„We're not identical," Senri was told about his future brother-in-law – while keeping his mouth tightly zipped about already thinking about Raha's twin as such. „And I mean both appearance and personality-wise. Well, Damon's the same height as me, and some said our features are similar, but he's prettier... And smart like hell – his IQ's up there fucking high, I mean. When we were like... Seven, I think?... The counselor at our school wanted to slap on him the label of a psychopath, too, until our Mom told him how deep he could shove that diagnosis. Because Damon's like... most caring person there is, just not about anyone he doesn't deem interesting – to extreme, yeah, but..."
„Why would they want to call a kid psycho, though?" He asked incredulously, while lazily running his fingertips up and down his lover's spine – and insanely enjoying both his wonderfully sated weight on top of him and delicately raspy note to his voice. He was right that dragging the redhead's cute behind up to his penthouse after work was a brilliant idea. Considering his stupid brother was staying in the guestroom, Senri made it a point to ensure Raha sang his name loud enough for the asshole to understand he was well and truly taken – permanently.
It's not like he believed that Ares would try to swipe up his redhead – but everything inside him bristled at the sight of genuine interest on his older brother's face when faced with cuteness incarnate. Because he knew – despite being declared hetero – Ares always had the fucking same weaknesses he did – in everything else.
Plainly, anything adorable was their shared kryptonite – Raha was fucking impossible epitome of. And while he hoped Ares's preferences would put a damper on it... well, he didn't considering that karma was out for blood – and his sanity, besides. Hence, after firmly establishing his claim – and having a blast throughout – he set to pull Raha's tongue about his brother, seriously wondering if he could be a 'shield' to toss his brother's way to distract Ares from his redhead.
„Eh... because of me," Raha muttered, sounding like he was about to doze off. Senri shifted just enough to pull silk covers over his lover's back, then wrapped his left arm over his lower back, while sliding fingers of his right hand in Raha's still-damp hair. Massaging delicately the back of his head, he couldn't help but grin like a lovesick moron – he was – when the redhead purred with the caress, lazily nuzzling his cheek against his chest. His body felt so wonderfully lax and relaxed, Senri was pretty fucking proud of himself for having the foresight to have a jacuzzi installed in his penthouse on a whim. So, after dutifully tying his lover to his kingsize bed – so Raha couldn't even try to stifle his lovely voice, duh – he then decided that adding a hot and bubbly bath – and taking him in it, too – would be just the thing to have his gorgeous male precisely in this state he was now – sated and nearly comatose.
So, in a perfect state of mind to give Senri all those little lovely details to fit his plans. And maybe more – if he's lucky enough – like, for example, how to get Raha to trust him. Honestly, he didn't mind being a manipulative asshole – and an obsessive one, as sometimes accused by those who knew him – as long as he got Raha to open up. Because with every touch, kiss, and look he was only harder set in the idea of how perfect he was. And he wanted him – all of him – only that much more with every little thing he learned about him.
„...you? How come?" He purred against his ear, carefully setting his voice to sound as sleepy as Raha's did, all the while keeping his eyes closed so he wouldn't see his intent stare in case he looked up.
„Mhmm, my stupid eyes," Raha whispered and that made Senri frown with confusion. „I was... I mean, we used to live in a small town, you know? Plenty of superstitious assholes, and so some folk would say my eye color was a bad omen and shit. And kids pick up on that... so I was bullied over that pretty badly up to the end of high school. Then I moved here for college and started to wear lenses... But when we were seven, it was only the two of us, you know, against everyone else. And Damon is older – by less than an hour – but he took that... he takes that very seriously," he chuckled fondly and Senri instantly decided that so far, it sounded promising for his ideas. „I don't remember this, but Mom later told me that there were some girls that came on a playground behind the school when we were there. And one of them had things to say about me, my eyes and that by then everyone knew I'm dumber than my twin," he chuckled self-consciously, and that made him frown deeper.
„Didn't you just say his IQ is way up?" He asked carefully. „Wouldn't that make most people 'dumber'?"
„Yeah, but..." he sighed, and for a moment it felt like his body tried to tense before he again sagged bonelessly and relaxed when Senri moved his fingers to soothingly massage his ear. „I know... now, but when we were kids it was... difficult to grow up next to him, you know?"
„I can imagine," he admitted, smiling ruefully.
