Poem: "Right on the Edge of Fear"
This poem is spillover from the October 5, 2021 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fuzzyred. It also fills the "WILD CARD: FEAST" square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred, ng_moonmoth, janetmiles, and edorfaus. It belongs to the Pain's Gray and Marionettes threads of the Polychrome Heroics series. Its sequel is "Worth the Chaos."
Note: This poem contains references to kink and nonstandard committed relationships.
"Right on the Edge of Fear"
[Day of Saturday, May 9, 2015]
Gray walked in to find
Ricasso dressed up in
one of his better suits.
"Important Business
today, boss?" said Gray.
"Important Business guests
today," Ricasso said. "Are
you and Thriver up to hosting
some sort of impressive feast?"
"That sounds like fun," Gray said.
He loved the fact that his boss
valued all his skills, not just
the fact that he could leave
an enemy writhing in the street.
"What sounds like fun?" Thriver said
as he came into the kitchen and
poured himself a cup of coffee.
"We're doing a feast today,"
said Gray. "I'm thinking I want
to hit the farmer's markets and
look for supplies. I've learned
enough from Shiv that I can
probably spot the good stuff."
"Great, then I'll stay here
and start the long recipes,"
said Thriver. "Who are
we hosting and how many?"
"Some Italian allies, and
three people but plan for
more expansive appetites,"
Ricasso said. "Impress them."
"So Finn feast math, got it,"
Gray said. "What kind of
cuisine do we want to serve?"
"Something familiar, but I also
want to show off the benefits that
Motor City offers," said Ricasso.
"Better break out your wallet,"
said Gray. "I can shop around
for a Detroit Agate Cake, but
buying off the shelf will cost you."
Without hesitating, Ricasso
gave him a Greenbucks card
with a thousand dollars on it.
"Don't scrimp," he said. "Get
the fruit-flavored kind, not
that food-colored crap. Call
before you leave, to see who
has a cake already made."
"Beverages?" Thriver said.
"We could do Italian sodas,
I've got the simple syrup left
from candying citrus peel."
"Great," said Ricasso. "I'm
going to order a selection
of fine local craft beers."
Thriver chuckled. "That'll
be a hit with the boys."
"Let's do an antipasto tray,"
Gray said. "I can find things
for that, whatever looks good."
"Maybe a soup course, since
any leftovers will reheat well
for lunches," Ricasso said.
"I'm sure I can find something,"
Thriver said. "Hey, what about
a fusion dish? Gray and I found
this fantastic recipe for French
and Italian fusion chicken with
gnocchi instead of dumplings."
"Oh, I remember that, I loved
that dish," Ricasso said eagerly.
"They may want more meat, though."
"Garage steak," Gray said. "We
can grill a few, slice them, and
serve the slices on a big platter."
"That'll work," Ricasso agreed.
"We need to have a range of
lighter and heavier dishes so
people can pick what they want."
"How about a second dessert,
then?" Thriver suggested.
"Good idea," said Ricasso.
"I got a tip that Ruggiero
has a fondness for gelato."
"I'll never find that around here,"
Gray said, shaking his head.
"However, I've got a recipe for
Marquise au Chocolat, which
is a frozen chocolate mousse
that gets served half-thawed,
much like gelato typically is."
"That sounds good," Thriver said.
"We could use a vegetable dish ...
what about that thing you did
last week? That was awesome."
"Barigoule of Spring Vegetables,"
Gray said. "Perfect choice, as I
can make it with whatever's fresh."
"All right," said Thriver. "I will
put some bread on and start
the steaks to marinating."
"I'll head out shopping,"
Gray said. "See you soon."
"I look forward to the feast,
and I'm sure our guests will
enjoy it too," said Ricasso.
"With all these supper plans,
the kitchen will be pretty busy,"
Thriver warned. "What about
lunch, or are they coming later?"
"They're arriving in the afternoon,
but if they're hungry, we always have
the gyro spit turning," Ricasso said.
"Just make sure it doesn't run out."
Gray took a car, because he would
have a lot of groceries to haul back.
He swept a couple of farmer's markets
where he found mixed vegetables,
fresh grapes, cherry tomatoes, and
some sweet-and-spicy pecans.
He stopped at an international shop
for prosciutto and salami, smoked salmon,
a box of multigrain crackers, cranberry sauce,
fig and honey jam with walnuts, giardiniera,
and Sicilian style fermented green olives.
A cheese store provided Gray with
French bleu, Irish cheddar, and
mozzarella balls in herbed olive oil.
By the time he made it back with
groceries in tow, the whole lair
smelled like baking bread.
Gray unloaded everything
in the kitchen, then helped
Thriver with the cooking.
