Chapter Text
A gentle chime sounded through the general store as Adrien pushed the front door open with his back. Both of his arms were currently occupied with carrying a large crate of fresh fruit, having brought it all the way from one of the farms on the outskirts of Westwood.
“Delivery,” he announced.
“Is that you, Lord Adrien?” the store’s owner, Tomas, asked from where he was wiping down the check-out counter near the back.
“You know as well as I do that I’m not a lord.”
“Well, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you around these parts, I thought you might have gone and forgotten all about us little folks.” Despite his words, he grinned widely, letting the boy know he was only teasing. It had been a few months since Adrien last saw the kindly, older man, though he could have sworn his hair and beard looked even grayer than he remembered.
“I would never. I’ve just been a bit busy is all.”
“Right. I heard the news. To think, the little boy who used to run odd jobs for me turned out to be a mage.”
“Where would you like me to set this down?” Adrien asked, turning his face away to hide his embarrassment.
“Over by the front window display, if you would.”
The general store wasn’t very large, stocking only the most basic of necessities with just a few luxury items like chocolates and perfumes. While Tomas had been known to procure goods from Avilona’s capital, Highmore, on occasion, he prioritized dealing with the local producers of their small town first and foremost. Fresh produce and handmade goods got the seats of honor in this store.
Once the heavy crate was finally released, Adrien let out a small sigh of relief. A year ago, a simple delivery like this wouldn’t have strained him so much, but now carrying such a large load all the way into town left his arms sore and his forehead beaded with sweat. It really had been too long since he’d done a job for Tomas.
He used to spend most of his days outside, either in town, running errands for the general store, or just wandering around the surrounding forest. Anything to get him out of the Trovamire mansion. But ever since he manifested his magical talent, his life has changed so much. It had been a few months since then, and when things finally started to calm down, at least somewhat, he suddenly felt stifled from staying on the mansion grounds for so long, having spent most of that time studying. When he’d overheard some of the staff gossiping to each other about this and that, and what was going on in the town, and how one maid’s friend who worked at a farm needed a delivery to be made, he’d practically leapt at the opportunity to get outside, even if only for a little bit. It was a much-needed break from his regular schedule.
“How much do you want for your labor?” Tomas asked.
“No charge, just took the excuse to visit,” Adrien answered honestly.
“Now we can’t be having that.” He nodded at the fruit crate. “Go on then, take your regular payment.”
It took him a moment to realize what he was referring to, but when he did, he cracked a small smile and plucked an apple from the top of the bin, biting into its red skin. It was the first thing he’d had to eat all day and it didn’t dawn on him just how hungry he was until right now. As the sweet juice filled his mouth, he couldn’t help but be reminded of the old days, when the kind store owner would reward him with similar treats for completing whatever task he had given him.
He wished he could go back to that time.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” he said.
“Now that I’ve got you here,” Tomas started, getting back to wiping down the counter. “I did want to ask you; what’s your opinion on your sister’s fiancé?”
Half-sister, Adrien thinks, but doesn’t correct the man. Of course he was curious; Theodosia Trovamire’s engagement was the talk of Westwood, even though the wedding itself wasn’t anytime soon. It’s not every day that a noblewoman married a commoner, but it was especially gossip-worthy to the residents of the small town as the handsome stranger she was engaged to came from Highmore. A big city man.
“Mister Demetrius?” he said in between bites, wiping the juice from his mouth with the back of his hand. “I don’t really speak to him that often, but he’s always been kind to me.”
He didn’t speak to Theodosia all that often either, but that was beside the point.
Tomas nodded approvingly. “Well, anyone who’s kind to our Lord Adrien has my blessing. And how has your training been going?”
His whole body tensed at the reminder. That’s right, he had a lesson later that day. Soon.
He took his time swallowing before answering. “Good. I have a lot more control now than when I started.”
When he spontaneously manifested his magic less than a year ago, he had accidently set fire to the mansion’s stable, nearly burning it down. Fortunately, he hasn’t caused an incident that big since. The first few magic lessons he had had been disastrous, breaking several objects as he tried desperately to get a hold on his newfound power, but over time he’d steadily improved under the guidance of his tutor.
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve learned?” Tomas encouraged.
“Right now?”
He nodded eagerly. Magic in and of itself was rare and, aside from his tutor, Adrien was the only mage in all of Westwood. The man had likely never seen one in action before.
