He had it all. He wanted more.
Barry Hawkins is the oldest child among several families living on a large, idyllic estate near the end of the twenty-first century. Fearless and precocious, he leads the children, charms the adults, and rules his little world. His future seems as wide as the sky, as bright as the sun.
But life in this strange, isolated compound is complex. The adults here live by their own rules, navigating networks of power-based relationships. Barry witnesses the tangled dynamics around him, where men trade dominance, submission and service, and his curiosity grows. Can he access the power and influence around him? Can he play in this arena—and win? As he leaves his childhood behind, Barry must make his own choices about where he fits in the world, what he’s looking for, and who he wants to be.
A coming-of-age journey where mistakes are made and trust is mislaid; where not every relationship is the right one but the happy ending may be found where it’s least expected. Queer normative environment, large non-romanticized age gap, off-screen D/s, off-screen addictions, low spice, adults behaving badly, childhood friends to lovers.
