Daevari -II-

Chapter 4.1: Uncharted Territory

Ari lay sprawled onto the bed, gazing at Sascha's beautifully freckled face. Each freckle was like a star in the sky. When he blushed, they became more pronounced, which Ari loved. He was quite gorgeous, so soft... and sweet like the pastries he loved. Sweet was not a word Ari associated with Sascha until recently, even though it suited Sascha quite well.

Despite Sascha's kind words, Ari knew his treatment of him was wrong. He was no better than the old ones Sascha despised. It was best to tell him now. It was the very least he could do. Their relationship would not change, Ari believed so with his entire being. Sascha was his dear friend and it would always be so. After all, Sascha had seen the worst parts of him and still stayed friends with him.

Sascha stirred a little as Ari caressed his face, loving how soft his skin was. Sascha's neck was speckled with bites, although Ari did not drink from him. Ari was a creature of habit, after all. When he brushed a finger over Sascha's bottom lip, Sascha woke, his gray eyes, like starlight, staring into Ari's.

"Just how long have you been watching me sleep?" Sascha asked, amusement and sleep mingling in his voice.

"Not long..." Ari mumbled, his finger tracing a gentle path across Sascha's lips. They were always so inviting.

"Somehow, I do not believe you."

"You are right not to," Ari quipped, smiling.

Sascha smiled, and Ari could not resist covering his pretty pink lips with his own. "I have something I must tell you."

"As I do as well," Sascha said, holding his gaze.

"Let me go first," Ari said.

Sascha sat up, exposing the blooming red marks scattered across his skin like delicate petals on a rose. Some would fade in days, while others would linger for weeks. Ari could not pinpoint when he developed the habit of leaving those marks, but it felt natural, a satisfying sight he never grew tired of seeing.

As he cleared his throat, Ari refocused his thoughts. "I often spoke of the old ones to you... How naive and easily manipulated I was by them. But I did not tell you how I am one as well."

Sascha's eyes lowered.

"I lost my memories, you see. But the time I told you about spending at the mountains I began to regain them. They were bits and pieces at first that did nothing but confuse me and left me restless. I drew false conclusions and I hurt someone very dear to me by regaining them."

Ari swallowed at Sascha's silence and said nothing for a moment.

"Auovin and I... we share a much longer history than the times I told you of," Ari mumbled. "I met him thousands of years ago at those very same mountains. And he became my first, greatest love. A love I may never be able to overcome no matter the confusing emotions I feel when I think of him."

"You said you despised him," Sascha said, looking at Ari this time.

"I did. I do. Maybe. Perhaps, not so much anymore. I am ashamed to admit after all what has been done to me by him." Ari's voice wavered, his eyes clouded with memories.

Another wave of silence followed them before Sascha spoke again, his voice tentative. "... You are an Old One, like Nis?"

Ari nodded slowly. "I know our bond was forged by our shared disdain for them. I did not consider myself one for a long time. But my actions towards you only proved my reasoning to be false. I was more of an Old One than I was willing to admit. I asked you for things you simply could not give me and I hurt you and for that I am sorry. Truly sorry."

"Oh, Ari... You had already been forgiven since long ago," Sascha said, stroking Ari's hair.

"I know. Because you are kind and sweet and soft. I was not truly sorry then. I just did not want to lose you, so I took advantage."