Unsure of what to do, having been put on the spot so suddenly, his eyes drifted down to the apple core still in his hand. Summoning a small amount of energy, he concentrated on lifting it up with levitation.
Magic swirled from his fingertips and around his hand, his area of concentration, a white-gold colored mist that glowed softly. The same color tinted his vision like a filter, and though he couldn’t see himself, he knew his eyes were glowing as well. The apple core in front of him slowly rose into the air, coming to hover about a foot over his open palm.
“Wow,” Tomas said breathlessly, his gaze darting between Adrien and the core, as if he couldn’t decide which was more fascinating in that moment.
Not wanting to disappoint the man, he spurred the core forward, using his magic to float it over to the check-out counter, and making it spin a couple times in the air for good measure. It was fun being able to exercise his ability like this; he didn’t often get the opportunity to. Before he got too carried away, he set it down gently on the wooden surface in front of Tomas, letting the glow dissipate.
He whistled. “Well done, Adrien. You’ll make a proper master mage one day.”
“Thank you,” he said, before grimacing when he noticed the clock on the wall behind him. “Ah, I’d better get going now. I’ll try to come by more often.”
“I’d like that,” he called after him as he left. “But don’t let me get in the way of your studies, you hear?”
The walk back to the mansion was long, but peaceful. None of the other townsfolk try to talk to him, though many throw glances his way. He can only guess as to what they think of him, but he tries not to dwell on it. It’s better than it used to be when he was younger; whispers that they thought he couldn’t hear, stares that they thought he wouldn’t catch. He’s less of a pariah now, though still an oddity. There weren’t many people in Westwood who looked like he did.
As he walked farther from the center of town, the tall buildings eventually gave way to trees, the cobblestone road underfoot turning to dirt. The path to the Trovamire estate was simple yet well-kept, and subtle grooves along the ground could be seen from the many carriages that had come in and out over the years. There were also many wildflowers lining the road, splotches of colors against the green grass, but he didn’t let himself enjoy the scenery. His magic lesson was due to start soon, and though he could feel his dread silently climbing with every step he took, he knew it would be worse if he was late.
Rounding a bend in the road, Adrien caught his first glimpse of the Trovamire mansion, a large and grand estate that seemed to tower over him as he approached. Despite having lived his entire life here, he never felt truly at home. He couldn’t help but view the house as another figure in his life casting judgement upon him, the many windows like glass eyes staring at him, the east and west wings extending out like fingers pointing at him.
A woman in a simple yet elegant burgundy dress was standing in front of the main entrance where a carriage was parked, and he faltered when he saw the young man who stepped out of it to greet her, his tall figure and black knight’s uniform unmistakable.
Damn, that’s right, he cursed himself for forgetting. Nicolas was coming home today. And of course that meant that Lady Eliza would come out to welcome him back. Though he lived and worked in Highmore most of the time, he would still come out of his way to visit his family every now and then.
He watched as the two embraced, feeling a familiar pang in his chest that he quickly squashed down. Focus, Adrien. He briefly debated trying to go around the house, maybe even use a servants’ hallway, but no, that would take too long and he was already antsy. Better to just steel himself and hope he could slip by unnoticed.
No such luck. Lady Eliza gave him a small nod as he approached, and he slowed down to join them on the stone front steps. He couldn’t just ignore her, not when a noblewoman just acknowledged him.
“Adrien, how was your time in town?” she asked out of politeness.
“It was nice, your ladyship. Sir Nicolas.” He respectfully bowed his head to each of them in turn, trying not to fidget under their gazes.
It was hard to ignore just how out of place he was when compared to the rest of his family. Out of all three of his siblings, Nicolas was the closest to him in age, though that still meant an eleven-year difference. His straight black hair and fair complexion made him the spitting image of Lady Eliza, a stark contrast to Adrien’s noticeably darker skin. The only thing they had in common, that all of the siblings had in common, were their green eyes, a trait they inherited from their father.
And of course, Adrien looked nothing like Lady Eliza, because he wasn’t her son.
“She must have been Mehvarian,” he’d heard townsfolk and mansion staff whisper about his mother behind his back, which was how he first learned about the foreign country to the west of Avilona.
Nicolas looked him up and down in an assessing manner. “Did you grow taller since I last saw you?”
“He is thirteen now,” Lady Eliza reminded him. “Soon enough he’ll be enrolling at Faergrove Academy. Are you on your way to your tutoring session?”
