And that was Derek's answer, staring him blankly in the face. He pressed his lips to Isaac's skin, a silent apology. "I thought I was sparing you the burden of caring for me," he began, softly. "I didn't want you to feel you had to...serve me...in exchange for your freedom. But in the past two weeks, I've realized what a gift your submission to me is, and that I would be an idiot to reject that any longer."
He wrapped his arms more snugly around the slender boy. "Can you forgive me?"