Archive of Our Own

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Rosalie Arnaud.
Pierre Saracelle.
Louis Rogé.
André Larnaut.The list of the victims wasn't a long one, but still impressive for the forty-two-year-old. Every person on this list was a separate story. André was dead, he decided to take his own life before the feeling of guilt and shame. Especially shame.
Gamma went to his funeral but stayed back. He was not a part of the family anyway; it was a sad celebration. After all, André was only twenty-one. He had a whole life ahead of himself.
That's why he had to do it.
For Rosalie, Louis, Pierre, and André.
The lights on the second floor went off. Gamma put on the rubber gloves and waited - he was good at waiting. He wouldn't sleep anyway and the night was young and peaceful. He'd been preparing for this mission for months, or maybe even years. He had time.
After an hour, the lights stayed out, so he was sure his target was asleep. The probability of him not sleeping after this much drinking was closer to zero than one.
Gamma put on his mask and left the car with a small leather bag on his arm. He looked up at the sky.
Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and steadily we reflect upon them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me, he thought about Kant's words briefly and if someone saw him in the distance, they'd say that the killer had doubts.
On the contrary, Gamma had no doubts. What he was going to do, was good. The moral law within him was different to the other people's.
He had learnt the code to the tenement house through observation for a few days. Seven. Key. Three, two, three, five. The door unlocked and Gamma stealthily slid inside, gracefully like a cat.
The building was silent, the only sound was his breathing under the mask.
Apartment number seven in the elegant secessionist tenement house had a lock of an old type - it went easy to break in with a passkey, Gamma didn't even need to use any force. The blood rushed to his heart, making it thump heavily.
Now, he was on the enemy's territory.
Gamma knew the apartment's set-up - each was the same, and there were a few ones to sell or rent at the Immobilier website, so he could look them up in advance.
He put the instruments on the table, and slowly, almost pedantically, prepared himself. There was no place for mistakes. He took out the syringe and the vial with Norcuron. First, he bled the syringe, then flicked it to get the right dose - however, without the exact weight of the target, he could still only guess how much he needed.
Quietly, he made his way to the bedroom where the target was sleeping - feeling so safe and sound in the comfort of his own home, snoring loudly and mumbling something under his breath; a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels stood right beside the bed and a naked arm hang loosely from the bed. Perfect. Gamma took out the syringe which pierced the flesh smoothly. Just a little pinprick. The victim budged slightly and started waking up.Then Gamma waited - four minutes was the optimal time for the medicine to start working. He looked at the flickering eyelids of the target - soon they met his, the only lit-up points in the overwhelming darkness.
"Welcome, Pierre," he started calmly and put the old-school voice recorder on the night table. The fear-struck target wanted to scream in the first, natural reaction but Gamma had the means to stop that too; window spray could work wonders in such situations. Or a duct tape.
"Who the fuck are you," he asked in a raspy voice, small pig eyes now widened in fear.
"It doesn't matter who I am," Gamma replied. "It matters, however, who you are and what you've done. I'm here to kill you tonight."
"What have you done to me, why can't I move? Do you want money? I have some savings, I'll give you-"
"Shut up," Gamma raised his voice. "I don't want your money. Do names Rosalie Arnaud, Pierre Saracelle, Louis Rogé, André Larnaut tell you something?"
Long silence which spoke volumes.
"Why does it matter?"
"I'm the one asking questions here," Gamma reminded him harshly, feeling the blood boil. The target wasn't very cooperative. It was time to remind him who was in charge here. "I asked, do you know these people?"
"What did you do to me? I cannot move!" The target wailed which enraged Gamma even more. So pathetic. He had no time for that bullshit. With a nonchalant sigh, he showed Pierre an empty syringe and the second, full one.
"I injected vecuronium inside you which has relaxed your muscles to the point of being loose. This-," Gamma showed him the full syringe. "Is sugammadex which can reverse this effect. It will encapsulate vecuronium, preventing it from binding to receptors. If you cooperate, I will give it to you," Gamma promised, even though it was an empty promise. He didn't really want to give this man a chance. Pierre hadn't given it to his victims, after all.
Pierre whined like a pig, unable to even turn his neck. His eyelids were dropping as well, and he was mumbling. Such a perfect end for such a scum of a man, Gamma thought as he switched on the voice recorder.
"I didn't... I didn't do anything to them! They were all... all adults," he huffed, on the verge of crying. Gamma went tense when he heard that.
"I see we know a different version of this story," Gamma constated. "Consenting adults, you say? How old were Louis and Rosalie when you first met them, a man in his thirties?"
"It's not as you think it is! I didn't touch them... not in the way you think I did."
"But you did as soon as they turned eighteen?"
"Yes but-"
"And you'd have done it earlier if the age of consent was lowered?" Gamma asked, still calmly, even though he felt more and more repulsion towards this man, with every word.
"What's your point? They are still lucky to have had me, and not some common pervert," Pierre replied and then his mood turned from defensive to offensive. "I'm a commissioner of the Parisian police! For threatening me, you'll get twenty-five years-"
Gamma leant closer to his face.
"I don't think you're in a position to threaten me, commissioner," he finished in a mocking tone of voice. "Remind me, please," Gamma leant back, crossing his long slender legs. "How old was Louis when you first met him? Wasn't he sixteen?"
Long pause again.
"...he was."
"Aaand how old were you then?"
"Twenty-eight."
"Voilà," Gamma nodded in satisfaction. "This is called grooming and it's a manipulation technique used by people of a higher social status, usually older ones, to manipulate the young person, who doesn't have yet a developed frontal cortex responsible for decision-making, to use them for their like. In case you haven't realized, this is what you did, you disgusting pervert."
Long pause again.
"What... what do you want me to say?" The target asked quietly.
"I want you to admit your sins, Pierre Winter. I want your confession."
"Fine. If this is your definition of grooming, then yes, I groomed them and fucked them! As any man would."
He got it. Gamma beamed with joy - he won. Now, it was time for the last part of the operation.
"No, Pierre. Not any man would. Only a man rotten to the core would. A man just like you," Gamma replied with a smile, even though the victim couldn't see it behind the mask. He grabbed the man by the hairy chin, so he could look him into the lit eyes and remember them before he died.
"It will only hurt a little," Gamma promised again as he stuck duct tape to the man's mouth to muffle his whines. He didn't want to attract any unwanted attention; neighbors were, after all, the main source of turning in the perpetrators.
Gamma removed Winter's pants and folded them neatly before he took out the scalpel.
"I'll make sure you won't ever fuck anybody again," he said. "I'm going to castrate you. Did you know that boys as young as seven around the world castrate cattle every day? Okay, now, I'm making the first incision."
It wasn't easy to do so in the darkness, but Gamma was precise. It would be easier if he had a lamp or any source of light, but he'd seen the inmates being castrated so often that he could do it by heart now. It was an easy operation and soon, the scrotum was emptied. He sew the wound in with a thick thread - there was a lot of blood but it didn't matter - the son of a bitch would soon die anyway.
"And there we go. See? It wasn't that bad, huh?" Gamma asked and showed his weeping victim his own testicles. "I'm going to flush them down in the toilet. Unless you want them but I guess not."
His tall, black-clad figure left the room and headed to the bathroom. He did as he said and went back to the paralyzed man who looked even more pathetic now, covered in tears, with small rat-like eyes.
"It's not the end. We're going to leave a message for the police," Gamma added and grabbed another surgical knife, intended for deeper incisions. He gently, almost fondly, like a lover, rolled his target's shirt up and pressed the instrument to the soft skin, engraving the first letter.
Muffled screams, more and more silent, followed him when he was leaving the apartment. He removed all the signs of his presence here - as if he was never there. Winter would die in a matter of two-three hours, either from excessive bleeding or suffocation - the concentration of vecuronium was too high for his lungs or diaphragm to cope with that.
Pedantically, almost excessively neatly, Gamma left the apartment as the clock soon struck four. Paris would soon wake up back to life - but he had his share of the night. The day would start and he'd become someone else but not yet. Soon, everyone would discover what had happened, see the dead body of the commissioner, and start asking questions. He felt a pleasant tingling in his body - Gamma felt alive when he felt the urge. Really alive.
When he got back to the car, he removed the mask and lit up a cigarette. The rearview mirror unveiled a handsome but tired face with dark-ringed eyes. He exhaled loudly and took a deep drag on the cig before he switched the engine on and drove to the nearest car dealer - it was time to get rid of the vehicle as well.Give me back the night, Louis thought as he left the club and went outside for a cigarette. Most of the times he’d go to La Java, he could count on an evening well spent, which sometimes culminated in a night of good old casual sex. Not this time, however - this night, the gay bar provided a setting for a rather sad scene, where a handful of youngsters danced shakily after having drunk too much before the party itself and where a few shady individuals circled like desperate moths around a faint light.
What Louis truly wanted back was one of those nights that vibrated with music and almost made his head spin with all the pulsating lights, the nights when as soon as he entered the club, he couldn’t free himself from the eager, gorgeous men fawning on him and following each of his steps as if he was a young god. Except that on this night, he couldn’t feel less like a young god, Louis thought as he took a long drag on his cigarette. Smoke filled his lungs, providing him with a much-needed nicotine kick, as he pondered on tonight’s events so far. There was no point in staying much longer, he concluded, not when the dance floor was so dead and the only club-goers who seemed interested in him were, most certainly, married and searching for a quickie with a gay man. No, he would have none of it, he told himself as he adjusted the leather jacket on his broad shoulders, making the chain around his neck glimmer as he did so. So much for his hopes for passionate (even if slightly chaotic) sex with an attractive stranger, came a bitter realization.
“Hey handsome,” muttered a raspy voice behind his back, urging him to leave the bar and call it a night.
“I gotta go,” Louis replied curtly, putting out his cigarette and heading to the underground. Soon enough, the subway would take him home to the 20th district, where the flickering lights and piercing sounds of the streets would stay behind him, making way for the silence and emptiness of his minuscule apartment. It was this emptiness and loneliness that made him go out so often, that made him indulge himself in a couple of drinks, countless cigarettes (and sometimes soft drugs) and most importantly: indulge himself in the bodies of irresistible strangers, all these men so eager for sex and so thirsty for touch. At 1,95m, Louis towered over most of his sexual partners, be it strikingly pretty young men so thin they seemed to feed off nicotine itself or the submissive, doe-eyed boys in their late twenties who approached him so close they rubbed their revealing outfits against his lean, muscular body. With his impressive height, well-trained muscles and regular features of his face framed by a perfectly trimmed short beard, Louis was aware that he could be easy on the eye. But that was just a facade of something much uglier that was hidden much, much deeper inside. Something that made him unloveable, suggested a thought that entered his mind as abruptly as it disappeared a split second afterwards. He’s been to therapy, sure, what he’s been through required years of it, after all, but the self-doubt tended to creep at him at the worst moments.
Louis shook his head slightly, as if any movement could ward these thoughts off, and put his Navigo card against the reader to pass through the turnstile. Usually, the sight of the metro wagons emerging from the tunnel as soon as he entered the platform would be a good sign, but this night, he knew that the earlier connection he took, the faster he would get to his flat all by himself.
The man could swear that aside from the uneventful visit at the bar, there was something else about that night that just felt off. Something felt wrong, in fact. As if he was about to experience the most intense form of anxiety again as if the well-known trauma was just around the corner to make his body shake and his insides squirm as if someone’s punched him with full force. He breathed in deeply and slowly let the air out, focusing on the physical side of this simple activity. Physical just like all the relationships he could have, Louis thought grimly, as no one would ever want to be in a relationship with him. Not really, in any case, not in a serious one. Forming close friendships was extremely difficult as well, sometimes bordering on impossible, and when it came to relatives… the Rogé family certainly couldn’t be called allies to a gay man in his early thirties. Louis was mostly left with a circle of friends, his colleagues and, of course, the many sexual partners who helped him escape loneliness and persistent overthinking.
That was the most he could count on, Louis reminded himself and moved his hand across his face as if to wipe the non-existent sweat away. All the preparations for the club for nothing, all the expectations vanishing and making way for the nagging, almost haunting sensation that something was not quite right. A gut feeling, he knew it all too well.
With a growing lump in his throat, Louis finally got off the train and left the underground. He had to make it home and try to get at least a few hours of sleep before his work tomorrow. Being a coach at the police academy, he wanted to do his best for all the young people who were still full of hope and enthusiasm. At least they had some purpose in life, the man thought with resignation and lit one last cigarette on his walk back home. Louis fished for the keys in the pocket of his leather jacket and, inhaling the smoke greedily like a person on the verge of a panic attack, casted a glance at the end of the passage.
The street lights in the distance looked like a pair of eyes staring inside his soul.It took much more time to sell the car than Mike expected; usually, the cash transactions with some shady individuals working outside the car dealers went pretty fast - no taxes, no witnesses, no bother. That's how it was always done. Far away from the government's scrutinizing gaze.
Because of that, he had to hurry back home to take a shower and drink some coffee accompanied by a cigarette. Morning as any others, aside from the fact that he'd killed a man at night - and experienced no pangs of consciousness because of that. Quite on the contrary.
Paris woke from the nighttime slumber, the drivers started honking underneath his balcony of the old Montparnasse tenement house, pedestrians hurrying up to work. The city was alive, like a living organism or a colony - Mike has always found it fascinating how mob psychology worked and how society, in fact, resembled a hierarchical structure of the bee hive more than we wanted to admit.
That's why Mike put a prime on how he dressed - nothing too extravagant, but he liked to look elegant and presentable, even when he had to wear a white lab coat most of the time. White - definitely not his favorite color, couldn't be of a more striking difference to his Vantablack outfit of the yesternight.
Without yesterday's precision and pedantry (he lacked the time, which annoyed him horribly), Mike placed all the instruments of his guilt into the autoclave to get rid of any remaining stains of the evidence. In this case, there was never enough conscientiousness and caution.
He took a look at the watch he always had on his left wrist - it was five over half past eight. Today, he had the comfort of leaving later since he didn't need to go as far as Saint-Denis, but to Vincennes where he'd perform tests on the new recruits to the police school. He'd done it already in the past, so it was nothing new to him.
Still, it was time to get going.
Taking the subway at this hour has always been a nightmare to Mike, with all these people getting to work at nine. Squeezed like in a can of sardines, with someone breathing on his nape, Mike was counting the stops to Vincennes, anticipating it as if it was his own wedding day. He didn't like the eye contact probably even more than the unpleasant touch of the strangers - a dark-haired woman in her late twenties bestowed a smile upon him but Mike didn't reciprocate it.
The lack of sleep and stress of the yesternight got him when the train was closer to Bercy; the unbearable white lights and buzzing noise caused the first onset of the splitting headache which made Mike feel as if he had broken glass under his skull. Fuck. He needed a cigarette so badly. If it wasn't for the music in his headphones, he'd probably get off the subway now and just walk to the police school but he couldn't risk being late today.
When the squeeze loosened, Mike fished for a painkiller in his intrinsic briefcase after someone had mercy upon him and gave off their seat to him - for which he was really grateful. It's probably because I look like shit, it flickered through his mind but he didn't give it much of a thought, waiting for the strong painkiller to start working.
The sweet numbness of the pill came soon enough, even before he reached Vincennes - it was a beautiful part of Paris, at this time of the year even more when the trees still had leaves, but in all colors of the fall. Mike enjoyed his little walk to the National Police School to the fullest, accompanied by another cigarette and sweet smoke which pleasantly tingled his lungs.
The police building was modern and impressive, in a way similar to his lab in Saint-Denis. A complex of white, glass buildings was spread over many acres - Mike remembered, however, where the main entrance was, and that was where he met his colleagues too, having a natural cigarette break.
"Mike, there you are," Caroline's face lit up and they exchanged two cheek kisses. "Ça va?"
"Ça va," he replied and exchanged kisses with Yan too, his younger colleague.
"Because your dark circles look like bags now," Caroline dissed him with a playful nudge. She looked as fresh as a spring morning, as always. "Long night? Michel was gaming until three yesterday! Was it with you?"
"Not this time, no," Mike chuckled, even if it was a bit forced this time. He decided to smoke one more Marlboro Gold, and his friends eagerly joined him. "Just couldn't sleep, that's all."
It was a white lie, but still a lie, and he wasn't good at small talk, at all, so he was grateful to Caroline for not pushing him too much.
"So, we're going to pierce the youngsters today, right?" Yan asked, dragging on a cigarette. This boy really couldn't smoke, he rather puffed the cig like a locomotive instead of dragging on the smoke properly - this always made Mike crack up.
"Yes, just a routine control before they enter the academy," Mike explained when he noticed a tall figure in sportswear - he recognized him immediately. The handsome policeman was no one else but Louis Rogé in the flesh, about whom he spoke the day before. Even if speaking didn't consist of much of his... encounter with Winter.
Mike nodded at him politely, hoping that the man would feel relieved when he found out that his perpetrator was dead. He didn't expect any gratefulness - after all, he had to stay anonymous - but he truly wished that he changed the world for the better by removing one person from it.
The man smiled and nodded back at him and hurried into the building, not looking back at them again.He slept like shit. Not that he expected much more after an evening that was far from successful and brought the unexplainable sense of dread with it, but waking up tired was nothing pleasant.
Louis sighed and stretched before getting out of bed. He went for a short run before taking a shower and making himself a coffee with a quick breakfast, eating just half of the portion as he was still feeling nauseous.
The modest breakfast was soon followed by a cigarette on a balcony that hardly deserved its name - the tall man could hardly place his feet on the fenced ledge which served as a minuscule terrace. That would have to do for a morning cig, Louis thought, exhaling the smoke. As a smoker, he might not have been the perfect role model for all the youngsters whose coach and teacher he was, but apart from the nicotine addiction, he didn’t have any unhealthy habits. And besides, didn’t everyone in France smoke? Keeping that in mind, Louis finished his cigarette and got dressed to go out. He changed into black jeans, a matching t-shirt and his trusty padded jacket from The North Face. Perhaps early September wasn’t the time to wear a padded jacket just yet, but he got so used to this particular piece of clothing that he couldn’t be bothered to choose a different outfit. This would be just fine for the first day of school for the freshmen, Louis thought and grabbed his backpack before closing the door and locking his apartment. Paris was waking up, and he was a part of this collective awakening. Even if the negative thoughts plaguing his mind made it feel more like a nightmare than a dream.
“have a moment to meet by the entrance at 8:40?” read a message from Louis’ former coworker Sébastien. Without giving it second thoughts, he replied with a “thumbs up” emoji. The morning crowd in the metro didn’t make it any easier to type long messages, and besides, he definitely had time to meet Séba for a cigarette. They used to be colleagues, after all -back when Louis still worked at the police station near École nationale de police, he worked together with Sébastien. Back when so many things were better and more simple, Louis told himself and sighed, trying not to dwell too much on the past. It wasn’t the right moment for it and besides, he was just getting out of the underground to change into RER express train. Soon enough, he arrived at the station next to the police academy. Louis headed to the main entrance, passing three of the laboratory workers on his way. Mike, Yan and Caroline stood by the door and smoked, and if it wasn’t for their lab coats, they could have easily been taken for people with much “cooler” professions - the tall, graceful Mike looked like a model with his delicate features and ever-perfect hair, Caroline rocked her square fringe and took pride in countless tattoos, while Yan observed the setting with a smug smile Louis knew slightly better than he wanted to. A couple of months ago, he and Yan stumbled upon each other in a gay bar and, in the lively atmosphere that made his senses tingle and turned his body restless, Louis suggested they hooked up. He didn’t regret it and neither did the lab worker, although they haven’t met in a more intimate setting ever since. He greeted the lab professionals with his signature smile, this broad grin described as “contagious,” the one he used to fake so well. A camouflage so successful that almost nobody could see through it.
Louis walked on and joined Sébastien who was on the other side of the entrance, with a cigarette in the corner of his mouth and a somewhat distracted gaze of his greenish blue eyes fixed on a faraway point in space. Anyone who would take him for slow or inattentive would make a grave mistake, though: Sébastien Akchoté-Bozović was one of the sharpest minds of the Parisian police, using his unassuming and sometimes disheveled look to let the others lower their guard.
“Hé, ça va?” Louis greeted his friend shortly as they exchanged bises on the cheeks.
Sébastien murmured a greeting, frowning slightly the moment he looked at Louis.
“Louis, I have some information for you. Damn, man,” the aspirant blew out the smoke and shook his head slightly. “You don’t know this from me,” he added, seemingly calm to keep a cool appearance. His colleague might have looked calm, but Louis already knew that saying these words always meant sharing the most confidential - and usually the most shocking - information. Louis’ palms got sweaty as if by a command and he felt the muscles of his neck and back stiffen. He wanted to urge Séba to tell him the news, but his colleague, as efficient and direct as always, spoke before Louis could squeeze out any word from his drying throat.
“Pierre Winter was found dead in his apartment. There was a murder.”The splitting headache weakened, making the morning more bearable; the medicine brought Mike some relief, so he could focus on work. He was never absent-minded at work, he loved what he did, and put his whole heart into it. Some called it passion, he called it hyperfocus.
He never used his phone while at work - it was on mute in his pocket most of the time. Nothing was urgent enough to pick it up.
As they were setting up the equipment, restless Yan switched on the TV - the main news channel was on, and a famous reporter, Jeanne Abadi, was on the screen with her pretty face.
Mike recognized immediately where she was; after all, he was there the yesternight too.
"...we're right in front of the house of the commissioner. His body was apparently found in his bed today morning after a colleague from the police came to pick him up," the journalist spoke and Mike fought with the urge to grin widely with pride. Yan and Caroline, in the meantime, stopped what they were doing, and looked at the screen.
"Oh merde, he must have worked here," Yan mumbled, visibly struck by the news.
The face of one of the policemen appeared on the screen when the journalist tried to make him talk by pushing the microphone into his mouth.
"We cannot reveal any details, but the forensics team is working on finding all the clues. I'm sure we will find out who and why has killed our commissioner. It's a huge loss, he was a great policeman," the man said before the journalist butted in.
"Apparently the murderer has left a message for the police, is that right?"
The policeman seemed flabbergasted by the question, he cleared his throat. Oh, if they only knew, Mike thought briefly, however, keeping a stiff upper lip."We cannot reveal any more information," he repeated like a broken record. They don't know shit, Mike assured himself as he prepared a bunch of fresh needles for the blood examination. They used disposable ones, obviously, but the syringes stayed reusable - the order from the Ministry of Health to limit the amount of medical waste.
"Damn, it's sad," Caroline commented. "But, interestingly, we're here today, they'll probably be restless because of that."
"I bet they will," Mike mumbled in reply, flickering the syringe to get rid of the accumulated air, just like he did yesterday. His mind was racing but he kept calm, his face usually didn't show much, so he earned the inglorious title of being the owner of a "persistent resting bitch face" among his friends and lovers.
"Some people on the Internet say that he was a pervert," Yan mentioned suddenly, sitting lazily with his phone. Mike raised his eyebrow in a questioning way, playing along with the game.
"The commissioner?" He asked.
"That wouldn't surprise me, to be honest," Caroline replied with a sign, putting fresh paper on the chair to keep the surroundings more hygienic. "There must be a lot of violence, gang fights, unjust convictions involved in all the police work."
If you only knew how much, Mike thought bitterly and the sense of injustice made his stomach shrink and twist - in his head, there was only black and white, light and darkness - someone was either a decent person or a bad one. He couldn't really see the shades of the spectrum of grey colors.
"Yeah. I hope they find the one who'd done it. Apparently, he was castrated, woah," Yan kept reading the Internet. It truly amazed Mike how fast the rumors leaked and spread into the web - just like a virus. Someone must have spilt the tea to the journalists - probably someone from the police earned on it because Mike made sure there were absolutely no witnesses on the murder site.
"Gruesome," Caroline hissed and put hands on her hips. "Yan, do you mind stopping scrolling and disinfecting the place? Thanks," she asked as she threw the bottle of the disinfecting spray and hit the young man right in the head.
"Good shot, Kittin," Mike chuckled and smiled - a rather rare sight these days. Suddenly, the door opened and someone peeked inside, almost hitting himself on the doorframe. Mike glanced and recognized Louis straightaway - as observant as he was, he immediately realized that something was off with the policeman - be it his microexpression or the look in his dark eyes - Mike wasn't sure. But he seemed defeated, and that was something which surprised Mike the most.
"Come on in!" Caroline encouraged him with a hand gesture. "We're almost ready."For a moment, Louis thought that he misheard something. Pierre Winter has been murdered. The man he has been dating for more than five years, if “dating” was the right term for their relationship. Louis knew it wasn’t. After all, how could two people form a romantic relationship if one of them was hitting thirty and the other one had just turned eighteen? He remembered all too well how mature he looked for his age already at sixteen. Pierre noticed that just as he noticed the understanding and unconditional love that was lacking in Louis’ life. He proceeded to groom him and, as much as Louis hated it, to shape him as a young adult. And now Pierre was dead.
“Louis?” Sébastien interrupted his frantic stream of thoughts. Louis gave him a bewildered look, feeling both shock and disbelief rushing to his head. This world was better without Pierre, that was for sure, but how come all of this happened? “Louis, look at me, please,” asked his friend softly.
“How? What… yesterday night?” Louis mumbled, as incoherent as if he’d spent all night drinking.
“Between 1 AM and 5 AM,” Sébastien replied. “The body was mutilated,” the police officer added. As Louis processed these words, his stomach sank and his head started spinning at an eerily slow pace. As if Louis has been on a ride on some haunted merry-go-round. “I know this is a shock for you, and I thought you should know. Now, I told you nothing,” Séba cleared his throat. “But please let me know if you need to talk later,” he added and squeezed Louis’ shoulder reassuringly.
Shortly after, they had to say goodbyes and part ways for their respective workplaces, which Louis did as if in a trance. He walked through the corridor of the police academy knowing that Pierre wouldn’t ever walk the same spaces again, that he wouldn’t ever manipulate a young adult again, that he was dead, dead, dead. And as shocking as it was, what a relief it turned out to be.
Louis leafed through the class register to take a look at the new recruits’ names, only to forget them in the next moment. Under normal circumstances, he would remember around three-fourths of the names - he had a good memory for details and numbers. This time, the coach could swear that his brain was in splinters that scattered the inside of his skull and that each piece of information would seep through his ears.
What a way to make a good first impression, he criticized himself as he grabbed the class register and left the teachers’ room. As he was heading to the room where the recruits’ examination would take place, a slightly distorted audio of the TV reached him. There must have been a TV in the room, he realized as he stood in front of the door.
“The Police have already secured the crime scene,” he heard, recognizing the voice of a TF journalist. That was the only sentence that somehow made sense while he was listening to the report about Pierre’s death. “The camera footage will be examined,” “a good neighbor and hard-working police commissioner,” and similar empty slogans followed. Hard-working on what? Flirting with minors? The bitter thoughts stormed through Louis’ mind as scraps of information reached him one after another.
He hardly paid attention to the commotion in the corridor as the freshmen gathered nearby. They must have been done with the official part of the school start, it dawned on Louis as he looked at a group of young men led by his colleague Vincent, an older and more experienced teacher at the police academy.
“You’ll follow Mr. Rogé to the medical examination now!” Vincent told the boys and only then did he nod at Louis. “You okay?” he asked shortly. The worried expression on his face, although it disappeared almost as soon as it appeared, spoke to Louis more than words. Vincent Belorgey, at 41 and with his years of experience in the police, has seen a lot in his life. Even though he could come across as harsh sometimes, Vince was a good person - he must have been if Séba had been his partner for a couple of years now, Louis thought and smiled faintly.
“I manage. Thanks,” he replied quietly and forced himself to broaden his smile as he looked at the recruits. There was a group of four adolescents who wouldn’t stop giggling, a short teenager with an undercut, and a boy who tried to make a tough expression as soon as he started smiling… the group made a positive impression on Louis, as much as it could in the current situation.
“Good morning everyone!” Louis welcomed the recruits, still smiling as genuinely as if he hadn’t received the most overwhelming news moments ago. “As you know, you’ll go through the required blood tests now. The check-up will follow with an eye examination, overall medical interview and so on, aaand so forth,” he continued and counted the examinations on his fingers as if making an extensive list. He had the skill of making people around him comfortable and, in most cases, encouraging them to smile or laugh. The welcome of freshmen was no exception and he saw the group of young people relaxing as they realized they had a teacher they could relate to in some way, someone who was not as strict as Belorgey. He peeked into the examination room, the top of his head almost slamming against the door frame. He was used to it as a tall person, but in the state, he was in now, he had to remind himself of some of the habits."It's time for the Hunger Games!" Someone from the recruits shouted, making others laugh hysterically, and they cackle. Caroline put on her white coat and stepped out of the room.
"Nobody is getting killed in here! Come on, first person, please," she asked loudly and there was silence for a moment before the first boy dared to enter the makeshift lab. The tutor led him in and took the seat close to Mike who was busy preparing the stickers with the names on the blood vials.
"Name?" He asked.
"Samuel Tiba," the young man with a cheeky smile replied. Mike wrote it down on the vial and Yan ordered him to clench and unclench his fist in order to get the blood circulating faster. "I'm going to look at the beautiful lady instead of the blood."
Caroline burst out with laughter.
"Baby, I'm married and I'm old enough to be your mummy," she replied, making the whole staff laugh as well.
"Now, don't scream," Yan warned him as he pushed the needle under the boy's skin, which was accompanied by a loud "Ouch!". The examination was over quickly, and they sent the recruit off with a plaster on the tiny wound.
"Next!" Louis shouted and another boy appeared in the room; it was difficult to call him a young man, so short he was and the glasses on his nose seemed as thick as bottle bottoms. How he got into the police academy seemed to be a mystery.
"Name?" Mike asked again, a bit too colder and rougher than he intended it to be; it's always been like that, and that's why he often would come across as grumpy or emotionless and heartless - which couldn't be further from the truth.
"Sonny Moore," the boy replied and Mike wrote it down, casting a discrete look at Louis who seemed to be smiling but that smile didn't reach his eyes. For the first time, it flickered through his mind if he shouldn't give the recording to the survivor - maybe... in a way, that would help him? To come to grips with his past.
Mike needed to ponder more about it but the idea seemed to linger in his head.
"Are you okay?" He asked gently, smoothing his tone when he addressed the policeman. This time, Mike truly cared to sound less harsh and make a better impression - he was seeking confirmation from the survivor. The confirmation of what he'd done was a good deed indeed.He was brought back to his work by the lab worker’s voice. It was Mike, Louis realized, who looked up at him from the lab chair. The healthcare worker had a look of genuine worry in his eyes, Louis noticed, something that took him by surprise considering the fact they didn’t know each other too well.
“Yes, thank you,” he replied automatically. What else could he reply? That he was relieved about his groomer not being alive anymore, that this man would never hurt any adolescent anymore? That he was glad to hear about Pierre’s death? When he realized how cruel and out-of-place it would sound, Louis shook his head slightly in disbelief. “It was a shock. He was one of the people who encouraged me to join the police, so…” he made a pause, not sure what else he should add.
Mike nodded slightly, acknowledging his words.
“This brings back memories for sure,” Yan chipped in, giving Louis a smirk. This man was impossible! The teacher wanted to give him a warning look (not everyone had to know about their fling after all), but before he even reacted, Mike raised a quizzical eyebrow. Louis was beginning to like the man even more, he realized before Caroline’s voice cut in.
“Next one!” she ordered and motioned Yan to prepare the next blood vial. “Name?”
“Cédric Steffens,” came a response from another bespectacled boy, this time taller and much lankier than the previous freshman. He was fidgeting and looked somewhat stressed - upon noticing this, Louis came back to his usual professional demeanor.
“Hey, you’ll be just fine,” he said softly with an encouraging smile.
Cédric, who was already turning a bit pale, nodded in a nervous motion and slumped himself onto the chair. The laboratory staff proceeded with the instructions and Louis followed their motions from the syringes and needles to the blood vials, stopping his gaze at Mike’s skillful hands for a moment. Such graceful movements, he thought, that would go so much better with a musical instrument or art supplies.
His train of thought was stopped after a few more recruits had had their blood taken and the samples had been put in the portable refrigerator.
“We’re halfway through,” Caroline observed, taking a quick look at the freshmen’s list. “Let’s take a short break, everyone, shall we?”Mike raised an eyebrow at a suddenly flirtatious Yan and his comment. What was that supposed to mean? It's always taken more time for him to process such complicated subliminal messages and irony or sarcasm due to his slower processing mechanisms and reactions. But then, it dawned upon him.
Right, they hooked up, he figured out and shrugged it off; that wasn't his business anyway. Mike has never been interested in other people’s lives unless they were his friends whom he had a few.
It melted his heart, however, when he noticed how Louis comforted his student, eaten by the stress of the examination. He was a good man, Mike concluded. Definitely didn’t deserve what had happened to him – that’s why he hoped that he’d brought him some relief by getting rid of the psychopathic pervert, even if years too late.
“Hell yeah, I need coffee and a smoke so badly,” Mike agreed to Caroline’s suggestion immediately and straightened his back – it hurt from leaning over the blood vials for too long in one, uncomfortable position. He tried to suppress a yawn but managed poorly, too exhausted for that. The crisis hit him just now, the buzzing and brightness of the glow lamps got more annoying than just a minute ago – merde, he thought and massaged his temples quickly.
“Can you show me where the coffee vending machine is?” he turned to Louis who announced a break to the kids outside. The coach nodded and they separated themselves from the rest of the group, heading somewhere upstairs through white corridors. The machine was hidden behind a wall and Mike would have never found it himself, so he thanked Louis briefly and chose a double espresso on the screen. “Do you want anything?” he asked politely, not because he was good at social niceties but he genuinely wanted to help the man somehow, anyhow. Louis shook his head and refused.The machine started buzzing, preparing his beverage, when Mike turned to him.
“Do you… need a hug?” he asked, trying to guess what would fit best in this moment. He usually didn’t do this, shunning the touch of strangers as much as he could, but for Louis, a survivor, he could make an exception. Without any erotic, friendly, amorous context – just be human for a moment.
Louis nodded and Mike hugged him, at first feeling quite stiff and awkward, but then he relaxed. It’s not that bad, he thought briefly, enjoying the other man’s warmth and strength of his arms which embraced him whole without any problems. Brought by tragic events, Mike felt much closer to Louis – he also knew much more about him than he could admit aloud.
For a moment, the time seemed to stop by, none of them spoke a word as if it could hurt this comfortable silence.
“I’m sorry for your loss or anything you might be feeling now,” Mike said in the end when he broke the hug as the first one. “I hope you’ll feel better soon. Let me know if I might be of any help,” he added, stumbling upon words. Damn, he was really tragic at comforting others, especially those he didn’t know well. But he did his best and hoped that Louis wouldn’t misunderstand him, as it often happened to him.It’s been a while since someone asked Louis if he needed a hug. Usually, it was he who cheered others up, encouraged them and offered a helping hand, not the other way around. Did he really look that miserable? No, it couldn’t be that Louis scolded himself. Mike wanted to help, that was all, and offered him something seemingly simple but at the same time very meaningful.
And the way this hug felt… Louis needed that. He respected Mike’s need to gently let go of the hug, but Louis himself didn’t even want to break the embrace. There was something about Mike that felt very welcoming and honest, something about the way his thin body seemed to fit Louis’ muscular one, the feel of Mike’s thick, wavy hair against his face. Something that felt like home, flickered a thought in Louis’ mind when he held his arms around the other man.
“Thank you,” he turned to Mike, his throat clenching slightly at the rush of emotions. “I’m… I’m already feeling better. He influenced me, but let me tell you he wasn’t always a decent person,” Louis added and shrugged slightly as if to take the weight off his words. His action (as well as avoiding calling Pierre by his name) had the opposite effect and only showed how uncomfortable he got. His hand wandered to the side of his neck and he frowned slightly at the sensation of the muscles of his neck getting tense.
Finally, Louis cleared his throat as he realized he might have shared a bit too much - so much for staying calm and composed. It got even harder when Mike looked at him intensely, boring his brown eyes into Louis’. Earlier, he didn’t make much eye contact, and now, his gaze was so attentive it felt piercing - not that Louis wasn’t enjoying it, he just wasn’t expecting that. At all.
“Thanks again. I appreciate that,” he added with a faint but genuine smile. “Shall we go for a smoke?”Mike was mindful of words, he’d learnt to know what power they might carry, so he quickly realized how meticulously Louis chose his words, using a pronoun instead of a name. First name – it was an intimate thing, that could bring you closer to someone if you chose to use it. Pronouns were impersonal and built a barricade between the speaker and the target. Mike knew it best, having been born and raised under a different name.
“I understand,” he nodded, even if ”I know” was the first thing he wanted to say, but no, he couldn’t give himself away. “I’m glad I could help, though. Yes, let’s go for a smoke.”
He noticed how nervous and stressed the other man was when talking about Winter, so he decided to drop it – he played his part in it, it was no use to asking Louis more questions. Mike nodded and they left the building to smoke outside. The others were still there, chatting vigorously – it was a particularly warm day of the early fall, so everyone tried to grasp the last rays of the Sun before the season turned to cold and grey in October.
Mike smoked Marlboro Gold, always. He fished for the lighter in the pocket of his lab coat and noticed Louis taking out a pack of red Marlboros – his hands were still shaking and he almost dropped the lighter.
“Let me,” he said firmly and lit up the other man’s cig. Mike didn’t expect any praise, it was nothing, after all, and Louis still bestowed a grateful smile upon him. He probably needed time to digest all the information, just as Mike usually did with his slower processing speed. For a second, he wondered what the policeman would do if he knew that he just talked to a killer, but he quickly pushed that thought away – it was no place or time to theorize about such things.
The smoke felt good and took the tension away – at least for a little while. Mike needed something stronger at home – and some sleep, that was for sure.
“Shall we get back? The kiddos are getting restless,” Caroline chuckled as threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it.Louis was glad that Mike didn’t seem to judge him for being slow and somewhat scatterbrained. After all, he was about to start teaching a new class, he should be more focused and professional. In the perspective of Pierre’s murder, he simply couldn’t no matter how hard he tried, and Mike respected it, providing him with simple but much-needed help. Not that Louis didn’t acknowledge Caroline’s and Yan’s work, it was just Mike’s support that mattered more to him.
These acts of kindness made him smile with genuine gratitude and provided him with some more energy for the rest of the workday.
Louis made sure to thank Mike with the same smile when the sports coach and the lab staff were parting ways. When he was shaking hands with the laboratory personnel, Louis realized he wanted to hold Mike’s hand for a split second longer, almost as if the hands of a medical worker had healing power.
He could swear that after the break, the work tasks went much more smoothly, even surprisingly smoothly for a day of such breaking news. Breaking news for a broken person, Louis thought grimly as he was signing the last notes in the class register and preparing to leave his workplace. Now that he was free to go, the nagging thoughts came back and Louis fished out his phone and typed a message to Sébastien.
“Meet me by the entrance in 10 minutes?” he texted the aspirant, receiving a reply in less than a minute.
“Make it 20” read the message. So there was a chance to know more, he realized while feeling the muscles of his neck stiffen and his heartbeat accelerate. Waiting even for 20 minutes wasn’t an easy task as the urge to know more about the case intensified, and eventually, Sébastien found him by the entrance with a stern look on his face.
“There was some use of alcohol and steroids have been injected into him,” he started, keeping his cool. Both men knew that their expressions and gestures shouldn’t tell anything to the outside observers, and as if to confirm this, Sébastien reached for a packet of cigarettes and lit one in the most casual way. From the distance, they looked like ordinary colleagues on a smoke break. “He was gagged with duct tape and, like I've told you, mutilated. You ready for the craziest part?” Séba asked with that gallows humor of his. Louis’ brain raced as he connected the dots - Pierre did have some alcohol problems at the end of their relationship. Gagged, drugged and… just how mutilated his body could possibly be?
“Ready,” he replied shortly, using all his willpower to keep a calm expression. “He didn’t fight back due to the sedative, right?” he forced the question out of his squeezing throat. The most graphic part came next, very conveniently at the exact same moment he exhaled the smoke from his cigarette through parted lips. Otherwise, he would have had a hard time keeping his mouth shut.
“He was castrated. Can you imagine his balls were missing and the killer actually sewed his sack? Our murderer even signed his gift by carving into his skin, skilful motherfucker,” Séba shook his head slightly. He mentioned the scars forming words such as “groomer” and “abuser,” as well as a symbol cut into Pierre’s skin, but that was when Louis’ brain moved as if in slow motion. Someone had to know that Pierre groomed adolescents. That he wasn’t the “decent person” and an “exemplary commissioner,” like so many believed. Someone, in a very twisted way, stood on the victims’ and survivors’ side. On Louis’ side as well. And that turned his initial relief into a feeling of hope, an awareness that justice can prevail.
“Now I told you nothing, Séb,” he said quietly, taking a long drag on a cigarette. “But this is what he deserved.”Mike has always been fascinated by the microcosm of the human body – observing how the cells reproduced and died was a hypnotizing spectacle he could watch for hours; this time, he put some of the blood samples from the students to centrifuge them into separate components. When he was left with solid and liquid components, he started analyzing the plasma portion.
This student definitely should lower their sugar intake – the glucose concentration was far too high for such a young person, Mike thought and noted it in the spreadsheet on the computer.
His mind drifted away to Louis again, against his conscious will – he wondered how much the policeman knew, whether he was still shocked or relieved. Mike had always been terrible at reading others’ facial expressions and figuring out how one might feel, he cursed his neurodivergent brain for this.
It was still, however, a good thing that he’d seen Winter’s victim – he was quite satisfied with how their encounter went, how the other man opened up to him even more than Mike expected; still, he was aware that they shouldn’t meet again – it was too dangerous for both of them, with his current lifestyle and the sins he’d committed, and was planning to commit.
The urge to check up on the survivors was still strong, but the call to get rid of the next scum was even stronger.
“Have you eaten anything today?”
Mike woke up from the reverie and lifted his head from the screen to look at Caroline who seemed… worried? Angry? He couldn’t say, as always.Then he tried to remember if he’d eaten; there were two coffees and hell-knows-how-many cigarettes. There was a packed lunch waiting for him probably, as the catering company brought it as always to his door in the morning. However, this night was busy and he didn’t think about such a mundane activity as eating.
“No. No, I don’t think so,” he replied and turned back to the screen.
“You look awful. Go home and sleep, you won’t do much anyway, looking like this,” Caroline said and her logical argument actually spoke to Mike. He noticed his faint reflection on the dark screen of the other computer monitor. She was right, he really looked half-dead, and the dark circles under his eyes were even bigger than usual.
“You’re right, maybe I should get back home,” he gave up and got up from the chair. “Will you manage without me?”
“Totally,” Yan replied over the microscope, not even lifting up his head. “No worries, man.”
Calmed down, Mike thanked them and left the laboratory building in Saint-Denis and decided for a longer walk in Vincennes, postponing the insufferable travel by the subway as much as he could. Still, it was a breathtaking place, especially by Lac de Minimes with a view over the water, where he’d sometimes go with Xavier, his best friend, and his husband.
Mike strolled on his long legs, techno music in his headphones, passing by countless cyclists and pedestrians with dogs. A jogging girl in a long ponytail smiled at him. Everyone seemed to either ignore him or treat him as any stranger, which pleased Mike to find out that nothing had yet changed in his demeanour or appearance. It was only his paranoia – because how does one even distinguish a murderer or a paedophile from others at first glance?
It was at that moment when he was heading back to the exit that he noticed him; a tall, stocky man with greying hair passed him by and their eyes locked for a split second. No, Mike couldn’t be mistaken – his photographic memory was too good for that.
The man was his next target.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Louis hardly remembered the way home from work. Even when he blasted his most played hip-hop playlist at full volume in his earphones, his thoughts were louder. As they always were.
His abuser got what he deserved and the man who groomed him was no longer alive. Louis felt confusion, satisfaction, relief, disbelief and nervousness all at once, and the emotional overload made his skin prickle. He was moved and, at the same time, fascinated. After all, Pierre was killed by someone who knew about his barely legal relationships. He was killed by someone who was on Louis’ side, and this knowledge felt almost like happiness, like the most intoxicating and long-forgotten euphoria. It felt like a reason to celebrate or, in any case, to lose himself in the crowd with a drink in his hand, either in the blinding lights of the club or the sultry, inviting half-darkness, where any kiss and any wandering hand could go unnoticed…
That was it, Louis realized when he was getting out of the metro station. He needed company tonight and the best way to get the kind of company would be getting out to a gay bar.
And he just so happened to have a place in mind that has never let him down yet.The night was still young when he arrived at Freedj club with its countless neons, booming of the music system, echoes of laughter mixed with lively conversations and - above all - men just as restless and aroused as him.
Or actually horny and hopeless, as he would sometimes call it in his mind. Not hopeless as in unsuccessful - after all Louis could never complain about the availability of his sexual partners - but hopeless as in painfully aware that he was too broken for a romantic relationship. Casual sex would have to do, he thought, at least until now that was all he could engage in to forget how lonely he felt. He didn’t expect the shame to disappear as soon as he heard the news about Pierre, although his abuser’s death could also mean the death of Louis’ own guilt. Maybe that would happen someday, he told himself as he approached the bar counter, attracting the gaze of nearby men as he did so.
“Jack’n’coke, please,” he ordered his drink after greeting the young bartender with a friendly nod.
“On it,” the bar worker replied, smiling at him for what felt like a split second too long. Damn, Louis was feeling as if he’s been hit by a bus when he received the news, surely he couldn’t look too attractive and - to put it bluntly - fuckable? Discreetly, he looked at his surroundings. In the corner, two youngsters in their twenties were already making out on the couch, next to them, a tanned man who looked like a gym addict whispered into his companion’s ear. The atmosphere was flirtatious, to put it lightly, and Louis could see how it worked wonders on the men in the bar - both those he knew to be loud and proud gays and those who were undoubtedly straight (and just as undoubtedly married) and only wanted to see “what it was like with an other man”. Louis avoided married individuals like plague, especially those who didn’t even bother to take off their wedding rings when they searched for a hookup in a bar, but much to his luck, there were plenty of other men in the club. Men whose bodies attracted his gaze in the vibrant neon light, whose eyes offered him attention bordering on fascination, whose hands he wanted to feel on his skin that warmed up with each second.
„Hey,” he heard soft spoken words right behind him. „Haven’t we met before?”
Normally, Louis wouldn’t turn around to such a cheesy line, but the way the words were spoken, as well as the way his interlocutor got so close he breathed on the man’s neck, made him curious. More than curious, he realized when he turned around to see a slim man with delicate, feminine features. The fellow man’s big eyes were underlined with black kohl, a bit smeared in the corner of his eye, and his shoulder-length charcoal hair was coiffed in what could be called an artistic mess.
„I think I would have remembered such a face,” Louis replied in a low voice and brushed an unruly strand of hair off the stranger’s forehead. A gentle gesture that would contrast in what he had in mind when he saw a man so attractive.
„Right…” came a response, followed by the other man’s chuckle. „I must have seen you in my dream. A very pleasant one” he added the last words in a tempting whisper and moved so close to Louis that the man’s full lips brushed against his neck.
In a heartbeat, Louis imagined what these lips would feel like on his stomach, tracing the line of hair that led down to his crotch. He thought of the stranger’s lips parting to take him whole, of this man’s tongue teasing his dick until he got just what he needed.
“Tell me more,” Louis replied, placing his large hand on the man’s nape and nearly breathing the words onto his companion’s skin. He made a pause between each word, nearly pecking the other man’s lips as he pronounced the end of the sentence.
“Not here, darlin’!,” the black-haired man replied playfully as if he was scolding his interlocutor. “There’s a better place for that,” he added, interlocking his fingers with Louis’ to guide him to a well-known place: the bathroom stalls. No reply was needed. Louis got up from his place, eying his attractive companion’s thin body, and followed the man who moved so gracefully he seemed to dance through the crowd. The night was just about to start.His phone was blanking, dancing on the night table, rousing Mike up from the much-needed nap. He rubbed his tired, irritated eyes and lazily grabbed his phone to check who interrupted his sleep: Xavier. The only person who actually could interrupt his sleep and doesn't get scolded for this.
Or whose calls Mike always picked up, no matter what.
"Oué, Xav?"
"Oh, Mikey, were you asleep? Sorryyyy," he heard on the other side, even though his friend wasn't probably 'sorry' at all. "But you never reply to my messages and I had to share this with you or I'd explode!"
"Oh? What's so urgent?" He asked, sitting up on the bed, almost fully awake now.
"I think we've found the perfect baby," he heard Xavier's excited voice, already visualizing his friend gesticulating like crazy while holding his phone. "Her name is Marie and she's eleven months old, she has the cutest blue eyes I've ever seen and a toothless smile. Her mother has already given up the right to her, sooo..."
"Xav, congrats," Mike said, fully conscious now. "I really hope that the bureaucratic bullshit will run smoothly for you two, so you can enjoy raising the little Marie as soon as possible," he added, completely honest. Even though Mike has never wanted children himself, he was happy for his friend and his husband who had been looking for a baby, and a cooperative, not-homophobic adoption office, for a long time.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Xavier gasped, exhilarated. "I'll send you her pictures. Hey, let's meet this weekend and talk? It's been a while."
Xavier was right; Mike couldn't recall when it was the last time they met face to face. During studies, they went out clubbing to rave clubs almost every weekend, partying until the morning - things changed when Xavier met Gaspard, a DJ at one of such parties, and the two fell in love hard and fast. His best friend settled down a bit but they still kept in touch and loved each other, it wasn't just as frequent as it used to be.
"Sure, I'd love to," he agreed quickly and headed over to his laptop to check the news. "Let's set the details on Thursday, okay?"
They chatted for a moment longer when Mike was reading Le Monde and TV5 Monde - he made it to the headlines: Gruesome murder of the police commissioner in Paris.
Parisian police commissioner found dead in his bed.
Murder in Paris - should we all tremble?
Mike couldn't stop himself from smirking at these sensational headlines. But no, not everyone had to tremble - only those who had adolescents on their minds.
He hung up and went to Google Maps - it was such a blessing these days, one could spy on anyone if one was observant enough. That's why he preferred to live in a tenement house - it was much more difficult to discover who lived here, contrary to family houses. And his next target lived in one.Maisons-Alfort was a quiet district on Île-de-France, located behind the Forest of Vincennes where Mike strolled today - this made sense to see the target there, then. Mike printed out the forest plan and marked where he noticed the man, then traced the road he took to drive from his home.
Around five and a half kilometers and he had to cross the Marna River on the highway. Mike zoomed on the house - a usual, two-story house with a driveway, a yellowish façade, a red roof, a small garden, and a short fence. There seemed to be no cameras but Google Earth took pictures two years back, so this information could be outdated.
Mike had to check this himself. He'll need a car again, too, but not now. He noted it down manually on the paper; neither computer nor phone were safe—they could be stolen or hacked into. Mike preferred a traditional method—paper could burn easily and fast. The evidence was gone.
He completed the to-do list and got up to roll himself a joint - weed helped him to sort thoughts out and clean his head. He got out on the balcony, watching the lively district of Montparnasse preparing for the supper hours, living and breathing. Mike leaned over the balcony railing and fished for the lighter when his fingertips touched something else in the pocket: a voice recorder. The same one he used the night before and recorded the confession of sins.
Mike rolled the object in his fingers, wondering what he should do with it; keeping it for himself would be selfish – after all, Winter hadn’t hurt him but others. He could remember, however, how cleansing and cathartic the experience was when he got the confession from his own abuser – many years before, in another reality.
He found the lighter and lit up the joint, deliberating Gamma’s next steps.As soon as he stepped into the dimly lit bathroom, Louis’ mind switched off. There was just the faint purplish pink light above him, the air around suddenly feeling hot and, most importantly, the slender, graceful body of his companion next to his, nearly grinding with impatience on him. He dragged the man closer, grabbing him by the nape, making their lips meet in a brusque, almost violent way. Louis felt as if he desperately needed that man on his knees, right there and then, sucking him until he blacked out.
Louis let his leather jacket slide off his shoulders when the door of the bathroom stall shut behind him and his partner for the evening, hearing the other man's gasp at the sight in between their increasingly passionate, ever-hungry kisses.
“Damn, you must’ve worked on this,” the man whispered in awe, dragging his hand over Louis’ chest in a fitting tank top. His long fingers grazed against Louis' nipple and stopped for a moment to touch his chest hair. He’d lost count how many times his partners admired both his facial hair and body hair, commenting on how manly or tough he looked.
Louis muttered agreeingly in reply, too busy grabbing his partner's ass to say anything coherent. His big hands wandered over the lean body of the other man, sliding down from his back to his butt, snaking under his low-cut shirt. Feel now, think later. And what he felt was an electrifying sensation running through his whole body, an impatience that couldn't wait any longer.
“Why don't you work on me a bit,” Louis suggested, sinking his fingers into the man's thick dark hair. As if by a command, he stuck out his tongue to slowly lick Louis' lower lip, providing a foretaste of what was about to come.
“With pleasure,” the young man's words turned into a soft moan in the moment Louis grabbed his ass decisively. He let his hands work their way down to Louis' belt, undoing the buckle and dragging his jeans down with a force he didn't expect from someone with such a frail stature. The fabric gave up to the impatient gesture and Louis’ jeans, together with boxers, were soon down, revealing his painfully hard dick.
“Woah,” he heard the other man gasping at his size, a reaction he was used to but which somehow never failed to pleasantly tickle his male ego. “Give me all of it,” he pleaded as he moved onto his knees, his warm breath tickling the sensitive skin. Without as much as Louis urging him, he felt the kneeling partner grabbing the base of his dick.
The man opened his mouth and pursed lips, wet and eager and slightly swollen from their brisk kisses, around the head of his penis, which almost made Louis want to scream. He must have sounded like a wounded animal when a low, guttural moan escaped his throat and he started bucking his hips involuntarily. He needed this, he had to feel more and think less, to empty his mind and his body. Louis was desperate for this and in an almost primal impulse, he pulled the other man even closer, starting to fuck his mouth in short but impatient thrusts.
“Don’t stop,” he commanded in a raspy voice. He looked at his incidental partner to make sure he wasn't choking too much, but the young man seemed to be in his element. Louis even heard him unzipping and masturbating somewhat rabidly, which confirmed that he wasn't too rough. Very well...
It was getting more difficult with each moment, as he was licked and sucked tirelessly, the pleasure making him moan. He knew he wouldn't last much longer, and when his penis reached the back of the man's throat once again, Louis' whole body jerked in a spasm. It was like a sinking sensation in his lower abdomen that made him writhe and, in no time, release all the tension. He came intensely, still gripping his companion’s hair. The pleasure made him shiver once again, as well as realize that he was in a mood for more. Much more.
“Now that's a big boy that looks AND tastes great,” the kneeling man coughed slightly, his suddenly coarse voice filled with awe so big it must have been exaggerated. He wiped the remaining cum off the corner of his mouth and licked it off his fingers as Louis dried himself with a paper towel. He glanced in the mirror as he did so - hell, his skin was red and clearly showed he's been up to something dirty, he thought and shot a mischievous smile at his casual partner.
“I was in good hands,” Louis smirked at the man whose eye makeup was now smeared, the skin on face blushed as well. His companion graced him with a playful smile and, rearranging his messy hair, made his way out of the bathroom.
Just a quickie like many others, Louis thought, just one moment of pleasure that left him wanting more. And more was to come indeed.
In the moment he splashed some cold water on his face, he heard the bathroom door opening and someone’s familiar voice greeting him cheerfully.
Louis recognized the face, but wasn’t sure about the name attached to it. Was that Thibaut, Thierry or Thomas? And who was the other one with him, was that his boyfriend…? ‘Cause when he and Thibaut fucked, he surely didn’t mention being taken…
“Louis, Louis!” the man chirped, storming towards him. “I’m Thibaut, remember me?” the club-goer asked, taking hold of his left shoulder. “‘cause I sure as hell remember those fine muscles!” he purred, and the man who accompanied Thibaut clung to Louis’ right arm.
“Hey Thibaut,” Louis replied as if meeting one of his former sexual partners after being sucked off by a cute stranger was the most normal thing in the world. Well, in his world… it was. “Sure thing I remember you. And I wouldn’t mind repeating this,” he asked in a deep voice and turned to the man to his right. “We could use a helping hand, no, Thibaut?” Louis looked in the man’s eyes, only to see them lighting up with arousal.Roberto69: Aren't you a bit too young to drink 😛 ?
Mike took a sip of red wine and chuckled. Once again, he realized how easy it was to set a trap for a pervert - they weren't even ashamed of themselves, felt above the laws of God and men.
It was his role to finish this and bring them down to Earth.
Nadyaaa: Why? Doesn't everyone drink in France? , he typed back with a few minor mistakes made on purpose, scrupulously reading the messages before sending them. The man on the other side couldn't find out that he wasn't a sixteen-year-old Nadya from Eastern Europe - even if the girl has never existed, Mike played along the game he'd started himself.
Roberto69: Yes, true 👍 my kids tasted some wine when they were ten and twelve hahah
Nadyaaa: Not much younger than me, your kids
Roberto69: Yes, you could be my little girl as well
Here we go, Mike thought and made sure once again that his IP was well-hidden. He had to stay safe when hunting - the price was too high and he still had some things to finish.
Nadyaaa: Why can't I?
Robert Tailler. The main commissioner of the Parisian police was more reckless than Mike had suspected - he seemed to enjoy living on the edge and risking a lot. Winter's direct boss, he would mentally and sexually abuse new recruits, there were alleged rape accusations as well but, surprisingly, the victims suddenly backed down. Silenced once again.
While Tailler was cleared of all the accusations and kept his position in the police.
Roberto69: I don't know, can you?
Nadyaaa: I asked first 😜
Roberto69: I need to see you first to check if you seem fit, little Nadya.
Nadyaaa: not little
Apparently, the policeman enjoyed barely legal teenagers as well. It seemed to be a plague amongst the men in power; Mike knew that he'd have hands full of work. And blood.
Roberto69: aren't you a little baby girl?
Nadyaaa: I look more mature than my peers, you prick
Mike sent the man a picture of a random teenager that he'd found on the Internet, on some inactive website - he had to make sure that Tailler wouldn't find it on Google images and that it wouldn’t be AI-generated.
Roberto69: I have to admit that I'm amazed by what I've just seen
Nadyaaa: told ya
Roberto69: lots of make-up but you still a baby girl 😉By this moment, Mike knew that he'd already got the man's attention - now, he had to keep his interest burning for the next few weeks, but not too long for the man to start getting suspicious. He couldn't rush things either because he wasn't ready - Tailler might also be more careful after Winter's murder, even if he didn't seem so for the time being.
Nadyaaa: I have a bf, he decided to type to tease the man a little.
Roberto69: I wasn't going to ask for anything lewd 😉
Nadyaaa: disappointed
Mike lit up another joint, the sweet smoke tickled his throat and made him cough.
Roberto69: you just told me you had a boyfriend 😜
Nadyaaa: yeah but he's my age and he's boring. I like older guys better
Mike felt disgusting writing this, fully aware of where this was heading to. A decent man would stop him right there. No, a decent man would never engage in a flirt with a girl thirty years younger to begin with.
Roberto69: how much older?
He needed a break - that was too much for today already. Weed mixed with wine wasn't a good combination and Mike couldn't let himself get carried away and risk making a mistake in the meantime.
Nadyaaa: daddy type. Wait my mum is shouting at me to get off the phone. I'll write to you tomorrow ok
Roberto69: you can say "ok daddy" 😉
Mike wanted to throw up when he read the last message; and it wasn't over yet. He had to constantly remind himself why he was doing it: for Rachelle, for himself, for all the children who should have been saved and avenged.In no time, they left the bar and Louis got them a cab to his apartment. After all, there were much better places for a threesome, much more suitable for something as intense and off the chain. And something much-needed, which Louis realized when he and his companions got home, gasping in the moment his whole length was licked.
Thibaut was kneeling between his legs, dragging tongue upwards and sucking his head - his actions were even more eager and passionate than the last time and Thibaut himself was just as pretty as Louis remembered, with boyish features and soft, dark blonde hair.
On the couch next to Louis, Alex (at least that was how Thibaut’s friend introduced himself) clung to his body, leaving a trail of kisses and light bites on his neck. What a pleasant continuation of the night out, flickered through his host’s mind as he took Alex by the waist. With his long arms and physical fitness, it was no issue for Louis to drag Alex’ thin body close to his - and judging by the young man’s delighted squeal, being pressed against Louis in such a forceful way wasn’t an issue either. What came next was a moment of hasted, thirsty kisses, complete with some biting and tongue-sucking. Louis let Alex kiss him for a while longer, moaning into his mouth every once in a while when Thibaut focused on his head and teased his frenulum.
“Why don’t you join him?” he asked in between kisses, taking Alex’s chin in his hand. Once again, it was no problem with his large hands and his partner’s soft, rather feminine features, and Louis savored the moment when Alex’s brown eyes widened. Submissively, his partner started sucking on Louis’ fingers without breaking eye contact and stroked his chest and abdomen with his free hand.
For some reason, this kind of eye contact felt slightly too intimate for just a sexual thing and without giving it too much thought, he spanked the other man with an open hand. “Well? I asked you a question,” Louis urged, motioning Alex to kneel next to Thibaut. He got to his knees and they took turns sucking Louis, bringing him to the edge with their skillful hands and making him forget, even if for a moment, the nerve-wracking day that today was.
Soon after one of them started to massage his perineum with a wetted finger - Louis, nearly orgasming, couldn’t tell which of the men was that - he came so intensely he surprised himself. There was no doubt that this was what he needed, and it was a matter of time for the night to continue in just as intense way.
“Thibaut,” Louis panted post-orgasm while the said man was licking him clean. “Why don’t we show Alex what we did the last time?” he suggested, making two pairs of eyes stare at him with primal, almost instinctive fascination.
The three of them moved to Louis’ bedroom and got rid of the last, unnecessary pieces of clothing. Louis got lucky for sure - Thibaut’s lean body looked just as good as he remembered it and Alex, slightly more tanned and toned, could probably work as a model.
”Such a pretty sight,” Louis teased, already getting uncomfortably hard as he looked at both men’s naked bodies, visibly aroused as well. “How about you play with each other a bit while I get ready?” he had to get some lube and condoms after all, and he wouldn’t mind looking at these two having a good time. Thibaut purred, pulling Alex close to press lips to his and grabbing his visible erection, and watching this turned Louis on even more. What a remedy for a hard day, he thought as he masturbated to the sight for a bit, having prepared everything they would need. He gave Thibaut a spank to motion him to come closer and as his partner went on all fours, Louis spread his butt cheeks to slide a lubricated finger inside him. The moans that followed were arousing, but Louis knew it was well worth the wait - he forced himself to be patient just for a bit and knelt behind Thibaut, rubbing his dick against the other man’s thigh and adding a second finger as his partner relaxed inside. Louis glanced at Alex, restlessly moving his hand up and down on his hard cock, looking at him with pleading eyes.
“Your turn comes soon,” he promised, wincing slightly as his own body begged for more. “You ready here?” Louis asked Thibaut, who was nearly ecstatically shaking, only to tease him more.
“Y-yes,” gasped his partner, grinding himself against Louis.
He murmured in satisfaction and put the condom on before a long-awaited moment of relief came and he slowly broke the resistance of Thibaut’s muscles. Louis pushed a bit further, savoring the feeling of his partner clenching around him, both of them moaning at the sensation. When Louis started penetrating the other man with slow, steady movements, he was panting as heavily as if he’s just run a marathon, feeling his dick throb and his body ask for more. He closed his eyes in a moment of bliss and in his steady pace, he moved on to gradually deepening his thrusts. Thibaut nearly screamed when Louis hit his prostate repeatedly, and soon he realized that Alex sneaked closer to suck the penetrated man. The night went on just as Louis wanted it to, with sex, sweat and frantic sighs from the three of them. Exactly - the three of them, which made Louis want to experience this threesome to the fullest. It’s been his first in weeks and probably the best one in months, after all.
With some difficulty, he slowed down so much that he pulled out Thibaut almost completely, which made his partner whimper.
„I want to enjoy both of you,” Louis bent down to whisper in Thibaut’s ear, loud enough for Alex to hear. „Is that clear?” he panted, taking hold of Thibaut’s chin to turn it towards himself, not necessarily in a gentle manner. From their last nightly encounter, Louis remembered well that the younger man enjoyed some roughness from time to time. He was sticking to his rule of never having sex with an acquaintance more than twice - he didn’t need any more drama and hurt feelings, both his and others - but this still meant he could hook up with Alex sometime in the future. He wouldn’t say no to that. On the contrary, Louis realized as he squeezed into Alex, so tight and so hot inside, giving him just what he needed. Another orgasm shook Louis’ body, one of many little deaths to come that night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When was the last time that Mike shared a bed with anyone?Usually, he didn’t wonder about such things, wallowing in sorrow and self-pity, but tonight, he started to ponder: was it half a year ago when he hooked up with Chanel? And Guillaume? Was it really such a long time ago? Mike really enjoyed his solitary lifestyle (after all, being a murderer shouldn’t equal having a family) and silence at home but sometimes, especially with Xavier being married now, loneliness hit him right in the solar plexus, making him gasping for air.Making friends has always been difficult for him with his poor social skills, making lovers – even more, because even if hook-ups were not a problem, Mike was looking for an intellectual connection of kindred souls. He rarely felt fully satisfied after one-night stands or situationships, so he simply stopped – it brought him more misery than fulfilment.Some things are just not for you, he told himself with a shrug.Instead of self-pitying himself, he decided to watch a true crime episode – more for educational purposes than entertainment. There were a few episodes of An American Murder Mystery about Chandra Levy – the convergence of last names made him want to watch it even more.As soon as Mike switched on the TV connected to the computer, though, he felt his mind drifting away and before he noticed, he fell asleep. It wasn’t a calm and pleasant sleep which made one energized and relaxed – on the contrary, Mike’s hyperactive brain woke him up during the hour of the ghosts. He felt nauseous and sweaty – his dark locks were glued to his damp forehead. It wasn’t the pangs of conscience after what he’d done (and was going to do), but rather the memories and anxiety taking over him.Rachelle would often say, before it got worse with her, that it was dybbuks who visited them at night to possess them. Mike didn’t believe in these stupid Jewish stories, made to scare children, but it certainly worked on his imagination until this day.It was during nights like this one that he wished there was someone beside him to comfort him.Instead, he crawled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom where he took a long, hot shower, feeling even more exhausted than before. It was dawning when he got out of the shower – the light scared the demons away and Mike threw himself on the bed again, trying to get a few more hours of such precious sleep.In the morning, the memories were gone, leaving only a bad aftertaste. Mike decided to take it easy, eat a real breakfast, and take a walk – praised being flexible working hours in the lab, he thought briefly while chewing on a croissant. He already knew where he’d head out to – cemeteries were the only calm places in this no man’s land where Mike’s scattered mind could actually rest – excluding his own four walls.Out of habit, Mike checked the weather forecast – it could rain in the early afternoon, so he took an umbrella and dressed in a short coat with his intrinsic scarf. With a slightly improved mood, Mike made his way to the despised subway which took him all the way to the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery; the area looked absolutely mesmerizing at this time of the year, so serene with the colorful leaves on the trees and a gentle shimmer of the wind. Inside the walls of the cemetery, the sounds of the city weren’t as oppressive as before.Mike strolled slowly on the narrow paths of cobblestone, reading some of the famous and less-known last names on the tombstones. It was so peaceful here, he thought and stopped – unsure why exactly – by a modest tomb of granite, however, with lots of flowers on it. Mehdi Favéris-Essadi. Before Mike figured out where he’d heard the name before, he heard someone’s steps approaching.The night had its pleasures just as the day had its responsibilities. If he wanted to make it to work on time, he had to leave soon. Very soon, it struck him as he saw the flowers in the living room. The door to the bedroom was left open and he could see the bouquet he bought the previous day after work, knowing well that he wouldn’t do this in the morning.Louis stormed to the shower and proceeded to speed up his morning routine. Today, he would have to do without a run, forced to do only the most essential things - and that included waking up his guests. So much for morning sex…Grumbling and cursing under their breaths, the two men dressed up and eventually left the apartment with Louis. The minuscule elevator that took them downstairs forced the three of them to stand next to one another. While Thibaut looked half-asleep, Alex seemed hopeful and pressed himself to Louis, giving him a short kiss as he left the building.Louis was almost tempted to ask for his number but decided not to do that. Once again, it was a gut feeling. He wasn’t looking for a relationship anyway - even though the person for whom he was bringing flowers would have wanted him to be happy with someone.“Some things are just not for me,” he mouthed and checked the phone that buzzed in his pocket. According to an e-mail from the principal, the morning class was cancelled, which left Louis with more time than expected. Well, instead of morning sex, he’d just spend more time at Père Lachaise, by the grave of his deceased friend. By Mehdi’s grave.He knew the way by heart - while most people would take the same route to reach Jim Morrison’s or even slightly further Chopin’s grave, Louis was heading to the tombstone signed as Mehdi Favéris-Essadi. He left flowers there every month, the only person to do so besides Mehdi’s family. His death, as tragic as it was, didn’t happen last year after all - it’s been four years since this devastating day.Much to his surprise, Louis wasn’t the only one to visit the grave. He came closer and was speechless in confusion at the moment he realized that Mike, the medical scientist, stood right there. Mike from the lab. Mike Lévy, if he remembered his Jewish family name well. Mike with his entrancing brown eyes and a face so strikingly beautiful it seemed unreal, Mike in the perfectly tailored coat and a matching scarf. And there was Louis, after two hours’ sleep, with circles around his eyes as dark as if he’d been beaten up and stubble creeping onto his neck, something he’d have shaved if he had the time. To make things worse, he held the bouquet for Mehdi in his damp hand, which got sweaty. He hasn’t felt that stupid in a long while.“Mike, hi,” he turned to the other man. “Taking a walk before work? I-I didn’t mean to interrupt or anything. I was a friend of his,” Louis explained, his voice shaking. As if throwing out two sexual partners first thing in the morning wasn’t enough, he has just met Mike at the grave of his close friend - whom he’s also dated for a few months. What else would happen on such a day?Mike was seemingly as surprised with this encounter as Louis - they both raised their eyebrows as if mimicking each other. His lips curled up in a natural smile, and his instinct of a killer calmed down - he wasn't a threat anymore."Hello, Louis. What a surprise," he replied, looking at the man who seemed to have had a difficult night, judging by his bloodshot eyes and stubble on his cheeks, which were not as nicely trimmed as yesterday. Mike was very observant of small details that most people seemed to overlook; however, he often missed the whole picture. But this picture now, in front of him, was gentle and pleasant to behold."Yes, I'm blessed by the flexible working hours and this is my favorite place to go to," Mike said, biting his tongue. He had a tendency to speak too much or too little when he was nervous - a habit he could never get rid of, no matter how he tried. "A friend?" He repeated as if he suffered from Tourette's syndrome. Only then did he notice a bouquet of flowers in Louis' hands. Chrysanthemum and lilies.They both turned to face the grave together - Mike counted four years since the young man's death. He was only twenty-eight, surely it wasn't a timely, natural death."I’m sorry for your loss, Louis. Although I've heard this name before somewhere, I cannot recall where," he frowned as the policeman placed the flowers on the tombstone. "Was he also in the police? If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."Mike could just as well keep quiet, he didn't mind just standing there and reflecting upon passing, life and death, in silence. Especially in such a comfortable silence with this man by his side.What a strange coincidence brought their lives together, it flickered through his mind; he remembered Louis from many years back when they both were frequent guests in Silencio club at DJ nights; Mike was usually too shy to approach anyone, standing in the shadow - Louis had always been the life of the party, drinking and dancing.Then, this... boyfriend of his appeared. Twice as old as him. Mike remembered vividly how the 30-year-old tugged on the youngster, struggled with him and shouted at him after a few drinks.Years later, he also saw André, Rosalie, and Pierre in almost the same, copy-and-paste situation. But it was Louis who started it and who inspired Mike to... well, get rid of the scum. He was Winter's first victim, and Mike only regretted that he was years too slow, so that Louis would be the last victim.He wondered if Louis remembered him as well, although there was probably little possibility of that. And maybe that was for the better.It seemed that both men were equally confused and even slightly nervous. Once again, Louis sensed no judgment from Mike’s side - just the silent, respectful sort of observation. And he appreciated that even if he didn’t know how to show it just yet.“Special unit of the police. Fatal shot would in the operation Nightingale back in 2020, the one that involved sex trafficking of minors,” he explained in the dry jargon. “I remember him as a friend. I mean, we did date for a few months, but Mehdi remains a close friend in my memory,” Louis added, allowing himself to express more and tell Mike about his loss. As an openly gay man, he saw no harm in telling Mike about his romantic relationship with Mehdi. They broke up as a couple but stayed good friends until Mehdi’s death in September 2020, and someone who asked as respectfully and with such care as Mike surely wouldn’t want to hurt him. “Thank you for asking,” Louis added after a while and knelt down by the tombstone to leave the flowers on the grave.For a moment, both of them looked at the tombstone with stern expressions. As almost always, Louis pondered how Mehdi would have been his age now, probably working on his stellar career, maybe dating the love of his life and most definitely finding the beauty in the mundane, everyday things, as he always did. But Mehdi was no more and Louis would be better off taking care of the living, he reminded himself and looked at Mike.He smiled gently at the man by his side, grateful for the care and consideration he’s been shown. There was something about Mike that made Louis want to confide in him - and he wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good or a bad thing.“My first teaching hours were cancelled, I’m going to get a coffee soon,” he said softly, breaking the silence, even though the stillness didn’t bother him at all now that he was with Mike. How strange, Louis thought and looked at the man whose eyes darted onto him again. “I know a decent, not too busy place. Would you like to join me? If you have time, of course,” he added. I start to enjoy your company, he almost said in the end, and at the moment Mike smiled at him ever so slightly, Louis realized that he really enjoyed this intriguing man’s company.Now, he remembered, feelings like raw meat; it was a loud action in the media, very meticulously planned months ahead - over twenty children and teenagers were freed by the special unit from the container in Caen dockyard. Apparently, they were supposed to be trafficked on the ships to the Middle East.Mike shuddered when he thought about it. He recalled that two policemen lost their lives during that action - he had no idea that one of them was so close to Louis."I remember that," he replied slowly, respectfully. "Mehdi sounds like a good person and I think it's beautiful that you still care about his memory like this."It didn't make sense to still love someone after they were gone - Mike knew that on a logical level of consciousness. But maybe love was able to transcend time and gravity, the laws of physics and the world? He sometimes wondered, fascinated by such questions.He felt comfortable with Louis by his side - this man's smile was contagious and Mike began to understand why everyone liked him and wanted to hook up with him (he already knew about two), contrary to his rather grumpy self. The looks he had were usually enough but Mike wasn't getting younger or prettier with age - if he could, he'd want to be like Louis; such people had much more luck in life.Or maybe it was only a mask, he thought about his own masking and the black plastic mask left at home in the wardrobe.When Louis invited him to a café, Mike looked at him almost as if he was out of his mind; it wasn't a good idea, he was aware of that on a logical level - he didn't want Louis to be drawn into this spiral of his double-life.But one coffee surely wouldn't hurt, right? Mike processed the question a bit longer than usual."Of course, I'd love to," he said in the end before he even managed to think about it thoroughly. "Are you thinking about Le Soleil Levant? It's my favorite café here."Apparently, he guessed right and Louis had the same one on his mind. Another strange coincidence made Mike glad as they slowly headed there, without a hurry. He enjoyed the policeman's company probably more than he should have and started wondering if he could arrive at work even later than usual. It was a silly thought, though, and he admonished himself in his head for that."One of your students has a suspicion of diabetes," he blurted out all of a sudden, unsure what he should say. "Well, not suspicion, I can confirm that already. I checked yesterday," he added and looked at Louis."We'll send you the results this week but you should talk to him, his name was Antoine, as I remember. I've seen how well you treat your students, I think it's a rare and beautiful thing," Mike finished, almost kicking himself for talking too much. Why are you like this, he sighed internally.Fortunately, the café was right by the corner - cozy and almost empty at this hour of the day. Good, Mike didn't like crowds and noise.Not only did they end up in the same part of the cemetery, but they also had the same café in mind. The perfect time and the perfect place, Louis thought and immediately scolded himself for that. This was no perfect world, no romance novel and as happy as he was to grab a coffee in Mike’s company, he also tried to stay rational and think logically. If Mike had a routine of visiting the cemetery and Louis stopped by Mehdi’s grave every month, this was bound to happen anyway. And Le Soleil Levant? Well, it really wasn’t difficult to like this calm spot with professional staff when big café chains spread in the city, filled with tourists.Louis didn’t want to overthink this until he heard Mike calling his approach to students. Did he really just call it “rare and beautiful”?“You’re too kind,” Louis said almost shyly. “It’s… you know, hearing words as heartfelt as yours is rare,” he finished, meaning what he said. He could swear Mike looked at him with curiosity, although it wasn’t too easy to read the mood of a man whose facial expressions were so scarce. Louis had to admit he grew increasingly fascinated with the medical scientist with his careful, elegant gestures and mysterious look behind those big brown eyes.Making use of his bigger posture, Louis pushed the door open for both of them, to which Mike reacted with a silent “thank you”.“What would you like?” Louis asked, smiling at Mike who seemed to have made up his mind.“Double espresso” he replied with the confidence of someone who was ordering his go-to beverage.“I’ll get the same,” the teacher replied and ordered two double espressos, swiping his card at the terminal before Mike could even take out his wallet. “Don’t mention it,” he added and decided to start the conversation when both men sat at the table in the corner. “People do say I have a knack for teaching, but rarely in as kind way as you said it. Looks like I chose the right profession after the special unit,” Louis added and shrugged slightly. “What about you? What made you choose the work of a medical scientist? It’s… I don’t know where to start! It looks so fascinating and so complex,” he mused in awe, wide-eyed. Mike was fascinating, that much Louis knew. But what really was underneath this stoic, almost solemn face that was so regular and delicate that it was nearly perfect?Mike certainly didn't expect to have his face studied so scrupulously, but he wouldn't say that he didn't enjoy it - on the contrary, he tilted his head, letting Louis study him as long as he wished so; Mike was well aware of how he looked like and how people perceived him. All of his sisters were astounding beauties as well, they took it after their mother."No, I'm not kind. I'm honest," Mike corrected him and immediately scolded himself for that - such wording always came across as impolite. Sometimes, honesty was valued, as Xavier did, but he didn't count because he was also neurodivergent with his ADHD. "I truly think you have a gift for teaching."No, Mike definitely wasn't as "nice" as Louis, far from it, and "kind" wasn't a fitting adjective either. Mike had tried a long time to learn the niceties of the everyday but it always came across as blunt or stupid, so he just stopped. He couldn't please everyone, after all.When Louis paid for his coffee, he smiled and then shrugged off his coat when they sat down at one of the tables. Mike added one small spoon of sugar, always only one, and stirred the hot beverage."Do you miss the special unit sometimes? It was a much more adrenaline-filled profession, after all. It's easy to get addicted to this hormone," he blurted out. Uh-oh, his nerdiness was showing; and since Mike was fascinated by the human brain, it was one of his special interests, he could talk about it for hours."I, uhm," he stuttered out. It was never easy to talk about himself - suddenly, there was a blank space in his head."Since I have Asperger's, I've always been fixated on very narrow fields. For me, it was either space and physics or microbiology and chemistry," he decided to speak openly about his 'condition' - after all, it would help Louis understand him better, and maybe he'd have similar people among his own students."The school was far from enough for me, so I pestered my physics and chemistry teacher to let me perform some experiments and teach me... I don't know, where the sounds come from, watch the blood under the microscope and such. It all just seemed so fascinating and logical to me," Mike shrugged, glanced at Louis and fixed his eyes on his cup again."Sorry, I hope I didn't bore you to death, but when I'm captivated by something, I just cannot shut up," Mike excused himself with an apologetic smile and finished his cup of coffee. Damn, maybe it was time for the ground to swallow him up, he thought briefly and glanced at his phone; Roberto69 wrote a message to Nadyaaa.No, he wasn't going to reply now. Mike couldn't live in two worlds at the same time - that was Gamma's task.How could Mike ever bore Louis? The more he listened to this man, the more fascinated he grew. He had a feeling he could listen to Mike for hours without getting tired of it even for a second.“No, please don’t stop,” Louis asked. “When you’re captivated by something, it’s a pleasure to listen to it. Really,” he reassured the other man, who still stared at him with a somewhat neutral expression. “Whenever people tell me about their passions, their obsessions, their hyperfixations… that’s when I know they are the most honest and truly into the conversation. And I’m really happy you had the opportunity to study something so close to your heart,” he went on, hoping he chose the right words. Louis didn’t want to say something out of place when Mike was being so honest with him. He was grateful for the other man’s story and sharing so much - even though he was used to people trusting him in a heartbeat and opening up in basically no time, he could also tell that this sort of confidentiality wasn’t common for Mike.“What you said about adrenaline is something I can only agree with. It is easy to get addicted to that,” Louis followed up on Mike’s question. “Sometimes I do miss it. Most of the time, I just keep myself busy so I don’t spend too much time overthinking,” he added, only after a while realizing how sad it sounded. He should really stop pitying himself and move on, he thought, he wasn’t the only one who’s had a hard past. And something told him Mike has been through a lot as well. “Speaking of being busy, does your work leave you with some free time? Apart from the cemetery walks, of course,” he asked with a smile. “You know, I’ve been wanting to visit the planetarium for a while but I don’t know which one is the best around here, I thought I’d ask,” he went on. The plan to visit the planetarium has been on hold for years, and while it was in the back of his head, he mostly wanted to hear Mike talking about his passion. Louis waited for Mike’s eyes to ignite, for his lips to form a very subtle half-smile, for his gaze to fix on him again, for him to tell anything and everything.At first, Mike was suspicious about the truthfulness of Louis’ words – after all, most of the people who weren’t nerds like him were extremely bored by his special interests. It’s happened more often than he could count, and most of the people just listened to him to get into his pants, men and women equally.However, Louis sounded so genuinely interested that Mike relaxed after a longer moment.He wriggled on the chair and noticed that he was tearing the napkin into small pieces as a part of his stimming behaviors. His handsome interlocutor didn’t seem to mind but maybe he was just good at masking it, Mike thought.“I did research on soldiers of Afghanistan and the levels of cortisol and adrenaline in their bodies together with the Institute of Psychology and Neurology,” Mike recalled and his face lit up again.“It was fascinating because I tested their hormone levels, and the others traced their behavior patterns. The neurologists did EEG, so the brain scans, and we had a small breakthrough even when we realized how predictable the patterns were, so we could help the soldiers with PTSD in a better way,” he spoke faster and quickly googled the picture from that time and showed it to Louis: it showed Mike, towering above everyone besides the soldiers, with a group of scientists in a lab, meeting the President Macron himself.“We are still working on creating the medicine which would lower and minimize the levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the soldiers’ body, so their brains would remain untouched and they wouldn’t get attached to these hormones so quickly,” Mike added and took his phone, meeting Louis’ fingers on the way. “I wrote my PhD about it, so you can say that I know something about it.”Mike realized he had spoken so much that a wave of embarrassment flushed over his face – he took a few sips of water he got for his coffee. Damn, he needed a smoke to calm down.“It’s quite sad when you speak about it,” Mike concluded as he rolled the glass in his slim fingers. “But I guess I use a similar method to shut up my overreactive brain. Can we go out for a smoke? I need it badly,” he chuckled nervously and Louis agreed without thinking twice. They went outside the café and Mike took out his fresh pack of Marlboros gold, however, the lighter fell somewhere he couldn’t find it.Louis, however, came to the rescue and lit up his cigarette – just like Mike did for him yesterday.“Merci,” he spoke softly and his face beamed up with happiness when Louis mentioned the planetarium. “Oh, it’s been a while since I went there. I’d love to, though,” he gasped. “The one in La Villette is amazing but rather touristy, however, good for the first time meeting with the space. I usually go to the observatory at Sciences et Lettres University where they have the Arago equatorial telescope, and you can observe Halley’s comet and the Milky Way with it. It’s fascinating.”He looked at Louis, and he knew that he shouldn’t suggest him going together; it was dangerous for both of them and his personal wants had nothing to do with it.Oh damn. Mike surely had his hands full of work, and it was both impressive and fascinating research that he made. For Louis, it sounded almost surreal that he had an interlocutor so hard-working and devilishly intelligent, and just as surreal that he wanted to share all of this with him with such passion. Mike was so smart and extremely well-educated that he would make the perfect criminal, Louis thought and immediately reproached himself for thinking this way. The fact that he used to work in the police didn’t mean he had to connect everyone he met with criminal cases. Fortunately enough, the thought left as fast as it appeared, and Louis diverted all of his attention to Mike’s words again. He was captivated by Mike expressing his awe for science and when he talked about his research and work, Louis could see that he was talking to a man devoted to his work.He could swear that everything about Mike mesmerized him, and as observant as Louis was on an everyday basis, he paid even more attention to Mike. He watched his gestures closely as well - did he touch his hand on purpose when taking back his phone? Maybe it was Louis’ wishful thinking, he wasn’t sure, just as he wasn’t sure if what he was about to say was right. There was only one way to find out, though.“Would you like to go there together? The observatory, I mean,” Louis suggested. “I’d love to go there with you,” he added. I’d love to go there with you and listen to you talk about the Universe for hours, he thought. I’d love to take you on a date and maybe, just maybe, not fuck up a potential relationship for once.Mike’s already big eyes widened as he heard Louis’ question. Even though the response didn’t come immediately, the curious look in his attractive interlocutor’s eyes showed that he was at least considering it.Mike almost choked on the smoke while dragging on the cigarette; for a moment, he started coughing so badly that he thought he'd cough out his own lungs! Louis had to pat his back a few times to help him feel better."Sorry," he cleared his throat, feeling even more embarrassed than a moment ago. Was he the only one to whom such things happened? "You want to go to the observatory? With me?" Mike made sure, afraid that he might have misheard or confused something as it often happened in social interactions.When Louis confirmed that he'd heard right, so casually and nonchalantly as if it was nothing, Mike started wondering what the hell was wrong with the guy; he surely couldn't be normal, eager to go out with him.Mike tried to play it chill and cool but he was none of these things, and he could never mask it well."Well, yeah. Sure, why not," the words rolled out on his tongue, slid out of it like warm butter before Mike could even reconsider if it was a good idea.He didn't want to pull Louis into this, not with his double life and his fucked up social skills, they were risking too much. But how could he refuse when the man was so gentle and asked him so politely? Nothing had to happen, after all, it was just a friendly meeting, he promised (or convinced) himself."I'll be looking forward to it," Mike added, unsure what he should do now. Oh, they should maybe exchange contacts, right, he realized. "I, uhm, don't really use social media. However, I'm happy to do it in a traditional way," he took out his phone and dictated Louis his number. Then the other man called him and Mike saved him in his contacts. Just like in the old days."I'm probably busy on Friday but Saturday or Sunday should be good, I think," he said, recalling that he owed Xavier a meeting; they'd probably end up in a rave club, because his best friend was still a party animal - which wasn't a bad thing, considering how shy Mike used to be before meeting him.The clock was, however, ticking painfully ahead and when showed a pretty late hour - he should have been in the lab already half an hour ago. And Mike was almost never late, that was unusual of him."I should get going soon," he said reluctantly and looked up at Louis, unsure how to say goodbye. No, looking in the eyes was too intimidating, especially such a warm, intense gaze, so Mike lowered his eyes again, away from Louis' face.“Right,” Louis nodded, not wanting to cause Mike any problems at work. The truth was he also had to get going, but the other man’s company was far too absorbing to just cut their conversation short and leave. Mike’s presence was fascinating and his company was addictive, and Louis had a feeling he would have a hard time going off it. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you again too. Thank you,” he said and noticed that Mike moved his gaze up again.It was just as if he had difficulties believing he could be asked out on what Louis hoped would be a date. A man who was as beautiful as Mike must have been hearing this all the time, no? Maybe he’s been through a heartbreak recently, Louis thought. He’s noticed that despite processing and looking at some things differently, Mike could care deeply about the people and things that really mattered, and maybe his disbelief and confusion came from a recent issue.“I really enjoyed the time spent with you. If you need to get going, can we hug first?” Louis asked, blurting out the first sentence without analyzing it too much - he really enjoyed himself, he loved the time spent with Mike and how he got to know more about him. It was like getting a peek into the mind of a genius.His companion agreed and Louis felt like he could scream with joy. On the outside, he just smiled, outstretching his long arms and taking Mike’s lean body in for a hug. It’s definitely been a while since he felt this way about anyone, he thought. Mike wasn’t just a pretty face or an attractive acquaintance - Louis felt himself growing fond of this man, and that was just as exciting as it was disturbing. He held his arms around Mike at the height of his back, not wanting to invade his personal space too much by sliding his hands down to his waist or putting a hand on his nape. Hopefully, time for this would come, Louis thought and smiled at Mike with all the warmth he felt.“À bientôt,” he said quietly as if any louder words could disturb this moment.He wished their workplaces weren’t in the opposite directions, but most importantly he was grateful for meeting Mike anyway. When he looked back after they parted ways, Louis caught one last glimpse of the tall, thin figure heading to the entrance of the metro. He’d keep thinking about it for the rest of the day.Louis' sweet words were like a balm to Mike's ears but, out of his usual habit, he started wondering if he really meant what he said; after all, neurotypicals usually didn't, which confused Mike as hell. He needed time to process this meeting anyway, and then probably analyze everything that had been said.He wished that human relations were as easy and logical as science - so he could study love and friendship under a microscope. Maybe he could even take Louis' brain out of his skull, roll out all the brain noodles and read his thoughts to find out what this charming man was really thinking."Yes, we can," Mike agreed to the suggestion, grateful for being so open in communication. Most people would immediately try to kiss his cheek or stretch their arms at him - Mike hated it unless they were friends, and those were few.It should be forbidden to feel so good by another warm, human body, it flickered through Mike's mind when he moved closer to Louis and put his arms around him, much less awkwardly than the day before.I could do it all the time, he realized - it was a great hug, a much-needed one, without feeling suffocated, no, rather stimulated in a pleasant way, like under the gravity blanket Mike had at home. He knew well it was just a rush of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which lowered stress and anxiety levels. There was also some oxytocin - released during orgasm as well or for women at childbirth.The theory was one thing, and Mike knew it well. But the practice was something completely different.Damn, he also needed this hug, like Louis did yesterday.Mike thought all of these things but said nothing, too overwhelmed and intimidated at once."Thank you. À bientôt," he smiled at Louis, unable to suppress it anymore. They parted ways but Mike's mood improved for the rest of the day. Before he entered the Métropolitain, he turned to look over his shoulder and noticed Louis doing the same, smiling at him.Well, wasn't that the best thing that has happened to him in months? Mike wasn't even grumpy when he got into the much-despised subway (at least much less crowded at this hour) - but his mood got even better when he noticed a notification on his phone, a small sign of an envelope.You've made my day so much better. Thank you!From: Louis.I could say the very same thing, he replied with an unwithering smile on his face.The next days turned out to be challenging in some ways, but the perspective of seeing Mike on Saturday made it all worth it. At least that was what kept Louis going in more difficult moments, such as that one class when the students just wouldn’t shut up while reading the news reports from the crime scene (in their defense, it was the last class of the day, Louis concluded) or when the school assembly was held in the memory of his abusive ex-partner. Of Pierre Winter, Louis corrected himself when he didn’t even want to think of that name. The memory of the school principal asking everyone to stand up to commemorate Pierre was still vivid in his mind, and he remembered the surprised stares he got when he didn’t rise up. Explaining himself with a bad headache, he stayed seated in his place, in a small act of rebellion. He should move on, he knew that and tried not to think too much about the assembly.To clear his mind, he opened the door to the miniature terrace to have a smoke. Now that Friday afternoon came and he had a free evening ahead, he could choose from all the clubs that came to his mind. Still, Louis caught himself wanting to wake up on Saturday already, get ready to see Mike and possibly go on a - could he really say that? - date with his attractive company from the other day.Louis inhaled the smoke deep into his lungs as he recalled their meeting with details again. He remembered how Mike would turn the empty water glass in his graceful, almost too-perfect fingers, how he tore the napkin to small pieces when he was stimming, and more importantly, he remembered his interlocutor’s expressions changing ever so slightly and those much-missed moments of Mike looking directly at him, he remembered, he remembered.What Louis couldn't remember when was the last time he felt this way. He knew he shouldn’t dwell too much on the past, though, but the memories of his rocky relationships and the crushing, almost paralyzing feeling of not being enough were still on his mind.Merde, he winced as he took the last drag of his cigarette, what if for once he didn’t think so much? Let it happen, he told himself, gazing into the darkening sky. The man could tell that Mike took a liking to him and felt comfortable around him for at least most of the time. Their conversation ran as smoothly as if they’ve known each other for years and the way they communicated their doubts and ideas was open and respectful. Maybe he wasn’t as romantically or sexually attracted to Louis as he started feeling towards Mike, but the only way to find out was trying, Louis came to the conclusion and put out his cigarette.He came back to his bedroom and glanced at an outfit which he prepared earlier, something to wear to the club. Black tank top, a matching pair of fitting jeans and a chain around his neck, all worn with the obligatory leather jacket.Louis wasn’t entirely sure if he was going to focus on anyone else than Mike and he certainly didn’t expect to see Mike downtown, knowing that the other man (what else should he call him? Calling Mike “his date” was just wishful thinking now and “his crush” felt so adolescent that Louis chuckled at this term) wasn’t too much of a party-goer.Still, l’Impact Bar could just be the place to go, even if just for a couple of drinks and some casual chatting. Louis would usually be the flirtatious type, catching all the lights, but with Mike on his mind, he didn’t really feel like focusing on casual flirting that day. He decided to see what the night brings and kill some time before the much-awaited meeting with Mike. Louis had no concrete plan and he could always change the club, he thought, with all the ease and independence of someone used to being on their own.Café l'Odessa was one of Mike's favorite spots in his quarter - it was more on the pricey side, but not too fancy; a typical French restaurant with tables inside and outside, waiters in black aprons, and a great selection of food and drinks. That's when he and his best friend decided to meet for déjeuner on a Friday evening.Xavier was running late as usual - nothing new, Mike got used to it throughout the years of their friendship, so he just took a table on the side, in a smoking area, so they could talk freely.He lit up a cigarette and ordered their favorite wine - there was red French primitivo in the offer, semi-dry, so Mike ordered a carafe for them. When the waiter disappeared, he touched the Gamma necklace on his naked cleavage - a capital letter, not a small one, so it resembled more a Latin letter "T" than the Greek one; no one would suspect him, even the most attentive ones; Mike cared for the details.He always rolled Gamma in his fingertips when he was nervous, as a part of his stimming behavior. It helped him to relax."I'm sorryyyy!" He heard Xavier's excited voice after a while - his friend looked great as always, dressed in tight-fitting, slinky pants and a retro jacket filled with gold sequins, underneath which he had a black, transparent shirt - he surely attracted attention wherever he went. His high cheekbones, inherited after his Asian mother, and shoulder-long raven locks which bounced when he walked, also made some men crack their necks.Mike smiled at him as he got up from his seat and they shared a heartfelt hug and a few bises on the cheeks. With Xavier, the touch felt like the most natural thing in the world."No worries. Good to see you," he said softly, truly happy to see his longtime friend."You too, Mikey," Xavier purred. He was the only one allowed to call him like that - and who knew what his deadname, given by his parents, was. "Listen, we have to go to Silencio before midnight today," he said excitedly when they sat down. "Gaspard is playing back-to-back with The Dare! We need to be there," he emphasized and made Mike chuckle."How did I know you'd suggest it, Xav? Maybe because we always go clubbing when we see each other?" He asked, teasing Xavier a little."No, we don't! Last time we were at our place, drinking," his friend corrected him when he lit up a cigarette."...yeah, and then we went to see Kas Product live and then clubbing," Mike reminded him with a suppressed laugh."Oh yeah, true that," Xavier admitted, glancing at the menu. He had a hard time deciding but they both usually took the same, verified dishes - it was safe with sensory issues, and Xavier was also a picky eater. Mike ordered pasta with shrimp and his friend took tortellini.They started chatting about the adoption process and how unnecessarily complicated it was - Xavier had to get it off his chest, and Mike was always there to listen to him; he admired that even though they hadn't seen each other for a longer while, they could still talk as if they saw each other only the day before, every time they met."Sorry for the info dump, it's just-," Xav made a dramatic pause. "It's a huge thing for me and it's overwhelming. But what have you been up to? Tell me everything. Did you meet someone nice?""No, I cannot say that I have," he replied and saw the sparks ignite in his friend's dark eyes."Ooooh, who's that?" Xavier asked, excited as a teenager. "Is it a girl, a guy, an NB?""A guy," Mike finally gave up and Xavier's grin got wider - he was satisfied with this scrap of information he got. "An ex-policeman," he added just to see the sparkles in Xavier's eyes who almost fell off the chair, probably already imagining a ripped Adonis with a huge dong or god-knows-who.Not that Mike wasn't imagining it himself but he didn't let himself fantasize too much - that was too dangerous. He didn't have ADHD, so he, thankfully, didn't act on an impulse like Xavier did, but he was also obsessed over things and people alike. Dopamine was addictive when you don't produce it enough - Mike knew it better than anyone. And the dopamine after their last meeting was still lingering and circulating lively in his body."Oh, baby, that's a good part," Xav giggled like a girl. He tried to interrogate Mike about more details but he had nothing more to tell him - after all, he didn't have any high hopes and nothing had happened between them.Thankfully, their food arrived soon, and they ordered another carafe of wine. With alcohol buzzing in his veins, Mike started to relax, so the more bubbly and joyful side of his personality could show itself. He loved this humming in his head, becoming the person he wanted to be on an everyday basis.For digestif, they had a glass of cognac - Mike offered to pay for everything. Obviously, Xavier forgot to take his wallet, but that wasn't a problem for the scientist. Mike left the tip as well and they headed to the subway to get to the other side of the city where the club was located. Silencio was a famous place between Palais Garnier and The Pompidou Center - the queue of people leading to its doors, so long that it reached behind the corner, was a sign that it was indeed a place to be.Xavier grabbed Mike's hand and they went straight to the bouncer by the door - he knew them, and they were on the guestlist anyway, so they went in without standing outside in the cold. Such a power move, Mike loved this feeling, however shallow and vain it was.The place was packed with people - a typical Friday night in Paris. Xavier stumbled upon friends and acquaintances all the time before they even reached the bar - he had a natural talent for chatting people up, and he knew everyone on the scene."Gaspard!" He stood on his toes when he noticed a well-known man with long locks and a beard. Mike waved at him because he was taller and the DJ squeezed through the crowd to get to them. He kissed Xavier straightaway, and not just a chaste peck on the lips - it was a full, proper kiss. One could think that these two were newlyweds but they had been married for years - Mike was sometimes low-key jealous of their passionate love, even though he was mostly just happy for his friend, obviously."Good to see you, Mike," Gaspard then proceeded to hug him and pat his back in a friendly way. "Let's go have a drink upstairs," he took his husband's hand and led them out of the crowd to a tiny backstage upstairs - they got a beer for free. Gaspard introduced them to the other DJ as well - he wasn't very talkative, though, so Mike and Xavier continued their conversation from the restaurant."You need to look sluttier," Xav said and unbuttoned two buttons of Mike's black shirt, revealing partly his hairless torso. Mike was already tipsy, so he didn't mind."You mean like you, huh?" he asked and they both chuckled. Xavier took off his gold jacket which showed the revealing shirt - Gaspard saw him every day and yet, he still eyed his husband as if he saw him for the first time, eager to devour him whole.These two were proof that gay marriage could be a successful one, and the longer Mike observed them, the more convinced he was."I'm going to dance," he announced when Xavier sat on Gaspard's lap - he didn't want to disturb the couple. He lit up a cigarette and went downstairs to intermingle with the bouncing crowd.The visit at l’Impact Bar was, quite frankly, uneventful. It was nothing special, almost like a mirror reflection of some of his attempts to go clubbing, that ended up disappointing at best and disturbing at worst. L’Impact didn’t provide Louis either with the thrill of a solitary night out or the distraction to calm his mind down at least for a couple of hours.Frustrated, he went out for a cigarette, considering his next move. He could go to The Labo maybe. Or perhaps Duplex, or…In the moment Louis wanted to head towards The Labo, his phone buzzed.“Wanna stop by Silencio tonight?” came a message from his friend Arthur. As a manager of Silencio club, Arthur invited Louis to the venue every once in a while, especially when the biggest parties were being held - and that included a spot on the guestlist and skipping the line, of course. “Just-ice and The Dare play B2B” read the next lines, which helped Louis make a decision. He remembered seeing Just-ice years ago and having a blast at his set, so Louis could only imagine the guy got better with years (and besides, would he still rock the retro outfit he did the last time or did he change his look?), and wasn’t The Dare this New York-based producer who would often visit France? Louis might just have been in for a treat, he concluded and made up his mind almost on the spot.“Sounds cool, OMW” Louis typed and followed the street that led to Silencio club. The place was so close to the unfortunate l’Impact that he could decide in a heartbeat and get there almost just as fast - Louis lost count of how many times he’s been told to slow down while walking on his long legs. No one ever seemed to keep up with his pace with him, and sometimes Louis felt like no one even wanted to. Why would anyone want to be with him, after all, after what he’s been through and with the difficulties he had in forming close romantic relationships? No, Louis was well accustomed to walking alone and it would stay the same, he told himself as he reached Silencio and headed to the guests’ queue. He would have loved to bring +1. This time, entering the fancy club, or in any case fancier than what he was used to, felt sad and even slightly pathetic to him. He also knew that as soon as he met Arthur or one of his friend’s co-workers, he’d let go of the self-pitying thoughts at least for a while.All Louis needed to get in was to give his name to the security and refer to Arthur. The bouncer checked the guestlist and welcomed him with a short, polite nod, and soon Louis immersed himself in the subtly lit, strikingly well-designed interior of the club. He’s been to Silencio so some faces definitely looked more or less familiar. Sometimes the club felt almost too fancy, too posh and too perfect for him, especially when he was still dressed in a black tank top and not a variation of an elegant or evening attire, but this would have to do. Louis was just scanning his surroundings and noticing a few club-goers he’d seen before - but so far no one he’d talked to. It was a familiar voice that interrupted his observations when Louis’ friend Julien had just appeared from behind the corner.“Hey there!,” Julien, the club’s event coordinator, was usually the life of the party, and by the cheerful way he greeted Louis, he could tell his friend was in a particularly good mood. “So stoked to see you! Arthur said you would come and let me tell you, tonight’s B2B is going to be absolutely. On. Fire,” the last words came with dramatic pauses in between, which made Louis smile and realize that maybe tonight wasn’t all going to be wasted.For a brief moment, he was blinded by the lights near the bar counter and got further distracted by examining the dancefloor, noticing an acquaintance or two. He couldn’t help but notice how one of the dancers in the back suddenly turned, revealing a known face. A face so stunning it looked dreamlike.“The Dare has started at midnight sharp ‘cause let me tell you, the guy has a flight to catch at eight o’clock in the morning…” Julien went on, rambling about the American DJ and what it took to organise the night, but with each word he said, Louis got increasingly distracted.Why did the tallest man on the dancefloor resemble Mike so much? The thick, well-styled hair that got slightly messy in the heat of the club (and what an alluring sight it was), the lean silhouette of a model, clad in tight-fitting jeans and a matching black shirt, much to his delight left partially unbuttoned, and…“Louis, ça va bien?” Julien asked, to which Louis could only nod energetically.“Ça va,” he gasped. “I… I know someone on the dancefloor whom I haven’t seen in far too long,” he blurted out. It wasn’t even a lie, he thought. Without Mike, even a couple of days could easily feel like a couple of weeks. “May I? I’ll catch you later, promise,” Louis shot Julien one of his signature broad smiles, the one people would sometimes describe as “the smile that brightened their whole day”.“Sure, sure,” Julien nodded. After all, the event coordinator surely had a lot of work on his hands and a bunch of more friends to greet. He was known for cheeky comments too, and Louis was not really surprised to hear Julien’s next words. “Whoa. Easy there, tiger,” he added with a playful nudge on Louis’ side.“This,” Louis teased as he decided to follow up on Julien’s joking comment. “Is something I can’t promise,” he said in a half-whisper, sticking out his tongue and dragging his index finger on it.Julien burst out in loud, hearty laughter and patted Louis’ back as if for good luck. As he passed through the crowd (which was rarely an issue with his impressive height), time seemed to slow down. Despite the people to his left and right, he only had eyes for Mike, who was just flicking out a cigarette from the pack with his long fingers. Mike fished for a lighter in his pocket, not looking at him, but when their eyes locked above the crowd mere seconds after, Louis’ knees suddenly felt weak. What a weird reaction for someone so tall and trained, he thought and sped up, rushing to meet Mike. There he was in the flesh, right there in front of Louis. Mike’s eyes flickering with the light and heat of the club turned right to him, making Louis the happiest in the world for a heartbeat.