"Elias Day? You mean Academy Award winner, UN Ambassador Elias Day?"

Culver's eyebrows traveled higher and higher with each word as Orion nodded vigorously in assent. "That honeyed voice and benevolent smile is a farce," said the latter with a smile of grim irony.

"You lie," Culver gasped.

"I wish I was. His philanthropy camouflages his drug habit: who would suspect a man who spearheads anti-drug campaigns for the WHO of abusing drugs? He's addicted to drugs, sex, alcohol...it's all very Charlie Sheen, except Elias is worse."

What an unpleasant realization to end the day with. Culver had hoped for some peace now that the intruders had been handed over to the police and the doctor had been by to check on Orion. Once dinner had finished, Culver had broached the topic with the false hope that Orion was talking about a different Elias Day. Now he was regretting ever opening his mouth.

"Did he convince you to try using?"

"No. He forced me to use, much like those men did the last time I overdosed. Three years ago, Elias came to Emmer on holiday and attended Memoria's Christmas Ball. On New Year's eve, guests began to make noise complaints and staff members who responded to them came to me, asking if we should call the police. Elias wouldn't open the door to his suite and there were crashes and screams issuing from within."

Orion paused and shuddered violently. "I decided to handle things myself," he said, digging his nails into his skin and running them down his arms in anguish. "I'm not trained, but I am a big guy from the mountains and I was quite strong then. I took hotel security with me and tried to get someone to talk to me through the door. Nobody responded, so I broke the lock-"

His voice cut off as Culver gently but firmly pried his fingers away, exposing long, red scratches on his arms that were bleeding in places. "No itching," the latter reminded the former. "Here, keep your hands in mine. Now go on."

"It was bedlam." Orion's hands tightened around Culver's, but he didn't notice the Prince flinch in pain. "Strobe lights, broken glass everywhere, people having sex on every available surface, vomit all over the bed...and that dreadful white powder. They were snorting lines in the kitchenette, in the bathroom, on the coffee table, everywhere. Some people were already passed out. Others were high as the Moon, screaming or laughing or masturbating or moaning. A few guys looked like they'd just been fighting."

"Where was Elias the whole time?" Culver asked.

"Drunk out of his mind on a couch. Still, he recognized me and invited me to join. I refused, naturally, and asked security to check who needed a hospital while I called the cops. All it took was a mention of the police.

I don't think Elias would have attacked me if he'd been more sober. High as he was, though - sans pants with his equipment out and at full mast, by the way - his genius idea was to set his dogs on me. There were multiple people who urgently needed first aid, so the guards were tied up; within ten seconds, some eight or nine men were upon me.

I fought like a madman. I'd been in my fair share of fights, you see, and almost never lost, but I was outnumbered and they were absolutely unrestrained. They managed to pin me down. Elias was worried about the cops and, in his infinite wisdom, decided to wipe out the threat. By the time any of the guards could reach me, he had already emptied two syringes into my system.

I'm not sure happened after that. Elias must have done the same thing to the guards too, or at least threatened them, because everyone I took up there with me quit. The story in the papers is that a friend of Elias' was hosting the rave party in his absence, and he came back from an evening out to find his suite destroyed and a few debauched employees partaking in sin. And while he was out there playing the victim before the media, I was in cardiac arrest at the hospital. When the haze and pain finally cleared, I was told I'd been injected with  over five grams of cocaine, and it was a miracle of God that I had survived."

Culver didn't know what to say. He only stared at Orion, horrified, as the latter gazed bitterly at the night sky.

He couldn't even begin to imagine how terrifying it must have been for Orion to have history repeat itself again and again. And he, the foolish, inconsiderate he, had dragged poor Orion to the very site of the tragedy. How incredibly big a heart Orion must have to let him stay in his life despite the trauma that night must have caused! What gut-wrenching pain he must have borne these past three years, and Culver had only gone and added to it!

"I'm sorry!" Culver cried, folding his hands in penitence. "I'm so sorry."

"You had nothing to do with it, Culver. Why are you so upset?" Orion grabbed Culver's hands and forced them down into his own lap. "And I'm here now, on the other side of it all, am I not?"

"But you've been through so much, and I only made it worse -"

"Because I've been through so much, the antics of a truculent, mollycoddled little stickybeak don't bother me as much." With a tender smile on his face, Orion placed a finger under Culver's chin and coaxed his face up. "That you helped me out of the most dire straits of my life means much more to me than any distress you've caused ever will."

"Mollycoddled stickybeak?" Despite the jibe, Culver was touched and returned Orion's smile with a watery one of his own. "Is that what you see me as?"

