurt. I want to be brave, to be strong, for you. I want to be with you…" Bruno choked and hung his head. Bitterly resenting the many walls between them. "I-I don't know what that means for people like us. Solo sé que te quiero, si todavía me tienes."
"Bruno I can't stay." Wilfredo explained sadly. "You know that don't you? I don't belong here.
Bruno nodded numbly. "Por favor, I don't want you to forget me. I want to be someone you carry with you. I want to know I meant something to you."
Wilfredo's heavy hand came to rest on Bruno's cheek. He leaned into the touch. Closing his eyes to savor the warmth. His heart ached.
"Amor, nunca podría olvidarte."
Bruno opened his eyes again to lose himself in those glittering pools of silver. "Todavía me tendrás?"
Wilfredo looked away. Turning his head to take another puff from his cigar. He needed to collect his thoughts. Bruno stifled an almost disappointed whine when the sweet smoke was blown away on the breeze.
"Prometes you'll let me go?" Wilfredo asked him finally. His hand crept up to tangle in Bruno's hair. Tugging lose his ponytail.
"Prometo, pero, tienes que prometerme algo."
"Anything." Wilfredo breathed softly. Bruno could hear the ache in his voice. That same breathless longing.
"No more lies." Bruno told him.
Wilfredo looked a bit confused but nodded slowly. Bruno wasn't confident he'd made himself clear.
"If I ask you something, and you don't want to answer, you don't have to." Bruno explained. "But as long as we're together, you don't lie to me."
Wilfredo nodded a bit more confidently. "I think I can manage that."
"Say it." Bruno ordered.
"Prometo." Wilfredo confirmed.
"Gracias." Bruno breathed before recapturing his lips.
Wilfredo whimpered softly into his mouth. His free hand escaping Bruno's barely contained curls to explore his lower back. Bruno loved this feeling. Loved Wil's strong arm wrapped around him. His soft lips, the smell, the taste, the feathers between his fingers. He craved this feeling for so long it hurt. This overwhelming ache. He savored that pain. Bruno's hands displaced Wil's cardigan. He slipped them down the back of his shirt. Savoring the feel of his skin. Wil slid his free hand under Bruno's coat and untucked his shirt. His fingers slipped under Bruno's waistband. The feel of Wil's curious fingers dancing along his lower back sent shivers up Bruno's spine and made him wine into Wilfredo's lips. He shoved him back against the wooden steps.
Wil gasped softly as Bruno shoved him back and pulled away for air. "Sé dulce amor, ritmo." He breathed.
Bruno whimpered bitterly before kissing Wil's cheek. His jaw. His neck. Sinking deeper and deeper into heated flesh and breathing in his scent. Suckling on his delicious pulse.
"Ay! You're a bad listener." Wilfredo scolded playfully. He grabbed Bruno by his hair and pulled him back. The gesture was gentle, careful not to hurt him. Wil stared up at him mesmerized.
Bruno worried he'd done something wrong. He didn't mean to… He just… This man did things to him. Wil didn't look angry. Still gently gripping Bruno by the nape of his neck like a disobedient cat. Wil's eyes glinted with that signature curiosity Bruno had become all too familiar with. The gears were turning in his head. Wil brought his cigar to his lips to fill his mouth with chocolate smoke. He was thinking. Bruno's fingers dug into Wil's back. His toes curling as he watched him with rapt attention. Bruno loved watching Wil smoke. It was embarrassing to admit, he'd never said it, but it was a strange fascination that lit his blood on fire.
Wil grinned mischievously. He pulled the cigar away and Bruno wondered what wicked thought had possessed him. He didn't have to wonder long. His mind went utterly blank as the flavored tobacco smoke caressed his face and filled his nostrils. His whole body tensing and unwinding. His eyes lost focus as his brain struggled to process coherent thoughts. Bruno's eyelids flickered. Readjusting to reality again. When his vision refocused he looked down to see a wide wicked grin consume Wilfredo's face.