„I guess... you would. With Ares, I mean," Raha muttered, then sighed again. „Anyway, my Mom always said that Damon's too smart, you know? So smart, that what others see as obvious, for him doesn't make sense. Like... for example, that girl was only maybe a year older than us, and was repeating what she heard from adults, as kids do... but what she said... upset me and Damon felt perfectly justified in beating her precisely within the inch of her life. And that precision – because already by then he had a perfect knowledge of anatomy and seamlessly turned that into punishment with the cold calculation that's like... even now his trademark – made them think he's a psychopath. And he does have eidetic memory so..."
„...eidetic?" He repeated with confusion, trying to remember if he ever heard that term. „Like... photographic memory, or...?"
„Umm... kind of," Raha nodded slowly. „He remembers everything, though... like, up to thoughts, taste, etc... even from where we were really small."
„Sounds cool," he chuckled.
„It is... if he doesn't think so, because for him everything and everyone is boring. Since... adding to that his intelligence, sometimes – often actually – it's like he sees the future, you know?" The redhead sighed. „He predicts everyone's actions and reaction with a precision that freaks out most, I mean. So, other than me, I guess, most folks were pretty damn happy when he was shoved up the classes because it's not like a small town's teachers could teach him anything. Our parents weren't very happy about it, mind you, but even they had to see that keeping him back would be a waste of his potential. So... he went to college when I was still in elementary school, then graduated it – and university after that – at an unprecedented rate. By the time I finished high school, he was teaching at the same university, too. And he dragged my ass here then if I lived at his place for a few weeks before moving to the dorm."
„Why?" He asked.
„Eh... I mean, don't take it the wrong way – I love him, but... I wasn't keen on going back in his shadow, you know?" The redhead sighed, and then his face heated considerably. „Plus, I was a virgin at the time and he's... Well, by then it felt like he's bent to test the limits in any way he can...? Because for him, I guess, everything gets boring, quickly. Or so he says..."
„You don't think so?" He prodded carefully, grimacing slightly since, knowing his brother, promiscuity would be a huge turn-off. He was only beginning to discover his own possessive nature, but he had a pretty good idea that Ares was worse. In a way, at least – and sometimes Senri let himself think that it meant that somewhere deep down there was something of his eldest brother's ideals left. Because the moment his current fling as much as looked at someone else the wrong way, it was over – even if it could take time before she realized that.
„I think... at some point, Damon came to believe what everyone was telling him," Raha muttered. „That he can't love. While... I think it's that he never met anyone who could understand him, you know? I think his obsession with your brother only proves that," he sniggered sleepily, then shifted delicately when Senri hummed curiously – trying not to wince at the word 'obsession.' „I mean..." he trailed off and shifted again. „...never mind."
„Hmm? No, you have to tell," he flicked his ear playfully while keeping his tone light.
Raha sighed quietly, then shifted again and lazily crossed his arms over Senri's chest, so that when he looked down through his lashes, he had the pleasure of admiring the consideration behind the ruby shine of his irises and the way his teeth worried his lower lip before he finally exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.
„I mean... You know, how that... story about what happened to Ares when he was a kid was all over the place... right?" He whispered carefully and Senri fought not to tense up. „Sorry, but... I can't imagine how hard it had to be on your family, much less... for him."
„It was fucking awful," he admitted, closing his eyes. „But what does that...?"
„Getting there..." Raha sighed, then pulled his arms back and rested his cheek against his heart again, maybe unknowingly supplying him with heat that helped Senri's muscles relax. „When the first movie Ares starred in came out, we were... seventeen...? Anyway, I dragged Damon to the cinema for it, because I'm a sucker for fantasy, you know... and normally movies overall bore him like hell. And while I liked it fine, you would have to see his face the moment Ares showed up on the screen, you know? He was hooked, line and sinker... Not because of Ares's face, though... but I think it had more to do with his talent. Damon hates movies because he says a few minutes in he can see the plot and actors... well, acting. Not so much with Ares, though... and it – the novelty, I guess – fascinated him. After that, he set to research your brother like he would one of his projects... and yeah, found that... story, too – and freaked."
„...freaked?" Senri frowned, frowning as he looked at the top of his head. „What do you mean?"
