17 Not a Disease, But ...

"Shit, I did not think she would care so much" Andrzej worried. "She is so curious about your reaction that she is about to bump into one of the tables."

Dominik thoughtfully scooped a spoonful of milky-green soup and carefully tasted it. Looking at him, Andrzej had the impression that he was watching the taster while tasting a new blend of teas. The actor's face hardly changed expression. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly - nothing else. However, he quickly reached for a piece of bread and started eating the contents of his plate. The enthusiasm of his gestures spoke for itself.

"Good, is it not?

"Don't waste your mouth on talking" he replied, putting a piece of bread in them.

Śliwiński was a good actor. On the screen, he could be completely different than in life, Andrzej knew, however, that outside the film set, pretending and lying are difficult for him. That is why he was afraid of people and that they would discover his true, sensitive nature. The enthusiasm with which he devoured the first course was completely honest.

"Uf," he sighed as he emptied his plate. "You want to ask for more."

"I don't advise you," Andrzej shook his head. "Don't forget the stuffed cabbage rolls."

"Um, you're right," Dominik admitted, and looked around the room again.

The photographer felt happy looking at him and his reaction to his surroundings. Śliwiński, although he had figured out Andrzej's perfidious plan, gave the impression that it did not bother him at all, on the contrary, he opened his mind and heart to new experiences and people. Nowicki did not expect such cooperation. He had no idea why such a positive reaction from the actor was coming from.

Paulina showed up and replaced the empty plates with new ones full of aromatic stuffed cabbage in tomato sauce. At the mere sight of them and the smell of them, Andrzej's saliva flowed into his mouth. Not wanting to waste time talking, they immediately started the main course.

The portions were large and filling, and although both of them were hungry before coming to the restaurant, after emptying their plates neither of them thought about more. Dominik stretched out in the chair, easing the pressure on his stomach. He looked completely relaxed. His eyes shone brightly, and his mouth, on which the mark of the cut was almost completely invisible, smiled pleasantly.

"You were right, the food here is amazing. I'm glad you brought me here," he announced. "I was supposed to refuse, but ... I don't regret trusting you."

Andrzej was also happy. Today he was the stimulus that made Dominik dare to leave his safe hiding place, show himself in front of people and found out that not all of them are so bad. Who knows, maybe tomorrow he will take a step further and reach out to them himself?

"Is it very hard for you to trust me?"

"No. After all, you saved me," he replied very softly. "If you hadn't come then ... I'm really glad you were there. Someone else might just sit still and take pictures that later ..."

"It's not true. Anyone in my position would have done this."

Śliwiński gently shook his head.

"It is your modesty that makes you say that ..."

And what makes you say so, Dominik? Wasn't what happened that afternoon an isolated incident after all? Although the actor assured that for the first time Marczak intended to do something against his will, how many times did he bend his will to his, making the young actor succumb despite internal opposition?

"Have you… had many partners?"

The question came unexpectedly and it was one of the very intimate ones, but Dominik did not look surprised. He probably expected Andrzej to ask about something like that sooner or later. He didn't even blush when he replied:

"No. Marek is the only one. I've never been with anyone else - not a man or a woman."

"Never?" The answer he received surprised him more than he had expected.

"Never."

There was silence for a moment, during which Nowicki tried to absorb this information.

"Have you been together for a long time? You know, in a romantic way."

"Since my first movie.

Since his first… That means Dominik was seventeen then! Or eighteen?

Andrzej immediately imagined a beautiful young boy whom an older and experienced man seduces with sweet words and promises. He says it's nothing, it's just fun, that everyone does it and it's no pity and no risk, because he cannot get pregnant and he will feel wonderful. He seduces a sexually and live inexperienced youngster and wraps him around his finger. He makes him a star, but the price is hard work, dog loyalty and his own body. Bewildered by the old pervert, the boy does not even realize that he is being used in all possible ways - he earns his manager a lot of money and serves him as a sex toy. Isolated from his family, addicted to his lover, he is unable to make independent decisions and actions. He is his beautiful, practical doll with which you can do whatever you want, because there is nowhere to run away or ask for help. Worst of all, he probably doesn't know how passive he is.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Śliwiński was worried.

"What? No, it's nothing like that. I thought to myself that I was also glad that I was there then."

It was the honest truth. Although the assignment of paparazzi jobs offended his professional dignity, thanks to it, Andrzej was able to discover what trouble this young, sensitive man was in. Knowing the problem is the basis for solving it. Nowicki knew that he had to save Śliwiński from the swamp of his life, especially erotic. Instead of being exploited by a middle-aged guy, Dominik should include another beautiful and young woman.

"Am I interrupting?"

Andrzej shivered hearing a woman's voice next to him. He turned his head to see Paulina with three apple pie plates on a tray. One of her waitresses was taking back empty dishes after dinner. Nowicki did not even notice when they were taken.

"Oh no," Dominik said cheerfully. "The invitation is still valid. Let me introduce myself formally" he stood up politely "Dominik Śliwiński, at your service."

"Paulina Kowalczyk. It's an honor."

"The pleasure is all mine. Please."

Śliwiński only sat down when she took her place. Andrzej, still busy with processing information about the actor's toxic relationship with the manager, did not even notice this symptom of exaggerated haberdashery in his eyes. He listened to their conversation only three by three.

Dominik didn't seem to be gay at all, he just didn't know anything else. Andrzej was far from inferring that homosexuality was a disease or a degeneration, but he was convinced that it was nothing natural. It is true that in nature there were relationships of partners of the same sex, but only when the partner of other gender was out of reach. Sex only with members of the same sex was an aberration that became simply fashionable among people despite social opposition.

Dominik thought he was gay, but he couldn't be one hundred percent sure until he slept with the woman. It would be easier for him in his private life and in his career if he had a nice, beautiful female partner with whom he could show up among people and introduce her to his parents. His scandalous romance with his own manager, even if it were to come to light, would only be an intriguing youth adventure forgiven by all circles.

So there was hope that Śliwiński would lead a normal life. It was enough to find a suitable partner for him.