Lucio's story was horrific for reasons Ansel couldn't even begin to comprehend. He had dealt with trauma victims before; he was well acquainted with many victims of physical and verbal abuse, domestic violence, rape. Although his specialty wasn't with dealing with those types of patients, many individuals with mental illnesses struggled with demons locked away in their pasts, and once upon a time it had been Ansel's job to discuss those things and help his patients deal with them instead of just lecture about the scientific aspect of his field of study to a room of young students. But discussing those things with strangers had always been, not easy, but it certainly never felt like this. Listening to Lucio made Ansel's stomach twist into a series of knots so painful and tight it felt as if they would never loosen. Ansel's first time engaging in intercourse had been clumsy and awkward, but it wasn't malicious. It wasn't abusive or downright evil. That was precisely what Ansel thought of the man that had taken advantage of his future lover, and Ansel felt nothing but joy upon hearing that the bastard was already dead, lest Ansel have the desire to kill the man himself.<br/><br/>When Lucio had finished, all Ansel could do was stare at the boy with soft, adoring eyes. His darling had been through so much, suffered so terribly at the hands of brutal, disgusting men. When Lucio was being violated, Ansel was already thirty-two years old, likely wasting his time on some drunken college boy with too much testosterone flowing through his young veins. How was he to know that his future, his lover, still only a child, was being scarred for life? Ansel wished he could have known Lucio sooner, wished that he could have prevented others taking advantage of his sweetness and beauty. Would Ansel have been able to predict the man Lucio would grow into? Could he still fall in love with Lucio if he had met him so young? It seemed unlikely, as unlike the garbage that had raped Lucio, Ansel was no pedophile, and knowing Lucio when he was a child most likely would have altered Ansel's view of him, purified him in a way that would've made it impossible for Ansel to view him sexually. As terrible as it was, there was nothing Ansel could do about it now but affectionately stroke his darling's hair and as he returned Lucio's kiss.<i>No one will ever touch you again. I promise</i>, the professor thought, nuzzling Lucio gently as they lay there together.<br/><br/>"A question for you now? Hm, I suppose it is only fair. Give me a moment." Ansel furrowed his brow and pondered on all the things he wanted to ask the boy lying beneath him. Ansel could have listened to Lucio talk for days, months, years, mesmerized by the beautiful lilt in his voice that charmed him so intensely. "I want to know everything about you," Ansel laughed, "it's difficult to pick just one. But okay, I think I may have something. Why don't you tell me about the most exciting thing that you've done? Could be a trip, some exhilarating activity, maybe even a person you met who just changed your life somehow. Just think about the first moment that comes to mind, the one that makes you the happiest, and tell me about that."