La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Chapter 1.1

The music was swelling; the audience in silence, leaning forward in their seats. Some - most - appreciated the quality of the playing or the complexity of the composition. A few looked on with pride at their loved ones on the stage, achieving so much; hard work turning into expertise.

Gabriel had his own admirer out there, though that wasn't what he was thinking of, no matter how appreciative he was over what Henry had done for him. Given up for him. Instead, he let his body move in time with the notes he drew from his instrument, swaying as he slid the bow to produce the warm, low pitch that resonated through the auditorium, beneath the higher pitch of the violins. He didn't hold back the small smile, allowed his joy to be revealed in a way he rarely did outside playing.

He couldn't see into the audience, not that he'd have looked anyway. It wasn't about them for him. Not about applause, or accolades, even if they were what Henry pushed him to achieve. It wasn't even really about sharing. He would be happy if he were the only person in the high-vaulted room, and his cello the only sound he could hear.

The bright stage lights prevented peering out, anyway, even if his eyes hadn't been closed and his head only in the sonorous notes. He couldn't see Henry, seated to the front left of the stage with all of the other tutors and professors, though he knew he was there. Henry came to every performance, even the ones that were far less illustrious than this. There was no one else out there for him anyway. No one else left.

The section completed, fading away for a moment until the lighter woodwind section entered with a low push of air. Gabriel opened his eyes, stilling and breathing deeply after his extended movement. He glanced across to where Ellis was poised over his piano keys, receiving a bright grin back, although Gabriel just smiled softly before closing his eyes again.

* * * * *

In the sixth row, Sawyer's eyes never left the beautiful boy playing first cello. He had seen the back of François Girard's moronic head in the first row as soon as he came in, next to the committee from the London Philharmonic, his eyes rarely leaving the pretty little jock on the piano, and he had no intention of drawing his attention. But still, Sawyer couldn't stop staring at the cello-boy, who screamed innocence, from his huge eyes framed by messy bangs, to the battered black and white sneakers mainly hidden by over-long pants.

"Why?" Greg whispered, leaning in to prevent getting tutted at by the white-haired woman on his other side, who had already glared several times at him for spreading his legs too wide in the narrow seats.

"Why not?" Sawyer whispered back, shrugging and shifting away. Greg knew him well and had clearly recognized the light of desire in his eyes. He just echoed Sawyer's shrug and sat back, watching the stage again with bored eyes, clearly aware it was a pointless question.

This wasn't his scene. Sawyer wasn't exactly sure why he'd leaped on the chance to take Matthew's ticket when a work emergency had arisen. He did suspect it was an attempt to clamber onto Sawyer's good side, like the creepy little toad he was. Sawyer had seen the calculation when Greg had noted the anger at Matthew letting him down. Whatever the reason, it wasn't Sawyer's issue to care about, so he stopped thinking about it. Instead, he focused back on the sweet thing on stage; so ripe. So very, very corruptible. And he imagined what those soft pink lips, currently slightly parted as full concentration was given to the music, would feel like, stretched obscenely around his cock.

* * * * *

Henry sighed. Gabriel had missed the change by a quarter of a beat. Most of the plebeian crowd wouldn't spot it, but the judges from the London Philharmonic would. There were representatives from a few smaller orchestras too, but that wasn't good enough. Gabriel was the best – he'd crafted him into being the best – and he'd achieve this, Henry was certain. Provided, of course, he could keep his head properly in the music.