“Mike,” he gasped with such an ecstatic joy in his voice that it surprised even him. “It’s been a while, happy to see you” Louis greeted Mike and laid a hand on his shoulder. He had to raise his voice amidst the booming music, which was convenient as he literally wanted to scream with excitement at the sight of the other man.For a moment, Mike thought that he was hallucinating - amidst the flashing lights and artificial fog, music thudding loudly, so Mike could feel it in his chest, it was difficult to differentiate the faces. Mike lit up a cigarette, vibing and bouncing to the music, when his eyes met another pair across the packed room.Why was this tall man, towering above everyone else, so similar to Louis? He didn't look away, enduring it, feeling the tension tingle his body.He noticed how Gaspard, known as DJ Just-ice, went downstairs with Xavier, holding his hand in the most natural gesture, and they approached the console where The Dare was already dropping heavy beats which made Mike want to move his body. He didn't even stop when the man approached him, eyes still locked directly on him.It was definitely Louis, Mike realized, he wasn't having illusions. The amount of alcohol he'd already drunk was buzzing in his veins, making him much more approachable and open - his lips curled up in a beautiful smile when the man came close and put his hand on Mike's shoulder."Louis! Happy to see you too! What a lovely surprise," he added with a grin, leaning closer to Louis' ear, which made them force to be closer than usual. Mike put his hands on the other man's broad shoulders. "My friend is playing tonight, Just-ice! He's good, do you know him?"They looked at Xavier who was jumping behind the console with a cigarette in his mouth, letting the beat control his body. He cast a quizzical glance at Mike, so his friend turned away, back to Louis. He knew well that he'd be asked a lot of questions later but that had to wait for how."Dance with me," Mike demanded in a sudden surge of boldness and confidence, thanks to the ethanol taking the steer of his body. A tiny voice in the back of his head whispered that he shouldn't do it but it was too quiet in that moment; Mike was completely overwhelmed or awestruck, so he just followed the heat of the moment, living here and now.The red, hot bodies, damped in sweat, danced around them to the beat of the music as the DJs mixed a world-known hit "Unholy" but, for Mike, they could have just as well not existed when he was with Louis and wrapped his arms around his neck. In his head, there was a bubble around them, and they danced alone, flesh to flesh. Louis seemed to hesitate to touch him but put his big hands on Mike's waist in the end and asked about the consent first."It's okay, don't worry! You can touch me," he shouted into Louis' ear, enjoying the other man's musky smell and his closeness to the fullest - his neatly trimmed beard tickled Mike's cheek a little, which made him giggle - a sound so rare which indicated the level of his tipsiness; otherwise, Mike wouldn't cross his own boundaries like that, so easily. Now, he could just savor the moment, in this primitive act of dance with another human, like in a trance, eyes half-closed.It got hot very quickly and Mike felt himself sweating - he absolutely despised the sensation of sweat running down his back, so he moved a little from Louis and took off his marine-blue vest. His dancing partner decided to do the same and got rid of the leather jacket, showing off his toned arms - that made Mike feel even hotter. Merde, he shouldn't stare as if mesmerized but he was - Louis pulled him closer again in one, confident movement, which made Mike feel the electricity running throughout his whole body, head to toe.Normally, he would oppose that, but this man made him crave it, this closeness. It was a new and strange feeling, unlike anything else he'd felt before. When they danced, Mike felt very much at home with him, they imitated each other's moves as if Louis knew exactly what he was going to do next, and Mike did the same with him. They didn't know each other well but there was a strange attraction between them, definitely much stronger than with any of his past hook-ups or situationships, which didn't last long enough to be called relationships.Louis' hand grazed over his butt which was intentional; the hand stayed there for a short moment, but not too short to consider it accidental. Mike looked up at him from underneath the lashes and crossed another of his borders by giving him a gentle, almost chaste peck on the lips, feeling more alive than ever before. Louis seemed surprised, however, in a positive way.They danced like magnets, which was both enthralling and terrifying at the same time. Mike felt truly wanted and desired for the first time in ages - but it wasn't only lewdness in Louis' eyes, there was much more than that."Let's get a drink!" Mike suggested, squeezing Louis' arm, suddenly thirsty, his locks glued to the forehead with sweat.If moments ago Louis was wondering if this was a dream, he now had physical proof of how real it all was. The kiss Mike gave him, as fast as it was, turned out to be more than he hoped for. Much more. All his senses were on fire and Mike’s touch worked on him wonders which he’d never really imagined experiencing with someone, anyone, out there. He wouldn’t believe this was just a coincidence - this night in Silencio must have had all of their stars aligned. Louis’ heart raced, his skin almost burnt as if he’d been sitting in the sun for too long and he caught himself wanting to look at Mike all the time, who was as close to him as the packed dancefloor let them. His dance partner’s suggestion to get a drink got Louis out of trance.“Yes, let’s!” he agreed with Mike instantly and encouraged by the other man grabbing his shoulder, he brought his free hand to Mike’s hand and interlaced their fingers. What a convenient and also exciting means of making their way to the bar like this… “Tell me,” Louis began and leaned closer to Mike to lower his voice slightly. Away from the dancefloor, they wouldn’t have to speak so loudly, but he could still use the opportunity to ask his question as close to Mike’s ear as possible. “What would you like?” he asked and brushed his lips against Mike’s neck, below his ear, as he did so. As his lips grazed against Mike’s skin on the erogenous zone, no less, Louis could easily imagine asking this question in different circumstances and continuing to kiss this sensitive spot.The fantasies were so vivid that he had to focus hard on the other man’s reply.“Black Russian for me,” Mike said, putting his hand on Louis’ shoulder.He didn’t even need to say that the drinks were on him, he just ordered Mike’s drink and a whiskey for himself. When they stood by the bar like this, Mike’s hand on the taller man’s shoulder and Louis' hand on his dance partner’s waist, it struck him that they must have looked like a couple. They might just have been getting to know each other, but Louis could swear he’d give everything to be together with Mike. The way Mike made him feel, the closeness and connection that weren’t forced and the electrifying sensation that was dangerously close to being disturbing couldn’t be faked. Louis felt so mesmerized that the attraction bordered on the feeling of being high, and he only wanted to get higher.“Shall we?” he asked as the couches in a nearby booth were freed by a group of people going to dance.“With pleasure,” Mike replied, raising his chin slightly in a way which exposed his neck and a part of his hairless chest, visible from underneath the partly unbuttoned shirt. Once again, the “pleasure” he talked about could be mentioned in a very different context.Louis gave Mike his best smile, the one which he well knew lit his eyes up (and has more than once described as “irresistible”), and let him sit first in the booth to choose the side.Mike reached into his pocket for a cigarette and Louis was the first one to find a lighter, faster than usual when he had one more chance to do something for Mike, no matter how small.The fact that their hands touched when he lit up the other man’s cigarette was just like the continuation of their moves on the dancefloor, a sequence of gestures and motions that could seem small for many but were so meaningful in Louis’ eyes that they could just as well be life-changing. And that was just as thrilling as it was terrifying.“Didn’t expect you here, and I’m happy we saw each other even before the meeting,” Louis told Mike as the cloud of cigarette smoke dispersed a bit. He could see the perfect face just a few centimetres from him and the sight itself made him smile. When was the last time Louis felt genuinely happy and awestruck just by looking at someone?Mike made a low purr when Louis’ lips grazed over that sensitive spot under his ear – the man knew exactly what he was doing to make Mike lose his mind tonight. And Mike wanted to lose his mind, himself, completely. The possibility of them meeting there, when he wasn’t necessarily a clubber, was closer to zero than one.And yet, it happened. The universe threw six on the dice of life. Mike didn’t really believe in signs or predestination, unlike Xavier, but this was a really interesting concurrence of events.And then this provocative question: What would you like? which made Mike produce even more obscene scenarios in his head than he already had. He had a vivid imagination, yes, but in such a scene, anyone would imagine a different context when this question might be asked. He gasped and felt the blood rush downwards, to the lower parts of his body. Damn it.Louis was good at it, Mike had to give him that. He made him giddy like a teenager in such a short time that Mike was surprised with his own reactions – nobody had ever worked like that on him.“Merci,” Mike thanked him for a drink and made his way to a more secluded place in Silencio – a lounge with a black, leather sofa was suddenly abandoned by a group of people, inviting them to sit on it and continue the magical night. He wanted to feel enlightened, feel the truth, and get higher and higher on the serotonin blasting off in his body. The speed at which they were moving this, terrified Mike a bit, but he didn’t want to withdraw just now.“I didn’t expect you here either,” he chuckled as he exhaled the smoke into Louis’ face in a sassy way. “But true, I’m not really a club-goer these days anymore. However!” Mike raised his finger like a character of a comic series who just got a very good, or a very stupid, idea. “I used to go to rave almost every single weekend with my friend, that one,” he pointed with his chin at Xavier in the distance. “He’s Just-ice’s husband now and my best friend. I will introduce you to each other after the show,” Mike promised and looked at Louis from underneath his eyelashes, in a come-hither way. He was much more talkative after alcohol, and he liked this version of himself better.Mike crossed his long legs and took a sip of Black Russian, the smooth drink based on vodka burnt his throat in the most pleasant way. However, Louis’ big hand on his knee was even more delightful; it wasn’t a possessive, groping touch which repulsed Mike, no – it was soft and delicate, and yet, still enticing and arousing, turning Mike’s brain into a jelly.He was a scientist for damn’s sake and he behaved like a wanton coquette when he was with this man; was it pheromones or something else making him unable to think in his presence? He hated it and loved it at the same time.“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” he confessed and stretched out his arm to gently brush Louis’ short hair with his fingers. “I’ve bought us tickets for the star show, I think you’ll love it.”Louis was feeling increasingly restless, and he could tell Mike was too. The touches and gestures he exchanged with the other man worked on his imagination better than anything ever has. They sped up and it seemed they would never slow down.“You thought about everything,” Louis gasped in admiration. When Mike told him about the tickets he bought, Louis wanted to give him the longest hug. Instead, he stroked the other’s man knee under the table, as slowly as if he were touching an object of art. He really doubted Mike could get any more loveable than that, and when Louis realized how meaningful his companion’s action was, his throat clenched. Mike getting tickets for them both was kindness incarnate in Louis' eyes, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if he did anything less for their upcoming meeting.“In this case, the dinner tomorrow is on me,” he said invitingly. “I hope we can stop by some restaurant, right? I would absolutely love…” he went on, lowering his voice and making longer, teasing pauses in between his words. “…to dine out with such a sharp-dressed man,” Louis used a quieter song in the club to speak in a softer, more seducing voice. During the last words, he took a gentle hold of Mike’s undone collar, playing with the fabric ever so slightly. Louis pretended to fix Mike’s garment and as he did so, his thumb brushed against the other man’s intoxicatingly warm skin, right above a thin chain with a pendant worn by Mike, making him imagine all sorts of things.I could unbutton this shirt all the way down and eat him whole, Louis thought with a small sigh, feeling the pressure in his body, so urging but at the same time so pleasant. When he was with Mike, his mind raced and his imagination worked so wildly it almost scared him,“I know a good place at Avenue Rochereau, so I could book us a table, but please, let me know what works best for you,” he suggested, tempted to ask Mike another question that could sound either casually or sexually and hardly refraining from it. After all, they would have time for it, and as much as Louis wanted to do that, he had to admit that there was some charm to their slow-burn flirt. Or at least it felt too slow, way too slow, when Louis could swear he was red-hot in Mike’s company. He only had eyes for this slim, almost impossibly beautiful man, and every time he saw Mike smiling at him or giving him an attentive glance (which was more frequent now that they had been drinking), Louis felt as if he won a lottery. There really was nobody who worked on him quite as well as Mike and they even seemed to synchronize as their gazes met and both men reached for their glasses.A shudder pierced Mike’s body when he was touched on the neck again – a very pleasant one, warm and cold at the same time, it ran through his spine down to his loins; damn, he wanted to kiss this man so badly but he still had some brakes of self-control left to stop himself from doing that.“I’d love to,” he giggled and gently brushed his hand over Louis’. “However, I need to warn you that I’m a picky eater,” Mike confessed with a nervous smile. He felt slightly stupid but it was fair to tell him about his dysfunction in advance. “Pasta and hummus are my comfort food, though, so I think we’ll manage with that.”Louis seemed not to have any problem with that, which was a relief. After all, they still got to know each other and learned each other’s behaviors, patterns, and routines but the more Mike dug in, the more fascinated he was. He took a sip of his drink and noticed a few men in their 30s and women in their 20s glancing at them – Mike knew that he was an eye-candy, as some described him but Louis couldn’t complain about the lack of luck with men as well – and no wonder why. Mike’s brown gaze followed him all the time.There could just as well be the two of them in that club and he wouldn’t see the difference; maybe he’d just behave in a more obscene way, that is.All of that, nevertheless, stayed in the sphere of imagination. Louis chugged down the rest of his drink and Mike decided to playfully tug on his neck chain, bringing him slightly closer to his face, but without kissing him this time.“Let’s go back to the dancefloor. I love this song,” he said in sotto voce; there was no need to repeat that twice for Louis who took his hand again and led him back inside the club. Just-Ice and The Dare were just dropping Pharrell’s “Blast Off” which made Mike want to dance in the most natural way. He rolled up his sleeves while still holding eye contact (which was unusual of him) with Louis, then turned his back on him, encouraging him to hold him from behind.The waving and grinding against his back was even more sensuous and titillating than before – with his eyes half-closed, Louis’ hands on his naked skin on the hips because the shirt rolled out of his pants, sweat on their bodies, Mike felt out of this world. He stretched his arm behind to touch Louis’ nape and hairy cheek, while the other one grazed his lips over his neck again. It was intoxicating, and addictive, and Mike wished it could last forever.When was the last time he danced like that, so wildly and free of any judgements or limitations? Mike couldn’t recall, the alcohol washed away all the unnecessary memories for the moment, and it didn’t matter now. At all.The partial darkness in the club worked in their favor when they kept moving closer. When Mike turned his back on him, Louis didn’t need any more encouragement, no words were needed. His hands clung to Mike’s hips as smoothly as if he’d been waiting for this forever and Louis’ dance partner moved in a way so alluring it must have been innate grace, a charm he couldn’t fake. It was seductive without being forced or obscene, Louis felt as if they were synchronized and his movements corresponded with Mike’s snaking and grinding just like their very own, intimate sign language which only the two of them could decipher.It was a matter of time for their bodies to sweat and for the clothes to slide up or down - to Louis, touching the naked skin on Mike’s hips felt like epiphany and it only seemed natural to bring his lips close to his dancefloor partner’s neck in the next moment. The height difference clearly showed that each of them chose the perfect dancing partner, a faint thought flickered through Louis’ mind as he felt Mike’s shining, well-styled hair next to his face, never getting enough of the other man’s subtle scent.They moved as if one read the other’s mind: in the moment Mike arched his back ever so slightly, Louis brushed his lips against Mike’s earlobe, and when his fingertips slid under the hem of Mike’s shirt, he could feel the other man reaching his hand behind to scratch his neck in a playful, teasing way that made Louis want to moan in anticipation. It was all very carnal again while being fully consensual, their touches and teases were all corresponding to one another’s gestures - and turned out to be almost agonizingly arousing.At that moment an unmistakable, noise-like beat boomed around them, making a few people scream and cheer, Louis realized he started panting slightly. That was a fitting song, to say the least, the one that guaranteed to light up the night even further.You let me violate youThe beat controlled his body, it seemed, he shivered in response and let out a gentle sigh into Mike’s neck as he felt the other man’s hair next to his face again.You let me desecrate youLouis felt his back pressed against his chest, he felt his slender waist, his butt, at some point he felt his legs pressed to his body, he felt all of it and he felt the urge to stay close to Mike. As close as possible.You let me penetrate youSuddenly, Mike gasped and turned to Louis, his gaze suddenly playful and curious.You let me complicate youBefore asking anything, Mike raised his eyebrows slightly and stroked Louis’ cheek in a way that was equally flirtatious and affectionate, almost loving. After all, his panting and sighing could well be taken for exhaustion if it wasn’t for the circumstances…“Everything fine?” as the music got louder again with the chorus, Louis had to move closer to Mike’s ear and his lips grazed against the other man’s cheek. His inmost desire was to move his lips just slightly lower down and kiss Mike, right there and then, in everyone’s eyes.Louis’ hot breath on Mike’s ear was doing something to him, his body went weak, and his skin tingled with anticipation. He wanted more of this, he needed this, he wanted it all. Their dance resembled a mating ritual by this point, so close they were and so intoxicated with each other’s presence. A small whimper left Mike’s mouth, uncontrollable, so good this felt, so intimate.Thanks to his neurodivergence, he could experience synesthesia, making him experience more than one sense simultaneously – Mike could feel everything harder, better, faster, stronger.At this point, he was ready to kiss this man and take him home afterwards, even though he didn’t usually do that; still, wasn’t life about getting out of the comfort zone and letting go? He looked at Louis who seemed to be exhausted and aroused at the same time – Mike turned and looked directly at him, parted lips slightly to make it easier for Louis to reach them. That was what he wanted, all he needed after Louis’ fingertips left invisible traces on his body.“Mikey, we’re going!” he heard all of a sudden. Xavier. Fuckin’ hell.For a moment, Mike stood still, confused and unsure what to do. Coitus interruptus. The erotic mood was suddenly gone, as if by the touch of a magic wand. His head was spinning from all the sensations, realizing that he was still drunk and aroused as hell. Mike wiped the sweat off his forehead and stepped slightly further from Louis who looked as if he’d just run the marathon.“I, ugh,” he stumbled over the words. “I need to go with my friends, but I’d love you to join us,” he added, hoping for a positive reaction from Louis. To emphasize his words, he gently took hold of his hand. “What do you say?”Louis agreed, even though he seemed equally as confused as Mike for a moment. They left the crowd as another DJ took Just-ice’s place, holding hands, and walked upstairs, following Xavier and his husband. The bouncer nodded at Mike, letting them into the tiny backstage. The DJ was just changing into less stinky clothes but Xavier jumped into place when he saw Mike and his partner.“Mikey, you haven’t introduced me to your friend yet!” he asked with a grin.“Well,” Mike started, almost rolling his eyes but stopped himself with the last bits of his nerves. “this is Louis. Louis, this is Xavier, my best friend.”“Pleasure,” Xavier replied, shaking Louis’ big hand with his tiny one. The view was hilarious and these two seemed to immediately hit it off, which Mike rejoiced in. “Mike’s said a lot about you.”What was that supposed to mean? Mike gave Xavier the look, which meant nothing good. He rolled his eyes and saw Louis raise his eyebrow. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to explain himself later on…“Well, everyone, ready to eat? I’m absolutely starving,” Gaspard said out loud, changed and ready, as he approached Mike and Louis as well. “Gaspard, enchanté,” he said and shook Louis’ hand without any comments – that was his husband’s expertise, after all.Has Mike really said a lot about him? Louis was confused but, if this was true, also flattered. He couldn’t help but like Xavier right away, as Mike’s friend gave off the vibe of a genuinely good person, even if he seemed to be very curious about Mike’s relationship with Louis. He instantly took a liking to Gaspard as well, and he felt grateful for the DJ’s suggestion to go out and eat something. Only now did he feel that he was really hungry, his body asking for some fuel after sweating out, dancing and, to be honest, pumping his blood much faster and livelier than usual. Well, he still was the hungriest for Mike’s touch and the body warmth next to his, but Louis knew this would have to wait.Louis, who ate everything and has never been a particularly picky eater, has just nodded slightly at Gaspard’s suggestion, content with anything.“Absolutelyyy,” Xavier was the first to reply as he got up from the small backstage couch and approached his husband, giving him a hug from the side. “What should we get?”Let’s get pasta and hummus, Louis thought when he looked at Mike. Let’s get whatever he feels like having and order a few more rounds of drinks so I can see his eyes shining as intensely as a while ago, his thoughts raced when he looked at Mike’s face and saw his partner’s lips slowly forming into a half-smile. Once again, Louis felt as if it was just him and Mike looking at each other across the room, not really paying attention to whatever else happened around them.“There’s a pretty decent place with fries if we want something like that,” Gaspard came out with an idea as he hugged Xavier with his free arm. The shorter man nodded energetically, which Louis saw with a corner of his eye as he still looked at Mike.“Sounds good,” Mike agreed as well, after which Louis was the only one to approve of the idea.“Well then, shall we?” Louis asked Mike and approached his partner, offering a hand to hold.At the same moment, Mike stretched out his fingers and their hands met halfway, which was met with a quiet but excited gasp from Xavier.It seemed like Mike’s best friend would make a perfect reality show star, Louis thought, amused. Everything was easier to accept after a few drinks, even being looked at with such attention (and besides, he couldn’t blame anyone for staring at Mike), and he could easily imagine Xavier as the beauty specialist in a French version of Queer Eye…After the decision had been made, goodbyes said and the last hugs and bises given, the four of them, led by Gaspard, walked out of the club to get some late dinner. Louis, still buzzing from their dance, held Mike’s hand in his, their fingers interlacing and their night feeling as if they maybe, just maybe, even if just in another life, could be together. Louis couldn’t know what was coming next, but he could enjoy this night out to the fullest, which came easily with Mike by his side.It felt the best in the world to have all the people Mike loved and admired in one place - even though he knew that he'd be overstimulated soon, he still enjoyed the night and holding hands with Louis. When was the last time that someone laced their fingers with his like that? Their hands fit into each other perfectly, which Mike rejoiced in, even if it felt silly to do so.Gaspard knew what he and Xavier ate - after all, he was a great cook who'd prepare dinner for all of them sometimes - so fries were a safe option; after all, everyone loved them or at least tolerated them.It was cold outside, the first wind gusts of autumn could be sensed in the chilly air. Mike buttoned up his coat and tightened the scarf on his neck - after the dance, he was still hot and bothered, so it was easy to catch a cold or some other nasty viral infection. That was the last thing he needed right now.They went into the fries bar, still hand in hand, which was surprisingly open at this hour - some hungry clubbers were also there, glancing at the DJ and his entourage."I want the biggest fries with mayo, big coke and a double burger," Xavier recited as if he knew the menu by heart, making Mike chuckle. His friend was impossible!"It's for both of you?" Louis asked carefully, unsure where all this food would go in Xavier's rather petite body."No, only for me," Xavier replied with such confidence that everyone started giggling. Gaspard was used to his partner eating a lot and he didn't complain, just ordered what he wanted, then also big fries for everyone else, and paid for everything."No, don't bother. Thanks for coming," he waved his hand when he saw that Louis wanted to take his wallet out.They sat down at one of the tables, pleasantly tired after dancing, when two young people approached Gaspard and asked for a photo - the price of fame. That gave Xavier the opportunity to interrogate Louis more, which he did with pleasure, leaning towards them on the table."Sooo... how did you meet Mikey, Louis? He wasn't willing to tell me," Xavier asked, raising an eyebrow. Mike gave him the look as a warning but his friend didn't seem to care about it; he's always been like that, bold and extrovert, maybe too careless, a soul of the party - in a strange coincidence, he took a shine to Mike who was shy and introverted in the beginning. In a way, Xavier "adopted" him, as they sometimes joked around.Louis put his arm around Mike in a protective gesture, bestowing the most beautiful of his smiles at him; damn, when Louis looked at him, he really felt like the Eighth World Wonder. It was unusual, nobody had ever looked at him like that, with such intensity.Mike returned the smile and gently brushed his hand over Louis' on his arm.Louis was still dazed and confused in the best way possible when the four of them were having a late dinner out. Sure, he missed being on the dancefloor with Mike, but on the other hand, Mike must have known just as well as Louis that if they continued, they would have ended up in the club’s bathroom. Or perhaps on a shared taxi ride back home.Now, it felt as if the group of four men were two couples - not just the happily married Xavier and Gaspard, but Mike and him as well. That was what they must have looked like to the people outside. The truth, which Xavier awaited, wide-eyed, was quite different, though, and Louis moved slightly closer to Mike when he answered the question.“We met at work. I’m a sports coach at the police academy,” he replied, and he could hear he heard Xavier making a small “woah”. What has Mike told him?! Whatever stories he shared with his best friend, Louis hoped he could live up to them. All these people looked at him with kindness and compassion, listening with such attention and eagerness, and for a while, Louis felt like he wasn’t good enough to sit there with them, with his arm around Mike and his heart starting to race again.“My-my freshmen were having blood tests and, well…” Louis stopped, his mind suddenly blank, his face studied by Mike’s intrigued gaze. He couldn’t go for a line as cheesy as “the rest is history,” but when Mike was near, so many exaggerated phrases just seemed fitting. “…this might just have been one of my best days at work. Nothing beats the time we met on a free evening before our shifts, though,” he added with a knowing smile which Mike reciprocated. Louis’ whole face would beam at that sight, and he could stare at Mike forever when the other man kept smiling.“No way!” Xavier gasped. “Beginning of this week, right? Monday or Tuesday with the moon in Cancer would SO explain the chemistry!” he went on, making both Louis and Mike smile. The enthusiasm in everything that Mike’s best friend said was quite contagious, and he was sure Xavier would continue if it wasn’t for their order being delivered. For a moment, everyone seemed mesmerized by their copious, wonderfully smelling portions, and the conversation slowed down in between drinking and munching.“Bon appétit“, Louis turned to Mike as he gently took his arm from the other man’s shoulders and brought his face close to Mike’s, kissing him gently on the cheek.Mike gasped when he heard that it was Louis' best days at work when they met - maybe it was cheesy but it really touched him in a way he'd never expected before. Louis seemed to get tense all of a sudden, their legs and hips were pressed close together, so he gently brushed his thigh with his fingertips to calm him down."Yes, it was. Unexpected but it makes it even better, doesn't it?" Mike asked with a happy grin, munching on the fries that suddenly arrived, much to Xavier's joy. He even clapped his hands when he saw his huge order."That's what I'm talking about!" He exclaimed and attacked the burger with ravenous hunger; Xavier had always eaten a lot and never put on weight, which was some kind of magic. Things hadn't changed even in their 30s. Mike had always been a rather poor eater, ever since he was a child, and, even now, he didn't really feel the hunger after the dancing and grinding for a few hours. He took a few fries and felt like giving up.“I can’t anymore,” he moaned and looked expectantly at Louis.“Cheesus Christ, Mike,” Xavier sighed with a mouth full of his own fries.“What, give me a rest!” Mike gave his friend a playful kick under the table. After a while, they started kicking each other like two naughty kids who cannot sit still in a restaurant, chuckling and laughing.“Kids, behave!” Gaspard intervened, grabbing Xavier’s leg, but even he was amused by their childlike behavior. Sometimes, Mike really relived his childhood when he was around his best friend.“I’ll help you,” Louis offered himself and reached out for Mike’s fries. Now, that was a sweet gesture! Mike smiled at him with gratitude – he was starting to cool down and the tiredness took arousal’s place instead. He knew that he’d already have lots of things to process when he got home, the examination of conscience, just as he used to do back in his hometown Lyon.“Let’s get you home, baby,” Gaspard muttered as he saw Xavier getting food coma after his copious second dinner, and put his arm around him. “We should repeat that, though. I’m playing Paris again on Halloween, you both should come,” he invited both Mike and Louis, and Mike truly hoped that they’d go there together.“I’d love to,” Mike said as they slowly rolled out of the bar, and back into the cold. Gaspard’s Uber was already on the way, so Mike ordered his own. Ahmed was eleven minutes away from their localization, which gave them a few moments to say their goodbyes.“I love you, Mikey! We need to repeat this,” Xavier exclaimed, throwing himself on Mike’s neck. “He’s hot, don’t fuck this up,” he whispered into his ear, making Mike blush slightly. He also got a kiss when the Uber arrived and picked up the married couple back home.Louis and Mike were alone.“I had a lot of fun with you tonight,” he admitted. “I’ll see you tomorrow before one o’clock, then? At the entrance to the planetarium.”Mike truly despised saying goodbyes – especially, after getting attached to somebody. And he hated the fact that he got attached to Louis like this as well – sobering up, Mike already knew that he’d made a grave mistake. He should stop this but was it even possible at this moment? The oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin were already happily buzzing in his brain, making it a sluggish blob whenever he was around Louis.“Three minutes,” Mike said, glancing at the screen where his driver was, and then looked up at Louis who seemed to be eager to ask him about something.Three minutes were just enough for what Louis had in plans. Three minutes until the cab would come and take Mike somewhere in the Montparnasse neighbourhood, as a glance at the phone screen suggested. Three minutes until they would have to go separate ways for the night.Louis could swear he’d already changed his mind at least five times whether or not he should ask Mike for a kiss, and with each passing second, he was more and more certain of his decision.“Mike,” he said in a voice so low that it could only be heard if someone stood extremely close to him. “Can I kiss you?” Louis asked with hope and anticipation in his voice. It was as if the whole evening built up to this and now, there was no coming back.“Yes, of course,” Mike didn’t make him wait long.With his words, he must have ignited something inside Louis who approached the other man, putting his hands around Mike’s waist and lowering his head to look at what seemed to be a dreamlike vision.Louis brought his lips to Mike’s, making the kiss slightly deeper by tilting his head to the side. Nothing felt better than that. His mind went blank, his whole body shivered at the overwhelming pleasure and tenderness, while his lips - and soon his tongue - could hardly wait for more. As he held Mike tighter in his embrace, feeling his partner’s hands on his chest, Louis parted Mike’s lips further with his tongue. When Mike let him do this, Louis moaned softly in his mouth, wishing it could last forever. Once again, they were synchronised, and in the moment Mike slid his hand to Louis’ head to bring him closer, Louis’ hand moved down to Mike’s butt, feeling it with a caressing motion. Nothing felt better than that, it was sure, and for the first time that night, Louis felt more hopeful than fearful. Mike was in his arms, responding to the kiss, taking all of his affection and giving him back just as much.The question was highly anticipated but Mike wasn’t sure if it ever come; he bestowed the prettiest smile at Louis and shuddered when he heard his partner ask him just what he was waiting for; his face lit up at once and, for a moment, Mike forgot how to speak – instead, a pleasant, titillating feeling filled him up.He agreed immediately and stopped himself with the last bits of his self-control from throwing himself at Louis; instead, he put his hands on the other man’s broad chest and tilted his head to make it easier for Louis to reach his lips. It wasn’t like the kiss before on the dancefloor, short and chaste, this one was fuller, real, filled with passion and something else that Mike couldn’t yet put his finger on.His knees went slightly numb when Louis’ mouth covered his – it was warm and pleasant, even though Mike wasn’t the biggest fan of kissing on a usual basis, he enjoyed this one to the fullest. Oh, damn. His head started spinning from all the emotions rolling like waves through his body, waking the arousal again, especially when their tongues met for the first time. A whimper left Mike’s throat when Louis’ hand found its way to his butt, stroking it gently.For a second, Mike forgot to breathe, he pulled himself away from Louis and kissed him again, this time with more passion and frenzy, holding him on the back of his head. His partner seemed slightly abashed at first but then took an active part in the kiss. It was lustful and ardent, Mike showed him the side of himself that he didn’t really show on a daily basis. But he already didn’t know when he’d kiss these intoxicating lips again.Would Louis be so willing if he knew that he just kissed a murderer?Mike didn’t know the answer to that, or rather – he didn’t want to know. He was gasping still when the Uber arrived, just in time before they did something obscene in the middle of the street.“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said quietly, still feeling his lips tingle when he got into the cab. Louis opened and closed the door for him like a true gentleman and Mike opened the window to give him one last, short kiss – never minding the driver who saw the whole scene. Damn, it was one of the most romantic things that had happened to him in his entire life, he could swear.He was a fucking egoist and he hated himself for that.Louis waved at him and Mike blew him a kiss before the Uber drove off to Montparnasse. Sobering up, the moral hangover blended with the lingering sensation of Louis’ touch on his body, the arousal, and dumb feelings. When he was finally alone in his apartment, welcomed by a silent hum of his unswitched laptop, minimized forum for the pervs, and Gamma’s costume in the wardrobe – Mike felt miserable. He was waiting for something he couldn’t deny – a truth, a sermon, a sacrifice.How could he be so wrong, but it all felt so right?Mike leaning through the window was a sight that would come back to Louis again and again throughout the night. When his partner gave him one more kiss before driving away, Louis didn’t need any more encouragement to come closer, just as they didn’t need any more words. He was left with one last kiss for the night, electrifying him once again and sending the most delightful shiver down his spine to his loins.What a way to end the night, Louis thought, savoring their kiss for a while, keeping his eyes closed. Only after a while did he take his phone to get an Uber back home, typing his own address wrong three times, despite having lived there for over five years. Mike was the kind of person to make Louis lose his mind and question everything again: could he really, one day, be in a healthy and supportive romantic relationship with a fellow man? What they have just experienced made Louis think about it intensely as he was getting into his Uber and driving through the night. He was still gasping slightly at every thought of the other man, his legs felt shaky despite the fact that he was sitting and his hands felt empty, so desperately empty, when he wasn’t hugging Mike anymore.Mike made him feel restless and tireless, after all, it was well after midnight and he was still agitated and filled with this particular kind of energy that only meeting someone exceptional could make him feel.If only Mike could make him shameless, Louis thought in the cab, watching the streets of Paris through the windows, gazing at all these people who seemed so carefree and so joyous on their night out. He wished he could be like that too, together with Mike, ending up as a couple. Only that he knew that nurturing, supportive relationships were not for him. Not after the grooming he’s been through for so many years and the unsuccessful relationships that followed. No, not again, he thought and moved his hand across his face as if he tried to wipe the sweat away. He didn’t want to wallow in self-pity now, he couldn’t let these thoughts win, Louis told himself when he was getting out of the Uber to come back home. Where else could he go? He’d spend one more night on his own, all night on his own, but this time he could at least think of someone who became so dear to him. When Louis recalled his kiss with Mike, he felt a surge of warmth again, the heat slowly took over his body, and the intrusive thoughts got easier to get rid of again. He felt like he needed to get rid of them for good – it has been going on for too long, Louis told himself and glanced at himself in the mirror as he was taking off his leather jacket, followed by his neck chain, a sweaty tank top that clung to his skin, and undoing his belt buckle. He could feel the tension in his body and when he slid down his pants, he could definitely see it as well - the bulge in his boxer shorts was now getting almost painful.Louis sighed as he walked to the shower, getting rid of the unnecessary pieces of clothing. A lonely reflection of his toned body flickered in the mirror when he was already naked, ready to get under the shower and let go of the pressure in his body. The water splashed on his warmed-up skin when Louis slid his hand down to the base of his penis. He needed it and he needed it badly, he thought and closed his eyes almost automatically when he moved his hand up and down a few times. Louis circled his wrist slightly and let out a stifled grunt when he moved towards the head, teasing his foreskin. Mike was all he could think about, all he needed, and he pictured the other man with his intense stare and half-smile on those perfectly shaped lips, with those graceful hands and long fingers which he wished could touch him again, and again, and again. Louis recalled their kiss and how Mike clung to him, the memory so vivid it was engraved in his mind, making him gasp. He was close to climaxing when he thought about Mike, Louis realized when his motions sped up and his dick started twitching in his hand, body nearly begging to release the tension. As the orgasm was approaching and making the heat spread throughout his body, Louis felt the first spasm shake him whole. The squeezing motion in his lower abdomen provided him some much-needed relief and his memories flooded with the perfect partner from their night out. Louis pictured Mike again, Mike with his lips parted and eyes half-closed, saw him with sweaty locks sticking to his forehead and his gaze so intense it was beyond arousing, saw him with his shirt half open and his skin glistening from the sweat, the man he saw, held and kissed that night left Louis with indescribable longing. His arousal and passion culminated in a moan that echoed from the bathroom tiles, resounding around him and reminding him how lonely he was.Robert was growing restless about meeting Nadya, and so was Mike, but about something completely different. He sat at the computer but no, he couldn’t bother replying to him tonight – he was too agitated and aroused to do any of that, and his thoughts kept coming back to Louis, their dance and kiss, like a ricochet.He was fidgeting in the seat, biting the nail of the thumb – an awful, old habit from the past, which he did only in moments of extreme anxiety. Fuck it, he thought, and unbuttoned his sweaty shirt, with Louis’ smell still lingering on it, took his tight jeans off, staying only in Armani boxer shorts and socks on the side of his bed for a while, staring ahead in the white ceiling or into the void.He was tired but his body wasn’t yet – his dick was twitching, asking to be relieved. Mike closed his eyes for a second, recalling clearly how good it felt to have another man’s body so close, his musky smell, his lips on that erogenous zone of his neck. Maybe he should have asked Louis to come with him – but then what? What if he saw the needles, the costume, the forum? Mike would have to kill him, no other choice left.And he knew that he’d never bring himself to do that.He shuffled to the bathroom and looked into the mirror – the man on the other side of the reflection had red, flushed cheeks and ruffled messy hair. He’d never seen this man before – what he was about to do was perceived as a sin where he came from, hwṣʾt zrʿ lbṭlh to be exact. Mike used to loathe himself for years after self-pleasuring himself but, fortunately, these days were almost gone by now.He got undressed completely and jumped into the bathtub – this time standing, he didn’t have time for soaking in the water tonight, it was almost four o’clock in the morning. When the water poured down on him, he glanced at his cock standing proudly, twitching – he grabbed it and moved his hand up and down, however, without the foreskin it was much more difficult to cum, he usually needed much more stimuli for that.It was easy to visualize pleasant things tonight, Mike didn’t even need to try too much this time or watch porn on his mobile phone – the way Louis grabbed him, kissed him, and moved his hips, was enough to depict how it would be to fuck him. To have him inside. Mike licked his middle and index finger and teased his hole for a moment before he slid them inside. He was tight – the result of sexual ascesis for months – but his muscles soon relaxed enough to push his fingers further.That definitely didn’t feel like a man’s cock but this had to be enough this time round. A gasp left his mouth when he sped up his movements, Louis right underneath his eyelids, fucking him mercilessly from behind, stroking him firmly against his prostate. Mike choked and gasped, his hole started to twitch and flutter, the wetness welled up slicked the cock in his fist. The slow, steady heat was building up in his lower abdomen, the fire singing through his nerves indicated that he wasn’t far from cumming.“Oh, merde,” he gasped, desire sapping his ability to speak coherently. His limbs were spasming, and one errant foot almost slid off the wet bathtub, but Mike managed to catch his balance before orgasm shook his body, dragged a litany of raspy curses out of his throat, and made him spasm. He was dazed and blinking, his phantasmal lover was gone and Mike was all alone, red hot and panting, in his bathroom again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Could their upcoming meeting already be called a date? Louis kept thinking about it when he laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling, the first shy rays of the morning sun peeking through the blinds and some traffic already filling the air in the streets below.He still had time before getting up, but he felt restless, his whole body itched and he realized he was smiling every time he thought about Mike. Louis wondered how the other man would greet him after their night out – would Mike agree to a kiss? After all, a night spent clubbing and a daytime visit at the planetarium were two different things and he was aware of that. Painfully aware, in fact. Hell, he’s been masturbating while thinking about Mike and they were about to meet at the planetarium, followed by a dinner, he realized as he dragged his hand across his face.Focusing on their evening meal rather than on self-criticizing, Louis called the restaurant to book them a table. He hoped that La Contre Allée right next to the planetarium would have some good options, as usual, and that Mike would enjoy their dinner there. Already more awake, Louis prepared himself a coffee and sipped on the hot beverage while having a smoke. The day was quite warm and he could show off a decent outfit - definitely something nicer than what he was wearing the previous day. Weren’t his proper shirts all in the laundry though? This realization almost made Louis choke on his coffee. After he finished his cigarette, he checked that indeed, two black shirts and a pale blue one lay crumpled in the washing machine drum.He would need to be fast, Louis told himself as he stormed through the contents of his wardrobe and found another black shirt he was looking for. After some ironing, the fabric was presentable again, and he matched the shirt with fitting jeans and a pair of more elegant shoes. He didn’t have to wear sneakers everywhere, he thought and looked at himself in the mirror scrutinizingly before putting on the outfit. Louis saw an attractive young man admired by many, whose radiant smile and warm gaze made him look inviting and reliable. If only Mike knew that Louis faked the smile until he made it and achieved perfection in that (he never faked around Mike himself, but it happened far too often with others). If only Mike knew that Louis wasn’t capable of being in a romantic relationship after he’s mistaken being used with being loved and cherished, that he tried to please his love interests who’d eventually leave the broken man.He sighed and fixed his short hair in the mirror before shaving the stubble that appeared on his neck. He remembered Mike touching his beard the previous day and the memories of his lips on Mike’s neck came back vividly. Louis had to focus not to cut himself and after a somewhat slower morning routine than usual, he changed into his date outfit. At least that was what he called in his mind, he thought and completed the look with a leather jacket and Ray-Ban sunglasses. Louis decided to take line 3 of the underground a bit in advance - they agreed to see each other at 13:00 and he wanted to arrive at their meeting spot promptly at 12:45, not even wanting to think of being late.Before meeting Mike, he was giddy and restless anyway, and each minute seemed to drag as he waited for his partner. I hope he comes at all, Louis thought as he was finishing his cigarette, much-needed in a moment of anticipation. What if Mike thought Louis was just some horny brute who only wanted one thing or what if he saw right through the ex-cop’s smile to see a man broken beyond any reparation, who couldn’t be loved into a better version of himself? Louis blew out the last streak of smoke and stepped on the cigarette with his heel, and as he was taking his eyes off the crushed cigarette filter on the ground, he realized that there he was. Mike’s thin, willowy silhouette stood out from the crowd, his luscious hair styled with precision and his pace slow enough to look sophisticated but at the same time fast enough to make Louis sure that he anticipated their meeting. Mike provided for a sight so striking that Louis, as tall as he was, craned his neck to see him better. His heart started hammering when he realized he was right next to the person whom he cared about like a madman and someone who had become so dear to him in such a short time. Mike woke up not only with a moral hangover, but with a normal one as well. It was quite late – after eleven – and he was still rolling over in his bed, looking and feeling like shit. When he recalled everything that had happened the day before, his stomach squeezed like a pretzel. It was great, no – it was amazing and unforgettable, but so unfair towards Louis, when Mike knew there was no future for them.A relationship built on lies and understatements was an empire built on ashes.Finally, Mike rolled out of bed – when he was in the bathroom, he recalled what he had done the night before. How am I going to look Louis in the eyes now, it flickered through his mind when he was brushing teeth. His morning ritual was a sanctity – Mike had to do everything in the exact order every day, otherwise, he was extremely anxious and irritated for the rest of the day.Before the cigarette, he put on a LED mask, which apparently worked well against the wrinkles, and blow-dried his thick hair before styling it on wax and cream. When he concluded that he looked somewhat good, it was time to smoke and choose the outfit for the date – could he even call it a date? He hesitated for a moment, but decided on tight-fitting leather pants, a deep red shirt and red socks – everything was tailor-made from brand stores because Mike was kind of a snob, and he knew that well.His headache didn’t pass, so he took a painkiller and stuffed one croissant inside his knotted stomach, flushed with coffee – it wasn’t easy to eat anything when he was stressed and nauseous. For a moment, he rolled his mobile phone in his hands, debating whether he should cancel the date, which would be reasonable, but he didn’t really want to. Whole his body and heart resisted against it and he felt the urge to write to Louis, something. Anything.On my way, Mike typed and added a smiley when he was leaving the apartment. He had a longer route to La Villette district in the much-despised subway, but the vision of meeting Louis soon made it much more agreeable. He changed to the pink line at Gare de l’Est which took him directly to Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie – right on time.He saw Louis there soon, waiting, catching all the lights, and felt his stomach churn and legs go numb; at the same time, Mike felt as light as a wind, as if he hovered three meters above the ground. Fuckin’ feelings, he thought, beholding his tall partner in sunglasses and a leather jacket. He looked like a supermodel and Mike felt another surge of embarrassment when he recalled his nighttime session of self-pleasure, starring him and Louis in a much more obscene setting.“Louis, hello,” he said softly, taking off his own sunglasses before he climbed up on his toes and gave the man a short kiss on the lips. “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long?” For such a meeting - and especially for this kiss - Louis would have waited much longer. Not only did he feel as if he had a date with a model (how could anyone’s legs look as great as Mike’s when he was wearing those tight leather pants?), but most importantly, Mike was someone who became dear to him.“Mike, so happy to see you,” Louis beamed at the other man’s sight. “You look breathtaking,” he sighed, eyeing his gorgeous companion. Louis admired the view of Mike in well-fitting clothing, but he couldn’t wonder what his date would look like without all these clothes. Damn, this was a much-needed date but it also suggested Louis all sorts of obscene scenarios that weren’t really suitable for the first date. He looked Mike in the eyes and smiled reassuringly right before answering his date’s question. “I’ve just arrived, please don’t worry. Shall we?” Louis asked and stroked Mike’s hand with his big hand, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly to make sure if his partner was fine with holding hands.Mike slid his fingers in between Louis’ and only then did he nod without breaking eye contact.“Yes, let’s,” he said eagerly, leading him in as the one who had tickets and also the one who was more familiar with the place. After all, Louis hasn’t been there yet and he let Mike guide the way like a pro, captivated by the look of enthusiasm in the scientist’s eyes, holding his hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Both of them had such long legs that they walked fast, right towards the planetarium globe that could be seen in the distance among the futuristic buildings.Mike held out the tickets to the planetarium staff at the counter and showed Louis into a circular hall of the planetarium with such proud smile as if he was leading the other man into his living room. Louis could stare at this joy and satisfaction on Mike’s face forever.“I can’t wait to see this show with you,” Louis whispered in excitement when they were walking towards their seats. The screening for which Mike bought their tickets was called “Les lumières de la nuit” and he could hardly think of a more fitting name for a spectacle chosen by his date. The screen on the dome above them went black at first, only to be illuminated by a few points of shooting stars later.“What we call falling stars are meteoroids - pieces of rocks that enter the Earth’s atmosphere,” the calm, focused voice from the speaker announced, proceeding to explain the spatial phenomena. As interesting as the program was, Louis would glance at Mike during the show, finding his companion’s delicate features far more interesting than any of the wonders of outer space. Mike’s eyes lit up at the sights as he followed the constellations and nebulae pictured on the screen, and Louis considered it to be a privilege to be next to him. So few people had such raw passion for their biggest interests and Louis knew well that sharing something as important as that could be intimate. He was grateful to Mike for doing so and in a gentle motion, he brushed his large hand against Mike’s smaller and more graceful one to take hold of it.“A-ma-zing,” Louis mouthed, wide-eyed, commenting the spectacle in a whisper, although he could just as well be describing the time he spent with Mike. No, it was more than amazing - it was intoxicating and fascinating, and being next to Mike felt just like discovering a part of himself that Louis didn’t even know existed, a part that was slowly but surely falling head over heels for Mike."You don't look bad yourself," Mike purred, looking up at his date as if he was the Eighth World Wonder; stupid, stupid feelings. He knew well, as a scientist, that it was testosterone making him lust Louis so badly, and norepinephrine making him see the other one through the pink glasses. But he couldn't fight it, even if he wanted to.The question remained whether he wanted to or he had to. They walked hand in hand into the huge dome with the projector, and Mike immediately felt at home there: his face lit up at once when they entered the projection room. He didn’t even mind to be with so many people in one place, unless they talk during the show, that is. Mike could barely contain himself and his joy, so he clapped happily once they sat down in their seats. Apparently, that didn't creep Louis away - or at least Mike hoped so. His partner seemed to be happy for both of them, and Mike appreciated it even more.When the show began, he got completely immersed in the experience, watching it with a childlike fascination and eyes wide open. He let Louis grab his hand and then pointed at the constellation that swirled on the screen."It's Andromeda, one of the most prominent constellations on our, northern hemisphere. We're going to see it tonight through the telescope, especially Gamma Andromedae, its third brightest point of light," he whispered to Louis, excited as a kid before Christmas. He rolled his necklace in the other hand, stimming.The show pictured also the comets, Northern lights, and artificial satellites. The music was delicate, composed on organs and elements of electronic instruments, which Mike absolutely loved. The sensation of immersion was even greater thanks to the auditory processing."I loved it," Mike gasped after they left the dome, exhilarated, with a huge grin on his face. "How did you like it? Oh, and the Halley's Comet, remember when they mentioned it? There's a chance that we will actually live up to the moment it visits us again, in mid-2061. It gives me the will to grow old, actually," Mike chuckled, even though his joke was pretty dark. He hoped that he'd get to see Halley with Louis but who'd know that in almost forty-years’ time?It was in his Cancerian nature to romanticize things like passing and getting old, the small everyday things, touch, and look in the eyes; even though Mike was a scientist, and he'd never confess to having a romantic soul, he sometimes couldn't fight this what came so naturally for him.They left the planetarium to the main hall with the expositions; the futuristic building with huge, reflecting windows felt like home to Mike who walked fast everywhere, eager to show Louis everything, like a child, willing to impress its parent. The first floor wasn't too absorbing, talking about rock formations and volcanoes, however, the second floor was much more to his taste, called Dans le ciel."Did you know that when we look at the stars," Mike started when they stopped by the exposition about the life cycle of a star, from the molecular cloud until the black hole or black dwarf. "We see them as they were years ago? Maybe this star is even dead," he paused for a second, glancing at Louis. "It's because of the speed of light, almost three hundred million meters per second. It travels fast, yes, but they are billion light years away from us, so we can actually see the past on our nightsky. Isn't it beautiful?"Mike noticed that a couple of people stood by them and listened to him; he didn't mind having an audience - after all, he'd presented his work during countless  congresses and conferences in front of a much bigger audience, consisting of the smartest people in his field."Actually, this is also the basis of Einstein's special theory of relativity that the speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of the motion of light source or observer. And! This is so well-proven that we have agreed that the basis of a meter is the light's velocity in the vacuum."Mike was talking fast, hoping he didn't tire his observers, but, much to his surprise, they started clapping when he finished - Louis as well."Sorry, I'm by no means a physicist. Just a scientist passionate about space and quantum physics, that's it," he chuckled nervously and bowed politely, not expecting that at all. “The Halley’s Comet could still be visible in our lifetime?” Louis raised his eyebrows, not expecting to hear that. For some reason, he imagined the iconic comet would only reappear hundreds of years later and it was Mike who proved him wrong. And hell only knew that the other man proved him wrong in many ways. “I had no idea. I also hope we’ll live up to see it, I mean, imagine something like that!” Louis nearly exclaimed, taking in Mike’s enthusiasm, for a second imagining that they could really watch the sky and the passing of the comet in thirty-forty years’ time. An imaginary scenario too beautiful to be true, fueled by his partner’s passion and ardent fascination in outer space. Mike’s attitude was truly contagious, sometimes bordering on childlike wonder which melted Louis’ heart. It was something he’s never seen in anyone before. Not to mention that talking about something he loved made Mike’s eyes shine lively, making him look even more attractive. This kind of intelligence and knowledge combined with Mike’s passion was something that additionally turned Louis on and fascinated him even further.As they moved on through the planetarium, he could swear Mike knew so much that he could be a guide or perhaps record the voiceover for the show. Louis would love to listen to such a tape with Mike’s voice, he thought and smiled at his partner. It was impossible not to smile when Mike was near, just as it was impossible not to clap after he shared so much of his knowledge. That really made an impression on Louis - what else would Mike surprise him with? He kept wondering about it as he followed Mike with his eyes and walked with him. Louis couldn’t shake the feeling that with his lean figure and dressed in a deep red-colored shirt, Mike stood out in the crowd, reminding Louis of the brightness of a single star on a pitch-black backdrop of space.He even stood in his place for a bit, enchanted by the sight, until Mike looked at him curiously and nodded at Louis encouragingly.“Sorry,” he muttered, approaching Mike. “It’s just that you look so gorgeous I had to stop and look,” he said with admiration. A group of tourists walked past them and gently, Louis put his arm around Mike's waist to help him move away from the crowd. When their bodies touched, their gazes met and Louis felt the warmth spread over his skin.It wasn’t until they moved to another part of the exhibition, the one that described different kinds of supernovae, that Louis gathered his thoughts again.“So you're telling me that in addition to your job as a medical scientist, all the projects in the lab and in different workplaces, you have the time to read about space? This is incredible!” Louis gasped at his last words. He didn’t care if he sounded ignorant in his lack of knowledge about space - he just wanted to let Mike know how absolutely amazing, utterly breathtaking and downright otherworldly he was in his eyes, even if Mike himself didn’t fully realize it. Mike's heart accelerated, adrenaline and cortisol making the big muscle pump the blood faster and faster. For a moment, he stood there, perplexed, and wondered why Louis stopped - his words reached him slowly and made the blood creep onto his face. He'd never heard such words before. From anyone."Stop it," he mumbled, both embarrassed and flattered. "Or actually, don't," he added and took Louis' hand in his. So warm it was! Mike looked up into his eyes - they were shining like neutron stars whenever Louis looked at him.A terrible, sinking feeling made Mike look away."It's called autism, baby!" Mike parodied in a sassy way, making a dramatic click with his fingers, which made both of them laugh. "But, hell, yes, when something actually gives me a rush of dopamine, a happiness hormone, which I severely lack, then I spend hours doing only that thing. And as you can see, astrophysics is my special interest."He took Louis' hand in his again and lead him to the exhibition on the third floor, Dans le vide (into the void). It was probably his favorite part of the expo, concerning interstellar travel and the first moments of the creation of the universe."It's truly ominous to think that the Universe is still expanding, and that its 95% is just the void, nothingness. Well, not really nothingness, it's dark matter, something we cannot see but we can actually measure it thanks to gravitational microlensing," he said and shuddered, getting goosebumps even talking about it."It's sinister to think that these "empty" structures are formed in a shape of a net and the matter has formed itself only in its knots," Mike spoke, drawing a net over the picture of the universe with a marker pen. "Some say that these dark, ghostly spaces have been created as a result of the fluctuations after the Big Bang or," Mike made a dramatic pause with a sassy smirk. "A contact with something beyond the universe we can observe."He drew points where the lines crossed each other."Somewhere there, it's us. So little, it's sometimes overwhelming to think about it," he gasped and they walked hand in hand further, where they learnt more about the beginning and the end of the Universe, just as well as about Einstein-Rosen bridge and the smallest particles in the space.The whole visit took them over three hours, and Mike was almost shaking to have a smoke, which was the first thing he did when they left the building. Louis lit up his cigarette and brushed off some of his naughty hair when the wind blew in their direction."I hope you had fun?" Mike asked hopefully. "I haven't bored you to death?" Louis didn't seem to be bored but Mike could never know for sure - it'd happened in the past that people just pretended to be interested in his world, when he showed them his most vulnerable, passionate part of his personality - maybe because they wanted something from him, or maybe they didn't want to hurt him.Either way, Mike was always hurt in the end, even if he hadn't shown it.“Bore me to death? No, never!” Louis reassured Mike immediately. He’d never expect space-related topics to be as fascinating as Mike presented them. “I had so much fun together and listening to you talking has been the highlight of my day so far. For real” Louis went on, admiring his date’s special interest, how Mike presented it to him and shared his passion so eagerly. Bit by bit, his world opened up to Louis, and he was more than grateful for that.It truly was the highlight of his day to see Mike in a setting that fit him perfectly and let him express himself with such passion, and where the only time limits they had were their dinner reservation together with the growing urge to smoke a cigarette.“What you told me about space made me even more curious about the observatory,” Louis told his date as they were walking towards the restaurant. Curious as he was about observing the nightsky, Louis could definitely grab a bite first - he didn’t realize it earlier, too absorbed by Mike’s passions to even notice he’s been getting hungry. Just like during their night out, he thought and brushed his hand against Mike’s as they were approaching the restaurant. La Contre-Allée was a place that didn’t lose any of its classiness while being cozy, and Louis studied the menu meticulously before suggesting Mike a dinner there. It was still early, sure, but they didn’t need to rush anywhere just yet. They could just take their time with a bottle of wine and some starters, Louis concluded as he held the door open for Mike.He offered to hang his date’s coat on a nearby hanger and as they sat at the table, Louis could swear they immediately found the same dish on the menu.“They have hummus,” Louis smiled. “Should we take it as a starter? We could also get vin de maison with it,” he suggested. The truth was, Mike’s company intoxicated him the most, but sharing some wine surely wouldn’t hurt.His date seemed happy with the idea and soon enough, they were trying the house wine and coming back to their conversation.“How did your infatuation with space start, if I might ask?” Louis wondered, watching Mike playing with the stem of his wine glass. The motions of his slim, graceful fingers were ever-mesmerizing to him. “Was it thanks to your parents, by any chance?” he asked, thinking what was Mike’s family like. Did he have siblings as well? Where would the Lévy family go for summer holidays? Louis was eager to know more about Mike. No, he was thirsty to know more about the man who was, as Louis realized with all the cruel and beautiful clarity, someone he fell in love with. Mike's face lit up when Louis said, in such sincere words that they couldn't simply be lies, that he'd thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him in the temple of science. He wasn't good at deciphering faces (they all looked the same to him) and reading body language, but he took his partner's words at face value.The restaurant they went to was classy but not too chic to feel tense and eat the smallest portions available. It was a place in French style, with red and brown sofas by small tables made of wood. Mike enjoyed also yellow, dim lights - he absolutely despised the white fluorescent lamps in the laboratory.They got seated nearby the window in the nook, slightly separated from the prying eyes of other guests, which made Mike content - he much more preferred the intimate atmosphere with Louis only, he didn't want anyone else to look at them or overhear them."You've thought about everything. Thank you," Mike spoke truthfully with a genuine smile, delicate crow's feet forming in the corners of his eyes. He was really impressed by Louis' choice of the place and his charming behavior - taking his coat and pushing the door open for him was such a small but sweet sign of care.Even the music wasn't loud and the food seemed proper, much to Mike's limited taste. It was perfect, better than he could have ever imagined."If you only like hummus too, then I'm happy to share. Although, it's surely not half as good as my grandma's," he added casually, a slip of the tongue. The topic of his family on a date was probably unavoidable, but he didn't mind - the wounds from the past had turned into scars, even if ugly ones. "Oh yes, let's take white wine, semi-dry. It should fit what I'm going to eat," he agreed with Louis as he was studying the main courses: although he had already made a choice, since there was only one pasta tortellini option.He chuckled slightly at Louis' question and looked at him, feeling more comfortable now, admiring his handsome face without a trace of shame or embarrassment anymore. "Oh no, not at all," Mike shook his head. "My father is an entrepreneur, he has his own company, while my mother," he took a long inhale and exhale, wriggling in his seat. "has never worked, she's a housewife. As you might have figured out from my last name, I'm Jewish and was raised in orthodox Judaism under a different name," he confessed casually, even though Louis' eyes got as big as saucers as if in disbelief."Yeah, it's true. I was even supposed to be a rabbi because I'm the only son," Mike made a wry face, feeling pathetic about his own past, but not angry or embarrassed anymore. "I have three sisters, though. One of them is even married to a Chasid, she's wearing a wig, they have three kids and such. I know it's fucked up, right? And then, there's me," Mike chuckled, hoping that Louis wouldn’t find it disturbing or repulsive, but that was the truth. "My interest in space started when I saw a program in a TV for kids, we'd watch it every morning. And one day, they talked about the planets and our Solar system. I must have been six or younger. Since then, I was lost in this," he finished, clapping his thighs once."What about you? Equally as interesting family, or were you spared of religious upbringing?" Mike asked and nodded at the waiter when he brought them the bottle of white wine.Louis caught himself making big eyes when Mike told him about legally changing his name and having such conservatively Jewish family. He was aware that Mike had a Jewish last name, alright, but strict religious upbringing and a pious family, not just his parents, was something else. He wanted to ask so many questions and get to know so much more, but had to stop himself not to scare Mike away.There is the traditional Jewish family and then there is you, Louis thought, who truly resembles a solitary star illuminating the night skies. He realized that Mike’s mother must have been a beauty, after whom her son inherited the subtle, regular features and big eyes that absorbed all of Louis’ attention.“Thank you for trusting me,” Louis began quietly, once again feeling like Mike has shared a part of his very personal story. The waiter brought their wine, which Mike tasted and approved with a nod.“No need to thank me,” he replied shortly, but with a small smile on his lips.“No, I mean it. Especially when my own family is, well, you can probably imagine, plutôt lambda,” Louis added with a small chuckle. After all, his relatives were quite ordinary and there was nothing too special about them. “I’m from… just one more family which isn’t bad but isn’t too good either. My parents haven’t fully accepted the fact that I’m gay. They ignore it, as if their silence could make it disappear,” he decided to tell Mike the truth as he shrugged slightly.Louis remembered his coming out, shortly before his nineteenth birthday. His mother, despite hugging him tight, summed up his words with a short “I love you, Louis, but you’re still very young,” as if his orientation was something he’d grow out of. He still felt baffled at this. Was that how one showed support and unconditional love to their younger child? Louis doubted it. Not to mention that his father was giving him strange looks and telling him to “man up” for around a year after coming out.“Since one of your married sisters has children, you can imagine that my older brother who is married and with two kids is on better terms with my parents. They… they weren’t really pleased to learn I wanted to go to police school either. They didn’t influence my decision here,” Louis added. He didn’t want to say it was Pierre who influenced him, this was not the time and not the place. Besides, Pierre was dead, stone cold in a sealed coffin, and Louis was grateful to his murderer. What a strange thought for an ex-cop, Louis realized and toyed with that thought before taking the wine glass into his hand.“But when it comes to oppressive religion, this has mostly been spared to me, especially after my grandparents passed away,” he answered Mike’s question. “I just went my own way and ended up in Paris. Not sure if it was a study program that brought you here as well, but let me tell you, Mike, I’m happy we both ended up here and found one another,” Louis confessed, suddenly overtaken by a wave of emotions, feeling his eyes water ever so slightly especially when he was saying the other man’s name loud and clear. Was this for real? Was he really falling for Mike so hard that he could hardly stand the beauty and intensiveness of the other man’s gaze? Maybe it was the planetarium visit, but damn - the fact that they met in this gigantic universe, on Earth with its more than 8 billion people and Paris with a population of over 2 million, surely meant something, right? Even if Louis’ stupid, oh so stupid feelings were taking over, he thought as he cleared his throat.“To us?” he suggested a toast, raising his wine glass and looking expectantly into Mike’s eyes. Mike was listening to Louis attentively, without interrupting him. It was, however, sad to hear that he, such a charming and affectionate man, wearing his heart on his sleeve, couldn't be accepted by someone who was supposed to protect him and love him unconditionally.Mike nodded and took Louis' hand, the one lying on the table, to show his support even in the smallest gestures. It seemed like their parents fucked up caring about them, since they both fell victims to grooming, or at least attempted grooming in Mike's case."Your family may be lambda but you are definitely not," he said truthfully, letting Louis stroke his palm gently. His heart accelerated again - Mike wasn't used to such tenderness and care. And the words that followed? It was hard to believe in them, even if Mike really wanted to. "I'm so happy we met each other, Louis. I really do. The probability of it was closer to zero than one, at least in theoretic mathematics," he added and they both chuckled at his nerdy comment. Louis brought Mike's hand to his lips and kissed it, again giving him a small cardiac arrest.What was it? Mike had never felt this way before, so new, both arousing and terrifying it was; he certainly hadn't planned it, which was yet another cause of his internal anxiety. Everything in Mike's life was planned ahead - his rituals were sacred, there was really little place for flexibility and change. He hadn't planned it to get this close to Louis. And yet, he enjoyed every second he spent with this man, wishing he regretted it but no - he didn’t.This person became so dear to him in such a short time, and Mike had difficulty coming to terms with the fact that not everything could be planned or predicted in advance."To us," Mike smiled and raised his glass before they clinked them together. His stomach churned again at the thought that he'd have to end this abruptly because Gamma was still there and had a mission to complete.It was fair to Louis. Even if Mike hurts himself, or them both, in the process.The waiter arrived with their starter soon after the toast. Mike took some hummus on pita bread and tasted it."Not bad," he concluded with a smile. "My grandma Halshka and my mother would always do a homemade one, every Saturday, on Shabbat. The soaking chickpeas in the kitchen is a view from my childhood that I'll never forget," he chuckled, recalling one of few good memories of his early boyhood. "My sisters and I would sometimes steal some from the kitchen but baba, my grandma, would always know that I was guilty, I still don't know how she did it!"They chuckled and enjoyed the entrée before they ordered the main dish - tortellini was also absolutely delicious and easy to chew on, so he was content. Still, Mike was enjoying Louis' company much more than food, and he prolonged eating as much as he could. Just to savor every moment they spent together."From some fun facts from my story, I used to be a model during my studies," he mentioned suddenly above the pasta plate. "I came to Paris to study and had only a stipend for highly-talented students or whatever, but I needed some cash. It's not this type of modeling, though," he raised his eyebrow in a sassy way, warning Louis that he didn't star in porn. "I actually did it for Balmain for a few years," he confessed and showed him his phone with pictures from the old times, hoping that his, well, date would enjoy them. Once again, Louis’ eyes widened when he heard Mike’s words. Was he really a model, like Louis would sometimes imagine?“That’s a really fun fact,” Louis gasped, going silent for a moment when he saw the pictures. There it was, a photo session from Balmain’s men’s collection, including pictures of Mike in perfectly styled designer outfit. His thin body looked so attractive in a fitted navy blue turtleneck, matching trousers and elegant leather shoes, and the jacket he was wearing completed the whole look. Louis could feel a warm blush creeping onto his face, so impressed he was at the sight. “And I mean, look at you, you are phenomenal,” he added quietly, as if he was admiring a holy image in a church. That was the word he found the most fitting and he promised himself to search for the pictures later on, when he got home. “Maybe you should do it again someday,” he told Mike in all seriousness, admiring how calm and proud his date looked in the pictures.They finished their portions of pasta, which turned out to be delicious to the very last bite, and Louis poured them another glass of wine. When Mike was telling him about his student years, Louis reminded himself of something he’d do back when he was studying at the police academy. Maybe it was silly and boyish, especially when he compared it to Mike’s special interests, but he wanted to give this topic a try.“Actually, an activity I enjoyed as a student was going to the shooting range,” he began somewhat shyly. “A twenty-something Luisito would take the first bus after classes to get to that shooting range that offered student discounts and off he went!” Louis made a sweeping motion with his large hand. Mike already looked captivated, not taken aback by what he said, and so he decided to continue. “Many people see it as a violent hobby, but in reality, it doesn’t have to be. It’s about focus, staying in tune with your body, it’s about precision and technique rather than strength,” he paused for a bit, realizing that what he’s just said could just as well be said about, for example, sex, and not shooting at the range. Merde, it flickered through his mind as Louis stopped for a while. Mike raised his eyebrows gently and casted him an expecting gaze, waiting for him to continue. His partner visibly enjoyed what Louis said, a sensation as strange as it was exciting, and so he decided to continue, moving right to the point.“Would you like to go to a shooting range with me one day? I thought we could try that, it’s really a thrill! And besides… maybe I really miss the adrenaline I was so used to in the special unit,” Louis added with a smile, following up on what Mike has said at their coffee. He remembered how he’s mentioned the addictiveness of adrenaline while they met for a coffee, and he couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Louis would think of all sorts of adjectives for Mike, which was both overwhelming and very, very pleasant - he felt truly praised and admired in the other man's presence, as if he was some kind of a god who needs to be worshipped; it was new and Mike didn't know yet how to feel about it.It felt so natural and easy for Louis to show his feelings and admiration towards the other person - Mike wished he was able to show it with such easiness as well."I'm not twenty anymore, and it doesn't really interest me, but thank you for saying that," Mike replied about the comment of his modeling years. The way Louis looked at him, so intensely, escaped all definitions. Was it love that glimmered in his eyes? Mike was the last person to know such things, which enraged him to the last bits. He'd generally come to terms with his neurodivergency, but sometimes, especially in social contexts, he'd give everything to have a different brain."A shooting range?" He repeated after Louis as if he had Tourette's syndrome; now, that was captivating! Mike's eyes opened wide and Gamma inside him also woke up, interested in what Louis had to say. He couldn't forget that he talked to an ex-cop, after all.His partner's eyes lit up, he started gesticulating with his large hands, sparking Mike's interest; it was a beautiful view to watch someone as excited about something as he was with space and all things science."Luisito?" Mike asked and giggled, clapping his hands once. "That's such a sweet name, I love it!"He listened to his partner talk about his old passion with such an ardor that it really worked on Mike in other ways than he could imagine: precision, staying in tune with your body, technique? Mike took a sip of his wine to try to hide his dirty thoughts which suddenly flooded his brain. It's been ages since he had sex last, and it showed, his body naturally asking for it.Mike didn't want to be taken for an asexual prude, he was far from it, but Louis could use words in a way which made him aroused, even from the subcontext. He didn't know if that was Louis' goal, probably not, but he managed to wake something inside him. "I'd love to," he said immediately, almost blurting out the words. "I've always wanted to try, but never had the chance. And I don't mind violent things, it doesn't necessarily need to be a bad thing, you know?" Mike shrugged and finished his glass, hopefully using words in the same way that Louis did - usually, he was hopeless at flirting or seducing anyone, being naturally too honest and blunt in such situations. However, surprisingly, it still sometimes worked on some people.When the waiter approached them again, asking about dessert, Mike looked attentively at Louis - he didn't want to pressure him to buy anything. However, his date made an encouraging gesture, allowing him to choose something. The Philadelphia cheesecake seemed to seduce Mike from the very beginning, so he chose that one."We can always split the bill, I don't want you to feel used or anything," Mike said after the waiter left. "I have to be honest with you, I rarely do dates, so this is quite new for me. Don't laugh, I know I'm thirty-four but, uhm," Mike felt warmth creeping onto his face. "I'm not good at... all this," he tried to explain himself and finished poorly, lacking better words for now. “That’s fine, it’s my treat,” Louis said reassuringly. “You paid for the planetarium, so it’s only fair if I pay for this one” he added with a warm smile, wishing this was enough to comfort Mike. Still, Louis could see that something bothered his partner, probably something more than Mike was willing to share. If there was something Louis was good at, it was reading people’s emotions and he could tell that his date was worried or even anxious about something. As if he wasn’t sure if what he was doing was right, Louis realized and took a gentle hold of Mike’s hand.“Even if you weren’t good at dating - although to me, you are perfect at this - this isn’t something to laugh at,” he told Mike somewhat slowly, letting the words sink in. “I’m happy to be here with you and I’m grateful for your time, and I hope you feel the same way. Maybe this is what dating is about, feeling this happiness and mutual connection with the other person. I mean, I say this as someone who probably isn’t too good at dating himself... I’ve had quite a break from it,” Louis admitted. He was glad that the break was over, but now that he thought about this, it must have been a few months since his last date, and he’s never been entirely sure about dating himself as someone who’s tried to get close to another man in a romantic way but always failed.Still, Mike seemed content with his explanation, and that was the best reward for Louis. Their conversation continued for a while and Louis kept stroking Mike’s hand as they talked. Shortly afterward, their coffee was brought together with Mike’s cheesecake, and Louis paid the bill, which was followed by his partner’s emotional “thank you”. Mike said it rather quietly, but looked Louis in the eyes with such intensity that he could swear sparks flew between them once again.They went outside for a cigarette and Louis lit up Mike’s cig again, doing it in a gesture which felt natural by now. He knew he wasn’t just falling in love with Mike, letting the infatuation take control - he got attached to the other man. Louis started to genuinely care about Mike, he wanted to show him support and affection, to be there when he talked. His memory registered the smallest gestures Mike made, just as his mood instantly got better whenever Mike smiled, looked at him knowingly or said something meaningful. Louis couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t in love - his date became far too dear to him to even try to deny that.“Should we walk to the observatory? The weather’s pleasant and we still have some time,” Louis suggested. He enjoyed being out in the fresh air and most importantly, he would gladly spend more time with Mike. He craved it like a drug, in fact, and he was sure his partner would have a fitting explanation to it, describing the hormones’ work and the brain’s chemical reactions in detail. “That is, if you don’t mind the fact I usually walk fast,” Louis added in a slightly lower voice. He remembered their walk through Cité des Sciences and how fast their pace was, energized by shared excitement. It seemed that Mike not only could, but also wanted to keep pace with Louis, something that’s never happened before and filled him with disbelief at first and genuine, deep affection later on. For the first time in hell knows how long, Louis didn’t walk alone, and it was a feeling so good one could almost get high on it. Mike was aware of how dangerously fast he was growing attached to Louis, oxytocin buzzing freely in his veins, melting them together like copper and tin in bronze. It was bad news because Mike had already decided not to have sex with Louis tonight and end this - but at that point, he wasn't sure if he would be able to do so; the feeling of restlessness, he just couldn't shake it off.The shrinking hours of light were grey and feeble, the soggy trees sighed, dropping their leaves in defeat. The sky at dusk, however, was warm and distant, carrying the day into a better place. That was the hour when Gamma would wake up, reminding Mike of their mission."Let's walk, it's not that far," he said, putting the scarf around his neck. "I don't mind walking fast. On the contrary, I do so too. Xavier, that friend of mine you met, calls it gay walk," he mentioned and made both of them laugh - it was a beautiful sound, balm to Mike's ears. He'd always considered himself to be a grim and grumpy person, with a very specific, dark sense of humor that few could understand. The fact that Louis laughed and had a good time with him, as he'd said himself, was reassuring.He took Louis' hand in his as they walked to the observatory at The University of Sorbonne - in their pace, it took them less than half an hour. Mike usually despised of Paris but he enjoyed the walkability of the city, and how compact it was in contrast to London or huge American melting pots."Now, at sunset, it's a perfect time to watch Venus," he said as they approached the old, magnificent building, guarded by huge Greek columns and monuments of Galileo and other scientists. Mike let Louis enjoy the view for a moment while he lit up a cigarette and watched the other man's face, studying it scrupulously as if he wanted to remember every detail about him.The hormones were doing strange things to him and he behaved out of character, at least in his own eyes. He dragged on the smoke, unable to gather his thoughts when Louis was close - Mike hated this feeling; his already slow processing abilities were even more slowed down now."I'll get you the VIP seats. Let's go," Mike stepped on the cigarette butt and invited Louis inside another temple of science. He pushed the heavy, mahogany door with a creak, letting his partner inside these old walls filled with over four-hundred-years worth of history.They approached the reception desk where an elderly, white-haired man was sitting, seemingly asleep by a huge wall of keys. Mike cleared his throat and knocked on the glass window separating them."Monsieur Lemonti?"The elderly man snored loudly and woke up abruptly, almost making Mike and Louis burst out laughing."Monsieur Lemonti, I've told you so many times not to sleep during work!" Mike chuckled and presented the man his ID card from the university."Monsieur Lévy, it's just you always catch me sleeping! That's the problem," the receptionist joked and put on the glasses to write Mike's name in a thick book. "Which keys do you need?""To the observatory, thank you," he said and got the old, heavy keys. When they ventured further, Mike turned to Louis: "I sometimes work in their lab, that's how I got the ID. And I've known this man for years. And, believe me or not, he is always sleeping when I come to fetch the keys!" He shook his head and lead Louis to an old lift, which would take them to the dome where the observatory was located. They held hands again and Mike let Louis into his world."You're not ready for this," he grinned as he opened the vast door to Arago Coupole. A huge equatorial telescope showed its grandiose in front of their eyes, and Mike heard Louis gasp - which was a fair and adequate reaction. "Well, I reacted the same way when I came here years ago!" He chuckled and pulled his partner inside to see all the technology from close proximity. Mike twirled in place, happy to be back where he belonged."Can you believe that this bad boy was built back in 1857?" He asked as he patted the basis of the telescope, so small in comparison to the object! "And yes, we are going to use it!" Louis wished it could be like that forever. They walked hand in hand with Mike, their pace fast as they took big steps and anticipated the next part of their date. The perspective of watching the night sky with Mike was thrilling and Louis looked forward to it, but at the same time, visit at the observatory was the last thing they had planned for tonight. Would their night continue either in his flat or in Mike’s apartment? Louis was sort of angry with himself for glancing at Mike’s phone screen when he was ordering an Uber the previous day - that was how he knew that his partner lived near Montparnasse. And that meant that maybe, just maybe, Mike would invite him to stay for the night.Excitement and sheer joy of being next to Mike made Louis’ skin tingle in a pleasant way and helped him ground himself as well. The feeling of Mike’s hand in his, texture of his smooth, warm skin, his lean, model-like silhouette next to Louis’ muscular frame - all of this felt amazing and helped him focus on the present moment. He couldn’t know how the night would go, but he could just think of what they had right there and then. And that was more than enough.In addition to Mike’s touch, Louis rejoiced in the way the other man looked at him. Like a true scientist at work, Mike seemed to study his face with precision and curiosity, and Louis enjoyed that.He found it difficult to look away from his attractive companion even when they arrived at the observatory. Despite the impressive, century-old architecture with its rows of columns and mahogany doors, Louis' eyes stayed fixed on the other man - to him, the “VIP seats” were wherever he could be next to Mike.His partner was right when he said Louis was not ready though - he gasped in the moment he saw the telescope which took up most of the space in the circular hall under the dome. Has Mike ever brought anyone there? For some reason, Louis felt as if he was the first person brought there by his date, but he didn’t dare asking. He didn’t really want to interrupt Mike either - his date was visibly in his element, eyes gleaming and face beaming with a smile. Louis was more than happy as well to see him twirling and explaining the observatory equipment like a real expert.“So… do you adjust the lens to make sure it focuses, like in the camera, or do you need to sort of zoom it another way?” Louis asked in stupefaction while he watched Mike handling the telescope like a pro. He could see his date knew what he was doing and he made it look easy. So easy, in fact, that Louis decided to approach Mike from behind and gently put his arm around his shoulders. “You know what? No one has ever taken me to such a unique place. Thank you,”  he said the last words almost in a whisper. Mike really thought about everything and Louis appreciated everything his partner had done. "I haven't brought anyone here either," Mike confessed in all seriousness, turning to Louis to face him. He seemed to have read his date's thoughts, which Mike was surprisingly good at, especially for an autistic person. "I mean, not a date, nor a friend, just scientists. But they don't count," he added with a smile and switched on the refractor and the computer."No, in reality this is called Aragoscope. Arago was the guy who made this type of telescope. Rather than overcoming the diffraction of light, the Aragoscope takes advantage of it, blocking the front of the telescope with a large disk but allowing the diffracted light to converge to form an image behind the disk," Mike explained as easily as he could. He set the telescope to Venus and zoomed on its surface."Look," he gasped, excited as a kid before opening the Christmas gifts. When Louis came closer, a cloudy surface of planet Venus, the planet of love, as Mike recalled himself from Xavier's talks, revealed itself in front of their eyes. "She's so beautiful," he whispered, calling the planet as if it was alive. "And so dangerous."Louis seemed to be surprised by how white Venus was - it looked different than in the pictures in school books."It's a thick, sulfuric acid cloud that permanently obscures its surface," Mike explained. "And it has a mean temperature of over four hundred degrees. Not bad, huh?" He asked with eyes as huge as saucers. For a moment, none of them said anything, they watched Venus and the dense clouds moving and swirling on its surface in silence, a mesmerizing, cosmic phenomenon."You're going to love Saturn even more if you liked Venus so far," Mike promised and typed the data from memory into the computer. The telescope made a buzzing sound and set the controls to Saturn, the largest planet in the Solar System.First, Mike zoomed on it, so that Louis could see the planet in its whole beauty - hung in the dark space, magnificent, with its prominent rings; when he heard a gasp of awe, he knew that he hit the bull's eye with this one."Handsome one, isn't he?" Mike chuckled and coordinated the data on the computer to zoom on Saturn's rings and its countless moons and moonlets. Its pale yellow hue, due to ammonia crystals in its upper atmosphere, was absolutely breathtaking - the powerful winds on its gas surface were rolling and whirling at incredible velocity and right in front of their eyes.Mike could never stop being fascinated by outer space - never mind how many times he watched Saturn or any other planet, it was still conspicuous and mesmerizing. Especially, when his own life on Earth was overwhelming and puzzling, it was a great form of escapism for him since childhood.Mike didn't really share this part of his world with anyone, it felt intimate and personal, very much "his". And yet, here he was, in the observatory of Paris, sharing the most private things with this man with whom his life intermingled and connected in the strangest of ways. He was the first person whom Mike brought to the observatory, Louis realized with awe and certain tenderness. If this wasn’t special, what else would be? Louis took in everything Mike said and everything he did, enjoying this moment to the fullest.“Handsome one indeed! Now that’s spectacular,” Louis agreed with a small gasp when Mike coordinated the data to zoom in on Saturn in full glory. Louis wasn’t even sure if he should focus on the motions of the wind, the many moons and moonlets or the unmistakable rings around the planet. He absorbed Mike’s words, each of his date’s phrases making him realize how special this night was.“And that is Titan,” Mike went on, adjusting the data to project Saturn’s largest moon with its pale orange atmosphere. The moon-planet turned out to have water ice and even rivers, lakes and seas, much like the Earth. Could something as distant from their place in the Universe really have so many similarities to the Earth? Louis kept asking Mike if humans could possibly live there in the future, if the Titan’s surface and the bodies of water had been explored, if it was still a moon or already a planet. Mike delivered each time, wide-eyed when he was excited and deep in thought when he pondered upon Louis’ curious questions. He knew he might have sounded naïve or simply uneducated, but Mike replied with all the patience of the perfect teacher and all the enthusiasm of the perfect date. The experience must have been so new to both of them, and realizing this made their evening even more meaningful to Louis.Time flew impossibly fast when he was with Mike, it didn’t matter if they were mostly watching the solar system or having one of their lively conversations. It was hard to believe that during observations of Mars and Mercury, they were slowly but sadly approaching the end of their date, or at least part of their date in the observatory.“Actually, what about life on Mars?” Louis asked and smiled at the incidental mention of Bowie’s song. “Didn’t they discover water there a while ago? I know it’s not like little green people live there, of course… more like microscope organisms maybe” he chuckled, gesticulating with his big hands. Not that he imagined aliens right out of Hollywood movies to live anywhere around the Earth, but what if organisms with living cells actually lived in space? What if there was an alternative universe and what if in that place, Louis met Mike years ago and they were together? What a silly thought, he scolded himself, unable to stop his vivid imagination (and also thrilling, very graphic fantasies) run free when Mike was around. This date was so different, and so much better, than any other Mike had ever been to; there was an obvious tension and chemistry between them, but there was no rush, no forced touch or kissing, which he only pretended to enjoy - this time, it was natural, with gentle brushes, eye-gazing, and bonding. He loved every moment of their day so far, and that happened very rarely.Louis posed lots of questions, which showed that he really listened and was interested in what Mike had to say - which, again, seemed to be a rarity these days. Talking about his special interests was Mike's language of love, he realized, but few wanted to learn it before."Yes, a very long time ago, Mars had liquid water, which now is preserved in the permafrost and under the ground," Mike replied. "When it comes to life, there is no conclusive evidence for that, but it could have been habitated. This is what I'd love to do, really. It's called astrobiology, which is not very developed in France, unfortunately, much more in the US, and it's my dream to work on such a project, concerning Mars for example," he replied, sharing one of his biggest dreams and secrets. "Nowadays, the surface of Mars is bathed with ionizing radiation, and Martian soil is rich in perchlorates toxic to microorganisms.Therefore, the consensus is that if life exists—or existed—on Mars, it could be found or is best preserved in the subsurface, away from present-day harsh surface processes," he finished to reply to the question properly."But if you ask it I believe if there's something out there," he carried on, parodying the American slogan from the sixties. "I do. The Universe is enormous, and still expanding, so the likelihood is high. Why we haven't met yet? Well, it's called the Fermi paradox, we don't know. Maybe our technology is too weak or they don't want to do anything with us, and I cannot blame them," Mike chuckled and slowly switched off all the equipment; it was getting late and the University was closing soon."Do you believe?" He asked with a heavy heart, well aware that their date was coming to an end; he wished to continue it in his apartment but he knew it wasn't possible. Not with his double life. Not with all the evidence he kept there.There were no big words or promises said out loud but Mike was painfully aware that he was sabotaging himself and, possibly, a great relationship. The great indicator was that he wasn't even exhausted, as it usually was the case after a day-long socializing. No, this time, he still felt energized and could even repeat this whole day again.They left the observatory and Mike gave the keys back to the receptionist (who wasn't asleep this time). When they went out of the building, it was already dark outside. They lit up a cigarette each, and Mike kicked his heels, unsure what to say."I've had so much fun with you today," he started slowly, weighing his words. "Thank you, Luisito," he added and climbed up on his toes to kiss the other man on the cheek and on the lips. He stayed there slightly longer, tasting the smoke on Louis' tongue, letting the ash burn his fingertips.It was one of those kisses that make your head spin and linger on your lips for hours afterwards. “I believe as well,” Louis answered Mike’s question about life in outer space. “There’s so much out there, why not another form of life?” he added. Once again, he thought about the odds of them meeting and how incredible this fact was, and all of a sudden, the possibility of some other beings in space wasn’t that unlikely.When they went outside, though, all Louis could think about was the kiss Mike gave him, as well as the other man’s words. His partner was the first to tell him he’s had a great time, called him by this cute pet name despite only hearing it once and, of course, gave him that one more kiss which awakened all the excitement in Louis’ body again.Their kiss was the kind of steamy and sultry one that sticks to the skin and lingers on it for a while. The kind of kiss that makes blood rush faster, Louis realized as he moaned softly in the moment Mike slid his tongue into his mouth.They were still finishing their cigarettes during the kiss and Louis held his hand on Mike’s waist just for a few seconds, but that was enough to make him feel the happiest in the world for a moment.“Thank you so much, Mike,” he told his date, smiling at the joy beaming in his partner’s eyes. “I loved every moment we spent together today,” Louis added almost in a whisper, with his lips close to Mike’s ear, shortly before both men walked to the gate that led out of the observatory. “Should we take a picture to remember this day? I’d love to have a photo together,” he suggested, realizing how much he’d miss Mike. Maybe their day together would end soon and maybe he’d need to wait for the next meeting - or, hopefully, the next date. Still, a picture with Mike would remind him that it would be worth the wait. “Should I walk you home?” Louis asked afterwards, hope audible in his voice. Walking together would give him some more time in Mike’s company, and he craved that. Louis' words warmed up Mike's heart - it was always relieving to know that it was not only his illusion and wishful thinking that he projected on his date. A smile lit up on his face, hearing these words."But I don't know how to pose. I've never done it before," Mike confessed truthfully, feeling silly because it seemed to be a natural thing that people did together."Never have I," Louis replied, which was a relief. Mike's eyes widened, though. He had never taken a picture with his partners? Such a charming, loveable man? Mike found it hard to believe in.He moved closer to Louis, though, and looked at the camera when his date stretched out his long arm to take a few pictures. First, Mike also hugged him with one arm in the waist, then put both of his arms on Louis' broad chest and around his neck.The photos turned out better than he expected, even if they both had slightly petrified facial expressions in them."I love these. Can you send them to me?" Mike asked and quickly got them on WhatsApp.The next question made Mike slightly nervous, though - a very limited number of people actually knew where he lived. It was safer this way. He'd never revealed it to his dates, meeting them either in their places or at the public places.But with Louis, it was different. Mike trusted this man, even if it was wrong. He hesitated for a longer while but nodded in the end."Yes, you can. I live fifteen minutes away from here," Mike agreed and let his partner lace their fingers together as if it was the most natural gesture by now. It was sweet and innocent, the type of care and affection he never got to experience before.Montparnasse was a lovely district, very safe and charming, especially in comparison to Rive Droite. Mike had always wanted to live in this artistic quarter, and he finally reached his goal two years back, after living in Saint-Denis for over five years (which he hated). They passed by small, local bakeries, taverns and bars where the cultural ideas were hatched and mulled over.Mike lived across the famous Dôme Café, an intellectual gathering place for artists and writers during the interwar period, where he'd sometimes drop by for a quick Espresso. His own tenement building, with a beige-painted façade and adornments on the friezes, was also an old one, having witnessed a lot of bohemian history.When they stopped by the archway, Mike looked Louis in the eyes. His stomach shrunk to a microscopic size and his heart sunk when he realized that he didn't know when he was going to see this amazing man again."It's here," he announced, shaking inside. Damn, he truly felt like in another dimension when with Louis, and now, the reality hit him with the power of a shooting star. He didn't want to wake up but he was forced to."Can I come in-?" His partner asked suddenly, with a tinge of hope in his words; merde, Mike really wanted to invite him inside, rip his clothes, and fuck him all night but none of that was bound to happen - he put a border between them, a border he promised himself not to cross."Not this time," he shook his head, spoke slowly, and felt awful as he did so; it hurt more than he'd expected, which was a new thing for him. Mike climbed up on his toes again to kiss these intoxicating lips for the last time, putting all his emotions, frustration, desperation into it. Louis seemed quite stunned by this passionate reaction, but not in a negative way - he quickly replied with an equally ardent kiss, pressing Mike close to his body, which the other man enjoyed to the fullest.At least he was going to have something to remember."I wish I could meet you again," Mike said quietly, his voice faltering and cracking. Putain, he didn't want to cry, not here, not now. "Au revoir, Louis," he added quickly, without looking the other man in the eyes, and disappeared quickly in the gate to the tenement house.When the heavy door shut, Mike had an impression as if it was his heart shutting down and breaking into a million pieces. Everything was breaking, unplanned, and he couldn't process that - his head was spinning from all these emotions ravaging through him so badly that he had to sit down on the winding stairs leading to his apartment.Suddenly, he felt old. So very old. Old at heart and at mind. It was probably just one of his autistic meltdowns or paralyses, making him unable to think clearly and properly; or maybe it was something more. Mike Lévy, a genius scientist, couldn't even figure out his own feelings.A neighbor from the upstairs passed him by with her little dog, and glanced at him."Are you okay? Do you need help?" She asked, which was nice. Mike only shook his head and thanked her, slowly getting up to reach the door. Getting in took him ages, and he immediately collapsed on the floor, so exhausted as if he'd just run the marathon.Writing that message was the most difficult thing he'd ever done in his life. Not even killing a man - that was easy. But this? It felt like climbing an iceberg without a proper equipment, with naked hands and no gloves.He typed and deleted the message countless times before he sent it for good and forfeited the chance to be happy once and for good.I've loved the time spent with you but I cannot meet you anymore. I'm sorry, I'm not the person you think I am. Louis felt like his place was by Mike’s side. When they walked towards Montparnasse with their hands held, he could swear he was in the right place, exactly where he was supposed to be. His hopes were so high and his expectations so numerous that Mike’s refusal to his question startled him. “That’s alright,” he reassured Mike quickly, in an almost automatic way. Something wasn’t quite right, Louis could tell, and before he could comfort his date, he felt Mike kissing him hard, pouring all the intensity and emotions into it. The kiss ended as abruptly as it began and Louis could hardly gather his thoughts to say goodbye, which he did as Mike was already entering the building without turning back.At first, he had to fight the urge to follow his date and ask what happened, offer help, sit by his side in silence just to be there. Louis wasn’t sure how long he stood in front of the door just looking at the empty hallway before he took out the phone from his pocket.That’s alright, he reminded himself of his earlier words - maybe Mike was just overstimulated or tired, or perhaps his question was too much after the first date. Louis sighed shakily, trying to put himself together, and dragged his hand across his face. That’s alright, he told himself and started typing a message to Mike, his hands clumsy and shivering.Thank you so much for today. You make me feel seen and cared about, and I hope you feel the same way. Please take care ❤️ he decided to write in his message. After hitting the “send” button, he felt stupid for such a light-hearted text after something that shook Mike so much and instantly opened the messages again.If you need to talk, I’m here. Please let me know if there is anything you’d like to get off your chest and please take your time he typed after a longer while, when he managed to fix all the typos and words misspelled in distraction.He was holding on to the last bits of hope when he checked the intercom, only to discover that Mike’s last name was nowhere to be found.Merde, he thought, making sure to write down the address. 4 Rue Delambre, Louis noted and once again eyed the intercom helplessly. There was nothing he could do to follow Mike and besides, he didn’t want to appear creepy. Or in any case, creepier than before. Maybe his direct question startled Mike, Louis realized as he walked a few steps away and lit a cigarette. His hands were shaking, his heart raced and his thoughts were so troubling they made his stomach sink. Something was wrong, Louis knew it, he just needed to figure out if that was his fault or if he and Mike just shouldn’t be together. As he was putting out a cigarette, Louis saw one of Mike’s neighbors going out to walk her dog, and prepared to leave. That’s alright, he told himself as he walked away, repeating some of his last words to Mike. That’s alright, that’s alright, that’s alright, he thought to get rid of the worst scenarios plaguing his head.The way Mike left and his lack of response to Louis’ messages didn’t have to mean everything, after all. Maybe he would receive a reply soon, maybe Mike just needed time, maybe his date wasn’t repulsed by him as his intrusive thoughts suggested, maybe Louis wouldn’t stay alone forever as he so often feared.When he was in the metro, it caused him physical pain not to call Mike. Louis wanted to give him a call so badly, he wanted to hear his voice, he wanted to know what happened. There was no reply by the time he got to his apartment, which made him want to howl. Louis slumped onto the floor, making one last attempt to contact his partner. He had to.Mike, I’m not sure what is happening, but I just want you to know I’m here for you. You can text me anytime and if I did anything wrong - let me know Louis texted after editing the message, typing and retyping it again, adding and deleting words. Whatever he wrote, it felt pathetic and stupid, but he couldn’t let the situation stay like this. Mike must have had a reason to write that he couldn't meet him anymore, although Louis refused to believe his partner was someone else than the person he was during their date. With all his heart, he wanted to believe that the situation was alright, even though it clearly wasn’t. The pain in his heart he remembered the sharpest.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bangalter was having none of his shit.Séba was tired of the Old Man's constant nagging - he should better do something himself, and not only sit and fart in the chair; it didn't matter that he'd solved over two-hundred cases in his career - Séba had solved almost one hundred, and he was over ten years younger. And all of that for two-thousand euro gross per month? Fuck it.He was staring at the documents for over an hour and the letters started wobbling and jumping in front of his tired eyes; no suspects, no witnesses, no fingerprints. No nothing. The commissioner Winter was murdered with cold blood, his body mutilated, his balls cut off - and that motherfucker didn't even leave a piece of a nail or hair?It meant that they had to wait for a second victim - if such comes up, but something in his gut feeling told Séba that the murderer wasn't done after just one. And he was rarely wrong in such cases.He decided to take care of another case he was working on: punishable threats, hate speech, and incitement to racial hatred at Sorbonne University against the lecturer. They had confiscated over twenty kilograms of white weapons and firearms from the student, who apparently planned to blow up the building. What a fucktard, Séba mumbled paternoster under his nose as he dialed the victim's number to ask if they needed the police protection.Jebiga, he needed a coffee, Séba concluded as he stood up and shuffled to the coffee machine, even though this piss didn't deserve the name of a proper coffee. Still, he didn't have any other choice in this police station. At least this slop is cheap, he thought as he cast a coin inside the machine. Through the window in the corridor, he noticed Louis running to the twin building of the academy beside.Séba couldn’t look closely at him but the dude seemed tired; he had been through a lot lately, so he decided to invite him to his and Vincent's place tonight as a good friend he was.He left the building and met his friend there, smoking - there was never a bad moment for a cigarette, after all. Séb waved at Louis and came closer, already rolling tobacco in his dexterous fingers."Hey, man," he said and looked closer at Louis who had dark circles under his eyes and looked as if his world had come tumbling down, with this slouching back and a frown between his brows. Séba had known him for over six years, so he was aware that this was no good sign."Ça va? You look like shit," he added bluntly, but they knew each other well enough for Louis to know that this was how Séb showed that he cared. It was a peculiar way but it had always worked. "Hey, if you want to talk about something, I'm here. If you're up, Vince and I are organizing a dinner tonight. You're invited, seven at my place, okay?"Séba knew that he had to present Louis with a fait accompli - otherwise, the dude would probably refuse, unwilling to "impose" on him or "abuse" his hospitality or some other bullshit. Nothing yet, Louis realized, devastated, as he checked his phone in the morning. Not that he slept during the night, his nighttime rest resembled more of interrupted naps. Still, he had some hope left when he tried to sleep and now, he was holding on to nothing.Louis got up feeling as if he was old, much older than his 32 years. He even thought of calling in sick for work, but quickly got rid of this thought - people were waiting for him and besides, sitting at home doing nothing could only make him feel worse.Louis proceeded with his morning routine mechanically - the first cigarette of the day tasted like dust, coffee didn’t make him any more awake, washing his face reminded him of all the tears he’s sensed on his skin in the night.He had a hard day ahead, he knew it as he checked his phone once again, only to realize there were no news from Mike.Some things just aren’t for you, Louis came to a bitter realization and got into the underground to catch his train to work. He commuted like a zombie, checking his phone in a blind fervour of an addict, not really paying attention to his surroundings until he got to his workplace and met Sébastien there, out for a smoke.His friend’s invitation to dinner came all of a sudden, but Louis couldn’t say he didn’t welcome it. Most probably, this was what he needed, he came to a realization and nodded distractedly.“Okay, sure,” he replied after dragging on a cigarette. “I’ll come. Thank you. You sure you won’t mind my company when I’m not feeling my best?” Louis asked, his voice raspy, his stomach twisting at the thought of yesterday, that day he spent in the most pleasant company  imaginable.“What the hell are you talking about,” Séba waved his hand as if to get rid of his friend’s self-criticism. “Cut the bullshit. That’s what friends are for,” he stated curtly, as direct as always. Séb looked at Louis attentively and came closer to his friend, arm outstretched. “Hey, whatever’s happening, you’ll manage. Just get through this day and see me in the evening. Now come here,” Sébastien invited Louis in for a hug. The younger man wasn’t just tired or distracted - Louis was visibly exhausted and deeply troubled, something distressed him so deeply that Séb had a hard time looking at him.Louis accepted the hug with gratitude, holding on to his friend as if he’s been mourning a loved one and needed a comforting embrace. Hasn’t that been the issue, though? He got attached to Mike, Louis couldn’t deny that. He’s fallen the hardest after becoming so fond of Mike, he knew that. “You’ll manage. Well then, dude, à ce soir,” Sébastien said, holding his hand on Louis’ shoulder, before both men parted ways. As soon as he was left alone, Louis felt the all-too-familiar sinking feeling in his stomach, the one that reminded him of all that happened the previous day. Not again, he forced himself to think, no, not again, he repeated in his mind, switching to auto-pilot as he headed to the teacher’s room for the class register. He had work to be done and his goal was to try and do it as well as he could.Sighing, he picked up the register and walked towards the class where defense education course was supposed to take place. Most of the freshmen were already in front of the class, chatting, chuckling and joking like any nineteen-year-olds would. Usually, Louis would greet the boys with a smile, but this time he couldn’t bring himself to do anything more than a wry, forced grin. Some of the students smiled back, some of them, absorbed by what the ever-cheerful Sam Tiba was telling them, laughed with classmates and greeted Louis with a nod. He gave the freshmen a moment to prepare their notebooks and tablets, take places by their desks and, hopefully, stop chatting so loudly. Was it just his horrible state or were these young men really louder than usual? Louis frowned, his body tense and his head aching from the lack of sleep and the amount of crying he’s given into during the night. “Alright then, today we’ll discuss an evacuation plan for public buildings, needed for cooperation with the fire brigade,” he cleared his throat and proceeded to explain the necessity and main goals of the evacuation. Everything felt so pointless - he started off with basic information, moving on to more complex aspects of the topic. “The sports classes prepared us for evacuation, all right, but come on, we all know Cédric couldn't pull off the sexy pole spin those firefighters do!” Sam shouted at one point, shaking his classmate by thin arms and almost making the other boy’s glasses fall. Both Sam and Cédric kept laughing, though, and the other freshmen soon followed, stopping what Louis was saying for a moment. Irritated, he made a pause and went on with the topic. It required all his focus to keep on talking instead of checking his phone for a message that wouldn't come. He spoke almost as slowly as if he was dealing with functionally or mentally retarded youth, making sure the boys get their notes and pay at least some attention to the class. The way the police team would spread in the building, the floor plans, safety at work - he needed to cover all of these topics, even when the students weren’t cooperating. On the contrary - the boys were agitated, Louis saw a few balls of paper flying through the class as if he was teaching in the primary school, laughter resounded in the room and jokes continued.“What if the alarm doesn’t go off? Can we let others know about the emergency by doing this?!” Sam wondered out loud and with an agility of a monkey, he jumped on the desk, bending his knees and putting his hands over his head. „STATE OF EMERGENCY!” the student screamed and hopped on the desk a few times, making the others burst out laughter.A lesson in such conditions was impossible. Louis stood up from the teacher’s desk so abruptly his chair fell down knocking against the floor. The freshmen stared wide-eyed, the silence was deafening for a moment. Paleness crept on Sam’s face as the student stared at Louis’ nearly two-meter frame rising from his seat, standing still like the most menacing bad cop.“Please stay where you are, monsieur Tiba, feel free to. Please feel free to ignore the lesson about saving people’s lives,” Louis addressed the boy with unusual sarcasm. For a moment, his student looked as if he was about to cry, frozen with one leg on his chair and the other still on the desk. “I know you are young and want to try everything, to party, hang out with friends. I get that. But at the same time, you are already adults,” he added coldly and closed the class register to underline his words. “You are adults studying in a police academy. You are supposed to be exemplary citizens, obey the law and make sure crime doesn’t spread. How do you want to do this while all you do is monkeying around? Is this your idea of studying at the police academy? What you represent with your behavior is… is nothing, what you show by these actions is only how empty your head is, that’s what,” Louis went on, frustrated. He spoke almost as if he was in trance, and the faces of his students passed in front of him like a flash - Cédric who was visibly worried, Sonny with concern and fear in his bespectacled eyes, Quentin, Victor, Théo, Guillaume and many more with their eyes fixed on their shoes or on the floor. “I get it that you are young, really. But I can’t give you a lesson in such conditions. You need to mature up a bit and think why you're here. Maybe this is not the right place for some of you. Maybe some of you would rather fool around than take your future profession seriously,” he added and looked Sam dead in the eye. The boy’s eyes watered and Louis felt very old and extremely exhausted again. He needed a cigarette. Badly. A cigarette, a message from his date and to get out of this place. “With these words, I’m leaving you. Play some games or something if you want,” Louis shrugged.He took his belongings and without looking back, left the classroom. He had nothing to do there, he concluded and slid a cigarette into his mouth. As he was smoking outside, wondering what to do next, he reminded himself of the last cigarette he shared with Mike in front of the observatory, back when things were fine. He wanted someone to give him back that night, but with an alternative ending. He still received no reply from Mike and it made him want to scream, howl in frustration and self-flagellate himself for how stupid he’s been. Some things just weren’t for him, and being in a supportive relationship with someone he cared about was one of these things. Séba was just done writing the report when he got the message from his partner, Vincent: Louis has just left the class alone. Did you invite him today?Jebiga, he just walked out of the classroom? The Louis Rogé whom Séba had known for so many years? It was hard to believe, he had never behaved like that. No, Séba had even rarely seen him angry. Something, or someone, must have really messed up with his head if he was reacting this way.I did, talked to him earlier today, he typed quickly.Ok, I’ll buy more wine then, Vincent replied, which was a great idea. His partner always thought about everything and everyone, he was selfless, even if he didn’t show it on the outside so often. Séba hid his phone and finished the report at last. He started stretching out on the chair when his colleague, Louisa, knocked on the door frame.“The victim has arrived with their family,” she announced. “Shall we?”“Sure,” he replied with an exhale. Which case was that even? Séba was starting to lose his head with over twenty open cases he had been assigned with, with different priority, obviously; fortunately, his short butch friend handed him the file just in time, so he could quickly flip through it. Ah yes, the fight in front of the club two nights ago. Nothing new or exciting.He noticed a man covered in bruises, a dressing on his head, and an eye patch, which gave him the look of a pirate; Séba knew that he shouldn’t, but he chuckled inside – what else was he supposed to do not to go crazy in this place?Louisa and Séba sat down behind the desk and invited the young man inside; he went in with an elderly woman, apparently his mother, who was holding his hand the entire time.“My baby was beaten up! You need to do something about it,” she started whining, and Séba exchanged meaningful looks with Louisa; they both hated this type of interrogations.“Could you first tell us what happened on a Saturday night between two and three o’clock?” Louisa asked as politely as she could, glancing into the files. The mother interrupted a few times but they finally were able to get some facts out of the real victim – however, this took so much time that Séba felt exhausted afterwards. He sighed with a relief when it was over – and, fortunately, the time of his work as well.“Thanks for today!” Séb said to his colleagues and put two fingers against his forehead as if he was saluting them – that had been his copyright gesture for ages, and everyone knew it already. Séba hid the police badge into his pocket and made his way to the nearest subway station – there were, obviously, some perturbations on the way, so his route back home took almost half an hour longer than usual.He and Vincent lived in Villejuif, outside the walls of Paris, but still in the metropolitan area; it was more economical this way, and they were also far away from the tourists and commotion of the inner ring. Séba enjoyed this quartier, it was pretty calm and green, and here, they could afford quite a spacious apartment of sixty square meters, which would be impossible in the city.“I’m home!” Séba announced at the door and noticed his grey-haired partner in the kitchen – he was warming up the food for dinner. They had spent hours the day before to prepare all the sarmas, pljeskavicas and ćevapi for tonight – a lovely smell filled in the whole flat and made his stomach rumble loudly.“In the kitchen!” Vincent shouted back and gave Séba a kiss when the younger man approached him – that was exactly what both of them needed after a stressful day. “Chop the tomatoes for the salad,” he said and handed Séb a knife.“Alright, but tell me what’s happened today with Louis,” he asked. Even though Louis still felt as if he’s been chewed and spat out, he made his best to look presentable for dinner at Vincent and Sébastien's place. He felt cold (was it because he was so touch-starved?), so he decided to pair his dark jeans with a black turtleneck. A navy blue one reminded him too much of Mike's photoshoot. When he was combing his hair in front of the mirror, he kept thinking of his date's intricate hairdo and when he applied some moisturizer to his face and styling cream to his trimmed beard - he didn't want to look like a rugged caveman, after all - he couldn't help but remind himself of Mike's perfect complexion and the thinner, delicate skin under his eyes, where it would form dark circles. Mike was on his mind and his beautiful, regular face would appear underneath his eyelids. Louis kept thinking of his hands with long, dexterous fingers, the way his lips touched the wine glass and then his own lips in the most awe-inspiring, addictive way, the way their bodies next to each other felt right. Except that Louis was never right when it came to romantic relationships, he concluded and reached for the chain necklace to wear it over his turtleneck. The memories of Mike pulling the very same chain in a playful, flirtatious way came back, persistent and painful.Louis exhaled deeply and glanced briefly at his reflection in the hallway mirror. Ready or not, he should get going if he wanted to catch the Métropolitain and make it to his friends' place on time.It was Sébastien who opened the door for him. He was wearing a black buttoned shirt, but ditched jeans for something more comfortable: Louis could see his friend was wearing a black Adidas tracksuit with the obligatory three stripes, as well as a pair of slippers.“Hey man, you look human now. Hell of a good job,” Séb greeted Louis and gave him a short hug. “Seriously though, I’m happy to see you,” his friend said with the barely noticeable trace of a smile in the corner of his eyes. Sébastien Akchoté-Bozović wasn’t the most expressive of men, but throughout the years, Louis learned to read his face and decipher his close friend’s gazes and grimaces.The apartment where Vincent and Sébastien lived was noticeably bigger than Louis’ minuscule flat and it felt much more like home. Louis wasn’t sure if it was about the post-its with short messages left on the fridge, a comfy-looking (but not the prettiest) pile of various blankets and cushions on the large sofa or a peculiar collection of trinkets where robots and mecha figures stood against the backdrop of magnets and postcards from Balkan and Eastern European countries, but one could instantly see that two people lived there. Two people who understood and cared about each other, Louis knew it well, even if outside visitors wouldn’t always realize that.“Have some wine, pljeskavica is ready and ćevapčići will be there any moment,” Sébastien encouraged Louis, throwing a pair of particularly ugly red checkered slippers on the floor. He knew it was one of the ways his friend showed him hospitality, and Louis couldn’t help but smile when he put on the hideous footwear. Sébastien and his slippers, he thought with a little smirk and greeted Vincent who was just opening a bottle of red wine.Louis was grateful to both Sébastien and Vincent for not jumping headfirst at the topic of his bad mood. Instead, Séb graced him with some of his usual complaining, complete with Serbian swearwords (“I swear that this fucking police here is sometimes as slow as the one in Serbia, jebiga, I fucking swear”), Vincent reassured him that he managed with the situation at school after Louis walked out, and sometimes the three of them would just go silent for a moment, admiring the homemade meals seasoned with such skill that one could expect them to be served at a Michelin star-awarded restaurant. As the meal was shared, wine disappeared from the bottle slowly but surely, and at some point Louis felt the alcohol loosening his tongue.Observant as he was, that day he just couldn't help but notice everything going on between the understanding, supportive gay couple that Sébastien and Vincent were. The way their hands would touch from time to time, Vincent captivated by Sébastien’s stories even though he’s probably heard them before, Sébastien always filling Vincent’s glass when he finished his wine, that few times they would exchange a short kiss, everything was so heartwarming when he was in a good mood but absolutely gut-wrenching in his current situation. It was everything Louis could never have, he thought and for a brief moment, he felt himself speechless from heartbreak and distress.“Vince,” Sébastien said softly as he poured each of them one more glass of wine. “Would you bring us another, you know the one? This wine you bought today,” he asked, the gleam in his greenish-blue eyes so subtle only a trained observer would notice it. The bottle was empty now and Louis could see one of his hosts decided to use this opportunity to talk to him.“On it, mon beau,” Vincent replied and got up from his seat. He smiled at his partner as he walked out of the room, showing Séb one of the everyday examples of love language and intimacy, something that was so painfully lacking in Louis’ life.“Louis, whatever it is that’s nagging you, spit it out. I can’t watch you holding it back like that, man,” Sébastien turned to him, his voice concerned and serious. Louis knew his friend cared, just as he knew he might not be able to stop his train of thought when he started talking.“Séb,” Louis started, his throat clenched. “Let me tell you something. There is…. there is someone who just means so much to me and now… now he’s gone silent. I don’t know what I keep fucking up,” he continued, swallowing the lump in his throat. “When I see you and Vincent… you don’t even know how lucky you are. You don’t even know how lucky you are to have someone who is there when you get home, when you have someone to talk to after the hardest day of work. You don’t know how lucky you are to have someone who looks at you this way, someone who will run late to work just to bring you a croissant and a coffee ‘cause they always buy two to share with you. You just don’t know how much it means that at least to this one person, you're not a burden, that you can count on them, that… that there’s someone out there who loves you so,” Louis went on, his gestures chaotic and his voice shaking. To make things worse, he could feel his throat clenching and his eyes stinging with tears. Putain.So much for not troubling or worrying his friends, Louis thought and gasped for air, regretful and ashamed. Not again, he thought when tears welled in his eyes, no, not again.Sébastien looked at him with utmost attention and genuine concern. Louis could sense his friend’s compassion and willingness to help, and the fact that Séb cared so much made him feel even worse. His stomach was knotted, his throat was too dry and tense to say anything and if it was up to him, Louis would rather let the Earth open and take him someplace else, far from the heartbreak, the all-consuming feelings and the ever-vivid memories of his lost love. Séba could remember vividly the day they lost Mehdi; he wasn’t participating in that action but he could remember how devastated he was – and Louis? He was absolutely crushed, took a sick leave, didn’t want to talk to anyone, and Sébastien thought that his friend would never get better, even though he tried to help him as much as he could.It was a dark time from their past and now – he could see Louis crumbling in front of his eyes again.What he said about him and Vincent wasn’t far from the truth – they weren’t a couple which was too effusive or passionate, rather stable and loyal. It happened rarely, but Séb got a lump in his throat and, without saying anything, he walked over to Louis to hug him. That gesture spoke much more than any words, he concluded, and they stayed like this for a while.“Man, what’s happened? Who is this guy?” Séba asked when he got back on his seat. “I hope it’s not another straight man-““To be honest, I don’t know,” his friend started and started talking. And when he started, he couldn’t stop, and Séb didn’t stop him either, listening carefully to the whole story about the walk on the cemetery, the party, their date – and how strangely it finished. He frowned – it all started so well, they met and kissed, but since he didn’t know the other man, Mike, apparently, he couldn’t figure out what might have happened.“It’s odd,” Vincent concluded, he also heard Louis’ story.“He must have had a reason to do that,” Séba said firmly, angry with that Mike-dude for breaking his friend’s heart. It was in his Serbian blood to protect his closest ones. “Ghosting you after a few dates…? And the way he said that, I cannot meet you instead of I don’t want to,” he shook his head with disbelief.“It doesn’t matter now. I think you should give him time,” Vincent spoke slowly and wisely, trying to focus on temporary solution, rather than speculations about Louis’ date’s reasons; they wouldn’t figure out what Mike had been thinking anyway. “From how you describe it, it seems like he also got attached to you, Louis. I’m sure he will reach out again, I don’t know. I have a feeling that he will.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was only a temporary slide back into the abyss of madness.