Not much later, the guests
arrived: a muscular boss,
a slimmer bodyguard, and
a voluptuous comare.
After a short conversation,
Ricasso led the three of
them into the kitchen.
"We have gyro meat for
a hot lunch, or cheese
and sandwich meats in
the fridge," Ricasso said.
Gray and Thriver looked at
each other. "I forgot to eat
any lunch," Gray confessed.
"Yeah, me too," Thriver said.
"Let's just make up a platter
of gyros and we can sit down
in the conference room."
While Thriver was fixing
the gyros, Gray whipped up
a bowl of mix-and-match salad.
They all chatted over lunch.
Ruggiero, the boss, was
in charge of exploring
Business opportunities
in Motor City -- not looking
to take over, but for allies.
In addition to protection,
Liborio offered insights
and various other support.
Olympia, the comare, had
a masterful grasp of hospitality.
Gray just hoped the Spadonari
could measure up to their standards.
He did make an effort to recommend
some of the local points of interest,
which would help the visitors
assess the city's economy.
After lunch, Gray and
Thriver went back to
the kitchen, where they
washed the lunch dishes.
Then they worked on
more of the supper things.
Gray did some prep work
for the antipasto platter,
chopping and slicing
whatever needed it.
Liborio rapped lightly on
the kitchen doorframe.
"Boss talk," he said.
"Yeah, they do that,"
Gray said as he dried
his hands on a towel.
"How can we help you?"
"Would either of you like
to join me in the gym?"
he asked. "I could use
a workout, and I'm not
familiar with your setup."
Gray looked at the clock,
startled to realize that
over an hour had passed.
"Yeah, I'll come," he said.
"We have showers here, and
some spare gym clothes if
you'd like to borrow something."
"That would be very helpful,"
said Liborio, who was dressed
in some designer outfit that
Gray didn't recognize as
more than expensive.
They changed into
casual tracksuits and
went into the gym.
Liborio was svelte
and dangerous, just
the kind of partner
that Gray enjoyed.
He was also rather
out of Gray's league.
They stretched out first,
then lifted some weights,
before Gray invited Liborio
into a hand-to-hand match.
Liborio wiped the mat with him,
but Gray had expected that.
It was still very educational.
Liborio gave him a look.
"Is that all you've got?"
Gray shook his head.
"No, but you might not
like the special sauce."
Liborio laughed. "Try me,"
he said, beckoning to Gray.
So the next time Liborio
pressed him into the mat,
Gray let his superpower
sizzle along his skin where
it touched the older man's.
Instantly Liborio let go.
"Well, that was exciting,"
he said, "but we'd best not
go too far with it, or you'll
get me all wound up."
Gray raised his eyebrows.
"That could be interesting,"
he said, "but I'll lay off it."
Liborio's lazy smile made Gray
wonder about him, though.
Possibilities? Perhaps.
The trio had seemed close,
but you never knew what
other people's arrangements
might happen to be, or not.
They were both pleasantly
tired and sweaty when
Olympia came in and
started her own stretches.
Gray had no idea where she'd
been while the bosses were
talking, but it was a good thing
she hadn't been here because
he couldn't concentrate with her
doing ... whatever that was.
"I think I'll hit the showers,"
he said before anything
embarrassing could pop up.
Liborio chuckled. "Olympia
has that effect on people."
Quickly Gray rinsed off
and got dressed, then
went back to the kitchen.
He started working on
the chicken and gnocchi,
which wouldn't take long.
It smelled warm and fragrant,
adding to the rich aromas
already filling the kitchen.
Shrill giggles and the thump
of little feet made Gray peek out.
Leta ran down the hall wearing
nothing but a froth of soapsuds.
Cason hustled after her, hissing,
"You stop this right now!"
Trying to dodge around
the Italians, Leta skidded
and lost her balance.
Liborio dove forward,
catching her in midair
and rolling to put himself
on the bottom as they landed.
"Whee!" said Leta. "Again!"
"I think you've had quite enough
excitement," Liborio said firmly.
"I am so sorry," Cason said as
he picked up his daughter.
Ruggiero waved him off.
"Children will play," he said.
"Liborio is used to that."
Indeed, Liborio didn't seem
to mind that his silk shirt was
wet enough to show his nipples.
"I won't melt," he said easily.
"Come along, little greased pig,"
Cason said as he picked up
his daughter. "We need to get
you all dressed for supper."
Gray went back to the kitchen
to assemble the antipasto platter.
There were so many things to go
on it, and he had to make it look
good, not like a random jumble.
He was trying to figure out
how to carry everything when
Liborio peeked into the kitchen.
"Need a hand?" he said. "I've
done my share of service work."