"Interesante, interesantísimo." He purred.
That bastard. He knew, didn't he? He'd noticed Bruno's strange fetish. How long ago? Had he tormented Bruno with it before? Or was Wilfredo simply designed to drive Bruno insane?
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Bruno ground his hips against Wil's lap and watch his head roll back. Lips sucked into a pleased little him. Bruno's body was already resenting his clothes. Feeling of the other man's arousal against him sent violent jolts of electricity through him. He hated clothing. It was a terrible awful invention.
God, he was so hard.
Grinding himself against his love Bruno gripped tight to whatever he could and kissed him deeply. Hungry. He wanted to consume. Wil moaned into him and only drove him more rabid. Bruno nearly cursed aloud when Wil pushed him back again. This time holding him by his neck and shoulder. Bruno was at least grateful for that. He wasn't sure he wouldn't have lost a chunk of hair this time if Wil and resorted to such a flimsy grip.
Wil's voice came out breathy but pleased. Looking up at him again. His eyes were dazed as he asked. "You want to see a trick?"
"A trick?" Bruno parroted back skeptically.
"Sí, I think you'll like it." Wil smiled coyly.
Bruno couldn't bring himself to say no. He had no idea what Wil was planning. When he looked up at Bruno with that adoring smile, shimmering silver eyes, slivers of moonlight that shone just for him, Bruno couldn't say no.
"Sssí?" he replied curiously.
Before Bruno had a chance to second guess himself he felt Wil's hands grab him tight by the waist and lift him up. Startled, though not displeased, by the sudden man-handling. Bruno let loose a faint confused squeak. Wil sat him down on the top step. Rolling over to lay against the steps below. He now sat with his shoulder propped up on the steps beneath him. Looking up at Bruno from between his legs. Wil took another puff from his cigar. Bruno looked down at him utterly captivated. Wil savored the smoke. Watching Bruno curiously to gauge his reaction. Bruno wasn't sure what reaction Wil was looking for but he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.
Wil blew smoke up towards him. Thankfully their faces were now far enough away that it didn't completely reset Bruno's brain again. It still made him shutter.
"Can I touch you?" Wil asked him. Bruno could tell by the look on Wil's face he knew the answer.
"Por favor hazlo." Bruno replied breathlessly. He wasn't thinking. Just staring and fascinated by what he was seeing.
Wil reached up to the step beside him to press out the light on his mostly used-up cigar. Slow and gentle to reduce the cloud it created. Bruno watched it sizzle out against the damp wood. Wil looked back up at him again and paused before reaching his hand up to unbuckle Bruno's belt. It only then properly registered in Bruno's foggy mind what exactly Wil was planning to do. Suddenly recalling his various embarrassing struggles over his years alone Bruno rushed to grab hold of Wil's hands.
Wil raised an eyebrow but Bruno spoke before he could ask.
"I uh, just, I just to warn you…" Bruno felt his face flush hot red. He tried to make this sound less embarrassing.
"Warn me what?" Wil asked a slight curious grin on his face and a playful taunt in his voice.
Bruno looked away and hummed awkwardly before confessing. "I uh… I don't always have an easy time, uhm, well, y'know." He peeked back down at him out of the corner of his eye and prayed he wouldn't have to finish that sentence. "You know?"
Wil looked a little dumbfounded for a moment.
"J-just don't feel bad if you can't, if I can't… uhm... finish" Bruno had faced a lot of humiliation tonight. If he wanted the ground to swallow him up before, he really could do to be literally anywhere but here right now.
"Well, that would certainly be a first." Wil almost laughed. His cocky, arrogant, smirk made Bruno cover his face with his hands. His legs tensed. Hunched over in embarrassment. "No, I won't take it personally." Wil giggled sweetly. Unbuckling Bruno's belt. "I appreciate a challenge." he teased.
Bruno opened his mouth to speak. Whatever reply the thought he'd give was replaced by a broken, throaty, squeak once he felt Wil's hands on his dick.