It was time to bring out the fun and jump into the void. Gamma was prepared but not as focused as he wished to be. It was still early, but this time, it would be too suspicious to meet so late. Thus, when the clock struck half past ten in the evening, he left his apartment, with the mask hidden in the suitcase—for the time being, he couldn’t yet show his dark side to the cameras and citizens around.
The “new” car was a fifteen-year-old used Volkswagen Passat – it cost only two thousand euros, and it was just enough for what Gamma needed for this one night. He got inside and drove carefully, without speeding – the police control was the last thing he needed right now. He was grounded and mindful, the point was not to let the anxiety take control of his mind.
I must not fear. Fear is a mind-killer, he said, recalling the words from Frank Herbert’s Dune. Fear can paralyze thought, hinder decision-making, and prevent rational action.
The road to the Vincennes Forest was a long one, but he had time. Nobody paid attention to the black Passat driving on the Parisian streets, obeying all the street rules, stopping at every conjunction and light. Only closer to the forest did Gamma become slightly tense – he had already decided where to leave the car, so it would not be suspicious, but far from the prying eyes of others.
It started raining at 22:40 sharp. Just as he had checked on several weather forecast websites. Good.
Avenue de Fontenay was one of the less-frequented roads in the forest, and that was where he decided to meet his prey that night. Gamma had to leave the car quite far away from that place and walk – fortunately, there were lots of paths in the green area where he could move unnoticed by any youth or clochards roaming here past the opening hours of this place.
I’m here, Robert pinged him. Good. Gamma smiled under the mask and picked up the pace. Soon, he noticed the elegant, dark Volvo parked nearby and a piece of silver hair inside it.
Me too. Come behind the gate, Nadyaaa replied. Gamma watched as the hefty, tall man got out of the car and looked around to see if anyone was following him. He knew he was doing something beyond the law, yet he was desperate to meet the teenager—at night, in the forest.
Where are you at? It’s raining. Can you come to my car? Black Volvo, he replied and looked around again.
I’m right beside these trees, Nadyaaa replied and Gamma noticed impatience on the man’s face.
Is this some kind of a game? he replied.
Oh yes, it is.
When Robert Tailler stepped into the darkness between the trees, Gamma jumped at him with the syringe in his hand; normally, he wouldn’t have any advantage because his victim was at least twenty kilograms heavier and stronger, but the element of surprise worked for him. Tailler screamed shortly and threw Gamma off his back right after the whole medicine got pumped inside his artery.
“Merde!”
Gamma fell on the ground with a thud, the mask cracked but remained whole. Fuck, the man was strong, Gamma forgot that he was, after all, a policeman of a high rank.
Fortunately, vecuronium worked quickly, so he could pull him further in between the trees, away from any audience they might have. The man was heavy, and Gamma had some problems even picking his victim off the ground, but he finally managed to move the numb body a few meters away from the entrance into the woods.
“Now,” he gasped heavily and sat astride on the cop’s sizeable belly.
“What the fuck do you want, clown?” the man mumbled.
“You don’t recognize me? I’m Nadya,” Gamma spoke softly and showed him his phone with their conversation, and all of their messages printed out on a paper. He decided to leave the police a souvenir later on. “Now, I’m here in the name of all the girls and women you had harassed and raped.”
“I haven’t…” Robert mumbled as Gamma switched on the voice recorder he had in his pocket.
“Laurence, Christine, Emma, Annelise, Yvonne… do these names say anything?”
“I’m nottt…” he mumbled and Gamma grabbed him under a fat chin.
“Did they say no when you tried to push your filthy cock inside them? Or were they unconscious like Emma who drank too much at a police afterparty, and couldn’t consent?” the murderer asked, more and more impatient.
“They were… asking… for it,” Tailler rasped out, at the same time confessing to his sins. Gamma felt a wave of complete abhorrence running through his body – he was disgusted by this scum, and if he could, he’d spit on his face. “Which bitch sent you, huh…?”
“None. But since you are asking so nicely, like they did apparently, I will also pleasure you in the same way,” Gamma promised and got up, pushing a piece of cloth in Robert’s mouth, so he would shut up and not attract attention with his pathetic whining and screaming – even if that was music to Gamma’s ears.
First, he got up and kicked the policeman between his legs, making him yelp in pain. He was still immobile, which meant that Gamma had used a good proportion of vecuronium. Now, he just needed to take care of Robert properly; there was no sound around, no lost runners, cyclists or clochards. Gamma’s eyes lit up, so he could have some light for what he was about to do.
First, with surgical precision, he opened his suitcase and took one of the scalpels out, new and sharp. It shone in the dark when Gamma cut the man’s shirt open, revealing his hairy stomach. He was smiling underneath the mask, even if his victim couldn’t see it; it was such a rush of dopamine into his head that it was hard to stay calm. There was pleasure in bringing justice into this world, punishing the guilty ones in a bloody way.
He cut the message into the skin with precise movements, slightly different than with the first victim, and left his signature on the bottom. The red, hot blood was flowing to the sides, soaking into the man’s shirt, mixed with rain water, as he was wailing in pain.
Once the signature was done, Gamma admired his art for a moment, engraving this view in his memory, before he continued his mission and pulled down Robert’s pants to get access to his genitals. The man started shaking his head wildly to the sides, feeling what was coming.
“Do you remember how you asked Nadya if she wanted to gurgle on your balls?” Gamma asked calmly. “I thought, why don’t you find out yourself what it’s like?”
A loud whine replied to him, which Gamma considered as consent – something his victim had never asked for anyway; he proceeded then to castrate the man – he cut the scrotum sac and pressed the testicle open, leaving it like that for Tailler to bleed out in agonizing pain through the next hours of the night. When he was done, Gamma took away the gag and pushed the man’s own testicles into his mouth, making him choke on them.
“Die, you piece of shit,” he spat out and kicked him again, in the open wound. Gamma took everything, leaving Robert Tailler in the woods dying. Until someone finds him here in the morning, he is going to be long dead, and any traces of Gamma – washed away by the pouring rain. His clothes were covered by mud, so he took the point to change as soon as he got into the car.
He left the printed-out messages between Robert and Nadya in a foil in the man’s inner pocket – a love letter to the police, so they know who their bosses were. Gamma left in a different way he came with a feeling of fulfilment and a well-done mission. However, unbeknownst to him, a newly installed CCTV camera had already recorded him as he was entering and leaving the forest, giving the media the first image of his persona.Talking to Sébastien and Vincent helped Louis get the weight off his chest. Of course, it didn’t mend his broken heart nor immediately solve all of his problems, but when he was leaving his friends’ apartment, he was feeling incomparably better.
He might have been heartbroken and single - and possibly stay single forever, as the little voice in the back of his head suggested. He might have been looked down on by his family, as he was reminded by the unapologetically approaching day of all saints, on which he’d most probably visit his relatives. Still, Louis had close friends whom he count could, and this friendship was one of the most precious connections in his life.
When he was getting back home, he kept checking his phone for messages from Mike, but this time, the feeling of hopelessness was partially replaced by sadness and nostalgia. Louis already felt nostalgic about the time they spent together and the memories, heartbreaking as they were, could just as well turn into bittersweet later on.
He had to move on, and Louis had to make peace with that soon.
Louis woke up tired but not exhausted like the previous day. His eyes were slightly less swollen than before as well (even though a heartbreak still made him cry) and he was quite sure he finally looked more decent. This time, he promised himself not to walk out during the class either, although he knew this could be challenging. Little did he know that his lessons would turn out to be challenging in a different way, and it was an unpleasant surprise to hear the students’ loud, agitated chatter long before he even opened the classroom. The freshmen would check their phones as if their lives depended on it, some talked in hushed voices and gasped in shock while the majority would interrupt one another and raise their voices in excitement or confusion.
Sighing, Louis leafed through the lesson’s syllabus to the sound of the boys talking louder and louder. This time, he couldn’t lose it unless he wanted to talk to the principal face to face and not in a very friendly atmosphere, he thought as he clenched his jaw and felt the muscles of his nape get tense. The freshmen wouldn’t stop, their chatter and discussions buzzed in Louis’ head like a swarm of bees and he needed all his composure and calm to address the distracted youth.
“Boys, I’ll ask you to tone it down. I know there’s a lot happening, but please, let’s move on to the lesson,” he asked the freshmen who looked at him expectantly. There was something so serious in their expressions and in the sudden silence that Louis felt genuinely confused.
“Mr Rogé, could you please turn on the news? Please, so we can follow the news?” one of the students, Victor, asked as he fixed his gaze on Louis.
It better be something really serious, Louis said almost out loud. Something in the boy’s voice suggested that the news was breaking indeed, and turning the TV on made Louis stare in shock.
“Main commissioner of Parisian police found dead in Bois de Vincennes” he read the flashing news on the screen, looking at the familiar place and the footage of the police on the crime scene. “Police investigation ongoing,” “body found in the morning,” and “gory sunrise over Paris,” Louis took in all the information with his eyes widened and his heart racing. A police officer was murdered, just like it happened recently with Pierre. Was it the same person who took his abuser’s life? Suddenly, Louis heard the freshmen as if he was underwater as if he was in another place. In his mind, cogs and mechanisms turned as he felt the urge to know everything about these two murders and what connected them. And all of a sudden, he felt alive when he felt the urge.Every time that Séba saw a dead body, he felt emptiness and pity, which was hard to describe. At the beginning of his career in the Criminal Office, he would almost freak out at this view, not he had toughened up and gotten used to it. Strange how life can be taken away so easily, at one moment, he thought every time, fantasizing and philosophizing about his own death sometimes.
He remembered the bombing in Serbia when he was a child, and his father remembered well the fights in the Balkans, and the Srebrenica massacre among others, in the nineties when he was only a kid. It was just as if whole his life was tainted by blood and death from the early beginning.
When he was looking at the Main Commissioner’s dead body massacred just like the Commissioner’s Winter body, he felt a cold shudder run down his spine; he had never seen a murder this brutal. When he finished the cigarette, he approached the body and put on the rubber gloves – he noticed something protruding in the deceased’s jacket.
Folded papers in a foil. They seemed to be put there on purpose.
“What is it?” Bangalter himself approached Séba, nervous, almost shaking – a stark contrast to Sébastien’s cold demeanor.
“I think… it’s a message from the killer,” Séba replied carefully. They put it gently in another foil bag as a piece of evidence from the murder scene. They watched the forensic team in their white gloves and uniforms look for any other evidence left, taking photographs, marking any signs around.
“Any footprints?” Bangalter asked as his phone started calling; it’s going to be a hell of a day, Séba thought briefly. “Sorry,” he said and picked up the phone, probably trying to explain to someone what had happened.
“There was a pouring rain yesterday. I’m afraid we won’t find anything,” one of them replied with a mask on his face. Séba nodded – right, the earth and grass still smelled like petrichor and wetness. He had a feeling that the killer knew what he was doing, he had chosen the day on purpose, and trapped his victim here, exactly when it was raining.
“The hyenas are here,” Bangalter came back and pointed his head at the television van of TF1 just parked behind the yellow tape marked with DO NOT CROSS letters. There were journalists gathering, obviously, as soon as they smelled the fresh news to publish – Bangalter was right, just like hyenas sniffing after blood. “I’ll talk to them.”
Séba nodded and looked at the mutilated body again – the unusual scarification was there again, but slightly different than on Winter’s body.
PERVERT
RAPIST
ABUSER
It said this time. And that signature underneath again, something which resembled “y” with a tail or a swirl. He didn’t believe it to be the murderer’s initial, more like a code or a pseudonym. Séba had seen it somewhere but he couldn’t recall where; it was still early morning and his brain wasn’t functioning properly before coffee.He decided to take a walk around – after all, the killer must have arrived from somewhere. The forensics team occupied Commissioner Tailler’s car, looking for any traces there, so he decided to look elsewhere, in less obvious places.
What would I do if I was a killer, he pondered and lit up a cigarette, trying to force his brain to focus. He ventured further into the forest of Vincennes, wondering which way the killer had taken. He couldn’t have taken the public transport, right?
Séba went out on one of the less-frequented roads and raised his head to exhale the smoke – and then he saw it. A round CCTV camera shining on one of the street lamps. Did it work or was it one of these fake ones? There was only one way to find out, he thought and approached the lamp – as he suspected, there was a metal badge drilled into the post with the name of the installation company. Bingo, Séba thought and took a picture of the badge before he decided to call them.
“Good morning, I’m Sébastien Akchoté from the Parisian police, I’d like to ask you about one of your cameras…” he started and a lovely female voice on the other side informed him that all of their cameras were real and functioning, and that yes, they should be able to share the video from the last night without any issues. His face lit up with a smile. He thanked the lady and hung up. Now, there was a chance for a breakthrough in this damned case at last.
Séba ran back to the murder site to share the news with Bangalter – there were even more journalists than before, thirsty for any scraps of the news.
“There’s a video surveillance nearby,” he gasped. “I’m going to get it.”As an ex-cop, Louis knew better than anyone that he shouldn’t rejoice over a murder. How could he mourn, though, if Pierre’s murderer was striking again and something finally distracted him from his own heartbreak?
Louis knew this was small and selfish of him, but the urge to know more and this strange kind of gratitude took over. And besides, was Tailler really as decent as people thought? Suddenly, rumours and second-hand accounts he’d heard over the years flooded his mind. His former colleague from the archive, Annelise, has always avoided Tailler, just as the Sergeant Louisa. He’s been working with Laurence, always kind and cheerful, who had a hard time being around the main commissioner. There were a few other women and men alike who tolerated Tailler but never liked him, and slowly but surely, Louis was connecting the dots. Maybe their profession wasn’t the only thing Winter and Tailler had in common, he realized as his thoughts raced and his head echoed with the students’ voices and the TV reports.
When the class was over and Louis still had a moment before the next course, he almost ran outside, craving some fresh air and a cigarette. Seeing Vincent there, lighting his cig, was a relief to Louis.
“The news about Tailler,” he gasped, waving at his older colleague. “You’ve heard those, right?”
Vincent nodded as he exhaled the smoke.
“Just between us two,” he began. His words resembled Sébastien’s usual sayings Louis couldn’t help but smile despite the seriousness of the situation. “Tailler was a piece of shit. Maybe… it’s for the better someone took him down,” Vincent added and focused all of his attention on the cigarette again, discreetly showing that he shouldn’t be sharing more. Sébastien, on the other hand… Louis had to talk to him, and he was so impatient that he could hardly wait until the end of his shift to contact his friend.
Coffee at 16:30? He texted the aspirant.
17:00 for 5mins, Séb replied. So there was a chance of finding out something more, Louis realized. He was aware that the case was complex and that most probably, not much was known about the latest crime just yet. At the same time, he was too restless to just leave it like this, and Louis had a hard time walking and not running to meet Sébastien.
“The genius killer is not as genius as we thought,” he started off with the good news spoken with a stone expression. “The perpetrator’s on the camera footage. Masked,” Sébastien specified, much to Louis’ surprise.
“The murderer is seen?” he almost stuttered, shocked by the information. Louis was dying of curiosity to see the killer, even in a mask. Maybe he was losing his mind, but he imagined the murderer as his dark guardian angel - a fallen guardian angel, perhaps. He knew that in ordinary circumstances, he should never perceive criminals like this, but this was no ordinary cause. “Do you know if… first Pierre, now this, is this… is this the same person?” Louis asked, curiosity making him restless.
Sébastien nodded as he took a sip of his coffee.
“Ninety-nine per cent sure of it,” he replied shortly.
“Could I see the files?” Louis blurted out, unable to wait longer.
Séb didn’t reply immediately, eyeing his friend first and sighing softly.
“I should never, ever do this. Ever,” he made it clear first. “But I’ll be damned if I don’t give you these, and your puppy eyes would probably haunt me in my dreams,” Sébastien commented first with a bitter smile, then with a wider, genuine grin as Louis made a sigh of relief. “Hey, just don’t count on a high-resolution photo. And be here exactly in half an hour, okay?” he asked, to which Louis nodded shortly. He wanted to nod energetically and give Séba a bear hug, but he knew he shouldn’t draw too much attention to them. Instead, he decided to keep himself busy for the next thirty minutes, even though he wanted to count down the time like on New Year’s Eve. He was about to see the picture of the masked killer and get to know more about the case. And maybe, just maybe, distract himself from his own distress and heartbreak that still occupied his thoughts and, in some moments, made him feel physical pain.The police badge had always worked wonders, and even hostile people would immediately transform into obedient sheep, which had always surprised Sébastien, no matter how many times he had done it. The surveillance company was located outside Paris, so it took him some time to get there by police car; he’d probably get there faster by subway, but it didn’t befit the police to go by public transport, as Bangalter would say.
“Aspirant Akchoté, we have talked on the phone before,” he introduced himself to a lady in her forties who opened the door to him.
“Yes, please, this way,” she greeted him and led him further through the office to a small room where they stored the videos. A chubby, bald man rolled into the tiny space and asked what Séb needed.“Yesterday night, between ten thirty and one AM,” he recited at one breath, too restless and curious to wait longer. If they really got the murderer on the camera, that would be something big; Séba felt a tingling feeling when the operator rewound the video forward until the chosen hour.
Séba moved closer to the screen. For a moment, nothing happened – he just saw the street and a blurred view of the forest, it was raining but he couldn’t hear it – these types of cameras didn’t register the sound. He was breathing slowly until he saw a completely black-clad figure venturing into the woods.
“Stop!” he almost shouted and stared at the view. “Zoom in,” he ordered, breathing spasmodically, his heart racing – he got the killer. Tall and lean, dressed in clothes so black that he almost merged into the background. And masked, Séba realized with unhidden disappointment. But they were a step, no – a leap closer to solving this case. “I need to secure this video,” he said and demanded both the copy and the original.
With that prize, he left the building and headed back to the police headquarters. One could sense a strange type of excitement and tension palpable in the air when he got back and everyone surrounded him like flies, eager to find out what the camera had registered.
Bangalter gathered them in the conference room, only the trusted people involved in the case, and watched the surveillance video together – it showed the murderer entering through the trees and leaving with a different path around one hour and a half later, closer to one o’clock, just as Séba had estimated.
“Team, any thoughts?” Bangalter asked and stopped the projector at the moment when the masked perpetrator was heading back.
“Most probably a man,” Louisa stated, writing the report on her laptop with the speed of light.
“He couldn’t have arrived by public transport, we need to look for more cameras to see if any caught his vehicle,” Séba added, feeling the sense of pride and anticipation fill him in.
“Good point,” Bangalter nodded, and that was the most of the compliment that Séb could get from him.
“He’s carrying a suitcase where he probably has all the equipment that he uses to mutilate his victims,” another policeman noticed and Louisa scrupulously typed everything into the report. Tap, tap, tap. For a moment, her clicking was the only sound in the room.
“What if his victims are only policemen who had something on their conscience?” she asked suddenly, a question that hung in the air and that most were afraid of.
…
Séba shared the files with Louis only because he was his friend and because of his ties to Winter – somehow, the aspirant felt that his friend could be also the key to solving this mystery. He was staring at the blurred picture they got from the video, in a way admiring the murderer for what he had done – he had balls to go alone on such a greedy police CEO, that was sure.
“You admire him, don’t you?” Louisa appeared suddenly by his side, with a cup of coffee slob in her hand. “Well, so do I.”Séba only nodded, tracing the shiny, latex-like shirt of the murderer and his mask resembling a real face, with carvings of his hair on the mask, a nose, lips, he looked like he bathed in tar, so perfect the mask was, even in this shitty picture.
“Did you know that Tailler was accused of sexual assault and harassment?”
Louisa asked suddenly and looked at Séba who shook his head; no, he had no idea, he had rarely seen the man, maybe only during the official celebrations.
“I had no idea,” he started slowly. Suddenly, Louisa’s face changed, and a frown appeared between her brows.
“He’s raped my fiancée, Annelise. But she backed down when she wanted to press charges because he had connections in the prosecutor’s office. He’d threatened to destroy her,” she said on one exhale and Séba felt as if cold water was poured over him. Merde, what if the murderer was, in fact, a hero, who got rid of the scum of this Earth? We should be helping him, not tracing him, he thought briefly.For Louis, holding the files of the case felt like excavating the library of Alexandria. The fact that the writings from the aforementioned library were lost in the fire wasn’t important - what mattered was getting his hands on the case documentation and the photographs. Most importantly, the photographs.
He felt himself shaking with anticipation when he opened the folder with the crime scene report. Gloves didn’t help with the task – cautious as he was, Sébastien asked Louis to wear gloves while reading the documentation. There were no extra copies and they couldn’t allow themselves to leave too many fingerprints on the file, which Louis understood.
What he didn’t fully understand was his own attitude towards the killer – it was a mystery to him. After all, he finds himself admiring the murderer. Or, in any case, Louis was grateful for what the criminal did. He was filled with gratitude, relief and even awe when he found out that his abuser was murdered in a gory, extremely well-planned way. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t get one question out of his mind. Who was the mastermind behind these murders? Louis turned a few pages until his gloved hands felt the glossy texture of photographs. Bingo. So that was his fallen guardian angel, Louis hasped at the shadowy figure who seemed to emerge from the darkness, their lean frame blending in the background. No, his frame – he corrected himself, judging by the height and the face. He could swear he could see the murderer’s face in the picture since that was what the mask looked like. He beheld a mask so perfect it resembled the face of an ancient Greek or Roman statue with classically handsome features, a statue of a god made out of material as shiny as metal or perhaps fresh tar. Louis expected a balaclava or a crude mask made of fabric to be stretched over the suspect’s face but instead, he saw a view that left him speechless. He held up the photograph to the light as his eyes followed the carvings that resembled thick, pitch-black hair. He studied the Mediterranean nose and well-shaped lips of the mask, feeling increasingly fascinated. Speak of an artist turned into a murderer, it flickered through his mind as he sank down into his seat, holding the photo like a holy relic.
The first picture turned out surprisingly sharp for nighttime CCTV footage, and the second one was more blurry, showing mostly the killer’s body rather than the masked face. Louis made a scan of both, his heart pounding and his mind racing as if he’d been given an hour to find the killer’s identity. That was his goal now, he realized. Heartbroken or not, still devastated after the recent loss, he still had the determination to find out the truth. The crime scene was described in such minuscule details and so many photos were provided that there had to be clues – and as an ex-police officer, Louis had to find something. He had to, he told himself as he looked at the photograph again and moved his gaze to the crime scene report. His mind was on fire, his hands started shaking and he could feel the thrill making his body warm. The chase was on, so it seemed, and the adrenaline rush only confirmed that.
He recalled Mike’s words about the addictive hormone that adrenaline was. He remembered the attention in Mike’s eyes as the other man listened to Louis’ past, he remembered how he’d hinted at Pierre’s dark past, he remembered, he remembered all of it. Mike seemed to understand his struggle and obsession, Louis thought. He had to remind himself that Mike was silent now, though. That’s alright, Louis told himself and swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in his throat. That’s alright, he had to focus on the person who brought him peace by taking the life of his abuser. The night was given back to him as he devoted himself completely to studying the crime report and making sure the smallest details of the mask were engraved in his memory.The Commissioner’s body looked deadly pale in the fluorescent light above in the dissection room. He was lying on the cold, metal table, his body numb and eyes closed – for the comfort of everyone around.
“The main cause of death was exsanguination from his scrotal sac,” Bertrand, the patomorphologist, concluded as Sébastien and Thomas Bangalter were standing there and listening to him. “He died between half past one and two o’clock in the morning,” he added and pulled the rubber gloves on his hands. Then he tilted the Commissioner’s head to show them something on the neck.
“Just like Pierre Winter, he was also injected with vecuronium to keep him immobile. I assume that the perpetrator must have done it by surprise, from behind, because look,” the doctor encouraged the policemen to look closer. “He injected this in the artery, which means that it spread around his body incredibly fast. He knew what he was doing,” Bertrand added with a tint of awe for the murderer.
“It means he has some knowledge about medicine and the human body,” Bangalter concluded, kicking his heels. They had a worthy opponent this time, and that made him restless and tense.
“Indeed. More than an average person,” Bertrand nodded and continued the examination. “The writing was done with a sharp tool, most probably a scalpel,” he said. “His scrotum was open with the same tool, I surmise. As you know already, we found his testicles in his throat,” he added and showed the policemen a foil bag with the lacking bodily parts. Bangalter made a wry face.
“Can anyone get that paralyzing medicine if they wish so?” Séba asked with his hands inside his pockets.
“It’s only reserved for the healthcare workers, we have plenty of it in the hospitals. It’s used to put a patient under anesthesia. But I guess that he could get it anywhere, I’m sure there is any medicine you want on the black market on the darknet,” Bertrand replied with a shrug, not really helping them here. Séba bit his lower lip in a nervous gesture.
“I haven’t found any foreign body on the deceased one, only leaves some mud, and sticks from the woods. He wasn’t fighting, being completely immobile after the influence of vecuronium, there was nothing under his nails or in his hair,” the patomorphologist concluded in an apologetic tone – this was an almost-perfect murder, something that he saw rarely in his career. “However,” he stopped and pointed at the mysterious sign carved in the Commissioner’s belly. “I have seen this somewhere before.”
“Really, where?” Bangalter asked.
“I come from Lyon and I did my medical studies there,” the doctor replied pensively. “I remember a strange case of a Jewish rabbi killed in his office. Someone left this sign there as well. Not on his body but on the desk, if I remember correctly.”
“A rabbi?” Bangalter asked again as if he had heard something wrong. “When was it?”
“I don’t know, maybe fifteen years ago?” Bertrand shrugged. “I don’t know if these cases are connected. I just think it’s the same sign.”
“Has that case ever been solved?” Séba wondered but was met with a headshake.
“I don’t think so. I will look for the files in the archives and send them to you,” the doctor promised and Séba made a mental note to check it himself in the police archives.
“Good. Do it today,” Bangalter ordered, ending the discussion.One would expect Louis to know what his apartment looked like - after all, he’s been living there for more than five years. This time, however, his flat felt strange, half-dark and almost hostile as he watched it from the couch in his small living room. It was as if a filter had been put on his vision or perhaps as if he’d been drugged. He wasn’t alone, he realized as he heard a barely audible click of the door lock. Unable to move, he turned his head towards the main door in which a dark figure stood. The masked killer was there, it dawned on Louis as he beheld the thin, well-trained body and his unmistakable black face, shiny in the faint, warm-colored light. He didn’t have much light at home, he remarked, his place didn’t boast such an atmospheric orange installation that bathed everything in a warm tint. Maybe this wasn’t his home at all, he realized and wanted to get up from the couch to check, only to find out he couldn’t. Merde. Something was off. Something was very off, he came to a conclusion as he struggled to get up.
The masked man eyed him, standing tall and proud by the door. His gaze pierced Louis and he could swear he saw those eyes gleaming with satisfaction, almost as if the intruder took pride in seeing Louis so vulnerable, so naked. To his own shock, he wasn’t wearing anything and his body, usually so praised and revered by his casual partners, felt so ordinary in front of his majestic, almost godlike guest. If he could cover himself with something, anything, it would be helpful, Louis thought as he felt the murderer’s gaze scanning his toned arms, the muscles of his neck and chest, sizing up his cock. He expected to feel humiliated or frightened by the nighttime visit, but instead, Louis felt a rush of admiration and arousal. What the hell was going on? The possibility that he might have been drugged, vecuronium solution injected into his veins, flashed in his mind and Louis shook his head slightly. Wake up, wake up, wake up. Or at least say something.
“Whoever you are, I’m grateful for what you did,” Louis started, his throat so clenched that his voice was just a feeble whisper. “This place is better off with scum like that. It is better with you,” he heard himself speaking as his head was spinning and, to his distress, his blood was rushing to his abdomen.
The visitor tilted his head in a pleased notion and took off his jet-black jacket, placing it on a hanger as if he were at home. The murderer had swift, cat-like motions as took off his shoes next and moved almost soundlessly as he approached Louis, gloved hands with long fingers opening his shirt. Louis blinked in disbelief as he watched the murderer unbutton his shirt all the way down. What was this man up to? Louis wanted to look away and at the same time, he wanted to absorb every detail of the masked stranger’s body. He found himself staring at the other man’s long but firm neck, the muscles on his arms, and his torso hairless except for the trail of hair down his abdomen. Relentless, the killer was coming closer and Louis watched with lust and terror as the uninvited guest reached for his belt, undoing the buckle. What was this man up to? He watched, mesmerized, as the other man pulled down his trousers. He wasn’t wearing underwear and his erect penis pointed at Louis, just centimeters away from his body. The stranger, in addition to being well-endowed, was circumcised, and Louis realized he stared at his cock for a while too long before moving his gaze to the mask. How could he not stop his gaze when his blood ran hot, his body screamed for relief and he was getting so uncomfortably hard it bordered on being painful? Louis shifted in his place, looking pleadingly in the eyes obscured by the mask.
And then the other man kissed him. Louis grunted in sheer shock and pure delight, despite the sensation that the cold mask left on the warm skin of his lips. In his dream, it felt so good it was unreal, and what he felt next was the opposite of the chilly texture of the mask. Louis shivered like in a spasm when the visitor sat astride him. The other man’s body was so warm his skin almost burnt Louis, the muscles moved and twitched under his smooth, olive-colored skin, and the way his penis rubbed against Louis’ cock made him moan like a dying animal. Whatever this incubus was doing, Louis didn’t want him to stop. His initial fear got pushed out of his body by arousal, he desired the masked man with every cell of his body and felt his skin tingling in impatience that bordered on thirst. Still unable to move but shivering with expectation and lust, Louis once again looked beggingly in the eyes of the mask. The visitor seemed to make himself comfortable in his lap, teasing Louis in a way which felt cruel, sliding his smooth hands with long fingers over the host’s thighs, pinching his warmed-up skin every once in a while. Louis felt as if he could explode and he could swear that whole eternity has passed before the visitor grabbed his cock and lowered his hips onto him.
His own scream filled his ears at the moment the other man impaled himself on Louis, immediately moving on to ride him. Louis had never felt any of his partners so intensely, he kept moaning and gasping as if his life depended on it, he felt as if he was uttering obscene prayers to the uninvited guest who was taking his share of the night.
Edging felt like having his body scorched bit by bit, ecstasy making him shiver uncontrollably. It was as if he and his nighttime partner were one, and the last thing Louis saw before orgasm shook his body was the other man’s eyes lighting up with an otherworldly orange color.
Louis woke up with a jolt, gasping frantically. He’s never had a sexual dream that vivid. Ever. What he saw and felt at night was so lifelike that he stared wide-eyed around his bedroom, fearing that he was not alone. He was very much alone, the realization came to him after a moment. Simultaneously, it dawned on him what influence the dream had on his body, and Louis frowned slightly as he sensed how tight his boxer shorts suddenly felt. He couldn’t just ignore the morning erection, not after the dream that was all too real. And, to be completely fair, not after the recent date with Mike that still made his skin tingle. Louis dragged his hand across his face, wiping his sweaty forehead, and fidgeted under the sheets.
His body had its needs, additionally enhanced by the graphic dreams, Louis realized and decided not to ignore the urge he was feeling. His cock was twitching when he grabbed it and brought himself some relief with the first, firm movements. The vision from his dream was still in his mind and underneath his eyelids, but what he really desired was to be with Mike. Louis gasped when he recalled his hands on his partner’s hips and visualized Mike sitting astride him, grinding against him. He clenched his eyelids and tightened his grip as he pictured the other man riding him, moaning as he slid Louis’ dick inside him, squeezing him inside and moving on top of him in frantic motions. Warmth crept over his skin and Louis was panting at the vision of Mike riding him tirelessly, tightening around him and synchronising with his touch-starved body. He was close, he realized with a low, muffled grunt, as his body went tense for a moment only to shake in powerful spasms a heartbeat later. The orgasm was intense and left his body red hot, the raw and simple activity leaving him satisfied at last.
Panting, Louis recalled the details from his dream and compared the night visions with the much-missed sight of Mike. His body and brain really were merging fantasy with reality, work with a non-existent love life, and desires with impossible dreams. Whoever was the murderer spilling the blood of sexual abusers was the same person that made Louis’ blood run hot – literally, he thought, swiping a hand across his forehead. His dream was unexpected, arousing and even perverse, but for the first time in hell knows how long, Louis didn’t feel the shame making his skin burn. He wasn’t proud of what he did, but this shame he’d been through no longer defined him. The murder of his abuser changed his life, and it was all thanks to the masked stranger caught against the backdrop of the pitch-black night.Mike was exhausted. All days blended into a singular, continuous numbing blur and he acted on autopilot, doing what was necessary to keep him alive, and nothing more. All the social interactions were strictly limited, and close to zero – his phone muted or switched off almost all the time.
He had read messages from Louis a thousand times, or more, and he couldn’t bear reading them again. His hands were itching to reply to him, and he tried many times, and just as many times he failed – he had to cut the man out of his life, it was easier this way. But easier to whom? Mike was hoping that the stupid levels of oxytocin would drop faster, but they were stubborn. It wasn’t getting any easier, quite on the contrary – every day was a bigger and bigger challenge.
He missed Louis more than he realized, whipping himself for that mentally every passing day. He’d promised himself so many times not to get attached to anyone, and yet, nothing came out of this.
What kind of a killer am I if I cannot even follow my own rules, Mike scoffed, getting dressed to work automatically, not giving much thought to that. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts about Louis, and it was one of the things that he couldn’t control, which annoyed him horribly – Mike had always had everything under control, and, now, it was slipping away from his hands, ground under his feet burning.
He was exhausted but he had to keep up the appearances, that was why he got up to work every day, got into the despised, stinky subway, and worked seven and half hours on fuckin’ blood tests, growing cells, and testing new medicines which were supposed to enter the pharmaceutical market. That was what he was going to do today as well, no excuses, Mike knew no mercy for himself.
It was in the subway when he decided to check the news – and his face in the mask, blurry but still, was on the first page of Le Monde newspaper.
Merde, gasped and felt his knees go weak. How was it even possible? How did they get it? He must have overlooked something two nights ago, he realized, his brain on fire.
The first leaked image of the policeman’s murderer…, black-clad man…, ...killer of the alleged rapists and groomers…, ...a silent hero for many…
What the hell had he missed during these days? Mike felt as if he was hit in the solar plexus and floored immediately – they saw him, there was a CCTV camera in the Forest of Vincennes that he had no idea about. And, somehow, people, the usual, grey citizens, adored him for what he had done. He was reading the comments below the articles and most of them were supportive.
If I were a husband or a father of one of these poor girls, I’d do the same as him.
It was high time such a pig as Tailler died. I left the police because of him.
Winter harassed my child and I’m happy he’s finally paid for this!
And so on, and so forth. He hadn’t expected that at all but all these heartwarming comments only cemented his decision – that he had, in fact, done the right thing. Somehow reassured, Mike wasn’t feeling so painfully alone anymore.It took him a while to stop thinking about the dream of the masked murderer. It stayed on Louis’ mind while he was taking a quick shower (and a rather cold one to get rid of the distracting – but so pleasant! – thoughts), an even quicker shave and during his morning skincare. It crept into his thoughts when he was having a cigarette accompanied by a coffee, as well as preparing some breakfast to eat during his break. If only Sébastien knew that the perpetrator was in focus in his wet dream, Louis thought and smiled at the absurdity of the situation. Séba was his closest friend, but even he didn’t need to know everything – and besides, he already knew so much about him and Mike, Louis thought as he checked his phone. None of the messages he received was from Mike.
Commuting has only made his dream harder to forget, as the picture of a killer in black flooded the media, first published in Le Monde. If it wasn’t for his composure and the ability to keep cold blood (he’s been in the police, for fuck’s sake), he’d surely blush on the Parisian metro. As a victim of grooming, he had a first-hand experience related to one of the murdered men, but even without that, he’d sympathize with the abused. All it took was empathy – no one deserved to be harassed, abused or raped. No one. Aware of so many men who abused their power to hurt others, Louis almost felt ashamed of being human, of originating from the same species as those degenerates. Was it why the murderer’s mask resembled a statue more than an actual human being? For a while, Louis toyed with that thought but had to stop when he changed from one metro line to another.
He stopped at the police station by his workplace to hand the case files back to Sébastien. The inconspicuous folder which he borrowed the previous day (and which has been scanned and photographed since) had to be returned, after all. When he arrived at the police station, Séba wasn’t there yet and Louis decided to go to the archives and talk with Annelise who worked there. Back when he was working for the police, he’d sometimes meet Annelise and her current fiancée Louisa at queer clubs in Paris and immediately form a connection. As far as he knew, Annelise moved to the police archives due to a male colleague threatening her, and after Tailler’s murder, Louis started to connect the dots. He realized, his stomach sinking and his muscles getting tense, that his friend and ex-colleague had been mistreated in ways far worse than threats.
“I’ve had a look at this file,” she said shortly, recognizing the newest case in a split second. Ever observant, she’d notice the smallest details, and that included the intrigued look in Louis’ eyes. “And you know what? One less rapist is always good news,” Annelise said in a voice so quiet but so stern that Louis felt a chill run down his spine.
“It is. He won’t hurt anyone now,” he replied in an equally quiet voice. “Annelise, I’m so sorry to hear this, and I’m here for you,” he whispered, suddenly realizing how his colleague had been abused and how both men who assaulted others were now dead.
Annelise looked at him with gratitude in her eyes and checked the case files, making sure nothing was missing. Louis’ thoughts raced as he wanted to reassure his friend again, but it was the archivist who spoke first.
“There is a suspicion of a similar case from years ago. The marking…” she began quietly, suddenly stopping when they heard footsteps of someone heading to the archive. The fast pace sounded like Séb’s footsteps, but after all, one could never be too sure of their surroundings. In this building, it was better to keep their voices down, as they just did.Sébastien could barely sleep, sitting over the files and cigarettes until late. His partner, Vincent, found him like that and put a blanket over him, so he wouldn’t get cold. It was about small gestures of affection like that one, which made them stay together for such a long time. When Séb woke up for work, his partner was still asleep, so he gave him a kiss on the cheek and left.
Bangalter called him right when Séb left his apartment.
“You up already?” his boss asked, acting surprised, making Séb roll his eyes.
“Yeah, I’m leaving now,” he replied coldly.
“Good. We have probably found the killer’s car, Volkswagen Passat. Go to Issy-les-Mulineaux, car dealer. I’m sending you the address,” Bangalter said quickly and hung up, there was no time to waste. Not fully awoken yet, Séba grabbed a coffee on his way to the subway and checked the coordinates – did the murderer go all the way to Issy to sell or buy his car? At first, it seemed stupid for him to do, to risk driving through the whole city and get noticed.
But then he discovered the cleverness of this action: after all, who’d look at such an old car and think oh, it must be the murderer driving it from Vincennes? The black-clad dude was smarter than he’d thought, Séba pondered, his brain was on fire. This case stimulated and fascinated him more than any other he had solved before.
After three changes of lines, Sébastien finally got to Issy-les-Mulineaux, outside the inner ring of Paris. It wasn’t a good quarter, rather full of immigrants and ghettos, but before Sébastien became aspirant, he used to patrol these streets quite often, making sure there were no rampages or fights around, so he was quite familiar with this area.
It seemed that so was the killer if he had purchased his car here, he thought and walked to the address that Bangalter had sent him; it was slightly off the beaten track, in between grey blocks of flats which reminded him of Belgrade. The car dealer’s office looked slightly shady or neglected – Bangalter was already there, and the police car was outside the building, parked halfway on the sidewalk.
“Good, you’re here,” his boss emerged from the car without any ‘hello’, just dropped the cigarette on the street in a nonchalant gesture. “We found another CCTV footage which showed the black Volkswagen leaving around midnight, nearby Vincennes. It was registered with this car dealer,” he said, closing the door to the car with a thud.
“Looks like our guy likes the color black,” Séb mumbled and followed his boss to the dealer shop. They were welcomed by a balding man in his fifties, with a sizable belly - he looked like a typical smartie who owned a small business - Séba had seen dozens of men like him both in Serbia and in France.
"Hello, how can I help you?" The man asked overly politely. Bangalter showed his badge to the man who suddenly got pale as a sheet."Police, we have a few questions for you, regarding one of your cars," he said firmly and the owner started to sweat, Séba noticed. He had something to hide, it was easy to see – the question was, what exactly?
"Well, yes, yes... would you like to have a seat? Tea? Coffee?" He continued in an overly kind tone, but Bangalter stopped him with a hand gesture.
"No, just tell us who has bought the black Volkswagen Passat from you, with these registration plates," the boss put the printed footage photo in front of the man, together with the handwritten numbers. Sébastien walked around the tiny, old-school room, covered with filthy wallpaper in green-vomit color. There were car posters and some old calendars with cars and, obviously, half-naked women from men's magazines hanging on the walls.
Séba looked through the window and saw the cars waiting there behind a fence, imagining the black, masked man coming here to get his Volkswagen. He put his arms behind his back, trying to find any details which might be useful in the case.
"I cannot find the car in the archive... are you sure it's ours?" The owner played for time, Séb was sure.
“If you tell us who that was, we won’t denounce you to the tax office,” he said suddenly, startling both the man and Bangalter – it was a risky move, yes, but the young policeman was almost sure that the man hadn’t registered the payment in the official registers, instead taking cash and thus, avoiding paying the tax from the transaction. Probably not for the first time.
Bangalter already opened his mouth to say something but the owner wiped his forehead from sweat, and his bulged head suddenly got red.
“He came to me two days ago,” he started suddenly, which made Bangalter keep his mouth shut. “Tall, handsome, dark hair, fine features. I guess, in his early thirties. He was wearing sunglasses. Sharp-dressed,” he described the murderer with not the worst precision. Séba noted everything down. “He didn’t want to reveal his identity, and I agreed to sell him the car if he paid with cash. And he did, two thousand for the car and one thousand for me,” the man said. Séb and Bangalter exchanged meaningful looks – that was still more than they could have dreamt of. “But why, are you looking for him?”
“Yes, we are, it’s connected with the murder,” Thomas Bangalter replied with all seriousness and corrected glasses on his nose.
“Murder?! Good God, I didn’t-“ the man exclaimed.
“Do you have any other information about him? His telephone number, address, anything?” Séb asked but this time, they didn’t have much luck, the murderer covered himself well and took care of not leaving any traces behind. The policemen thanked the man and walked back to the car – Bangalter behind the wheel, naturally.
“We need to trace this car if he still hasn’t gotten rid of it,” the boss said as he reversed the car and headed to the headquarters. Séba nodded, and there was a moment of silence between them.
“Did you know Robert Tailler well?” the young policeman asked suddenly.
“Not very well,” Thomas replied with a sigh. “He was friends with Winter, though,” he added, casting a glance at Séb. “I met him on some celebrations and banquets, maybe once in the office. They say, ‘Don’t speak badly about the dead’, but, let me tell you, Séb, the way I saw he treated his subordinates, was awful. It could easily be described as mobbing, especially towards women. It was really a locker-room talk, sexual comments, pulling some of them to sit on his lap…”
“Why didn’t you report this? It’s disgusting,” Séb asked but didn’t get an answer straightaway.
“I guess… I guess I was afraid about my own position.”
That was when Sébastien understood - The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, he recalled Edmund Burke’s words and couldn’t agree more with them; because of Bangalter’s and other people’s desensitization and fear of their own asses, both perpetrators managed to rape, harass, and groom women and children. And now, they were both dead, thanks to the unnamed hero in black attire who wasn’t afraid to stand up to the real perpetrators in power.
Fortunately, the courage of one man makes a majority (who said that again?), and Séba could only hope that his hero’s acts would inspire others to be brave and speak up when they encounter evil again.Anticipation and tension were palpable in the air when Sébastien entered the police archives.
“It’s getting weirder and weirder,” he sighed instead of greeting Louis and Annelise. “Especially if this old case we talked about is somehow related. Did you find the case files?” the aspirant turned to his colleague, who nodded and promptly presented him with a pile of documents. Judging by the greying covers, the files must have had over ten years. “Thank you, I’ll have a look at this later,” Séba promised and took the papers in a motion so fast and decisive as if he wanted to leave immediately. Something stopped him, though, and the aspirant gave them a look of compassion. “Alright, kids, I know there’s a lot going on. I’m swamped with work too. Let me know if you need help with anything. Hell, Vincent and I can even share some food with you, youngsters, if you’re too busy to cook,” he added in a more light-hearted tone, and a comment made Louis smile since he knew they could really count on Sébastien and his partner.
For a moment, he felt a pang of pain at the thought that Séb had Vincent in his life and Annelise was with Louisa while he was still single, on his own, completely alone despite his recent date that – apart from the nightmarish ending – resembled a dream. Louis decided not to dwell on that thought.
“Thanks, Séba,” he replied, still smiling. Annelise thanked her colleague as well, after which Sébastien left, hurrying to work. Louis should be going soon too, he knew that, but there was one more thing he had to know.
“Annelise,” he began. “What is the old case Séba mentioned? Is there any chance you could please tell me?”
Louis' former colleague looked at him attentively. “You know, Bertrand found something from his hometown. It’s about the sign that was cut into Tailler’s skin,” she added, not without a gleam in her eyes. What an incredibly strong woman, Louis realized, well aware of his own difficulties in mentioning Pierre’s name before. He nodded understandingly, recalling an image of a letter or symbol carved into the deceased’s skin, the one resembling “Y” or perhaps a strangely drawn triangle. “It’s not the first time he’s seen it. Look, now I made a copy for myself,” Annelise started, her voice suddenly softening as she looked Louis in the eyes. There was something in the strength and seriousness of her voice and in her gaze, decisive but compassionate, that Louis almost held his breath. “But we both have connections to the case and besides, I can get the files anywhere. If you want to have a look, you can. Just return those tomorrow morning,” his ex-colleague suggested calmly.“You’re a heaven-sent,” Louis gasped, more than sure that his face was beaming in gratitude and disbelief. “Are you sure that…” he began, aware that both Sébastien and Annelise broke the work ethic rules just to satisfy his curiosity.
His ex-colleague waved her hand, her gesture resembling Séba’s way of asking to “cut the bullshit”.
“I wouldn’t tell you this if I wasn’t sure. Us women aren’t as complicated as many men think, gay or not,” Annelise added with a smirk. Working in a male-dominated field the police job, she was tough and definitely had the guts to deal with the difficult environment. “And besides, we gonna stick together,” she added quietly, and Louis wasn’t sure if she meant queer people, victims of abuse or people hurt too many times in their lives. The archivist handed the file to Louis, whose hand almost itched to read the contents of the case marked with a short description “Lyon 2007”.
“Thank you,” Louis whispered, moved to the core, and gave his friend and ex-colleague a grateful smile. “Hey, I owe you and Louisa a drink if I see you at The Labo or Sly. Gay scout’s honour!” he added in his usual cheerful tone, clicking his heels and making a mock salute.
Annelise snorted in a short laughter, shaking her head.
“Work first, party later, girl!” she replied, turning to the work tasks but still smiling, and Louis couldn’t help but smile back in a genuine, heartfelt way. Friends who went the extra mile because they knew him so well could never be underestimated.Séba left the archives with the files under his arm – he knew this pleasant tingling of digging after truth, which somehow seemed to be so close and yet, he still couldn’t detect it. Could that murder spree start in Lyon, back in 2007? His head was spinning from the overload of information and his hands were itching to open the files and read them here and now, but he had to stop himself – Bangalter wanted to gather everyone for a discussion in the conference room.
The files had to wait.
“What is that we know for the time being?” Bangalter stood in front of a giant whiteboard where he placed the pictures of the victims and the murderer’s masked face in the centre. “Two victims, both policemen. Were they killed on a particular day?”
“The first one killed on the 2nd of September, the other one on the 25th of September,” Louisa recited by heart and Bangalter noted it on the whiteboard. “Twenty-three days between them, no particular motive here yet.”
“We know that he has something against the groomers and paedophiles, so, perhaps, we can assume that he was a victim of one as well,” another policeman, Antoine, mentioned. That was a good point and a very logical one.
“We couldn’t have traced Nadya, the girl that the murderer posed as,” Bangalter said with a loud exhale. “His account is no longer active, and he probably has a VPN or some firewalls protecting him from being traced. He knows a lot about medicine and the human body but he is not necessarily someone working in the field,” Bangalter stated the obvious thing and wrote it down.
“He doesn’t leave footprints, uses gloves, and a mask, and doesn’t leave the weapon in the trash bins. We checked all of them in the ten-kilometer radius,” Louisa said with a wry face.
“Today, we got a description of him from the owner of the car dealer shop that he bought a black Volkswagen from,” Séba mentioned and read the dealer’s words: “Early thirties, handsome, tall, sharp-dressed, dark hair, fine features, he was wearing sunglasses.”
“That still can be anyone, many Frenchmen look like that,” Bangalter sighed loudly. “Alright,” he tapped the marker pen on the whiteboard. “the sign he leaves behind, any ideas?”
“It might be a letter Y from his name or maybe a name of someone dear to him?” another policeman suggested, which sounded fair but, to Sébastien, it still sounded fake. As if they were missing something obvious, right in front of their eyes. He bit the nail of his thumb, bouncing his leg, trying to force his brain to work harder.
And then it dawned upon him.
“It’s not a Y,” he said suddenly with a gasp. Everyone’s eyes turned to him. “Not everything has to be about the Latin alphabet, you know?” he got up and walked over to the whiteboard. Séba knew the Cyrillic alphabet as well as the Latin one, but he remembered that he had learnt some Greek back in high school. “This is a small letter Gamma, the third letter of the Greek alphabet.”
He took the marker pen from Bangalter, his heart racing, and wrote down the first letters: alpha, beta, gamma. Somehow, everyone had learnt it at school, but nobody remembered that. A loud gasp was audible in the room – a small letter Gamma with a “tail” was exactly what had been depicted on the victims’ bodies.
“Fuckin’ hell, you’re right,” Bangalter agreed and patted Séba’s shoulder. “Now, what does it mean?”
“It’s basically used in mathematics and physics,” Séb shuddered and got back to his place. “Gamma waves in the brain, Gamma radiation in nuclear physics…” he started, trying to recall more uses of the letter.
“It also means number three,” Louisa cut in. There was a longer moment of silence after her words.
“Does it mean that there will be three victims?” Séba pondered out loud, his arms crossed on his chest. Somehow, that didn’t add up.
“He might as well multiply by three,” Bangalter spoke out loud what they all feared the most to hear. He noted down the number three and drew a circle around it. Finally, they were at least heading somewhere, however, still like babes in the woods.Xavier set the right temperature of the LED lamp and placed his iPhone on it. One, two, three… action.
“’ello everyone, this is Xavier. Get ready with me for my twelve-hour shift today in ‘opital…” he started in English in his thick French accent. He would still have to edit the video, hopefully, he’d have some time for that during the night when the patients are asleep.
He showed his followers what he packed for the long shift (cute lunch boxes made for him and his husband, obviously!), the new, blue uniform they got for nurses at Saint-Louis, and how he made some light, practical makeup for rather harsh work conditions at the hospital. When Xav was done, he threw himself on the double bed and checked his messages.
Still no news from Mike. His dozens of messages sent on WhatsApp weren’t even read, as the little tick at the end suggested – they weren’t blue.
“Mike, for fuck’s sake, call me or even type that you are alive. I’m fuckin’ worried, okay? Don’t do this to me, I love you,” he decided to leave a voice message and send it, even though he couldn’t expect a reply soon. Sure, it had happened before that his best friend had had his paralyses and meltdowns and periods of very low mood, which were independent of outer factors, but this time, something was off – and Xavier always trusted his intuition. He was a Cancer, after all.
“Babe!” he shouted to Gaspard who was in a different room, probably creating some sexy beats on his computer. “Babe!” he yelled again but his husband didn’t hear him. With a loud exhale, he rolled off the bed and shuffled to find his other half in his tiny studio – obviously, he was there, with noise-cancelling headphones on his ears, banging his head to the beat.
Xavier walked over and took the headphones off Gaspard’s ears, sitting astride him at the same time.
“I was calling you,” he said, pouting, but giggled when his husband grabbed his butt.
“I didn’t hear you,” Gaspard replied, pausing the Ableton program for a second, his focus shifted to his beautiful partner. Hearing him giggle was the most beautiful sound anyway.
“Mike still hasn’t replied,” Xavier touched his husband’s beard, enjoying its soft texture. “I’m worried. I need to go to him after the shift, okay? It’s not normal that he’s hermiting for such a long time,” his voice suddenly changed from cheerful to more serious.
“Of course, babe, do what’s necessary. You know him best, after all,” Gaspard nodded. “Maybe it’s nothing, you know?”
“Maybe he has problems with that dude we met during the rave, Louis,” Xavier sighed. “Anyway, I’m going to check up on him.”
He gave his husband a kiss and slid off his lap; he still had to pack some things before the shift. As an ADHD-er, Xavier needed a list so as not to forget anything, however, his focus suddenly shifted and he found himself scrolling Instagram again to check for updates. What if Mike’s boyfriend had the account as well, he thought briefly and decided to check it.
Because of time blindness, Xavier had to almost run to the subway to get to the hospital on time. Fortunately, he had some free time in the commute, so he did some research and spying – and he was good at it. It took only three stops for Xav to find a private account on Instagram with few followers and even fewer posts under the name @luisito92. Bingo, he thought and sent him a request to follow.
Now, he had to wait, and he wasn’t good at waiting.
Maybe the dude is on Facebook, it flickered through his mind when he was changing the metro lines. Xavier didn’t really use Facebook anymore – it was for boomers – but Mike sometimes did, so there was a chance that they added each other there. Nope, nothing, but that didn’t discourage him – so Xavier dug on the police sites to find him, remembering that he worked there – ah, there he was, sexy beast.
Louis Rogé was his name, a blurry profile picture. What a waste of a handsome face, Xav thought and typed him a message, hoping it didn’t end up in the ‘Other’ box.
Heyy Louis, this is Xavier, I’m Mike’s best friend, we met one night in Silencio, remember? I need to talk to you about Mikey, he’s not responding to my messages. Did you have any contact with him? Drop me a DM here or on Insta, I’m probably more active there haha, A+++, he sent the message and jumped off his seat to get out on his stop.As an ex-police officer, should Louis even consider breaking the law? What he was doing couldn’t be legal, he was well aware of it as he was taking pictures of the old case files. It turned out the case was from 2007, the crime scene being the rabbi’s office situated near the consistorial synagogue of Lyon. He wished he could read everything in one sitting, but it was impossible given the fact he was still at work and using his break between lessons to catch up with the contents of the files. The next lesson was coming up in less than two hours, which forced Louis to speed up reading – photos or not, he was too absorbed by the case to leave too much reading for later.
“Jacob Baumann, age 63 (30.4.1944-13.09.2007), traumatic brain injury” read the first lines, followed by the exact address of his office by the synagogue: 511 Avenue de la Sauvegarde, post code 69009 for Lyon.
It wasn’t until a few pages later that the examination of the crime scene was described in detail, followed by the results of dissection that ruled out the possibility of an accident. Louis scanned another densely typed page and flicked through a few next papers, searching for photographs. He wanted to see the marking mentioned by Sébastien and Annelise, the part of the crime and investigation that absorbed them so much.
A Jewish man originating from Lyon made Louis think of Mike, obviously, and that didn’t help him focus at all. The commotion and hum of conversations in the corridors outside made his small private research even more difficult, and he had to concentrate hard on what he was reading. He had to stay focused, even though each mention of Lyon brought Mike back to his mind and every line that described the crime scene's whereabouts made him wonder if the other man had been to that place.
“Stop it,” Louis muttered to himself and stood up from the desk.
He needed a cigarette to clear his mind, and he opened the window for a quick smoke. He wasn’t much of a prime example of a sports coach at that moment, but the combination of nicotine hunger and the tension buzzing in his veins made him restless. Stress prickled his skin and made his body tense as he was lighting up the cigarette and didn’t fade until he took a few drags on the filter. Feeling his mind get slightly clearer, Louis held up a photograph from the crime scene, the one that depicted a symbol on the Torah script.
He frowned, making a wrinkle appear between his eyebrows, as he wondered if this was a pictogram, a peculiar spelling of the Latin letter “Y” or perhaps the Greek letter he remembered from his own school years. It didn’t really recall Jewish script, but what did he know? Louis opened his phone to have a quick look at the Jewish alphabet and saw an Instagram notification, which was odd considering the last time he used the app must have been a couple of weeks ago.
“Xavier (Xavierderoslay) requested to follow you” read the notification. The name rang a bell, and Louis raised his eyebrows when he recognized the black-haired man whose big eyes looked back at him from the profile picture. Mike’s friend, of course. He did remember the rare name and that expressive gaze, but what would his date’s gay best friend want from him? And besides, was he some kind of influencer? Louis looked at a whopping 50,8k followers. Instead of finding out more, he only grew more confused, and after a while, he realized there was something more: hope. Mike and Xavier were close, no doubt about that, and Xavier might just have contacted him to talk about Mike. I just hope he doesn’t ask me to stay away from his friend, Louis thought and put out the cigarette on the windowsill. Hell, what was it that this man wanted from him? Was he just scrolling through Instagram and sending follow-up requests to people he saw once in his life? Impossible, Louis hardly used the app and made sure he wouldn’t show up in the other accounts’ suggestions – police software kept his phone and data private. He was surprised by Xavier’s request but also obsessed with thoughts about Mike once again.
Mechanically, Louis picked up the files but sighed in resignation as he realized he wouldn’t focus anymore. Why not text this Xavier guy, he thought with a shrug and let his finger hover above the “confirm” button. It was at that moment he got a notification from Facebook Messenger, “Xavier de Rosnay sent you a message”. Was Mike’s friend a spy in disguise? Louis’ Facebook was even harder to find, and after receiving the message request, he felt somewhat in awe of Xavier’s social media skills.
Very well, Xavier ‘Mata Hari’ de Rosnay, time to talk if you want to contact me. Louis opened the request inbox on his Messenger and started reading, his eyes growing bigger with each sentence. “Not responding to my messages,” he read, and as he went on, he felt the weirdest sensation of his stomach sinking and his chest filling with warmth. None of them knew what was going on with Mike, but they could discuss it. Louis opened Xavier’s Facebook profile in an almost feverish way and checked his Instagram. It had to be him, Facebook was created over ten years ago and Instagram was by no means fake. It was Mike’s best friend contacting him, and he was worried.
Mike, what have you done? What have I done? Louis addressed the question to himself as well, opening the Instagram app, accepting Xavier’s request and starting to type a message as if his life depended on it, his fingers sliding on the small iPhone keyboard.
“Hey Xavier, I remember you. Thanks for getting in touch. Mike didn’t respond to me either” he typed the first sentences. There was no need to mention their date, and besides, someone as curious and resourceful as Xavier must have known about their date, right? Louis could swear he heard the cogs in his head turn as he added another sentence to his message. “I’m worried about him” he typed and hit “send” before he could add anything more. That was what he felt like, after all. He was worried and he missed Mike like hell, and Xavier could just help him figure out what was happening.
Louis considered sending Xavier his number, but after all, he could always send it later on. That is, only if this influencer smart-ass hasn’t found his phone number yet, Louis concluded. He had to admit Mike’s best friend was a decent researcher and also a good person if he worried so much about his close friend. That made two of them, Louis told himself as he stared at his phone, this time waiting for a message from either of the two men.Xavier had hands full of work, right after he stepped into the hospital. As always, they were short-staffed, so he had to do the work of three or four nurses in reality. Or in a normal country, he thought bitterly as he changed into a mask and a disposable uniform - they needed him to assist with the operation, a complicated Caesarean section.
He watched as the doctor cut through the abdominal walls to get the baby out - Xavier was absolutely mesmerized and humbled by this every time. There was nothing miraculous in the birth, however, the first scream of a child is always a relief that it lives - for them, the medical staff, and the parents. Xavier looked up at women who decided to have a child - it seemed to be a tremendous effort he would never decide to go through.
This time, they could sigh with relief again, the baby lived - he was the one to wash it while the doctors sewed the patient back. He smiled at the newborn who grabbed his finger with its little fist, making his heart melt.
There were two other elective surgeries planned for the night, one laparoscopic for endometriosis and the other one for hysterectomy after a malignant tumor. Otherwise, he had to distribute the medicines and fix the drip, and he was done for the night.
Xavier could catch a moment of breath only around 2 o'clock - he took a shower after the tiring operations and gathered his things from the locker; he took his small pillow and mobile phone to edit the videos and check his account. He made his way to the old couch in the on-call room where he'd usually take a nap. Only then did he realize that Mike's date accepted his invitation and replied to him.
His heart sank when he read the message, so Mikey hadn't been in contact with him either. Mike, what have you done?
Hey, sorry for the late reply, I'm at work at the hospital. Fuck, it's no good that you haven't heard from him either... can you meet me tomorrow before work? I finish my shift at 8, could we meet in Starbucks by Vincennes? I think this is where you said you work :P I won't take long
He typed the message and sent it before he fell asleep for a few hours before the morning ward round started at five o'clock. When he woke up two hours later, tired, with eyes glued by sand, he noticed a message from Louis. He agreed to meet him, which was a relief - Xavier sent him only a thumbs up before he had to change and get back into the morning routine.
The distribution of medicine again, injections, change of drips and help with changing pads or diapers - Xavier loved working at gynecology ward, with these strong, incredible women. And they loved him in return, sometimes leaving him chocolates or alcohol.
"How are you feeling today, Madame Béatrice?" He asked a woman who had the C-section the day before, fixed her pillow and checked the sewn wound.
"I'm good, thank you. How's my baby?" She asked worryingly, fixing her blue eyes on Xavier, which was only natural.
"She's good, I'm going to bring her to you," Xavier replied with a smile and walked back to the neonatology room to find the child and bring it to their mom. The baby had a special plastic bracelet on their wrist, so it could be differentiated from other similar newborns.
"Come here, little one," he whispered gently and brought the baby to Madame Béatrice, whose face lit up when she saw them, despite exhaustion after the operation.
He was also physically exhausted, but his work gave his life a lot of satisfaction and meaning – every time Xavier left the hospital, he was sleepy but fulfilled. Today, he could give himself a pat on the shoulder for a well-done job, he thought when he headed to the subway, still before the rush hour.
Meeting a friend in a café, babe. I’ll be back a bit later, he typed to let his husband know what was going on. He changed the lines and sent a message to Louis when he was approaching the café:
Almost thereThey recognized each other immediately – even though that night in Silencio seemed to be ages ago. Louis waved at him, dressed in sport padded jacket, he looked like a shadow of a person that Xavier remembered from that party – or maybe he was just tired.
“Hi there, thanks for waiting,” he said and greeted him like any Frenchman would – by kissing on both cheeks. “Let’s have a smoke first, okay? Then we can head inside.”Before he received any replies from Xavier (or, as it was painfully obvious, from Mike), Louis was alerted by a message from Sébastien. Just in time - his head was almost aching from intensive thinking and trying to make sense out of the three murders.
His break would be over soon anyway, Louis thought and quickly got up from his chair, eager to know about the case. Meeting Séba for another cigarette and information exchange felt almost like some grim sitcom at this point, Louis thought. “Tune in for another episode of the thrilling adventures of aspirant Akchoté and his faithful sidekick Luisito,” a slogan popped into his mind and made him smile somewhat bitterly. What was happening in Paris was far from the cheerfulness of a cartoon, and the killing spree that could unravel any moment was no joking matter. Séba’s focused expression only confirmed this, although Louis knew him well enough to see that his friend discovered something essential in the case.
“The symbol appears in all three crime scenes,” Sébastien started without pleasantries. “Well, guess what it is?” he asked Louis in a tone that hinted at satisfaction.
“Not a Jewish letter, no? I was about to check the Greek alphabet and medical symbols,” the ex-cop wondered out loud and for a moment, shifted his focus to a cigarette.
“Gamma,” Sébastien said in a voice so serious that Louis felt a shiver run down his spine. Gamma? That was his savior and the man responsible for taking down his abuser? Louis would take that, he thought, repeating the word in his mind as he exhaled slowly. “The third letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s also used in physics, and it’s safe to say our suspect knows this field quite well, judging by his surgical precision,” Séba went on, his talkativeness showing how agitated and absorbed by the case he was. Louis thought about Gamma rays, the mathematical equations and the phrase “Gamma Andromedae,” which he couldn’t pinpoint in his memories or knowledge. His brain was buzzing and all the information he had just read streamed through his mind with high velocity.
“It’s… it’s connected to the number of victims?” Louis asked hesitantly, not very sure of his words. If the rabbi was murdered so many years ago and in a completely different way than Winter and Tailler, would that even make sense?
Séb shook his head slowly.
“Doubt it. The murderer’s still young and let me tell you, I don’t think he’ll stop there,” Sébastien added grimly and looked up at Louis. “Fine, Mr Puppy Eyes, I’ll give you his description if you keep it for yourself,” he said flatly, making Louis’ stomach somersault. Did he really hear “description”? When he realized this, he stared at Séba expectantly. Louis was all ears and he nodded energetically as if he was in a trance. “Tall, dark hair, in his thirties. He was elegant and, apparently, handsome,” his friend added and shrugged. “But you know…” Séba started and they both repeated his usual saying. “…I told you nothing.” Louis smiled distractedly, grateful to his friend but also confused by the description. Fair enough, maybe being tall wasn’t a common trait among the French (he knew best how often he towered over his companions), but so many local men had dark hair and there were so many guys in their thirties out there that the traits of the killer weren’t all that helpful. Hell, if it wasn’t for the elegant part, Louis himself could just as well be the murderer, he concluded and shook his head slightly when he was left alone as Sébastien hurried back to work. Now he knew nothing about the suspect’s voice, accent or facial features, as his friend left this out, but the murderer must have looked like so many other Frenchmen – even Mike fitted this description, Louis realized and almost laughed at this thought. It was absurd to suspect Mike of all people of killing these abusers, and Louis saw once again how attached he was to this man.
He tried to think about Mike less often, but even the smallest things reminded him of his date, and soon enough, a new message on his phone brought back all the memories of Mike.
Xavier suggested a meeting at the café the next day. He even remembered Louis’ workplace, which made him raise his eyebrow for a split second as he threw himself on the phone to type a reply. He needed to know more about Mike, and for that, he needed his best friend.
…
Even without Louis’ good memory for faces, he would have recognized Xavier in front of the café. Mike’s friend, although visibly tired, definitely took good care of himself and his outfit, which consisted of fitted, light blue jeans and a white top underneath a buttoned shirt. In his trusty jacket from The North Face, Louis felt slightly underdressed, just like he did with Mike, but he didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, he could talk to someone so close to Mike and that itself gave him hope.
When they met for the first time, which now felt like an eternity ago, Louis immediately took a liking to Xavier and seeing him again only confirmed his first impression. Xavier was worried but refused to just leave things as they were, and Louis appreciated that.
“He hasn’t answered yesterday either, and it’s not usual for him to be so silent for such a long time,” he spoke fast in between drags on his cigarette. “I’m worried out of my mind,” he added, his voice breaking. Even though Louis would normally take such big declarations with a pinch of salt, he believed Xavier’s words. He saw Mike’s friend in a good mood back when they were in Silencio, and compared to that night,
Xav was genuinely shaken, his nerves wracked. We have something in common, Louis realized with a pang in his heart.
“Let’s go inside?” he suggested when their cigarettes shortened into filters and Xavier nodded, putting out his cig on a nearby trashcan.
Already in the café, Louis paid for their order as Xavier was fumbling through his belongings in search of a wallet. He got a double espresso while Xavier’s large latte was accompanied by a pastry almost as big as the other man’s head, which reminded him of Mike’s friend wolfing down a burger with large fries the other day.
He smiled at Xavier’s visible gratitude (“Thank youuu, I was sure I took my wallet from the hospital locker!”) and headed to a table in a nook which should give them some privacy.
“I think you should know that we spent last Saturday together,” Louis turned to Xavier who just waved his hand, busy sipping on his beverage.
“I know, I know,” he replied hurriedly, almost bursting out with the unanswered questions they both had. “Mikey told me. He was happy about it, you know,” Xavier added. Louis’ stomach squeezed at this thought. I was happy about it too. I was so happy, he thought and needed all his self-discipline not to wallow in these memories again. Besides, Xavier looked at him in an attentive, almost scrutinizing way that made Louis alert. Despite his youthful features, high cheekbones and eyes worthy of an anime character, Xavier’s gaze was sharp and observant, as if he saw right through Louis. “Did something happen on your date?”
Something apart from Mike becoming so dear and meaningful to me? Something apart from the way he made me feel and the attachment I discovered? Something apart from the kisses that still stick to my skin and make me downright sick with longing? Nothing happened, Louis wanted to say, but he just shook his head.
“I had the best time,” Louis started in a low voice. “Mike’s an amazing person, as you know. We’ve been to Cité des sciences, dinner and Sorbonne observatory, discussing all the topics imaginable, no arguments, no suspicious sights,” he added and cleared his throat. Xavier kept nodding as he looked at Louis expectantly, his eyebrows knitted, and as a former police officer, he knew he owed his companion some more information. “I walked him home but we didn’t hook up,” he explained.
Usually, he’d never go for such oversharing, but Xavier was Mike’s friend who knew him well – perhaps the best of all people, which Louis realized with some jealousy – and who wanted to help him just as much as Louis did. Maybe this was how Mike acted after the dates? No, impossible, he wasn’t some drama queen to take four days to reply and both men had the right to be concerned about him.
The situation was serious and Louis knew that only by sharing such things and considering all the possible options, they could figure out what was going on with Mike.Louis, out of all the miserable dates Mike had had, seemed to be a decent person; respectful, affectionate, and not discouraged by any minor obstacle. And, first and foremost, he seemed to be so in love with Mike, that it truly melted Xavier’s Cancerian heart; his friend deserved someone like that, at last.
That was why he decided to share more with Louis than he usually did. He remained silent for a while, wondering how to dress his words properly.
“Mike is…” he started, stirring his coffee with a wooden stirrer. “he probably told you that he has Asperger’s, didn’t he?” Xavier made sure. When Louis nodded, he continued: “He does and this is what he usually tells people because it’s somehow… coherent with the genius he is. I have ADHD, so we immediately took a shine to each other when we met.”
Damn, I hope Mike’s not going to kill me for what I’m about to say, he thought and exhaled.
“I don’t know how much he’s told you about his childhood but it was… bad. Traumatising,” Xavier went on and Louis told you how much he knew. Not much, but more than any date anyway. “He has anti-social personality disorder. But, please, don’t look it up on the Internet,” Xavier warned him. “Most of the data there is based on prisoners and some shady individuals. Mike is not like that.”
Right, I said it, he sighed, remembering the day when Mike met him in a café and told him that as the first person ever – and he was twenty-three at that time.
“He doesn’t know what guilt and shame are, even if his parents’ religion tried to… uhm, push it inside him. He still has these… low moods, you know. It’s happened before,” Xavier confessed, his voice trembling from all the emotions. “When I met him at one of the faculty parties, he desperately needed a friend. At the same time, he was so fun to be around, I couldn’t understand why he had no friends,” Xavier couldn’t hold the tears when he talked about it, he wiped them with a wrist.
“Then he told me about everything and we’ve been inseparable ever since,” he finished and thanked Louis for a napkin when he handed him a clean one. “I’m just so worried about him, you know? It’s never been so many days without any contact. He could have done something to himself… or someone else,” Xavier finished, not even minding other people glancing at them curiously. “Could you… or maybe we can go together to check up on him? Do you know where he lives?”
Louis knew exactly where Mike lived; he just didn’t know the flat number.
“He lives under number six, second floor,” Xavier blew his nose and exhaled loudly. “Just… whatever you see there, don’t judge him, okay? And tell me immediately. I’ll leave you my WhatsApp, wait. Just in case,” Xavier paused, unwilling to think about his friend in such a way. But this had to be done. He texted Louis his number on Instagram and they added each other on the app.
Now, with his stomach so twisted, he didn’t even want to eat his giant pastry.None of what Xavier’s said scared Louis off. He knew that people with anti-social personality disorder were commonly called “psychopaths” and that the sight of Mike’s apartment might have been an unusual one. He wasn’t scared, though, that wasn’t the word. He just felt the heart-tearing sadness when he realized what Mike had been through. No one deserved this, and the trauma and repression going on in Mike’s life made Louis feel as if he’d been hit in the chest. He could tell Xavier felt the same way, and the sight of his tears together with, most importantly, the memory of what he said about Mike stayed vivid in Louis’ mind.
The only thing that terrified him was Xavier’s suspicion of Mike doing “something to himself,” a perspective so devastating that Louis didn’t even want to think about it, and that almost never happened. After all, he didn’t know Mike well enough to know what exactly happened, and this awareness nearly made him sprint directly to the address at 4 Rue Delambre, to flat 6.
Merde. How could time pass so fast and stretch out so slowly simultaneously? He almost had to run to work after meeting Xavier and his thoughts were racing at a breakneck speed, and yet Louis felt as if each minute he couldn’t see Mike, time dragged into eternity. In that state, giving a lesson to the freshmen would surely prove itself difficult today, but that was the least of his concerns.
Louis hurried his steps which already were fast and sped up towards the building of the police academy. He made it on time and the boys were just starting to gather outside the school gym. Louis unlocked the door, still deep in thought, barely noticing their faces moving in a blur as they started entering the room.
It was in an automatic, almost hopeless motion that Louis checked his phone, only to discover a short message from Xavier.
Thank you for caring so much about Mikey instead of judging him. He needs us, the message read, making Louis’ throat clench. He’d reply later, he told himself, suddenly distracted by the sound of rushed footsteps. Frowning slightly, he checked both the registry and the group of young men entering the gym. Everyone was here, so there were no late boys coming for the class. Besides, that wasn’t the sound sports shoes made, he realized, increasingly out of balance. Why did he feel like fire grew inside his skin and his senses tingled? Whoever was coming their way, Louis wasn’t sure if he could handle it as well as he could, given the emotional state he was in.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The suicide package was ready, tempting Mike at nights to inject the lethal dose of vecuronium into his veins – a quick, painless death, just lung muscles which collapse and heart which gets paralyzed, causing an irreversible brain damage through a lack of oxygen. It was like he was never there, it was like he was gone in thin air.No, he promised himself not to do that – he had a mission to accomplish. Not before.Mike was lying on the bed, the voice recorder in his hands, burning them with phantom pain. This deadlock was unbearable and the thoughts arguing against each other every day and night didn’t let him rest properly – he had to do something. Anything. Maybe he was the villain of this story all along but he wanted to do something properly, at last.Not only kill for the thrill of it. And for justice.If he denounces me, at least I’ll know whose side he is on, it flickered through his mind for the thousandth time. Mike got up from the bed and dressed rather casually as for himself – jeans, a black T-shirt, and a vest. Keeping up appearances was more difficult every day, as if his fuel was burning away completely, and Mike was running on fumes.He took two voice recorders into his work suitcase and left – but not for work yet. He got into subway line six, then changed to suburban train RER A on Nation stop. It was in the tunnels of the station that he saw a huge, black graffiti GAMMA, written on the wall, and an effigy of his own face in a mask. So they already knew his nickname, Mike thought with a smirk and took a quick photo of that artistic rendition, feeling slightly proud of his own actions.Paris lived with this story – him killing the perpetrators forced the public opinion to talk about the imbalance of power, a dangerous phenomenon that grooming was, the sins of the high-rank men. That was exactly what Mike intended – and every time he read the news, his heart filled with pride and satisfaction. There was awakening in the nation.As he got out of the train, he was soon by the Forest of Vincennes where he’d committed a crime a few days prior, and where the police headquarters were placed – fully consciously, Mike stepped into the lion’s lair and searched for that one person he cared for – well, he needed two, but the first one was really the driving force for why he was there in the first place.“Excuse me, sir, are you looking for someone?” an elderly lady in the reception asked him. Mike forced a smile at her and asked about Monsieur Rogé.“I’m a scientist from Saint-Denis,” he showed her his ID. It was good to have a profession of public trust, he thought to himself not for the first time.The lady was cooperative and she succumbed to Mike’s charm immediately – Louis had gym lesson now. Mike thanked her and headed to that direction, however, when he saw him in the distance, he wasn’t so sure about his decision anymore. His knees weakened but he didn’t slow down his pace – only the heart accelerated, elated to see the long-missed lover.Mike wanted to tell Louis so many things, explain himself, but he lacked words for that; and it was neither time nor place for that.“Louis,” he gasped, looking at him with longing which ripped him apart. “I got it from Gamma,” he whispered and pushed the voice recorder into the other man’s hand. The hand that reminded him of his sweet touch. “He asked me specifically to tell you to listen to this after work… when you are on your own. “Please,” he saw the disbelief in Louis’ dark eyes he loved so much. “don’t ask.”Mike didn’t want to leave him – not when he finally saw Louis again – but he had to. He kept his hand on Louis’ fist for a longer moment, leaving him there with mouth open, completely aghast and stunned as if he had just seen a ghost.Maybe I am but a ghost, Mike thought and didn’t resist the urge to look at him again over his shoulder as he made his way to the archives where Annelise worked. Mike was right in front of him, in the flesh, and Louis could not be more shocked if he saw a dead man resurrected. He wouldn’t answer his phone, leaving Xavier in tears and Louis himself with nerves wracked beyond comprehension, but he was there in person. To call it “shocking” would be an understatement. No, Louis couldn’t be more shocked, not when his – as he feared – lost love came back, making his heart race and his whole body give up to the overwhelming warmth.Mike took the trouble of visiting him at work and delivering him a message from Gamma of all people.“Mike” Louis gasped, unable to utter anything more than a name he grew to love so much. “Are you alright…?” he asked in a low, shaky voice. That was the question that mattered. He didn’t even want to know whether Gamma contacted Mike, he just hoped his much-missed partner wasn’t a hostage of the perpetrator. All he needed to know was if Mike was managing, and all he needed to feel was the other man’s embrace – even though all he could count on was a touch of the other man’s hand as he pushed the voice recorder into his grip. “Please,” his voice was so quiet it was just a bit more than a whisper. “Come back” Louis asked as his body surged towards Mike’s in the moment the other man took his hand away.He froze on the spot, his mouth open and his eyes staring at Mike’s silhouette in the distance. The one last look his beloved gave him struck Louis the most.He wanted to follow, but most of all, he wanted Mike to be safe. And in order to do that, he did as his lover asked him.Louis didn’t know how much time passed after he slid the voice recorder into his pocket, moving like a machine, and just stood still in the same place. “Monsieur Rogé, monsieur Rogé,” the students’ voices reached him as if he was on the bottom of the well and the words echoed in his head before he made out their sense. “Do we start?” some asked, while some other freshmen wondered out loud “is that your boyfriend, monsieur Rogé? Introduce uuus!,” chatting and chuckling with curiosity but without a mean tone. That was the last thing he needed! Louis shook his head as he looked distractedly at the boys. “This, young men, does not concern you,” he began, using all his force to speak in a laid-back, cheerful tone. Hell, he could swear his tongue kept tangling at the words as he still wanted to talk to Mike. “What does concern you, though, is resilience training, and I’d like you to start running. Start the first lap and follow with one more round, and another. Right now, please!” he urged the freshmen. His brain was still buzzing from the meeting, his senses ablaze after seeing Mike.Mike was alive and safe - probably just as hurt and confused as him, but he was out there. Should he text Xavier? Louis was scatterbrained and shaking from sheer shock, but also relieved. Mike made an effort to see him, and hopefully that meant they could talk soon. Louis would give everything to talk to him again, to see him and to hold him, and it was with all his heart he hoped he wouldn’t need to wait long for it.
Thank you for your trust. Please text me back soon
That was all Louis managed to text Mike, not without correcting a few spelling mistakes he made while shocked. The voice recorder seemed to burn inside his pocket as he was dying of impatience to listen to it – and to see Mike again.…Nothing could prepare him for the contents of the recording. Gamma made sure to register Winter’s last words and much more than that – Louis heard the strained grunts, whimpers and screams of the man who mistreated him. Yes, the screams – listening to those was cathartic. Louis knew that his toxic ex-partner must have been through excruciating pain, but still, he couldn’t bring himself to feel sorry for him. Not when he knew Pierre was responsible for grooming more young people."I didn't do anything to them! They were all... all adults," he heard Pierre who sounded as if he was about to cry.He heard his abuser trying to deny his faults, curse and threaten the killer Gamma, he’s given a listen to it all, but the perpetrator’s words stayed in his mind for much longer.“How old was Louis when you first met him? Wasn’t he sixteen?”He knew best that he was. Shortly after he turned sixteen, Pierre approached him in the club - a smooth talker and a regular to DJ sets, cooler and older. He was so helpful, so charming, so understanding at first. Hearing his voice again after such a long time brought back memories that crushed Louis’ mental strength and self-confidence again.“Putain,” he gasped as tears streamed to his eyes automatically. Louis gritted his teeth as he felt them rolling down his cheeks, uncontrollable sobs shaking his body.“I’d never say you’re not eighteen yet, you’re so mature and smart,” he recalled in between sobs. He froze in his seat, unable to move. “I love being around you, you’re different,” echoed in his mind with painful sharpness. “How come no one has noticed how unique you are?,” “hey, you’re so mature for your age, doing much better than all those much older people,” “don’t listen to all those who say you can’t do this, they’re not worth it”. He remembered Winter’s words all too well, both the praises, promises and sweet nothings as well as the snarky comments, criticism and threats.The world was better off without him, so why did Louis keep crying? The emotions were overwhelming and he was quite sure that one of his previous therapists would reassure him by saying that – he needed time to process all of it and grieve his years as young adult. Being aware of that didn’t help, though.Louis felt as if he’s fallen apart, and now somebody had to put him together. He exhaled deeply and took the voice recorder in his trembling hand. Gamma was speaking and he had to listen. “This is called grooming and it's a manipulation technique” the killer’s calm voice continued.Louis exhaled shakily, looking up to the man’s logic and stoical demeanor. Gamma handled the murder in cold blood, and until now, Louis has never fully realized how he wished such an end upon Winter and other groomers. “…used by people of a higher social status, usually older ones, to manipulate the young person,” Gamma went on, his voice muffled by the mask but as soft and clear as if he was recording an audiobook. And so calm, almost inhumanely calm, so composed that one could really connect it with the Roman-like mask with its proud, stoical expression. “…doesn't have yet a developed frontal cortex responsible for decision-making,” the perpetrator’s words were like a trigger that made Louis cry again. His vision got blurry, his eyes were stinging and swollen, gasping frantically made his whole body shiver feverishly. “…to use them for their like,” Gamma underlined the last words, proving to all the listeners how Winter really was a disgusting pervert. As a long pause was caught on the recording, Louis started wondering how many listeners were there really – was it just Mike and him? Did Mike listen to it? Was it him who tracked and contacted Gamma or did the suspect find him first?Louis shook his head, drained after exhausted after listening to just a few minutes of the recording, and he wasn’t even done with it. Going through the audio has proven itself to be a strenuous task, but he was determined to listen to the very end. That was probably what Mike wanted him to do, and his plead meant the world to Louis. Oh god, what exactly has Mike done to get this into his hands? Whatever happened, he had to do his job here, and he braced himself for the rest of the recording. Hearing Gamma order Winter to admit to his sins and command the abuser to give his confession made Louis hold his breath.“Fine,” Winter’s raspy voice showed resignation that transformed into anger. Louis gasped shakily, his hands gripping the edge of the table as he kept listening. "If this is your definition of grooming, then yes,” he heard, sensing the rage in his words, the fury he knew all too well, that tone he’s heard as soon as Winter’s mask dropped and he started to mistreat him. “I groomed them and fucked them!” the abuser snarled, and it was through the pounding sound in his head and forceful sobs that Louis heard the continuation. “As any man would.""No, Pierre. Not any man would,” Gamma opposed in a hard tone, keeping his cool. “Only a man rotten to the core would. A man just like you," the killer proved the man wrong, making a pause to reach for something that resembled the sound of a duct tape.The victim didn’t speak anymore, whining and whimpering, and his strained breathing confirmed the distress and pain he was dying in. Muffled screams registered at the very end of the recording were what Louis wanted to hear in a very long time without even realizing it. The man who groomed him was no more and he wouldn’t hurt anyone in his life, ever. That was something he owed to Gamma, this saviour of his and probably the strangest guardian angel one could think of. A fallen guardian angel, Louis thought, turning the voice recorder in his hands, feeling almost as if he was touching a relic. It was as if by giving it to him, Mike ripped open a wound he thought was cicatrized but which turned out to be uneven at the edges anyway. A wound that needed surgery and proper care afterwards, and that realization was dawning on Louis who still had to catch his breath in between sobs and sighs. Healing was never pretty but at long last, it was possible. And that was something that became possible thanks to Mike, the man he missed so much it made his heart ache and his stomach tie in a knot, the man he grew to love so much it hurt not to be around him. Louis sighed, his whole body shivering, as he put down the recorder. Not asking any questions would be an extremely difficult task, but it was a small price to pay if he could see Mike again. There was nothing else he wanted more. Le Blanc-Mesnil was a suburban quarter of mansions under Paris. Gamma wasn’t very familiar with it but he had to become – during the last months, he visited it semi-frequently to get acquainted with the surroundings but, mainly, to observe that one particular villa that belonged to Bertrand Bailly, a vice-mayor of Paris.It was Gamma’s most difficult task, a consummation. Rich people always had lots of different anti-burglary protection systems like cameras or alarms, their houses boxed-off from others by tall fences with spikes on top, maybe an aggressive type of dog too; this one was no different. Technology was, however, temperamental because it had to rely on electricity. Gamma had already made sure that the cameras in Bailly’s mansion didn’t have a backup system working on batteries. The only thing he had to do was to create a small short circuit.The electric control box was – how conveniently! – located outside the mansion. Gamma left the car parked in a shadow and sneaked to it with his suitcase. Pliers and his old, malfunctioning radio were enough to blow the fuse in the mansion and make all the lights go down at once. Perfect. Gamma’s eyes lit his way when he opened the car gate (it didn’t function without the electricity either) and sneaked inside; cameras were inactive, no light pulsating from them, indicating their work. “Putain, I cannot see a damn thing!” he heard the voice coming from downstairs; Gamma knew where he was heading to – he had been observing the house for a while through binoculars and knew where vice-mayor had been to; his swimming pool in the cellar.Gamma switched off the eye lights and moved silently to find the fuse box on the other side of the entrance door, where it was usually placed; he switched the light back on – it still took around five to ten minutes for the cameras to get back to work and their previous settings. Gamma’s gaze swept through the luxurious interior of the house: wooden floors, vast windows, marble countertop in the kitchen, and a chandelier made of Swarovski crystals over the dinner table. Immense open space.He won’t enjoy this place for long, Gamma thought and crept downstairs, following his instinct of the night predator. Modern, glass stairs lead him to the cellar where he could behold a swimming pool and Bertrand Bailly’s bulky body floating on its surface on an air mattress. Gamma tilted his head. What a perfect, defenseless victim.  He noticed the politician’s iPhone lying on one of the sun loungers – good, he’d need it later on. With the swiftness of a cat, Gamma brushed past the man – his eyes still closed – and quietly submerged into the water. He had no plans on swimming tonight but this was a perfect occasion he wouldn’t let go; only a quiet lapping of waves and water glimmering on the walls were the witnesses of how Gamma approached the mayor and pushed the syringe into his neck artery. The man jumped in surprise and yelped, almost falling off the air mattress. He started waving his arms blindly until he grew numb and limp like all of Gamma’s previous victims. The murderer moved him closer to the edge of the swimming pool and jumped out of it, soaking wet, then pulled the politician out on the cold tiles with some effort, standing over him.“Hello, Bertrand,” he started.“Merde, it’s you… the policemen’s killer,” the man gasped when Gamma stretched out to get the politician’s iPhone. He took his numb hand and unlocked it with a thumb.“I’m not a policemen’s killer,” Gamma corrected him, squatting behind the limp body, scrolling through the gallery in his phone. He was still using gloves, making sure not to leave any fingerprints. “I’m the killer of all disgusting pedophiles and rapists, you imbecile,” Gamma replied in an almost-amused, mocking tone. Finally, he found the picture of a brown girl in a crop top he was looking for. “Do you recognize her?”The man breathed slowly, staying silent for a longer moment. Gamma got impatient.“I asked, do you recognize her?”“Yes… yes, I do. It’s Abeba, at least that’s how she introduced herself to me,” he replied at last and then Gamma decided to record a video on the man’s phone, instead of only taking a recording. The police would search his phone anyway, so he could leave them another letter. “And how old is Abeba, do you know?” Gamma asked, zooming on the politician’s face.Suddenly, the pathetic swine burst into tears, startling Gamma – this had never happened before. He felt no pity towards him, only growing rage and impatience. “I don’t know, I thought she was eighteen!” he whined.“She is fifteen, you old pervert,” Gamma hissed like a snake, kicking the politician in the testicles. “There were others too, weren’t they? Chailai, Bahar, and Azadeh tell you something?”Gamma remembered, oh he remembered following the politician into the red lights’ district with some of his equally disgusting friends from the party, how they talked to these girls – usually illegal immigrants – grabbed their butts, paid almost nothing for their services. Gamma would talk to these poor teenagers later on, helped them financially, enrolled them for the course of French, so they could escape the poverty and miserable situation they were in.But he couldn’t save everyone. Because who’d save him then?“And your daughter, sweet Pauline?” Gamma asked in an overtly sweet, almost affectionate, voice. He touched the man’s genitals through his swimming shorts. “Didn’t you touch her here, even though she said: No, daddy, I don’t want this?”Gamma grabbed his testicles and twisted them painfully to make the man talk. His scream echoed over the swimming pool and water. “I just… I just… they are so cute when they are this age, I- I may be sick, it’s true, just please, don’t hurt me,” Bailly whined, making Gamma feel even more repulsed by him. “Please, Gamma, don’t hurt me,” he mocked the man’s voice and shook his head, still recording. “Oh no, no way. If I let you go, you’ll still be able to have fun with both of your testicles. And you will do everything to catch me. I cannot allow that,” Gamma turned off the recording and got up to get his suitcase. It was time to get down to business, he had wasted enough time here.Bailly begged him to stop but Gamma stayed inexorable – he took the man’s swimming shorts off and pushed them into his mouth to stop him from screaming – he really didn’t like to be disturbed when he had to focus on carving the letters in the skin and castrating later on. The politician was shuddering impulsively, which didn’t make Gamma’s task any easier; not to mention the sweated skin and soaking wet clothes that weighed heavily on his body.“Et voilà,” Gamma gasped and threw the testicles into the swimming pool, so the police would have to dive to get them. Or not. He didn’t really care now. The pool of blood soon formed underneath his victim and his shoes. Gamma took them off, not to leave too many footprints around the house. “Sleep well, Bertrand. I’ll see you in hell,” he said and took the man’s phone again – this time to switch the cameras off; he needed a safe passage back to the car. But he wasn’t done here yet; Gamma left the dying mayor in agony and stopped on the ground floor. Quietly, he climbed the stairs where the bedrooms were – his wife was sleeping soundly, which was good news, but Gamma had to check on little Pauline. The door creaked when he entered and saw the girl hidden under the blanket, surrounded by an army of plushies.“Don’t worry, he won’t touch you ever again. I promise,” Gamma spoke softly and left the room, the door clicked behind him. Finally, that girl could live a life without the nightly visits of her sick father, hopefully forgetting about it since she was still little – six or maybe seven year old. She deserved to live a happy life and have a childhood that tasted like chocolate ice cream – not like swallowing a barbed wire, which Gamma knew well himself.It was around 1 o’clock when he left the mansion in Le Blanc-Mesnil and headed back to his car, the moon and stars his only witnesses. His sleep consisted of shallow dozes interrupted by hard, disturbing dreams. Louis kept seeing nightmarish visions of Pierre, dead and bleeding, crime scenes flashed before his eyes and he felt as if someone’s watchful gaze was observing him. He hasn’t woken up this exhausted in a while and that morning, he really felt like calling in sick to work. Racing thoughts, recurring flashbacks and a splitting headache didn’t make it any easier to get up, and he was missing Mike so much it caused him physical pain, spreading through his chest and making his muscles go tense. No erotic dreams starring Gamma this time, he concluded with gallows humor as he sighed deeply. Louis dragged his hand across his face as if to get rid of the recent nightmares. He couldn’t even stretch properly, most probably after fidgeting at night, and all he could do was reach for his phone.He knew the police academy’s principal, Quentin, to be a demanding character, but not a heartless one. Louis could call in sick this one time, he decided and sent a short apology to his boss. As expected, the principal didn’t really mind, since Louis hardly ever took sick leave. Damn, he couldn’t even remember the last time he took it, taking his work seriously. This time, Louis was in need of rest and in need of a reply from Mike, which didn’t come. Such a stupid, useless heart, he cursed, making a wry face as he saw that his lover, whom he missed so much, had read his message but left it without reply.In the moment he glanced at the voice recorded on the bedside table, Louis felt a pang in his heart, as well as something that felt like a small red light in his head. And then he realized something else.Gamma’s voice sounded familiar. Alerting red light seemed to flash inside his brain. In fact, that voice reminded him of… no, impossible, Louis frowned and a line formed between his eyebrows. His mind alerted him with the force of an emergency alarm. Something he perceived as impossible was, in fact, an observation he had to consider. He rubbed his eyes, playing the recording again, hoping he’d hear Gamma’s voice differently now. It didn’t happen as the masked man’s voice sounded eerily similar to Mike’s. Louis gasped, wondering if his mind wasn’t playing some tricks on him. Mike being Gamma? No, impossible, he told himself, sitting up in a jerky motion and forcing himself out of bed. Louis splashed some cold water on his face, looking as tired as if he hadn’t slept in days, and dragged himself out of the bathroom to turn on his laptop. He had to give a more careful listen to the recording, he thought. At some point, he should probably let Xavier know that he saw Mike, he just didn’t know whether or not he should mention the voice recorder. The voice recorder with Gamma’s voice on it, he thought, suddenly hit by the realization of the first suspected victim of the masked man. A rabbi in Lyon mentioned in the 2007 case all of a sudden made much more sense. Impossible, Louis thought, feeling his conviction grow weaker and weaker with each passing moment. The dots were connecting, although in a way much stranger than he could ever think.Louis was in such focus that he didn’t immediately notice the news popping up in his browser. The main news service has published news about the murder of Bertrand Bailly, vice mayor of Paris, seemingly so unlikely that he needed half a minute to process the headline.Gamma decided to strike again, the very same Gamma whose recording Louis had in his possession, exactly the same man who executed his abuser, the person who might just be closer to Mike than Louis thought. Bloody hell, what a mess. Bloody fucking hell, Louis has never experienced anything like that. He had to know more, that was for sure. He needed answers, and he needed those from Mike. The mere thought of meeting the man he loved made Louis’ heart somersault. Of course, he still loved Mike even if the man was a murderer, there was no doubt. He loved Mike as the sensitive, passionate and honest man who took care of his close ones, and that was more important than the fact that, well, he could actually be a killer. Or perhaps he was just blinded with feelings, Louis realized while getting ready to go out when the evening was falling and people commuted from work.Would Mike even agree to see him? He couldn’t be sure of that, but by the time Mike’s shift would be ending, Louis has made up his mind. He had the exact address and all the determination he needed to talk to Mike. It felt almost stupid to prepare for this conversation as if he was going on a date, but Louis couldn’t help trimming his beard and taking some care of his exhaustion-ridden face. Mike deserved better than talking to some scruffy coach, he thought and took the voice recorder with him in case Gamma (should he even call him Gamma at this point?) wanted it back. He dressed up, completing the look with a leather jacket, and left home to take line 3 of the Parisian metro, the one he had to change a few stops later to get to 4 rue Delambre.Visiting Mike’s address felt like an eternity ago. To Louis, it was reliving their date, the moments they shared together, their last kiss and the heartbreak that hit him the hardest, so soon after they had to part ways. Whatever was about to happen now, he promised himself not to ruin this moment, not to scare Mike away. Easier said than done, the small critical voice in his head mocked as he realized he was just about to arrive at his place uninvited. This couldn’t wait, though, Louis knew it well as he got out of the underground and headed to Mike’s address, determined to call the intercom to apartment 6 and see him. With his heart pounding, fire growing inside his skin underneath the leather and his thoughts spiraling around Mike, Louis pressed the button of the intercom. The first signal was followed by silence and counting the seconds in between the sounds dragged for unbearably long. Louis swallowed hard as resignation crept up his neck, making his nape and back go tense. Another signal made his stomach knot as if he was hit with the worst news as devastating scenarios swarmed his head, and even though the third signal was just seconds after, he caught himself breathing deeply in and out. He would start shivering if he had to wait any longer, but much to his shock and almost ecstatic joy, the intercom buzzed, allowing him to go in. Mike was inside and he let him in. And in that moment, that was all that mattered to Louis. Mike was exhausted physically but the adrenaline and dopamine were still buzzing in his body, giving him a sense of a well-done job and a much-needed rush of hormones that his brain lacked. That gave him the will to carry on and the strength to get up in the morning to get ready for work.When the coffee was getting ready in the cafetiere, Mike looked at the message from Louis – written shortly after he had given him the voice recorder. Nothing more. Did he even realize what he had listened to, whose voice he had heard? Maybe it’s my last day of freedom, Mike thought, pouring the coffee into a cup. He decided to enjoy this day nonetheless, even if he gets arrested later on. He knew that what he had done was against the law, and he deserved a punishment – but he probably wouldn’t survive the prison, so there was always vecuronium on his night table.He cracked his stiff neck, realized that he still smelled like sweat and blood – yesternight’s shower was short and imprecise, he just threw himself on the bed and fell asleep right afterwards. After an essential cigarette, Mike took a shower and washed his hair to look somehow presentable, despite the dark circles under his eyes which lingered on, no matter how long he had slept.News about Bailly was all around the Internet when he checked it on the subway, on his way to work. He couldn’t hold a smug face when he read about the mutilated body and a recorded video of a confession that police had supposedly found. All of a sudden, two young people, a girl and a boy, got onto the train, their faces covered by black masks, similar to Gamma’s.Mike raised his eyebrows, stunned; he didn’t know that his alter ego had become this popular! That exceeded all his expectations. It was fascinating to watch and it really did well for his ego, he knew that.It made his day even better, and even the workday went a lot faster with the knowledge that there were hordes of people behind his (wrong)doings, supporting his mission and the survivors. Among all the misery, there was hope, Mike thought and even gathered some energy to finally reply to Xavier – his friend deserved that above all others: I’m better, sorry for not replying to you dear. I had some personal issues, don’t be mad at me, he typed and added a heart emoji at the end.Certainly, Mike didn’t expect any guests, besides a police cordon, at his door, so the intercom buzzing came as a surprise. First, he looked through the windows to see if he could see any blue light of the police car there, or a weaponized special squad, but he noticed nothing. "Who's that?" Mike answered the intercom, a frown between his brows. "A friend," he immediately recognized Louis' voice and his heart race sped up. Without thinking twice, he opened the door for him, eager to see him before his arrest, even for a little while. He heard Louis' fast but heavy steps on the winding stairs, and their eyes locked after a moment; Mike understood immediately - he knew. Louis knew that he was Gamma. He looked above Louis' shoulder to make sure there was nobody with him. No police. No other steps approaching. "Are you alone?" Mike asked and let him in when Louis confirmed - even if his word was the only thing he could count on. It didn't mean that he spoke the truth when faced with the murderer himself. "Come in," he added and locked the door behind him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Whatever you see there, don’t judge him, okay?”For a moment, Xavier’s words were ringing in Louis’ mind. He was nearly sprinting up the stairs two at a time, unable to wait any longer.He missed Mike, that was for sure, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of invading the other man’s private space. His sanctuary, so to speak, as someone autistic and fond of routines probably wouldn’t enjoy having uninvited guests over, it dawned over Louis a split second before the door to Mike’s apartment opened.To see him again was a relief too great to be described with any words. None of them even said their greetings nor the other’s name, Mike seemed too alert for that. Even with damp hair, their texture wavy surely after a shower, and eyes that seemed more dark-ringed than usual (has he been crying as well?), he was strikingly beautiful to Louis. He wore tracksuit pants, a black V-neck t-shirt that underlined his body in the most gorgeous way possible, and walked barefoot, something that once again showed he was at home. Seeing him in an environment of a safe, loving home would be Louis’ greatest wish.