My Angel of the Dawn (WomanxBoy, ManxBoy, Sci-Fi + Romance)

***25***

"It's only an excuse, Ariel," Nergan said angrily. "The problem is her. Why don't you admit it?"

There was a long pause. Nelsa tried to decipher his meaning and failed.

"Her?" the boy repeated in a small voice.

"Yeah, her. You talk about nothing but her when you're with me. And when you're near her, you never take your eyes off her. Never."

"W-what?"

"You know exactly what. I'm not an idiot. Just say it. Say you fell for her."

Ariel gave out a muffled sound without words, as if he couldn't breathe.

"You think you stand a chance?" Nergan went on. "A snowball's chance in hell, maybe! I fell for her too when we first met, she is a terrific woman all in all. Must have been strikingly beautiful when younger. But why don't you see, she will never let anyone near her! She has a chunk of ice for a heart, everything is dead-cold inside her, why can't you see it?"

"Jart, don't... stop it, don't..." Ariel's voice was so miserable, Nelsa absolutely had to know who was this mysterious 'she'. The only mention of that person made the boy loose composure. Nergan had obviously hit close to home. He kept talking, confusing the boy further with his passionate whisper, all the while kissing and caressing him, dragging him step by step to the couch. "Damn, she would never touch you, never love you, and I love you, I'll do anything for you, Ariel, baby, I have plenty of money now. I'll marry you if you want, it's legal here, I'll never give you up, never let you go, forget her, silly, it's not the scars on her face, it's the scars on her heart that's the problem, they won't heal, she won't see you as you, you are nothing to her but a second pilot, a boy, a piece of décor..."

Nelsa felt as if the floor had just disappeared from under her feet and she was free-falling. She leaned on the wall, afraid to stumble and fall. Yet she still didn't understand what Nergan was talking about. No, it was clear he was talking about her, the mention of her scars made it quite clear, but why the hell did he have to bring her up? What could she possibly have to do with everything? She utterly failed to understand. Nergan probably didn't understand it himself, he was just babbling, talking nonsense, he'd just gone mad with his crazy love!

She wanted to intervene, to stop him, but for some unknown reason she was unable to move. Probably for the best. She felt responsible for the boy, but she couldn't be always saving him from horny men. He should learn how to fend for himself. The two of them should sort it out.

"Let me go, or I'll break your arm," Ariel said, in a very precise and clear voice.

"I would like to see you try," the man grumbled, but heeded the warning and let the boy go.

Not that kind of sorting out, you bloody fools!

She moved deeper into the niche, and Ariel didn't notice her as he stormed out of the door and down the corridor. At last she overcame her numbness and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Time to retreat to her room, take a bath and dive under her luxurious silk bedsheets. She listened closely. No good to emerge from her lair at the same time as Nergan appeared in the corridor.

There was clinking of glass, and the sound of it breaking. Nergan probably tried to pour himself a drink and failed. The couch creaked under the heavy male body. Then Nelsa heard muffled sounds and for some time just couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jart Nergan was crying.

She tiptoed her way down the corridor, afraid to make a tiniest noise. At the nearest corner she started to run and caught her breath only in the safety of her room. Her heart was heavy.

Put the case any way you please, life is a bloody bitch.