“Yes, my lady. Master Dominic is waiting for me in the greenhouse.”
“Then we shouldn’t keep you.” He took the nod that Nicolas gave him as a signal for his dismissal, and he had to fight against the urge to run.
That was the most he’d spoken to either of them the entire month. He usually tried his best to avoid the Trovamires, to stay out of their way as much as possible. He was the bastard of the house. He knew it would be better for them if they could just pretend he didn’t exist.
He made his way across the house, walking as quickly as he could through the entrance hall and out the back doors, into the perfectly maintained garden. A stone path led to the greenhouse, a large structure with stained glass windows that left rainbow-colored splotches on the grass from where the light bounced off of them. The glass also had the added effect of obscuring the view both inside and outside the greenhouse, which was part of the reason it was chosen as their location for practicing magic. It was secluded, detached from the main mansion, and whenever Adrien and Dominic were having a lesson, none of the staff were allowed in. The Trovamires also avoided intruding, so that he could focus on studying.
When they were in the greenhouse, the two of them were completely alone.
Pushing open the door, he unconsciously straightened up when he caught sight of the man standing with his back to him on the other side of the large, T-shaped room. Dominic Cline was a tall, intimidating man in his mid-twenties, built more like a knight than a mage, and though Adrien was only thirteen, he somehow knew that he would never be as big even when he reached the same age. The top of his head only came to about halfway up the man’s chest, and whenever he stood too close, he had to crane his neck back to meet his eyes, something he largely tried to avoid doing. He couldn’t see Dominic’s front, but from where he was, he could just make out the cover of a book he held open in one hand.
While outside the temperature was pleasantly cool, the inside of the greenhouse was always kept humid, a necessity for maintaining the various types of plant life the Trovamire’s kept. There weren’t many flowers here as opposed to the main garden, Lady Eliza instead preferring to use the space to house more exotic plants that needed special care. Large, leafy bushes and trees with vines crawling up them populated the sides of the room, framing the tiled floor that cut through the middle. Near the back was a small bubbling fountain as well as a seating area, intended for enjoying the greenery, made of wrought iron. It was previously made up of wicker furniture but had to be replaced following an accidental magical fire not long after the space was commandeered for Adrien’s tutoring sessions.
“Cutting it close, Mister Trovamire.” He froze in his tracks at the low voice, attention darting back to the man on the far side of the room. No matter what Dominic said, it always felt like a command to him, and he always flew into a panic deciding how best to obey.
“I-I’m sorry, Master.” He bit his lip, briefly considering trying to explain himself, but he knew it wouldn’t do him any good. “It won’t happen again.”
“I expect not.” He snapped the book shut and finally turned around to face him. Adrien often overheard the maids whispering about how handsome Dominic supposedly is, and to an extent he could agree, however first-hand experience with the man pushed handsome to be the absolute last thing he ever thought of to describe him. His expression was as stern as ever, his cold grey eyes seemingly permanently narrowed alongside his mouth pressed into a thin line. The stained glass window above him cast a deep blue light over his head, making his dark brown hair look black before he stepped forward.
“To begin our lesson today, I want you to demonstrate your handling of levitation.”
That’s how it always was with Dominic. He never wasted time on pleasantries. He didn’t care about how Adrien’s day was or where he had been prior. He had a job to do and that’s all that mattered.
Adrien breathed a mental sigh of relief as he hurried to close the distance between them. He just did levitation earlier at Tomas’ shop. This would be no problem for him. Dominic set the book he’d been holding down on the metal table and looked at him expectantly.
Levitation was a relatively simple form of magic, which is why he chose to demonstrate it to Tomas earlier. He just repeated the same steps as then, letting the magic course through him and out of his hands to lift the book into the air. He only had a few seconds to feel pleased with himself before he heard Dominic click his tongue.
“Your grasp is shaky,” he noted, and indeed, the book trembled as it hovered over the table. “You’re not grounding properly, so it’s taking more energy than it should.”
Adrien cursed at himself for forgetting. Grounding was one of the fundamentals of magic, something that Dominic had drilled into him in their earliest lessons. A mage needed to be physically connected to the earth in order to perform magic, to have a direct path to the ground. If any barrier obstructed the way, such as the tiled floor of the greenhouse, they had to first focus on strengthening the connection before channeling their energy. He hadn’t thought about it at the shop before, but he’d really believed he’d done it properly then.
