Snippet #2823037

Even in all his false confidence, at least when facing this situation, Theo had to admit that hearing Victor vocalize his uncertainty was a bit of a relief. It wasn’t unexpected, but appreciated nonetheless. It had been vividly clear to Theo that there was an internal struggle within Victor, even as he boldly made the first move. But it never occurred to him that said struggle was less about whether he should be getting so close to the boss and more about the fact that Theo was a man. The twenty-one year old had always been so certain about his own sexuality, wants and preferences that the idea of Victor not being so never crossed his mind, especially with his being older than Theo. In retrospect, it made perfect sense, and was almost comical how Theo had flirted with him just to get a reaction.

Silence filled the spacious kitchen along with the food’s aroma as the two men focused solely on the plate in front of them. There was something so satisfying about watching others enjoy something he made. For all the cruelly calculated things Theo had done in the past and present to his enemies, there was an inexplicable softness when it came to his friends and loved ones, almost as if Theodore Moon, the underboss of one of the most powerful underground organizations in the country and Theo, the young collage student, were two completely different people. But he was just as much a cunning mafia boss as he was a friend and a caregiver. One could not exist without the other, and those around him understood this. He could only hope that Victor did too.

There was minimal chatter after Theo fixed himself a plate and ate alongside Vic and Jake, the ladder going for his second helping while Theo silently enjoyed their company. Theo was the first to break the silence, raising his spoon towards an unsuspecting Jake. The man’s eyes grew with curiosity as Theo spoke. ”I gave you that code for emergencies, not for muckin’ about” Jake’s brows furrowed in response as he set down his own utensils, an unusual seriousness casting over his features. ”Surely you realize there’s a lot of people in this country that want you dead…” the tone was one Theo had seldom heard come from Jake. He was aware, and always cautious, but so were those around him. Jake especially had gotten a personal taste of what being too close to the boss could cost. The thought caused Theo to glance in Victor’s direction for a brief moment, before directing his attention back to Jake. ”You weren’t answering your calls…neither was Vic. We were all just assuming the worst.”

The usually jovial deep browns were shadowed with uncertainty, and Theo couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt for making his family worry. His gaze dropped to his nearly empty plate for a moment before meeting Jake again, ”If you go down, we all go with you.” There was a short pause in conversation, the silence reminding Theo that despite being at the top, he was still the youngest in the room. It almost felt like a scolding from an older brother. The corners of his mouth lifted, not in its usual smirk, but rather a smile of reassurance. ”Yes, hyung, I understand” the sudden switch to Korean earned an eye roll from the older man but he returned the smile, gently nudging Victor in the arm. ”Take a good look, Vic. This is what you’ll be dealing with if you get any closer” Theo casually brushed off the comment as he grabbed his own plate and moved to the dishwasher. The thought of Victor getting that close was both exciting and concerning. After the conversation they’d just had, the fear of Victor getting hurt because of him would now be a permanent thought in the back of his mind.

”Oh, you might want to give Beah a call. She was asking about your birthday plans.” a groan left Theo’s body at the sound of the word “birthday”. He’d never been a fan of celebrating birthdays, especially his own. When he turned twenty one, everyone around him made such a big fuss. This year he just wanted peace and quiet.