“I’m on my own. No one followed,” Louis added quickly. After all, he’s been in the police and knew well how to spot someone spying on him. “This… this is yours. Thank you,” he said quietly as he took the voice recorder out of his pocket. The recording belonged to Gamma, Mike’s murderer self, and Louis wanted to make sure it went back to righteous hands. When he handed the object to Mike, coming slightly closer to him, Louis took a gentle hold of Mike’s hand to hold it in both of his big hands, warm from the agitation and excitement. “I’m by your side, Mike,” Louis assured him quietly, brushing his thumb against the soft, warm skin on Mike’s hands. They stood like this for a while, letting the silence fall, undisturbed by any words. Murderer or not, Louis realized he loved Mike truly and deeply. And madly, it dawned on him as the other man looked at him with mixture of confusion, awe and affection. Mike was stunned and confused by this visit, and even more when Louis handed him back the voice recorder that he had given him just the day before; the time dilatation, Mike realized with shock. This seemed to be an eternity ago. He looked up at him, visibly exhausted, but still handsome as the devil himself; Mike missed him so terribly, and this happened rarely - but he left himself no other choice. Louis was dressed just like at their unexpected date back in Silencio, in a leather jacket and black jeans, and that brought both very warm and ambivalent feelings in Mike's heart. "Has it brought you a relief?" He asked seriously and looked at their hands wrapped together. This touch felt good, it released the happy hormones in his body, Mike realized and gently put his other hand on Louis' hairy cheek. "I hope as hell it has. Then it's served its purpose."He took his hands away and put the voice recorder on the coffee table in the living room. "Annelise got her recording too. I hope she also starts healing," he exhaled loudly and opened the window to have a smoke. And just as before, Louis approached him with a lighter to light up his cigarette in the most natural gesture. "Thank you."For a moment, there was silence between them, their gazes wrestled, expecting the other one to turn away first."Now that you know, you have a choice," Mike spoke softly but firmly, cold wind from the window caused goosebumps on his skin. "I couldn't just pull you inside this, Louis. And I couldn't just tell you either, do you understand...? It wasn't easy for me either," he added, mentioning their separation, still not taking eyes off Louis.If he wanted to leave, Mike wouldn't stop him and give him freedom - after all, he was a separate person, not a slave of his. But if he wanted to stay, Mike would be more than glad to take him back in his arms and start this over again; this man made him happy, which was more than anyone had ever done before. What he felt wasn't easy for him to process, and what he felt meant nothing now. Even if he selfishly wanted Louis to choose to stay. Seeing Mike in a state of such agitation, wide-eyed and emotion-filled, was really moving for Louis. He knew he wouldn’t usually open up like this and for that, he was grateful to his lover.“I can only imagine the emotional toll such a double life can take,” Louis reassured him. It was fine and it was natural for it to be exhausting. “I might not understand everything you do, but I can support everything you do, and I want to do this. I want to stay, Mike,” he added, his voice low but decisive.He could say a lot more, but actions spoke more than words. As they stood next to the window, Louis moved closer to Mike, longing for touch and intimacy.“I know that it’s not easy for you and that you might need more time. That’s alright. Please take all the time you need to… to, you know, see what works for you best, explain me certain things,” he went on.For Mike, he had all the patience in the world, and even though their relationship must have had the most unexpected and even chaotic beginning, it was turning out to be the most special one in Louis’ whole life.He saw Mike nodding slightly without breaking eye contact, smoke swirling around them as both men were finishing their cigarettes. Having a smoke together after finally seeing each other felt like home, it made Louis think what they could have every day if they were together, or in any case what they could enjoy every once in a while if somehow, by some chance or miracle, they made it work. Maybe beginning by the simplest things could be the way to start over, it dawned upon Louis who gathered up his courage to move closer to his loved one.“Mike,” he said after a short pause, looking expectingly into the other man’s eyes. After their abrupt separation, he missed Mike so much that each cell of his body seemed to vibrate with this sensation. “Can I kiss you?”“I’ve been waiting for this,” Mike admitted as he moved closer to Louis. “Yes, of course,” came a quiet but eager reply.Louis took a short moment to look in Mike’s brown eyes, fixed in his with anticipation, and put his hand around his partner’s waist. He embraced Mike’s back with his other hand as he put his lips on Mike’s in a long-awaited kiss. It was quite rare for Louis to kiss his partners, too intimate, too tender and almost too frightening, and Mike once again made him question everything he was used to.Their kiss was filled not just with passion and tenderness, it was also like a declaration of this unusual, unexpected feeling between them. After a while, Louis deepened the kiss and pressed his lips to his lover’s in a slightly more intense way, his hand stroking Mike’s lean back and his whole body clinging to his partner’s in an almost desperate need. With all his being, Louis hoped their evening wouldn’t end as abruptly as the last time, and he had a feeling this was exactly what Mike wanted as well. Maybe Louis was an idiot, or maybe they were both insane; either way - God or Devil, help us, please, Mike thought mock-seriously after his partner was adamant about staying with him. Did he even know what he subscribed to?Mike tried everything to keep him at a distance, to stay away from him, but none of them could stay in a senseless void like that, hung in a deadlock. Such life had no meaning for either of them. His mind was racing furiously forwards, recalculating, eyes vague.It was a lot to process but Mike didn't give his brain a chance -- instead, he embraced that moment of now and grabbed Louis' face closer; he purred into the kiss, running his tongue along the seam between Louis' parted lips, tasting him. Kissing was a pleasant luxury. Mike loved it, but only with very few partners in the past -- it felt too intimate for the kinds of hookups and stupid situationships he engaged in, much more intimate than the sex itself.Arousal raced down his spine -- the warmth of Louis so close, the kisses, the sweet words were all new and exciting, stiffening him in his yoga pants. He didn't even feel the cold wind from the window anymore, or that his cigarette burnt his fingertips and fell on the windowsill."I have wasted enough time, Louis," he told him, panting, after he broke the kiss and started it anew with a newly-found passion, almost startled by his own actions, so thirsty for Louis' touch he was; that fire was never extinguished - rather, it waited to be ignited again. "I think-" he gasped again between the frenzied kisses, sneakily trying to take Louis' leather jacket off, see him again. It was almost like a desperate need, and Mike's long leg hooked over Louis' leg while the other man's hand brushed over his butt. "I want to fuck tonight. What do you say-?" He asked, seeking consent on Louis' face.Mike had wickedly deft little fingers, dexterous - he moved them up and down his partner's chest, happy to see him shake his jacket off onto the floor, settling his big hands on Mike's narrow hips."But I'm fine with anything," he added quickly, even though it wasn't really true; he just didn't want to scare Louis away with his mercurial temper, strong-headed and stubborn one. Mike wanted his partner to be certain, he didn't want to do this unless he was sure - it would be their first time actually fucking; it felt important. Mike wanted Louis to be able to look back on their first time with pleasure, not remorse. He was the most-wanted killer in Paris now, or maybe the whole France. It wouldn't surprise him if Louis was hesitant to this idea, knowing what he had done. Louis admired Mike’s direct approach when he heard the question. Society could learn a lot from autistic people, that was for sure – after all, Mike’s straightforwardness didn’t come from nowhere.He nodded energetically before he even had the chance to form a proper sentence and reply.“Yes,” Louis gasped, unable to say anything more for a while. “I want to fuck tonight, more than anything,” he added, pressing Mike’s lean body closer to his.He held his hands on Mike’s hips and stood so close that he could feel his partner getting hard next to his own body, which only made his own jeans feel much tighter as well. Damn, when was the last time another man worked such wonders on him? Louis had a feeling that if they have sex now, they won’t stop anytime soon. “Now tell me,” he began as he slid both of his hands to Mike’s butt to squeeze it gently at first and with some more decisiveness and impatience later on. He bent his back slightly to lower his head and whisper to his lover’s ear, an action that reminded him of their night in Silencio but felt much, much better now that he was doing this again, in the privacy of Mike’s apartment, in anticipation of something much more to come. “Should I carry you to the bedroom?” Louis asked and let his lips slide over Mike’s ear and neck. He also slid one of his hands under Mike’s t-shirt and started stroking his back, delighting in the touch of his warm skin underneath his fingertips.They could just as well stay where they were and move to a sofa or even a kitchen counter, he wouldn’t mind, but there was something about going to the bedroom that just felt more intimate. He didn’t need to wait long for the answer, but before his beautiful partner managed to reply, Louis took hold of his long leg wrapped around him and lifted Mike’s body up. He held his lover pressed to his body, Mike’s face slightly above his, eyes staring back at Louis with fascination and excitement. It looked exactly like the kind of love that can’t be faked, genuine and visceral, and its rawness and power amazed Louis who reciprocated the feeling.“It’s behind the door on the left,” Mike replied, wrapping his arms tighter around Louis. He didn’t need further encouragement, and he felt like all he needed was some sort of confirmation that what he was doing was for real. Louis held his loved one in his arms after kissing him passionately, and they were just about to move things to the next level. And that was something he was more than eager to do with Mike, murderer or not. The man whom Louis loved was Mike, not Gamma – and the affection Mike showed him together, with the way he looked at him, proved that his partner could take off his mask and be fully himself. Mike squealed and giggled when Louis picked him up so suddenly - he didn't expect that! However, it was a lovely surprise, and he expected their night to be full of surprises and wonders from now on only.Louis' question flashed through Mike's head, his words sending an arrow of desire straight to his cock. Not that he needed extra help, already uncomfortably hard after being fondled and kissed in the neck, on the jaw, and touched so eagerly. He was slightly worried about his own performance tonight, so he decided it was only fair to tell his partner about it when they stepped into the bedroom and fell on the bed -- beyond the point of return."I haven't had sex for quite some time, so, please, bear with me, and always tell me if something is wrong. And I'll do the same," he told Louis, suddenly underneath him, which he enjoyed very much so. Did he even christen this bed with any dates? Mike couldn't remember. If not, he was going to baptize it tonight, with the best partner he could imagine.Louis' voice was honeyed, hoarse and low when he was aroused - Mike absolutely loved the sound of it. When his partner agreed to his terms and conditions, unbothered by his rustiness, their lips sealed again in a hungry kiss, while Mike's hands sneakily helped Louis take off his T-shirt. He pulled it through his head, which made his hair spike -- Mike giggled at this view and his soft hands rubbed across Louis' broad chest, fingers carding through the ruff of black hair, then following the trail to his toned belly."I want you to fuck me into next week," Mike rasped, mesmerized by his lover's ripped body, how his big, firm hand moved over his long neck, sliding his thumb between his parted lips. He licked and sucked it obediently, not taking his eyes off Louis; when his partner drew in a deep, measured breath with a low, gravely purr, Mike knew that he enjoyed what he saw -- his pupils dilating with arousal, unmistakable.Louis took his hand away and almost ripped his T-shirt off Mike, which he didn't mind, even if it was Balmain -- Mike, for all his occasional flamboyance, genuinely had a good, albeit expensive, taste in clothes. The t-shirt was in the fucking way, and they were both unbearably horny, and Louis' big, masculine - although nimble - hands were apparently not cooperating properly with him.What Louis promised him sent shivers down Mike's spine; his mouth by Mike's ears, lips warm, whiskers of the beard tickling his skin. He sucked a mark into Mike's neck -- claiming him visibly -- and claimed his mouth in a hot, wet, hungry kiss."Oh yes? We'll see about that," he chatted back to Louis, teasing him. Sure, Mike had met a lot of men who promised to make him sore and unable to sit down for weeks back in the day, but the performance itself was... unimpressive, to say the least. However, this time would already be different than any hookup -- there was mutual trust and, first and foremost, understanding. Mike wouldn't even mind if their sex turned out mediocre -- although, he really doubted so -- being this close to the person he had strong feelings for, was enough for him. Everything Louis did was met with Mike’s passionate response - and the other way round. “I’ll make sure you’ll still feel me tomorrow,” Louis promised in a low purr as his lover traced his naked torso with fingertips. Mike’s touch on his exposed skin felt otherworldly even when they have just started. “And the day after tomorrow…” he teased, shivering slightly as his lover’s hand moved lower down his belly, towards the waistline of his jeans. Mike was quite a tease as well, that was for sure! Louis wanted to make him feel special, he wanted Mike to feel both loved and desired, and so he went on. “…and the whole week, and who knows… maybe we should repeat this next week,” Louis added with a smirk.Mike replied eagerly, licking and sucking on Louis’ thumb a moment after, making him imagine all sorts of obscene scenarios. When he removed Mike’s shirt and heard that sweet, surprised gasp as he sucked on his partner’s neck, he knew immediately he’s done something right – and that the sounds his lover made could just make Louis lose his mind.“You sound so wonderful,” he sighed, his lips against the soft, arousingly hot skin on Mike’s neck. “Give me a while and I’ll make you scream. More than once,” Louis went on seductively, getting even harder at the thought of listening to Mike’s orgasms. He didn’t mind if Mike needed some more time – they had all night ahead of them. “Would you like that, hm…?” Louis decided to tease Mike again as his large hands moved down to his partner’s thighs. He spread Mike’s long legs just slightly wider, hearing his partner gasp and his breath get faster. It was the best reward for Louis who admired the view of half-naked Mike, taking the sight all in – his slender, hairless chest, his flat belly with its soft skin marked only by a thin line of hair, the warm tone of his skin and the birth mark on his left arm.Mike didn’t take long to respond and Louis, encouraged by the reaction, slid his hand between his legs in a slow motion, feeling him through the fabric of his yoga pants.“Beautiful,” he sighed, his breathing heavy and labored when he was just as aroused as Mike. Louis wasn’t just stiffening inside his jeans, he got uncomfortably hard long ago, but right now, his lover was his priority. For a moment, he caressed Mike through clothes, moving his other hand to his partner’s neck. Louis stroked his skin, hot under his fingers, and proceeded to trace Mike’s lower lip with his thumb before giving him one more thirsty kiss, putting his passion and ardor into it. “I want to taste you, babe,” Louis whispered in between kisses. “Let me touch you while I eat this gorgeous ass of yours,” he purred, pinching Mike’s butt. Louis still did that through the other man’s pants, which he soon removed.He feasted his eyes on his beautiful partner, finally having the chance of seeing his long legs, his narrow hips, his circumcised penis that stood proud and hard. Heat overtook his body as Louis felt both arousal and tenderness, admiring his lover, godlike in his eyes.“Fuck, how beautiful you are,” he sighed adoringly. His warm breath must have tickled his partner’s bare skin as he took hold of Mike’s cock, gripping it firmly by the base, while his tongue circled his partner’s hole. Louis wanted to kiss every inch of Mike’s skin, lick him and eat him whole, and giving him pleasure felt so different than being with any of his previous partners. Louis felt alive and aroused beyond words, he wanted to be next to Mike, with him and inside him, and spending the night together was a promise of all that and much more. Mike didn't think clearly at that moment, he stopped a while ago. He'd probably get mad if it was someone else than Louis, tearing his T-shirt on the seams, but it was him, and they were about to spend their first night together; Mike just couldn't wait anymore or care about such mundane things as clothes.It was something new, hearing how much his partner worshipped his body, how reverently Louis spoke about him -- it made Mike both have his heart melt and his dick twitch impatiently."Yes, I'd love that," he squeezed out an answer at last, "just don't make me wait too long, babe," he called Louis like that for the first time, it came out naturally. He didn't give it much thought, though, too focused on the heat of the moment. When Louis' fingers dipped to the hem of his pants, Mike started wriggling impatiently, it dragged a litany of raspy curses out of him, breathy against his lover's skin.He raised his hips up to help Louis undress him completely, impatient; his hand grabbed Louis' forearm, urging him to quietly to get to work and find the way inside him before the mind gets changed. Mike needed skin, he needed friction, and that need started to be unbearable - Louis' touch on his dick sent the fire singing through his veins, dragged a whimper out of Mike's throat.He'd always been vocal in bed, expressing himself freely -- some of his past lovers tried to embarrass him for that, unaware that he simply didn't feel something like shame. Louis didn't seem to mind him singing, on the contrary -- he even seemed to enjoy it, a lot.He pushed Mike's knees up, exposing his butt, spreading him a little. The sight dragged a sigh out of Louis -- he enjoyed the first-row view as he slicked a thumb with spit and trailed it gently across Mike's pink hole, feeling the muscle twitch and flutter under his touch. He stroked a little harder, circling and pressing."God... fuck," Mike breathed, grabbing his cock which stood stiffly, a trickle of slick rolling down its tip. Desire sapped his ability to speak coherently, probably much to Louis' delight who was the cause of all this, after all. He devoured Mike with gusto, sinking his teeth into the succulent buttcheek, and then licking, fingering him open, tongue-fucking him.Mike squealed and shuddered and jerked -- at this point, he felt like he turned into a liquid state under Louis' actions. His limbs were spasming, one errant knee catching Louis in the side of the head. His partner swore something under his breath, startled but undissuaded. And further impassioned by Mike's obvious pleasure.Louis glanced up at him, and gently bit the inside of his thigh, bent to slurp the drizzle of shiny precum off his bobbing cock."I want you, Mike. So fuckin' bad," he growled. "But no more of that shit, okay?"Mike could only nod through the haze of pleasure, unable to say anything, squirming underneath him. Louis got a grip of his lean thighs and flipped him like a pancake, as if Mike weighed nothing, pressing his head down into the sheets, and dragging him up to his knees, backside in the air. Far easier to get back to business and avoid flying knees that way! Mike didn't mind being manhandled like this, he let Louis do his thing because he really did know what he was doing.He spread Mike apart with hands, sucking and biting, licking and working him open until he was loose and twitching, ready to take a cock, even a girthy one, after a break without pain. Before he met Mike, Louis never thought that romantic love, physical desire and some roughness could coexist. Now, there he was, fucking Mike with his tongue as he delighted in each sound his lover made, each shiver and shudder that went through his body. After a while, his hands and his tongue helped Mike stretch enough to take him in, and the slightest thought about fucking him set Louis’ senses on fire. He grunted with some effort, feeling how aroused he was, his cock pushing hard against the fabric of his jeans as his body begged for release.Mike was hot and loosened inside, his hole twitching as his muscles got the necessary stimulation. Louis could feel and also hear that his expressive partner was ready for more. He kept moving two of his fingers inside Mike while he spanked his partner with free hand. With his big hands, even not too forceful slaps could be rough, and his partner’s squeal confirmed this. Louis admired every inch of Mike’s body and sank his teeth into his partner’s buttcheek once again, not having enough of his skin, his taste and his scent.“Look how beautifully you open up for me,” he murmured, lips brushing against his lover’s addictively warm skin. “I could watch you like this forever,” he added in a low voice.Unable to hold any moment longer, he undid his belt buckle and pulled his jeans down, tugging on the fabric as hard as if he wanted to tear it. He heard Mike’s quiet gasp as his partner turned head to look at him, and Louis heard his own muffled grunt when he took off his underwear, making his hard cock poke at Mike’s thigh. Veins protruded on his dick, hot blood pumped in such a rush it almost made his head spin and desire seemed to burn his skin as Louis rubbed against his partner’s shapely ass.“Mike,” he began, his voice raspy from arousal. “Where do you keep lube and condoms? We’ll need those. Now,” he said in a voice so hard and decisive it sounded like a command.“Bedside table, second drawer,” Mike replied hastily, fidgeting slightly as Louis made a pleased grunt.He stopped fingering his partner to reach for the necessary supplies, hearing Mike whimper at the sudden loss. Louis knew that all that waiting was never pleasant and he made sure his partner didn’t need to wait long – he put one of the condoms and the lube on the mattress beside them and grabbed Mike’s waist when his partner turned to him. Mike knelt in front of Louis, wrapping his arms around his neck as he leant to tell him something, and Louis could swear he was about to explode any moment. He gasped when Mike moved forward in a movement that made their cocks rub against each other, teasing him relentlessly. Louis’ mind raced to his hard dreams of Gamma and the nighttime lover sitting astride on him, and the perspective of doing the same with Mike made him restless, more than eager to let Mike ride him at long last. A sudden, forceful spank made Mike jolt and yelp on the bed - the place where Louis slapped him was stinging in the most pleasant way; that brought him back to life from the delightful slumber, he rolled back on his back and sat up, his head spinning from all the stimuli at once."I hope it's the right siz-" Mike paused, his eyes widened, watching how Louis pushed himself back to stand, in order to wrestle himself out of his pants and boxers, having a breathy sigh of relief when his already-slick cock sprang free. Damn, it was big and girthy, slightly veined, ranging from red through pink to white, uncircumcised. Mike stared at it, wondering how it can fit inside his tiny asshole and not rip him apart. He wasn't even sure anymore if he had ever been with a partner this well-endowed before, but it didn't matter now -- they could always stop if there was any discomfort."Don't kill me with this," he asked playfully when Louis tossed the rubbers and the lube tube on the bed. Louis' hands were uncharacteristically clumsy when he put the condom on and spread the lube on the whole length of his dick -- a lovely feast waiting to be devoured, Mike thought, touching himself in the meantime, moving his wrist in swift, circular movements.He applied some lube against his own dick as he moved closer to Louis sprawled on the bed, asking him to be ridden; the friction of their rigid cocks sliding and grinding together, eased just enough by the lube, made his blood boil with desire and pulled another litany of raspy curses underneath his nose."P'tain, I've dreamed about it," Mike confessed with a purr, lowering himself to tease Louis' dick a bit more, sliding it between his buttcheeks before he grabbed it firmly and aimed at his hole."Good boy... Christ look at you," he heard Louis gasp as he put one of his hands on his hip, and the other one on the base of his cock to help Mike aim better. "How fucking lucky can a man be."Mike sucked in a sharp breath when the head slid inside him, however, he realized soon enough that there was no pain, no discomfort either -- only pleasure. That came as a relief to Mike who'd usually have to wait through the pain with gritted teeth for the moment of bliss. Not this time though. Despite Louis' impressive size, he took him in whole, enjoying the moment of togetherness and wholeness fully. This moment was even better than what he had imagined -- they fit each other perfectly, just like two lost pieces of the same jigsaw, and Mike took immense satisfaction out of this fact.He swallowed sharply before he started to move his hips, trying to find the right angle and rhythm, staying in tune with his body all the time. He leant over Louis' sweat-slick torso, forward, letting him bury balls-deep into his body. Fuck, this felt good, Mike moaned and moved faster, his butt met Louis' hips halfway, fucking him hard and steady, murmuring sweet words of encouragement.Mike reached for his dick to stroke himself in time with his dance on Louis' dick, shifting the angle to help him find his sweet spot, which was announced with a happy (and loud) whimper."Oh yes -- like this," he rasped, breathless, as he was riding his partner tirelessly, feeling a slick of warm precum roll over his fingers. He could feel the tension building in Louis' body, the way his dick started to twitch and flutter, swelling up inside him, filling him up tightly. He wasn't far from cumming either -- Mike felt the slow, steady build of heat in his own belly, the fire singing through his veins; he knew he couldn't be far behind. “Come closer,” Louis urged Mike, pronouncing the words with certain effort, his voice coarse. “I want to fill you up, babe,” he gasped, grabbing Mike’s butt in a greedy motion, squeezing it in a rush of passion. “Yes… yes, just like that,” Louis sighed, grunting as his partner lowered himself over his chest, taking him in deeper and faster.In that moment, it wasn’t enough for Louis to have Mike riding him, taking his whole length in, balancing on his cock in the most entrancing movements. Louis desired more skin-to-skin contact, more of the sensation of Mike’s muscles squeezing him inside, more of the moaning and cursing and gasping that his partner uttered so eagerly. He couldn’t have been more excited to listen to Mike losing his self-control, showing him his bold, shameless side. He couldn’t have imagined a better sensation than filling Mike up as the man above him shivered and squeezed around his twitching dick.Louis’ whole body jerked in an ecstatic spasm. He felt the heat spread through his lower abdomen when he hit Mike’s prostate – fuck, this felt so good, almost too good. While his lover was riding him skillfully and tirelessly (he’d never say Mike had a break from sex!), Louis kept grinding his hips against Mike, constantly eager for more.“Don’t stop,” Louis panted while Mike was riding him frantically. “I want to come inside you,” he added, his words turning into a growl as Mike tightened around him again. It didn’t matter that he was wearing a condom – talking to his partner this way turned him on even more.Nothing felt better than being with Mike, deep inside him, letting him squeeze out all his passion, lust and energy. Louis didn’t stay behind him, grabbing Mike’s hips and kneading his lean thighs, moving underneath his breathtaking lover. All the pleasure cumulating in his body made him want to shut his eyes and let go, but at the same time, he wanted to feast his eyes on Mike and remember this image forever. Louis felt the heat spreading through his body like wildfire while he looked at his lover closing his eyes, his long lashes casting shadows on that gorgeous face, he shivered ecstatically when Mike opened his mouth or bit his lip, overwhelmed by pleasant sensations.“Fuck,” Louis grunted when his cock twitched spasmodically inside Mike, his hips bucking up in an almost violent way. “Mike… I’ll come if you keep doing this,” he gasped, accenting his words with a moan when his cock hit Mike’s prostate again. His lover squealed and sighed on top of him, his eyes shut and his mouth open, which was one of the most beautiful sights in Louis’ life. In a sudden rush of unstoppable pleasure, Louis closed his eyes as well, sensing the orgasm creeping onto his body. He jolted under Mike as the first spasms gripped his lower belly and made him lose all control, made him forget everything. He died a small death by his lover’s side, ready to both live his life and die a thousand small deaths with Mike. "Come for me, Louis, give it to me," Mike urged him, egging him on, moving on him faster, stroking himself harder, loving the view of his gorgeous partner with his back arched, his forehead damp with sweat, moving his hips as if his life depended on it on the last trail before the finish line.Mike didn't want to cum so quickly, so he was wrestling with the upcoming storm, but he was losing. All the pleasant stimuli were attacking him from all directions, making him lose his mind and power to fight the irresistible. Thoughts started dropping out of his head, one by one, until there was nothing. Tabula rasa.A sudden clench caught him off-guard, sucking the breath out of him in a surprised "Oh, merd--" that turned into a strangled shout. His hips stuttered as he lost his rhythm, a wave of pleasure washing over him. He hung on for dear life, their bodies locked together, both lost in sensation.Louis melted underneath him, falling onto the sheets, and Mike -- still spasming -- fell on him, dazed and blinking, Louis' cock slid out of him."Jesus fuckin' Christ," Mike croaked, breathless, rolling to the side, his semen covered his own and Louis' abdomen, warm and sticky. His partner wrapped his hand around his dick, with barely enough presence to keep the condom in place until he pulled out fully. With whatever conscious thought he could muster, he peeled it off and knotted it, dropping it to the floor to be dealt with later, when they could both move and think properly again."Louis, what the fuck was that?" Mike asked with a husky voice when his partner collapsed back next to him and flung his arm around Mike's middle, heedless of the mess. "That was-" he paused again, unable to find the most suitable word. Exhilarating? Amazing? Otherworldly? All these words seemed to be mundane in comparison to what he'd just experienced.Louis was next to him, blinked, looking hazy; he was flushed, breathless and sweaty and gorgeous, the view that absolutely mesmerized Mike, the view that he wanted to behold every day. He knew that it was just oxytocin running freely in his veins, bonding them together, but he didn't give it much of a thought now, instead -- he put his hand on Louis' hairy cheek to stroke it gently. Louis reacted to Mike’s caress with a low, guttural purr. Their hasty, thirsty sex that got rough at times was followed by a moment of tenderness and affection, which he welcomed.“That was better than anything I could have imagined when I showed up unannounced,” Louis whispered with a smirk and reached to Mike’s forehead to brush away a few strands of unruly hair, now dried from their body heat.He held his other arm around Mike’s waist, not wanting to let go of his partner, not just yet. Was that what it was like to have sex with someone he loved? If so, Louis was already getting addicted to that feeling, still unable to wrap his mind around their hot, sweaty sex, intense but also oozing a certain kind of affection which none of them was sure how to show. He was slowly coming to terms with that as he stroked and caressed Mike’s back.“Should I get us some water?” he suggested, realizing that both he and Mike were still panting slightly, their bodies in need of rest – at least for now. Louis was quite certain that the second round was coming soon, they just needed a moment to process it, enjoy each other’s bodies in a more relaxed, probably spend a while cuddling. With casual partners, cuddling was optional and Louis would rarely do that, but with Mike, it felt as natural as if they’ve known each other for ages. He cared deeply about Mike and his body was still buzzing in the post-coital haze, the recent orgasm making him feel otherworldly.When his partner nodded, Louis kissed him shortly on the lips and got up from the bed. He didn’t need long to get a glass of water, but he did take his time when he came back to the bedroom and stood at the door for a moment, admiring Mike’s naked body sprawled on the messy sheets.“Look at yourself, so beautiful,” he sighed, not taking his eyes off Mike. “Just how lucky a man can be?” Louis was awestruck and he wanted Mike to know it. He wanted his lover to know what wonders he worked on him and how he made him feel, and Louis hoped Mike felt just as comfortable around him, mask off, free to be who he really was. Mike sighed, a deep sound of weary contentment, when Louis’ hand gently stroked his back and then tugged him nearer. He went willingly, scooting closer, turning his face to the side to kiss Louis’ mouth. The downside of riding a dick – a rousing, eminently satisfying fuck, spectacular in fact, and the lovely view of Louis from above, but no opportunity to kiss him or gaze too long into his eyes while he was inside.The thought startled Mike – he had always had problems with eye contact, and never had the slightest desire to gaze deeply into anyone’s eyes while being boned, or boning them, or be fucked long and slow face-to-face for kissing purposes. But it was Louis and, somehow, that made everything different, in all sorts of ways he hadn’t expected. It was new, yes, and Mike wasn’t sure yet how to navigate it.“Yes, please,” Mike rasped and latched onto Louis half-heartedly, making a purposefully cartoonish little whine of disappointment when he got up anyway. Truth be told, though, water sounded lovely; Mike’s throat was dry as a bone. He rolled over to watch this man who used to be a stranger just a few weeks ago, and now he had become one of the dearest persons to him. Strange are the ways of a psychopathic romance, he thought amused.Mike took a long look at Louis when he returned with a glass of water, filling his eyes with the sight of his partner’s lovely shaped naked backside and toned body, still glowing pink with exertion and damp with sweat, hair a spiky mess – Mike knew that he must have looked similar. What a lovely sight -- one he looked forward to seeing on the regular. And wondered, honestly, why Louis had decided to stay with him despite knowing his alter ego.“Hmm, you think so?” Mike accepted the cup gladly, rising up on an elbow to chug it down. He set the cup aside and wiped the stray drops off his stubble with a forearm. “You think you’re lucky? It’s good, because so do I,” he nudged Louis playfully with his foot when, suddenly, he caught it and attacked Mike with tickles!A loud shriek and giggles left his throat, rolling on the bed spasmodically to catch any ‘weapon’ within reach – a pillow had to do, then. He slammed it over Louis’ head but his partner was stronger – well, Mike could easily forget that he was an ex-cop, after all – and tore the pillow out of his hands so violently, that a few feathers slipped out of it!“You silly, this is what happens when you attack me!” Mike couldn’t stop giggling, and his giggling was infectious; Louis found himself chuckling, suddenly over him, with his mouth by Mike’s ear. A single feather fell on Louis’ head, making his hair look like a nest. Mike removed the feather and let it fly somewhere on the floor. “Hmm, this feels nice,” his chuckles faded into a breathy, contented purr when he felt Louis kissing his ear, a very enervated area. “You can do it as often as you like,” he sighed, eyes closing, content and tingly. “Daily. Multiple times a day, preferably.” As an outgoing, kind-spirited extrovert, Louis was no stranger to making others laugh and bringing a smile even to a total stranger’s face. With Mike, however, acting silly together and sharing all the heartfelt laughs and uncontrolled giggles was something that felt different, more genuine, meaningful and joyous. He was amazed by the intimacy they already started to share as they could go from working out sweaty, hot sex, the scent of which still lingered on their bodies, to fighting with pillows and laughing so loud they must have been heard by the neighbors.And as if this wasn’t enough, Mike responded to his gentle kisses in a heartbeat, purring as Louis kissed his ear, his beard brushing against Mike’s face.“Multiple times a day, mmm?” he repeated his lover’s words and moved his lips slightly lower to suck on Mike’s earlobe. “With pleasure. You’ll keep me busy for hours with such a gorgeous body,” Louis whispered in awe.He kissed the sensitive skin behind Mike’s ear and continued to trace his jawline with kisses, making him gasp and giggle. Louis could never have enough of listening to his partner in such a state, just as he wasn’t tired of sensing Mike’s skin right next to his. After all, Louis’ muscular body with his toned arms and broad, hairy chest complemented Mike’s willowy frame and much smoother skin. He raised himself on an elbow to admire his lover in full glory again and his gaze fell on the love bite on Mike’s neck, a faint reddish pink mark against his olive-colored skin. Louis bent his neck to kiss this spot on Mike’s skin, gently and without sucking this time, and touch his partner’s neck with his fingertips.“Wasn’t I too rough…?” he asked quietly as it dawned on him that he might have been too forceful in his gestures. Tall and well-trained, as well as experienced both in the police and the special unit, Louis was used to his physical strength and sometimes forgot it easily. “If I used too much strength, please, let me know. But do tell me in case you’d like more of it,” he asked Mike, hoping that his loved one didn’t mind being manhandled earlier this night. After all, Louis hasn’t been gentle all the time! They seemed to be almost perfectly synchronized, their bodies in tune, but Louis wouldn’t forgive himself if something he did was against Mike’s will and wellbeing. This sudden question made Mike sigh with affection – Louis really cared about him and his well-being, and that melted his heart. He stared at his partner for a moment, processing what he just heard – he knew that his gaze could be intense or intimidating sometimes, but Louis didn’t seem to be bothered by it.“You weren’t,” Mike shook his head. “You can freely use more of it. I’m not vanilla at all, I enjoy all the rough sex, slapping, choking, light pain, some BDSM-aspects as well, and I’m always open and happy to discuss new ideas. You just need to speak plainly with me if you want to try something, just like you did now,” he finished with a shrug, grateful that Louis asked – contrary to some, he couldn’t read minds, even if he was a genius in his scientific field. Other relationships left him often frustrated with the lack of proper communication, that’s why Mike stopped dating at all, too tired to handle it anymore.This time, it seemed to be different, and Louis – a man of surprises, in the most positive way.“But for now—” Mike paused, doodling something with his fingers on his partner’s chest, combing with his bare fingers through the ruff of soft, black curls that spread across his ribcage, narrowing into a trail down his belly. “You promised me that I wouldn’t be able to walk after tonight’s encounter,” he huffed a breathy laugh into the curve of Louis’ neck, inhaling their mingled smell of cologne, musk, lube, and sex creating an intoxicating blend together. “And I still am able to.”“Ah yes. The Dick of Destruction still has work to do; I did promise that, didn’t I-?” Louis teased him with a lazy smile, making Mike burst out into laughter again – it was a hearty, genuine laughter, something that was lacking these past days so badly. “I'll be carrying you out of here like a sack of potatoes tomorrow morning. Or... hmm... over one shoulder, like a Viking carrying off his bride. That sounds better, eh? More romantic; sexier. Nothing sexy about potatoes.”“Louis-!” Mike’s shoulder were shaking as he continued to laugh until his stomach hurt. He gave his partner a not-so-gentle slap on the butt for destroying the intimate atmosphere with his jokes. “Magic Mike and The Dick of Destruction,” he managed to squeeze out of his throat suddenly, bringing Louis to happy tears this time. “This sounds like the worst German porn movie ever!”His partner took up the mood and, suddenly, they were in bed, after a session of intense, raw fucking, laughing like old friends or an old, married couple – this was new, but so beautiful in its simplicity. Mike and Louis spoke the same language, mutually comprehensible – and that was something that he hadn’t experienced in a long time.When they finally calmed down, Mike climbed on Louis and sat on his toned stomach, which was followed by a loud oof from his partner’s side. He bucked his hips playfully to bounce Mike up and down, making him giggle again – this was so innocent and perfect, Mike felt as if he was a child again. He arched his back to kiss Louis and equally playfully pull his lower lip before he sat back up.“There’s something you don’t know,” he started in a scary way but the smile was hiding itself in the corners of his lips. Mike wasn’t good at pretending, so he quickly burst out into a chuckle. “Oh, don’t worry, babe! It’s nothing scary… or maybe it is?” he raised his eyebrow. “When I’m not in a relationship, I forget about sex’s existence and become a hermit. But when I’m back in a relationship, I become a nymphomaniac, and can do it anywhere, all the time. Even if it’s… mediocre, like before with others,” Mike finished with a shrug. “Just a little curio and a heads-up, so you don’t get surprised soon,” he giggled, using the word relationship for the very first time out loud. Louis nodded attentively as Mike mentioned the rougher, kinkier side of sex, and welcomed it with an approving grunt.“Being rough’s always been my thing, as you can see,” he admitted. After all, he wanted to give it all while having sex and enjoyed experiencing it red hot and raw. “I think that slapping, choking and pinching are something that I can arrange without issues as well…” Louis murmured the sultry promise as he dragged his big hand down Mike’s ribs and slid it towards his partner’s hip and gradually his butt. He really felt like spanking Mike again (not to mention that his squeals were a sound Louis loved!), but instead, Louis satisfied himself with a light pinch on Mike’s bum. They would surely have time for more afterwards, he realized. More teasing and spiciness, but also caresses and cuddling, more thirsty, raw sex just as well as tender, emotion-filled lovemaking. Their future could prove to be challenging (it’s not every day you end up in one bed with a murderer, Louis thought and smiled at the realization that he’s had what must have been the best sex of his life with a wanted man), but whose wasn’t? Their connection, as unlikely as it was, started in such a rewarding way and promised to be such a relationship that Louis wanted to give his best and more.Yes, relationship - when he heard Mike talking about being “ back in a relationship,” Louis was all ears again, his heart fluttering at the possibility which Mike also considered. Of course he’s noticed the seriousness in Mike’s gaze and the affection in his actions, but getting to hear that from him meant just as much.“Well, I hope you don’t get too surprised either when I end up wanting sex just as often,” he decided to reply in a slightly playful tone. “When I trust someone in a relationship and know they feel the same way with me, safe and taken care of, I’m turned on all the time,” Louis added.With Mike, he was sure he would always be left craving more.Louis was eating up his lover with a greedy gaze, all eyes on him in an everlasting awe.And since he was the one to appreciate open, clear communication, Louis wanted to speak with his lover about one more thing.“Not to sound like a sex addict, I used to have one-night stands and flings in gay clubs. And I mean… many flings,” he began. He knew this was nothing to be ashamed of - hell, he hasn’t worked through his guilt and the feelings of past, grooming-related shame for nothing. At the same time, he was also aware, and painfully so, how even people who seemed open-minded would sometimes turn into prudes when confronted with people who were open about their sexual preferences. “I use protection every time and I check myself regularly. Of course I’m done with it, I’m not into polyamory or anything like that,” he assured Mike quickly. Once he was in a relationship, he had no willingness to engage in casual sex with strangers or acquaintances. Hell, he believed that having one’s dick cut would be a fair punishment for cheating - and as someone who’s been cheated on while he was in a toxic relationship with Pierre, Louis knew how much partner’s unfaithfulness could hurt. Memories of the turbulent times in this harmful relationship would sometimes come back, but his mind was much calmer when Mike was around him. Louis could see that his partner approached romantic relationships seriously and he couldn’t thank him enough for that. “It’s good that you’re done with it. Because I don’t like to share with others,” Mike whispered in a seductive voice, maybe slightly frightening, considering the fact that he was a murderer. He leant over and stuck out his tongue to lick Louis’ upper and lower lip in a sweet torture before he kissed him properly, making a gentle moan when their tongues met again.“What’s the most exciting or strangest place you had sex in?” Mike asked a ribald question, smirking in a mischievous way, remembering how he himself found himself in encounters in a car, elevator or in a park with someone from the past. Louis had surely a much more luxuriant past, which he didn’t mind – on the contrary, Mike hoped that now, they could make even more interesting memories together.And they were already doing exactly that -- in Mike’s bed, a killer’s secret lair, barearsed and still sweaty from their last go-round, laughing while Mike sat on Louis’ dick. Which was, after a brief break, beginning to sit up and show interest again. Mike leant forward and reached behind himself, latching onto Louis’ half-erection, fingers wrapped tightly around it as though it was his prize possession. Which maybe it was; Louis probably wouldn't have minded that at all“There’s this place in my lab,” Mike started, the idea sending a fresh rush of blood southwards and a tingle down his nerves, he felt himself thickening as well.“Where we look at pictures of fractures, cells and whatnot. It’s like a huge table with a LED-light underneath. I’ve always thought it’s a perfect place to fuck on,” he bit his lower lip and sensed his partner’s dick stiffen in a loose grip of his fingers.“Or sucking me somewhere in Jardins du Luxembourg… or making me suck you in Buttes Chaumont park,” Mike finished innocently, speaking so calm of his wicked ideas as if he spoke about the weather; the goal was to build the atmosphere back up, and it was probably working, judging by his partner’s guttural moans and the way he rolled his hips under him, fucking up into his grip.Mike was definitely a teaser, he loved watching his partners' face grimace, eyes light up when he played his little game. Mike’s ideas worked on Louis’ imagination and the way he presented them was even better, his voice low and tempting. No, not just tempting – downright irresistible for Louis whose arousal was obvious by now, and Mike was the one who knew it the best. The unmistakable pulsating in Louis’ abdomen was a clear sign of the heat entering his body and sending the blood rush downwards, obscene visions coming back to his mind, his cock getting hard again.“Oh, fucking in an elevator’s a real classic, which doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to try again with you...” Louis smirked at the thought. He recalled his numerous quickies (which, to be fair, weren’t always all that quick) in the parks, in a toilet on a train and on a cruise ship, a photo booth and that one time he almost hooked up at a cemetery. Some of the narrowest spaces ended up with a hit on the head more memorable than the orgasm itself and Louis didn’t forget to mention that as well!“That place in your lab… the perfect spot, it seems. Will you show it to me someday…?,” Louis murmured and let out a stifled moan when Mike’s grip tightened on his dick as if he wanted to give him an affirmative answer. Louis spent a moment to calm his quavering breath, uneven from Mike’s lustful actions, and looked his lover in the eyes. “Mhmmm, that Jardins du Luxembourg trip has to happen,” he spoke the last words slowly, emphasising how much he anticipated it. “Let me take you to parc de Sceaux? Watch the cherry blossom in the daytime and stay the night. We could go for missionary style so you can watch the stars if my face gets too red and ugly, and…,” Louis suggested half-jokingly, mere seconds before losing his cool. The seductive, controlled demeanor melted away as Mike bent down and circled his tongue around the head of Louis’ dick which was already glistening from slick and getting wetter from his partner’s saliva.“Go on,” Mike said softly, as casually as if they were just chatting by a coffee table and not lying in bed naked, his face so close to Louis’ cock that he felt his warm breath on the exposed skin. What a seductive devil! If he really expects me to speak, he’s probably overestimating me, Louis thought, frowning in effort.“…and I can have a great view on you this way,” he stammered as his shaky breath turned into panting. “Fuck, Mike,” Louis groaned. “Suck me or I’ll explode,” he uttered, moaning after his words, probably sounding like a wounded animal entirely on someone’s mercy. Mike’s presence has already started to work on him like a drug, and he could swear he’d suffer from withdrawal if his lover stopped his actions. Sometimes, it was best to leave some things unspoken, make them linger in the air for a while, left for the imagination. Mike was usually a typical visualizer type of man, but he also loved weaving the stories, which left a lot for imagination. The ambiance between them shifted again, from funny and goofy one, to hot and sensuous one again.“Missionary in Sceaux?” he repeated after Louis, thinking out loud in a theatrical way. “Oh, I think I’d need a gag or your hand, because I wouldn’t for anything in the world stay quiet.” He chuckled, feeling the atmosphere build up again, the filthy stories told by Louis in a low, manly voice made the blood rush from his head to the South. Not that he’d need any blood in his head now – there was nothing to think of, just act.“Hmm, I do love the thought of being watched, there’s something… arousing about it,” he mumbled, moaning gently when he leant over his partner’s cock to cover its head with small kisses and his spit. His tongue spoke of secrets he was willing to share in an ancient language known only to lovers. “No, don’t cum yet,” he warned, excited to see the sparks in Louis’ eyes again, as if something lit up behind them. “Merde, just thinking about this trip gets a person going,” Mike chuckled, equally as horny as Louis by now, who stretched and rolled his hips languidly as Mike gripped him.He wasn’t sure if he was any good at it, not very confident in his oral skills, but that was the first time doing it with Louis, so he knew that he’d have to do his best. Mike dragged his tongue down the hairy chest, leaving a wet trail on the warm, still sweat-damp skin. Louis’ personal, musky scent was arousing, intoxicating him, making him dizzy with desire.“Beautiful,” he commented and dragged his tongue from his partner’s inner thigh to his dick. Then he licked his lover’s whole, impressive length, which made Louis moan sweetly. Such a wonderful sound it was! Mike wanted to hear it again, and, most importantly, he wanted to pleasure his lover. He let his tongue circulate around the head for a moment and when he could see that Louis got more impatient, he took him in the warmth of his mouth. He realized that he enjoyed Louis’ taste and his delighted gasps only made the whole experience better for Mike.His own erection was killing him, his cock throbbing, pinned against the mattress and leaking -- it wasn’t easy to hold back, but Mike did his best to ignore it for the moment - slicking a finger with spit and dragging it lightly across Louis’ hole, then circling gently, sucking softly on one ball and then the other, purring under his breath with want and delight.And finally licked a broad, wet stripe along the sensitive underside Louis’ cock -- tantalizingly slow, his stubble tickling -- before dipping his tongue into the slit to gather the slick collected there. It was just as delicious as Mike had expected, the pleasure only heightened by the way Louis gasped and wriggled under him.He gazed up along Louis’ body, locking eyes with him for a moment. “Goddamn,” he rasped appreciatively. “Look at you, bébé.” And descended on Louis’ cock again, pulling the tip into his mouth and lavishing the tender spot just below the head with his tongue. Sucking dick had always turned Mike on ferociously; with a ragged groan, he rolled his hips, grinding his own aching cock into the sheets beneath him. Re-slicking his finger, he resumed stroking Louis’ hole, then took him in deeply, swallowing him down and sucking rhythmically. Exactly when Louis thought that Mike couldn’t get any better than this, his lover proved him wrong. Mike didn’t just pleasure him - he was pleasuring him and enjoying what he did, Louis could tell by his purring and groaning. Was that the sound sheets made when someone was grinding on them? The fact that Mike was getting hot and horny too was additionally arousing for Louis who already writhed under all the pleasant stimuli.Mike’s tongue over his skin left a warm, wet trail on his body that almost burnt afterwards, so pleasant it was. He didn’t skip anything as he moved down, and in addition to handling Louis’ stiff cock, Mike massaged the sensitive area around his hole and sucked on his testicles for a moment. When was the last moment any of his partners did that so well? None of them could compare to Mike, not when he worked wonders on him, making him shiver, groan and gasp frantically, driving him crazier and crazier with each moment. So crazy, in fact, that Louis could hardly take it. His cock throbbed in Mike’s mouth, but his body kept begging for more, restless and thirst-ridden.“Mike… Mike, come here,” Louis gasped in between his spasmodic breaths, hardly able to form even a short sentence. “I love what you’re doing, but I want to fuck you now,” he told his partner, sinking his hand in Mike’s hair and pulling his head up in a slow but decisive gesture.Before he even managed to ask if his lover was okay with that, Mike gave him a foxy smile and licked the whole length of his dick once again, purring slightly as he did so.“Come here and fuck me,” he encouraged Louis, turning his back on the taller man.Louis didn’t need to hear it twice and the sight of Mike changing his position unlocked something primal inside him. There was nothing he wanted more than being with Mike and being inside him - preferably in an even rawer, hotter setting than before.Louis reached for another rubber and tried to open it, which wasn't an easy task in the ever-increasing arousal and frenzy.“Merde,” he cursed as his hands shook, his fingers suddenly clumsy. Fuck it, Louis thought and tore the condom wrapper open with his teeth, too impatient to wait any longer. “Let me prepare you a bit” he gasped, struggling with putting on the condom for a bit before he stretched out his hand to get some lube. He squeezed it out and warmed up in his fingers just for a while and spread Mike’s ass cheeks to massage the lube inside his twitching hole, both men trembling with impatience for what was about to come. Louis smeared some more lube on his dick, which was achingly hard.“Fuck, you are perfect,” he sighed in a sudden rush of utmost affection, staring at Mike’s lean, graceful back arched and his butt sticking up. “How about we fuck near the mirror sometime so both of us have a good view, hmmm…?” he suggested and made a low grunt, rubbing himself against Mike’s hole and feeling as if he was about to explode any moment. Hell, he was way too horny to wait, he realized with a guttural moan, and it was in a sharp, hasty motion that he started pushing his dick inside Mike. “Huh?” Mike asked with his mouth full of cock, suddenly roused from the haze of pleasure, a trail of Louis’ warm precum trickling down his lips. He looked up at his lover, processing his request only after a while. The hair-pulling set his nerves sparking, leg muscles fluttering under his skin; this certainly promised to be a good fuck, although, honestly, even a mediocre quickie from Louis would be a thrill in a state Mike was in.Dear God – what was he doing to him? It was, Mike decided, like being ten years younger, getting sprung every time a strong breeze blew past, being ready to go again so quickly. Louis worked on him in a way he had never expected himself to react – so eager and restless, spreading his buttcheeks for another man with his back up in the air, ready to be taken and devoured now and then.“Fuck me,” Mike asked again, in an almost beseeching way. “Louis, please—” he moaned, almost like a boy who couldn’t wait any longer for his Christmas gift; and that night, it was almost like Christmas, Mike had been waiting for it for so long that he almost forgot that anything else existed besides this one moment of celebration. His hands clutched onto the sheets as if he was about to drown in delight, his mouth producing too much saliva which soaked into the fabric, which was already wet with their semen, sweat, sex, and cologne.A shudder pierced Mike through and within when Louis’ dick rubbed against his entrance, squeezing inside again, where he needed him the most. Mike’s hand wandered immediately to his dick to stroke himself and multiply the growing pleasure. The sublime torture ended at last, giving aching Mike the relief he needed – he was tensing, brow knit and eyes squeezed shut as Louis sped up his thrusts. And then groaned, a near-sob that turned into a pained laugh, when he slowed down again.“Ah, putain -- Christ, babe,” he breathed, letting Louis do what he wanted, toy with his frail, lean frame, toy with him in any way he wanted. He couldn’t do much anyway in this position, only buck his hips to meet Louis’ halfway with a slapping noise of their sweat-damp bodies. Every thrust pulled a whimper out of Mike’s throat, and even a shriek when his partner grabbed his arm in a firm movement and pulled it back to immobilize him even more – this worked like a catalyst which set Mike’s loins on fire, and he climaxed like a firehorse, spasming, with a thoroughly undignified outcry that echoed off in the bedroom, muted slightly by the mattress and sheets by his face.“P’tain de merde,” he'd muttered, blank-eyed and blinking, once he'd stopped shaking. He'd shot what felt like a gallon of spunk, along with what must have been fully half of his brain cells. Had temporarily lost track of where he was, and lost the ability to string words together coherently. He slumped down onto the bed when his partner went out of him with a loud groan.Once Mike’s power of speech returned, he chuckled, a wheezy laugh. “You are horrible. Evil,” he told Louis fondly. “And I adore you. Exquisite,” Mike rasped again, suddenly back in his lover’s arms as he embraced him lovingly – a stark contrast to their raw, animalistic fucking just a moment ago; the orgasm had flushed all the tension from his body, the tightness dissolving like sugar in hot tea, leaving only bliss instead. Cuddles were just what Louis needed after the second round of sex, harsher and hastier than the first one. He came hard and fast, the intensity of their intercourse was making his head spin. Both of them were still panting when their bodies found a way towards each other again, and Louis put his arms around Mike in a loving, almost protective gesture, so different from their rough sex.Louis embraced his partner closely and leant slightly to kiss his temple, pressing his lips under Mike’s hairline and tasting the sweat on his hot skin. It was only after a while Louis processed Mike’s words of praise and affection. Mike was just as fond of him and what they did as Louis was, and hearing his lover’s words made him murmur happily.“Do you even know how wonderful you are?” Louis whispered and brushed some hair off Mike’s face. “I love being around you. So, so much,” he whispered as if saying anything louder could ruin the intimate atmosphere. He didn’t dare saying that he loved to be with Mike (or that he loved him, which could be interpreted as too much) but the other man’s presence filled Louis with awe, tenderness and almost inexplicable joy. And that hasn’t really happened with anyone before.He kept giving Mike small kisses along his cheekbone and on his jaw, enjoying each moment they got to spend together. Louis admired his partner’s scent, even more arousing now that they spent the evening on fucking, and Mike’s personal smell mixed with their sweat, the scent of fresh sheets, the body care products he used… Mike’s shower that made his hair curl in the sweetest way possible seemed so long ago now, Louis realized with a smile.He heard Mike giggle too, his beard tickled his lover’s naked skin and must have sent pleasant but slightly irritating shivers running down his neck.“I love when you do this… it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard,” he added almost in one breath as he raised himself slightly to behold the view that Mike’s naked body next to his was. Louis was ever-aroused when he was with Mike, obviously, but the post-coital bliss and affection seemed to melt his heart when he kept looking at his gorgeous partner. He didn’t just enjoy Mike’s looks, scent and sounds to the fullest, it wasn’t even about his skills and sexual performance, which left him stunned and ecstatic. Next to Mike, Louis felt genuinely happy. He could tell that he was seen and heard instead of judged, and he was quite sure Mike also wanted to work out their connection to call it a romantic relationship, healthy and supportive, sooner rather than later.Louis wasn’t used to feeling both love and lust simultaneously - and definitely not with such intensity - and he needed to wrap his head around this emotional state. What calmed him down was the fact that Mike seemed just as excited as he was, despite the initial confusion and the unlikeliness of their encounter. But perhaps that was too much thinking for now, Louis realized and once again shifted his focus to his lover reclining on the crumpled sheets. He traced the skin on Mike’s neck and chest with his fingertips, brushing his thumbs against his nipples and proceeding to caress his torso, hips and flat belly with his large hands. As Louis kept moving Southwards, the trail accentuated by Mike’s soft gasps and a moan that tore from his throat, he felt the arousal building up in his body again, slowly but steadily. And he didn’t just want to stop there, Louis realized when he rested his big hands on Mike’s hips and kissed the way down all along his pleasure path.“Can I suck you off, darling?” he asked with his lips close to Mike’s body, his facial hair against the other man’s bare skin. The pet name escaped Louis’ mouth in the moment it came to his mind, showing him how dearly he thought of Mike. He lifted his head to look his lover in the eyes, warm and brown, their gaze hypnotizing. “It’s okay to take as much time as you need,” Louis reassured him. He was aware that his circumcised partner would surely need some more time and stimuli, and he was more than fine with that. He wouldn’t mind if his jaw ached as long as he could make Mike feel good - preferably as good as his lover made him feel a while ago, as the memory of Mike’s soft tongue, insanely skillful lips and the warmth of his mouth still sent the sweetest thrills down Louis’ spine. Louis’ words were sweet, sweet honey to Mike’s ears, caressing him gently like fresh wind – he wasn’t used to this type of reverence-like behavior towards his persona, but he knew that he could definitely get used to it soon. He just hoped that his partner didn’t say it in the post-orgasmic haze when the senses are blinded and intellectual abilities are slowed down, but he highly doubted it.“And I love being around you,” Mike replied with an unusual endearment, brushing his thumb against Louis’ hairy cheek. “You mean a lot to me,” he added truthfully, speaking plainly the way he felt, his heart fluttered in his chest. Such sweet words, but they sounded so lovely, a feast for the soul, Mike marveled to himself. I shouldn’t feel this special – but it was Louis, his Louis, the person he already grew so tightly attached to. The first person he wanted to call whenever anything interesting happened, not even Xavier, his closest friend for years; the person he felt comfortable around, safest with, without a literal and metaphorical mask on.And now, he was also his lover. There were feelings there, feelings he had never experienced in tandem with pure carnal desire and satisfaction. Never allowed himself to experience with a sexual partner before, had never wanted to experience with a sexual partner. It was terrifying, and heady, and wonderful all at once. He liked his partners, yes, otherwise he didn’t even feel any sexual attraction, but it couldn’t even be compared to what a turmoil of feelings he was going through now.All their caresses got more and more intense, Mike’s warm and slick body was tender after so many orgasms, so each caress was much more powerful and heightened than before; Louis delighted in his body, brushed his face against the thin hair on his belly, stuck his tongue in his navel as if he tasted the best dessert in the world.“Ah God – yes --,” Mike rasped and entwined his fingers into Louis’ hair. “Suck me, then fuck me again,” he asked, knowing what he wanted. He shuddered a little, Louis’ hand was skilled, better than most, better than any in recent memory – long, warm fingers wrapped around Mike’s cock, expertly slicking the length back and forth along his shaft. His hips moved rhythmically -- short, sharp thrusts, fucking helplessly up into Louis’ hand, every stroke dragging him closer to the edge. And then warm, slick tongue which sent electricity down his spine, the long, warm lick set his nerves sparking, ab muscles fluttering under the skin.“Wait a sec,” he told Louis, rearranging some pillows behind himself and half-sitting up for a better view. Always a visual person, Mike found the sight of Louis toying with his cock almost arousing as the feeling itself. “Ohhh, yes. Good lord. Do you see how hard you make me?” he purred to Louis, with a small grunt of pleasure. It turned into a soft, throaty moan, and a soft, deep intake of breath as Louis licked him, base to tip, and went to work on the head, slick tongue sending hot little shivers down Mike’s spine. Soon, he found himself turning to jelly, fingers twisting into Louis’ hair and sheets, mouth parted.Fuck, he was good at it. So fucking good, Mike didn’t even expect this level of expertise – tearing out a whimper when his partner slicked his fingers and gently pushed them inside his hole, massaging him in a ‘come here’-gesture, finding his sweet spot instantly. Fuck, Mike squirmed underneath him, wanton, giving any control left to his partner, his legs starting to shake slightly.“God… fuck,” he breathed, mesmerized by Louis’ actions when he bent to lick his balls, his whiskers itching his thighs. Raising his head, his partner looked up at him, along the long, lithe line of his body, gaze heated and dilated. “If you keep doing this… I’ll cum,” Mike warned him, forming a coherent sentence only after a moment when a piece of his mental skills came back. Mike knew how to turn him on just by talking, Louis thought as he pleasured his partner eagerly. All the curses and sultry comments, just as every moan, gasp and whimper made by his lover were the sounds Louis enjoyed to the fullest. He’d gladly suck Mike and eat him out until he came, but his lover was restless as well. Mike did ask Louis to fuck him and he obliged.“Mhmmm, you’d like to feel something else inside, wouldn’t you, baby?” Louis teased, two of his fingers still inside Mike. He massaged his partner’s hole energetically, his gestures in ‘come hither’ motions, his arousal so palpable that Louis gripped his own dick, his hand moving up and down.Mike’s affirmative reply came in a form of impatient, muffled whimper, and Louis didn’t need anything more to continue. He stopped his movements for a moment and started preparing, which wasn’t an easy task in such rush and frenzy - still, he managed to open a condom without using his teeth this time. Watching Mike masturbate made Louis so aroused that he hissed at the discomfort that his aching erection caused him. Soon, they’ll fuck again, he reminded himself, trying to focus on his actions. He could swear that his own hands refused to cooperate when he rolled out the rubber with certain effort and spilled some lube before spreading it on his fingers. When Mike was near, Louis found it hard to focus, and it felt almost too good to be true to rub his stiff, swollen cock against Mike’s thighs, his legs spread invitingly.“Should we stay like this?” Louis gasped, putting his hand on Mike’s thigh to gently push his legs further open. He grabbed the base of his dick to keep the hard-on and brush against Mike’s entrance now slicked in lube. After they’d tried different positions together, missionary style seemed like a good idea - and besides, it didn’t have to be boring with Mike. Louis slid to his knees, dragging his lover’s legs up, and finally saw Mike’s reply as his partner nodded so frantically as if he was delirious. Mike’s feverish reaction and wide-open eyes darting to Louis took his desirous mood to a whole new level, and once again, he found himself panting and shivering in anticipation. He nodded shortly, acknowledging his lover’s words, and brought his hips closer to Mike’s. When his twitching, painfully hard cock pushed inside the other man and gradually broke the resistance of his muscles, Louis groaned in sheer pleasure. He already wanted to start bucking his hips wildly and fuck Mike senseless, and it was with all his self-control that he forced himself to not rush just yet. The best was yet to come, after all. Mike’s body was on fire, his mind veiled in haze.He just knew that he wanted Louis inside him, and he wanted it now. His cock was itching when his partner took his hand and lips away; he managed to stutter out a hoarse, near-breathless answer to his question – in reality, Louis could take him in any position and in any place in this flat, and he would agree to that instantly, so impatient and horny he was.His lover groaned, cursing at his own hands not cooperating with him when he rolled the condom on his stiff cock, glistening with sweat and lube. When he pressed it against his sphincter, Mike felt the heat of his desire pulsing on his enervated skin, in that sore, but sensitive spot – the thrum of life in that rigid, throbbing length. It sent a thrill through his body again, a delicious anticipation of what was about to come.Louis embraced the familiar role of dominance, a role he cherished and was great at, one that brought him and Mike endless pleasure – he threw his legs onto his broad shoulders and tore him apart again in the sweetest way. The sensation was electric, sending jolts of pleasure through Mike’s body, making him moan and gasp with every movement. He could feel the way Louis’ cock throbbed inside him, the way it grew slick with his arousal and lube, making the friction all the sweeter.Mike loved it, although he wasn’t even able to utter a coherent word when his partner sank inside him, ploughing him with momentum which made the bed move and creak, mixing with their raspy moans and whimpers. The stretch was delicious, the way Louis’ cock filled him, stretching him wide, pushing deep into his belly. Mike’s breath hitched, his eyes fluttering closed as Louis thrusted him mercilessly, his entire body trembling with pleasure.“Keep your eyes on me,” his partner commanded, his voice filled with authority, he watched him with wide, lust-darkened eyes. Mike couldn’t even agree, he just did what he was said to do, stroking himself with one hand, the other tugging on the sheets.Until Louis bent down, pushing Mike’s legs up, making the penetration even deeper and forceful, his beautifully ugly face hovering right over Mike’s. They shared a frenzied, breathless kiss, their tongues mingled in a beautiful dance for a moment, spit trickling down Mike’s chin. His head was suddenly hanging down from the bed, they must have moved away through Louis’ intense thrusts, and none of them noticed in the overwhelming ecstasy.Usually, Mike had problems with maintaining the eye-contact, but with Louis, it was different – especially, in a setting like that, when his cock was plunging into Mike’s heat with relentless intensity, burying himself to the hilt, feeling the way his lover filled him in completely, pushing him over the edge soon enough.Mike’s mind was a whirlwind of pleasure and love as he felt himself finally tumble over the edge; it was like a bolt of lightning which pierced him from head to toes, he had an impression that all his living cells were burnt in the process, leaving only a pile of ash and bones behind. When he opened his eyes again, he met Louis’ face again – completely manhandled, exhausted, and swept away by a powerful climax.…Mike had never been so tired in his life. Or so happy, deeply satisfied on a level he hadn't been aware existed until now.Or so dehydrated. Louis had sucked, fucked and stroked him dry; If Mike had a single milliliter of fluid left in his body by the time Louis got through with him, he couldn't find it. It was nearly 3AM by the time he staggered to the bathroom, dragged himself into the shower and had a quick wash, then guzzled down what must have been a solid gallon of water, before falling back into bed. He curled up next to Louis, still damp and pink from the shower, and watched his lover for a moment.He knew too much, he knew everything – because Mike decided to risk everything and trust him; he wasn’t sure if it was the right decision – after all, he had killed four people and got away with it (at least for the time being), and Louis – what were his ties with the police? His sense of justice?He still had the suicide pack in his bedside table and some more vecuronium left in his apartment. Louis weighed around ninety, maybe ninety-five kilograms – nine or ten milligrams of vecuronium would be enough to make his lungs muscles get paralyzed and him stop breathing within three, four minutes. But could Gamma take control and do it? Louis was sleeping peacefully, snoring quietly, entangled in their messy, damp sheets – his body still warm from their intense lovemaking.Mike touched his hairy cheek and brushed the wet strings of hair off his handsome face – the face that had become so dear to him. Louis’ eyelids fluttered, he was waking up. No, Gamma wasn’t his entire persona – Mike couldn’t bring himself to do it, even if Louis betrayed him one day.“Don’t you dare leaving me in the morning,” he whispered to him in a both menacing and desperate tone before he slid back under the sheets and felt his partner wrap his arm around him in a protective gesture; Mike’s heart squeezed; no, he definitely would never bring himself to unalive this man, so dear to him, he thought last before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. For a second, Louis feared that it was all just a dream. What would possibly be the reason behind the pleasant tingling in his whole body, some of his muscles still being sore and - most importantly - Mike cuddling himself to him? He realized that his lover’s thin frame was pressed to his, nestled to Louis’ muscular body on the height of his broad shoulders. In fact, Mike has basically buried his face in his armpit, which was heart-melting to him and reminded just how much Louis craved this kind of intimacy and love.When he woke up, his arm was still around Mike, hugging him close. Louis started to stroke his lover’s back and it was with sheer delight that  he reminded himself of the night before. All the memories came back vividly - Mike’s hot, naked skin pressed to his, the way their erected cocks rubbed against each other, his lover’s moans and gasps, the way he’d close his long-lashed eyes in ecstasy. Hell, even thinking about it made Louis so excited that he felt some stiffening between his thighs. He shifted on his half of the bed due to a sudden hard-on, searching for a more comfortable position. While fidgeting, Louis noticed how Mike moved slightly, and realizing this made the taller man purr.“Hello, darling,” he whispered, his voice hoarse from pleasant exhaustion. “Did you sleep well…?” Louis asked and brought his big hand to Mike’s face to gently brush some of his unruly hair away. He wanted this morning to be good, and so he moved lower down the mattress to kiss Mike on the lips delicately. Louis moved on to kissing the corner of Mike’s mouth, his cheek, temples, the line of his jaw - he felt like placing these gentle kisses all over his partner’s face.He’s just hoped that his lover didn’t mind it as first thing in the morning, and luckily a low, throaty purr from Mike’s side was a proof that what Louis did was enjoyable to him. A lovely beam of morning sun shone in through the gap in the curtains, making a broad, bright, cheerful stripe across the corner of the bed and the lushly carpeted floor beyond. But that wasn’t the first thing that woke Mike up; It was the first movement of thoughts; Mike tried to roll over on the other side but something – or someone -- was holding him steady.He discovered with a relief that his head wasn’t aching – well, he had slept well, surprisingly well even. He was just high on sex, and that was forgivable. However, when he moved, he felt that he was sore on his butt. Pleasantly sore. It wasn’t necessarily pain which would spoil his day, rather a lovely reminder of the past night’s adventures. He woke up slowly, with a smile on his face. The oxytocin was still buzzing in his organism, making him pleasantly tired in a post-orgasmic haze. After the third climax Mike stopped counting – that was of no use either way.His eyelids fluttered, a hand reached out in a sleepy stretch, landing on Louis’ hairy chest, and Mike mumbled a still-sleepy good morning before he giggled, Louis’ beard tickling his neck and face. His eyes opened wider, fell on a handsome face he cherished so much.“Hmm-- chapped,” he remarked when their lips met in a brief kiss and Louis brushed an errant lock of hair out of Mike’s half-open eyes; he knew that his hair looked probably like a curly nest, far from perfect. But there was some beauty in it, he concluded, seeing each other so bare and natural. “Ah, you wore me out, Luisito,” he added with a grin. “Not that I’m complaining, I slept like the dead,” Mike chuckled in his typical dark humor before he stretched loudly, feeling how tender his body was, pleasantly surprised that his cock was still attached and not chafed half to death after the previous night's adventures. Louis was an enthusiastic and skilled lover, and also adventurous. They had gotten up to all sorts of things, a few of which Mike himself had never imagined, which -- given Mike’s own many perversions and lengthy experience -- was both surprising and impressive.“I’m glad you’re still here, though,” he added, thinking of his nighttime wonderings. Before Mike could say anything more, he yawned, trying to suppress it the best he could. Out of habit, he reached for his phone – it was only close to eight and he had four unanswered calls from Xavier, dozens of messages and some notifications on social media. No, he didn’t have any energy to deal with that bullshit now. “It’s still early,” he remarked and unwillingly got up, following the physiological needs. His bladder begged for release, and Mike peed with a door fully open, unbothered to close it or feel ashamed when they were so close with Louis.He washed his hands and face and got back to Louis who opened his arms for him. Mike curled against his chest with a sigh and Louis turned to hold him properly, their legs tangled together, warm and cozy among the rumpled sheets and duvet. The room smelled of cologne and sex and sweat, a mélange Mike found he quite liked. He sighed, comfortable and content, suddenly feeling something hard poking on his thigh.“Is it…?” he asked, amused. “Is it the way you work on me, you mean…?” Louis purred with undisguised joy and rolled his hips slightly to rub against Mike again. “Yes it is,” he added in a soft gasp.The unhurried, seemingly innocent movement reminded him of their nighttime pleasures and set all his senses on fire again. The morning grogginess disappeared into thin air when Louis continued to grind against Mike slowly but steadily and with each of his motions, he made it clear what he wanted to happen next. For a moment, their shaky breathing, stifled gasps and soft sighing were the only sounds that filled the bedroom, accompanied by the rustling of sheets.Louis wasn’t sure who broke the silence around them and moaned first, letting out a low, but impatient sound. It all went spiraling from there, right into a more sensual and heated atmosphere, and in the moment Louis pressed his lips to Mike’s in a frenzied, passionate kiss, he felt an electrical current run through his body.He found himself panting as if he was dying of thirst, arousal buzzing throughout his whole body, while they exchanged increasingly hungry kisses. Mike bent his neck back to meet Louis’ lips and moaned in the other man’s mouth while he rubbed his erection against his thighs and butt.Blood rushed to the lower parts of his body and made Louis almost unbearably heard and he could see it was the case for Mike as well – when he moved his big hand from his partner’s hip, Louis gripped the other man’s dick that already stood proud and stiff as well. This fucking man! Mike could swear that he’d either kill him or marry him one day – either was possible! Louis worked on him like no other, and despite the soreness on his muscles and butt, his dick stiffened quickly again, showing what it wanted. A pleasant surprise -- although still quite virile Mike was no longer a young man of twenty; he had thought that after last night's marathon and somewhat gymnastic lovemaking he might be achy and fucked out, need a day to recover fully.His body had other ideas, apparently. Achy, yes -- fucked out, apparently not, judging by the erection that sprang to life as Louis kissed and touched him, aroused by the taste of his lover's mouth and the warm, lovely body under his hands. The kiss was salacious, hungry, a sweet promise of what was about to come as his partner made a deep-chested rumble of appreciation.“Rogé, you still don’t have enough of me, hmm?” Mike asked in a low, seductive voice, trying to suppress a smirk creeping onto his tired but pretty face. He jolted in place when Louis grabbed his dick in a firm movement, showing him what he wanted, before he moved his hand and slapped Mike’s sore butt, making him squawk with surprise – the startled sound giving away to an inelegant snorted giggle when he grabbed Louis’ cock and stroked the slick foreskin up and down.“You little devil,” Louis rasped, smiling against Mike’s lips. “Who hasn't had enough of who?” He asked as he succeeded in getting a handful of warm, taut buttock. Louis trailed his fingers around its curve and down the backs of Mike’s thighs, the pads of his fingers skimming along his balls from behind where they peeked through the gap, the touch feather-light and tickly.“Hmm, that’s a good question,” he smiled, feeling the skin prickle and tighten under his touch, savoring the light shiver that ran through Louis’ gorgeous, toned frame, blood thumping lively in his cock under the grip of his fingers. “What would you like to do, Luisito?” Mike sighed contentedly at the press and nibble of teeth against his plush lower lip, lifting his head a little to lick his way into Louis’ mouth.“You could fuck me, if you wanted to,” Louis said -- surprising Mike, and himself probably too. Louis couldn’t know if Mike ever topped, and he himself probably didn't often bottom, but the plea was an appealing one and it was an expression of trust, something that Mike didn’t expect that fast in a relationship. “And if you don't – “ Louis shrugged, in a way that indicated he wouldn't be offended. “Then let me fuck you. Slowly this time, no hurry, no rush,” he added, raising a hand to cup Mike’s jaw, stroking the lovely high cheekbone with a thumb.“Sometimes I do,” Mike admitted, leaning to kiss his lover on the mouth. “I did more in the past. But not today, babe. Let’s fuck slow lying down, from behind. I’d love that,” he smiled, it felt almost like a scene in a movie. They kissed and Mike rolled over on to the side while Louis flattened himself against his back, warmed the lube in his fingers and slid them inside, making Mike sigh with a relief. He lifted his leg, making it easier for his partner to maneuver at his entrance – the friction got Mike going again, blood rushing southward and cock thickening in the grip of his fingers.Louis grabbed his head to turn it and kiss him on the mouth, a string of saliva stretching between their tongues until it snapped. Mike was still soft and relaxed after a night of being fucked hard, hole yielding easily under the gentle pressure of Louis’ fingers. At one point he stopped, and Mike turned again when he didn’t hear the familiar rustle of the plastic.“Shitfuck,” Louis rasped. “Do we have any condoms left...?” There were none on the bedside table. “How many did we use last night? I lost count somewhere along the way,” he admitted, with a smile that managed to be sheepish and wolfy all at once. He leant to peer down into the crack between the bed and the nightstand, in case they had fallen.The reality struck back instantly – Mike snapped out of his bubble of happiness, still dazed and high on arousal, when Louis asked about the condoms. He’d also lost his count, how many times did they do it? Five, six? Or maybe ten? He recalled buying a big box of Skyn-condoms, not the biggest, XXL one, but not the smallest package either.“Fuck, I don’t know,” he gasped, irritated with his own stupidity. “Maybe under the bed? Let’s see,” he stretched himself, not eager to get out of bed, and even less willing to leave the room and buy more condoms downstairs! That’d spoil the moment completely, not to mention the limited amount of time they had left. “I can see it! It’s there,” he noticed the box, kicked under the bed and forgotten. That was a relief!Since Louis was taller and had longer arms, it was him who excavated the packet and tossed it on the messy sheets; fortunately – there were a few condoms left in it – but they had used over half of them, which was maybe of no surprise.“Oh, thank God and Christ and all that's holy,” Mike rasped, making them both laugh. “Well, I’d love nothing better than you to go without it,” he added, moving back onto the side, entranced by the thought of being taken bareback, having Louis’ cock plunging into him with nothing in the way. “But better wait until you get tested again, yeah?” Louis had been with other people recently, and some STIs would show up only after a few weeks – as a scientist, Mike didn’t want to risk catching anything. During their downright perfect morning, the perspective of running out of rubbers was like an ice-cold shower. Might they really have ran out already? If there was something Louis hated, it was setting down for less when both him and Mike were red-hot in the increasing lust, wanting to experience everything and more.Finding the stray box of condoms under the double bed felt like a christmas morning and the excited sound Louis made upon the discovery must have sounded like something out of a cartoon. He didn’t give it much thought, though, titillated by Mike’s words. His partner’s really expressed the eagerness to fuck with no condom sooner or later, and the way he suggested it made Louis aroused beyond words. It might have been a small thing - after all, he really couldn’t complain what Skyn-condoms felt like during sex - but there was something infinitely more intimate about bareback sex with Mike, something that stayed on Louis’ mind and didn’t leave for a good moment.“Ah, you'd like that?” he asked dreamily when he let Mike’s words sink in. “I would absolutely love that too. Soon, babe,” Louis promised in a low, seductive voice. “Soon…” he added in what sounded like a groan as his body reminded him of its needs. In an almost involuntarily motion, his hips jerked forward when he was tearing the condom wrapper open. As Mike turned to him to cast his impatient, lustful gaze on him, Louis brought the packaging to his mouth and ripped it open with his teeth. Mike observed his lips as they brushed against the shiny wrapper, his tongue, still generously slicked with saliva from their hasty kisses, and when their eyes locked, Louis wanted to sigh in awe and devotion. No, not just devotion, this was already love, he thought. Louis was too entranced by Mike’s gaze to call it otherwise, intoxicated by the gorgeous body next to his, high on the feeling of touching and kissing his loved one.When he was done with putting the condom on and smeared some lube over his cock, Louis couldn’t silence a moan of relief. He slid his hand over Mike’s butt in a possessive, slightly brusque motion, and spread his partner’s cheeks to access him more easily.“Fucking you slow will be the small death of me,” he rasped with his lips next to Mike’s ear. Louis was panting in his lover’s nape as he was pushing his twitching dick inside, and his gasps soon turned into frantic moans when Mike squeezed him inside. Fucking hell, the sensation was overwhelming and spreading like wildfire through his whole body. Holy fucking hell. Being inside Mike, clenched by his muscles and feeling the addictive heat of his body worked wonders on Louis.The hour was still early, and since the spooning position required some tenderness from them, it was only after a while that he went all in. A few soft whimpers from his lover’s side, followed by a longer, throaty moan, were the best reward Louis could hear. When his movements sped up, getting more rhythmical, he stroked Mike’s neck to gently turn his head towards him. His partner yearned for the same, tilting his head to make their mouths meet in one more wet, almost desperate kiss. Louis’ other hand moved to Mike’s lean thigh and held it up to facilitate his task as he kept thrusting deeper into Mike, delighting in the other man’s tightness and heat. Mike took him in entirely, his hole twitching and his muscles giving up the resistance, which was a feeling Louis could die for. It was an all-encompassing sensation, and with Mike, it was an experience that was deeply connected with feeling as well. And that was something Louis cherished when he was next to Mike, their bodies damp with sweat and writhing in repetitive, ecstatic shivers, their motions synchronized as if they’d belonged together since forever. Mike breathed in with a relief when Louis finally pressed inside him in one, smooth movement, his hole still soft and relaxed from the night before, although also tender, which brought Mike some slight pain, perfectly blended with an overwhelming pleasure. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes fell shut; the feeling of his partner slipping through his hot, slick passage was intoxicating, made Mike’s head spin a little.Louis’ big hand anchored around his upraised thigh, making it much more comfortable for Mike and for himself to thrust better, deeper, rolling his hips, a long stroke almost all the way out and back in again, burying himself to the root. A flush crawled up Mike’s neck and spread across his chest as he was being fucked in a slow, almost languid pace, his partner gazing down at him warmly.“Fuck, I could honestly do that all day, every day,” Mike gasped, his fist squeezing his own throbbing cock, he licked the drizzle of precum that welled up and rolled down his shaft off his fingers without thinking much. This view seemed to turn Louis on even more, as his thrusts got more eager and violent, making Mike burn with a raw, primal heat as he slowly surrendered, yielded to the pleasure Louis commanded, fed him up with, giving him more than enough.“Fuck—fill me up,” Mike squealed, his eyes darkened by lust, the sounds that his partner’s moves triggered in him resembled an exorcism, but definitely not pain. It wasn’t the most intense sex they had had but it was intense per se to the point of fanaticism, driving Mike wild, making him lose his mind and senses.Louis growled in response, a feral sound that rumbled in his chest. He bucked his hips up again, driving into Mike with full force that made him gasp, his control slipping. Louis’ sounds mingling with Mike’s cries of ecstasy triggered the orgasm with full force, it was a symphony of lust that drove them to the brink.Mike was panting spasmodically, his body froze as if he experienced a seizure, and then he was washed over by a wave of a sweet relief. Louis gently put his leg down, stayed inside him until he got soft again, and only then slip out of him.“Can we start our mornings like that every day?” Mike asked him, his tone of voice cheerful and lighthearted. He didn’t even mind going to work now, even though he’d much rather stay in bed with Louis for the whole day.After a short break and cuddling session they had to get going, sweet soreness reminding Mike of their excesses with every movement; it was a pretty busy morning, and Mike discovered that he had nothing to eat – or rather share with his partner, since the catering company delivered food for only one person.“Merde, I’m sorry, my fridge is completely empty,” he scratched his messy hair and started digging in the bathroom cabinet. “But I’ve found an unused toothbrush for you!” he announced proudly, wondering if he’d stolen the toothbrush from somewhere or simply taken it as a freebie from a hotel somewhere. “I can’t see why we shouldn’t start our mornings this way,” Louis purred in agreement. He slid out of Mike only after a while, delighting in his partner’s warmth, and placed a small kiss on his nape before his partner turned on the mattress to face him.Sure, they went for something slower this time, but Louis enjoyed it just as much and the orgasm squeezed all the tension from his body anyway. Everything felt so much more intense with Mike, it dawned on him in the post-orgasmic haze, when his spasmodic breath was calming down gradually and the pressure left his body for good.He was overjoyed to have experienced this with Mike even when they had to get going quite soon. It’s not like this wouldn't happen again, Louis kept telling himself - after all, every smallest gesture from Mike’s side showed that he was into it as well. The kisses and smiles they exchanged, the caring attitude of his partner - all of this was much more than Louis could ever ask for, including the toothbrush. When Mike apologized for not having breakfast to share, Louis felt his heart melting as he quickly put his hand on his partner’s in a reassuring gesture.“No, no, don’t be sorry,” he affirmed Mike quickly. “I’ll run to the bakery to get us some croissants, this okay?” Louis suggested and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.He didn’t mind going out to get them some breakfast (it wasn’t like he had to rush for condoms with a hard-on, he thought to himself, amused now that their moment of panic belonged to the past), he just hoped there won’t be a queue lining outside. Louis was lucky and managed to run the morning errand fast. His way back to Mike’s apartment was even faster, so eager he was to see his loved one again when he unlocked the entrance, skipping the stairs two at a time as he stormed to the door marked with 6. Running up the staircases would have to do for a matutinal workout, he thought.In any case, he could count climbing the stairs AND their morning sex as the early workout for today, Lous thought and pushed the door to the apartment open.“I got us two plain croissants and two with chocolate,” he said instead of a greeting, wiping his sports shoes clean on the doormat. Louis remembered the dessert which Mike got on their date and he decided to bring home some sweet pastries as well, leaving them on the kitchen counter. “Mike, darling…?” he asked unsurely, looking around for his lover in the bedroom. Mike’s apartment was nearly twice as big as his own and it was only natural for him to be confused, Louis realized as he peeked into the bathroom. He was expecting Mike to do some skincare, all right, but what he didn’t await was the sight of his partner in a glowing mask, brush in hand as he styled his luscious hair. That surely came as a surprise! “Whoa,” Louis gasped, chuckling slightly as Mike’s eyes darted to him, lit up by the mask. “I didn’t know you were into masks in that way! It’s kind of sexy though…” he grinned, leaning against the door frame. Louis was more than infatuated in Mike, he was already madly in love with the other man, and he looked forward to sharing more similar everyday moments with him. It felt oddly comfortable when they behaved as an old, married couple who had been living together for quite a while; Mike had never lived with anyone before after years in a student’s dormitory, which he hated, and never even considered living with anyone – people just got on his nerves too much. But it was Louis, and with him – everything was different, turned upside down.When his partner was gone to the bakery, Mike quickly put the LED-mask on and shortened his morning routine by making two things simultaneously – usually, his autistic mind didn’t like unexpected changes like that, but the nighttime visit of Louis changed everything; Mike couldn’t even yet wrap his mind around it, he hoped to get some time for processing it at work later on. Now, it was no time for that – he quickly pushed the sweaty, damp sheets into the washing machine and proceeded to dress his unruly, curly hair to look more human-like.When the door slammed, he knew that Louis was back, but Mike didn’t stop his morning routine – that was, until his partner peeked inside; his eyebrows raised up to his hairline, his facial expression – so aghast that Mike couldn’t stop himself from chuckling when he heard his comment, which soon turned into an open, hearty laughter.“Magic Mike and the Anti-ageing Mask, another Indiana Jones movie sequel,” Mike said, grinning, and took the therapeutical mask off his face. He handed it to Louis to have a look but when he grabbed it in his hand, Mike pulled in close and brought his lips close in for a kiss. “Magic Mike and His Gorgeous Boyfriend,” he purred, savoring the taste of Louis on his tongue. “Thank you for the croissants.”After a quick breakfast, Mike pulled a pair of black jeans on and a simple, white buttoned shirt. He knew almost for sure that he’d be late for work as the clock already struck quarter past nine but, somehow, it didn’t bother him as much as it usually would.“Babe, could you fetch my black vest from the wardrobe?!” he shouted to Louis, jumping on one leg to put the sock on – fuck, this was no easy task when one was in a hurry and clumsy at the same time.“Sure!” came the answer as Mike headed back to the bathroom to put the sunscreen on his face and add some pomade on the hair to make it hold in one place more or less for the rest of the day. A sudden silence alerted Mike after a while – was Louis still looking for his vest? It was in the plain sight, he sighed and headed to his bedroom, brow knit.That was when he understood what took his partner so long – he found Gamma’s mask in the wardrobe and was studying it cautiously as if he had just been allowed to touch a relic; Mike leant against the door frame and cleared his throat to draw attention to himself, unsure what kind of reaction he’d get. After all, it was a mask of a murderer.“Do you want me to put it on during sex or what?” he inquired, mock-serious, with one eyebrow raised up. “Gorgeous boyfriend, says who?” Louis asked playfully. “You better take a good look at yourself, my dearest,” he purred encouragingly before he returned the kiss, savoring it to the fullest.Louis’ gaze followed Mike as his partner was getting ready and dressing up for work. He absolutely adored the sight of Mike’s naked body, but he also had to admit that his partner looked stunning while putting on his well-tailored clothes. Some of his movements had the grace of a model even when he was in a hurry, Louis could see that well. His gaze fell on Mike’s left shoulder blade too, where a small tattoo of the letter Gamma was. Yesternight’s frenzied sex, just as their morning today, didn’t necessarily make it easier to notice the inked symbol on his lover’s skin, after all.The tattoo was Louis’ reminder that loving Mike and being his partner meant accepting Gamma as well, it meant embracing his lover’s alter ego, and Louis was ready for that. What he wasn’t ready for, though, was finding a mask inside Mike’s wardrobe. The mask, Louis realized when he found it behind a pile of scarves, as black and shiny as he imagined, intricate like a classical Roman statue. He was mesmerized by the sight and found himself tracking the fine lines of the mask with his fingertips.There it was - folds and curls that depicted thick, intricately styled hair, the eye sockets that seemed to have some additional mechanisms behind them, the hooked Mediterranean nose, shapely but finely sculpted lips that also gave its wearer a chance to breathe… these were the lips Louis kissed in his dream with urge and frenzy, he realized, staring at the mask as if he’s never seen anything like that in his life (which wasn't so far from the truth considering how unique the object was). It wasn’t until Mike stood at the door and cleared his throat, which made Louis’ head turn immediately and his arms jolt as if he’s been caught in flagrante delicto.It felt as if he’s been spying on his partner, going through his belongings. Instead of the warmth filling his whole body like before, all he felt in that moment was the heat of embarrassment creeping onto his blushing face.“Ah, no, we don’t have to during sex, no,” he replied chaotically and slowly put the mask back into wardrobe. His hands suddenly felt clumsy and too big and his face must have been red as he inhaled abruptly. “It’s just, I mean… I dreamt about your mask. But if I told you all about that dream, this could just take us another half an hour or so,” Louis started explaining clumsily. “Mike, this was a wet dream,” he added on one exhale. Louis wasn’t sure if Mike enjoyed what he heard or not, but when the other man’s frown changed into a more curious expression and the corner of his mouth lifted in a foxy smile, he got more comfortable again. Hopefully the blush would leave his face soon, Louis thought as he approached Mike to hand him the vest. “You know, if you are into this, I could record you a voice message describing my dream,” he suggested in a low voice, his tone hinting on seductive. Maybe sharing the all-too-vivid nighttime fantasy with Mike wasn’t a bad idea and could end up turning on both of them. Seeing Louis so perplexed with such a sheepish smile on his face was a novelty for Mike, who wasn’t even sure if he deciphered his facial expression well; however, the blush and the avoidant look would indicate that he guessed right.What was he about to do, digging through Mike’s stuff? Trying to find evidence for the police? His heart was hammering in his chest for a moment, thoughts running like crazy under the coping of his skull, making his fingers itch.However, what he heard next, wasn’t something that he expected. At all.“You dreamt about my mask?” Mike repeated after him, straightening his back, his eyebrows raised all the way to his hairline. Louis still seemed quite puzzled, which made Mike even more inquisitive about his reaction, and he found himself suddenly completely confounded as well. “Why-?” A wet dream. Finally, it made some sense – Mike hadn’t grasped it before because he was completely clueless about feelings like shame and guilt, forgetting that normal people experience them on a daily basis.“Ohhh, you dreamt about being railed by Gamma?” he teased, coming closer to Louis who was still red on his cheeks – such a lovely, innocent view, Mike wished to keep it in his mind forever. “Or did you dream about fucking him-?” he paused playfully, fingers carding over his broad chest, then following the trail down the center of his flat belly. His voice was getting husky with desire, a wicked glint shone in his eyes. “Was he dressed or naked--?” he provoked Louis, looking him in the eyes to strengthen the effect, eliciting a soft gasp from him.“I will fuck you here if you don’t stop,” Louis warned Mike in a half-serious, half-amused voice, gaining back the control over the situation, however, Mike was having too much fun teasing him, so he deliberately moved slowly downwards, to the bulge in his partner’s jeans, lower lip bitten playfully.“…Did he ride you or did you rail him on his back?” a smirk curled at the corners of Mike’s mouth, his voice drooping to a sultry whisper, rubbing on the growing excitement in Louis’ pants – well, he’d lie if he said he wasn’t being turned on himself as well. In a swift and firm gesture, his partner grabbed his lithe body and pinned him to the wardrobe, kissing him perhaps a little more wetly and lustily than he should, especially considering the fact that they were actually getting ready to go to work.“Not now,” Mike giggled, Louis’ whiskers tickling his neck. “We need to go,” he added unwillingly – damn, they were both going to be late, fuck it, but another bed session would take a few hours, Mike was sure about it, and he couldn’t allow himself to start and finish work this late. Even if his body turned red, hot again, asking for Louis’ intoxicating touch one more time. Being teased by Mike made Louis’ thoughts slow and his blood rush. He found himself unable to think clear and sensed the ever-growing tension in his jeans. His body showed him clearly what he needed the most, and denying himself the pleasure of fucking Mike again or even having a quickie only amplified his frustration.If he could, he’d tear Mike’s clothes on the spot and take him right there and then. He’d much rather skip work and just allow the urge to decide instead of him, let the instinct control his body. In the heat of the moment, Louis considered that, but the reality was different and in the end, they had to make do with just a kiss. In their relationship, Mike was definitely the more level-headed one, that was for sure!“By ‘going’ you’re sure you don’t mean ‘going to bed’…?” Louis asked in a sulking tone and scowled in disappointment when Mike shook his head. The exaggerated despair in Louis’ voice was so audible it made both of them chuckle, shaky breaths mingling while they stood so close to each other. “It is with a heavy heart and an aching cock that I grant you this wish,” Louis added in a theatrical tone, exaggerating his distress once again. “As long as I get one more kiss, that is,” he whispered, leaning in, ready to let Mike go after just one more kiss. It was slower this time, a sensual kiss that began with Louis sucking on Mike’s lower lip and sliding his tongue into his lover’s mouth, savoring this moment as if they were about to part ways for days or weeks. In reality, Louis wished with all his heart he could still see Mike the same day. If his partner turned out to have a hard day at work or other responsibilities that couldn’t wait, that’s when Louis would howl with genuine devastation, he was sure about it…They quickly threw on their shoes and outerwear - in Mike’s case, it was a perfectly fitted coat together with a scarf in a complementing color, while Louis was left with no choice other than his leather jacket. That would raise some eyebrows at the academy for sure, he knew this, but he was just as aware of the fact that being late to work and dressed in an outfit suitable for a date were a small price to pay after his night with Mike. Very small one, in fact, Louis realized when he was watching his partner get ready, following his movements with tenderness and affection in his gaze. Mike was just grabbing the keys to the apartment when Louis looked him expectantly in the eyes, his whole body vibrating to ask him one more question.“Can I see you tonight?” Louis asked, knowing all too well he will end up missing Mike horribly if they can’t see each other. Of course he’d respect his partner’s will and of course he didn’t want to pressure him, but at the same time, he’d rather not picture himself spending an evening alone. “I was thinking of a dinner around seven tonight, there’s a place by Gare de Lyon,” he added, only after a while realizing that he incidentally mentioned the name of Mike’s hometown. “If you want, that is. All I’m saying is that I can get us a great table and that I would love, love, love to see you again tonight, my prince,” he added in a promising manner, his voice dropping low to a more seductive tone. Louis just couldn't help himself when he was around Mike and talking in that tone felt all too natural! The frustration never killed Mike, but it certainly didn’t make it comfortable when he had to get to work with a hard-on, hot, and flustered, with erotic images flooding his head of what might have been if they didn’t have to get going; Louis’ kiss pulled out a sigh out of his throat – the reality struck back, and Mike surrendered to it unwillingly.He took his intrinsic briefcase and packed a small umbrella – it could be raining today, the autumn aura was in full bloom. Everything was ready, so they could get going at last, however, when Mike looked at Louis, he noticed that his partner wanted to ask him something.“What is it, babe?” he inquired and felt the corners of his mouth rising up when he heard the question; it was so innocent and sweet that Mike felt as if he was a teenager again, re-living his first puppy love. “Of course, I’d love nothing else but to see you tonight, and every night,” he added truthfully, unable to lie – there was a perk in being a bluntly honest person: he always spoke from his heart as well.He put his arms around Louis’ neck and grinned at him.“My prince?” he raised his eyebrow and gave him a smooch on the lips. “Your prince grants your wish and will gladly accompany you, just send him all the coordinates, and he shall be there at seven.”Louis’ face lit up when he heard Mike’s answer, a sight as beautiful as a picture.“Just take some change of clothes,” he advised him, his voice faltering with desire, a promise of what was about to come later at night – Mike didn’t like to leave things unfinished, and he hoped that they’d pick up where they left, by the wardrobe. His skin was still tingling and prickling on his back after that quick moment of passion, leaving him thirsty and eager for more.The kiss they shared before taking separate subway lines was their seal of promise and love; it was the most romantic thing Mike had ever experienced – being kissed like that on the station of Vavin, surrounded by people who cast curious glances at them, or ignored them completely, too busy with their own world.“Write to me,” Mike asked him when his train arrived, making his hair blow with the momentum of the wind. Louis bestowed the prettiest smile at him and waved when Mike entered the train and the door closed behind him, separating them for a few, long hours.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mike was all Louis could think about. Sharing another kiss with his loved one left his heart fluttering. His thoughts flooded with memories from their intense night and fantasies of what they could do later that day. He hoped that this was what they would end up doing.
Indulging in these suggestive thoughts, although surely pleasurable, didn’t necessarily make his commute to work easier. Louis was still quite hard as he made his way to the underground, shifting on the spot to get rid of the discomfort. First, he had to complete his work tasks, and then he was free to go with Mike. This goal motivated him as he went through his day, one step at a time. Once he got to the right wagon of the Parisian metro, Louis sent a message to Mike to thank his lover for what must have been the best night in his life yet. “Have a good day at work, darling! I hope I kept my promise and you can still feel me. If you don’t feel me well enough, it’ll be my pleasure to change it tonight ❤️,” Louis typed without thinking on it too long, pouring some of the words right from his infatuated heart.
He’d also contacted Vincent to let his colleague know he’d be late and almost immediately decided to write to an acquaintance who might just have been the person to guarantee him and Mike the best spot for tonight's dinner. He’s known Guy-Manuel, the main chef of Le Train Bleu, for quite a few years now (the fact that the chef was married to the chief commissioner of the Parisian police definitely helped) and Louis was sure that one of the most important people in charge in the restaurant would make sure he and his date are seated in the most convenient place. Preferably a quieter one, Louis thought and dropped another line to Guy-Man, asking for a more discreet or secluded table to talk freely.
He’s just reminded himself that not all of the couples consisted of a murderer who was as beautiful as the Devil himself and a man whose sanity was saved by the aforementioned killer, after all. This realization dawned on him and made him smile slightly as he was changing from the metro to the RER train.
Soon afterwards, it was time for him to leave at Joinville-le-Pont station and head to his workplace at the academy, école nationale de police. His walk to work felt a bit off in yesterday’s clothes, with a leather jacket over a tight black t-shirt that guaranteed to attract some attention. That surely was a change from his usual padded jacket, the trusty one from The North Face, and a more casual choice of shirt and jeans (to be fair, he lately wore sweatpants to work much more often than jeans), but this would have to do, Louis thought. It was easier said than done, though, and the agitated murmur of voices by the classroom reminded him of it. It seemed that the upcoming self-defense class would be more challenging than usual…
Some of the freshmen who stood closest to Louis when he was unlocking the door cast him gazes that ranged from curious to intrusive. He had to clear his throat to make the youngsters stop, much like his partner did in the morning.
“Whoa, you’re a party animal, Monsieur Rogé!” someone in the back chuckled, making the others laugh out loud. “Had an intense night?”
“Come on, he might be taking part in the wet T-shirt contest!” It was Sam Tiba now, shouting in excitement. “Or he might be - yes! I think our monsieur Rogé might even be up for some crac-crac!” the class clown went on, hopping towards his quieter friend Cédric and grabbing him by the bony shoulders. “Oh, just like that, mon beau, right here!” Sam nearly screamed while making a friction movement against his classmate’s hips.
Apparently, Cédric was the only one who didn’t find it funny as his classmates roared with laughter, some of them thinking of their own comments and jokes on the situation. The class would surely be difficult, Louis thought as he smiled half-bitterly, half-triumphantly.
“Regardless of what I did last night, I know you gentlemen are eager to spend some nights exploring your sexuality, and I can’t blame you for that,” he shrugged. “Samuel seems to be particularly interested in that, but I’d appreciate it if you could wait just until the break before you present your charms to the classmates, Sam,” he requested and raised an eyebrow to underline his words. Louis didn’t mean to scold the student again nor criticize him too harshly but he’ll be damned if these boys weren’t horny and cheeky, as most teenagers were!
Eventually, Sam let go of Cédric and much to Louis’ relief, the student gave up on grinding on everything that moved. The lesson could start soon, but not before Louis settled on the dinner date with Mike. He was lucky to be starting the lesson with a short presentation, which he played for the freshmen as he was checking his phone as frantically as if his life depended on it, waiting for a message from Mike. The moment Guy-Man confirmed they had “the best table just for them, 19:00-22:30,” he rushed to text his partner.
“See you at Le Train Bleu, pl. Louis Armand 1, 19:00. Kissing you again will be the highlight of my evening ❤️,” he typed and immediately began to write another message. “I remember to record you a message about the dream I had. VERY soon,” Louis added. After all, in less than an hour, he’d be free to take a quick break that would allow him to record himself talking about the spicy, sultry dream he’d had. And he didn’t want to wait much longer to contact his lover, even if it was on the phone.“Mike! I swear to God and all that is holy, I’m going to kill you one day,” Xavier sounded angry on the other side of the phone, but Mike could say that he was worried – after all, they had known each other for years. He just needed to listen to the rant first – then they might be able to talk like adults, perhaps. “What does it mean, personal issues? Did that fucker, Louis, do something to you? Mikey, talk to me, please.”
Mike rolled his eyes as he was changing the lines in the subway.
“No, Xav,” he gasped, but their conversation was interrupted by a kind female voice in the loudspeakers who asked the passengers to mind the gap and warn against leaving their luggage unattended. Mike couldn’t gather his thoughts for a moment. “If someone was about to do something, it would be me doing something to him,” he used a hyperbole, even though he couldn’t be entirely sure about his own words; indeed, he was a killer, but Louis was an ex-cop from a special unit, he couldn’t forget that.
Still, Xavier couldn’t know all that.
“Oooohhh,” came a prolonged sigh, and Mike already knew what his friend was about to say. “No way,” he breathed in English. “Did you fuck him? Spill all the tea!” he heard the rustle of the sheets, making Mike imagine his friend waving his long legs in the air, just like a living scene from Mean Girls or The Gossip Girl, which Xavier was the epitome of.
“Not now, Xavi. I’m going to work,” Mike chuckled, a warm surge filled his whole chest and spread all over his body, as the memories of his night spent with Louis came back with double force. “I’ll tell you when we meet, right?” he promised, not eager to tell all the erotic details of their date to other passengers of the subway to hear; not that he was ashamed or embarrassed – rather, Mike preferred to keep such intimate matters to himself.
“Riiiight,” Xavier made another dramatic sigh of disappointment. “I’ll see you on Gaspard’s Halloween set in Silencio, I hope? He’s going to play solo and, let me tell you, I have the best costume ever! No excuses, you hear me? And bring your sexy cop with you.”
“No excuses! We’ll be there,” Mike burst out laughing and then paused when, at Guy Môquet station, he noticed a group of people, all dressed in black, with masks covering their faces; they were carrying placards with slogans which, he suddenly realized, were connected to… him.
Hands off Gamma
Pedos to jail, Gamma for president
Justice for Gamma
Strangely, it warmed Mike’s heart to know that Gamma had such a growing support from the usual people – those who had just enough empathy to sympathize with the survivors, not with his victims. This sight made him smile, and he couldn’t stop himself from taking a sneaky picture of the protesting group of the masked Gamma copycats who rolled into the subway train. A girl in a high ponytail placed her hand right on the metal pole beside Mike’s seat.
“I’ll call you back,” Mike told Xavier and hung up before his friend could even protest. He got up and turned to the masked girl, tugging her by the black sleeve. “Excuse me, what kind of event are you heading to?” he asked in a kind tone of voice, smiling to himself as he realized that the girl didn’t even have the slightest idea who she was really talking to.
“We’re going to a happening in front of Assemblée Nationale,” she replied, her voice distorted by the plastic mask. “We want to show our support to Gamma’s actions. Come with us,” she encouraged, her voice suddenly cheerful when she realized that Mike was on their side.
“I need to get to work, but I wish you guys good luck,” he said and rubbed her shoulder encouragingly; if she only knew, it flickered through his head as he got out at the next stop at Basilique Saint-Denis, close to the police lab where he worked. Not even the rain could spoil Mike’s good mood after the pleasant morning and a surprising encounter on the train. His walk was fast-paced and lively, which couldn’t go unnoticed by Caroline and Yan, who were smoking outside the building.
“Oh-oh, someone is finally in high spirits,” the female scientist noticed with a smirk, exhaling the smoke. Mike stopped, wondering if the comment was supposed to be snarky or funny.
“I am,” Mike confirmed and decided to have a smoke with them, so he took his faithful Marlboro gold out of the pocket.
“He got lucky yesterday, I can recognize slutty sparks in his eyes,” Yan replied, probably trying to make Mike embarrassed, which had never worked and never would. Mike raised his eyebrow and smirked mischievously, lighting up a cigarette. Then, he recalled the first time he saw Louis this year, the police school, and then Yan’s comment to his current partner –
“Yes, you can say that I got extremely lucky, indeed,” Mike replied with a foxy smile, but didn’t disclose any more information – Yan didn’t have to know that they had ‘shared’ the same guy, and Mike wasn’t yet sure how he felt about it; was he jealous? It was irrational, he gave himself a mental slap, but the feeling remained, unpleasant, on the back of his head. He had never experienced this before, with anyone, and he didn’t like it.
After he had changed his coat to the lab one and checked his messages before he headed over to check on the mice in glass cages, Louis, his stomach and heart squeezed immediately, and, again, the reaction of his organism surprised him. His partner (could he even call him that?) was so sweet, he surely didn’t write with Yan or others, right? Mike shook his head, shuffling nervously.
Thank you, babe. I can feel you, and I can’t focus for sure 😛 I need to talk to you about something when we meet. Looking forward to seeing you again ❤️ and yes, please, I want to listen to this! he typed an answer, hoping this didn’t come out as too ominous or morbid, scaring Louis away.
“…I swear I was horny as hell in that moment. He walked up to me, you can imagine the heat and the way I felt, and then, there he is, kissing me on the mouth still in the mask,” Louis described his dream to Mike with all the graphic details. He was in the bathroom, feeling as if most of his workday was spent on contacting Mike, and he didn’t regret it at all. In fact, the message he received from Mike made him smile immediately and was like a thunderbolt that went from his hands, still holding the phone, to his arms and chest. He felt the warmth in his whole body and felt his breath shaking when he resumed the recording. Mike worked wonders on him even when he was away, and Louis bit his lip at the discovery. What exactly did he do to deserve such an understanding, supportive partner who was both a genius and a devilishly skilful lover? Deep in thought, Louis just smiled at his phone while re-reading Mike’s message.
“It was just a dream, but it had it all. All the kissing, licking, pinching and rubbing… fucking hell, babe. It was nowhere near as good as with you, but for a fantasy, that was quite something. Did I mention I woke up extremely hard afterwards…?” his question came out raspy and provocative, voice dropping to a seductive whisper. Louis made sure to describe the moment Gamma sat astride him in the nighttime vision, the way this incubus rode him like a madman, what the orgasm felt like in his dream. Obviously, it couldn’t compare to the real Mike and what Louis had experienced with his skilled lover (which he mentioned in the voice message as well), but he couldn’t help but think fondly of the memory. After all, it preceded their first - and definitely not the last - night together.
And that was something to remember, Louis thought as he smiled at the memory. He had to admit that reminiscing this turned him on once again and shook his body awake to the point of him getting a hard-on again.
He was still left with a few minutes of break, a time he could use and abuse. Perhaps the latter word was a more fitting description of what Louis had on his mind, he realized with a strained grunt. His hand slid down to his pants, unbuckling the belt and gripping his hard cock to bring him some relief. When the sensations of last night were still alive, and Louis could swear that Mike’s touch and scent still lingered on his skin, climaxing was easy. His dick twitched in his hand and each of the brisk movements he made with his wrist brought him closer to the edge. Louis came panting, his gasps and frantic sighs coming out as muffled just in case he was heard. That was the last thing he needed, he realized as he was catching his breath afterwards and wiping his dick clean. He would still need a moment to get himself together, that was for sure.
“What exactly have you done to me, babe? After our night together, I had to jerk off at work. I was thinking about you, of course 😉” Louis typed, his hands shaking on the small keyboard of the phone. The next classes and work responsibilities were approaching inescapably, and he already knew that focusing on those was not an option. Not when the perspective of seeing Mike in the evening was real and made Louis feel as if he was the luckiest man in the world.

