Sex in C Major
Chapter 23

Yannis, scribbling on sheets set up on the piano, didn't so much as glance round.

"Yan," Daz scolded, following with the other two plates and banging them down on the table. "Food. Now."

"In a "

"Now."

Stefan's only grasp of other languages was about six words of French half-remembered from school. But what Yannis said in reply-albeit not in English or French-didn't require much translation to get the idea.

"I don't care," Daz said. "I know you, later never comes."

Yannis performed an eye-roll worthy of an Oscar, but put the pen down and dragged the piano stool with him, taking up residence on the end of the table. The plates made it crowded, and Stefan kept his elbows tucked tight to his sides for fear of bumping Boyfriend and setting off the nuclear explosion that should have happened.

Only to blink wide-eyed at Daz when Daz said: "Stefan thinks you're scary."

"Oh, is that his name?"

Yannis didn't even look up from his plate, and his voice was as bland as though they were discussing the weather. Not-not sleeping with other people.

"Well, yeah."

"You didn't actually say, you know."

"Well, he was calling you Boyfriend."

Yannis' eyes flicked up to catch Stefan's. They were dark. Nearly black, in fact-pools of ink framed by brilliant whites, only to be encircled yet again by dark skin and darker eyelashes.

"I was calling you Drunk."

"Sorry about that," Stefan mumbled. "I didn't-I didn't know anyone else lived here that night."

"Do you even remember coming here that night?"

"No."

"Because you would have known."

"We...met?"

"Mm. The two of you woke me up. I came out to help get you up the stairs, and you turned to Daz and said he mustn't tell me that he'd been groping your thigh in a bar." Daz coughed awkwardly. Stefan felt heat rising up his face again.

"I_"

"I did say he knew about you," Daz said awkwardly.

"I don't get it," Stefan blurted out. "I mean you're okay with that? Your-your boyfriend groping other people in bars, and..."

"Yes."

The bland reply threw Stefan off. It was that weather tone again.

"But but why?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"People's...people's partners shouldn't be sleeping with other people."

"Mine does."

"You should...you should get mad about that!"

"Why? You weren't worried."

Stefan blinked. "I what?"

"You knew about me, too. But it didn't stop you. You thought you were sleeping with Daz behind my back, but it didn't stop you. If anything, it egged you on. That day in the cafe-would that have been as good if I hadn't been sitting out front?"

Stefan's jaw sagged. "You knew about that."

"Doesn't take ten minutes to piss."

"Oh God."

"So you didn't care Daz had someone else. And I didn't care that he was going into the bathroom to get blown. Sounds like we're both on the same page."

"But we shouldn't be," Stefan said desperately. "That's-that's not normal! None of this is normal!"

Yannis...sniggered.

The sudden break in the sombre, almost severe expression was a shock. His eyes crinkled at the corners. His mouth twisted up, asymmetrical but oddly beautiful all the same. His teeth flashed. And he laughed. Not long-barely more than a chuckle-but he laughed all the same.

Stefan stared.

"Normal is seriously overrated," Daz said evenly.

"And a lie," Yannis added.

"W-what-"

"Whose normal are you working from? Yannis' family would think me locking either of you in the house and regulating your clothes, your money, your job-that's all fine and normal. Even beating you would be normal. Just not the bit where I had sex with either of you. My family, they'd abhor the control and the violence, but Christ, sex is still baby-making to them. It's filthy. It's not normal to enjoy it. So what normal do you have?"

Stefan's mouth worked soundlessly.

Then, for a lack of anything else to say, he looked to Yannis.

"That...would be normal?"

"Don't ask," Daz said sharply.

Stefan swallowed. "Um-"

"What normal are you working from, then?"

"People...people have one partner. Not...someone else on the side. And and people...people don't want to be..."

He stopped himself, glancing uncertainly at Yannis.

"To be what?" Daz coaxed.

"To be..."

"What, Stefan?"

"Raped," Stefan whispered eventually. "They-they don't fantasise about...about being kept prisoner, or or rented out, or r-raped."

"Key word," Daz said quietly, "is fantasy."

"What?"

"Nobody wants to be raped. Including you. You want the thrill of pretending, you like your sex rough, you replace roleplay exciting, you replace a powerful guy a turn-on. There's nothing weird about any of that. But if a total stranger actually burst into your house and raped you, you'd not enjoy it."

Stefan licked his lips. He wanted to ask how Daz knew that. What if he did enjoy it? What if—

"You overthink," Daz said firmly. "Stop wondering what's normal and ask if you enjoy it. You enjoy what we do."

"Yes."

"You enjoy it even though you knew from the beginning about Yan."

"Yes. And that's wrong! That's "

"Not on you."

"What?"

"It's not on you if the other guy has a partner. Takes two to tango. If I didn't want anyone but Yan, I'd not be sleeping with you."

The bald statement and right in front of Yannis, Jesus-made Stefan flinch. But Yannis was bent over his plate, shovelling the rice-couscous-maybe-lamb dish like they were still discussing the weather.