"I need a way to carry this without
spilling anything," Gray said. "I've
seen Shiv do it plenty of times,
but he's trained as a waiter."
"Ah," Liborio said, smiling.
"Would you like a lesson?"
"Yes, please," Gray said.
"I don't need to be an expert,
just not drop the darn thing."
"First, make sure that the tray
is well balanced." Liborio
lifted it effortlessly, twirling
it on his fingertips. "Good."
"Okay, what next?" Gray said,
watching Liborio perform.
"Spread your dominant hand,
palm up," said Liborio. "Think
of your fingertips like tiny toes,
allowing you to adjust balance."
Deftly he transferred the tray
to Gray's grasp. It was heavy,
but he could manage to hold it.
Liborio was warm and firm behind
him, his breath a damp whisper
in Gray's ear. "Keep the tray
close to your shoulder, like so."
"So it's closer to my center of
balance?" Gray asked him.
"Exactly so," Liborio said.
"Now, imagine that you have
a thread connected to your head
and spine, pulling you up straight."
As Gray stood straighter, Liborio
put a finger under his chin and
pressed gently upwards.
"There now, don't you look
lovely," Liborio said, pushing at
the small of his back. "Off you go."
Gray was breathless as he took
the tray out to the long table.
Liborio had given him
an effective lesson, sure,
but so much more than that.
He certainly seemed to have
all the qualities of a gentleman,
but the interesting kind who knew
exactly when to stop behaving like one.
"The antipasti," Gray said as he set
the tray on the table, then named
the various offerings that it held.
Ricasso and the Italians got
first choice from it, of course,
but there was plenty to go around.
Cason picked out familiar things
like cheese and grapes for Leta
to enjoy, along with one new thing,
a dab of the fig and walnut jam.
She was wearing a yellow sundress
and acting like a perfect lady for once.
Maybe Olympia was inspiring her.
Zhonn and Ryland muttered together,
trying to figure out what the foods were
even after Gray had named them.
Gray leaned over and whispered
some more detailed descriptions.
Ricasso waited just long enough
for people to start getting thirsty.
"Thriver, bring the beverages,
would you?" he said, then turned
to the Italians. "I wouldn't dare
try to impress you with wines, so
instead I have prepared a choice
of Michigan's finest craft beers."
"Well, this should be enlightening,"
said Ruggiero. "I do like a good beer,
but the Germans rest on their laurels."
Thriver wheeled in a cart that had
Italian soda fixings on the top
and beers on the shelf below.
Ricasso chose first, picking up
a Cerveza Delray Mexican-style Lager,
the same kind as Ricasso was taking.
Liborio pounced on a ruddy bottle of
Blood Orange Haze New England-style IPA .
Olympia took a Cottonmouth Crusher
Sour Ale with Raspberry. Gray didn't
know how she could stand the stuff --
it really was eye-crossingly sour.
Gray happily grabbed himself
a Grand Rabbits Cream Ale.
Zhonn and Ryland both took
an American Amber Ale
by Copper Harbor Ale.
Thriver and Cason chose
the Non-Alcoholic Helles Lager
that came from Enough Said.
"Is that non-alcoholic beer?"
Ruggiero said, leaning forward.
"Yes, I made sure to include some,
just in case anyone wanted to try
American beer but did not want
to risk getting drunk," Ricasso said.
"Leta grabs my glass sometimes,"
Cason muttered, looking down.
"Ah, my nieces have done that,"
Liborio said. "Is there any more?"
"Plenty," Thriver said, offering one.
Liborio, Olympia, and Ruggiero
all shared the non-alcoholic beer,
smiling and nodding at the taste.
"I would like to take a case of that
home with me," said Ruggiero. "We
have many people who do not drink
on duty and yet sometimes wish to look
as if they are. An American label will
pass unnoticed in Italy, because
not everyone will be able to read it."
"The brewery's card," Thriver said,
taking it from a folder to hand out.
"Well, if you have cards, I'd like
to see the others too," Olympia said.
Silently Gray wondered if she had
a recipe for beer-butt chicken. If
she did, though, it was probably
called something very different,
given how elegant she was.
When they finished demolishing
the antipasti, Gray brought the soup
with its Italian herbed breadsticks
and a plate of golden Irish butter.
Someone had thoughtfully set
the table with large and small bowls
so that everyone could pick their own.
Mostly they took the larger ones.
The soup had thickened until
it was almost like porridge.
Gray wasn't sure whether it was
supposed to do so, but he liked it.
He also noticed that nobody
had more than one beer; they
all switched to Italian sodas.
Ruggiero requested his with
extra citrus syrup and heavy cream.
After that, Gray and Thriver fetched
the rest of the supper dishes and
described them to everyone.
