The macarons tasted sweet and went great with the green tea Nyx hadsuggested. After having eaten something close to ten pieces, Zain gotup to leave for the kitchen and boil some more water. However,passing his bookcase, something caught his eye. They were the twobottled potions the alicorn had recently brewed.

“Hey Nyx, don’t you think we should try one of the potions soon?”

Nyx stuffed one more baked good into his mouth, and carefully chewedbefore answering. “I guess we should. We don’t wanna go into thisunprepared.”

Zain nodded and picked up the small glass bottles with the dark-blueliquid in it. He set them down on the coffee table and then quicklyskipped to the kitchen to prepare more water. Apollo huffed as theredhead accidently bumped into the table’s corner and hissed at thepain.

“I know, I know, Apollo,” He hushed their pet dragon, “Go backto sleep, alright?”

The black and red creature blinked a few times, and then settled backdown in his nest atop of the fridge.

After a few minutes Zain returned with the kettle in his hands,pouring the water in his cup.

“Do you know the effects of the potion, Nyx?” He asked, settingthe kettle down on a wooden tray on the table.

“Hm, from the rumors I’ve heard, you’re supposed to feel hotand energetic, and very horny too,” The alicorn smirked.

“Oh.” A light blush colored Zain’s cheeks. Even though he wasno longer a virgin, he still felt a bit awkward talking aboutanything sex-related, opposed to Nyx. Maybe it was because they camefrom different cultures? Were people from Silver Garden less ashamedof their primal desires?

“Want to try tonight? See if it works?”

Zain nodded gingerly. He was feeling a bit anxious, but he trustedNyx. If he was with him, everything would be alright.

# # # #

The two of them were in Zain’s bedroom, the curtains closed and thelight dimmed. By now the two decided to share a bed, and the redheadwas glad to have bought a larger mattress when he moved in a fewyears back. They sat down on the soft comforter, Zain holding theaphrodisiac in his hands.

“Ready?”

The smaller man watched the blue liquid in the flask, swirling itaround. Silver speckles that he hadn’t seen earlier, shimmered inthe minimal light, reminding him of the night sky in the countryside.

“Ready,” The redhead said, with only a hint of hesistation. Heopened the bottle and gulped down the potion in one swift motion. Ittasted like water, a bit salty, but nothing too gross.

“That wasn’t so bad.”

Nyx grinned and kept an eye on any changes in his lover.

After several minutes of waiting for something to happen, Zain spokeup. “Nyx, I’m not sure if it’s working. I don’t feel anydifferent!”

The alicorn sighed, and then frowned. “Really? Nothing at all? Noteven a tingling feeling anywhere or any intrusive thoughts or urges?”

Zain shook his head, his eyes on the ground. Did they do somethingwrong? Did they have the measurements wrong?

“That’s odd. It should work, I followed the recipe to the letter,just like Elrick taught me.”

Zain looked for the Incantations book, and finally found it behindthe curtains on the windowsill. The potion’s page laid open,moonlight shining on the dark lettering.

“Here it is, do you remeber every step?”

The alicorn nodded. “Yes, I followed it like it was written.”

Zain dropped the book on the bed in frustration, It came down with asoft thud, the shadows of the room hiding it from sight.

“Well, we at least have one left. We can always save it for if anemergency occurs.”

Nyx nodded. “Keep it in your pocket. Don’t sit on it, okay?”

The human rolled his eyes at the alicorn’s cringy attempt at ajoke, but stuffed the flask in the front of his heans anyway. It wasjust small enough to fit completely in it. At least he was wearingmen’s jeans and not women’s.

They shared a short but sweet kiss, and then left for the bathroom tochange for the night.

What they didn’t know was that in the shadow casted over the bed, aline of text seemed to glow. Something that wasn’t there before.

And by the time the two returned, the glowing piece of text haddisappeared, the effects of the moonlight gone.

Zain closed the book and placed it on the bedside table. He threwback the comforter and settled between the sheets, waiting for Nyx todo the same so he could steal the man’s heat.

In the chilly early spring weather it was nice to cuddle up tosomeone. Soon enough the two drifted off to sleep, comfortable ineach other’s arms.

Zain hoped he could spend every night like this. Every night with Nyx, his love, his everything.