Page 7 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
“And Matthew and Hypatia.”
Jun frowned, reaching back into his memory of everything Damian had told him by the river. “Matthew, who was Richard’s submissive before you?”
“He and Richard were involved before Richard and I started to have an intimate relationship, but we were both his submissives at the same time later on.”
Jun nodded. “I’m going to need a map of relationships.”
Damian laughed. “I’ll draw you one.”
“Hypatia was the domme that Richard trained?”
“Good memory.”
“I’m trying.” Jun smiled a bit and popped another profiterole in his mouth. “So you never talk to your, what do you call it, blood family?”
“Family of origin or bio family is how we say it here in the US these days.”
Jun rolled the phrases around in his head. “Even if you didn’t know them?”
“It’s generally how we refer to the people our DNA comes from.”
“Ugh.” Jun crossed his fingers. “I don’t know much about mine.”
“I know more than I want to know about mine.”
“So you do talk to them?”
Damian sighed. “My younger sister talks to me once or twice a year. She lives a few states away. She’s happy. Our childhood isn’t a good memory for her. I respect that. We’re not good for each other. No hate, but nothing in common that isn’t painful. It’s better this way.”
Jun waited. It seemed like there was more.
Damian rubbed the back of his head and shredded a piece of wax wrapped cheese. “My older sister is in and out. I try to avoid her. She lives here in Chicago, not close to the Loop. I send her money on birthdays for her kids and for Christmas. Sometimes she says something; sometimes she doesn't.”
“I’m sorry.”
Damian grimaced. “Don’t be. I prefer when she says nothing. I send the money and then…” He shrugged, weary and looking like he didn’t know what to do about something. “It is what it is.”
“So your dad and mom, not in the picture?”
“My mom left when I was young. I looked her up years later with a private investigator. She’s living out in California, has a new family. My dad contacted me a few days ago to yell at me. I blocked his number—again. There was a court order saying I couldn’t go near him for a few years. It ran out. I have nothing to say to him, but my older sister still lives with him, I think.”
“Ouch. So you really don’t want to see her.”
“Exactly.”
“Even after you went through all that, with your niece getting hurt and you getting arrested, your older sister still stayed with your dad?”
Damian nodded, eyes haunted. He’d finished tearing up the cheese and wax and was now shredding a strip of meat. “And brought more kids into the house.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.”
Jun grimaced. “We really lucked out. At least my mom was awesome for nine years.”
Damian reached out and Jun met him, their fingers tangling together.
“This is why The Residency, why Richard and Émeric and Collin are my family.”