„Because... it was so fucking illogical, you know? Unfair. And in Damon's world, logic stands fucking high above what others think is right and wrong. So, since that... woman wasn't punished enough for what she did – he decided to course correct, you know?"
„Huh?" at that, he blinked rapidly. „What?"
„Eh, it's complicated... but he's like... super fucking good at hacking, you know? And the dark web, in particular, amuses him. So, since authorities wouldn't give her more than a slap on the wrist after the bullshit that bitch pulled, Damon decided to play at wrecking her life. And I mean... he bet me – because he can never resist making a bet of everything – that he would drive her off the edge in a week... Hence I never bet against him, since exactly seven days later she committed suicide. I don't even want to know how he achieved that, and not like anyone could trace it back to him – he's far too good – but what I mean... He can be fucking intense, Senri. And from experience... I don't care what people say, because he's the most caring person there is when people he does care about are involved," his voice sounded with so much feeling and pride, Senri smiled involuntarily.
„You love him, hm?"
„Very," Raha sighed and chuckled sleepily. „And he's fun, too... Whenever he's not embarrassing the hell out of me, because he's also utterly devoid of shame. And thinks I'm a prude, the asshole..." he trailed off, sighed again, and soon dozed off, while Senri narrowed his eyes toward the ceiling above the bed, considering it – the whole thing – in relation to his plan.
The next day, despite planning to go back to his apartment to change – and maybe use it to clear his head – Raha didn't get a chance to. Not only because he woke up at noon and parting with Senri's heat felt impossible... but mostly because it was physically impossible while even asleep, Senri seemed like an especially determined and clingy octopus...
Not that it was unpleasant, but in the end when he did manage to wake him up, it wasn't that surprising it quickly turned into an even more heated make-out session and he ended up with too little time to even think of going back to his place. And he couldn't bring himself to regret that, considering that to 'make up' for it, Senri had his clothes dry cleaned, and ordered a fucking feast to his penthouse – insisting on eating the dessert off him... And yeah, even the embarrassingly obvious fact that they arrived together at Seventh Heaven a little late, didn't change the fact his stupid heart was somewhere up on cloud nine while his stomach felt stuffed with butterflies on steroids.
Honestly, not like anyone from the staff was surprised, after yesterday, either. Even if he refused to repeat that... sentence after getting back from that break, his fiery blushes and that stark hickey on his throat – not to mention Senri's arrogant grins at his brother whenever he came by the bar – were damning enough.
Shtola was already busy preparing the display behind the bar by the time he got there if she – thankfully – only rolled her eyes when he apologized for being late and thanked her for already preparing his side of the bar, too. If anything, she only shot Senri a withering glare when he settled on the barstool on his side for the customary chat before work.
„Don't worry, Raha, I know perfectly well who's to blame," she said sweetly, but he still not only flushed deeper when Senri beamed but Raha apologized again, then set to help with display.
„Ah, tomorrow probably you can finish early," Senri said after a moment and when they both turned to look at him, he looked busy tapping away on his phone.
„Tomorrow...?" Shtola hummed, then gasped, grinned, and leaned over the counter toward their boss. „Think it's a safe bet to prepare champagne, Sen?"
„Pretty fucking sure it's the safest bet there is," Senri snorted, then looked up from his phone when Raha hummed with confusion – if he knew since last week that he and most staff of Heaven were getting a day off – fully compensated – due to some 'private' event when the whole restaurant was closed. „My college buddy, Themis, asked me to reserve the whole place since he's planning to propose to Alisaie, who's been my friend since elementary school, Raha."
„That Alisaie? From HR?" He asked with unbidden curiosity and grinned involuntarily when Senri nodded. „I... Can you tell after how it went? I would like to send her... them, I guess, something in congratulations. I mean... I liked her," he flushed and shrugged helplessly when Senri arched his dark eyebrows in question. „During the interview, and all."
„Sure thing, babe," Senri winked, then went back to tapping. „Though, like I said, it's done deal. Knowing her, you can already send me your measurements in a free moment, because I can't imagine that wedding won't be far behind."
„I..." he trailed off, blinking rapidly and wondering what to say to that until Senri looked up and pinned him down with an intent stare. „Huh?"
„You're going to be my 'plus one' for that wedding, obviously," Senri deadpanned, then blinded him with a confident grin and went back to his phone.