"Oh, I've never seen steak
served like that before,"
Liborio said. "How clever."
"We call it garage steak,
because the recipe came
from a restaurant known
as Vinsetta Garage,"
Ricasso explained.
The fusion dish with
chicken and gnocchi
was a huge hit too.
Olympia took the carrots
from the barigoule and
slid them slowly between
her perfectly painted lips.
Zhonn made a strangled noise.
Gray glanced at Ruggiero, but
he just looked faintly amused.
Oh yeah, they must play
this kind of game a lot.
"We have two desserts
for you tonight," Gray said.
"The first offering I have is
a frozen chocolate mousse."
He brought it out and sliced it,
laying each piece on a plate.
"Leta and me are just about
stuffed," Cason said. "I think
one'll be plenty for us, thanks."
In fact, Leta looked about
ready to head for bed.
The Italians, however,
took a slice each and
ate it without hesitating.
Ruggiero looked like he
wanted to lick the plate.
Sure enough, after
the mousse was gone,
Cason left with Leta.
Thriver brought out
the showstopper.
"For our guests, this
is Detroit Agate Cake,"
Ricasso announced, and
explained how it resembled
the gemstone-like creations
made from layered car paint.
The marbled mirror glaze
made a glossy rainbow surface.
The inside, when cut, was not
an organized rainbow but rather
a riot of thin, randomly tinted layers.
Olympia oohed and ahhed just
looking at it, and then made
sinful noises while eating it.
The cake really was delicious.
Gray rarely got more than
a cupcake of it, because it
was so tedious and costly
to make. This was better.
After they finished supper,
it was time to clear the table.
Gray started to stand up,
but Ruggiero patted the air.
"Why don't you stay here
with us, Gray?" said Ruggiero.
"Liborio can help with cleanup."
"Gladly," Liborio said, rising
gracefully to his feet to help.
Zhonn and Ryland also
gave Thriver a hand, so
it would get done faster.
"Was there something
you wanted?" Gray asked,
looking over at Ruggiero.
The big man smiled faintly.
"You seem to have caught
the eye of my team," he said.
"Have they caught yours?"
Gray thought about Liborio
pressed against him and
felt himself blushing.
"They seem ... taken,"
he pointed out delicately.
"Our arrangements are
flexible," Ruggiero said.
"Then yes, they caught
my eye too," Gray admitted.
Ruggiero turned to Ricasso.
"I wonder if you ever loan out
any of your gang for a night?"
Ricasso narrowed his eyes.
"I have become very careful
about that," he said. "Gray has
had ... unfortunate experiences
due to my lack of caution. It
would be entirely up to him."
Gray licked his lips and
dared to glance at the others.
"What kind of loan?" he said.
"Earlier you seemed to enjoy
a bit of power exchange, from
what I've heard," Olympia said.
"We wondered if you'd like more."
"I do like a variety of things,"
Gray said. "Including that.
I um ... I'm a switch."
Olympia's lips curled.
"Perfect," she said. "So
are Liborio and myself."
Gray squirmed a little
in his seat. Two of them!
He didn't find other switches
all that often. What a treat.
Olympia watched him like
a lioness stalking a gazelle.
That sultry, predatory look
made his mouth go dry and
his heart beat faster.
This was what Gray
loved most about kink:
Right on the edge of fear
was where trust could grow.
Gray looked at Ruggiero
next. "And your boss?"
"Ah, no," Ruggiero said.
"I don't partake of rough play
or power games in bed. So
I'm fortunate that my partners
have each other for that."
Well, that made sense.
Gray had a variety of
play-partners to satisfy
different needs -- from
Shiv to Keane -- along
with his own boss.
"That's fair enough,"
Gray said, nodding.
Ricasso looked at him
and raised an eyebrow
in a silent question.
Please, Gray mouthed.
"All right, he's yours for
the evening," Ricasso said.
"No permanent damage,
and no unwanted damage
of any kind. I expect him
back intact and smiling."
Olympia ran her tongue
over her lips. "I can
guarantee the smile."
"At least, if he hasn't
worn out his lips by then,"
Liborio said with a smirk
as he returned to join them.
Gray's head was suddenly
full of possible ways that
he could wear out his lips.
"You can borrow the last room,
and anything in it," Ricasso said.
"Ruggiero and I can talk more."
"Last room?" Liborio wondered.
"We have some flop rooms in
the back, and a patch room,"
Gray explained. "The last one
has a bigger bed and uh ... cabinet."
"Well then, let's see this room,"
Liborio said as he stood up.
Olympia flowed upright
as if she had no bones,
then hooked a finger into
the collar of Gray's shirt
and towed him along behind.