“It’s a simple rule,” Dominic continued to lecture. “But one that can have devastating consequences if not followed. You remember what happens when a mage depletes all of their magical energy?”
“Magic fatigue,” he answered automatically, then at the look he gave him he scrambled to elaborate, “Characterized by exhaustion, dizziness, and- and headaches. Severe cases can lead to loss of consciousness and temporary paralysis.”
Dominic nodded. “Correct. Which is why it is always important that you ground properly. Do it again.”
He had Adrien do the spell again and again until he was satisfied. Repetition is the mother of learning, after all. Afterwards, they moved onto their current lesson, elemental magic. It was probably the area that he struggled in the most, as it was all too easy for him to accidentally lose control of a spell. That was another benefit of using the greenhouse as their classroom; the humidity and easy access to a water source would ensure any more freak fires that broke out would be quickly dealt with.
Under Dominic’s guidance, however, he had gotten a lot better. The man was a strict teacher, a master of his craft, and though Adrien was afraid of him, he couldn’t deny that he would be worse off without him. He needed Dominic.
The next two hours were split between listening to Dominic’s explanations on how to perform various spells and practicing them himself. By the time they were finished, his magical energy was almost completely used up. With constant training, he had steadily increased his capacity, now being able to do a lot more magic before his energy was depleted than when he had first manifested, but he was still nowhere near Dominic’s level.
Nevertheless, it was the end of their session at last. Between running across town and all of the magic practice, he was left exhausted and he looked forward to returning to his room to rest. He had only managed to take one step, however, before a strong hand seized his upper arm, causing his heart to leap into his throat.
“Just where do you think you’re going?” Dominic's low voice rumbled. “It’s time for your special lesson.”
At his words, Adrien felt his stomach churn, the apple he had eaten earlier threatening to come back up again. He should have known he wasn’t going to get off easy today.
He let himself be dragged over to a secluded corner of the greenhouse, where a wooden workbench was pressed against the wall, hidden from view by the large leaves of the tropical plants. It was probably where the gardener brought the flowers in from the grounds to make the arrangements that decorate the mansion, but he’s never asked. To him, only one thing ever happens here.
“Bend over the table,” Dominic instructed, and he obediently did as he was told, bracing his hands against the edge of the bench, about shoulder width apart, and leaning forward so his back curved in a slight arch.
Though he didn’t look back, he could see Dominic’s shadow cast over the table as he loomed behind him, and a shiver ran through him at his proximity, despite the humidity of the room.
“You know it’s more comfortable for you if you relax," he murmured close to his ear, and he fought back another shiver, his heart pounding in his chest. He was right, but doing so was easier said than done. It was hard to relax when he could feel his weight pressing against his back.
He took a shaky breath. No matter what he did, Dominic was still going to have his way, whether Adrien was prepared or not.
While he was still trying to calm himself down, fighting to get his trembling body under control, Dominic’s hands reached around his hips to the front buttons of his trousers, undoing them with practiced ease. He pushed the garment, along with his underclothes, down so that they pooled on the ground around his ankles.
No matter how many times he did this, he always felt horribly exposed, the humid air uncomfortably caressing his bare skin. His knees buckled, but he kept himself steady with the table.
He heard the rustling of fabric behind him, but he still didn’t dare look back. Early on, he figured out that it was better if he just didn’t look. He kept his gaze fixed firmly on the surface of the table, even when he felt Dominic’s large, rough hand wrap around his small dick, biting back the noise that involuntarily threatened to come out of him at the sensation, but there was nothing he could do to stop the flush that started to creep down his neck.
With his free hand, Dominic traced his index finger along his exposed crack, and Adrien wordlessly spread his legs farther apart, granting him easier access to his entrance. Compared to before Dominic became his master, his hole was a lot looser, and the man didn’t have to work as hard to prepare him anymore. He didn’t know how to feel about that; on one hand, it meant the whole process was blessedly shorter now, but it also meant his body had been molded and changed to suit Dominic’s liking.
The finger pushed in with little resistance, but he did his best to ignore it. He usually distracted himself by making up some random game such as following the patterns of the grain of wood on the table, or counting the number of knots he could see. Anything to focus on instead of the digit penetrating his backside, pressing against the walls of his entrance as it felt around.
Today he decided to count the small shadows that dotted the surface of the bench, created by the dust and dirt that coated the glass window right above it. The staff must not have cleaned it in a while. It just served as yet another layer that obstructed the view into the greenhouse; nobody looking in from the outside would be able to see the thirteen-year-old boy currently getting violated by his mentor.
