The peaceful silence and the boots thumping on the floor are filling the stone room. Sigurd is already in dream land when the man next to his bed takes off his coat. The lamp is lighten and the tall man lets his hair free. He gazes at the boy sleeping beautifully. His little nose breathing heavily half under the blanket as his red hair is ruffled covering his forehead and cheeks. Karlen brushes the hair off his cheeks and blows in the lamp. The white smoke spreads gracefully in the room giving a smoky scent.
Sigurd shifts a little as Karlen lifts his hand placing it on his strong arm. The boy shivers a little when Karlen's cold clothes touch him. He yawns and opens his eyes sluggishly. His hand fondles the man's chest.
'It's Karlen…he really came …'
"You like my chest?" Karlen whispers in his ears as he brushes his cheek kissing him on the forehead.
Sigurd feels his face getting hot. Thankfully it is night and the man can't see his face.
"As if …Why did you came?" Sigurd places his leg involuntary over Karlen's legs as his hand gropes the man's chest shamelessly. He kind of missed the plump chest … his head fits the relief of the mans arm and chest. Is the perfect place!
Karlen smiles as the boy cuddles in his arms feeling like home. He knows that this will not be possible in the daytime. Sigurd was like this just when he couldn't see him. Even though the boy was usually fierce, hugging Karlen is reserved in the midnight only. This is cute in Karlen's eyes. Feeling Sigurd being comfortable in his arms is probably one of his biggest accomplishments.
"You were quite convincing … 'You better come!' …. I didn't know you actually liked to sleep with me."
Karlen is teasing him a little with the thing he knows will make Sigurd defensive.
"I just hate you so much … I was thinking that was someone else. If I knew it was you, I would have told you to fuck off."
Sigurd tones crossly his response to the 'pillow '. Maybe he didn't yet realize the way his body was glued to the man. Since the scent is pulling him closer anyways, he do it unconsciously.
"Of course, you hate me …. But why inviting danger when you are so slim and alone? What if the person coming were to fuck you?"
Karlen rises Sigurd's face and his Aura forms a ball of light so that he sees the boys face. He is serious and his speech has a slightly annoyed tone.
Sigurd is surprised to see the man worried for him as well as seeing him annoyed. He looks funny having this expressions that cover his usual blank face. Sigurd realizes that Karlen became more human since the time he fucked him behind the stable, that time. His emotions are more visible. As if he couldn't contain them inside when it came to Sigurd.
"You are saying as if you aren't the biggest danger. I can protect myself!"
Sigurd frowns gazing in Karlen's eyes that darken as he hears what the boy says.
Angrily he kisses Sigurd and bits the lower lip. As if he didn't knew that he was the biggest danger! Even so, look at what they are doing now. Both are immerse in their embrace as if their bodies had their own mind. Sigurd understands Karlen's worry but what can he do? The path he chose will be more dangerous than few man following him.
Their kiss ends with heavy breathing and both having their lips bitten. The frown on their foreheads is vanishing as the two smile sweetly at each other.
This will pass and maybe both will be able to convey through words what they feel for each other. For now, their bodies will be more than enough to show their feelings.
"Does your lip hurt? I can use my Aura .." Karlen touches his lip with a remorseful look. Sigurd yanks his hand and cuts his sentence short.
"Don't! Do yours. "He is determined to not let the man heal something that he wants to keep.
Karlen giggles.
"You want to have evidence for hating me further? I don't want to heal mine either. But if the leaders will see, they will suspect …" Karlen's mood drops when he says the last words. He is more than aware than on wrong step could expose their relationship they desperately try to sustain.
Sigurd pinches his cheek and smiles.
"That's right. Let me keep it till the sunrise. I want to feel your hate towards me more. Drop that face!"
He kisses him one more time and lets his head rest on Karlen as he closes his eyes.
Karlen blushes and smiles at the boy who seems to twist his mind more and more. Sigurd's kiss and the hidden meaning behind his words make his heart skip a beat.
'He is so sweet …and precious… if only I would have been meeting him before turning like this. Either way, I can still try to change. He is supporting me in his way. He does it for me …he truly loves me…'
With this thoughts in mind, Karlen holds him tightly in his arms and buries his nose in the scented red hair.
The scents intertwine as they fall asleep in each other arms. The feeling is comfortable and addictive.
Will they be able to sleep like this again? When? The days will get busy with the ceremony and the game. Once again a bridge will be between them and they will not be able to cross that easily.
The sunrises and shows another clouded day. Sigurd feels cold and tightens the blanket more around his body. He moves his hand and the signs show that Karlen left. He touches his lip and no pain is felt.
'The Aura …. He left …'
He mumbles something as he stands up ready to get out of the bed. He is a little annoyed that the man didn't woke him up.
