Wren's hands moved gently as they caressed Benjamin's body, while his lips lingered on Benjamin's neck. "Atlas, I love you…" He whispered the name over and over again, like a broken prayer.
Benjamin tried his best to lay still and rigid as his heart raced. He was unsure how to respond to a confession not meant for him.
Then, he felt warm wet tears trickling down his skin.
"I love you," Wren's voice cracked, thick with a sudden, raw honesty. "But… when I look at Benjamin, I want him. I want to trace my lips over every inch of his body.. I want to know what it feels like to be inside him… To devour him whole. He even carries another man's child, and yet, I still desire him."
Wrwn let out a shaky breath. "But he isn't you. I'm sorry Atlas. I'm so ashamed. I don't understand why I crave him like this when I couldn't do it with you… But, you… You have all of my heart, Atlas. I love you."
Wren tightened his embrace around Benjamin. Benjamin could do nothing but reach back, squeezing the hand draped over his abdomen in a silent gesture of comfort. With a final, lingering kiss, Wren finally drifted into sleep.
Benjamin lay awake for hours listening to the sound of Wren's rhythmic breathing. His heart was heavy. He wanted to comfort Wren but at the same time, he couldn't condone his plans. Caught in a spiral of what-ifs and the tragic chain of events that had led them here, Benjamin eventually drifted into sleep.
When he woke up the next morning, Wren was gone. The next few days Wren was not to be seen. Jae delivered Benjamin's meals in silence, speaking only to address basic needs like clothing or food. He brought a stack of books to the room, asking if there was anything specific Benjamin wished to read.
Benjamin asked Jae if he could walk outside. While the open windows offered a breeze, he felt a desperate need to be outside. An hour later, Wren appeared at his door. He had reverted to his usual self. He was cheery, composed, and impeccably polished. He asked, with a light smile, if Benjamin would like to accompany him for a stroll.
At the entrance, Jae appeared with a thick coat, socks, and shoes. Despite Benjamin's quiet protests, Wren knelt down to help him into his socks and shoes before bundling him into the heavy coat.
They stepped onto a large, paved trail that wound through the estate with tall trees standing over neat hedges. They walked quietly in a silence that wasn't entirely uncomfortable, eventually stopping at a gazebo overlooking a lake. Wren moved to the far end of the gazebo, staring out at the water while Benjamin remained standing nearby.
"Charles is coming," Wren said, his back still turned. "He should be here in a few days."
"Thank you," was all Benjamin managed to say.
"Are you cold?" Wren turned with a warm smile as he stood up and stepped closer. He adjusted the collar of Benjamin's coat, an intimate gesture that made Benjamin's face flush lightly. "Let me know if you'd like to stay out longer. Otherwise, perhaps you should take a warm bath, and then we can have some tea and talk?"
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
In the afternoon, Jae eventually came to retrieve him, leading him to a different part of the house. Wren's office was vast and largely bare, except for the stacks of boxes filled with books. Benjamin took a seat on the couch opposite from Wren.
"Do you feel refreshed?" Wren asked, sipping his tea. He noticed Benjamin's hesitation and added, "It's just tea, Ben."
Benjamin took a cautious sip.
"Benjamin, we have an agreement," Wren said. "When Charles arrives, you'll hand over the research files."
Benjamin nodded. "I'll keep my end of the agreement. But I'm curious, Wren... how do you know about the research? How do you know about my past, or how to find me after all this time? Is that something you're willing to tell me?"
"Ben," Wren countered, leaning back. "I've shared a great deal of my life with you. Isn't it only fair that you do the same? How did you end up at that lab? And how did you manage to get your hands on those files?"
Benjamin hesitated, at which Wren spoke up. "I know it was under the Empire's authority. All the doctors who were there had their records scrubbed, at least the ones I know of. And, there wasn't a single word about the lab anywhere. Only the Empire could keep it quiet like that."
"I worked for the AMA after medical school," Benjamin began slowly. "I was assigned to the mission once I received my AA license. I didn't even know what the mission was until I had already signed the papers.
"My initial duties were—"
"I know what your duties were," Wren interrupted. "Tell me how you found the files. They were hidden. Only a handful of people—the Board of Directors and myself—even knew they existed."
"Did you see me at the lab?" "Benjamin asked, confused. "Because I never saw you at the lab."
Benjamin wondered how Wren seemed to know in detail of his role at the lab. Had he been a doctor there as well?