By the time he counted fifteen spots, another finger slipped inside him, this time coated with oil to make it slide in smoother, for which Adrien was grateful. He hadn’t heard Dominic uncork a bottle or anything behind him, so he supposed that meant his game was working. His other hand, in the meantime, had been removed from Adrien’s dick, probably to work himself up, judging by the squelching noise. With two fingers inside him, he started spreading them apart against his hole, preparing him for what was to come.
The feeling of being prodded, being stretched, was painful, but not as much as it used to be, which he attributed to Dominic usually being careful with him. He didn’t want to hurt him too much, after all. That would draw questions. As much as Adrien hated... this, hated being used, he couldn’t deny the heat that was pooling in his lower stomach, or the way his dick twitched whenever a finger pressed him in just the right way. It took all his power to stifle the gasps and moans that almost left him.
After counting twenty more spots, Dominic deemed him ready and retracted both of his fingers. He bit his lip to stop the groan that spilled out from the sensation of the digits leaving his body, and his hole puckered now that there wasn’t anything to fill it, but the respite would be short-lived. Soon enough, he felt the familiar tip of Dominic’s cock pressed up against his entrance, his hands grabbing at his waist to steady him. He never felt as small as when he was held like this. The larger man could do anything he wanted, move him any way he wanted, and he would be powerless to stop him.
He curled his toes as he felt the oiled head slid inside him. He didn’t know why, but it made it easier. As Dominic slowly sank into him, he gave his dick another squeeze, eliciting a gasp of surprise and pleasure from him.
“Good, Adrien,” Dominic’s husky voice whispered approvingly in his ear. “You’re getting better at taking me.”
He throbbed in his grip and flushed even deeper. Whenever Dominic touched him down there, it was only ever to show his satisfaction at how he was doing. He didn’t like the man touching his dick, he didn’t like the man touching him at all, but his hips unconsciously bucked forward at the feeling of his fingers grazing against his soft tip. It left him tingling with pleasure, even as his entire cock was sheathed inside him, Dominic’s hips flushed against his ass. Drool pooled in his mouth and he had to swallow it back.
Without Dominic, he wouldn’t know nearly as much about his own body as he did now. Not about the substance that dripped from his now fully erect dick, nor about the sensitive spot deep within his rectum that his cock occasionally brushed against. He had never even touched himself before Dominic became his mentor.
Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as his body tried to get used to the cock stuffed deep in him, filling him up, but he quickly blinked them away.
Counting, he thought to himself. Right, I was counting shadows. He had to start his game over since he had lost track, but it was difficult to focus with the way that Dominic was now pulling back out of him. The head of his cock almost fully left him before he suddenly thrust himself back in with a snap of his hips, gripping his waist even harder.
Adrien once more had to stifle a gasp. He could have used his hand to muffle himself, but didn’t trust his strength enough to support his weight against the table with only one arm. Especially not with how they were shaking. He hadn’t even noticed when it started, but his whole body was trembling even harder now. If he hadn’t been leaning against the table like Dominic told him to, he surely would have collapsed by now.
The only sound of the greenhouse came from the barely audible soft bubbling of the fountain, which served to make the noises immediately surrounding Adrien all the more louder to him; his own breathless pants, the creak of the table beneath his white knuckle grip, the slapping of skin against skin as Dominic moved his hips back and forth in a steady rhythm, and the man’s soft grunts of pleasure as he enjoyed the feeling of Adrien’s tight ass squeezed around his cock.
Every so often, he would brush against that sensitive spot that would make his own dick throb even more, his mind going white with pleasure, though that wasn’t what his mentor’s goal was. He called them “special lessons”, but he knew that this was all for Dominic’s benefit, not his. It was Dominic’s pleasure that mattered. Adrien could only take what he was given. Dominic was the one who decided what he felt and when they were finished.
His eyesight blurred as he tried in vain to resume his counting game. Tears clouded his vision, threatening to spill onto the table he’d been staring at for the past who knows how long, but he held them back. Not now. Not while Dominic was still fucking into him, using him like an object. He used to cry a lot when they’d first started doing this, and his mentor had made his disapproval known, harshly. Now he was better at hiding his tears.
Dominic suddenly picked up his pace, pounding harder and harder. He must have been getting close. If getting stretched out and prepared for Dominic’s cock was the difficult part, then feeling him cum while still inside him was the unpleasant part. He never pulled out before finishing; that would make a mess that would then have to be cleaned up. Why do that when he could just leave it for Adrien to take care of, after holding it within him for as long as he could.
