Anthony walked to the door and opened it for the person approaching. Ezra saw a young man around his age walk in. He was speechless. He had always considered himself rather good-looking with his sandy-blonde hair, blue-green eyes and classical features, but the person in front of him was truly gorgeous. Yes, he found himself using the word, as inappropriate as it might be for him, because he was that good-looking. He had strawberry blonde hair, eyes that reminded him of the lush green buds that appear during springtime, and sculpted features.
While Ezra looked at him, Alex was also looking at him in return. He noticed his expression and the way his face showed everything he thought.
"Have you finished looking?" Alex asked, sitting on a chair Anthony provided for him.
Ezra started. He had been noticed. His cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment. Alex's smirk grew deeper as he looked at him. Anthony was right, he thought. With how easily flustered this child got and the way all of his thoughts could be seen on his face, he was definitely talked into doing this by his father. The fact that the cousin he trusted so much had encouraged him as well probably convinced him it was a good idea despite his doubts. He had potential.
During the few traffic stops he had made on his way, he had read Ezra's personal and academic files. He was well liked by his peers and even his teachers for his genuine kindness. He made the Dean's list every semester, and he was scheduled a year in advance to be valedictorian for his year. The picture of a happy, wholesome college student. His parents' company was having difficulty at this point, which made him desperate to help them, hoping to win their approval. His father, along with Ezra's older cousin, took advantage of his state of mind to trick him into this.
It seemed like although his upbringing was extremely happy, his grandparents, who raised him on behalf of his parents, didn't teach him about the world. He was the picture of a sheltered child who didn't understand the ill intentions that others might harbor. Well, he would fix that. For some reason, when he saw Ezra sitting there, he felt the same way he did when he first saw Theia. Familiarity and a sense of connection. Perhaps it was because they both had a set of screwed up parents? He had originally intended to ruin him for what he had done, but this time, he'd take it as a strange way of meeting a family member. That's exactly what he felt toward him. It was like he was a little brother. Perhaps it's because he was Theia's age as well, he mused.
"Well then, Ezra. What do you think we should do with you now? "
Ezra gulped. He didn't want it, but he knew what they should do. "You should probably report what happened to the police. Whether I was talked into it or not, I was still a participant in a crime. "
Alex was not surprised by what he said. Judging from his character, he knew Ezra would have regrets. In fact, he suspected that even if he had succeeded, he would have eventually told Theia the truth. After all, he had originally intended to approach her by doing so.
"You're right. It's what I should do, but it's not what I'm going to do. What you should be more worried about now is your cousin. "
Ezra was confused. Why would he need to worry about his cousin? Was it his older cousin 9r his younger one?
Alex saw how confused he was and decided to elaborate for him. "Your cousin, knowing that this was a bad idea and that if you got caught you'd be disowned, still convinced you to do this. Even if it was successful, Theia may still dislike you. Are you not seeing the problem with that? "
He could have explained it to him fully, but Ezra wouldn't have learned if he had. He needed to learn to figure people's motives out for himself.
He watched as Ezra puzzled it out, scrunching his eyebrows like a child, before his eyes lit up with understanding.
"The problem is that no one who truly cares about my best interests would convince me to do something that essentially had pretty much all risks with potentially no real gains. "
"That's right. Well, aren't you a bright one."
A few steps away, Anthony had to struggle to keep himself from laughing. It sounded as though the boss was teaching a child.
Alex continued. "Now tell me, why do you think he would do something like that?"
"Because he wanted me to fail?"
"Yes, but what would he get out of you trying in the first place?"
"Well, the only thing that could happen is that if my parents found out, I'd be dis---"
Alex nodded his head in approval. It seems as though he could indeed be taught.
"That's correct."
Before he could continue, Theia walked in.
"Pfffftttt! Oh my gosh, Alex, why is this guy tied up here like a shibari bunny [1,2]? Pfffftttt! "
It was only then, hearing Theia's laughter, that Alex and Ezra realized they had been having such a serious conversation while he was tied up like a character in an R-18 show.
[1] Shibari is an ancient form of artistic Japanese rope bondage.
[2] A bunny or model refers to someone who is on the receiving end of bondage.