He was entirely willing to go.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes will appear separately.
fuzzyred. It also fills the "WILD CARD: FEAST" square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred, ng_moonmoth, janetmiles, and edorfaus. It belongs to the Pain's Gray and Marionettes threads of the Polychrome Heroics series. Its sequel is "Worth the Chaos."Note: This poem contains references to kink and nonstandard committed relationships.
"Right on the Edge of Fear"
[Day of Saturday, May 9, 2015]
Gray walked in to find
Ricasso dressed up in
one of his better suits.
"Important Business
today, boss?" said Gray.
"Important Business guests
today," Ricasso said. "Are
you and Thriver up to hosting
some sort of impressive feast?"
"That sounds like fun," Gray said.
He loved the fact that his boss
valued all his skills, not just
the fact that he could leave
an enemy writhing in the street.
"What sounds like fun?" Thriver said
as he came into the kitchen and
poured himself a cup of coffee.
"We're doing a feast today,"
said Gray. "I'm thinking I want
to hit the farmer's markets and
look for supplies. I've learned
enough from Shiv that I can
probably spot the good stuff."
"Great, then I'll stay here
and start the long recipes,"
said Thriver. "Who are
we hosting and how many?"
"Some Italian allies, and
three people but plan for
more expansive appetites,"
Ricasso said. "Impress them."
"So Finn feast math, got it,"
Gray said. "What kind of
cuisine do we want to serve?"
"Something familiar, but I also
want to show off the benefits that
Motor City offers," said Ricasso.
"Better break out your wallet,"
said Gray. "I can shop around
for a Detroit Agate Cake, but
buying off the shelf will cost you."
Without hesitating, Ricasso
gave him a Greenbucks card
with a thousand dollars on it.
"Don't scrimp," he said. "Get
the fruit-flavored kind, not
that food-colored crap. Call
before you leave, to see who
has a cake already made."
"Beverages?" Thriver said.
"We could do Italian sodas,
I've got the simple syrup left
from candying citrus peel."
"Great," said Ricasso. "I'm
going to order a selection
of fine local craft beers."
Thriver chuckled. "That'll
be a hit with the boys."
"Let's do an antipasto tray,"
Gray said. "I can find things
for that, whatever looks good."
"Maybe a soup course, since
any leftovers will reheat well
for lunches," Ricasso said.
"I'm sure I can find something,"
Thriver said. "Hey, what about
a fusion dish? Gray and I found
this fantastic recipe for French
and Italian fusion chicken with
gnocchi instead of dumplings."
"Oh, I remember that, I loved
that dish," Ricasso said eagerly.
"They may want more meat, though."
"Garage steak," Gray said. "We
can grill a few, slice them, and
serve the slices on a big platter."
"That'll work," Ricasso agreed.
"We need to have a range of
lighter and heavier dishes so
people can pick what they want."
"How about a second dessert,
then?" Thriver suggested.
"Good idea," said Ricasso.
"I got a tip that Ruggiero
has a fondness for gelato."
"I'll never find that around here,"
Gray said, shaking his head.
"However, I've got a recipe for
Marquise au Chocolat, which
is a frozen chocolate mousse
that gets served half-thawed,
much like gelato typically is."
"That sounds good," Thriver said.
"We could use a vegetable dish ...
what about that thing you did
last week? That was awesome."
"Barigoule of Spring Vegetables,"
Gray said. "Perfect choice, as I
can make it with whatever's fresh."
"All right," said Thriver. "I will
put some bread on and start
the steaks to marinating."
"I'll head out shopping,"
Gray said. "See you soon."
"I look forward to the feast,
and I'm sure our guests will
enjoy it too," said Ricasso.
"With all these supper plans,
the kitchen will be pretty busy,"
Thriver warned. "What about
lunch, or are they coming later?"
"They're arriving in the afternoon,
but if they're hungry, we always have
the gyro spit turning," Ricasso said.
"Just make sure it doesn't run out."
Gray took a car, because he would
have a lot of groceries to haul back.
He swept a couple of farmer's markets
where he found mixed vegetables,
fresh grapes, cherry tomatoes, and
some sweet-and-spicy pecans.
He stopped at an international shop
for prosciutto and salami, smoked salmon,
a box of multigrain crackers, cranberry sauce,
fig and honey jam with walnuts, giardiniera,
and Sicilian style fermented green olives.
A cheese store provided Gray with
French bleu, Irish cheddar, and
mozzarella balls in herbed olive oil.
By the time he made it back with
groceries in tow, the whole lair
smelled like baking bread.
Gray unloaded everything
in the kitchen, then helped
Thriver with the cooking.