„I... But...?" What if it's after you get bored of me?
„Poor Raha," Ares said, settling down on a barstool beside his brother and grinning a tad meanly when the redhead looked at him with surprise. „You're yet to learn how stubborn my baby brother can get when he wants something, babe," he winked and grinned crookedly when he scowled at the endearment involuntarily. „Serves you right, firebrand, for keeping me up half the night. Shtola, babe, make me a coffee?" He beamed at his colleague while Raha was about to expire, dropping his gaze toward the floor while it felt like steam should be wafting from his head about now.
...not to mention that Senri only grinned triumphantly, tapping away, before putting his phone screen down on the counter.
„Be right back," he said, then went off toward the front of the restaurant. This made Raha look up and frown, considering it was still a few minutes left of the hour 'break' between shifts, while Heaven's door was closed to new customers.
„Finish display, Raha, while I'll make him that coffee," Shtola said and he shook up, nodding enthusiastically and thankful for having something to focus on... especially while Ares wouldn't stop smirking every time his gaze moved in his direction.
He was putting the last drink in an artistic display behind the bar when a familiar voice sounded behind him and he just about got a stroke.
„My, love the place," Damon said and Raha spun around so quickly he got dizzy, gawking with an open mouth when his twin brother – escorted by grinning Senri – saluted playfully, smirking. „Close your mouth, brother, it's unseemly to gape."
„What...?" Ares looked up from the cup Shtola just set right in front of him, then turned his head with a frown... and froze, gawking no less than Raha did, so that was at least satisfying enough, while he numbly watched his lover very not-subtly direct Damon toward the seat beside his brother.
Not that he blamed Ares, much, since he was only mostly used to his twin's appearance. Most people would be fucking hard-pressed to guess what his brother did for a living, considering he scorned the ideas of gender norms almost as much as he discarded the notions of good and evil others thought obvious. While Raha kept his red hair at most shoulder-length, Damon's went pretty below his waist, most commonly in an elaborate plait. His features, though similar, were distinctively more delicate – deceiving and clashing with the inhumane intelligence of his cyan eyes that more often than not looked out on the world with either boredom or a cold, calculating stare that made most people genuinely unsettled. And that without them knowing he was as twisted as his sense of humor – and prone to hold a grudge to an absurd degree. He was also more slender than Raha, kept his nails long, and tended to paint them in colors usually corresponding with his mood, if at least this time he wore pretty tame – for him, anyway – silk green shirt and jeans. That shirt was open pretty low and arranged almost artistically over his slender shoulders to reveal only a bit of the colorful tattoos he knew covered lion's share of his torso, left side, and arm and went down to his left ankle in a gorgeous and vivid collage of images that changed depending on the angle you looked at them from... Well, Raha was used to most people staring at his twin brother, enough said.
„What are you doing here?" He asked, then tossed Senri a narrowed and suspicious stare, not fooled by his innocent expression while his lover took a free seat on Damon's right. And, of course, his twin brother sent a downright mean and challenging grin at Ares – who continued staring.
„See something you like?" He drawled and that grin only turned devious when Senri's older brother flinched and flustered, looking back at his coffee – while noticeably redder. And Raha didn't miss his lover's silent but shameless cheer. „Your boyfriend invited me, obviously," Damon replied to his question, crossing his forearms over the counter and tapping his nail – ruby red today – over the surface while pinning him with that calculating stare and smirking. „Though – after yesterday – I was planning to swing by anyway since it sounded like so much fun," he popped his tongue with the word, making Raha notice something new even for him.
„Did you pierce your tongue?" He asked incredulously and Damon of course beamed, then stuck out his tongue with a stud in the middle of it, decorated by a ruby matching his nails – and ran it along his upper teeth – sharper than normal – while turning his head and pinning – gawking again – Ares with another challenging stare, before sniggering toward Raha's dismayed frown.
„My body, my choice, no?" Damon chuckled, then rolled his eyes. „Don't be a prude, Raha. At least I don't call you and then let you listen to me getting screwed into oblivion... if I may, next time, to keep it even," and he tossed a meaningful look toward his throat. Raha's hand snapped to cover the hickey, while his face went hotter than inferno.
„Don't!" he squeaked with mortification. „Seriously, zip it, asshole," he snapped when his twin grinned and opened his big mouth again.