With every movement, Mike could feel how well-fucked and sore he was. Pleasant tingling accompanied him all the time, making his mind flooded with the erotic memories he shared with Louis during the night, which additionally turned him on. Mike almost forgot what it was like, so long it had been since his last hookup before Louis, but what had happened last night was purely magical, he couldn’t remember himself orgasm so many times in a row –
Mike shook his head, suddenly realizing that he was sitting still, daydreaming and slowly processing every word, every gesture, every movement of their night and morning spent together. Damn, he wriggled on the stool and winced when his hole pinched with sweet pain and made him bite his lower lip.
“Mike? Mike, hello?”
He almost jolted in his place, abruptly falling out of the reverie. It was Caroline, he looked up at her as if he had just seen a ghost.
“Hmm, yeah?”
“The mice. Have you checked the parameters?” she asked, a smirk hiding in the corners of her iconic, red lips. She must have realized that Mike’s mind was circulating in his own orbit for a while, far away from their lab work.
“No, sorry. I’m going to do it now,” he replied, completely distracted as he got up from the seat. Caroline still kept her blue eyes on him and stopped him when he tried to approach the cages.
“Are you okay, dear?” she inquired, seemingly worried about him. Her hand gently ruffled Mike’s unruly hair, a gesture of affection. “What is it? Oh, he is a lucky guy. Don’t let yourself think otherwise, okay?” She stroked Mike’s cheek as he nodded without words – they had been friends and colleagues for years, but he wasn’t someone who could talk easily about how he felt, especially at work.
Still, such thoughtful words helped and put Mike’s troubled mind more at ease, so he could at least half-ass the work that was projected for today. He grabbed the mice, one by one, to take the probes of their blood and check the parameters on how the medicine was working on them; still, Mike’s mind was somewhere else. He was performing all the examinations mechanically, as if he were on autopilot. That was, until he got another message – a reply from Louis, which he read as fast as if his life depended on it.
Damn, a voice message for over two minutes. Mike wasn’t someone who used his phone at work, but everything had changed since the yesternight. He decided to sneak to the bathroom and listen to the recording there, in peace, without that twink Yan sniffing around him like a horny dog, he thought with a bitter smile as he closed himself in one of the toilet stalls.
Louis’ voice changed and faltered, raspy and husky, fuelled Mike’s desire anew, and that story! Fuck, he wriggled on the closed toilet seat, feeling a blood rush southwards, his cock twitching in tight jeans, begging to be released and relieved, his nipples hard-pricked as well, lower plush lip bitten till Mike tasted blood on his tongue. He knew himself and his body; he even had warned Louis that it would be like that once he was back in a relationship, but this still felt like a newly-discovered land again.
Maybe they should reconsider fucking with a Gamma mask on, it flashed through Mike’s mind, even though it wasn’t what it had been created for – damn, Mike didn’t even have it in mind when he was designing it in Blender a few years back!
Putain, I’m so horny rn. I loved this nighttime vision, maybe we should bring it to life one day, he typed quickly, his hands slightly sweaty and shaking. Mike considered masturbating for a moment, but he decided to wait for the night, let the blood circulate away from his dick after a few longer inhales and exhales. It wasn’t easy, but he felt himself getting flaccid after a while. That was, until he got a second message – which got Mike going again in a sweet torment.
Fuckin’ hell, you are evil. Now I cannot think at all or concentrate on anything but you and our date… I want you with me and in me again, Mike replied, almost physically sick with desire, quivering in his hands and his whole body, his head spinning. It’s not fair, it’s not fair, he kept thinking how much time still was left to their date – and it was still far too long to survive it in one piece.