His whole body tensed. His hair standing on end.
No one had ever touched this part of him before and the feeling was alien. It was startling in a way he wasn't quite prepared for. Wil was very gentle as he freed Bruno comfortably from his clothes. Bruno's hands grew clammy. He fidgetted in front of his chest. He couldn't bring himself to look down as Wil inspected him. Running his fingers along his length with a feather-light touch. Bruno screwed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see Wil's face. Bruno's body wasn't something he was terribly proud of. Despite himself, however, despite burring his face in his hands again, he still slipped his pinky to the side to look. Just for a second.
Wil didn't look disappointed. He looked thoughtful if a bit amused as he examined him. Unfortunately, he noticed Bruno looking down at him and shot him a coy grin that made Bruno's heart explode. Bruno buried his face in his hands again. Trembling now from embarrassment.
"We can stop if you're not ready." Wil told him.
Bruno shook his head meekly though he didn't look. It was too much right now.
Wil wrapped his hand around him and Bruno shuddered at the feeling. Wil's hands, he loved his hands. A very gentle squeeze. His thumb stroking along the underside of Bruno's shaft. Big strong hands, but soft, and gentle.
Just as Bruno thought he was acclimatizing to the touch a new sensation made him yelp.
A warm tongue lapping at the head. A very small, tentative gesture at first. Enough to rip Bruno's hands away from his face as he snapped upright. He sat frozen waiting for another new sensation. When a second or two passed he dared look down again.
Wil looked up at him. Eyes scanning Bruno's face. Trying to gauge his reactions.
Bruno gave him a small shaking nod to reassure him it was ok to continue.
Wil wrapped one arm around Bruno's waist. Softly pinning him in place. His other hand still holding his cock. Bruno admired Wil's long eyelashes as he looked back down at the flushed dripping head. Bringing his lips to it. A soft kiss at first, then his mouth slipped around him. His tongue sliding under the foreskin to swirl little circles around the head. Bruno let out shallow gaspy little breaths. Every small gesture overwhelmed him. After a moment or two of gentle affection, his eyes started to glaze over. He acclimated to the feeling. This wasn't the kind of rough handling he usually fantasized about. This was a strangely tender kind of affection. He never realized a gentle touch could feel so good.
After a moment Wil's hand moved away to pat his hip. Bruno whimpered at the loss of its comforting warmth around his shaft but obediently looked down to see what Wil wanted from him. Wil looked up at him. His lips still wrapped around Bruno's cock. Bruno was enamored with the sight. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to such a wonder.
Wil held up one finger before closing his eyes. Bruno watched intently. After taking a breath through his nose Wil quickly swallowed the whole length of him.
Bruno gasped at the sudden gesture. Pulled into the back of the man's throat. Warm and wet. Tight around his head. Soft tongue cushioning in his shaft. Plush lips buried in the scruff at the base. Bruno whimpered as he took in the feeling.
Wil pulled back to look back up at him. Feeling his eyes on him Bruno looked down again to meet his piercing gaze. Once their eyes met Wil clearly found something in Bruno's face that pleased him as he grinned around his cock.
Bruno pulled his hands back up to his face but tried hard not to look away. Wil liked it when he watched him. Seemingly satisfied with Bruno's reaction Wil closed his eyes. Gently bobbing his head up and down along Bruno's length. Slower this time. Going a little deeper each time until Bruno was sliding in and out of Wil's throat with perfect, even, rhythm.
The sensation was hypnotic. Bruno's eyes glazing over, he brought his hands to rest in Wil's hair. That fog of lust clouded his perception. He didn't want to forget where he was. Who he was with. Who made him feel this way. Bruno ran his fingers through that soft plumage. The feeling of Wil in his hands grounded him in the present. Despite the slower pace compared to Bruno's usual frantic roughness, it didn't take long for him to start aching with that need for release. Teetering on that painful edge. Light-headed and airy. His breathing devolving into a desperate whine. He was startting to salavate. Craving more.
