Hands In The Stars

17. Evening Request

"Well, Edwin, get to the point? What are you trying to say here?" Ethan asked in a low voice, but the deafening silence he got as a response only made him frown. "So you mean we can't meet up anymore? Is that it? Is this entire thing just a break up date to you?!" Ethan's voice suddenly harshened. He stared down at the food in front of him and noted his eyes starting to sting, only to just a second later have streams of warm tears running down his round cheeks and into his soup below.
"Ethan..." Edwin mumbled, simply staring in shock at the scene in front of him for a few long seconds. "Ethan, no! No, that's not what this is I promise!" He finally understood what was happening. Edwin quickly stood up from his chair and ran around the table, sitting down onto his knees in front of Ethan's chair and setting a hand up onto the other's arm. Ethan quickly turned his head at the touch, and stared at Edwin with burning, red, desperate eyes.
"I would never break up with you, Ethan! Never! I just- Oh fuck..." Edwin sighed and looked down at his hand, as he couldn't bare to stare into the dark eyes of his boyfriend anymore. "You know I suck with words. This isn't fair! Straight to the point, I'm offering you a place within the organization! Please take it, you- You don't have to cry, please Ethan don't cry now!" Edwin begged, looking back up at his lover again and moved his hands up to Ethan's face. Carefully, Edwin wiped some of the tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. Ethan only seemed to be tearing up more and more. Suddenly, he slid himself down from the chair and right onto Edwin, wrapping his arms tightly around the older boy.

"Edwin, you fucking suck! Shut up! Don't just say such stupid things, you'll scare the living fuck out of me!" Ethan scolded Edwin between his sobs as he buried his face into Edwin's neck.
"I-I'm sorry, Ethan, I didn't mean for it to come out like that, I just don't know what to say." Edwin mumbled, squeezing Ethan lightly between his arms. "Please, just say yes."
"You know I'd do anything for you, you big dummy. Just get straight to the point next time, please. As long as it means you'll stay by my side, I'll do anything. I could never make it without you, Edwin, not you too. Though, I don't see what I could ever do to help you guys out." Ethan confessed, shame in his voice. He leaned his head to Edwins shoulder as he wiped some of his tears away.

"Yeah, we already figured that out, but don't worry. Just listen up here." Edwin grabbed onto Ethan's shoulders and pulled him back a bit to look him into the eyes. "Okay, I know I'm going to ask for something extremely big, but, well, just hear me out, okay? It's fine." Edwin began, watching Ethan nod slowly as he tried to calm his breathing down again. "Well, Feng says we're undoubtedly in a big need for better sex workers in this area, and Dai is open to the idea of letting you join, if that's the case. Their primal responsibility is to gather information from certain people, usually about specific subjects or questions. Call it gossip, if you will. But don't worry! It's an extremely easy job, and you'll have a certain spot which means you won't have to risk practically dying just for the sake of becoming an official member. The Takers test is one you'd want to avoid, which is to big advantage. It's already being set up, and Feng is talking to someone who will escort you through everything you need to know-" Edwin gasped as a sharp pain suddenly interrupted his ramble. He raised his hand up to his cheek, staring over at Ethan. "D-Did you just fucking slap me?" He mumbled and quickly received yet another slap.

"You come all the way over here, take me out for an entire date, go to the movies with me, make me food, all for the sake of asking me to sell myself?! You're proposing I go give myself to strangers? You're urging me actively cheat and work as some old, disgusting man's sex toy? Is that it?!" Ethan burst out, tearing up once more.
"Please, Ethan! That's not all there is to it, merely give it a chance!" Edwin begged. He grabbed onto one of Ethan's hands and held it tightly between his own two. "Bestow yourself a favour, think of all the money you'll earn, and I'll get to keep you here! It's the ideal job for you. Please, understand, this is not genuinely a request, it's more of a demand, from Dai's part. Either you say yes, or you're finished. I've tried so hard to handle with Dai, I promise, but he is absolutely not having it. All you need to do is say yes and I can promise you we'll be together forever. It will be perfect! Ethan, please don't cry, you know that I love you." He tried to convince the younger one in front of him, as he brought Ethans hand up to his lips and gave it a soft kiss.

Ethan looked away from Edwin and stared onto the ground with a deep sigh. He stayed like frozen for a long while. He tried to think clearly about the situation, but his brain couldn't seem to form any sensible thoughts. Just give it a try, Edwin had said, but the both of them knew that wasn't the case. There is no trying period within the Takers. You do not get a taker-for-a-day deal. You do not get any warning or information about what is really going on until it's already too late, and if you back out by then, you're dead. With a shaky breathe, Ethan wiped his tears away.
"Edwin, it's just, that's a relatively big demand. I mean, well, maybe? I suppose in the end a yes is my only choice now, isn't it? Of course, I want to stay with you, and also not be completely useless." He mumbled, staring down between their two bodies.
"You're not useless!" Edwin quickly responded. He leaned in and pressed his lips aganst Ethan's soft cheek. "Well, I can't force you, but if you won't do it I can't really see you anymore. Dai would likely send someone out to document your activities as well." Edwin mumbled. He placed his hand down onto Ethans thigh and started, stroking it softly, looking into Ethans eyes with a gentle expression. "I only want what's best for us, okay? Trust me on this? I'll make sure they go easy on you. I trust Feng. He knows what he's doing and he can talk with Dai if you're having difficulties. Just say yes already."

"Well..." Ethan looked at Edwin's hand on his thigh. "I suppose I'll have to take it, but please Edwin if there is anything else, literally anything else that I could do I'd much rather take that. I don't care what it is." Ethan pleaded, wrapping his arms around Edwin's neck and looking at him with sad eyes.
"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise much. What I can promise is that you'll be in good hands, so you don't need to worry. We'll always be close, and everyone will bow to you." Edwin told him. He leaned his forehead to Ethan's, pulling him closer with a smile across his lips as he tried to bring the mood back to its previously blissful state.
"I know, I know you will, I love you Edwin, I'd be nothing without you." Ethan mumbled as he closed his eyes and squeezed their bodies tightly together. The tight hug lasted for long. Edwin smiled to himself, soon pulling Ethan into a deep kiss. 

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We're getting more in depth of Edwin's kind of life.