Louis bit his lower lip when he was reading the messages from Mike. His partner really knew how to turn him on, and the mere thought of seeing him again filled Louis’ chest with a feeling so warm it felt like an embrace.
That’s it, he thought, he wouldn’t focus on his job properly today, and maybe that was for the better - for the first time in what felt like forever, Louis didn’t worry too much about working (or overworking himself). And that, just as many other things that happened recently, was a change he welcomed gladly.
His body would feel hot and his skin start prickling whenever Mike came back to his thoughts, and Louis had to admit that more erotic memories brought a blush to his face. He found it impossible to be still and stoical when his mind seemed to be auto-programmed to remind him of Mike riding him, of how tight and pulsating his hole was when he squeezed Louis inside, how his lover’s eyes would half-close and his lips part in the deepest ecstasy.
No, working hard wasn’t really an option when he was so restless and somewhat scatterbrained, too, and this realization dawned on him when he was checking his phone and only paying attention to the messages from Mike. Louis almost missed a phone notification from Sébastien, who wanted to meet him. At first, he wondered if it was related to Gamma’s case (and what his own reaction would be in this situation), but the sight of Sébastien smoking outside and holding a reusable Carrefour bag, of all things, quickly proved him wrong.
“Damn, man, you had me worried taking a sick leave like that,” Séba greeted him with a short hug and a worried expression. He gazed into Louis’ eyes for a while, hand still on the taller man’s shoulder, when suddenly, he realized what was going on. “Looks like you’re better now. I bet it was quite a night,” the aspirant concluded with a half-smile and held out the shopping bag to Louis.
“Oh, a get-well-soon gift? You didn’t have toooo!” Louis joked, hinting at his good mood.
He could swear he was euphoric after spending so much time with Mike, and it definitely showed.
“Jebiga, ne mogu,” Sébastien shook his head but laughed shortly as he did so. “I get it. There was nothing to worry about. Still… Vincent and I thought you might need a hand and brought you something to eat and medicine. You know, some gratin and čevapi, aspirin and vitamin C and such…” he described the contents of the bag shortly. Louis hugged him before his friend could even say anything more, genuinely grateful.
“I’m out for a dinner date tonight, but let me just say you two are wonderful,” he thanked Sébastien, who gave him another half-smile.
“I can see you are, Mr. Obvious,” Séba replied curtly but in a friendly way, as usual, before the two ended their chat and went their own ways.
Louis had to run for the last class of the day, after which he’d be free. That was the only thought in his mind when he was finishing his work and nearly sprinting to the station to catch his train home. He made sure to stop by the florist's as well, guided by the need to get something for Mike, even something as simple as a bouquet. Louis hoped with all his heart that his partner would enjoy this little gesture of affection, and besides, the color of the roses gathered together in a bouquet, ranging from crimson through brighter red to orange, resembled the strange light from his memorable dream, the one that focused around Gamma. The one he promised to tell Mike about again, he thought, smiling to himself as he skipped the stairs two at a time to get to his apartment.
Louis needed a proper shower; he had no doubts about that, and he was assembling the proper outfit in his mind as he did so. He’d go for fitted jeans again, but which shirt would go nicely with those? A dark, graphite grey could work out well, he realized.
Plus, the perspective of having his shirt unbuttoned by Mike was arousing as hell; Louis fantasised with a happy purr. He walked out of the shower naked, put on some Calvin Klein boxershorts and looked around his bedroom for tonight’s outfit and a change of clothes. He could always pair the black jeans and dark grey shirt with a simple black suit, nothing too excessive but still casually elegant. When he put the ready outfit on, he could call his reflection a “sharp dressed man,” and what was more important, his face reflected his wellbeing too. Louis didn’t need to fake his smile anymore, and feeling this was liberating.
“Going out, baby. See you very soon 😘,” he texted before heading out, giddy and more than excited to see Mike again. What made him even more excited was a reply from his loved one, so simple but at the same time so sweet that Louis kept smiling throughout the whole way to the restaurant.
To get to their meeting place, all he needed was a bus ride and a quick walk, after which Louis arrived at Le Train Bleu, where the best table would wait for them. He wasn’t sure where exactly Mike would come from, and so he looked around, scanning his surroundings, until he recognized a tall figure as graceful as a model, his pace already so familiar to Louis that he felt as if something squeezed his heart. He felt his face turning warm, beaming with genuine and undisguised joy, and he made a few steps forward when Mike approached him. Outstretching his arms was the most natural gesture for Louis, just as it was only natural - and much-needed - to hug Mike, feel that gorgeous, lean body next to his and forget about the world around them for one short, heart-meltingly sweet moment.

