Sex in C Major
Chapter 98

Glanced at the open hand. Back up to Yannis' calm, blank face.

And nodded.

Immediately, Stefan flinched. Those warm calluses touched his breast and cupped the weight. His stomach rolled as the flesh shifted. Wobbled like a bag of milk. A fatty lump of disgusting, parasitic flesh-

"You don't like that."

The hand dropped. Stefan took a deep breath, pushing back the nausea, and shook his head. Tears burned in the backs of his eyes. Fre-

"Perfectly normal."

The word cut off.

"What?"

"Most trans men don't. But you do like this."

The pinch was sharp. Finger and thumb. The dangerous edge of nail. And the other hand was suddenly on Stefan's throat, gripping him by the neck. Firm. Dangerous.

The hot rush of lust was immediate. The whimper was thin, and turned to a gasp when Yannis rolled the caught nipple. Toying with it. Playing. The sharp tug was like an electric shock, and Stefan found himself caught by dark, disinterested eyes. Cold.

The hand dropped from his neck. The other from his tit. But Stefan simply leaned forward-and caught.

Yannis' lips were soft. Silken. So strangely smooth and untouched they felt strange and alluring. It was nothing like the rough kisses that Daz would bestow, or the worshipful ones that Stefan was meant to leave on cock heads and hard shafts.

It was-sweet.

Gentle. Tender. And over.

Because Yannis' hands took him by the shoulders, and pulled him firmly away.

"You don't love him, do you?" Stefan whispered.

Yannis blinked.

Then the spell was broken, and Stefan felt heat flooding his face. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

"No, I don't."

Stefan's mouth worked soundlessly, then he closed it. Waiting.

"Not the way he loves me. Not the way you would expect me to."

"You were never...in love with him?"

"No."

"So why..."

"I was a teenager. He was charming, sweet, I thought I ought to have a boyfriend by now, so I agreed to go out with him. What I feel for Darian is...very much what I would feel for a very close friend. I do care for him. I do love him, in the same way I love my friends. I want to have him around, and I want to hear about his day, and I want him to be happy. But-no. I'm not in love with him. I never have been."

"Because you're "

"Are you?"

Stefan paused.

In love? "No."

"Why not?"

"I"

Why indeed.

"It feels weird when he's...affectionate with me," Stefan whispered. "I want I want the sex. All of that. But when he just...hugs me, or kisses me I don't want a boyfriend."

"So, sex aside, you like him well enough but no more than a close friend?"

Stefan stared up at those dark, dark eyes.

"What is that?" he whispered.

"Aromanticism."

"What's that?"

"Well. If asexuality is lack of sexual attraction, then aromanticism is lack of romantic attraction."

Lack of...

"Lack of being in love," Stefan breathed.

"Ever met someone you want to hug and touch and date and wrap up in your pocket?"

"No."

"But you've met men you want to fuck, right?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Just men?"

"Yes."

"Sounds like an aromantic gay to me."

"And-and you're "

"Shorthand is aro ace. Less of a mouthful," Yannis said.

So-so Stefan was a-

"That's a thing?"

"Yep."

He was something. There was a word for it.

And Yannis was just looking at him, all calm and collected, like he had these conversations every day, like nothing surprised him at all-and Stefanwanted him, wanted to feel that conviction on his own skin.

"Please," Stefan whispered, still spellbound by that dark gaze. "Can I-just-can we "

"No."

"Please."

Stefan's voice sounded desperate, even to his own ears.

Yannis' mouth creased in a smile, but it was gentler than the usual smirk.

"I'll tell you what," he said softly, getting up and crossing to the coffee table. He opened one of the drawers below it, and fished out a reel of picture wire. "If you're very good, and Darian agrees when he comes home, then I will join in the next time he makes use of you. But if you want me, you have to see to Darian, too. Alright?"

"Yes. Please."

"You're not mine, so you'll have to wait for him."

"Okay. I'll wait. And then-then we can...?"

"If you're good."

"I'll be good."

The bite of the wire around his wrists was sharp and painful, but Stefan stayed perfectly still as they were bound behind his back.

"You're going to be silent," Yannis said smoothly as he worked. "You're not going to make a single sound until I'm finished. You're just going to listen."

Stefan sucked his lips in, bit them tightly, and nodded.