'I wanted to see his face …. 'There weren't many occasions when he saw Karlen's morning face. The peaceful face would have been a good omen for Sigurd if he would have had the chance to see it. He would have forgotten the worried and frownish expressions that Karlen usually had recently.
Well, guess he will have to wait to see Karlen's sleeping face. He was to tired and probably slept like a log in the man's arms without caring about anything.
'I will have to be a morning person to see your dad's messy face… baby ..'He pats his belly and smiles childish.
The cold room reminds him that he should get dressed if he let's go of the blankets.
The pants and his boots go in his legs and on top of his shirt he takes the fur coat that now is surprisingly clean.
'He cleaned it … sweet …'
The smile doesn't leave his face till he remembers that Karlen is probably with the madam or doing something devilish.
He sighs and swipes his hair back as he is ready to leave the room. Today he will stroll in the center of the city. Maybe buying some clothes and as well learn more about people.
'Baby, let's go for a walk. "He closes the door and grips his sword as if to be sure he took it.
The weather isn't showing any good signs. The dark clouds and the cold wind make him regret a little his decision of going outside. But what can he do? The clothes on him are no longer comfortable and changing them will also give him a different look, making it easier to blend with the crowds.
The attire here in the Ring city is different from the Lupis village. Here the shirts were replaced with more sophisticated ones having different colors, the dresses weren't just a knee-length shirt and the shoes aren't just boots. The city life permit the people to wear more dignified clothes.
He passes the narrow streets and now he arrives in the principal street. Carriages and people hustle probably afraid that the rain will come soon.
Sigurd looks at his clothes and sighs. The carriage that passed spotted his coat and pants full of mud.
'Fuck! Now I really need to buy clothes.'
Whit bis steps he heads to the clothing shop over the principal street. He looks careful around to not get in the way of a carriage.
The shop is opened and a nice gentleman dressed in a colorful shirt greets him.
Sigurd is embarrassed by his messed-up clothes but doesn't let it show on his face. He greets back and glances at the pretty clothes. A fur coat catches his attention. Sigurd reminiscences about a similar coat he had when he was younger. He smiles.
"How many coins is this pink coat?" Sigurd turns to the man. His serious face and his request makes the seller giggle inside.
"100 coins, sir. We have different colors. "The big smile on the sellers face makes Sigurd frown.
'What? Can't I take what I want? Like hell I will take what you want to give to me! I already chose this one.'
"I will take the pink coat! Is something wrong?" He glares at the man who definitely mocked him in his mind. The seller gulps and dashes to pack the coat without saying anything, understanding that he offended the customer.
Sigurd smiles satisfied and continues his shopping. The pants that jump in his eyes are a pair of leather feather-pants. Since he is slim the feather like pants will fit him just right. Sigurd takes the pants and puts them over him and looks in the mirror.
'This will do … '
He puts the pants on his arm and waits for the seller to come.
"Should I pack the pants too?" The man looks down not being able to rise his head.
"Yes!" The seller packs everything and bows. He announces the boy how many coins he should pay.
Sigurd takes the bag and puts the money on the counter.
'Just 150 coins … cheap…'
He steps outside and smiles glad that he didn't lost to many money on clothes. The boots can be cleaned so no need to change them.
He remains in the front of the shop on the elevating surface as some stairs made the difference in height.
He stares at the people moving with cold faces at their work place. The view is different from the village he lived till now, Lupis. There people were worm and their smile would always cover their faces.
Now that he sees this city people, he reminds of the days he used to be in the organization. The cold blood gangsters that killed without remorse. He accommodated to well to the smile of the people from Lupis that he feels like he doesn't belong anymore between cold and evil people.
'Is this what an influence does…a good one shapes you as well as an evil one….. I can never be able to kill again…'
His attention is drawn to a child that looks derailed in the middle of the street. He is around 10 and his clothes are fancy, sign he probably was a child of someone influential or rich. Sigurd looks and his eyes widen when he sees a carriage going towards the boy. The man driving the horses seem to be busy tying his shoes. The street was empty and he probably didn't see when the boy appeared.
'Fuck! Insolent fool!'
He tosses the bag and his back pack and runs towards the boy. He swims through the crowd pushing people around desperately.
"Boy! Look back! "His voice is silencing by the galloping horses and people talking. His sweat is dripping on his forehead and he feels his heart beating faster.
He throws the coats and transforms into a wolf thinking that he will be faster. The carriage has quickened his pace and the boy remains glued when he sees the horses coming towards him.
Sigurd runs and is almost there ready to take the child by the clothes and toss themselves from the horse's direction.
Just as he jumps in front of them he realizes that he is too late. The horses are few steps away. Sigurd covers the child with his body and waits to feel the hooves of the horses.