Somehow, he did survive, although it was no easy ride; Mike was constantly distracted, his leg was bouncing nervously as the time dragged on, slowing down as if on purpose, prolonging Mike’s torment. He did the bare minimum in the lab, which happened so rarely that it left everyone bewildered – it almost always meant that something was going on in Mike’s life, even though he was usually very good at hiding it.
“Visit us at All Saints,” Caroline suggested when they were cleaning up the mice cages. “Michel hasn’t seen you in a while face-to-face, not only in a game,” she chuckled. “We could drink wine and catch up with everything. What do you say?”
Mike wasn’t sure yet how to reply, so he asked her to give him some time to think; his mind was too preoccupied with Louis and their upcoming meeting to even think ahead of his plans for the next month, even if the offer was a heartwarming one. Mike almost sprang out of the lab when the clock struck five and rushed to the subway – the peak hour was there, which meant also the crowds and squeeze in the train, but Mike couldn’t mind it less today.
Ultimately, not much time was left for the date once Mike arrived home – fortunately, he had already planned what he’d wear in advance, with hope that all these clothes were not in the dishwasher or in the laundry basket – that would ruin all the mysteriously conceived plan, and Mike’s autistic brain absolutely loathed it.
His apartment was shiny clean when he entered it – miss Sophie must have been here when he was at work, his cleaning lady who came here frequently. It always felt satisfying to come back to a spotless place, smelling fresh with gentle chemicals, and find your clothes neatly hanging on the dryer, however, this time Mike had no time to admire miss Sophie’s work – he jumped under the shower and shaved his balls, where the laser hadn’t erased the hairs, like under the armpits and in his crack. He also cleaned his insides, which consumed a fair amount of time until he was satisfied with the result. Eating fiber on a daily basis really did help with quick douching.
Mike was jittery like a teenager before the first date, which annoyed him because he wasn’t usually like that; this feeling was foreign. He blew-dried his hair next, adding some more gel and mousse to keep it in place for the rest of the night. Damn, his stubble needed trimming, Mike concluded by looking in the mirror, and sighed – not much time was left. Brushing teeth, deodorant and dressing up took longer than expected, but he enjoyed the final result: dressed in a white, striped shirt with a black, slim tie, elegant pants with a crease, and a black vest with one button. His watch and an intrinsic Gamma-necklace were also there, naturally.
To finish the look, Mike used Tom Ford’s Oud Wood perfume, which was a characteristic, almost artisanal scent with tones of burned wood, smoke, and sandalwood; Mike absolutely adored this smell, even if he wore perfume rather rarely. Right, it was time to order an Uber, he thought when it was almost half past six – the restaurant wasn’t far away, but it was Paris, and the traffic didn’t slow down until the late night hours.
On my way, babe, he texted Louis when he was running down the winding stairs, putting on his coat and scarf in a hurry – his driver was almost there. It felt surreal to go on a date with Louis – a real date in a fancy restaurant, with candles, expensive wine, and all that shit. When was the last time that Mike was invited to a rendezvous like that? He couldn’t even recall, which spoke volumes anyway.
When his partner replied, Mike took it with relief – this sensation was strange and unknown. Why on earth would Louis stand him up if he’d shown up before and asked him out himself? He smacked his lips at his own, unreasonable thoughts. Paris flashed outside the window – they drove through the 5th district by Jardin des Plantes and crossed Charles de Gaulle’s bridge over the Seine river, which connected two sides of the city.
When the train station of Gare de Lyon loomed in the distance, Mike knew that he was close. His heart started beating faster as the driver confirmed the route, and he could already see Louis’ muscular frame by the main glass entrance. He almost jumped out of the car before it pulled out to a halt, so excited and nervous he was at the same time, a strange mélange of feelings.
“At last,” he told his partner when he finally saw him, walking over to him faster and faster, until Louis closed the gap between them, put an arm around him, and kissed him properly, making Mike sigh with relief. For a moment, all the worries and frustrations disappeared as if by magic. He wrapped his arms around Louis’ neck, enjoying his taste and the gentle scent of cologne which tickled his senses.
But it was the roses that surprised Mike the most; a bouquet of beautiful red-orange roses suddenly appeared in front of him, held by Louis in his other hand. Fuck, he was stunned and his voice was stuck somewhere between his larynx and vocal folds for a longer moment.
“For me…?” he stuttered out, glancing at Louis and the roses. “I, uhm,” Mike tried to swallow a lump down his throat. “I’ve never gotten flowers from anyone. Thank you, I love them,” he finished lopsidedly and smelled the roses, gently taking them in his hand. Such a simple gesture, and yet, Mike’s heart melted completely – he put his hand on the back of Louis’ head and gave him another, shorter kiss, a sign of his love and gratitude.

When Mike thanked him for the roses, telling him how much he loved the bouquet, Louis couldn’t take his gaze away from his partner. He needed a while to find the right words after Mike kissed him so eagerly, sending the excitement rush lively in his body.
“You look absolutely ravishing,” he sighed at the sight of his lover, not exaggerating in the slightest bit.
Mike looked really stunning and in fact, his appearance was so fresh that Louis would never guess he slept for such a short time too. His partner’s hair was styled in perfect waves and soft curls, his face bore no traits of tiredness (except for the dark-ringed eyes which Louis found adorable), and his gaze shone with affection and gratitude. The outfit which Mike was wearing only complemented his lean, willowy frame, and Louis was sure that the clothes which his partner wore underneath his coat were just as stylish and fitting. He looked forward to seeing those, but what he was the most impatient to see was Mike’s naked body again, the memory that made the corners of his lips lift in a smile and his mind flood with salacious scenarios.
They went inside holding hands, Louis leading the way. The place was just as striking as he remembered it, with its iconic blue carpets and paintings that stretched all over the arched walls. They were shown to their table, which must have been the best one indeed, in the corner by the window - a spot that guaranteed them privacy from too many inquiring stares but also provided a good view of the historical place.
“How was your day? Did you manage to focus on work at all? I haven’t really been able to do this…” Louis confessed with a knowing smile.
His hand moved across the table to brush against his lover’s fingers, their touch sending sparks on Louis’ skin. Louis took Mike’s hand in his bigger one, stroking the palm of his hand with his thumb as he gazed into his partner’s eyes. He bit his lower lip while waiting for the answer, taking in all the beauty of the sight in front of him. Mike’s long fingers touched his hand in a caressing motion, his brown eyes shaded by the thick eyelashes looked up at Louis with the mixture of curiousness, affection and something he couldn't quite define (could it be love if Louis ever deserved that?), his thin upper body dressed in a fitting white shirt, matched with a tie. It flickered through Louis’ mind how playful and sexy it could be to gently tug at Mike’s tie when they got to the apartment together, and the combination of seemingly very different thoughts, both love-filled and lustful alike, almost made his head spin.

Dining in Le Train Bleu made Mike feel like dining in a museum with the spectacular interiors worthy of a grand palace, waiters dressed up to the nines, and sumptuous lounges that represented different cities and regions of France; it definitely felt like stepping into the time portal that transported Mike back to La Belle Époque.
The maître d’ led them to their seat as they walked hand in hand, amazed by the sparkling chandeliers above their heads, gold gilt décor, and wooden paneling which creaked beneath their feet. Mike remembered that celebrities like Coco Chanel herself or Salvador Dali visited this place frequently, and now, he could understand why – the ornate dining rooms with the staff preparing the dishes right in front of your eyes made it a real culinary experience, not a mere restaurant visit. No wonder that Le Train Bleu also gained Michelin Stars some time ago.
“How did you get us a place here so easily?” Mike asked in sotto voce, almost sure that the place had been fully booked for weeks ahead. Louis’ lips formed a mysterious smirk in a I know but won’t tell-way, which made Mike even more curious. He squeezed his hand gently. “Alright, babe, keep your secrets,” he cited a famous quote from the movie (was it Lord of the Rings?) and the maître d’ showed them to a table further from others, by the window, but separated by a wooden partition – a perfect place to talk quietly, without the commotion in the main hall.
They were given menu cards and a separate wine menu, a very vast one. But it wasn’t the food that Mike was most interested in, but the man in front of him, who just caressed his palm so gently, as if he was touching a feather.
“No, I couldn’t focus at all,” he chuckled. “I half-assed work today. Thanks to you,” he raised his eyebrows playfully and bit his lower lip in a nervous gesture. “I need to ask you something, and I figured that it’s better to do it straight from the shoulder,” he exhaled. “Louis, are we exclusive? I mean-“
Mike was always a straight-talker who didn’t like beating around the bush, but sometimes, he was at a loss for words, unsure how to navigate them so as not to hurt the other person.

“You’ve fucked my colleague, didn’t you? Yan,” Mike made a wry face. “I just want to know if it was a one-time thing and, generally, what we are. Because I don’t want to do any more situationships, flings. I’m thirty-four, and I’m really too old for that,” he chuckled nervously, feeling that his palm got sweaty. “It’s better if you tell me before I engage myself emotionally even more. I won’t be offended,” he lowered his eyes, staring at the menu, even though the letters were jumping and blurring in front of him.
“You know who I am and what I’ve done, so I will understand, really, if—” he paused, glancing at Louis, who deadpanned, listening to him attentively. Fuck, Mike shook his head, it was more difficult than he’d imagined. “And, there’s one more thing,” he exhaled again, but his partner didn’t interrupt. “I… have an anti-social personality disorder, which is a lovely term for something commonly known as psychopathy. I was diagnosed at nineteen,” he confessed, feeling a huge burden taken off his chest. Still, talking about his condition was never easy.
“I hate self-pitying myself, so let me just tell you that I’m also a survivor, and so is my sister,” Mike wriggled in place and loosened his tie. “I’m not dangerous to others, it doesn’t work like that. Yes, I experience extreme boredom at times, so yes, I did take all the drugs you can imagine, engaged in casual, unprotected sex, tried to kill myself, and made myself blindly drunk. I stopped because I’m on mood stabilizers, but still, I may experience low mood, very low in fact, when I can barely move. Then I’m the worst friend or boyfriend you can imagine.” Mike swallowed hard, playing with his watch, locking and unlocking it on his wrist.
“I do have empathy, it’s a common lie. But it’s only fair to tell you this, so you know what you can expect and make a conscious decision, in tune with yourself,” Mike wrapped up and exhaled again, feeling stinging tears form in his eyes; not because he felt bad for himself, but because he really cared about Louis and he wanted to be with him – which surely would have been easier if he wasn’t this fucked up.

Mike bared his heart in front of him, speaking of his experiences and diagnoses in the rawest and the most honest way possible. From the perspective of this confession, Louis has almost held his breath not to interrupt Mike. No one should go through such abuse and mental crises, and definitely not his loved one - the knowledge of what Mike’s been through made Louis’ heart squeeze painfully, his stomach sinking as if he’d swallowed a bucket of ice.
Before saying anything, Louis leaned over the table and brought Mike’s hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on his lover’s skin.
“Of course we are exclusive,” he began, replying to Mike’s first question. “I consider us to be serious and, as long as you want this too, a couple. No, I don’t want any more flings with anyone else either,” Louis added firmly. He knew he had a high body count and multiple casual partners, some of whom he didn’t know by name, but once he was with Mike, all of this was over. His casual sex belonged to the past, and Mike made him feel everything he thought he’d never experience - infatuation becoming love, the deepest kind of care for the other person and the steadily growing trust towards the man who meant so much to him.
“What if, in many other ways, you are the best friend and boyfriend? You are not your diagnosis, you know,” he began in an affectionate tone, his voice soft and low.
“Please, Mike. The anti-social personality disorder does not define all of you. I mean it from the heart when I say that you are a passionate, intelligent and caring person. I know you have empathy,” he went on, aware of the fact that his lover was probably more empathetic than most people. “And I know how much you care. Neither of us wants to get hurt again,” Louis followed up and made a small break when his throat tightened. Fuck, their date has just started and Louis felt a rare, overwhelming wave of sadness was taking over his body, depriving him of ability to speak without his voice shaking. He had to go on, though - for Mike and for himself as well. “And here you are, sharing all this with me, speaking with honesty and all the consideration for what we can create together. You’re being fair, and I know I can expect this from you. And I couldn’t thank you enough for trusting me,” Louis added, knowing that he could be safe with his partner.
Mike’s big brown eyes gleamed with tears for a brief moment, and although he wasn’t crying, Louis lovingly stroked his cheekbone with his thumb.
Mike wasn’t just Gamma. His alter ego, his diagnoses and his past - none of it defined Mike as Louis knew him. Sure, both of them could be described as “broken” people, and both of them still had work to do. Louis was just accepting the fact that just like Mike’s diagnoses didn’t define him, his past toxic relationship wasn’t a reflection of the person he was now. Being around Mike has taught Louis how to be more understanding towards himself - that was another proof of Mike’s support and affection, and realizing that had made Louis love him even more ferociously.

You are not your diagnosis, these words echoed in Mike’s head, slowly sinking in and being engraved there; this was something new – he had always been told that it was quite the contrary: if he ticked all the boxes of his disorder in ICD-11 classification, it described who he was. But it was first Xavier, then Louis, who proved him wrong: it didn’t describe his interests, his passions, how he could watch the starry night for hours, feel the music vibrate in his chest and make him dance for hours tirelessly.
Mike latched onto Louis’ hand, wiping the stinging tears off with his wrist. Fuck, maybe they were right in the end, not all the professionals and soulless therapists (besides miss Christine who’d saved his life) who tried to convince him otherwise.
“Of course, Louis,” Mike rasped, his voice faltering, a lump in his throat growing. “Of course. Trust is essential and a foundation of any relationship. I want to trust you, I really do,” he gasped and looked up at his partner (now, he could finally call him that!), who gently brushed his cheek. Mike stopped his hand there and kissed it gently. “Thank you, thank you so much… for understanding.”
It was unheard of that someone could finally look past Mike’s diagnoses, his past, his family, and his mischiefs and still be happy to be with him – the only person until now was Xavier, but he was a friend, not a partner. Mike’s head was spinning with all that information and a sudden realization he had never thought he would ever hear.
He barely even heard the waiter when the man approached their table, probably asking to take their order. Mike heard him as if he was underwater, still clutching onto Louis’ hand.
“Please, can I have… can I have some water? A carafe,” he asked, trying to find a correct word in the mess that his head was now.
“Of course. Sir, are you okay?” the waiter asked, but Louis said something to brass the man off for a moment, buying them more time; Mike didn’t have headspace to order any food right now. He massaged his temple with one hand, trying to focus.
“Louis, you have to know that… I remember you,” he started, confusing his partner again. “From these DJ parties in Social Club… I was there too and I remember you. You were with- him,” Mike finished, unwilling to speak the names out loud, not only in fear of being overheard but also because he didn’t want to spoil the mood with it. “You—you’ve inspired me to do it. I just wish I’d acted sooner.”
Both of them knew what this ‘it’ was; it didn’t need words. However, both small Mike and teenage Louis couldn’t be saved now – he could only hope that there wouldn’t be more children like them two, since the rapists and groomers were rotting in their graves. Who knew how many little lives Gamma had saved? How many suicides were prevented?
His partner was staring at him as if in disbelief, probably trying to connect the face with the memories. Mike had changed, but not that much, and the realization came soon enough, making Louis’ jaw drop and then close it, his eyes open wide.
“It was me,” Mike whispered with a faint smile, the memories of the boys they were planted in his head now blossomed fully. He remembered that cute teen with bangs, dancing his soul away on the dancefloor, a party-animal who puked into the trash bin outside the club because he’d drunk too much. He remembered that Louis was with a much older man who bought him drinks. Mike was shy, out of sight, sipping on his drink, watching everything closely.

Mike’s words hit Louis with as much force as if he’d held a machine gun against his body, and as an ex-cop, he was the one to know what recoil feels like. He knew just how much this sensation could shake one’s chest and reverberate through the whole body, and that was just it.
I remember you echoed in his mind and disrupted his own thoughts before he could say anything coherent.
“That really was you in the Social Club. Of course, I remember you now,” he whispered, eyes wide and lips parted in initial disbelief. “And then… I mean, then it was you again,” Louis connected the shy boy with curly hair first with Gamma, then with Mike, who sat next to him in the flesh. The fact that they had met before, even though they hadn’t talked as teenagers, made Louis’ head spin. “Looks like you’ve changed my life twice, first by doing it and then, when we got together,” he went on, his speech incoherent and chaotic. “And you changed it for so much better.” his throat squeezed at the last words.
Louis could hardly keep his composure. Flabbergasted and stunned, he just followed Mike’s example and didn’t mention anything about the murders or his abuser’s name. Both men went silent for a while when the waiter brought the carafe of water, after which Louis asked for a bit more time to place their order.
Both Mike and he needed to drink a glass before resuming their conversation, and it was only after a while that Louis found the right words to describe how he felt.
“You know, when the news hit… I immediately felt as if I owed something to Gamma. I felt the gratitude; it was a relief at last,” Louis began, and he took a gentle hold of Mike’s hand again. He could swear that the touch of a loved one could be healing (wasn’t there a scientific paper on that? He needed to ask his partner about it), and he held Mike’s hand in his big one. The warmth of his lover’s skin felt reassuring against his fingers when Louis gazed into Mike’s eyes and smiled gratefully at him. What a strange and beautiful fallen guardian angel he had, he realized, sighing. His eyes were tearing when he inhaled shakily, right before he resumed talking.
“Thank you, Mike. For being there and letting me know we met in the past, and… thank you for being you. I mean it”
The words streamed out of him just as if Louis was pouring his heart out. He accepted Mike fully and wholeheartedly, and being around this man felt like the greatest blessing

Mike’s heart fluttered, and a natural, beautiful smile finally lit up his face; Louis remembered him, he really did. It was strange how their lives had intermingled and connected years ago, just as if they were destined to meet, and a sum of quantum decisions led to this one moment, made them end up together as a result – the best, but unexpected, result that Mike could ever dream of.
“I’m happy that I could make your life better, in any life and form,” he breathed, so touched and grateful for these words, which made all his actions worthwhile. The awareness that he was accepted fully, with all his flaws and faults, was a great relief, which brought him comfort and alleviated all the pain that plagued his mind. “Come here,” Mike rasped, getting up from his seat to lean over the table, encouraging Louis to do the same. He grabbed his nape and brought him in for a kiss -- a short, sweet one, a seal of their love and dedication.
“Do you remember,” Mike started when he sat down again, visibly amused, his shoulders shaking, “that one time when you puked into the trash bin on that bus stop in front of the club?” he chuckled. “I was holding your hair then, and you went like: how much can one person vomit and then blerghhh again!”
They both burst out laughing at that memory, eyes gleaming again, but this time with tears of happiness, not sorrow. The mood improved at last, the atmosphere between them lightened up when all the past issues were finally resolved, and Mike could breathe easily again, feeling safe and grounded with Louis, knowing that he wouldn’t get betrayed.
“This is incredible that we went from you puking into the bin to here,” Mike summed up when he finally calmed down and looked around, amazed by the lavish interior of the restaurant. “What a wild ride,” he exhaled and smiled at Louis lovingly – this man had also changed his life for the better.
Once in better spirits, they proceeded to choose the dishes – their prices showed that this was a high-end place with fresh food made of absolutely best products. Mike really valued Louis taking him here – for him, it meant that he treated him seriously, like a partner, not only a hookup date. For the starter, Mike chose gravlax-style salmon with hummus, and for the main dish, he had a harder time choosing since everything looked delicious – in the end, he decided to take a roast leg of a local lamb. They both agreed to take desserts later on.
“Which wine would go nicely with this? Bordeaux?” Mike asked the waiter when he was taking their order, patiently answering all of their questions and waiting when needed – that was a professional behavior, and Mike really appreciated it.

Just as he couldn’t stop gasping and blinking nervously to get rid of the tears just moments ago, he had difficulty stifling his laughter now.
What a man Mike was! Sometimes, their conversations were real emotional rollercoasters in the best of ways. After Mike recalled one of the most chaotic nights at Social Club, Louis was distracted again and could hardly focus on reading the menu. Eventually, he decided to go for scallops with sea bream and caviar for the starter and beef chartreuse for the main course.
Once the waiter had taken their order, they could talk more freely again, and Louis felt more energised almost instantly. There were so many things he wanted to talk about with his fascinating partner, and he was more than eager to follow up on their conversation with Mike.
“Since we talked about clubbing, Silencio came to my mind,” Louis broke the short silence. “Should we come back on Halloween? I’d love to go there with you. This time as a real, happy couple,” he added with a dreamy smile, picturing Mike and himself coming back to Silencio as a proper, proud gay couple. We’ll make quite a power couple there, he realized. “I could become your sexy policeman, you know!”
“A sexy policeman?” Mike asked curiously. Louis saw playful sparks in his eyes and felt as if he had won a lottery. “You already are one,” his lover replied in a low voice that sounded flirtatious and admiring at the same time.
The sound of his partner laughing must have been Louis’ favorite sound, and whenever he heard Mike talking in such a promising, slightly seductive voice, he was getting dangerously close to losing his mind.
He was just about to open his mouth to ask Mike something, but it was at the exact same moment as their waiter came back with a Bordeaux bottle. He poured some in Louis’ glass for him to taste, and he had a hard time not rushing to try it so he could resume their conversation sooner. He took a sip, let the taste of wine melt on his tongue and nodded approvingly. Louis returned to their Halloween-oriented talk as soon as their glasses were filled with wine, looking at Mike expectantly.
“And what will your costume for Halloween be?” he wondered out loud, admiring the sight in front of him. Mike’s eyes were fixed on him, and the way his lips touched the rim of the wine glass made Louis’ mind ignite with the memories of their recent kisses.

Mike clapped shortly at the mention of the Halloween party in Silencio, his child-like exuberance being contagious to Louis as well. He absolutely adored all the costume parties, roleplays and themed meetings, which was also where his idea for Gamma stemmed from.
“Oh, I can’t wait. Xavier called me today and demanded that we better be there. I’m gonna be a vampirah,” he finished in English with his thick French accent and took a sip of the wine, which pleasantly tingled his senses. “He was very serious, and I’d rather not risk making him angry again! He was worried because I gave him no sign of life—you remember,” Mike paused, hoping to forget about that dark period soon enough.
“I know, he actually reached out to me about that,” Louis confessed suddenly, making Mike’s eyes widen; that was a novelty, even Xavier hadn’t mentioned anything. His eyebrows knit, then raised up, but Louis came with an explanation soon enough, telling him how they’d met in Starbucks, talked about him, how his best friend gave Louis the number of his flat. And all of that hassle because they were worried about his wellbeing?
“So that’s how you knew which flat to call on the intercom,” Mike gasped, his heart melting at this thought; he was more loved than he even expected to be, and this was both uncomfortable and heartening; the thoughts of ending his life dissolving into thin air, repressed for a while. “That’s actually-” he tilted his head, trying to find the best-fitting word. “it’s sweet, thank you. Nobody has ever cared about me so much like you two,” he added, stirring the wine in his glass, mesmerized by the red liquid.
“I’m not surprised at all that Xav has found you; he has the best spying skills ever! Whenever there was a boy or a girl I liked in our past, and had only some basic info about them, he’d crack his neck and find them within one working day!” he recalled, shaking his head with a smile, remembering how his friend tapped furiously on the keyboard of his laptop, searching for Mike’s then-crush.
Soon after that, their appetizers arrived on a metal trolley, steaming hot and smelling heavenly, making Mike almost drool; only then did he realize how hungry he actually was after that heartfelt conversation and a whole day of work, with barely any lunch break in between. The salmon he’d ordered looked great, aesthetically arranged on a plate. Mike almost clapped again, gasping at the sight of his dish.
“Did you know that Omega-3 fatty acids in fish help maintain the body's hormone production, including the production of sex hormones? And salmon has been linked to more intense orgasms thanks to the boost in dopamine, you know, the pleasure and happiness hormone,” Mike explained in his usual sexy-nerdy-way, once the waiter left their table, and looked at his handsome partner, hoping that it wasn’t cringy; he did his best to sound seductive, which came easily when Louis looked so attractive in a charcoal grey shirt.<

Mike’s joy and enthusiasm turned out to be contagious once again. Louis found himself smiling at the sight of his partner expressing such anticipation and what seemed to be pure happiness. He could swear his heart was melting - until he heard Mike mentioning him and Xavier as the people who cared about him more than anyone ever did. It meant that nobody in Mike’s family had ever shown him proper support and love, and even though Louis had been through the same, learning the same thing about his loved one was heartbreaking.
“There’s no need to thank me,” Louis assured him quickly when Mike expressed his gratitude in the most honest and purest way possible. “Maybe you should thank your best friend instead. He has quite a talent for tracking down people, he’d fit right into the police!” he chuckled, laughing at the recent meeting now but also grateful to Xavier for sharing Mike’s address with him. Most importantly, Louis was grateful to Mike for his time, his trust, and his willingness to be with him.
Being with someone as straightforward and open as Mike was refreshing to Louis after having met countless people pleasers and casual partners who would avoid every topic that was even remotely complex. Meeting Mike was a breath of fresh air in every sense, and Louis welcomed that. And besides, he was undoubtedly the most intelligent partner Louis has ever been with, and he found that both impressive and entrancing.
“It increases hormone production, including sex hormones? Looks like we ordered the right starters, then,” Louis replied with a smile, not taking his eyes off Mike. “Actually, speaking of hormones and the way our endocrine system works… is this true that the touch and closeness of a friend or a partner can be healing, so to speak?” he wondered, lacking the knowledge and expertise to describe his question better.
“Does it trigger a positive response in our brains, or is it just beneficial for children and such…?” Louis asked, not entirely sure of the way it all worked. Even when they were trying out their starters with Mike, the conversation went on and on, and Louis was beyond excited to listen to Mike talking about his passions and areas of expertise. Anything that mattered to Mike meant a lot to Louis as well - he was all ears and almost held his breath in anticipation while his partner pondered upon the question.

Their conversation flew seamlessly afterwards, which made Mike glad and relieved that maybe this date wouldn’t be a complete disaster and a waste of time for Louis – he still didn’t leave, so it wasn’t going bad, right? Mike wasn’t good at dating, as he had once warned him, but he surely was good at talking about things that made his brain itch.
“Yes!” Mike replied with his mouth full, almost choking on his fish. “I mean, it’s all about oxytocin! It’s a peptide hormone and a neurotransmitter produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. It’s this part which controls very basic things like thirst or hunger,” he continued, completely lost in his element. “It’s produced when we’re physically affectionate and during an orgasm, which is smart because it creates feelings of connection, bonding, and trust.” Mike couldn’t stop himself from smirking when he recalled the countless orgasms that Louis had squeezed out of him the night before.
“This is also why most men fall asleep after an orgasm, oxytocin has a side effect of regulating sleep patterns. Also! Oxytocin is one of several appetite-related hormones released when we are full, telling our brain and body to stop eating. So, when it is cued by hugging, kissing, and holding hands, it has the same effects as oxytocin cued by a well-rounded meal,” he added, pointing at their dishes.
“It also counteracts cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, so when you make physical contact with someone you care about, the feel good oxytocin floodgates open at the same time the urge to feel frazzled by cortisol is subdued, leading to an all-around calmer state, and thus, lowers blood pressure and improves the bodily immune function – all the advantages and only one hormone,” Mike smiled, looking forward to experiencing all of this with his partner now. “It’s not that we need it to survive, but children do. If they are not cuddled and held frequently, they may even develop severe attachment disorders and even have intellectual disability.”
Mike finished his appetizer and took a sip of the wine.
“When it comes to people like me, I enjoy more squeezing than hugging. You might have noticed my covers, right? It’s a weighted blanket, which calms the fight-or-flight response and activates the relaxing parasympathetic nervous system in preparation for sleep, it’s a game-changer for me because I tend to sleep poorly and the blanket is intended to provide proprioceptive input to the brain, which has a calming and organizing effect on the central nervous system,” he added, hoping that he hadn’t bored Louis to death by babbling too much about nerdy stuff, but it was difficult to control himself when he was hyperfixated on one topic.
Fortunately, their main courses arrived soon, and the waiter sliced Mike’s dish in front of his eyes, again making him almost salivate – the appetizer was absolutely delicious, so he didn’t expect anything worse this time around either.
“Sorry, do I talk too much?” he asked Louis again when the waiter left. “I’m unable to read social cues, so, please, just tell me if you want to talk about something else, okay? I won’t be offended.”

Louis kept listening, his eyes wide and his memory working hard to record everything, while Mike answered his question in great detail. His partner kept surprising him with his vast knowledge and captivated Louis with each word he said. In fact, he was so absorbed by Mike’s words that he’d much rather listen than interrupt him, and hearing his partner’s question made Louis shake his head vigorously.
“No, no, of course you’re not talking too much! On the contrary, you know… I love listening to you talk,” he said, determined to encourage Mike to keep going. “Do you even know how hot all of this can sound?” Louis asked in a low, suggestive voice, so seductive that it made Mike bestow the most charming smile on him, and he considered it to be a small success.
If making Mike happy could be considered a tiny achievement, their second date was a proper success for sure. The main course turned out to be even more exquisite than any of them imagined, and as the animated conversation went on, they decided to order one more bottle of wine.
“Speaking of the weighted blanket,” Louis resumed the topic started by Mike. “What other things or, so to speak, life hacks do you have that make everyday things easier for you? I hope you don’t mind me asking,” he added. Treating his partner as if he was some kind of alien or required special assistance was something Louis wanted to avoid at all costs. “It’s just that I know you have earplugs, order catering instead of shopping and such, and since we’re together now, maybe we can work on it, well… together?” he suggested, eyes lighting up in a smile. “Scheduling working days might be easier if we keep some things in each other’s apartments, for example… you’re welcome to bring any changes of clothes, beauty products or food to my place anytime,” he reassured his partner. Louis knew all of it could be overwhelming, overstimulating and simply hard to bear for his loved one, and he’d do anything to make this less of a torment for Mike. “And also! If I ever get too loud, too neurotypical or just too much, please let me know. I’d hate to be that stupid gym bro kind of boyfriend!” he made both of them laugh with his words. It was true, though! Coming across as inconsiderate, dumb or brutish was something Louis despised, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if he hurt Mike.
When their second wine was brought, Louis glanced at the time - they still had nearly two hours left until the restaurant would close, and he welcomed that perspective. Louis was more than eager to listen to Mike and watch his partner’s eyes gleam with the unmistakable glow of someone who discussed something he loved - and with someone he loved, what Louis realized with his heart fluttering.

It was very thoughtful of Louis to ask about Mike’s everyday struggles – nobody, besides Xavier, had asked him about it in order to make his life better, not to mock it or listen with disbelief. Mayhap his struggles weren’t visible prima facie, but it didn’t make them disappear, so Mike was grateful for Louis to just believe him.
“Absolutely not. It’s essential to ask because this is surely going to impact our life together,” he replied and added earnestly: “I treat this seriously,” meaning their relationship.
It was difficult to start with one thing. Suddenly, Mike’s head went blank, and the amount of wine buzzing in his head surely didn’t help in gathering his thoughts. He massaged the space between his eyebrows to focus on the reply.
“I think I’ll buy a second weighted blanket then and leave it in your place. It needs to be exactly ten percent of my body weight, so seven and half kilograms,” he started slowly, pecking with a fork in his food. “My social battery can die at very unexpected moments, then I just know I need to leave and lie down. Don’t take it personally, but it would be nice if you checked on me from time to time. Sometimes, I struggle with interoception, which means defining what kind of sensations I have in my own body or what I feel. I need a longer processing time.”
Louis listened to him attentively, looking as if he wanted to take notes from everything that Mike said, drinking the words off his lips. That was a complete novelty to Mike, who was used to people being rather bored with him talking and his struggles on a daily basis – as if it was something that he had chosen in the first place.
“I have problems with flexibility, it means that a sudden change in plans or an unprecedented event can make me very anxious and annoyed. Again, don’t take it personally; it’s just lack of my brain’s plasticity,” Mike informed Louis, biased on his previous relationships, remembering what a problem it used to be. “It doesn’t mean I cannot be spontaneous, I can. Depends if I have any mental space for that or not.”
He also talked about his hypersensitivity to sounds and the touch of strangers, dyspraxia, and everything that came with his condition. Louis even began taking notes on his phone, which was the sweetest thing ever! Mike could see that the man definitely cared about him and his well-being, which was a great prognosis for the future of their relationship. He was determined for it to work like never before, but for that, they needed full clarity and open-mindedness.
“And, babe, you are everything but a gym bro kind of a boyfriend.” Mike chuckled at that wording. “Believe me, I dated models, designers, photographers… those are loud, neurotypical, boring, and gym-obsessed people!” he exhaled loud and finished his glass of wine, trying to forget about his crazy and stupid dating past.
Soon, they were in the middle of the second bottle, and Mike already could feel the alcohol buzzing in his veins, making him more talkative and horny than before. Before they left, they decided to have dessert as well, and Mike took lemon balm sorbet, which sounded really good and tasted probably even better.
“I hope it wasn’t the worst date you’ve been to, Luisito?” he made sure, stroking his partner’s hand lying on the table.

“The worst I’ve ever been to? Of course not!” Louis assured quickly, shaking his head. “On the contrary. I’m very tempted to call this the best date I’ve been to,” he said firmly.
It wasn’t just about their surroundings or the fancy dinner, it was even more than the way Mike’s eyes shone when he looked at him, his lover’s smiles - from the foxy half-smiles to the much wider, genuine grins of unconstricted joy - or the short kisses they exchanged and the way their hands touched. It was about the trust they were gaining for each other and the future of their relationship they were discussing.
He smiled at the exact moment Mike touched his hand, the sensation of his lover’s fingers making his skin tingle in the most pleasant way.
“I’d be more than happy to go on more such dates in the future. That is, if it wasn’t the worst date you have been to, my prince,” Louis purred and interlaced his fingers with Mike’s, still longing for some more physical contact and emboldened by the wine they’d had. Would he see a wedding ring on this hand one day? It might have been exaggerated to indulge in wedding fantasies right there and then, on their second proper date, but it was one of the thoughts that vanished as fast as they appeared, making Louis blush slightly.
Well, maybe it wasn’t all that exaggerated. Louis could never know, and for the present moment, he just enjoyed their date to the fullest - and that included ordering coffee and a dessert.
Reflexively, he reached for his wallet the moment the waiter brought them the bill, but Mike gave him a serious look that said “don’t even try”.
“You sure you don’t want me to pay all of it? I’m fine with that, but we can just split the costs,” Louis stated calmly, eager to hear his partner’s view on that.
After all, it was he who had arranged the reservation and invited Mike for dinner, well aware of the menu prices. And besides, if there were more dates to come, Mike could just pay at another one. Louis was perfectly fine with that, but he could see his lover had other plans and most likely, he’d opt for each of them paying a half.

“Oh no, no way,” Mike spoke in English, shook his head and found the right banknotes in his leather wallet. “We split this time. You can pamper your prince another time,” he chuckled and left a tip for the waiter as well, twenty euros. It wasn’t a cheap restaurant, but the quality and prices definitely went hand in hand, and Mike knew what he paid for. Sometimes, one could indulge oneself like that.
They left the restaurant, walking hand in hand, and Louis ordered an Uber for them. Mike was buzzed (even more lightweight because of his medications), rowdy, and laughing his ass off because he suddenly remembered something funny; he shrieked when Louis pulled him close and grabbed his butt, attracting the attention of some passers-by on the street outside the train station.
“I’ll show you something, look!” he giggled and walked over to the STOP sign in a confident manner. He grabbed the pole, trying to remember the correct movements, hooked his long leg over it and swung his body, twirling on the pole hands-free, even though the alcohol buzzing in his head didn’t make his balance easy; they heard a passing car honk at him, but it didn’t distract Mike who changed the figure and lifted his body off the ground, arms clinging onto the pole.
“Ta-daah!” he jumped down and bowed, his head slightly spinning. Louis started clapping at his little show, probably just as startled as the Uber driver who just pulled over and saw the whole thing. “I used to dance on a pole, Xavier convinced me, actually, but his enthusiasm is very short-lived,” Mike explained, still giggling, once they got into the cab. “But I really liked it and did it for a couple of years. Now, I can be a professional stripteaser!” he burst out laughing and took his coat off, as it really got hot inside the car, and the wine warmed him up from the inside.
“Maybe I could do a private show for you?” he whispered into Louis’ ear, moving closer to him on the backseat. His hand landed on his partner’s thigh, rubbing it upwards in an impatient gesture, sliding higher to the bulge in his jeans; Mike had always been frisky after alcohol, all the blockades in his brain suddenly unlocked or invisible, making it much easier for him to be the person he’d always wanted to be: fun, extrovert, open. So he used these rare moments when he could feel like that and just followed the urge, which made him feel so alive.
Louis’ gorgeous partner just kept surprising him, he realized, staring wide-eyed at the other man.
Now he knew how the whole Magic Mike thing had started, it seemed! How did he even do this?! All Louis could do was clap and put his hand around Mike’s waist when his lover was done twirling around and pulling himself up, leaving him speechless for a while. Speechless and flustered, Louis realized as the sudden tightness in his pants became too intense to ignore. Mike was sharp-dressed and as stunning as ever, and being close to him worked on Louis like a drug, especially when both of them had drunk a few glasses of wine each.
All the things he’d imagined when Mike had whispered about the private show were so thrilling that Louis had to inhale sharply. He couldn’t even gather his thoughts after opening the taxi door for them - especially when he let Mike in first and had the perfect opportunity to look at his attractive partner’s butt. Fuck, he thought, biting his lips, it would be really hard not to rip Mike’s clothes apart and rail him in the cab…
“Mhmmm, do you think you could finish the private show with a lap dance?” Louis teased, his breath hitching when Mike slid his hand upwards along his leg. His dexterous, long fingers stroked the taller man’s thigh first and moved up to touch his bulge in a caressing motion. What a devil he was! Louis gasped in surprise and arousal, eyes darting to Mike.
“I could definitely arrange that,” Mike tempted, stroking Louis through his jeans, making the other man shiver and grunt softly at the sensation.
“Just don’t keep me waiting long,” Louis pleaded, his voice turning hoarse and deep during teasing. The tension that gathered in his body made him feel as if he was about to burst, and Louis, unable to wait longer, put his big hand on Mike’s waist to drag him closer for a kiss. He pressed his lips to Mike’s in an impatient frenzy, thirsty for more and already horny as hell. Louis wasn’t sure if they were even halfway through their ride to Mike’s apartment - he just needed Mike right there and then, and that couldn't wait.

That was exactly the effect that Mike wanted to achieve.
The glimpse in Louis’ eyes, the way he lost control, unable to wait any longer, his voice husky with desire for Mike – he loved all of this, he could even get addicted to this, so arousing it was, just as the awareness that he was lusted for. The kiss was wet, with lots of tongue, exactly what Mike wanted and needed – if the cab driver wanted to look, let him, he didn’t care anyway, and the man had probably seen hundreds of couples making out in the backseat in his life.
The erection was already straining Mike’s trunks, his cock wide-awake, leaking, but he held back for the time being. He slid his hand over Louis’ crotch – tentatively, ghosting his palm over the bulge of the jeans, feeling his partner already hard underneath. The moan that rattled up out of Louis’ chest sent a spike of heat through Mike, his desire building up, his hole itching to be pleasured.
“I want to suck you so badly,” he breathed quietly, tipsy fingers trying to unbuckle his belt. Louis’ firm grasp stopped his clumsy hand with a brisk movement.
“Not here, baby,” he commanded, eyebrow raised as a warning – which turned Mike on even more. He made a groan of disappointment, but fortunately, they weren’t far from Montparnasse anymore. Once they arrived, they almost jumped out of the car and ran to Mike’s apartment as if it was burning under their feet.
Mike was fumble-fingered, so finding the keys took a moment of annoyance, just like aiming at the lock. Key-chain with aliens and Saturn clinked, the door finally let them in, Mike swung it open. He clung to Louis almost immediately, unable to wait any longer, his dexterous fingers working at the buttons of his shirt; there was haste and hunger until Louis grabbed Mike’s hands before they reached his bare skin.
“Babe, are you certain? You've had a few drinks, love; I don't want to do this unless you're sure. Don't want you doing anything you might regret later,” Louis spoke, peering into Mike’s eyes, trying to gauge exactly how buzzed he was.
“I’m not that drunk, come on,” Mike scoffed with irritation, wondering if he just got rejected, which had never happened before – it was a weird turnabout of affairs. His mercurial character took over him, and he sighed with annoyance that his partner didn’t agree straightaway. He tried to free his wrists from Louis’ grasp but didn’t manage to; he was too weak and tipsy for that. “What? Let me go.”

“Not yet, babe,” Louis rasped, his grip firm around Mike’s wrists. “Not. Just. Yet,” he said each word slowly, in a tone that wouldn’t stand any objection.
He had no difficulties steering Mike’s lithe body around - on the contrary, Louis’ muscular frame and his height made it easy to manipulate his partner’s movements and pin him against the wall. Their hasty morning kiss sprang to Louis’ mind as he leaned towards Mike, his breath shaky from arousal when he kept his face mere centimeters from the other man’s.
Louis didn’t deny himself the pleasure of looking Mike in the eyes, catching his equally frenzied gaze, and took his partner’s chin in his large hand.
“Show me how badly you want to suck me,” he commanded, pressing his lips to Mike’s mouth in an almost aggressive way, bursting with desire. Their kiss was hungry and passionate, almost desperate, with sucking, licking and biting that followed. Louis could swear he was addicted to this man, the touch of his skin against his own and the feel of his eager, moist lips. The lips he wanted to feel around his stiff, already aching cock. “Get on your knees,” Louis gasped orderly and sank his hand in Mike’s thick hair, ruining his well-styled hairdo as he did so.
Their eyes locked when the two men broke their kiss, and without breaking eye contact, Mike stuck out his tongue to slowly lick his lips that were already swollen from their intense kisses.
Louis felt Mike’s gaze on himself when his partner went on his knees and moved his hands to his belt buckle. He grunted softly when Mike’s hands brushed against his erection once again and couldn’t stop himself from a quiet moan in the moment his lover pulled down his unbuckled jeans, which were getting unbearably tight. It looked like Mike engaged himself fully in this game of giving between them, like he enjoyed it wholly as he licked his lips in a slow, delicate motion again and touched Louis through his boxer briefs.
He had to bite his lower lip not to explode; so skillful Mike was teasing, caressing and preparing him for what was about to come. In the moment Mike dragged down Louis’ underwear, revealing his hard-on, he couldn’t stifle a gasp that turned into a low, guttural moan when his lover took a firm hold on his dick. Mike licked his tip that glistened in arousal, tearing one more moan from Louis’ throat, making his whole body shiver almost feverishly.

Fuck. Mike didn’t expect such a turnabout of affairs, afraid that he’d go to sleep rejected and unsatisfied, when all of a sudden he was pinned to the wall, throwing away every vestige of common sense, being kissed as if there was no tomorrow; Mike’s heart caught in his throat, his eyes fluttered shut, and the next thing he knew was that he moaned into Louis’ mouth, his partner flattened against him, pinning him against the wall, so that Mike couldn’t move.
He loved it. Oh, he loved it so much.
Louis’ tone of voice was decisive, bore no opposition, which turned Mike on even more, his cock sprang immediately back to life, begging to be released and pleasured. He ignored his own needs for a moment, craving a dick in his mouth much more right now.
Pulling his hair, the imperative tone of voice, forceful gestures made Mike hazy with desire. He knelt eagerly, his fingers inept as he was trying to unbuckle the belt as fast as possible, see this cock and feel it throbbing in his mouth again. An intense, sweetish, musky scent of Louis’ nether regions hit him right when the jeans dropped all the way down to the floor, a few loose coins clinked in the pockets. There was a wet spot on his partner’s Calvin Klein’s briefs, a clear sign of him leaking, which drove Mike wild with lust. He traced the outline of the cock with his hand, then added his tongue to lick it through the fabric of the underwear.
“God, I love your dick,” Mike gasped with a husky hum of appreciation once he pulled the briefs down, Louis’ erection caught briefly on the waistband, then sprung free, rigid and flushed and already slick with moisture at the tip. He was absolutely mesmerized by this view, nosing at his partner’s trimmed pubes, breathing in the heady scent of arousal that emanated from him. Mike paused, looking up at Louis who was shuddering, still pulling his hair, but not controlling his movements yet.
“Babe, can I touch myself?” he asked, flicking his tongue over the glistening head, sensing that Louis’ dick strained for more by the way it throbbed against his mouth with a desperate need for release. His partner agreed with a low rumble from his chest, allowing Mike to quickly unzip his pants and pull his damp trunks slightly down in order to free his throbbing dick out of this fabric prison. He started stroking himself with one hand, while the other one grabbed the base of Louis’ cock, and his mouth finally took him inside.
“No hand,” his partner demanded suddenly, and Mike obeyed straightaway. “Relax your throat.”
The grasp on Mike’s hair tightened as his partner slowly started thrusting his throat; at first, Mike gagged and tears involuntarily sprung in his eyes, but the stretch of his narrow esophagus was delightful. He stuck out his tongue to tickle the thick shaft more and let Louis fuck his mouth thoroughly, just as he pleased. A salty, musky sweetness drizzled down his tongue and chin, driving Mike crazy; he could feel the slick heat gathering in his own dick, begging for satisfaction, leaking like a faucet at this point.

It wasn’t over yet, and still, Louis could swear this was the best blowjob he’s ever received. Mike made him nearly melt in his mouth, and he moaned ecstatically as his body shuddered without control.
His cock has been begging for release for a while now and Mike gave him all of it and more - the way his partner licked him, tightened his mouth around his girth and sucked on him thirstily drove Louis mad with desire.
When he ordered Mike to just use his throat and mouth, Louis didn’t even give it a second thought - he just felt this moment, commanding his lover to do as he said, ready to bring him as much pleasure later on. He wasn’t thinking too much about what was to come, though - Louis let himself feel now and think later, allowing the ecstatic shivers to fill his body and the urge to take over his movements.
He started moving his hips in thrusting motions that gradually got deeper, fucking Mike’s throat in friction movements - regular at first, guaranteed to get more chaotic and intense soon. Very soon, he realized while his partner was sucking him so eagerly, taking it all in and touching himself in the meantime. The fact that Mike was masturbating turned Louis on even more; the choking sounds from his lover worked wonders on him.
Mike squeezed his throbbing cock in the warmth of his throat, mouth clenched around him, and the sensation drove Louis to moaning, grunting and gasping as his lover kept bringing him to the edge. He’s even started cursing in some obscene litany, leaking and lubricating, shivering like a madman, all thanks to Mike, who was on his knees, fully devoted to pleasing him, almost as if he was worshipping him.
Louis was slick and shaking, the pleasant spasms rumbling through his body as he bucked his hips vigorously, and he could feel his grip weakening before the orgasm.
“I want you,” Louis began with a certain effort while his face frowned in the overwhelming pleasure. “…to swallow everything, baby,” he gasped, seconds before clenching his eyelids. An ecstatic thrill rushed through his body, and he felt the spasms in his lower abdomen, which were the clear signs of an upcoming climax.

Louis, much to Mike’s delight, was vocal. Loud, even, and domineering, cursing, fucking his throat like a maestro. It made it easy for Mike to divine what was working and what wasn’t, to tailor his ministrations to Louis’ particular pleasure.
And tailor he did. Guided by the moans and grunts, he wrapped his lips tighter around Louis’ cock, working on it with his tongue and the muscles of his throat, relaxing them completely. His mouth watered as his partner used him like this; the thrashing and moaning sent fire zinging down Mike’s nerves, set thick heat pooling and stirring in his belly. The spit trickled down his chin and neck, hand still stroking his own dick, fingers sticky with precum seeping down his shaft.
Mike was fiercely aroused by Louis’ pleasure and by his own role in causing it; There was an immense sense of power in being able to reduce a man to a sweating, quivering, needy mess with just his mouth and cock and fingers, leave him gasping and spent. Normally it brought on a kind of savage glee -- lit Mike on fire, made him want to be fucked hard and fast, merciless. This was both the same and different. Not just a desire to conquer and ravish but a genuine desire to please.
The swelling and thumping thickness in his mouth, Louis’ more hitched and chaotic thrusts, made Mike sure that his partner was close. He looked up at him with his big, doe eyes, concentrated on breathing through his nose, his throat itching; it worked like a trigger – when Louis came with a shout, bucking his hips like a bronco – Mike almost did too.
It happened quickly, took him by surprise, even though his partner warned him that he was cumming. Mike gagged and gurgled for a brief second, spit and cum rolling over his lip, into his stubble, and down his throat, then he got hold of himself again. He nodded frantically, making encouraging sounds, “Mhmmm! – and sucked Louis through it, milking him, swallowing every drop, savoring the taste and the sounds and the way his partner clenched, and thrusted, and cried out.
Once Louis settled, leaning one hand over the wall not to tumble down, Mike licked his lips, still slick with spend. Louis was flushed and breathless and – “Merde, babe, it was great,” he rasped breathlessly, nearly bursting himself, skin flushed pink, curly hair sweaty and disheveled. He remained on his knees, shuddering when Louis looked down on him.
“I’m so fucking close already, babe,” Mike rasped with a hoarse, slightly apologetic laugh. He reached down to jerk himself with quick, light strokes, hips moving, thigh muscles twitching. If Louis even tried to fuck him now, he’d finish before his partner even managed to get it in.

Mike squeezed a powerful orgasm out of Louis, the kind that left his heart hammering wildly, cleared his mind blank and took the pressure away from his body. The tension he’d been feeling had to be released, and Mike handled it better than anyone before while he pleasured him so selflessly. His actions, combined with the muffled moans and eye contact, worked like a catalyst for Louis, who came hard and as intense as if they’d had a break for days or even weeks and not hours.
It was after a short while that he saw the state Mike was in, red-hot and sweaty, on the edge himself. Louis could see that his partner’s body begged to be fucked - only there was no time to prepare the condoms, the lube, anything. It was just them two, and he had to act fast, he realized as he grabbed Mike’s thin body and lifted him.
“No, no, let me help you,” he gasped frantically and moved his gaze to the nearest piece of furniture, a chest of drawers by the opposite wall. Louis wasn’t really gentle while he raised Mike’s body as if the other man weighed nothing and helped him up onto the drawers. Their roles changed, with Mike being higher up and Louis kneeling now, pulling down his partner’s pants and precum-stained underwear. “I want to get a taste of you again, babe,” he told Mike, slicking his fingers.
Mike squealed, half-surprisedly, half-impatiently, which was the sweetest sound Louis could imagine, and he fixed his wide-open, brown eyes on his kneeling partner. It was almost instinctive for Louis to rush and pleasure his loved one, to help him chase after the much-desired climax. Louis wanted nothing more than to bring Mike an orgasm, and he took his partner in his mouth, adoring how slick and moist he was from the dripping precum. It flickered through Louis’ mind that he’s never had a partner who would leak so much, and this brief thought itself made him even more horny.
He sucked on Mike’s erect cock, tongue sliding along the underside of his partner’s dick, lips tightening to additionally stimulate him. Louis brought his fingers to Mike’s hole to give him more sensations - without lube, though, his saliva would have to do. It seemed that the other man didn’t mind, writhing under his actions, muscles fluttering while Louis kept massaging around his hole, circling his wetted finger on such receptive skin.
Mike kept fidgeting and squirming under the overwhelming stimuli, and Louis wasn’t surprised to feel his partner moving more and more spasmodically with each moment. When his long fingers took a weak, shaky grip on Louis’ hair and his moans increased almost to shrieks, he knew his lover would give in to the climax any moment.
“Coming,” Mike tore a gasp out of his throat, and his whole body jolted, surrendering to the orgasm which Louis welcomed overjoyed, looking up at his partner in ecstatic haze.

Louis plucked Mike’s hand away from himself, quickly, and took over. Mike shuddered a little and squealed when his partner placed him on a chest of drawers (he’d never fucked on this piece of furniture before!) to suck him vigorously before he gets pushed over the edge. Mike made a breathy sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan; why did someone else’s hand always feel better than your own?
And Louis, more skilled, better than most, better than in any recent memory – expertly slicking his shaft, paying close attention to the underside of the head, then greedily taking his whole length with almost no gagging reflex. The slicked finger around his butthole made the whole experience even better, igniting the fire in his belly anew; he rasped devil’s paternoster under his breath, fingers twined into Louis’ hair, head tilted back, even though he wanted to look – there was something in observing the other person having your dick in their mouth, enjoying themselves, just like Louis did now.
His hips moved rhythmically – short, sharp thrusts – but Mike let Louis act in general; he knew well how to push him over the edge, his warm, slick tongue working on him like magic, every stroke bringing Mike closer. He tried to look at Louis, he really did, but the sparks already started invading the edges of his vision, before obscuring it completely; when the orgasm rolled over him, Mike lost himself, announcing shortly that he was coming – he shuddered, eyes rolling back and fluttering shut of their own accord, hips stuttering.
He drifted away for a few moments, loose and boneless, slowly coming back to himself. With a final flick of his tongue, Louis savored the taste of Mike’s release, lapping it up as if it were the nectar of the gods. Mike looked down on his lover, his cum staining his beard and lips, which his partner didn’t seem to mind, nuzzling his face in Mike’s groin and pubic hair, as if it was the most delicious, most comfortable area.
“Dear God, Louis, that was… fucking… nnngh,” Brain not fully functional yet, Mike couldn't find the word he wanted; grunted instead, like a man taking a bite of the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted, and kissed his partner, legs still shaking when he slid off the chest of drawers onto the floor. Louis kept him in place, though, realizing how shaky and hazy Mike still was – but almost sober at this point already, the orgasm brought back the consciousness and clarity of mind, at least most of it.
There was literally a puddle in his trunks and on the furniture, the moist mess he’d often leave behind when sucking a dick -- damn. Mike removed his underwear, tugging it down together with his creased pants. He wouldn’t need it anyway, and it definitely had to go to the washing machine.
“I still want to fuck, though,” he spoke, unbuttoning his shirt to stand naked in front of Louis soon enough.

That was fast, Louis thought, his mind racing with the reminiscence of his most recent orgasm, Mike’s climax and the sight he had in front of himself right now. A sight he beheld in both awe and arousal as he feasted his eyes on Mike’s tall, lanky body, completely naked in front of him.
“There’s nothing I want more than fucking you,” Louis replied, wiping his partner’s cum from his lower lip and facial hair before he licked it off his fingers. He held eye contact with Mike as he did so and enjoyed his lover’s taste on his warm skin.
Louis found himself addicted to Mike’s touch and his body heat once again, and as both men sped up their actions in their ever-growing desire, he felt as if they were never going to slow down. In the sudden urge, Louis pressed his mouth to his lover’s, parting Mike’s lips with his tongue on which the other man’s taste still lingered, and the kiss that followed was lustful and desirous. His hand slid down to Mike’s ass and Louis grabbed it in a possessive motion – he’s never had enough of Mike’s shapely butt, the way it tasted, felt in his hands and how his partner would squeeze him inside when he broke the resistance of his muscles. Louis looked forward especially to that last thing, and the reactions of his body reminded him of it, especially when their kiss was getting more and more intense. He bit Mike’s lower lip, which was slightly puffy from their thirsty kissing session, and gave him a spank, making his partner squeal a bit.
“I want to fuck you somewhere else than the last time,” he told Mike in a low, hoarse voice that rumbled in his chest. “How about I carry you there…?” Louis nearly gasped out the last words. He had difficulty focusing and forming even simple phrases when his body was pressed to Mike’s and blood rushed to his lower abdomen again.
“Mmm, take me there,” Mike replied in a sultry whisper and undid the last few buttons of Louis’ shirt, letting the taller man shrug out of his now-unnecessary clothing. Louis pulled his jeans and underwear down, his motion so forceful that the garments threatened to rip at the seams, after which he stabilised himself a bit to lift Mike.
He took a firm hold of his partner under the thighs and around the thin waist, which made Mike wrap his arms around Louis’ neck instantly. Louis grunted with satisfaction and carried Mike to the living room, seating him on the couch, where he couldn’t stop himself from giving Mike one more kiss so passionate it bordered on desperate, their lips clashing and his big hands groping his partner’s graceful body.
“Turn for me, darling,” Louis ordered in a coarse voice, sighing in awe when Mike knelt on the sofa with his back turned on him and his ass sticking up in the air. “That’s a good boy… god, so gorgeous you are. Give me a moment so I can prepare you,” he gasped at the sight, giving Mike a promise of what was about to come. Louis had to fetch his bag to continue with his partner – he didn’t just get flowers for his lover, since he also brought condoms and lube, well aware of how much they would need those if they wanted a night as long and hot as the last time. Or, hopefully, an even longer and hotter one.