Dominic’s cock twitched and he braced himself, feeling the warm substance that shot out fill his ass and what honestly felt like to Adrien was his stomach as well. Just the mere thought of him penetrating that deep within him left him nauseous.
As he came, he hugged Adrien tightly against himself, wrapping his strong arms around his middle and chest. It was something he always did, but he didn’t know why. He just tried to keep as still as possible, in case his mentor decided he wasn’t quite done with him yet.
Fortunately, he was, as he let go of Adrien, at the same time sliding his softening dick out from his hole. He quickly clenched himself shut, not wanting to let the seed spill out and make a mess on the greenhouse floor. Then he’d have to clean it up before anyone else saw.
“That’s all for today,” Dominic announced, tucking himself away, and Adrien took that as the command for him to pull his clothes back on.
His legs nearly gave out from under him as he quickly dropped to the floor, scrambling to pick up his pants. He was shaking again, and his hands fumbled trying to get the buttons closed over his still dripping, hard cock. He hadn’t been allowed to cum, not this time, but he was more concerned with getting out of the greenhouse as fast as possible.
He flinched when Dominic’s hands suddenly pushed his own out of the way, and for a split-second Adrien thought he was going to do something about his erection, but instead they went to the buttons of his trousers, easily fixing them in one smooth motion. He must have gotten tired of watching him struggle.
“Th-Thank you, sir.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
His mentor’s cold eyes were too much for him, and he quickly averted his gaze down to the floor. He swallowed hard, hoping he didn’t notice how watery his eyes were.
Dominic said nothing, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw his feet turn around and walk away, his dress shoes echoing on the stone tiles as he left. Adrien waited until he heard the door to the greenhouse shut close behind him before letting out a shaky sigh of relief.
He did it. He survived another lesson.
After their lessons, Adrien always left the greenhouse as quickly as he could, scared of what would happen if anyone discovered him there in this state, the stares, the questions, the judgement. He knows he looks a mess; face flushed, legs shaking, trousers soiled from Dominic's seed and his own pre-cum. Worst of all, his dick is still half hard, creating a small tent at the front of his pants.
He races across the garden and into the forest that surrounded the mansion. He doesn’t have to think too hard about where he’s going, he’s tread this path so many times before.
He only slows down when he hears the familiar gurgling of running water, coming to a complete stop once he’s found his spot; a large oak tree situated next to a creek. A flat stone lay in front of the tree as a makeshift table, decorated with the various objects he’d brought out from the mansion to make his small shrine.
But he didn’t have the energy to pray right now. He’s just too spent. Breathless, he collapsed next to the tree, curling up into a ball against its trunk as he finally let his tears flow freely.
Even though he’s still half hard, he doesn’t dare touch himself down there. He never does. Instead, he hugs his arms tightly, making himself as small as possible, as he just waits for it to pass, heavy sobs racking his body while he buries his face into his knees.
This is the only place on the whole estate where he feels safe enough to express his vulnerability so thoroughly, not even his own bedroom, where the maids regularly entered to clean. This spot in the forest is well outside of the gardener’s area of upkeep, and the rest of his family are too busy with their duties and lives to go for a walk around here. No one comes here except for him, which is why he set up a shrine to a deity no one worships but him. He’s alone and protected.
Dominic can’t see me out here, he tells himself. He can’t touch me. He can’t...
Maybe it’s the soothing sound of the flowing creek, or the wind rustling, or maybe it’s the proximity to the shrine, but whatever the case, he eventually calms down, his erection subsiding. His tears run out and he’s able to get his shaking under control. His throat is dry, his eyes sting, but he feels better. He always feels better out here.
He winced as he climbed unsteadily to his feet. His backside will be sore for a while, but it wasn’t anything he’s not used to. It was time to compose himself.
Using the creek, he washed his face of his dried tears, letting the cool water help to soothe his flushed appearance. Then he took off his trousers again. Even though he knew he was alone, he still cast paranoid glances all around him to make sure no one could see him as he slid his pants and undergarments off. He didn’t have much of a choice; he had to get his clothes cleaned before returning to the mansion.