„Wow," Shtola snorted, in stitches when he sent her a terrified stare. „I heard of some twins' being close, but..."
He only groaned loudly and covered his blazing face with his hands, glaring at Senri's proud grin through his fingers and swearing vengeance... somehow.
Damon was fucking used to the fact his predictions were very rarely wrong. In his skewed worldview, all people had patterns they inevitably adhered to. And he extremely rarely met individuals whose pattern would be difficult to figure out in less than one look – frankly because true individuality was a rare trait.
He learned very early that at the base of it, humanoids were most commonly ruled by pack dynamics and readily and willingly discarded their individuality in favor of belonging. And he refused to because there was no class, group, or schema in his eyes worth it. Short of his brother and their parents, for him society at large made no sense with their illogical laws and ideas.
They were sheep, ready to follow, in a mindless stampede trampling those individuals who in any way stood out. And like sheep they were, they cried empty slogans about diversity of thought and ideas, all the while refusing to see it was just another label – box – and scorned anyone who didn't fit theirs. Put down anyone who attempted to challenge their ideology and refused to realize that it made the most closed-minded hypocrites there were.
On the other side of the spectrum, there were wolves – who predictably – preyed on sheep, using their dumbass ideas to steer the horde right in their ever-hungry maw. And those smarter ones, in craving of power, done sheep's skin and took the pack from within – making those mindless cattle turn on each other in a mad rush into slaughter.
Damon liked to see himself as a fox, skimming along both sides and in his private crusade picking out those individuals who would be trampled. Both in private and at work, challenging young minds to think outside the box – any box – and shine like the diamonds they were meant to be. Hence, despite having a wide pick of more profitable careers, he stuck with teaching ethics at the university he graduated from before he was twenty. All the while on the side using his diverse skillset to uplift those the so-called righteous society deemed unfit for whatever reason. To punish those wolves who preyed on the weak and innocent.
For one, because he could see the way their world was slowly and inevitably crawling toward oblivion. How sad and miserable it's becoming. And in no small measure, because he was still fucking pissed to high heavens about the abuse his twin brother was made to go through due to something so goddamn stupid it defy logic. At every-fucking-one sheep that trampled his brother's spirit and heart, unable to see he was better than most. And especially every bitch that broke his brother's enormous heart, turning Raha into a mess of insecurities and self-esteem issues.
Sure, he pretty much decided to swing by his brother the moment he heard the magic word – Ares, duh – but also in a huge measure to take stoke of his brother's boyfriend. He was set on it even before waking up and finding on his phone a message from an unknown number inviting him to Seventh Heaven and seemingly sent in the middle of the night.
Admittedly, even before that – or seeing him – this Senri was scoring high on his scale. Especially when following quite a rapid-fire exchange of texts later, he didn't even try to hide his – amusing – intentions behind this invitation. That it also gave him a clear – and enthusiastically approved by the youngest Mielue – shot at his older brother's worryingly skinny ass...? Well, for him was a bonus.
Another one was seeing Raha's absurdly expressive ass interacting with his gorgeous and overly smitten boyfriend. Which, of course, his brother refused to acknowledge.
Soon after doors were opened and the restaurant started to fill with the crowd, assured he made the impression he aimed for, Damon said his goodbyes once Raha got busy and strolled out to the front. He had his own set of keys to his brother's apartment, and a week off to see if his years-long now crush on the beautiful actor could go the way he was pretty damn sure it could... but, like they say - priorities.
With that in mind, he knocked on the door before the exit and once invited in, stepped inside, closing the soundproofed door behind him. Senri, sprawling with his boots braced against the desk below the wall of monitors with feed from various angles of the interior of the restaurant, smiled and set aside his phone. Damon pulled closer to the second chair in the room and perched on it, putting one leg on top of the other, then he wrapped his hands together over his knee.
„Do I pass?" He asked wryly, and Senri snorted, then with a thud dropped his legs to the floor, turning fully toward him with the rotating chair and slow clap.
„You outdid my expectations, and those were already high," the male dropped his hands in his lap, then smirked and wiggled his dark eyebrows playfully. „Do I?"
„So long you realize Raha's about ready to bolt at moment's notice," he remarked and softened his tone when Senri scowled. „And you're determined enough not to let him."