Not much later, the guests
arrived: a muscular boss,
a slimmer bodyguard, and
a voluptuous comare.
After a short conversation,
Ricasso led the three of
them into the kitchen.
"We have gyro meat for
a hot lunch, or cheese
and sandwich meats in
the fridge," Ricasso said.
Gray and Thriver looked at
each other. "I forgot to eat
any lunch," Gray confessed.
"Yeah, me too," Thriver said.
"Let's just make up a platter
of gyros and we can sit down
in the conference room."
While Thriver was fixing
the gyros, Gray whipped up
a bowl of mix-and-match salad.
They all chatted over lunch.
Ruggiero, the boss, was
in charge of exploring
Business opportunities
in Motor City -- not looking
to take over, but for allies.
In addition to protection,
Liborio offered insights
and various other support.
Olympia, the comare, had
a masterful grasp of hospitality.
Gray just hoped the Spadonari
could measure up to their standards.
He did make an effort to recommend
some of the local points of interest,
which would help the visitors
assess the city's economy.
After lunch, Gray and
Thriver went back to
the kitchen, where they
washed the lunch dishes.
Then they worked on
more of the supper things.
Gray did some prep work
for the antipasto platter,
chopping and slicing
whatever needed it.
Liborio rapped lightly on
the kitchen doorframe.
"Boss talk," he said.
"Yeah, they do that,"
Gray said as he dried
his hands on a towel.
"How can we help you?"
"Would either of you like
to join me in the gym?"
he asked. "I could use
a workout, and I'm not
familiar with your setup."
Gray looked at the clock,
startled to realize that
over an hour had passed.
"Yeah, I'll come," he said.
"We have showers here, and
some spare gym clothes if
you'd like to borrow something."
"That would be very helpful,"
said Liborio, who was dressed
in some designer outfit that
Gray didn't recognize as
more than expensive.
They changed into
casual tracksuits and
went into the gym.
Liborio was svelte
and dangerous, just
the kind of partner
that Gray enjoyed.
He was also rather
out of Gray's league.
They stretched out first,
then lifted some weights,
before Gray invited Liborio
into a hand-to-hand match.
Liborio wiped the mat with him,
but Gray had expected that.
It was still very educational.
Liborio gave him a look.
"Is that all you've got?"
Gray shook his head.
"No, but you might not
like the special sauce."
Liborio laughed. "Try me,"
he said, beckoning to Gray.
So the next time Liborio
pressed him into the mat,
Gray let his superpower
sizzle along his skin where
it touched the older man's.
Instantly Liborio let go.
"Well, that was exciting,"
he said, "but we'd best not
go too far with it, or you'll
get me all wound up."
Gray raised his eyebrows.
"That could be interesting,"
he said, "but I'll lay off it."
Liborio's lazy smile made Gray
wonder about him, though.
Possibilities? Perhaps.
The trio had seemed close,
but you never knew what
other people's arrangements
might happen to be, or not.
They were both pleasantly
tired and sweaty when
Olympia came in and
started her own stretches.
Gray had no idea where she'd
been while the bosses were
talking, but it was a good thing
she hadn't been here because
he couldn't concentrate with her
doing ... whatever that was.
"I think I'll hit the showers,"
he said before anything
embarrassing could pop up.
Liborio chuckled. "Olympia
has that effect on people."
Quickly Gray rinsed off
and got dressed, then
went back to the kitchen.
He started working on
the chicken and gnocchi,
which wouldn't take long.
It smelled warm and fragrant,
adding to the rich aromas
already filling the kitchen.
Shrill giggles and the thump
of little feet made Gray peek out.
Leta ran down the hall wearing
nothing but a froth of soapsuds.
Cason hustled after her, hissing,
"You stop this right now!"
Trying to dodge around
the Italians, Leta skidded
and lost her balance.
Liborio dove forward,
catching her in midair
and rolling to put himself
on the bottom as they landed.
"Whee!" said Leta. "Again!"
"I think you've had quite enough
excitement," Liborio said firmly.
"I am so sorry," Cason said as
he picked up his daughter.
Ruggiero waved him off.
"Children will play," he said.
"Liborio is used to that."
Indeed, Liborio didn't seem
to mind that his silk shirt was
wet enough to show his nipples.
"I won't melt," he said easily.
"Come along, little greased pig,"
Cason said as he picked up
his daughter. "We need to get
you all dressed for supper."
Gray went back to the kitchen
to assemble the antipasto platter.
There were so many things to go
on it, and he had to make it look
good, not like a random jumble.
He was trying to figure out
how to carry everything when
Liborio peeked into the kitchen.
"Need a hand?" he said. "I've
done my share of service work."