"Yes. And I like it." In his boldest move yet, Orion enveloped Culver in a tight, warm hug and buried his face in the crook of his neck. His hands disappeared under Culver's shirt, drawing a shiver of excitement. "I'm so, so glad you came after me the night we met." He traced Culver's spine with frustrating, sensuous leisure. Culver squirmed, unwittingly wrapping his legs around Orion's torso. "I'm glad I kept coming back to your nosy self." Orion grabbed a fistful of Culver's hair and tugged lightly, exposing more of his neck. He skimmed his nose over the smooth, overheated skin, inhaling deeply. "I'm glad you didn't drown in that lake." Now positively panting, he placed his free arm on the small of Culver's back and pushed, pressing their torsos together. A moan escaped from between Culver's clenched teeth.

"Is that so." Culver moaned again as Orion kissed the joint between his neck and shoulder. "What are we...ah...at least ask me...out. First."

"You will say no." Half-vindictive, half-mischievous, Orion moved his hips.

"Oh!" Culver yelped. "How do you fi...aah...I'm allowing this...aren't...I?"

This is only pent-up desire. You still have that Daniil in your heart, Orion thought. Feeling slightly spiteful, he nipped Culver's earlobe, making him shudder again.

"Agh! Orion!"

That's right, it's me. Slowly, Orion leaned back, pulling Culver on top of himself. It's Orion. I'm here, not Daniil. I will not stay in his shadow.

"Wha..." Culver turned his head to one side, trying to escape so he could think over the sounds of their breaths mixing together. It was a mistake. His ear was now pressed against Orion's chest, and every beat of Otion's thundering heart sent warm shivers down his spine. "Why are we...this isn't...platonic..."

"It isn't." Suddenly serious, Orion stopped the wandering of his hands and snaked his arms around Culver's waist again. "We have something between us, Culver. You felt it before me, or you wouldn't have chased me when you first saw me."

"Suspension...bridge...effect..."

"Suspension bridge effect wouldn't make me dive into a frozen lake after I'd fought with you. It wouldn't make you drop the country's affairs for the sake of my detox."

"It can't be." Culver could finally speak clearly now that he was coming down from the high. "It's too soon. It's been only two years since...since he..."

"Think about it. His name doesn't make it past your lips when you are in my arms. Isn't it okay, Culver? Can't you let him go?"

"Even if I do, how can you be sure you aren't mistaking gratitude for something else?"

"I'm asking you to follow this spark so we can make sure that isn't the case. We'll never know if we don't try. And before you ask: yes, I am willing to gamble what we are right now for the sake of what we could be."

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Still reeling from the fight and emotionally very raw, Culver began to cry. "Whoa, whoa, reign in those thoughts of yours!" Orion exclaimed, cupping his face and giving it a little shake. "What happened?"

"Why would you say something like that? Why do you want to leave me too?!"

"I don't want to leave, you fool, I want to get closer to you! I'm not asking you to date me, Culver. I'm simply asking you to consider moving on, because there is someone waiting for you on the other side of your grief!"

"But I don't understand. When did you even start to like me? You can't even stand me most of the time!"

“...here, have this." Orion reached behind Culver, plucked something off the bedside table and held it out. "My first sobriety pin. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be holding this. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here, period. The parts of you I can't stand are what brought me here today. I've always known it: I just took so long to come to terms with it."

An expression both pained and elated washed over Culver's face. He squeezed his eyes shut, driving more tears down his cheeks, and shook his head. "We still can't be," he said. "If I grow to love you, you'll be doomed. Look at how everyone else I loved ended up: dead, missing, jailed, broken."

"Misfortune befalls everyone, Culver! Even if you aren't with me, something will happen to me one day. Something will happen to you, too. The reason one human seeks another..." Orion pressed the pin into Culver's palm and wove their fingers together. "...is so they have the courage to brave the pain till it ends."

"But I -"

"Am not over him. Point taken. So here, keep this pin. I get one a month. The day I bring you my sixth pin, I will ask you out."

"Am I worth so much trouble?"

"Am I?"

Culver frowned at being asked such an obvious question. That was followed by affirmation, then realization, and ultimate bashfulness; Orion chuckled as 

Culver hid his blazing face in his chest.

Presently, Orion yawned and stretched himself onto the bed, pulling Culver with him. Within minutes, he was breathing peacefully into Culver's hair.

Culver didn't mind. In fact, he was starting to drift off too. The last time he had settled peacefully in bed had been the night before Caolán's murder. Right now, however, the steady beating of Orion's heart was very soothing, and Orion's large frame encased him in a warm, comfortable cocoon.

There was worse to come. He knew. But tonight, just for tonight, he would sleep well with the knowledge that he, for once, had fought against the forces trying to take away his precious person and won. For once, the horrible wraith that was Daniil's mangled, rotting corpse standing in one corner of bedroom, gave him a gentle smile.

For once, Culver looked it in its remaining eye and smiled back.

Maybe, moving on would be okay, after all.