“Good boy.“ Elijah had said, still inside Luca. He allowed himself to enjoy the moment, but when the sensitivity came, he was forced to slide out of Luca, watching the semen drip down his dark skin.

He was still angry, slightly bothered by the way Luca had made him lose control. But now seeing Luca sprawled on the mattress as if he had run a marathon and still with tears streaming down his dark eyes, Elijah had made up his mind, he would never again let his feelings interfere in his relationship with Luca; Elijah loved his little liar who preferred to hide what he really wanted if it would ensure that people liked him.

Elijah took a deep breath and let his hands leave Luca's hair, laying down next to him, about to get out of bed in search of something to clean Luca with. That is, he would have gotten up if Luca hadn't whimpered, holding onto his arm, his eyes already filling with tears.

“Where are you going? Am I forgiven?“ Luca blinked slowly, looking like he would burst into tears if he didn't hear what he wanted to hear.

What could Elijah say? In the end, crocodile tears always worked; it made him smile, knowing that it always calmed his sweet baby. Elijah leaned in once more and kissed him softly on the lips, stroking Luca's hair.

“There is nothing to forgive.”

“Eli.”

“Beautiful.“ Elijah kissed him again and again until Luca relaxed back into bed, still on his stomach, his dark eyes half-closed, lazy with sleep.

“Don't leave me.”

“Not even to go to the bathroom?”

Luca shook his head, burying his face in the pillow. He took Elijah's hand and brought it to his own neck, in the exact place where Elijah had held him moments ago.

Elijah understood everything and began to caress him there, slowly and gently, going up through his hair and down his long neck, listening to Luca purr like a cuddly kitten.

“We're not done talking yet.”

“Sorry.“ Luca mumbled, his voice coming out muffled.

“What are you hiding that makes you hesitate so much, hm?”

“How can you love me after this? How could anyone?“ Luca finally raised his head and looked at him, all tearful.

“Luca.”

“I feel like a dirty slut who doesn't need to charge for sex, but does it because she likes it.”

“What's wrong with liking it?”

“I'm a fake! Everyone thinks I'm this... this pure being... and look at me now!“ Luca buried his face in the pillow again and complained, but it seemed like his tears were running out. He must have been very relaxed to be able to get angry.

“Luca!“ Elijah ended up laughing and Luca whimpered back, indignant. He then caressed Luca's bare back and Luca surrendered, melting in his hands, getting a little closer.

“That's not fair! You never take me seriously.“ Luca turned his back to the bed and looked at him, making an adorable face, and realizing his state, he tried to pull the covers over himself, hiding the bite marks and finger marks on his skin. Luca would have succeeded if Elijah hadn't stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulder, sliding his hands until they reached the back of Luca's neck, pulling him close to him, bringing their foreheads together.

“I take you seriously, I swear I do. Actually, I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have treated you like that.”

“Treated me how?”

“Don't you see the problem?”

“Hm?”

“Luca, I hit you, I threw you on the bed. I did something you didn't want.”

“I…“ Luca blinked slowly, and surprised him by not looking away from his. “I liked it. It just… it wasn't a good experience when they tried to tie me up. I don't mind trying it with you. I got scared, you've never been violent with me. I liked it. I liked it a lot.”

“Don't do this to me.“ Elijah begged, trying to stop those ideas from forming in his head.

“I want you to hit me again. You can throw me on the bed as many times as you want. Just promise me that you will always love me.“ Luca said, his expression all open and vulnerable, and unfortunately Elijah knew, Luca wasn't lying.

“I love you. Always. Even when you drive me crazy.”

Luca looked away from him for a moment and when he looked back at him, he was biting his lips, as if he wasn't sure about something.

“I want… I want to satisfy you… and if… and if making me cry or making me scream is what pleases you… I don't mind.”

Elijah gasped, trying not to show how his body was reacting to those words, but how could he resist when Luca spoke in that almost innocent way and in the sweetest, most affable voice?

“I don't want to make you cry.”

“Liar.” Luca said, a smile beginning to appear on his soft features. “I don’t want you to hold back because of me.”

“You have to do the same.”

Luca bit his lip and seemed to think about it, his small hands coming to rest on Elijah's shoulders.

“I don't know if I can. How could I say these things?”

“You don't seem to have any problems at the moment.”

“It's because I'm... I'm floating on endorphins. I don't know how long it will last.”

“What would make you feel better?”

“I love it when you touch me anywhere.”

“Where?”

“On my neck. On my hand. On my wrist. On… on my waist.”

“Like this?“ Elijah slid his lips down Luca's face and kissed the side of his neck, applying light pressure there.

“Hmhmm “ Luca sighed, closing his eyes. “I love it when… when you tell me what to do, when… when you take control.”

Elijah paused for a moment and let his breath out. With Luca, it was always hard to know if he was doing what he wanted or if Luca was doing what others expected of him. It was best to take it slow.

