Luca wasn't sure he should be doing this.

He couldn't deny that last night had been good, but the time before that, he'd tried with his ex and…well, it had been so bad that all he'd felt was anxiety, pain, and the urge to throw up. Luca didn’t deny, as soon as he could, Luca had hurried away and avoided speaking or meeting Will for the rest of his time in Italy. Part of it was embarrassment at panicking, discovering in the process that he wasn't ready to do certain things with mere strangers, and the other part was… he didn't want to admit it either, but it was hard for him to trust people. So what if he dated other people after Will? It wasn't his fault he couldn't relax around the blonde.

That's why he hesitated, even though he knew it was unfair to compare the two of them. Or to compare anyone else and Elijah. Will had never invited him to eat in places he liked or taken him to see, or rather, rediscover the city as Elijah had that night. They ate ice cream, visited a natural park, and walked holding hands through moonlit streets. It had been such a peaceful and pleasant night that Luca forgot about what had happened in Italy or even the whole Daylla mess that he didn't even like to remember. But there they were, back in his room, backpacks and clothes thrown to the floor.

They hadn't even turned on the lights in their rush to get to the second floor of the house, heading towards his bed as fast as they could. Luca’s jacket and shirt came first, then Elijah did the same to himself, faster than Luca could keep up. 

He had gasped, feeling his legs go weak, because Elijah was already there against his back, touching him hard, skin to skin, hugging him from behind, lips against his neck kissing him softly, going back and forth to the nape of his neck and finding his earlobe, nibbling, slowly, the big and warm hands touching his chest, descending, reaching his hips and finally massaging him over his jeans to open the button of his pants. The buttons were next, Elijah opened them and undid the zipper, as though unwrapping a valuable gift. 

All Luca could do was watch and bite his lips, trying not to moan as he witnessed Elijah exploring his body, stuck halfway between uncertainty and desire. The truth was Luca still wasn't sure, he didn't know what was happening to him; one moment he wanted Elijah touching him with all the strength of his being and the next, he wasn't sure of anything. Luca just knew that he wanted Elijah to continue to hold him forever, but not to hurt or coerce him like other people had tried.

"What is it?” Elijah said against the skin of his shoulder, placing one more kiss there that made him shiver, his body relaxing without his permission.

"I don't know. I…”

“Hm.” Elijah murmured, moving slowly with him towards the bed. "Do you want to tell me something?"

Yes, he did. Luca wanted to say how he wasn't drunk enough to ignore his fears and that he had rejected anything sexual for more than one reason. But before they reached the bed, Elijah stopped in his tracks and kissed his neck one more time, so gently that Luca felt his heart double in size.

“I know you're afraid. I know I lost control in the past. But you can trust me.”

“Eli.” It had only been a kiss, a careless mistake in the past, and it seems that moment would haunt them for the rest of their lives. “It's not that. I…”

"So tell me. And I will give it to you. It doesn't matter what it is.”

Why was this so hard?

“I…”

"Is it about your ex?"

"He… he…”

Elijah stopped moving and even the air around them became still.

“What did he do to you?”

"Nothing!” Luca said, anxious. "It’s nothing.”

“Luca.”

"I mean it! Do you remember Jason, the friend I told you about? He stopped Will…”

That's when Elijah turned him around to face him and gripped his shoulders tightly, his eyes wide and fierce, looking at him, as if Elijah could to get the truth out of him that way.

"You lied to me. What else has this kid done, hm?”

“Elijah!” He didn't want to believe that Elijah was one of those people.

Elijah grabbed him by the arms and threw him onto the bed, pinning his hands above his head.

"Answer me!”

"He… he tied me up and… and took my clothes off… and when… when he was about to… Jason came, hit Will and untied me! Happy now!?”

As soon as he said that, Elijah released him and stopped touching him immediately. This surprised Luca, offended him and hurt him in equal measures. Was Elijah disgusted with him knowing another man had touched him? Was that what it means?

Then, the bed moved and Elijah touched him gently on the shoulder.

“No, baby, don't cry. I'm so sorry.”

"You don’t love me anymore?” Luca asked and buried his face in the pillow, trying to hold back the sobs.

“No, that's impossible. I don’t want that--"

“I just…don't like being tied up and…” Another sob, “It was awful when he tried…tried to penetrate me and…”

“Shhh, it's okay. I promise I won't touch you.”

He couldn't take it anymore! That wasn't what Luca wanted.

Crying like a baby, he crawled over to where Elijah was lying all tense and sat on his lap, hugging Elijah tight around the neck.

"I want you to touch me! I want you to fuck me until I can't walk, but… it hurt so bad! I don't want it to hurt. I want only you to touch me! Only you can kiss me! Only you… ah!”

Luca whimpered and arched his back as Elijah pulled him by his hair, bringing their faces close together.

“I should punish you. I should show you how a good boy should behave.”

“I’m--”

“I haven't finished. No matter who you fucked in Italy, you lied to me. Did you hide something important because of embarrassment? Just ‘cause some random boy deceived and humiliated you? What happened? I want the truth.”

"I'm telling the truth.” Luca turned his face away and shut up, he refused to talk. It wasn't Elijah's business what he had done.

“It’s gonna be like this? Since when did you start lying to me?”

“I… I didn't lie about not liking it.”

"Did you agree to do something and regret it?"

Luca nodded, feeling his face heat up.

"You didn't trust him?"

He nodded again.

