"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.

"What are you doing?" Orel whispered. "Are you kissing me? Why?"

He reached to Nikto's face but froze halfway, hesitant, and let his hand fall without touching Nikto.

"I don't know," Nikto said barely audibly. He passed his fingers over Orel's hand, pulled it towards his face again, pressed his clean cheek to Orel's palm and closed his eyes.

"I don't know. I like you," he rubbed his cheek against Orel's hand, not letting it go, then kissed Orel's fingers and palm.

"Oh gods," Orel nearly moaned leaning with his whole body towards Nikto, wrapping his free arm around Nikto's neck and catching his mouth with his lips.

"I love you, I love you," Orel whispered from time to time, leaving Nikto's mouth just for a moment. He stroked Nikto's blonde hair, burying his fingers in it, squeezing Nikto's head. Nikto moved away from the bed and fell onto the furs, pulling Orel with himself, pushing down Orel's pants. They came off easily, Orel laced them just sloppily.

"No," Orel recoiled. "Gods! What are you doing? What are you thinking?"

"What am I thinking?" Nikto laughed softly.

"Fine, it was my wish but you said you don't do it with men, you made it perfectly clear!"

"Don't blame me," Nikto held Orel's head not letting him turn away. "I didn't lie to you. But it doesn't matter. I want to be yours, I can't be yours until you do to me everything you want. I want you to do it, want you to do what you always wanted…"

He put Orel's hand onto his stomach, just below the navel for Orel to feel the unevenness of the skin where the tattoo had been made just recently. Orel pressed his palm to his own sign. His eyes filled with tears again, he started crying.