“I want you to know. You can tell me anything. I'll be jealous, but I'll never judge you.”

Luca let out a happy, sly little laugh and turned towards Elijah, resting his head on his shoulder.

“Only if you tell me too.”

“It's a deal, then.”

He kissed Luca's cheek, got up and went to the bathroom. When he came back with a warm, damp towel, Luca was finally asleep, curled up on his side of the bed with a sweet smile on his lips.

Extra - Getting to know each other

Another scene in the past, from when Elijah and Luca met.

Elijah looked around, making sure no one was following him and left the empty classroom. That was the price to pay for not seeing his mother crying in the corners and calling herself a failure.

Ever since his family's restaurant had become a five-star, the persecution had begun. People who had never spoken to him now wanted to be his friend, and his best friends began to treat him like he was royalty. No matter where he went, everyone knew his name, trying to get him a reservation on behalf of other adults. Elijah had learned very quickly how to sneak past these people who now made up almost everyone he knew. And do you know what was worse? These people weren't interested in his mother's food, but in whoever frequented the restaurant. It was so unfair! Even to go to the bathroom, crowds would follow him without giving him a moment's peace. Noah was so lucky! He had already graduated from high school and was about to graduate from college. All that was left for Elijah to deal with was the gossip and self-interested people.

Looking once more at the empty hallway, Elijah put his cell phone in his pocket and entered the bathroom.

Ah, finally. Silence. Just him and the urinal. He unzipped his pants and… and heard a groan. Very close to him. He turned his face and there were three boys in a circle. He saw that one of them was unzipping his own pants.

Well, that was none of his business.

“No, please. I… I…”

“You what? Are you going to tell your little sister? Your daddy?”

“Please!”

Elijah sighed and walked towards them. His mother hadn't raised him to see someone being abused.

He stopped behind them, in front of the mirror, and saw what was happening. A boy with the softest, most feminine features he had ever seen tried to cover his face and cowered against the wall. He was so small that reacting to those boys would be stupid. The problem was that Elijah was so distracted by the boy's beauty that he ended up missing the moment when one of the boys grabbed his own member and pointed towards the boy on the floor.

“What are you guys doing?“ Elijah finally said.

The boys were startled and jumped away, covering themselves as best they could.

“We… hey, aren’t you that rich kid?”

It was just what he needed, hm?

“I said, what are you doing?”

“It's not what it looks like.”

“Oh, isn't it? How do you explain that?”

The three boys and Elijah looked at the little boy on the floor who was hiding his face and crying desolately.

“You know what? I don't want to know. If I catch you doing this again…”

“You have no proof!”

“Do you want to bet?”

The boys looked at each other and after a few moments, they ran off. Finally he could do what he needed to do and leave.

That is, if the little boy hadn't lifted his face and looked at him with those deep, dark eyes, puffy and shiny. Hair slightly curled in black waves and the most beautiful, reddish lips he had ever seen. He admitted he had frozen, appreciating the sight. Elijah, who had never been interested in anyone in his eleven years of life, found himself enchanted. And even when the little boy bit his lip and looked at him, still sprawled on the bathroom floor, Elijah couldn't stop staring.

“You didn’t have to,” the little boy mumbled, snuggling closer against the wall near the sink.

“I… it was the right thing to do.“ That was the truth, it was the right thing to do, but what wasn’t right was admiring the beautiful little boy, especially in a situation like that. He felt like a monster. “What’s your name?”

“Luca. Niccolas.”

Hmm… Italian. They say it’s the language of love.

“Elijah Roberts.”

“Oh.“ Luca said, looking him up and down, his high cheeks heating up even more . “You're not going to do what those boys wanted to do… are you?”

“What did they want to do?”

Luca looked down and Elijah followed his gaze.

Oh, indeed, his zipper was still open, but now there was a certain…bulge there.

“I'm not like those boys.”

“Don’t you?“ Luca still looked doubtful, although he himself had a bulge in his pants. A much smaller one that Elijah seemed to be analyzing more closely than he should.

“I'm not.“ He turned around, trying to convince himself, and walked to the urinal.

He pulled down his underwear and tried to concentrate. No one had warned him that it would be difficult to relieve himself with an erection on the way. He took a deep breath, relaxed, and finally managed it. When he went back to the sink, intending to wash his hands, he saw that the little boy was still on the floor, watching him approach.

Luca had watched him… go to the bathroom? Since the area was quite open, it was impossible not to see what was going on.

“Do you need help?” Elijah said as he washed his hands, staring at both of their reflections in the mirror. Luca looked scared and embarrassed, while he himself was all serious and almost absent, showing no emotions .

“No! I mean, I'm fine. Thank you.”

“Ok, then.”

Elijah dried his hand and turned toward the exit. He had offered to help, hadn't he? From now on it wasn't his responsibility what happened to Luca.

We'll continue in the next chapter!