“I thought I was ready… and…” Luca shrugged. “Then Jason heard me scream and… saw me strapped to the bed …he hit Will and Will was furious. Will came after me later but I didn't want to explain what had happened so I broke up with him and Will got even angrier.”

"So you played with the boy, dumped him and let people think this Will was the one to blame?"

"I didn't mean to do this, I just…”

“Luca.”

Elijah knew him too well.

***

"So you played with the boy, dumped him and let people think this Will was the one to blame?"

"I didn't mean to do this, I just…”

“Luca.”

Elijah knew him too well.

He hated it when Elijah spoke to him like that, serious and rigid, all authoritative. He felt like a scolded and helpless little boy, waiting for the punishment. It was crystal clear, and made him see, Luca would do anything for Elijah to forgive him. It was nothing new.

Then, taking a deep breath, Luca said:

"I’m really sorry. I would never do that to you.”

“You already did.” Elijah said and looked at him steadily and hard, still holding him by the hair in a painful way that didn't really hurt. Elijah was right, he had done it, he had run away without an explanation, and  since then he regretted it every day. If necessary, he would spend the rest of his life apologizing.

“How can I redeem myself?”

"I don't know.”

"Please. I’ll do anything.”

"Anything?” Then Elijah smiled at him and let go of his hair, settling himself against the bedframe. “Take off your pants.”

Luca did as Elijah asked. He got up, took off his pants, underwear and socks and went back to bed about to sit on Elijah's lap when he was stopped.

Elijah grabbed him by the shoulder and with the same smirk, he said, "On your stomach. On my lap.”

"I don't get it.”

“Soon you will.”

Still confused, Luca laid back against Elijah's legs and waited.

Moments later, it all made sense.

First, he felt Elijah arrange himself against the headboard of the bed, then, with one hand, Elijah held his hair and with the other, slid down his back, reaching his ass.

"Are you still willing to go on?"

“Eli?”

“I spoiled you a lot. Allowing you to do whatever you want.”

"I didn't want to… I never…”

"Will you obey?"

"Wait!”

“Last chance. Yes or no?”

He didn't know, okay!? It was a lot of pressure for him to handle. It's just, Luca always wanted to try that with Elijah, but he didn't want it to be like this, a punishment instead of fun.

“Luca?” Elijah said again, his tone remaining firm and calm.

“I don't know.” Luca finally said, defeated. “I trust you.”

And then, mere seconds later, Elijah's heavy hand cracked against his right cheek, drawing a moan from him that Luca made a point of muffling against the pillowcase.

“You are enjoying this. I can’t believe it.” Elijah said, his voice sounding amazed and annoyed at the same time. Which didn't matter in the end, because two more slaps came, one after the other. Luca swore he was trying to control himself and not show how much he was enjoying it. Yet, he couldn't help himself. Luca squirmed, rubbing one leg against the other, trying to hide the effect the spankings had had on him.

He heard Elijah gasp and settle him in his lap, Elijah’s jeans brushing against his exposed cock, and all Luca could do was to hold on to the bedding to keep him from coming from the rough treatment.

“Are you ready to talk?” Elijah's voice sounded low in his ears, making him shiver.

"I've already said everything I wanted to."

"Who else did this to you?"

Shit! How did Elijah know?

Elijah shifted sideways and this time the crack reverberated through the entire room, making him actually shout, arching his spine. When he didn't say anything, Elijah continued, his hands hitting his skin and massaging the spot until he almost...almost...

"You told me to live my life! That's what I did!” Luca screamed this time, trying to control himself, squirming all over, feeling the pleasure come faster than he expected. Until Elijah stopped suddenly, keeping him at the peak of the ecstasy to end the spanking without warning.

“All I want is the truth, Luca.”

"What good will it do!?" he yelled again, frustrated, trying to obey.

"You think you can lie to me? The more you hide, the more I want to know.”

“Elijah! I don’t want to talk about this!”

"Then, I guess you don’t want to come."

"You won't do this to me!"

"Want to bet?"

Elijah grabbed him around the waist, turned him over on the bed and then had him sit on his lap, his cock exposed to the cold air of the room, holding him immobile with his ass burning against Elijah's jeans.

“Elijah!”

“I won't encourage that kind of attitude.”

"What attitude?"

“That's why I'm so jealous, you always do that. Flirting with everyone and ignoring the problem when it gets serious.”

"I don’t do this. Do I…?”

"You’ll drive me crazy!"

"I didn’t mean--"

"You never do! That’s the problem.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Be sincere. Is it too much to ask?”

“I… I didn't know how to tell you. How could I say, ‘Look, Elijah. Don’t get mad. I got needy and let some boys touch me in ways I'm ashamed to admit."

“It doesn't seem so difficult now.” Elijah muttered, gripping him tighter around the waist. Luca even feared to know what would happen in the next few days. "Why do you do this to me?”

"I didn't want you to think that I… that I am…”

"A whore who offers herself to anyone who pays attention to you?"

Luca looked out the window and tried to hold whatever was struggling to break free from his chest.

“Luca, I don't care. You can be my sweet Luca and you can be this sensual being who likes to tease people. I'm sad that you felt the need to hide that part from me.”

"I didn’t want hide things from you. It just…”

"I know that you don’t. I never thought you were an angel. All I ask is honesty.”

“I know.”

“I don't want to hurt you, but I also don't want to treat you like a crystal. Don’t run away from me. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Luca said, relaxing against Elijah's chest. "I promise I'll be the most honest person in the world."