As if on some command he felt Wil moan around his cock. Sending little vibrations through him that made his fingers clench tight around Wil's hair and his toes curl. Bruno couldn't take it anymore. He needed more. Without thinking he wrapped his legs around Wil's shoulders. Pinning him into place and he thrust into his hot mouth. His grip tightened. Doubling over. His body trembling. He thrust faster and faster. He was in a complete daze of dizzying pleasure at this point. He could vaguely make out some soft whimpering sounds he didn't immediately realize were coming from Wil. He didn't know if they were good or bad but in his frenzied urge, he almost didn't care. He was so close, so close, just a little longer, just a little longer, almost there…
Gasping for breath he fucked hard and fast into the wet velvet that enveloped him. The building tension ached. His gut twisting into a tight knot. Body screaming for release. The harsh buzz that burned through his cock and up his spine. The need for release was so intense it blocked out anything else. Gasping as he finally unraveled in violent spurts. Curling around the man between his legs. Shuttering with every little wave of bliss as he emptied himself. Gripping tight to the blond feather down like his life depended on it. His legs pulling Wil in close and shoving him down to the hilt. His bare heels digging into Wil's back.
Only when the spasming stopped did Bruno start to regain awareness of himself. He reached up a groggy hand to wipe the drool he felt soaking his beard.
The feeling of Wil gently squeezing his waist brought Bruno back down to reality. Wil was trying to pull away. A violent, terrifying crash and Bruno immediately released the poor man and recoiled in horror at his own actions.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Bruno began to panic as he realized what he had just done. "P-perdóname, perdóname, no sé lo que me pasó." He pleaded desprately. His eyes wet with guilt.
Wil coughed and sputtered upon being released. He quickly held up a finger to stop Bruno's rambling. He took a moment to catch his breath, ragged, greedy gulps of air. "Te hice acabas." He gasped out. "En el primer intento."
Bruno's brain shut down. He struggled to process exactly what was said. Wil's arrogant grin made it clear. His voice was deeper than usual. A raspy croak of sorts. Nevertheless, his prideful smile made it clear he was far from angry. Despite that…
"I-I didn't mean to…" Bruno whimpered.
"Ah, está bien." Wil assured. He took off his glasses to clean them with his cardigan. "I've dealt with far rougher." He confessed casually. "Gracias for not pulling my hair. You had me worried there for a second." Wil smiled up at him sweetly.
His words only made Bruno feel more wretched. The thought of cruel men abusing Wilfredo for their pleasure forced bitter choked sobs from Bruno's lips.
Wil's smile vanished as he readjusted his glasses. His startled eyes focusing in on Bruno's face.
"Oh, oh Bruno! Amor?"
Wil quickly pulled himself up to take Bruno's face in his hands.
"Oh amor, Qué pasa?"
All Bruno could do was shake his head and cry. He wrapped his spindly fingers around Wil's strong hands. His forehead came to rest against Wil's as he collapsed forward. He didn't want to hurt him. Wil was a good man. He'd been hurt enough. Bruno never wanted to hurt him.
"Lo siento, perdóname." He sobbed.
"Para qué?" Wil smiled sweetly.
Bruno looked into those beautiful silver eyes. He could see the fainted glimmer of forest green reflected in them. No hint of malice or pain. Only concern. Only tender affection. Only love.
Bruno reached up to kiss him. He pulled back for a second when he caught a taste of himself for the first time. The salty bitter flavor was startling at first. Wil stared back at him wide-eyed. As if he hadn't been expecting that. Still, he made no protest when Bruno hurried to kiss him again.
Wils arms wrapped around Bruno and held him close. The taste of himself, an intoxicating reminder of just how much Wil loved him. Bruno knew, on some level, he understood Wil had done this before. Bruno wasn't the first. He knew that. He didn't care. No one had ever done something like this for him before. He was determined to reimburse him with all the love he had to give. It might take time and practice but he would return the gesture in kind. Bruno would make certain Wilfredo felt loved.