Werner gobbled his food down. He was trying to avoid conversation with Nikolai. It seemed to him that his friend was happier than usual, but that could have just been him. Nikolai was a happy little songbird; always chirping and whistleing. That's how he described himself, and that's how it truely was. "You're awefully hungry, Killy." He noticed.
"Yep. I had guard today, wasn't allowed in the lab."
"Why?"
"Beats me." Werner said. He continued to stuff the mashed potatoes down his throat. But then the image of the Lagerführer stuffing his package down Nikolai's throat entered his mind and made him choke. He spit the mashed potatoes out and coughed. It bothered him. He realized he'd have to talk to Nikolai about it. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to act normal. "I need to ask you something later." He said after having coughed up some potatoe. Nikolai patt him on the back in an attempt to help. Werner could still feel some mush in the back of his neck, so he swallowed. The feeling didn't lesten. "I hate when I swallow food wrong." He said with a few coughs. Nikolai laughed.
"It's your fault, you're eating like a pig." He gently cuffed his friend around the neck. Werner couldn't help but shudder at his friends playfull touch. Nikolai could tell that Werner was shying away from him but he couldn't tell why. He assumed the young man was just going through something personal.
"I'm done. I'm going to my room." Werner said, hastily pushing the chair back. Nikolai stood up too.
"I'll come with. I'm done anyway. Good night folks." The rest of the table chorused a response and the two men left. The second they set foot outside Werner burst.
"Are you having sex with the Lagerführer?" His question took Nikolai by surprise; making him look like he was in complete shock and was completely innocent. The look on his face made Werner think that maybe he had interpreted the situation wrongly. But Nikolai sighed loudly and the surprise turned into guilt.
"I'd appreciate you don't tell anyone." He started slowly. "I am not gay, Werner. Neither is Joseph." He struggled to explain. Nikolai was for once, at loss for words. "But this place is bleak and tiring and a man needs to get relief somewhere...I'm not interrested in any men, Killian, and not in you, don't worry. You're not my type. I wouldn't even say that I'm bisexual, at least, not enough. But Joseph and I understand each other well, and we both have similar intrests...I'm sorry Killian. I didn't want you to find out. I thought it might make it awkward between us. I'm just a free spirit and I hadn't had sex in so long." The stuggling and slow way Nikolai navigated through his thoughts to explain made Werner laugh. His confused feeling ebbed away and he became amused. He should have known that Nikolai was like this for a long time, all the signs were there. He started to laugh. Nikolai was embarrassed but relieved that Werner took it so well.
"But why the Lagerführer Nikolai, why him?" Werner asked, still laughing. The laughter had brought back the coughing from earlier. And for the first time he felt the smoke in his lungs. Coughing hurt more than it used too.
"I don't think you want to know the answer." Nikolai said laughing. "I can tell you everything if you want. I'm a rowdy man, I don't keep secrets unless I promise too."
"Oh God. I don't think I want to know."
"You definitly don't. But don't worry, he's the only gentleman I'm hooking up with. And we're not gay; we don't even kiss."
"How is kissing not as gay as having sex?" Werner cackled.
"Well, kissing is more personal. You look at the person, you feel their lips and their tongue. I don't like that with men, I've tried it and it almost made me puke. But sex, well, you can pretend it's someone else or you can just shut your brain off and fuck."
"You're a gay spy fucking the camp leader. You're going to go down in history." Werner said with a laugh. Nikolai smiled and shrugged.
"I hope I won't be known for that."
They'd walked far, they were close to the medical area. The guard from the morning was still standing there. Nikolai looked at Werner, he'd suddenly gotten an idea. "You said you didn't know what happend this morning?"
"Yeah."
"Well, let me go and see. I know the guy, I've talked with him quite a lot. I know everything about his daughter and his wife and they're annoying neighbors. His neighbor stole all of his fruits right off the tree once? Do you know how annoying that is?" Nikolai truely knew everything about everyone. Werner cracked up, holding his stomache from laughter. Nobody was more full of shit than Nikolai. "I'm going to try and make him talk, I'll be right back." He left Werner behind and strode up to his aquantaince.
"Abend." He greeted him.
"Abend, Hart!" The guard cheerily responded.
"Warum bist du hier? Du bist doch meistens an einem anderen Posten? (why are you here, you're usually elsewhere?"
"I was called in this morning. Emergency. They needed more people."
"Ah."
"What are you doing here?"
"I just noticed you and thought it strange. How are you?"
"I'm doing fine. And yourself?
"Just had dinner. I ate far too much." Nikolai conversed. He was a master at conversation; he was amazing at guessing people's reactions. "Do you get dinner here?"
"I was given a Wurst." He answered and help it up. Nikolai laughed.
"I hope it was worth it standing here all day."
"No. But I know what's going on inside."
"I haven't even heard rumors." Nikolai said truthfully. "Care for a cigarette." He handed the guard one and lit it for him. Cigarettes, espiecially good ones, were a raritey for some, including the young bastard at the door. "Want to tell me what's going on in there?"
"Is that why you gave me a cigarette?"
"No, I wouldn't have had too. You'd have told me anyway."
"You're too honest, Hart." The man said and shook his head. "But I like you, so I'll tell you anyway. But keep that fast-moving mouth shut, or I'll get in a heck of a lot of trouble."
"Spill the beans, dear." Nikolai encouraged.
"There was a murder, or a suicide. We don't know which yet."
"What?" Nikolai's eyes grew big in surprise. "Who's dead?"
"I doubt you know him. Dr. Zieher I think his name was, or Ziegler. I can't remember."
Nikolai shrugged. His mind was racing but he remained calm on the outside. What was he going to tell Werner? He knew the boy couldn't continue his research with Wojciechowski if Dr. Ziegler was dead. He also knew that Werner would definitly be interrogared, espiecially if murder was suspected. He smoked the cigarette until the end and flicked it onto the ground. "Thanks for telling me, I owe you!" He said, clapping the guard on the shoulder. He just grunted and waved Nikolai away. Nikolai hurried back to Werner to tell him the news, already breaking his vow of silence after less than five minutes.