He worked quickly, not wanting to be half-naked in the forest for longer than he had to. He submerged the clothes in the creek, doing his best to scrub out the filth with just his bare hands, the cold water biting at his skin. Once satisfied, he laid them out flat on the grass. Grounding wasn’t necessary, since he could just touch the earth, and he used the last bit of magical energy he had to create a warm wind to dry his clothes off.
The first time he ever needed to clean Dominic’s seed off his garments, he’d made the mistake of trying to use the laundry room in the mansion. It had been midday, and he thought all of the servants would be busy preparing lunch for the Trovamires, but as soon as he stepped foot in the room, he was caught by the head maid, Miss Barnaby. He’d been thrown into a panic over how he was going to explain, but she simply took the clothes from him with a gentle smile. “You’re at that age now,” she told him. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” She’d thought the cum was his, and while part of him was still mortified, the rest was relieved she didn’t question him further. Ever since then, he’d taken it upon himself to wash in the creek instead, the process made faster when he eventually learned a spell to quickly dry clothes.
Now that he looked somewhat presentable, he started the trek back to the mansion. It was almost sunset, if the length of the shadows cast by the trees was anything to go by. Lady Eliza and his siblings would probably be eating dinner soon, but he wouldn’t join them. He didn’t want to think about food right now, not when the memory of Dominic pounding away at his guts was still fresh in his mind. All he wanted to do was go back to his room and let sleep take him.
He only made it about halfway before running into someone out in the garden, a man crouched down examining the flowers.
Is that Dominic? he thought, his heart clenching at the very idea. It would be just his luck to run into him again after they’d just had their lesson.
But when the man looked up, he gave him a warm smile, and he relaxed.
“Oh, hello, Adrien,” Demetrius said, climbing to his feet and brushing his hands off. Even though he looked identical to his twin brother, Dominic, Adrien could always tell them apart by their mannerisms. In all the time he’s known him, he’s never once seen Dominic smile. “Did you finish your lesson already?”
“Uh, yes sir,” he managed to get out. His voice was still a little hoarse from crying so hard.
“You don’t have to call me sir, you know. Soon enough I’ll be your brother-in-law.”
“Sorry. Force of habit.” While he was technically part of the noble Trovamire house, he spoke formally with everyone. It was just easier that way than trying to figure out exactly where he stood as the bastard of the family.
“Are you alright?” Demetrius asked, his brows knitted in worry. “You look a bit out of it.”
Even though he was a much kinder man than his brother was, Adrien still found it difficult to meet his eyes. “I’m fine,” he answered, looking down at the flowers Demetrius had just been examining instead; dark purple dahlias. “Just... tired. I was heading up to my room now.”
“Don’t let my brother push you too hard with your magic training. If he ever does something you’re not comfortable with, let me know and I’ll knock some sense into him.” He patted his fist with a crooked grin to indicate he was joking.
“Right, I will,” Adrien mumbled before hurrying inside to avoid more questions.
Demetrius Cline was engaged to Theodosia, the second eldest of the Trovamire children, and since he himself wasn’t part of the nobility, a lot of eyes were on him. He was eager to prove that he wasn’t marrying her just for her title or money, but because he truly loved her. He made it a point to spend time with her family, to show that he would care deeply for them like his own.
Such eagerness wasn’t strictly necessary, since Lady Eliza had long already given the couple her blessing, but nevertheless, he still went out of his way to try to befriend Theodosia’s brothers, to earn their approval as well. It took some time for Nicolas to warm up to him, as both her brother and a knight he was extremely protective over his family, but when he saw just how happy Demetrius made his sister, he welcomed him with open arms.
Sebastion, the oldest brother, was a difficult man to read, and eventually Demetrius figured out the best approach with him was to be direct, flat out stating his intentions whenever they spoke. One day, Sebastion just straight up told him that he approved.
That just left Adrien, though if anyone had asked him, he wouldn’t have counted himself. Demetrius, however, was unperturbed, treating him as though he were equal to the rest of the family. It was both flattering and uncomfortable, as he felt it drew attention to him in a way he always tried to avoid. Still, he returned the favor, treating Demetrius with respect during conversations, trying to maintain a polite distance between them. As he mostly kept to himself, the man struggled with how to connect with him. That is, until he suddenly manifested his magical talent.
As soon as news of the accident had reached him, he was rushing to contact his twin brother. Though he himself had no magic, Dominic was a master mage, and he requested that he move to Westwood to tutor the young boy.
Though Demetrius’ intentions were pure, he had no idea what his brother did to Adrien in the solitude of the greenhouse.