Danger Zone

"Wait? Primo's brother was dead?"

Daime looks at Aiden as if he was joking with what he asked after answering him with his question from earlier. 

The youngest third generation Santoro just nods at Aiden as he continues to chop the vegetables before cooking his own meal. Aiden has done his duties at the stable and still awaiting for the next order from the Headmaster of the house. 

He sighs as he flops his body to the ground and frowns.

"When did he die?"

Daime thinks for a moment before answering Aiden, making sure that he says the correct date since his brother died a month after Primo's brother's death.

"Third of February two thousand and eight. Primo is eighteen years old at that time."

Aiden frowns even more when he hears how old Primo is when his brother died. He is not as young as he thought he would be but losing a family at that age still hurts. 

Daime only shakes his head as he places the ingredients in a porcelain bowl. Aiden watches him goes to the stove before getting every kitchen utensils and spices that he needs.

"What will you be cooking, Daime?"

Aiden stands up from the floor and leans over the island counter. Daime looks behind him before getting a chopping board and a knife. 

He grabs a whole cabbage and gives it to Aiden and tells him what he should do.

"When Grandmama enters and asks what are you doing here. Just tell her that I order you to chop these."

After that, Daime goes back to cooking. Aiden only stares at him with confusion when he suddenly sees Grandmama walking from afar. 

He immediately chops off the butt of the cabbage before pulling off the leaves of the vegetable. Aiden places them on a large bowl before rinsing them off. 

After washing the vegetable, Aiden places the large leaves on the chopping board before cutting them into pieces. 

Daime watches him work and then nods. 

Moments later, Grandmama arrives at their location with one of her eyebrows raised to the sky.

"What are you doing here, Slave?"

Daime's lips form a thin line when he hears what Grandmama just called Aiden as if he doesn't have a name for his own.

Aiden faces Grandmama while holding the knife and before stabbing it to the chopping board with a smile on his face. 

"Master Daime asks me for help chopping these vegetables, Madame."

Aiden goes back to his vegetable chopping while Daime tries not to laugh when he knows that he can't avoid that. 

Daime continues to chop off the head of the fish while Aiden puts the vegetables on a clean bowl before putting them next to Daime. 

Grandmama watches everything that is going on at the kitchen until she decides to leave. Daime sees her leaving in the corner of his eyes and sighs.

"I don't know what is wrong with her. She has been like this ever since I am young."

Aiden stops chopping the other ingredients for Daime's meal and stares at the latter who is frowning in front of the stove. 

It made him think that Grandmama might have a reason for being this evil. Maybe something happened to her that is so traumatic that made her to be like this. 

"Did she ever told you guys her past?"

It is a common story amongst elder people. Telling their grandchildren their past history to set an example to the younger generation. 

Even Aiden's grandfather tells him stories of luxury and lavishness and also faithfulness and happiness. That's what Aiden grew up with. 

A playboy of a grandfather that met the woman who turned his life upside down. Aiden could still remember the first time he actually believed that his grandfather is as straight as a meter stick.

He chuckles to himself when he realizes that his father is also a gay guy like him and the love of his life that he met is his father's father. 

"She never told us anything other than her rules and regulations as if we are her prisoners and she is the warden. 

We actually think that this mansion is built to be a prison cell rather than a big house."

Aiden snaps out of his own thoughts when he hears Daime speaking. He hasn't been here for the longest time so the mansion doesn't seem to be a prison cell for him. 

It just lacks a lot of communication between Grandmama and her grandchildren. 

"She is so strict that when you asked a favor to her, she turns them down immediately. When asked for her to let you travel, she will make sure you are being followed by hundreds of watchdog all around the globe.

When you asked her to go to a café or hang out with friends, she will make sure that you will have a maid or a butler with you. 

She will not let be independent and make sure you will be dependent only to her. She babies us a lot when it comes to the outside world but treats us like slaves inside of this prison cell.

It's utterly foolish."

Daime sighs as his voice is filled with frustrations. Aiden sighs and hugs the frustrated Santoro before kissing his cheeks.

Daime looks at Aiden with softness evident in his eyes before smiling to the smaller man.

"You know, our time with each other is limited because you are always with Primo."

Aiden blushes when he hears Daime's statement. Of course, Daime can see it as well. He is not blind after all. 

But hearing about it straight from the latter's mouth is a bit embarrassing for Aiden. 

Daime sees how embarrassed Aiden is and wraps his arms around Aiden's waist before putting his chin on his shoulder. 

"I miss you a lot, babe."

Aiden blushes intensified as Daime continues to whisper sweet things to his ears. His heavy breath tickles Aiden's ears, sending shivers down to Aiden's spine.

Aiden starts to look around the kitchen to see any possible cameras that can film them doing it in the kitchen. 

Aiden tries to push Daime away and explains that they can't do it in the kitchen when someone suddenly enters the place. 

"Aiden."

Firm and devious, Aiden and Daime look at the source of the voice and immediately flinch back away from each other. Daime stares at the ground while Aiden tries to regain his composure as he stares at Grandmama.

"Your next mission is…"