Chapter 1

Gifts

"Nik, Nik, open up!"

Orel was shaking. He yanked the doorknob several more times, with no result. There was no sound coming from Nikto's room.

"Gods damn you," Orel hissed through the clenched teeth. He rummaged in the pockets of his jacket with his bloodied hands. At last he found what he was looking for: the door key. He pushed it into the keyhole abruptly.

"Shi-it," he whispered looking at the locked door, not daring to open it. Trying to suppress shivering, he leaned with his shoulder against the doorpost not letting the key go. "Never mind, never mind."

He turned the key. The door opened with a slight click. Orel grabbed his head, squeezed his temples as if expecting a blow but nothing happened. It was as quiet behind the door as before. Orel relaxed. He pulled out the key carefully and looked into the room opening the door slightly. His face lightened – he saw Nikto. Nikto slept in his bed as if nothing happened. His fair hair was very visible in the darkness. One of his braids hung down almost to the floor.

Orel came in shutting the door tightly.

"Nik," he called softly. "Nik?"

Nikto flinched.

"Arel, go… mm… that is, get out," he muttered hazily. "I want to sleep."

Orel came up to the unoccupied side of the bed. He took off his jacket and stayed naked down to his waist. He crawled up on the bed.

Nikto rose slightly, mumbled angrily:

"Fuck your mother! I'm tired of you!" He glanced at Orel and hissed. "Ooh, enjoyed my gift? You're covered in blood."

Orel understood just now that he'd smeared himself in blood all over when cutting the slave. He looked at his hands.

"Oh shit," he said in surprise and started unlacing his leather armbands soaked in blood.

"No need," Nikto slowly sat up in bed. He watched Orel with curiosity, then laughed softly. "So, you really like to fuck dead women, don't you?"

Orel froze, his armband half-unlaced.

"Don't," he said quietly without raising his head.

"Arel, I injected myself a crazy dose of various shit, I can't think straight, let's talk tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," Orel looked at him with insane eyes. "But I couldn't, I need to tell you now…"

"What else?"

"I, I…" Orel swallowed convulsively. "I can't any more! I… I…"

His face distorted, he screwed his eyes shut as if the words he said hurt him.

Nikto lay down on his back stretching.

"I got it," he said. "Don't torment yourself saying the rest. Go away."

He yawned and turned to his side, with his back to Orel.

"No," Orel whispered. "No!" he screamed angrily. "Why do you reject me? Why?!"

He was shaking again.

"I don't understand! Am I not handsome? Everyone says I'm handsome, I see that myself. Don't you like me at all? What is wrong with me? Explain me!"

"Arel, you're all right and you're handsome," Nikto drawled tiredly without turning towards him. "But I don't sleep with men."

"What?!" Orel gasped in exasperation. "You fuck anyone you can get! You fuck even that disgusting Unclean creature! That scaly bitch! You are ready to sleep with her but you don't want to be with me! You're humiliating me with it so much!" he added resentfully.

Nikto was silent. Orel nearly howled. His fists clenched, he was trembling.

"I can't stand it! I can't stand it. You're just trying to sell you for a higher price! But I'm ready to pay! I'm ready!" He yanked the 'royal' ring off his finger. "You always liked it, I don't care, I'm ready to pay! You'll be mine! I'll pay! I'll pay!"

Nikto was breathing deeply and evenly, he didn't react at Orel's words. Orel leaned over him, took his hand and put his ring onto Nikto's finger.

"Nik, my love, please be with me," he tried to hug Nikto, and Nikto woke up.

"Arel…"

"Don't, don't say anything," Orel covered Nikto's mouth with his palm, pressing onto him with all his weight. "I love you, don't resist. I love you! Be mine completely. You also want it, I know!" He grabbed Nikto between his legs with his free hand, squeezed his cock.

Nikto punched his face with his fist. Orel yelled, starting back.

"I told you! Go away!" Nikto hit him in his eye with such force that Orel lost his balance and fell flat. He curled in a ball covering his face. Nikto grabbed his head by his disheveled hair.

"That's all," he said, "that's all, don't be afraid, I won't hit you again."

Orel crawled down from the bed slowly.

"Shit, what is it?" Nikto shouted only now noticing the 'royal' ring on his finger.

"It is yours," Orel said holding his split lip. He picked up his jacket from the floor.

"Oh no! It is yours and only yours, you idiot, how could you give it away? Why? You wanted to buy me? Right? I hate you for that!" Nikto yanked the ring off his finger and threw it at Orel. "Take it! You cannot buy me, even with a 'royal' ring! Get it? Yes, it is written on my face that I'm corrupt! But you…"

Orel didn't answer. He knelt down on the floor slowly and started patting his hand over the furs trying to find the ring. He couldn't find it in the darkness. Nikto watched him silently. Orel raised his gaze uncertainty; his eyes were full of tears.

"I'll find it and leave," he said quietly and turned away.

Nikto got down from the bed and sat on the furs next to Orel. He reached his hand touching Orel's shoulder and turned him to himself.

"Arel, I didn't want to…"

Orel moved away from him.

"Nik, don't, I understand, you'll never forgive me. I deserved these blows."

His split lip was bleeding but he didn't seem to notice it.

"I cannot find the ring but let it be, I don't need it."

"Arel…"

"Don't, Nik," Orel shook his head, pushed a few bloodied strands away from his face and reached for his jacket.

Nikto abruptly covered Orel's hand with his, not letting him take the jacket.

"Arel," he squeezed his hand. "Orel, wait!"

"Forgive me if you can, please," Orel said.

"Enough. We are always begging each other for forgiveness, like two idiots. I'm tired of it!"

Nikto pulled Orel closer.

"I'm tired of it, do you hear?"

"Do you want to kill me?"

"Little fool," Nikto laughed softly and gently patted Orel's dirty hair, then hugged him pressing him to his chest like a child. "I can't hurt you, I can't."

Orel clung to him, hiding his face against Nikto's chest. Nikto stroked his head kissing his hair.

"You're very beautiful, prince, really. You're just splendid!" He paused. "But you stink like a butcher!"

Orel laughed and raised his head.

"I don't know how I managed to get dirty like this," he shook his head. "I spoiled your gift. I was drunk."

"Forget it," when Nikto was talking quietly and gently, his voice didn't sound dissonant at all.

"Why are you comforting me? Have you read my thoughts about killing myself? You shouldn't have done that."

"I don't read your thoughts. I was very rude to you. Drugs are finishing me off, they make me mad. You didn't do anything that deserved hitting you so badly. I seem to have hit you too hard, I don't understand how it happened." He pushed Orel away slightly, carefully passed his fingers over Orel's eye that started swelling shut, looked at the bruise closely. Leaning towards Orel, Nikto touched his lips, kissing them gently. He looked straight at Orel, his eyes glittered in the darkness.