Page 73 of Icarus

“I want you to tell me when something you do hurts you,” Helios said behind him.

“All of it does, in its own way,” Icarus murmured into the soft fabric of his gray sweater.

Helios made a noise of disgust. “You know what I’m talking about, Icarus.”

Icarus rolled his eyes and glared at Helios over his shoulder.

“What are you gonna do about it? You gonna do everything for me? You gonna come home with me and do my chores and do sports for me in gym class? Just . . . leave it alone. We can’t do anything about it right now.”

“If I was at home,” Helios started, “I’d buy you rings to stop your fingers from aching. The only towels you’d use would be cashmere. Did you know people with EDS sometimes have sensitive skin? Not as sensitive as yours, but, well . . .” Helios laughed dryly. “Now that I’m putting things together, that sign should have been more obvious.”

Icarus turned around completely at that, but said nothing.

“You would sleep when you want to sleep. No light would touch you when your head hurt. I would do all the chores. You would only move if it . . . if it made you happy,” Helios whispered. He scratched his nails across the wood, light, but agitated.

“I could . . . carry you . . .” He trailed off.

“You’ve only known me for three months,” Icarus said.

Helios’s eyes were very dark now. He brushed his fingers through his red hair and leaned his cheek on his palm.

“I know you work hard. I know you’re loyal and talented. You’re funny and the way your brain works surprises me every time we talk. I know you don’t have to be here, but you are. I know that it meant something for you to bring me coffee. I know free climbing up the side of a building regularly isn’t something to joke about. And now I know that it hurt. I know what you look like when you’re sad, when you’re scared, and when you’re coming undone,” Helios replied. “It could have been three days.”

Icarus felt like he was about to fall to his knees. But he didn’t.

“Why do you say things like that to me? How did you learn to talk like that?” He turned from Helios and opened the lid of the paella just so he’d have something to do with his hands. The room filled with fragrant steam.

“I know what to say when it’s important.” Helios stood up to begin setting the table. “I rehearse it.”

Saturnalia

The grand baths were like nothing Icarus had seen in his entire life. Cream tile from floor to ceiling, like a Roman bathhouse, mosaic in red, brown, onyx, jade, and gold.

The overhead was bright. But Helios turned it down until it was just dim enough to see, and turned on a couple lamps instead.

The bath itself was a circle nearly fifteen feet across. There were eight brass spigots all around the edge, and when Helios turned the knob by the ladder, they all turned on at the same time.

“Who designed this room?” Icarus asked.

Helios smiled. “My mom. She’s an ancient history buff. There’s more stuff in this style in our house, but nothing this crazy. We could never afford to build it in New York, much less fill it up with water. No one ever took me in here as a kid, so I didn’t even know this room existed until I stumbled upon it while snooping around my first week.”

“What is your mom like?” Icarus asked.

Helios grinned. “She’s fun and nice. She’d love you if you guys ever met. She’s nothing like my dad. I can take you to meet her when this is all over if you want.”

Icarus shrugged, then leaned to look down at the edge, surprised at how fast the tub was filling.

“This is crazy.”

Helios stepped out of the room and returned with some black bathroom towels and a few bottles. Icarus sat on the edge of the tub with his pants rolled up, as Helios tossed some oils and eucalyptus leaves in the water.

“The knob by the ladder controls the temperature. It’s a bit stiff so pull hard. You won’t break it,” Helios said. “When you’re done, you can just leave it as it is and I’ll come and rake out the leaves or whatever. In the bathroom next door there’s more bath stuff, so if you want anything feel free to raid it. I’m the only one who comes in here.”

Helios scratched his neck and stood there, watching as the water got closer to the top.

“Is there anything else you need before I go?” he asked.

Icarus kicked the water gently.