“Seriously, what did you do to Cyril?”John asked as Vale was dabbing disinfectant on the cuts on his chest.
Vale’s next jab was harder than necessary, but he ignored John’s yelp of pain.
“I don’t know if you two are fighting, but you shouldn’t take it out on me,” John continued.“I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re talking.”
“So?Is it forbidden?”
“For you, it is.”
John pouted.“I’m not feeling the love.Maybe I should go back to the kitchen and talk to Cyril.”
“Maybe you want to die.”
“I definitely don’t.If I did, I wouldn’t be here, asking for your help.”
“You’re not here because you asked for my help.”
He’d come to warn Vale, and Vale was grateful, but at the same time, he wished Cyril had never found out about the Organization.So far, Vale had gotten out of telling him what he’d done for them, but he wouldn’t be able to avoid that conversation for much longer.Cyril wanted and deserved answers, and the only person who could give them to him was Vale.It wasn’t fair to continue keeping things from him, even though Vale was terrified of how he’d take the news.Maybe it would be better to just tell him and see what happened?Wasting time wasn’t helping, anyway.Nothing would help except to be honest with Cyril, and when he was, Vale might lose him.
He hated the situation.He hated the Organization.He kind of hated John, too, although he wasn’t going to tell him that.It would’ve been easy for John to tell the people who’d hurt him where to find Vale, but he hadn’t.He’d protected him and Cyril.
“Maybe not,” John murmured.“But you and Cyril helped me, even though I didn’t ask for it.That means something to me.”
“Does it?”
“It would’ve been easy to leave me outside.I would’ve survived, but I would’ve been in a worse shape than I am now.I’m grateful for the two of you taking me in when you didn’t have to.”
“You protected Cyril.”
“By not giving them your position?I guess I did.”
“That means a lot to me, even though you’re annoying.”
John burst out laughing.“Good to know that you’re still the same charming man.”
“I’m not charming.”
“No, I suppose you’re not.”
“You kept Cyril safe.That’s all that matters to me.”Especially when it looked like Vale wouldn’t be able to keep him safe from whatever was happening with his ability.
Neither of them had any idea what that was, which meant that Vale couldn’t come up with a plan to protect his boyfriend.Hell, right now,hewas the one hurting Cyril.He knew how to stop doing that, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
He would have to, eventually.
* * * *
CYRIL KEPT AN EYE ONwhat was happening in the living room, just in case.He didn’t think Vale would hurt John, but how could he be sure?How could he be sure of anything when it came to Vale anymore?
He couldn’t forget the nightmare he’d seen last night.He hadn’t been able to get back to sleep, but Vale had, and Cyril had listened to him breathe as the hours ticked by.He was exhausted, which wasn’t helping his confusion and pain.He needed answers, but would Vale give them to him?
He hadn’t yet, even though Cyril had told him that he wanted to talk.Vale had been avoiding him, and now, it was Cyril’s turn to avoid Vale.As much as he wanted to know what Vale was hiding, he was also terrified to find out.He didn’t want it to change the way he viewed Vale.
Except that it already had.
Cyril didn’t know exactly what had happened between Vale and the Organization, but the fact that he wasn’t sure if he could trust his boyfriend meant that he was seeing him in a different light.He might not like it, but he couldn’t deny it.The nightmare had made it worse because now, when he looked at Vale, all he could see was him aiming a gun at an innocent girl.
