La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Chapter 5.2

A/N: whoo this week has flown by. Some little emotional angst - remember: Gabriel is such an unreliable perspective; the sweet, naïve thing (though, shhh, he's fun to write because of that. I feel like I have butterflies in my head)

Gabriel felt heavy when he awoke. When he looked at his phone and realized he'd slept for twelve hours, he would have leapt out of the bed in shock and guilt, except his limbs would barely work.

He managed to drag himself up, having a shower that saw him sitting in the bottom of the tub for most of it, though he felt vaguely more human when he'd finished and was dressed comfortably.

He did jump when he went to the living room and saw Henry bustling in the kitchen, making pancakes.

"I didn't know you were still here. Why are you still here? Don't you have tutoring?"

Gabriel was impressed by how well he kept the frustration out of his tone, but Henry still glanced up at him, a flash of something dark passing over his face.

"Not until this afternoon, I thought you could use a proper breakfast. You were dead to the world. You must have been tired."

"I was."

Gabriel itched to say something more. To enter into the discussion he knew was needed. But the anger was back to thrumming under his skin, and he didn't want to make accusations that would lead to Henry becoming angry.

"Will you be home earlier tonight?"

There was a flash of guilt that time, and Henry shook his head.

"I don't think so, my student is needing more than I expected."

Gabriel sucked in a breath. "I need you too, you know?"

"Not like he does. You're already the best."

"Not for tutoring, Henry! I need you to be with me. I feel like you're so distant."

"Don't be silly, Gabriel. I'm not distant. But I have to work hard. You might have almost finished with your schooling, but this is my job. I have to take it seriously even if you won't."

"Of course I take it seriously. But you aren't being here for me."

"If you accept I have responsibilities, stop acting like such a child about it. You have to take responsibility too."

Gabriel felt the injustice deep and tried to ignore the bite of tears behind his eyes. "You like it when I let you look after that stuff for me. You like it that I need you. But not when it really counts, is that it?"

Henry hissed, turning angry eyes on Gabriel. "You are behaving very badly, Gabriel, and very selfishly. You aren't being good at all right now. I really don't think I can be around you."

Henry flicked off the stove imperiously, storming away from Gabriel and out the door while he just stared after him in shock.

He was almost relieved when returned to the bedroom, slumping onto the unmade bed, and saw he had a message from Sawyer.

>How do you feel? Did you talk?

He stared at the words, shame buzzing through him. But Sawyer wouldn't judge. He'd been nothing but kind. Still, he didn't want to just come out and admit how badly everything had gone, so he focused on the first question.

>I slept for a long time, still a bit groggy

>Well, you clearly needed it. Make sure you take two before bed tonight too