"I need a way to carry this without
spilling anything," Gray said. "I've
seen Shiv do it plenty of times,
but he's trained as a waiter."
"Ah," Liborio said, smiling.
"Would you like a lesson?"
"Yes, please," Gray said.
"I don't need to be an expert,
just not drop the darn thing."
"First, make sure that the tray
is well balanced." Liborio
lifted it effortlessly, twirling
it on his fingertips. "Good."
"Okay, what next?" Gray said,
watching Liborio perform.
"Spread your dominant hand,
palm up," said Liborio. "Think
of your fingertips like tiny toes,
allowing you to adjust balance."
Deftly he transferred the tray
to Gray's grasp. It was heavy,
but he could manage to hold it.
Liborio was warm and firm behind
him, his breath a damp whisper
in Gray's ear. "Keep the tray
close to your shoulder, like so."
"So it's closer to my center of
balance?" Gray asked him.
"Exactly so," Liborio said.
"Now, imagine that you have
a thread connected to your head
and spine, pulling you up straight."
As Gray stood straighter, Liborio
put a finger under his chin and
pressed gently upwards.
"There now, don't you look
lovely," Liborio said, pushing at
the small of his back. "Off you go."
Gray was breathless as he took
the tray out to the long table.
Liborio had given him
an effective lesson, sure,
but so much more than that.
He certainly seemed to have
all the qualities of a gentleman,
but the interesting kind who knew
exactly when to stop behaving like one.
"The antipasti," Gray said as he set
the tray on the table, then named
the various offerings that it held.
Ricasso and the Italians got
first choice from it, of course,
but there was plenty to go around.
Cason picked out familiar things
like cheese and grapes for Leta
to enjoy, along with one new thing,
a dab of the fig and walnut jam.
She was wearing a yellow sundress
and acting like a perfect lady for once.
Maybe Olympia was inspiring her.
Zhonn and Ryland muttered together,
trying to figure out what the foods were
even after Gray had named them.
Gray leaned over and whispered
some more detailed descriptions.
Ricasso waited just long enough
for people to start getting thirsty.
"Thriver, bring the beverages,
would you?" he said, then turned
to the Italians. "I wouldn't dare
try to impress you with wines, so
instead I have prepared a choice
of Michigan's finest craft beers."
"Well, this should be enlightening,"
said Ruggiero. "I do like a good beer,
but the Germans rest on their laurels."
Thriver wheeled in a cart that had
Italian soda fixings on the top
and beers on the shelf below.
Ricasso chose first, picking up
a Cerveza Delray Mexican-style Lager,
the same kind as Ricasso was taking.
Liborio pounced on a ruddy bottle of
Blood Orange Haze New England-style IPA .
Olympia took a Cottonmouth Crusher
Sour Ale with Raspberry. Gray didn't
know how she could stand the stuff --
it really was eye-crossingly sour.
Gray happily grabbed himself
a Grand Rabbits Cream Ale.
Zhonn and Ryland both took
an American Amber Ale
by Copper Harbor Ale.
Thriver and Cason chose
the Non-Alcoholic Helles Lager
that came from Enough Said.
"Is that non-alcoholic beer?"
Ruggiero said, leaning forward.
"Yes, I made sure to include some,
just in case anyone wanted to try
American beer but did not want
to risk getting drunk," Ricasso said.
"Leta grabs my glass sometimes,"
Cason muttered, looking down.
"Ah, my nieces have done that,"
Liborio said. "Is there any more?"
"Plenty," Thriver said, offering one.
Liborio, Olympia, and Ruggiero
all shared the non-alcoholic beer,
smiling and nodding at the taste.
"I would like to take a case of that
home with me," said Ruggiero. "We
have many people who do not drink
on duty and yet sometimes wish to look
as if they are. An American label will
pass unnoticed in Italy, because
not everyone will be able to read it."
"The brewery's card," Thriver said,
taking it from a folder to hand out.
"Well, if you have cards, I'd like
to see the others too," Olympia said.
Silently Gray wondered if she had
a recipe for beer-butt chicken. If
she did, though, it was probably
called something very different,
given how elegant she was.
When they finished demolishing
the antipasti, Gray brought the soup
with its Italian herbed breadsticks
and a plate of golden Irish butter.
Someone had thoughtfully set
the table with large and small bowls
so that everyone could pick their own.
Mostly they took the larger ones.
The soup had thickened until
it was almost like porridge.
Gray wasn't sure whether it was
supposed to do so, but he liked it.
He also noticed that nobody
had more than one beer; they
all switched to Italian sodas.
Ruggiero requested his with
extra citrus syrup and heavy cream.
After that, Gray and Thriver fetched
the rest of the supper dishes and
described them to everyone.