„I'm fucking determined, but..." he sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair with frustration. „How do I even...? I never even dated anyone before he showed up and, frankly, I have no clue how to get him to believe I'm dead serious."
Damon noted it away, smiling wider as he looked him over.
„You considered yourself asexual, then, while at least half-consciously looking for a perfect match," he stated, leaning back against the backrest when Senri flinched with surprise and narrowed his pale eyes at him. „Reading people is a hobby of mine. You're too eager and uninhibited to genuinely ever be aromantic – I would rather lean toward the idea that whether aware or not, you're extremely picky, perhaps with a dash of aversion to people swayed by your appearance. And I would be inclined to guess it's heavily based on your brother's... misfortunate experience while you were in an extremely malleable phase of development."
Senri stared at him for a moment with an unreadable expression – or perhaps so he thought, because Damon chuckled, reading him just fine.
„That, however, explains why Raha's already pining," he added and laughed softly when the other male scowled again. „Meaning, he's busy mentally putting his shields up, waiting for you to toss him aside. Did he tell you about Miya?"
„...who?" Senri asked and he nodded.
„I didn't think he would," he smiled coldly when those icy eyes narrowed in slits. „And yes, she would be a reason why he has severe trust issues."
„Meaning?" his brother's boyfriend asked and Damon gave in thought a few extra points for the barely-there hint of temper veiled behind the delicate drop of his voice.
„Miya was a plague," he said in a bored tone, pulling his hand back and pointedly admiring his nails. „A cancerous tumor eating away at my brother's hard-won self-confidence, but of course, Raha being an empathetic person, and blinded by his idea of her as much as he always was determined to see the best in people... he refused to see it. She was a year younger than us and they started dating when Raha was in the last year of college. He graduated, then went to work to eventually buy the apartment he lives in now. Planning, of course, to propose once Miya graduates as well. But, while my brother was daydreaming about the rosy future, that bitch was busy opening her legs to whoever looked at her twice. Or, as she called it: having a full college experience."
„...and you know that how?" Senri asked suspiciously and Damon chuckled, in thought giving him another point.
„I do like to experiment, Senri, as I assume Raha mentioned, but I do have rules about with whom I play – and anyone who would put a wedge between us is firmly off that list. So, I do make it a point to know who my brother is interested in, to avoid any kind of misunderstanding. We might be very different, but I do love Raha dearly and I also treat my responsibilities as his older brother very seriously," he laced his fingers again over his knee and smiled serenely, with some interest watching gears behind those pale eyes turn.
„I do have two older brothers, Damon," Senri drawled wryly, leaning toward him as he braced his elbows on his knees. „Two very overprotective buffoons of brothers, sure... but I can't imagine either of them sitting idly by and watching me getting fooled by some bitch. And you don't strike me like a passive type."
„Whatever do you mean?" He fluttered his lashes innocently and grinned meanly when Senri snorted and shook his head.
„You're fucking perfect," he chuckled, then shook his head again, leaning back. „For Ares. Hades, our middle brother, would either scare or paid the bitch off to scram. Ares would seduce her, which I'm guessing was your strategy?"
„Pff, please, you give her too much credit calling it seduction," he scoffed and shrugged. „Like I said, she was busy whoring herself out all by herself. I just made sure she knew my so-called reputation and she took the bait all on her own. So happens, only after I found out that she was hard at work undercutting Raha's self-esteem, trying to make him malleable enough to agree to an 'open' relationship. She wrote a blog, you see, he didn't know about, getting off on all of her extracurricular exploits. On it, she made a curious list of all of her goals to achieve before finishing college... anonymous, of course, but I do like to dabble in hacking from time to time. Can you guess the top point on that list, Senri?"
„What?" his jaw noticeably hardened while his hands rolled in fists and Damon gave him another two points for the ice building behind his pale irises. He was young and inexperienced, but not naive – and that, a dreamer like Raha, definitely could use in a partner.
„Twins," he replied, raising his eyebrows slightly. „And so happens, we were the only 'available' pair of male twins to meet her... conditions. Raha doesn't know – and I do hope it stays between us – that shortly after they started dating, she sent me an offer – she thought – would be tempting. So, in the spirit of giving her a chance to do better, I told her precisely where and how deep she could shove that offer. But when he asked me to come over to help him pick an engagement ring... Well, coming a day early and assuring him I would be fine staying at his place alone while he was at work was all it took. The bitch couldn't be any faster in trying to climb in my... Well, his bed, thinking that afterward, I'd help her convince my brother to fulfill her fantasy. But, admittedly, I didn't predict that on the way out the door, she would crush anything left of Raha's self-esteem she didn't yet manage to poison."
