It's strange what desire will make foolish people do. The rules were: No eye contact No kissing No feelings
Those things would have made it gay. It was amazing how quickly Theodore, who had always accepted the more standard definition of getting touch from another boy as being gay, was willing to do a quick adjustment of his boundaries. Not that he didn’t feel bad about it. He hated it. He hated Freddie, and he hated himself for how weak his resolve was when there was the promise of pleasure.
Theodore couldn’t decide whether Freddie was actually gay, and this was his solution, or whether, as he said, he was merely bored and horny. Either way, Theodore was pretty convinced he was a sociopath. It wasn’t just the fact that he’d manipulated him into doing this, or that he knew exactly when Theodore’s resolve to say no was waxing, and was able to up the ante. It was also his timing. The times that Freddie wanted attention seemed to coincide perfectly with the times when it was least convenient for Theodore to give it. It was too much of a coincidence. This wasn’t just Freddie starving for the touch of the stuck up girls on campus - he got off on humiliating Theodore, Theodore was sure of it.
“It’s Sunday night,” he glared, as Freddie let himself into his room. He was packing his books away as he spoke, “I’m expected home for dinner.” The worst part was, he knew that Freddie knew this already. That was why he was here.
“Oh, really?” he feigned surprise. “Sorry, guess I should come back another time then.” Words which didn’t quite match his actions as he made himself at home on Theodore’s bed. “It’s my turn, and I want to take it now.”
*
The task finished, Theodore made to get up. He would shower, and only be five minutes late… Freddie caught his wrist.
“You look like you’re feeling hot and bothered.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want you to go to dinner feeling all wound up,” he free hand was moving lower.
“No. I-” there had been a remainder to that sentence not split seconds before. “I…” he tried again. Finding words were letting him down, he tried just wriggling away.
“Go on. I’ll even make it free.”
Freddie did not give freebies. There was a strict exchange policy, favour for favour. In fact, it had started out as two to him for every one he gave Theodore. That was how he’d got him to come back in those early days, when his disgust was still raw enough to influence him. He had felt owed. Given where Freddie’s hand was now, he was pretty sure he’d have stayed anyway. He knew it was a trick. That even though he was the one lying back now, eyes closed and biting his lip, Freddie was enjoying this too. He knew he was going to make Theodore late. Freddie was like a big spider, sitting at the centre of a web - he knew everyone’s business, he knew how to push their buttons. And he loved it. He loved controlling them. Even though, on the surface of it, he was the one doing something to Theodore, the fact that he could make Theodore do this, make him stay, make him submit… It wasn’t free, because Freddie was getting something in return. He was getting control, getting to know he had Theodore in the palm of his hand. This was at least as much about Freddie’s enjoyment of his power over Theodore as it was about Theodore’s enjoyment of what he was doing to him.