"Oh, I've never seen steak
served like that before,"
Liborio said. "How clever."
"We call it garage steak,
because the recipe came
from a restaurant known
as Vinsetta Garage,"
Ricasso explained.
The fusion dish with
chicken and gnocchi
was a huge hit too.
Olympia took the carrots
from the barigoule and
slid them slowly between
her perfectly painted lips.
Zhonn made a strangled noise.
Gray glanced at Ruggiero, but
he just looked faintly amused.
Oh yeah, they must play
this kind of game a lot.
"We have two desserts
for you tonight," Gray said.
"The first offering I have is
a frozen chocolate mousse."
He brought it out and sliced it,
laying each piece on a plate.
"Leta and me are just about
stuffed," Cason said. "I think
one'll be plenty for us, thanks."
In fact, Leta looked about
ready to head for bed.
The Italians, however,
took a slice each and
ate it without hesitating.
Ruggiero looked like he
wanted to lick the plate.
Sure enough, after
the mousse was gone,
Cason left with Leta.
Thriver brought out
the showstopper.
"For our guests, this
is Detroit Agate Cake,"
Ricasso announced, and
explained how it resembled
the gemstone-like creations
made from layered car paint.
The marbled mirror glaze
made a glossy rainbow surface.
The inside, when cut, was not
an organized rainbow but rather
a riot of thin, randomly tinted layers.
Olympia oohed and ahhed just
looking at it, and then made
sinful noises while eating it.
The cake really was delicious.
Gray rarely got more than
a cupcake of it, because it
was so tedious and costly
to make. This was better.
After they finished supper,
it was time to clear the table.
Gray started to stand up,
but Ruggiero patted the air.
"Why don't you stay here
with us, Gray?" said Ruggiero.
"Liborio can help with cleanup."
"Gladly," Liborio said, rising
gracefully to his feet to help.
Zhonn and Ryland also
gave Thriver a hand, so
it would get done faster.
"Was there something
you wanted?" Gray asked,
looking over at Ruggiero.
The big man smiled faintly.
"You seem to have caught
the eye of my team," he said.
"Have they caught yours?"
Gray thought about Liborio
pressed against him and
felt himself blushing.
"They seem ... taken,"
he pointed out delicately.
"Our arrangements are
flexible," Ruggiero said.
"Then yes, they caught
my eye too," Gray admitted.
Ruggiero turned to Ricasso.
"I wonder if you ever loan out
any of your gang for a night?"
Ricasso narrowed his eyes.
"I have become very careful
about that," he said. "Gray has
had ... unfortunate experiences
due to my lack of caution. It
would be entirely up to him."
Gray licked his lips and
dared to glance at the others.
"What kind of loan?" he said.
"Earlier you seemed to enjoy
a bit of power exchange, from
what I've heard," Olympia said.
"We wondered if you'd like more."
"I do like a variety of things,"
Gray said. "Including that.
I um ... I'm a switch."
Olympia's lips curled.
"Perfect," she said. "So
are Liborio and myself."
Gray squirmed a little
in his seat. Two of them!
He didn't find other switches
all that often. What a treat.
Olympia watched him like
a lioness stalking a gazelle.
That sultry, predatory look
made his mouth go dry and
his heart beat faster.
This was what Gray
loved most about kink:
Right on the edge of fear
was where trust could grow.
Gray looked at Ruggiero
next. "And your boss?"
"Ah, no," Ruggiero said.
"I don't partake of rough play
or power games in bed. So
I'm fortunate that my partners
have each other for that."
Well, that made sense.
Gray had a variety of
play-partners to satisfy
different needs -- from
Shiv to Keane -- along
with his own boss.
"That's fair enough,"
Gray said, nodding.
Ricasso looked at him
and raised an eyebrow
in a silent question.
Please, Gray mouthed.
"All right, he's yours for
the evening," Ricasso said.
"No permanent damage,
and no unwanted damage
of any kind. I expect him
back intact and smiling."
Olympia ran her tongue
over her lips. "I can
guarantee the smile."
"At least, if he hasn't
worn out his lips by then,"
Liborio said with a smirk
as he returned to join them.
Gray's head was suddenly
full of possible ways that
he could wear out his lips.
"You can borrow the last room,
and anything in it," Ricasso said.
"Ruggiero and I can talk more."
"Last room?" Liborio wondered.
"We have some flop rooms in
the back, and a patch room,"
Gray explained. "The last one
has a bigger bed and uh ... cabinet."
"Well then, let's see this room,"
Liborio said as he stood up.
Olympia flowed upright
as if she had no bones,
then hooked a finger into
the collar of Gray's shirt
and towed him along behind.
He was entirely willing to go.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes will appear separately.