„...meaning?" it was a growl, while Senri noticeably worked his jaw.
„Meaning she had some choice words about his eyes – which he was already quite self-conscious about, then had the audacity to blame her... thrill-seeking on his performance in the bedroom," he stated coldly and smiled watching that ice behind Senri's eyes crack. And behind it, something inhumanely vicious stared at him from the painfully beautiful face, whispering secrets of the world of unimaginable pain awaiting an unwitting trespasser.
If he was a fox, Senri's pattern was that of a beast – determined to point beyond reason to protect. It was right there – that obsession plain to see – where the natural instinct of the born predator reached its logical conclusion. Because if you can't protect someone you love from harm already done, the next best thing is to punish those who dared to harm them. Worse, who left scars that now were obstacles to something that beast behind Senri's eyes craved to claim.
And that, more than anything else, gave him the highest score in Damon's rating.
„Of course, afterward she had the misfortune of that blog of hers getting leaked," he said, returning to admiring his nails. „To her family, friends, and faculty of college... alongside some interesting pictures from her exploits, various spicy messages, and such. Last I heard, she was expelled and landed on the street – using her experience, I believe – while her quite conservative family wouldn't take her back, after the scandal the whole thing caused in her pretty small town. Unlucky, really."
Senri snorted, then shifted and when Damon looked up, the ink-haired male handed him his phone after unlocking.
„And her luck's about to get worse," he said, then nodded toward the device when Damon arched his eyebrows. „Give me her details, babe, and don't mention this conversation to Raha, okay?"
„My lips are sealed," he 'zipped' his lips, then did as instructed before passing Senri his phone back. He looked at the screen, then nodded and set it back on the desk. „Now, I'll take my leave, if you don't mind."
„I don't," Senri quirked the corner of his lips in a smirk, then pointed toward one of the screens higher up. „But he's been looking after you since you left the bar." On it, his famous brother looked busy talking animatedly to one of the waitresses, who seemed as star-struck as confused, shrugging with a polite smile.
„Good," Damon grinned, winking as he stood up. „Keep Raha at your place tonight, hm?" He asked, watching Ares get aggravated and heading toward the front of the restaurant.
„Sure thing," Senri saluted, then picked up his phone. „Good luck."
„I don't need luck," he laughed, then quickly waved and exited the room, 'accidentally' stumbling right into his prey. „Oh, sorry," he blinked innocently toward the surprised sky-blue eyes, carefully shutting the door behind him and leaning against them.
„Thought you left," Ares said and he shrugged.
„I'm about to, just needed to ask Senri something beforehand. Why?" He arched his eyebrows in question, while otherwise keeping his expression neutral.
In his estimation, and based on his research, Ares was pretty typical 'Alpha,' so he was aiming at letting him think he was the one doing the 'hunt.' Challenging him to do so was part of the game, as was him dutifully playing prey. Sure, Ares on the screen intrigued him with the difficulty he had in reading him... but, in the end, his pattern seemed simple. He will toss on the line for a bit over being attracted to a male, then cave – and he hid any hint of disappointment that might have sparked somewhere deep down.
„Couldn't help but think you can't leave before hearing the answer to that question," Ares said, grinning that crooked grin of his, and Damon blinked rapidly, then frowned.
„Question...?" He repeated, then flinched – a little – when Ares leaned in over him while picking up the end of his braid.
„If I see something I like, remember?" he was asked, while that had shot up the length and fisted in its base, making him gasp involuntarily as next he was quite unceremoniously pulled up to his toes, and had to brace his hands against Ares's chest. He blinked owlishly when that grin on Ares's beautiful face turned wicked. „And for the record, I do. Now, babe, answer for an answer to keep it even, hm? So how far does that pretty ink go?"
„I... huh?" He muttered, then laughed involuntarily at how fucking far off the script it seemed to go. „What the fu...?" He didn't get to finish before Ares's mouth covered his and swallowed the rest of the sound.