“You’ve come prepared, I see,” Mike’s lips curled up in a smirk when he turned his head to take a look at what Louis was doing, his butt still stinging in a pleasant way after being spanked so forcefully. It wasn’t always that he wanted to be dominated like this, but, with Louis, it was felt like the most natural thing in the world to submit to him, give him the steer and let him do whatever he wanted. It surprised Mike how well-synchronized they were, fulfilling each other’s desires with joy and anticipation.
He leant over the back of the sofa, spreading his legs and sticking his butt up – this time, he was clean and douched, so it was easier to relax; last time Louis’ visit surprised him, just like his own urge to have sex with him then and there. Still, Mike felt so comfortable with him that even if there was an accident, he knew that he wouldn’t be judged or frowned upon.
“Hmm, am I?” Mike asked teasingly, his hand clutching onto the sofa’s frame while the other slid between his cheeks to touch his twitching hole, begging to be filled up. “You know that I masturbated, thinking about you, after our first date-?” he revealed suddenly, in the heat of the moment, touching himself in anticipation of what was about to come.
“Oh, you did?” Louis asked, his own hands anchored over Mike’s thighs, skimming along his balls where they peeked through the gap, the touch feather-light and tickly. “So did I. I wanted to fuck you so badly.”
“Oh,” Mike shuddered, blood rushing away from his head, southward, making his cock harden again at the mere thought of Louis masturbating to him.
“So did I. I can’t believe that we can keep doing this now,” he rasped, the scent of their desire filling the air and driving Mike wild with need, bordering on desperation. “I’m so fuckin’ lucky,” he murmured, his hand stroking his stiffening cock as Louis’ wet tongue found the way to his hole, which made Mike tremble and shiver. He realized that he started leaking again, his hand moving on his slick dick, making smacking sounds.
“Fuck” Mike’s breath hitched, Louis’ thumb circling over his entrance, slick with lube and spit, licking him open – and Mike’s body responded to it, melting underneath his touch, in sync with his partner’s touch. The teeth grabbed his taunt buttcheek, making Mike squeal, taken by surprise, two fingers sliding inside him with ease, moving in a relentless pace. He arched his back, precum oozing and soaking into the fabric of the sofa, his body tensed, breaths coming in short gasps.
“I’m ready, please—” Mike managed to form a semi-coherent sentence, begging to be fucked. But his partner had other plans, prolonging his suffering as much as he could – he heard him tearing the condom open, lube squished out of the tube, and shuddered when he sensed the girthy cock slicking and sliding over his crack up and down, teasing his hole, making him almost howl with desire.

As much as Louis wanted to fuck Mike already, he was also feeling like teasing his partner, nearly torturing him as a result. How else could he call it when his eager lover was shuddering feverishly, his breath shaky and hand moving frantically up and down his cock? Louis’ partner was vocal, and that was another thing that turned him on like crazy – right there and then, Mike’s gasps, moans and whispers were his doing, and Louis took immense satisfaction in that. His own dick was rigid in his hand and dripping on the end, blood thumping under the skin and making the veins protrude – all of which was a clear sign of Louis’ arousal.
“You ask me so, so nicely, Mike,” Louis sighed approvingly and stroked the other man’s lean thigh in a caressing gesture. He didn’t stop rubbing his dick against his partner’s crack, though, tormenting him slowly. “Where do you want me?” he asked in a low, croaked voice. Louis still held one of his hands on Mike’s thigh and he brought the other hand to his throbbing, lube-slicked cock to point the tip at the other man’s entrance. “Where,” he ordered to reply him in a tone so firm and stern that his words hardly sounded like a question. Mike whimpered, his back arched and his whole body shivering when Louis pressed his cock against his hole but didn’t push it in. The burning question, seemingly so simple, made Mike grind against Louis in impatient motions, and he put his hands on his partner’s narrow hips to stop him until the reply.
“I-in my ass,” Mike stuttered out, his hips involuntarily making one last bucking motion when he attempted to get Louis’ dick inside him. “Please,” he uttered in a gasp. Louis heard his squeal loud and clear in the moment he grabbed his partner’s hips and pressed inside Mike in a forceful, almost possessive movement. He couldn’t stop himself from a strained, guttural groan that sounded almost as if he was in pain, so intense was the pleasure when Louis pushed his cock inside Mike. He stretched his hole, so hot and tight and well-lubricated, surely quite sore after yesterday’s excesses, and broke the resistance of his partner’s muscles before he started thrusting Mike in gradually deeper motions.

Mike breathed harshly through his nose, tensing, brow knit, and eyes squeezed shut as Louis was tormenting him mercilessly, sending shivers all over his body, and having satisfaction from his pleading, entreating squeals. “Ah, merde,” he groaned, a near-sob that turned into a pained laugh, when his partner pushed the head of his dick against his hole, without entering him yet.
Mike tried to recall how one even speaks, so clenched his throat was, vocal folds shuddering with lust. He had no idea that Louis was like that, but Mike absolutely loved it, even if it was terrible and delicious and nearly unbearable all at the same time, in the best possible way. He allowed his partner to do what he wanted, have his way with him, and toy with his lean, lithe frame any way he chose.
Not that it was any hardship – despite the growing ache in Mike’s balls, brought to the edge of sanity closer and closer, it was exquisite. Exquisite torture, but torture nonetheless, making Mike’s hips buck and his lanky thighs shake, lightning bolts of pleasure racing through him. When he finally gathered enough thoughts to reply, almost on the verge of crying or howling with the urge, Louis made a satisfied grunt, finally entering him with one, deep thrust.
“Yes!” Mike squealed like a pig, too far gone to be embarrassed by such noises that invaded his voice; he felt comfortable, he felt indescribably good, and he wanted Louis to know that he felt him, all the way inside, jostling his guts, stretching the sphincter most delightfully. He arched his back like a bow, making it easier for his partner to hit his prostate, massaging him from the inside, sliding over his sweet spot in streamlined movements. His hand was drenched in his own precum; it trickled down his balls and thighs as well, almost embarrassed by the way that Louis worked on him. Almost because Mike couldn’t care less, and he knew that his partner loved him slobbering like that.
A dozen of thrusts more, a violent spank on his butt, and Mike felt that he was balancing over the edge again, his legs shaking with effort, Louis pounding him mercilessly – their balls met, bouncing from time to time, which turned him on even more, just like the smacking sounds of their bodies clashing together.
“Louis—” he gasped, biting on the fabric of the sofa. “have mercy, I’m so close—” he whimpered when his partner twined his strong fingers into his hair, pulled his head back in a firm gesture.
“You haven’t asked me if you can cum,” came a harsh reply and a sudden change in thrusts, which got so tantalizing slow that Mike wanted to howl. He was sure that Louis grinned, enjoying his discomfiture far too much to stop right now.
“C-can I cum? Please, Louis,” he almost cried out, this edging started to get unbearable.
“Yes, good boy. You can,” Louis agreed and sped his thrust up again, finishing off – he swelled inside, which was a clear indicator that he was also close. He poked Mike’s sweet spot so eagerly, tearing out yelps and whimpers out of him, that it took only a few moments to start convulsing with pleasure, get pushed over the brink. Mike’s mind was completely consumed by the bliss coursing through his body, the orgasm shook him with the power of a thunderbolt, a much deeper and more powerful one than the first one. He'd shot what felt like a gallon of cum, along with what must have been fully half of his brain cells. Had temporarily lost track of where he was and lost the ability to string words together coherently.
And then he came again; the wave washed over him once more and once more, this time dry, in a condensed way, with such rapid succession from one to the next that it seemed instantaneous. It was a knee-buckling, overpowering sensation, which wore Mike out and squeezed tears out of his eyes. When Louis slid out of him, he slumped down onto the sofa, damp with sweat, flushed with arousal and with tears staining his beautifully ugly face, feeling a sensation of deep satisfaction and relief roll over him.

To Louis, having sex with Mike felt like pure insanity sometimes. The orgasm was so powerful that it made him shut his eyes and shoot his whole load, and even in the post-coital haze, he was more than sure he would need a moment to catch his breath after something as intense as that.
When he took off and tied his condom to throw it on the floor, Louis moved as if he was either half-asleep or drugged. The climax left him speechless and exhausted, and it only amplified his feelings for Mike. That man was unbelievable!
Louis nearly threw himself on the couch, only to realize that his lover’s face was tear-stricken, his eyes gleaming and reddened. For a split second, Louis feared that he was too harsh and jolted in his seat before turning to Mike.
“Love, you alright?” he rasped as he wiped his lover’s tears with his thumb, his gesture so tender and caring that it couldn’t be more contrasting to their red-hot, raw sex that happened between them just moments ago.
In the moment Mike nodded energetically, Louis felt he could really breathe.
“I was just worried I went too far. I’d feel so bad about it, it’s just that what we did was… absolutely amazing. It made me forget my own name,” he whispered with an exhausted smile.
Louis leaned in to give Mike a gentle kiss on the lips, grunting happily when his partner responded to the kiss so eagerly.
“It’s fine, Luisito,” he calmed him down and, just as if he wanted to prove his words, bit Louis’ lower lip playfully, clearly in good spirits. Seeing Mike so happy was contagious to Louis, who smiled against his lips during another slower but just as affectionate kiss, and it was a matter of time for the both of them to lie on the couch, Mike in Louis’ arms, their hands stroking each other’s bodies in unhurried motions. It was only after a longer while that he took a grip on Mike’s butt, so sneakily that it made his partner squeal softly in surprise.
“Let me know when you’re ready for more, baby. I’m not done with your pretty, tight ass just yet,” he teased Mike with his lips against his lover’s ear, tickling the bare, sensitive skin with his warm breath and his beard.<

“It was the best sex of my life. Of course I’m fine, babe,” Mike said, shaking his head, his voice raspy and hoarse after all the animalistic sounds that had left his mouth just a moment ago. Louis definitely deserved praise after such an extraordinary fucking. “I rarely had multiple orgasms, but I did with you. So, congrats,” he added with a light chuckle, touched by the way Louis cared about him, wiped away his tears ever so gently – with a stark contrast to their rough fucking just a moment ago.
Mike definitely felt happy to have both in one man; he looked at Louis’ sweat-damp, flushed face with awe, hardly able to believe that this man was actually his, only his, and that he wanted to be with him. It felt better than scoring six in lotto.
He put his head on Louis’ broad, hirsute chest, listening to his breath slowing down, just like the quickened heartbeat getting gradually idle as well. His partner gently brushed over his bare back, making Mike sigh, eyes closing, content and tingly.
“I’m satisfied for tonight, babe, I’d rather go to sleep,” he smiled apologizingly, flattered that Louis was still so keen on him, however, Mike was already drowsy and overstimulated – the lack of sleep from previous nights had a ripple effect on him, and the consequences could be bad, like a meltdown or shutdown, he knew himself well enough. “What if we take a bath together, though? The tub is not huge, but should be enough for both of us.”
His partner didn’t seem offended or to have taken it personally – which was good news; Mike had immature partners before, and they wouldn’t take rejection well, even if it was only protecting Mike’s own boundaries. On the contrary, Louis seemed happy with such an offer, and he helped him up before making their way to the bathroom. Mike got up with a groan, sore butt protesting, still a little achy after their passionate fucking. A hot bath would do both of them well; hopefully, he still had some Epsom salts, maybe some nice scented ones.
In the bathroom, he made a quick check to ensure everything was tidy and clean, but Miss Sophie was very meticulous in her work, so Mike didn’t need to worry about anything. He put away a few stray items -- hair gel, cologne, lube -- and rummaged through the linen closet for Epsom salts while the tiny bathtub filled with hot water. Finding some scented with bergamot and white tea, his personal favorite, he poured them in. Wisps of sweet-scented steam rose off the water, perfuming the renovated bathroom, swirling through the light coming in through the windows.
Louis was the first one to step into the hot water, then he stretched out his arms, and Mike scooted up, making himself cozy between his legs, with his back against Louis’ chest, knees bent and legs bracketing Mike’s narrow hips.
“Perfect,” Mike gasped, eyes half-closed in bliss, feeling safe and loved at last when his partner closed him in his arms. His partner also sighed contentedly and planted a kiss behind Mike’s ear, in that sensitive place, which made him giggle. For a moment, it was silent, only quiet lapping of the water and some distant voices of the neighbors were audible; it was steamy and smelled good, the heat drained some of the tension out of Mike’s muscles as well.
“Are you happy with me?” he asked suddenly, turning slightly to look at Louis, a master of difficult questions. There had been so much happening recently that he was a bit overwhelmed; it was a madhouse, but he wanted to know.

“I am very happy with you,” Louis replied almost immediately. His response came fast, but it was honest – that was exactly how he felt. “I meant it when I said I love being around you. We might come from different backgrounds, but we understand each other, we’re there for each other, you know? I’ve never felt this way before. Around anyone,” Louis added in a serious voice.
For a moment, both of them stayed silent, letting the only sounds be their regular breathing and the soft splashing of water around the bathtub's edges. Louis has always wanted to act rather than just speak, and he wasn’t too much into just spilling sweet words instead of proving his declarations. He gathered his thoughts as he gently dragged his finger around the thin chain around Mike’s neck, the one to which the uppercase Gamma symbol was attached. Louis knew Mike wasn’t just Gamma, and he embraced his partner fully, murderer or not, wholeheartedly accepting the person who Mike really was.
Louis loved the way Mike smiled, making the tiny crow-shaped lines appear in the corners of his eyes, he loved the way his partner would either keep his gaze fixed into the distance or let his eyes stare right into Louis’ with an intensity and depth like no other, he loved the way this fascinating man would tell him everything about his special interests, agitated and absorbed, his voice speeding up and his gestures lively. So many times, Louis found himself in absolute awe when Mike was around, and he felt like every time they met, he discovered new reasons to love him. And he wanted to stay with Mike to keep noticing these things every day.
“Of course I’m happy with you,” Louis assured his lover in a quiet but decisive tone. He tilted his head to kiss the spot behind Mike’s other ear, grazing his lips against his partner’s skin heated from the bath and the steam around them. Could Louis listen to Mike giggling forever? In this moment, his loved one’s body heat and his touch were all he needed. Well, that and an answer to the same question, and Louis asked it in an emotion-filled whisper, his mouth close to Mike’s ear. “Are you happy with me?”

Louis’ answer was a satisfactory one, and the gentle kiss which followed – even more. Mike’s lips curled up into a genuine smile at words that Louis had never felt this way with anyone before – it was the same in Mike’s case. He grazed his fingers over the Gamma necklace but didn’t say anything, leaving some things unspoken.
“I am,” he told Louis with all certainty and even without a second of hesitation. He hummed under his breath, skimming a hand up and down his partner’s chest, palm settling down on his biceps. “I can’t lie, it’s a lot for me to process. I’m a bit overwhelmed by… everything. But with you? I’m happy.”
Mike had finally made peace with the fact that not everything could be controlled or foreseen – he definitely hadn’t planned on falling in love with the survivor of one of his victims, but, apparently, his mind and heart (or fate) had had something else in store for him; and, at the end of the day, Mike was content that it had turned out this way.
“Do you know why it’s Gamma?” he asked after a moment, turned back, playing freely with Louis’ dexterous but big fingers. He was aware that his partner might have some scruples about bringing this topic up again, but he suspected that Louis might be dying to know as well; he would if he had been hooking up with a murderer, anyway.
Louis shook his head.
“Gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. I’m the third child of my parents,” Mike started slowly, toying with the gold chain on his neck. “Do you remember Gamma Andromedae on our first date in the planetarium? The third-brightest point of light in Andromeda constellation. It was the first thing I saw and identified from my small, childish telescope,” he made a slightly wry smile. “In Hebrew, we call it gīmel. That’s how I found out about it,” he added with such an accent that Louis must have realized that Mike actually spoke the language.
“When I was a child, I had an EEG done, basically a brain scan, to see what the hell was wrong with me,” Mike continued freely, stirring his legs in the water. “which showed steeper increases in delta-wave power over that time, and slower increases in gamma-wave power, along with slower beta-waves. Gamma waves are also connected to the integrality of senses, and I have something called synaesthesis, which means that, for example, numbers have colors for me, I can ‘feel’ shapes, and so on,” Mike shuddered slightly at the memory of the medical examinations done on him as a child; he remembered his salty tears staining his face when the nurse stuck the wires to his head, and his mother didn’t even want to hold his little hand.
“It inspired me to embrace it in a way, this… divergency, alteration of my self. Gamma is also a representation of balance, harmony, and equilibrium, something that I was always striving to achieve. For me, Gamma is the ultimate perfection, an ideal, also in the society.” Mike wrapped up, tilting his head back to look at Louis and his reaction.

All of a sudden, Louis reminded himself of their planetarium date when Mike mentioned Gamma Andromedae, the memory coming back to him vividly. It all started to make even more sense and fit right in with the bittersweet memories and experiences Mike told him about. Mostly bitter ones, Louis realized with a pang in his heart.
“Gamma makes so much more sense now. Thank you for sharing this with me, love,” he replied gratefully. “I couldn’t thank you enough for all that,” he added, aware of how intimate Mike got with him.
As the third child, Mike surely was both deprived of unconditional love or support and put under too many expectations, and realizing that once again made Louis’ heart squeeze and his stomach sink. He knew that Mike had dealt with the experiences, and when he referred to “something wrong with him,” he must have talked about how he felt in the past. Still, Louis couldn’t help picturing Mike as a shy boy in the past, just like when they met for the first time, who blamed himself for something that wasn’t his fault.
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Louis went on, processing one of the last memories Mike revealed to him. “And the way you embraced it all and made it all ‘yours’ gave me chills; it moved me so,” he added, genuinely feeling the goosebumps of sheer awe on his arms as they sat in the water that slowly cooled down.
The admiration he felt for Mike was getting stronger than ever before, and with each moment, Louis realized that there was something more than awe, fascination and mutual understanding in this oxytocin high of a new relationship. Louis wasn’t just in love with Mike – he loved him deeply and, he had to admit that, quite madly now, after he’s been let in his partner’s everyday life, eager to do the same.
If telepathy was real, Mike must have mastered it, Louis realized when his loved one turned his head to give him a slow, steamy kiss, with their lips parting unhurriedly and their tongues touching languorously at first, before gaining some more passion later on.
Louis wasn’t even sure how long they sat in the bath, letting their muscles relax and their bodies touch closely. He simply enjoyed this kind of intimacy with Mike and didn’t mind changing the place for their cuddles when they moved from the bathtub to the bed after a while. To Louis, anything they did together with Mike felt natural, and he took it as a good sign for their shared future.

“There’s something wrong with me – chemically,” Mike replied, citing Depeche Mode’s song. He felt vulnerable in that moment, naked and exposed, wishing he could really know if Louis spoke the truth, praying to the gods he didn’t even know the name of for it to be real, so his partner would never betray him – Mike wouldn’t survive this, he knew that. Not this time. “But thank you for saying that.”
The water hadn't cooled off entirely but was reaching that unpleasantly lukewarm stage, like soup left out too long on the counter. Mike stretched luxuriantly; the soreness and tension in his body dissolved in the water, leaving place for fatigue. Many things had changed, and Mike’s poor brain needed some time to catch up with everything.
It was a relief to lie down in bed under the weighted blanket, Louis under his own, snuggled to him, even hearing him breathe quietly; The room was quiet, lights dimmed, soft music playing. The air was sweetly scented -- the faint waft of perfumed Epsom salts lingering in the master bath, the chamomile linen spray on the sheets and pillows. A silly thing, one Mike had always considered mildly self-indulgent, but it did help him relax and sleep.
Mike snuggled in a little closer, Louis’ hand on the slight crest of his hip, thumb caressing the skin. It was nice, oddly domestic. The bedroom felt like a warm, safe little oasis – Gamma, interrogation, family, Yan Wagner, and all the other drama far away, sealed out along with the rest of the outside world.
“Louis, I’ll have to ask you a favor,” Mike raised himself on the elbow and put his hand on his partner’s naked chest. When their eyes locked, Mike took a deep breath. “If it’s possible, I’d want you to check how the interrogation is going. If they have anything on me. I was very, very careful each time, but they already know too much because of that one camera. Could you do this to me, to Gamma?” he inquired quietly, in case someone was listening from afar. “Or would you betray us?”
He didn’t want to ask for this but had to; Louis must have known what he had signed up for by becoming his partner and his lover – now, he was also his partner in crime, and there was no turning back from this.

“I could never betray you,” Louis replied truthfully. Mike could ask him for anything, and he’d agree in a heartbeat; he knew it well after he got so attached, but checking on the interrogation was definitely within his reach. “And what you ask for is definitely within my reach. Just give me a day or two to ask a well-informed friend, and I’ll tell you everything I can,” he promised. “If there is anything you might need my help with, please let me know so I can do my best.” He meant his words, willing to do everything for his loved one.
Louis imagined some people would react defensively when asked for such favor, but he couldn’t be further from them. Mike meant far too much to him, and he couldn’t even imagine refusing to help him.
For a while, both of them stayed silent, letting the soft music and their regular, relaxed breathing fill the air around them. Louis might not have been able to tell the exact scent of linen spray around them nor buy a weighted blanket for Mike without being completely certain of its weight, but he could take care of his partner’s everyday needs and preferences. In his mind, he’s already making a list of things to be rearranged, taken care of and bought, and he must have been deep in thought since his partner remarked it with a giggle.
“Quit doing that, Luisito, or it will stay like this!” Mike chuckled and smoothened the deep, vertical wrinkle between Louis’ eyebrows.
His partner’s sweet reaction made him laugh as well, and Louis took a gentle hold of Mike’s wrist to bring his hand to his lips.
“I said I’ll do my best for you, so I’ll try to stop frowning so much,” he laughed softly and planted a kiss on his partner’s hand. “I was just thinking if you want to go to my place the next time we meet…? I got a toothbrush for you ready,” Louis smiled both at the thought of finally inviting Mike over, as well as reminiscing one of their earlier conversations when his partner, eager to share everything he had, offered him a spare toothbrush. That was when they were in such a rush, after the memorable night, so recent but at the same time so distant when Louis realized how much more they got to know about each other since then. The feelings between them and their relationship were moving on with full speed and an addictive force, and Louis welcomed that as he hugged Mike tightly again, almost squeezing him. They were about to spend another night together, and it was one of many more to come.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Life has never been easy for Bahar Aimaz.At least she didn’t have to wear a hijab here, in Paris. Stinking, cold Paris. But at least, she was free here – free to do whatever she wanted, go out to the clubs, dance, dress in short skirts; finally, she had hope, thanks to Monsieur M. Her lips curled up in a soft smile whenever she thought about her Angel, his help arrived so suddenly, and he pulled Bahar out of the darkness back into the light.It was a while since he talked to her, and she found herself missing his gentle and dignified presence. He’d told her that it was safer not to have contact through the telephone, so she didn’t insist; after all, it was him who had bought her an iPhone, a gift that had given her an entrance to the world, society, and job market.Bahar was carrying the groceries from Carrefour to her shared flat with two other Iranian girls in the 19th district – it wasn’t the prettiest or newest block of flats, but it was hers, she paid the rent on time, and didn’t have to work at Montmartre anymore – again, thanks to her Angel.“I’m home!” she shouted at the door and placed the heavy bags on the table; she started undressing when Cyra left her room and immediately helped her unpack the groceries.“Oh, you’ve got beans, we can make Ash soup,” she gasped with a smile, watching the cans closely; she also missed home, or rather some good parts of it, just like Bahar, however, they both knew that they’d never come back there. Bahar nodded as she was putting the meat and cheese into the fridge.“Exactly why I bought it. And it was also cut price!” she added joyfully. “Where’s Mahsa?”“Still at work, I think,” Cyra replied, pouring the water into the kettle to make some noodles, she wiped some of her long, curly hair off her face. Bahar nodded and headed to the bathroom to wash her hands before the meal. When she was going back to the kitchen, she heard the echoing steps on the staircase – nothing worrisome, it was probably their roommate, however, there were more steps, heavily stomping on the stairs.The keys rattled in a lock, and Mahsa appeared in the threshold, pale and tired, and two policemen standing behind her. Bahar deadpanned, paused in the middle of a step, ready to take a fight or flight. But why exactly? She was here legally now, just like Mahsa and Cyra, they were no longer citizens of the second category, ever since Angel had helped her with the process of naturalization and getting a French passport.Her black eyes moved from the tall, lean cop who looked as if he was bored out of his mind, to the shorter policewoman of sharp features and a trendy undercut with short bangs. She spoke as first: “We are looking for Bahar Aimaz, and this lady told us that she lives here.”“Y-yes, it’s me,” she spoke hesitantly, her hands damp with sweat. What would they possibly want? Evict her from the country? It wasn’t possible anymore, she exhaled loudly, trying to calm herself down.“Can we talk for a moment?” the policeman asked, his blue gaze pierced her. Bahar glanced at her roommates who seemed equally as stressed as she was. They went back to their rooms, leaving the space for Bahar – she knew they would be listening nevertheless. “We are not here to talk about your immigration status, relax,” he added, correctly guessing the cause of her worry, which startled Bahar. She let the cops inside the tiny apartment and sat down on a cheap, metal chair by the table, and they did the same, taking seats across her.“Bahar, your name showed up in a certain video made by a murderer we now refer to as Gamma right before he killed a vice-mayor of Paris, Bertrand Bailly,” the woman spoke, straight from the shoulder. Bahar’s eyes widened in utter shock; she had heard about the case, yes, and she rejoiced that Bailly was dead – but her name? In a video? She wriggled in her seat.“Did you know Bailly well?” the policeman asked, his attentive gaze made Bahar lower her eyes.“I didn’t,” she said quietly and hesitated before she added: “I, uhm, used to be a sex-worker, and he was my client. That’s all.”“How old were you when he started visiting you?” the woman asked and noted something down. Bahar made a wry face, unsure why she even felt the guilt and shame; it was not her fault that she had ended up working in a brothel, after all. But the stigma remained like a stain which didn’t intend to disappear so easily.“Fifteen,” she whispered, and this caused a moment of silence in the room.“Bahar,” the policewoman started after a longer while, her voice filled trembling with emotions. “Did he hurt you?”“I simply did what he told me to do. But yes, he was violent. May I smoke?” the Iranian exhaled loudly, hoping that this soon would be over. The cops had nothing against cigarettes, so she lit up one, her hands shaking. “We called him President because we knew that he was someone important from the party. He liked younger girls, eighteen and less, preferably sixteen.”“Has he ever mentioned someone stalking, threatening him?”“I don’t remember him talking about anything like that,” Bahar shook her head.“Do names Abeba, Chailai, and Azadeh tell you something? Did you work with them?” the policeman cut in.“I know Azadeh, but mostly we didn’t know each other’s names.”They asked more questions about Bahar’s former profession, which wore her out, it brought back the memories that she tried to repress together with a swooning headache which grew with every moment.“We have a suspicion that you might know the perpetrator. He wears a mask, as you probably might know, but we have prepared a description and an identikit of him,” the policewoman showed him a photo of a masked man and an ugly facial composite, which almost made Bahar laugh.Almost because she recognized the perpetrator immediately. It was Monsieur M., her Angel. She knew that the next thing she had to do was to inform him, somehow, that they knew. The urge to see him and talk to him obscured all the logical thinking in her head now. Her facial muscles didn’t even budge when she was looking at the images.“I’m sorry, I can’t help you – I’ve never seen him in my life.” Recently during his working days, Louis had been meeting Sébastien so often that it felt as if his friend was his personal informer. He knew best that it would be safer to meet someplace else, and Séba must have come to the same conclusion, as he soon found out.Louis was just getting ready for the classes at the teachers’ room when Vincent walked in and greeted him with two bises and a short hug.“Hey man, you doing okay there?” he looked at Louis attentively and gave him a half-smile.“Doing good. You?” Louis returned the smile, his face beaming. In the last days, he spent so much time with Mike that he had to admit he was genuinely happy. Most probably, this also showed in the way he interacted with others, walked and gestured, and Louis was sure that a friend as close as Vincent could notice that immediately. “Thank you, both you and Séba, for the dinner and medicine,” he added.He dined out with Mike the previous day, sure thing, but knowing that his friends cared about him so much, even worried about his well-being, warmed up his heart.“Séba has actually asked you to meet him at the parking lot around three o’clock today,” Vincent said in a casual tone, but the way he raised his eyebrows ever so slightly suggested that he was aware of the seriousness of the situation.Louis nodded in agreement, understanding his friend’s precaution. What mattered more than the change of place was the fact that Séba had some information for him, after all.As punctual as ever, Sébastien was waiting for him by his old, trusty Peugeot 307.“What a nasty case. It’s no secret that Bailly abused women who immigrated to France without permit or papers. But the victims in question were minors at the time,” Séba began, visibly appalled by the politician’s malpractice and the treatment of underage foreigners. Louis knew how much his friend sympathised with immigrants, be it residents whose bureaucracy was complete or much less fortunate people who arrived in France with no documents. Louis had known Sébastien for so long that his friend’s outrage didn’t go unnoticed, just as the slightly shaky motion of his hands as he lit a cigarette. “We questioned one of them who didn’t dare, or maybe didn’t want to, describe Gamma, but there is one more young woman who was sex trafficked and whom we are tracking,” Séba added.To keep the appearance of a casual conversation by the cigarette, the aspirant would casually fumble through his bag, keep his body relaxed and, in general, stay in his cool, professional composure. It was the smallest, most subtle details in his micro-expressions and tone of voice that hinted on his uneasiness. Sébastien wasn’t just repelled by the abuse inflicted by the politician or concerned by the complexity and seriousness of the case. It had to be something more, Louis was sure about it as he studied his friend’s face, with his eyebrows knitted and gaze fixed on some distant point.“I have a feeling that this Gamma might have been helping these youngsters and this is why they don’t want to give him out. Jebiga, Louis,” Sébastien admitted in a serious tone. Louis could feel his eyes widening, both at the information and at the fact his friend left out his usual ‘you didn't hear this from me’, that showed how grave the situation was. „If this is true, we are out of our minds to pursue him instead of letting him do his work.” Mike tried not to panic when Bahar contacted him on his second phone, used mainly for any emergencies.
We need to meet, police visited me yesterday
Mike was staring at the message, weighing his cellphone in his hand. He was at work, and this was risky to talk here, others might overhear something, even by pure accident – and he knew best that accidents were actions which put people in jails.I can’t meet you, too risky. They might follow you. I’ll call you later, he typed back and slid the phone back into the pocket; it was burning there, heavy, making him unable to focus on work again. He stretched his aching back on the swivel chair and took a look at his main phone, checking for any updates or messages from Louis. Mike knew that they were supposed to meet after work, but he found himself missing him already.Was it love already? Maybe it was. Mike was no expert in this field.There was a message with a well-established logo on his e-mail, which made his heart race. NASA. He opened it with shaking hands, the letters jumping in front of his eyes.Mr. Mike Lévy, we were impressed by your vast knowledge… would like to hereby invite you to work with us… Moffett Field, California… from January 2025…Mike fluttered his long eyelashes, reading and re-reading the message over and over again in utter disbelief, thinking that maybe it was a scam. What the hell, he thought, his heart racing when it slowly dawned upon him what the feedback meant: he got the job. His dream job. In NASA. In the United States. They were impressed by him.He did it. He really did. It was difficult to process, and Mike needed a longer moment to cool off, even though he was imploding from the inside, emotions shaking him. He hoicked up from the chair and headed to the bathroom to splash his face with cold water. Fucking roller-coaster, everything happening at the same time. And how would Louis take it? Mike couldn’t even think of leaving him now, even though this was a chance of a lifetime.Mike spent a while in the bathroom, his thoughts racing, preventing him from working properly for the rest of the day. He decided to call Bahar in the evening, once he stays in Louis’ flat, for the safety reasons. Mike had to plan his next step, he slid the hand along his face and just counted the hours until he could leave the lab and head over to his partner’s place. First, he picked up his weighted blanket from DHL-pickup point and made his way to Pelleport station with the subway.OMW just left work. See you soon <3 he typed to Louis, his stomach twisted like a pretzel when Mike realized that he’d have to share the news about work soon.There was a bakery by the stop where they set up their meetup point – Mike needed clear instructions, otherwise he was lost with his poor sense of direction; Louis understood that, that was what he suggested to make Mike’s life easier – which he was grateful for.As soon as Mike found the right place, he saw a familiar, tall figure striding towards him in a hurry, with a happy grin on his face – which was contagious, because Mike couldn’t stop himself from smiling either. His knees gave way when he realized how hopelessly in love he was with this man.“Hello, handsome,” he purred when Louis closed the gap between them and pulled him in for a kiss. Seeing Mike never failed to make Louis awestruck. The warmth spread in his chest, creeping up to his neck and reaching his face, which guaranteed to make him blush. Louis didn’t care about his face turning slightly red when he was around Mike - his partner could work wonders on him in mere seconds, and he was all there for that.“Hello, beautiful, I’m so happy to see you” he greeted Mike and grunted happily in the moment Mike kissed him back. The kiss they shared, although relatively short, was enough to spread the sensation of heat through Louis’ whole body. “Let me take this from you, that sure looks heavy,” he offered. Mike carried a pack that seemed to weigh around 10 kilos and Louis wouldn’t even think of his thinner, less muscular partner carrying it by himself.He saw Mike nodding energetically and picked up the bulky parcel himself as if it weighed much less. Louis smiled at his partner, beaming with joy and nearly euphoric to see that Mike was in a good mood too. Really good mood, he realized when he looked in his lover’s warm brown eyes that gleamed with gratitude for recent help, as well as sheer excitement.He offered his free hand to Mike, which he accepted with the most gorgeous smile, and they headed to 3 Rue Dupont de l'Eure where Louis lived.Usually, the small lift in a building that could use some renovation was a nuisance, but this time, Louis had nothing against it. On the contrary - the minuscule space of the lift forced him and Mike to stand next to each other, the package pushed to the corner.Louis fished in his pocket and found the keys, clinking as a small key-chain with the Chibi Totoro character from anime swung in the air. Louis opened the door in one swift movement, and as he let Mike in, he just hoped his partner wouldn’t mind his well-kept but basic - and noticeably smaller - living space. At least narrow spaces and small rooms forced them to move closer to each other…“It’s nothing luxurious, but it’s cozy, no?” he asked with somewhat shy but also satisfied smile, glad to finally show his loved one around. The apartment might have been nothing special, but with Mike, this place instantly felt more like home, more domestic and inviting than ever. All it had was a tiny living room that stretched to the kitchenette, a bedroom and a bathroom (surely he couldn't describe the minuscule, less than half-a-meter-long ledge outside the window as a  “terrace”?), but Mike didn’t seem to be bothered by that. Louis hoped his partner would find himself at home there, especially with a few beauty products he bought for the bathroom - the exact same hair pomade as the one Mike used, shampoo and one of the conditioners he spotted in the other’s man spacious apartment, as well as a bergamot shower gel that made him think of their bath together.“I know a few good places around so we can dine out later but we don’t have to. Would you rather go out or get takeaway?” Louis asked with a reassuring smile, putting his hand around Mike’s waist as his partner looked around the apartment.Having a dinner outside could be a good idea, but staying at home was so much cozier and intimate that Louis leaned towards it. He saw that Mike nodded slightly at the suggestion, deep in thought. “Is there something on your mind that happened recently? You look happy,” Louis wondered, still smiling, more than eager to know what was it that left Mike in the state of reverie and that particular kind of joy experienced by those who didn’t quite believe that what they heard or seen was true. Mike looked around the space his partner lived in, it was small but not claustrophobic, kept in white and pastel hues. Louis kept it clean, the work in the police definitely influenced him, he kept his house orderly, which left a positive impression on Mike. He just didn’t like the miniscule balcony – one couldn’t even take a whole step there!“Yes, it’s cozy. Nothing like some men’s apartments I saw in the past with just a mattress on the floor,” Mike recalled with a chuckle and left his belongings in the bedroom – at least there was a huge double bed, so sleeping and having sex wouldn’t be an issue. Nothing worse than little space in bed! “Wait a sec,” he said, desperate for a leak after work, and headed to the bathroom where he found the hair pomade, his favorite L’Oreal shampoo and a bergamot shower gel. There was also a second toothbrush that Louis had mentioned earlier, which squeezed Mike’s heart.“Babe, you’ve bought my favorite cosmetics,” he noticed when he left the bathroom. “Thank you. That’s so thoughtful,” he let his vest slide off his shoulder and hang it on one of the hooks in the corridor. “I’m a bit tired, can we eat at home, have some take-away? I don’t feel like going out today.”Mike looked up at Louis, his heart squeezed again when he realized that he had to tell him about everything, reveal the truth. He took his big hand in his smaller, slimmer one, and lead him onto the white loveseat in the living room combined with the kitchenette.“Two things happened. But first of all: I got a job offer,” Mike said in sotto voce, a lump in his throat. He handed Louis his phone and opened the e-mail from NASA, letting his partner get acquainted with the contents of the message himself. He couldn’t know what reaction he might await; would Louis be happy for him? Disappointed? Angry? It was difficult for him to guess and they didn’t know each other long enough.“I’d love to take it, Louis, it’s a dream come true,” Mike spoke with a slightly hoarse voice, faltering with emotions, even though he tried to remain calm. “But—” he paused, wet his dry lips. “But if it means leaving without you, I don’t want this. You are more important to me than any job.”There, he said that. Words probably even more meaningful than I love you, showing the hierarchy of his needs and priorities in a clear way. When Mike mentioned NASA, Louis was wonderstruck. He raised his brows over wide-open eyes, mouth open agape in astonishment and joy. Even though Mike has never mentioned it directly, Louis knew that working for NASA was his lover’s dream, and he couldn’t be happier for Mike for getting the job offer.“Mike, congratulations,” he gasped. “This is… this is absolutely amazing. You are amazing, I am so proud of you,” he blurted out in sheer happiness.Louis, so used to smiling, felt as if his facial muscles would hurt from the wide grin any moment now and he squeezed Mike’s hand nestled in his, excitement palpable in his gesture. No, it was more than excitement, it was also pure joy and pride of Mike’s achievements, of his hard work paying off. It wasn’t until that moment he realized the seriousness of his lover’s next words, when he mentioned that leaving without Louis wasn’t an option. Mike’s willingness to be with him, to live together, to build a shared future – all of this dawned on Louis with full clarity now.He was determined to be together with Louis and, as always, he meant his words. And it was Louis’ turn to let Mike know how much he wanted the same thing.“Mike, love, this is too good to miss out on,” Louis began, his voice firm but at the same time affectionate when he spoke to his loved one. For Mike, he’d be ready to move anywhere, and going to California together surely wasn’t the worst place one could think of. On the contrary – with the police pursuing Gamma, they might be better off away from here, it flickered through Louis’ mind. “I’d love to go with you as much as you’d love to take this offer. If we made this relationship work despite everything now, we can surely manage in the States, right?” he asked, hope audible in his voice. It wasn’t just hope, Louis realized – both of them had the determination to stay together and all the willingness it took to work things out for the future. When he waited for Mike’s response, Louis brought his partner’s hand to his lips and kissed it gently. He wanted to exchange as many small, affectionate gestures with Mike as possible, also in their shared future, desiring to be with his lover no matter where they end up living. Mike cupped Louis’ face in his hands, the words of hope seeping through his mouth like a sweet, raspy honey, a balm to his ears; Mike could have wept with relief when Louis took his hand in his and kissed it gently. He’d had no idea what sort of reaction he’d get, revealing the big news. Had truly expected a rebuff or disappointment, just like always; had only hoped he would be allowed to stay with Louis. To expect anything more had seemed foolish. But now –Well. Maybe the door wasn't closed; a glimmer of hope lit Mike’s eyes in the glow of the setting sun cast from the window. Hope for... anything, really. He laughed, a broken chuckle of disbelief, and flicked his gaze down to their joined hands, thick lashes lowered.“Thank you,” Mike stuttered out, trying his best to swallow down the lump in his throat, tears welling up in his eyes. He hung onto Louis’ hand as if it was a lifeline, afraid that if he let go, this delicate, liminal moment -- whatever it was -- would fall apart, and all would be lost.Mike riveted his eyes back on Louis’, hoping to somehow beam his thoughts straight from one brain to another. He'd never felt more helpless, more inadequate to a task. He could explain the most arcane elements of strings theory, astrophysics or hormonal chemistry to a lecture hall full of dunderheaded, buffoon professors, and get his message across, see the light of understanding dawn in their beady little eyes.But the language of the heart was an entirely different matter. Words fled from Mike’s head as he tried to grasp them; the ones he could find felt hopelessly dull and awkward in his mouth, like stones on his tongue. He sighed, frustrated with his own clumsiness. Maybe, sometimes, the simplest solutions were the best ones, though?He drew in a deep breath and blew it out. “I think I love you,” he spoke at last, his head spinning. Terrifying – it was utterly fucking terrifying -- but true. He swallowed hard, eyes trained on their linked hands, resting on Louis’ thigh now. “I love you, Mike,” Louis gasped in relief and pure admiration. These were the words he’s been wanting to say but was too careful not to scare Mike away, and hearing the other man confessing his love must have been the very best thing Louis has ever heard. “I love you too, so very much,” he sighed, delighted and relieved to finally be able to tell this to Mike.It was almost instinctive for him to stroke his thumb against Mike’s skin as they held hands, and his reassuring, caressing motions continued as both men sat next to each other in silence for a while.“There is no need to thank me. I should probably be the one thanking you for opening up your world to me, for all that we share, and I mean… I am the first person you told about the dream job, right?” he made sure. Louis wouldn’t mind if Mike spoken with someone else about it before, but something about the emotionality of this unique moment told him that he was the first.Mike nodded shortly, his eyes fixed in Louis’, their attentive and affectionate gaze making him the happiest man in the world in that moment. Louis was so moved that a short “thank you, love” was all he could squeeze through his clenched throat, right before he leaned in to kiss Mike.For a moment, he let his actions speak for themselves as he kept kissing Mike quite slowly but truly passionately. Louis put his hands on Mike’s waist and gently dragged his loved one closer, eventually helping him scuttle up on his lap. While they were kissing, Louis couldn’t help thinking how many more times they would share such kisses and cuddles, how lucky he was, just as he couldn’t stop daydreaming about his future with Mike. He was more than certain they could make it all work once they moved to the United States in near future. After all, they still had time to organize all the necessary things – and to bond even more closely with each other, Louis realized and smiled against Mike’s lips.“I’m so lucky to be with you, love,” he sighed adoringly and stroked Mike’s cheekbone, his face more perfect than the Roman statues’ features – or the mask of Gamma, his alter ego which Louis fully accepted. Louis loved him. He loved him, and this feeling was the best in the world, making Mike’s pulse race and make his heart levitate three meters above the ground; Louis’ voice was breathy, almost reverent, in the quiet apartment. “Do you also think... that all lovers have the impression that they're discovering something completely new?” Mike asked, inebriated with the sudden intimacy they shared, his voice a low rumble, honey over gravel.Mike’s knees went watery under him; his heart caught in his throat. His eyes fluttered shut and he kept stock-still, a little afraid to move, afraid Louis might change his mind. Louis’ mouth was soft and warm, the kiss almost chaste. Mike had been kissed with more warmth, more passion, a thousand times. So why did this kiss -- this soft, barely-there brush of lips -- set his pulse racing? Their kisses soon got more intense, more passionate, setting whole Mike’s heart and body ablaze as he shifted from Louis’ lap to straddling him.Louis pulled back, just a fraction of an inch, their lips just a hair's breadth apart -- far enough to murmur a question, the hard, trimmed hairs of Louis’ beard still brushing against Mike’s lips. Mike hovered, afraid to breathe, loathe to do anything that might spoil this moment.“No, I am the luckiest man in the world,” Mike shook his head, his voice raspy, overcome. He shuddered when Louis’ hands landed on his butt and his wet mouth grazed along the elegant line of Mike’s neck, sucking gently on the skin where neck met shoulder. Mike’s pulse skipped, rabbity and quick, under Louis’ lips, he stroked the short hairs at the back of his partner’s neck with his fingers, feeling the pulse beating warmly under the skin beneath his them; so he wasn’t the only nervous and excited one, Mike realized with a relief.It was hard to stop kissing Louis, tasting him, now that he'd finally started. But he did -- encouraged by Louis’ hands on his butt, lightly pushing him away. Mike lifted his head, flushed a little pink with a mix of nerves and adrenaline and arousal, but -- first and foremost – with an indescribable relief and happiness buzzing in his veins. He fell in love with this man, madly and hard, as he finally realized, staring at the dear, beloved face he’d remembered for years, engraved in his memory – the dear face of a man who made him feel at home, comfortable and safe, with whom he could talk about anything, anytime. The handsome, glamorous man he'd felt an instant flare of sparks for, the moment they'd met, whom he'd tried to forget since they were both too young, and with different people.He could kill for this man, and he actually did, unasked. And Louis embraced him wholly, with the whole benefit of the inventory.“I love you, Louis. And I swear I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t regret this decision,” he said, low voice hoarse with emotions. The next kiss was mild, gentle, soft, but soon changed into something much more, there was anticipation and tension in their bodies, building up as soon as Mike started to grind slowly on Louis’ crotch, eager to take things to another level. “I can’t imagine ever regretting this,” Louis whispered as if raising his voice could ruin the atmosphere of this precious moment. He caught Mike’s lower lip in his teeth, gently enough not to cause him pain and with just as much intensity as their kisses dictated. These surely led to something more intimate and intense, Louis knew that well. The heat of their bodies seemed to turn up the atmosphere of the air around, their hands clinging to each other’s skin as if they were blind men trying to find the other one in total darkness.“Let’s stay here, what do you say…?” Louis asked raspily, his voice low and coarse from desire, as his hands grabbed Mike’s butt in a firmer gesture. Sure, having sex on the bed could be more comfortable and more closely associated with romance, but they could always stay where they were and continue in the bed. Louis wouldn’t mind that, he realized as he purred with contentment and anticipation, feeling Mike grind against him with more fervor.“I was about to suggest the same thing,” Mike gave him a foxy smile while he replied. His hands with slender and oh-so-skillful fingers moved down Louis’ chest, fumbling with the hem of his black turtleneck.The thought of Mike helping him undress fueled Louis’ arousal even more and he rushed to help out his partner, their hands touching and eyes locking when Mike started yanking up his turtleneck. When he finally helped him out of the garment, pulling it over his head, Louis’ hair electrified with the friction from the fabric, the sight making Mike giggle.“Oh, come on, your hairdo must be similar when we’re done after sex!” Louis pretended to be touched by his partner giggling. In fact, the sound of Mike laughing must have been his favorite, and Louis promised himself to tell him about it soon. “Speaking of what your hair looks like after sex… I want to see it messy again and watch your pretty face as you come,” Louis teased in a sultry, suggestive tone as he took hold of Mike’s chin. “How does that sound, darling?” he asked and slid his thumb between his lover’s shapely lips, already seductively parted, watching with dilating pupils as Mike started sucking on his finger. Louis’ other hand moved to the collar of Mike’s shirt to open it, moving down button by button, skimming his lover’s naked skin as he did so. With a rumbly sigh, Louis leant backwards on the loveseat until he could rest his arms on the back, letting Mike grind on him and kiss him, impatient hands combing over the black curls on his broad chest. The arousal pierced his body, waking his cock back from the slumber, already drenching with precum; damn, in such pace, he’d have to change all his underwear collection, or stop wearing trunks all together.“You know that you could suggest literally anything, and I’d say yes to that,” Mike chuckled, his voice husky with desire, almost embarrassed by how quickly and how horny Louis made him all the time; but he had been warned – Mike’s libido was reaching heights whenever they were close. He eagerly took on sucking all of his partner’s fingers, circling his tongue over the index finger, taking the middle one in his lips, sucking on it as if it was a dick, all while unbuttoning his own shirt and keeping his big eyes locked with Louis’.This created a heated, lewd atmosphere almost immediately; Louis couldn’t take his eyes off Mike, as he was obediently, submissively licking fingers of his big hands, enjoying it thoroughly, even though he’d much rather have something else in his mouth. Arousal raced down Mike’s spine as he anticipated the next step, he sensed Louis stiffening in his jeans, twitching just underneath Mike’s butt.His partner spanked him with full force, making Mike squeal and jolt in place.“Christ, can't believe I can actually do that now, instead of just having lovely filthy dreams about it,” Louis sighed contentedly with a roguish grin, guiding one of his hands down to Mike’s groin, pressing it against himself with a cartoonishly animal growl.“Now, this is a compliment!” Mike giggled, flattered that Louis felt this way about him, that he worked on him the same way that Louis worked on him. They were so compatible that it was hard to believe it, and Mike took a lot of satisfaction from this fact, making him sure that the decision to move in, live and leave together was a good one. He slid off Louis’ lap to kneel on front of him, showing him what he wanted now. “Let me make you feel good, babe, please?” he asked, skimming his hands over his partner’s muscled thighs, then glanced up, meeting Louis’ intense gaze.“No, I have another idea,” Louis suggested with a smirk, lifting Mike up off the floor to undress him completely. Intrigued, Mike felt his mind consumed with pleasure as he felt Louis’ strong body helping him out of the shirt and jeans – his erection caught briefly at the waistband, before it was released when his precum-damp trunks slid down as well. “Oh, you’re so wet for me, my love,” Louis gasped, almost drooling at the sight of naked Mike in front of him. “Come here.”“Louis, what are you…!” Mike whooped when his stronger partner lifted him and helped him sit on his face. Aligning his lover’s shapely butt, Louis gently slid his tongue inside, the position letting him to hit deeper depths while his hands squeezed, massaged, and scratched his lover's silk-like skin, his squeezable ass to his smoldering hips.Mike was startled at first, he hadn’t expected that at all – and it had been ages since he did that the last time, he almost forgot how good it felt. “Fuckin’ hell--” he gasped, Louis’ nose firmly in his hole. Would he even be able to breathe? Mike tried to wriggle into a squat to hover above his face, but his partner anchored his hands firmly on his lean thighs to keep him in one place – it was clearly what he wanted, so Mike just let him, enjoying the new sensation. The only situation when Louis would reject Mike’s suggestion to suck him was when he felt the urge to pleasure his partner. This was one of those cases, he realized with a slightly perverse satisfaction of taking Mike by surprise.Laying underneath his lover and feeling his body weight on himself like this made Louis turned on as hell. He felt even hornier than he expected and his skin got so hot in all the desire that it felt almost feverish.Louis began with a gentle push of his tongue in Mike's hole, which already made his partner squeal. He ended up smiling against Mike’s hot skin pressed to his face and the fact his lover must have felt it was additionally arousing to Louis - after all, his facial hair brushed against Mike’s bare skin, tickling, slightly irritating and only adding more to the experience.For a while, Louis circled his tongue around Mike’s hole, he kept changing the pressure and length of his licks and every once in a while, he slid his tongue inside Mike who would react with a moan or a whimper. Delighting in his partner’s sounds, Louis went on and moved slightly, at first to press his nose against the sensitive spot between Mike’s ass and his cock, then to bite his buttcheek. The latter motion also gave Louis a moment to catch his breath, which he was already short of. He could swear that the difficulties with breathing were the only downside of this position! Apart from that, Louis loved everything about Mike sitting on his face: he was driven crazy by his personal scent, so warm and musky and so delightfully intense, he admired each of Mike’s ecstatic gasps and moans, he enjoyed each impatient, grinding motion made my his partner and the way his lean body weighed on his face, his legs pressed to Louis’ head. Pleasuring Mike in this position was beyond exciting and Louis felt overjoyed to treat Mike to this.In fact, Louis was so absorbed by eating out his partner in this position that he didn’t pay too much attention to his own body reacting lively to the growing pleasure. He grunted at the increasing discomfort between his thighs, a clear sign of a hard-on that started to bother him. Louis tugged at his belt, trying to undo the buckle without much success, and suddenly felt Mike’s fingers on his.“Need a hand, love?” his partner gasped, leaning forward to open Louis’ belt and drag his pants down as the man underneath him lifted his hips. “Let me help…” Mike murmured.He helped Louis indeed, and as soon as he was done pulling his jeans and boxer briefs to grab his cock, Louis moaned in relief. He was sure that his own grunting and gasping would be palpable on Mike’s skin as warm, frantic breathing, and he only took additional satisfaction in that. The only thing that could make Louis happier in that moment was seeing Mike climaxing. Much to his delight, the way his gorgeous, graceful partner moved on top of him and vocalizing his pleasure showed clearly that he didn’t need to wait long for that. Louis was eating him out like the best dinner he had in ages, French kissing his hole, his face and beard smothering Mike’s smooth skin, shoving his tongue in and out – it all was driving Mike absolutely insane, the sounds that were leaving his throat resembled a wounded animal in agony or an exorcism, he wasn’t even aware that he was capable of producing such noises. It felt divine, especially when he started stroking his own cock, slick with precum, which trickled down on Louis’ broad chest.His partner hit just the right spots, making out with his butt, keeping wriggling Mike in place, making slurping, slicky sounds –  which turned Mike more even more. His legs started shaking with effort, muscles tense to the point of being sore; he noticed, however, how painfully hard his partner got, fingers trying clumsily to open the belt buckle. The reaction was quick – Mike offered his helping hand (pun intended), unzipped his jeans and let the erected cock spring free, rigid, flushed and already slick with pearly juice coating its tip.The intensely sweet, musky scent filled Mike’s nose, Louis’ personal scent, making him dizzy with desire. He loved the way it thumped underneath his slim fingers, straining for more. Mike couldn’t help himself, he patted Louis’ hand to let go of him, so he could stretch his back and take him in his mouth, so they could finish the way they both wanted to; by giving each other pleasure.He blessed the fact that they were almost the same height, so they could do sixty-nine without a hassle or any unnecessary acrobatics; giving and getting pleasure was winding Mike up, he took Louis in his mouth, at first only focusing on the head and frenulum, then taking half of the shaft in, which made his partner buck his hips, while still licking him intensely as if his life depended on it.It wasn’t easy to split attention in two and stay engaged properly, but their bodies aligned perfectly, in an angle which allowed both of them to receive and give in an equal way; Mike’s hole was twitching, he twisted his wrist, pressing his lips harder around Louis’ cock, the tension building up in their bodies, they were teetering on the edge of the release.The final flap of the tongue electrified Louis’ body and triggered Mike’s own orgasm. His cock throbbed inside his mouth, the tight heat milking him, swallowing everything as the fire ravaged Mike’s own body, burning him alive – the intensity of the climax surprised him, but he subsided, yielded to it humbly, letting the tension go and dissolve into thin air.Louis grew flaccid in his mouth, Mike took him out and lay his head on his warm, muscular thigh, slumping down on his warm body, shaking from the effort and pleasure they had exchanged.“You pervert,” Mike’s chuckle raspy and hoarse. “I fuckin’ loved it,” he turned slightly to look at Louis’ red flushed face, exhausted but grinning in satisfaction. He swung his hand and spanked his right ass cheek, for which Mike almost kicked him in the head!“Told ya,” he replied contentedly, grabbing Mike’s ankle to stop him from an incidental (or not) violence. Mike rolled his eyes and raised himself with effort to turn himself back to face his lover, look at his handsome face, and rest in his arms for a while – exactly where he liked it the most. Louis didn’t expect that making Mike sit on his face would end up this way, but this was the most pleasant surprise he could have dreamt of. His partner sucked him like a pro, it was clear that Mike enjoyed Louis’ taste, scent and ecstatic, nearly rabid reactions, and his loved one’s actions left him breathless and empty-headed.“What if I loved it more, hmmm?” he teased when his spasmodic breathing slowed down. "What then?" Louis asked in a playful tone. After his question, he changed the way his large, skilled hands moved over Mike’s body and his caressing motions started resembling tickling.In protest, his lover squealed loudly into his ear, wriggling in such a wild way that they risked falling on the floor from the loveseat, not exactly made to accommodate two men as tall as them.“No, Rogé, stop that!” Mike shrieked, writhing in his embrace until Louis stopped his tickly torture. Just as they couldn’t catch their breaths after sex, they had difficulties now, when laughing and giggling stopped them from taking a deeper inhale.“I’ll only stop if you give me a kiss,” Louis demanded in a voice resembling a low, guttural growl while he pretended to be incorruptible.In the little space they had, Mike turned his head to Louis and kissed him, letting their mouths touch with such intensity that they almost clashed, their warm lips still moist from oral sex. When Mike moved closer, Louis grunted happily, sensing his whole body against his taller, more muscular one, his chest still wet from Mike cumming on it, leaving the traces of his sperm on the other man’s heated skin.Content with his lover’s reaction and almost stunned from the deep, passionate kiss, Louis held Mike in his arms for a moment before he suggested moving to the bedroom. After all, the spacious, double mattress was much more suitable for them if they didn’t have a kink for falling on the floor!When they could get more comfortable and stretch out in the bed, their bodies seemed to gravitate towards each other - much like the Moon gravitating towards the Earth, Louis realized, feeling Mike pressed close to him. He enjoyed the sensation to the fullest, delighting in what must have been absolute bliss, and started stroking Mike’s naked back, warm and addictively smooth under his fingertips.“Darling, earlier today, you mentioned that two things happened,” Louis began softly. “Now that I found out once again how hard-working, intelligent, passionate and absolutely ingenious my gorgeous boyfriend is… do you want to talk about the other thing?” he smiled encouragingly, once again in absolute awe of Mike. Louis loved him deeply and intensely, never quite done with praising Mike and expressing his admiration – especially when his partner deserved all the love and affection to make up for the lost time when both of them were heart-achingly lonely, for the times that seemed long gone now. Mike skimmed a hand down Louis’ torso, a light caress, forgetting about the sticky puddle there until his fingers encountered it. He took some on his finger and tapped it on his partner’s nose, which made them both laugh in a sated, weary way.“Ah yes, two things,” he sighed with a loopy smile, stretching his lean body like an oversized Siamese cat in a beam of sun. “I was messaged today by someone… hm,” Mike put an arm under his head, wondering how to put it into words. “You need some backstory to understand who she is to me,” he sighed and stretched out to drink some water which was standing on the bedside table.“I decided to get rid of Bailly when I discovered that he used sex services of minors who were in France without papers, and had no other choice but to sell themselves,” Mike started slowly, sitting up on the bed, eyes away from Louis. “I found it out by accident, I didn’t plan on killing a prominent politician, it seemed too risky. One day, I saw her with him on Place de Clichy, and I immediately realized that something was off. She was fifteen back then, four years ago.”Mike took a deep breath, remembering that sad, almost expressionless face of Bahar, how she slowly opened up to him when he took her to eat in a restaurant, how she was unable to stop crying when she was telling him all the hideous abominations done to her by Bailly and other men. He shuddered at that memory, it was still deeply engraved in his mind.“I decided to help her, I couldn’t leave it like that. I fed her, gave her some money, she made Bailly talk. This is how we found out that he was also abusing his own daughter,” Mike winced at that memory as if he was in pain. “I helped her get out of this shit, her and three others. Two Iranians, one Thai, one Ethiopian. I paid for the course of naturalization, the course of French, helped to find the apartment, paid the rent for the first months, you name it. One of them, Bahar, messaged me today,” Mike sighed again, massaging the space between his knit brows.“She was visited by the police yesterday. They’re searching for me but she’s protecting me,” he added and riveted his eyes back at Louis who was listening to him attentively. “I don’t know what else she wants to tell me, I’ll have to call her later on. She wanted to meet in person but it’s too risky nowadays, she can be spied on, I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I don’t want her to have any problems, she’s been through too much. Before, I didn’t care too much about my life, but now, with you and our plans—”Mike paused, unsure how to finish his thought. With Louis, he had much more will to live and carry on, they could have a future ahead of them – Mike hadn’t planned much before, afraid that he might get killed or arrested. But now? Everything had changed, and he knew that somebody actually cared about him, whether he was dead or alive.“Listen, Louis, I took pleasure in killing those motherfuckers,” he confessed. “A real, tangible pleasure. But I don’t have to do this anymore, I want to have a future together with you. I don’t care about anything else,” he finished, not minding that it might have sounded cheesy – this was the truth. Mike’s brain might not have been wired properly, and he used to think that he wasn’t destined to be happy (some things are just not for you), but meeting Louis had made him organize his thoughts in a completely different way. The realization that Mike was a much better person than he thought came to Louis some time ago already. His partner simply didn’t acknowledge how much he’s been doing for others and how much supportive his actions were, and Louis wanted to let him know about this once again. How much work, time and money did it even take to help out all these young women, not to mention the risk Mike took?When it all dawned on Louis, he reached for Mike’s hand almost automatically. Still wide-eyed and deeply moved, he gave a gentle squeeze on his partner’s hand, letting his gestures speak before his words would. Louis’ mind was buzzing from the extensive information as he was gathering his thoughts and deciding what to say.“Mike, do you even realize you’re a much better person than you think you are?” he began, his voice shaking in sheer emotion. God, Louis loved this man even more now. In Mike’s place, so many people would brag about giving so much to others, present themselves as “the good guys,” well-doers or even heroes – but not Mike. Humble, resourceful and willing to act rather than just speak, his lover helped the people no one cared about. “What you did changed the life of at least four people directly, you gave them all they needed to start and more, and helped countless others…” Louis went on for a while, at loss for words, head spinning both from the amount of information he’s heard and from his sheer awe for Mike. It wasn’t the right moment to just gush over Mike, though, as much as Louis wanted it – not when he had some information too. “You know, my friend from the police told me they’ve questioned one of them. She’s told them nothing just as you say,” he told his partner. “They are tracking another young woman who was sexually trafficked as a minor, not sure which one, and I’m working on getting more information,” Louis assured, quite certain that Sébastien would reveal more to him. “Mike, I want to have a future together with you, and if there is anything more I can do for you… just let me know, alright?” he asked his loved one as he fixed his eyes in Mike’s, shaded by the thick, long eyelashes.While they were together in his bed, among these familiar walls, Louis realized he had no problems abandoning his life as it was as long as he is with Mike. Sure, he would miss his closest friends and finding work might prove to be difficult, but he was sure he would deal with that just fine. What he wouldn’t manage with would be failing Mike and not being able to keep him informed or help him, and Louis wanted to avoid this at all costs. Mike had never thought about himself this way: being good or bad. That was why Louis’ words surprised him, positively indeed, but he had never given it much of a thought – he just did what he thought was right, so no other teenager would have to suffer the way he and his sister did. Logically, it just made sense to him.“I don’t know if I’m good or not, Loulou,” Mike called him like that out of spite, with a roguish smile, sandwiching his partner’s hand between his palms. “I don’t think in such terms. I’m just doing what I think is right, what my inner moral compass tells me to do.”“Loulou,” Louis repeated, murmuring, lips sliding down to the curve of Mike’s throat, whiskers tickling. “I love it when you call me that, did you know that? No-one else does anymore, not since I was a boy,” he confessed, positively surprising Mike again.“Then I’m going to do it more often,” he chuckled and curled up back close to Louis’ body, still warm and sweat-damp after their passionate lovemaking. He mused over for a while, pondering about his words and what he had found out – it wasn’t much, but still something. “I think they’re looking for Abeba, she was trafficked when she was twelve,” Mike rested his head on his elbow. “I wish they stopped looking for them, these girls have been through so much trauma, they deserve a calm and happy life.”Louis agreed with him, but there was nothing that either of them could do right now – the interrogation had to go on, and he had done what he could to prevent being recognized. Mike sighed and nuzzled his face in the crook of his partner’s neck, letting him wrap his toned arm around his waist.“I was called Ike or Ise when I was a kid,” he spoke suddenly after a longer moment of silence. “I hated being Isaac, so I changed it right after I turned eighteen and left home for studies. Nobody calls me like that anymore, only my parents. I chose Michael because it was international, it sounded good. I don’t mind it’s Hebrew anymore,” he shrugged and reached over to open the window and have a smoke in the bed; Louis watched him attentively, he didn’t seem to mind him smoking.“I feel like you want to ask me something,” Mike said with a faint smile, wrapping his legs in the sheets when a colder, autumnal breath of wind blew inside the room.“Mike is just the perfect name,” Louis mused and smiled back at his partner. Of course this name became very dear to him in such short time, but simultaneously, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it fitted his loved one perfectly.He moved closer to Mike to take a cigarette too and his partner handed him a lighter, which Louis accepted gratefully. For a brief moment, they smoked in silence, the familiar tobacco smell lingering in the air and thin lines of grey smoke surrounding them. There were a few things on his mind and Louis had a hard time choosing the first one to ask about, especially.“You know, if I might bring up the rabbi thing… the unplanned murder back in 2007,” he blurted out. He realized he must have sounded like he was talking at a police discussion and reproached himself for such dry, work-like tone. “It was you, right? I hope you don’t mind me asking and that this topic isn’t too painful for you,” Louis ended clumsily. It was just one abusive man less, he thought, although he could also understand if Mike didn’t want to talk about this.Mike and him grew very close and they trusted each other, but he didn’t want to abuse Mike’s trust and patience – and, most importantly, his love towards him. The question has been on Louis’ mind for a while now and it must have been showing. After all, he’s already had information on the case.“I heard about the rabbi’s death from Annelise, I saw the archives. I thought I’d ask,” Louis added quietly, relaxing slightly when he saw a sort of quiet acceptance in Mike’s expression. It seemed that his question, as complex as it was, didn’t disturb his loved one too much, and that was a relief to Louis. “Please let me know if you’d rather talk about something else. We have all the evening and night left, love,” he spoke softly, mesmerized by the sound of Mike blowing out the inhaled smoke, his lips parted and pensive gaze of big, brown eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. “It’s okay,” Mike quickly cut in, silencing his partner. “I know. It’s only natural that you want to know.”Now, that they were so close, they loved each other and Mike trusted Louis more and more every day, he felt ready to share this painful story with him; although, could one ever be ready for that? Still, a lump the size of a brick grew in his throat when he tried to find the right words for what had happened to him during his boyhood. Xavier knew some things, not everything, some tales of Mike’s delinquency, told in as humorous a light as possible.But this was different, and even though so much time had passed, there were still sore places in Mike’s mind, carelessly cicatrized by time and revenge. He dragged on a cigarette and fixed his eyes onto the ceiling – it was easier to talk without being looked at.“He was a friend of my parents,” he started slowly, scraping an immense amount of courage out of himself, cracking himself open like an oyster – the terrible vulnerability of such things. “I was the only son, and they wanted to make a rabbi out of me as well, like my grandfather, Abraham. I wasn’t exactly interested in learning Torah, Mishnah or Talmud, as you know, I was much rather into physics, biology, science in general. So my parents would invite him home to give me… additional lessons.”Mike winced at that memory, exhaled the smoke loudly. Louis tried to touch him but Mike backed away, not wanting to be touched and distracted now.“We lived in a big house in Lyon, two floors. Up to some point, I shared a room with my youngest sister, Rachelle, the only normal person in my family. He’d groom her, buy her things, then proceed to touch her and… show himself to her. He tried to do that with me as well, but I didn’t want most of his presents. You need to understand—” Mike’s head whirled, gears turning at a breakneck pace.“My parents were rich but we lived very ascetically. They thought that music or toys or… culture, movies, were expendable luxury. I never had what I wanted, neither did my sister, so when someone finally buys you something you’ve ever dreamt of—” he paused again, utterly certain that at any moment the entire world was going to collapse around his ears, implode into a shower of nothingness. He'd never said the words in earnest to anyone before; it was both the most cleansing and the most terrifying thing he'd ever experienced, all at once.“He raped my sister when I was at school. I found her bleeding, crying motionless on the bed. That was when I decided I had to stop this. I had to do something, anything,” Mike spoke faster, emotions taking over him. “I didn’t plan this, okay? It just… happened. I just wanted to threaten him with the evidence I had, which proved his guilt. It happened so fast-I,” his voice stuttered, hitched, the memories blending chaotically into one in his head.“I think I pushed him away, he got aggressive, and—and he fell on something sharp, broke the skull base and died on the spot. I don’t regret this, especially because I’ve never been caught. I got rid of all the evidence, acting like it was a dream, or rather a nightmare. I burnt everything and left a drawing of Gamma in the Torah. I was seventeen,” he wrapped up, cigarette burning his fingertips, so he threw it out through the open window.“Soon after that, I left to Paris, became someone else. And my sister stayed back there, sick and depressed. I send them money all the time, but I visit rarely, it just—my parents have never acknowledged me as a Mike, as a scientist, nor the harm that Baumann had caused us. This is the ultimate betrayal I can think of,” he riveted his eyes back on Louis, emphasizing his words at the end. “I think they are even worse perpetrators than Baumann. They knew and they allowed it to happen,” Mike shook his head with disbelief, taking a deep breath from the diaphragm.Louis’ emotions visibly took over him, overriding his common sense; he pulled Mike into an embrace, nearly squeezing the breath out of him. Mike didn’t expect such a reaction but he welcomed it, wrapping his arms around his partner’s neck.“Mike, love, I’m so sorry,” Louis murmured against Mike’s ear, near tears himself. “You need never be alone again," he said, voice soft, honey over sandpaper, “unless that's what you want.” He swallowed sharply, scared but absolutely certain. “I'm thinking that you are possibly the bravest person I ever met, far braver than I'll ever be,” he continued, startling Mike even more.“Brave?” Mike repeated after him in disbelief. That was definitely one of the last adjectives that he’d use to describe himself. “I’m far fr-“ he paused and now, it was his turn to open his eyes wide in incredulity; Louis knew how to shut him up, though, and the kiss was the best way to stop the stream of words, completely unnecessary now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Louis looked at his police uniform scrutinizingly and smoothed it on the hanger. The hat and the handcuffs were on the nearby chest of drawers, all proper and prepared, and he wished he could put them to use sooner. Unfortunately, he had to wait until late evening to wear the uniform, but fortunately enough, he knew it will all be worth it. Tonight was Halloween, after all, and he’d celebrate it with Mike.The grey skies over Paris were gradually lighting up with the first morning rays when Louis returned from the nearby bakery with chocolate croissants. He bought a few for Mike and for himself, for breakfast and for a later snack, and peeked into the bedroom before going out. His partner was half-asleep, reclining in the messy sheets, when Louis approached him quietly and kissed him goodbye. They’d see again in a few hours, and Louis already looked forward to that since the moment he locked the door to his apartment.His usual commute always passed faster after the nights spent together with Mike. Louis couldn’t deny that he spent both the metro journey and the short trip by express RER train reminiscing the passionate moments with his loved one, with hip-hop blasting in his earphones and a smile wandering across his face. He was a lucky man, and he realized it with more clarity and gratitude with each passing day.Louis has seen some people, mostly younger ones, in Halloween costumes or darker outfits, already on his way to work, and he could see that the freshmen in the police academy had the same idea. He’s seen someone with Jason Voorhees mask sitting next to a boy dressed up as Michael Myers, another student wore a vampire costume and a few others went for makeshift “ooky spooky” outfits from whatever they found in their teenage wardrobes. Since his costume was waiting for the Halloween party in Silencio, Louis chose a more casual set of clothes for work, sporting a fitting pair of black jeans with Nine Inch Nails band shirt. The choice of t-shirt reminded him of the first evening he’s spent with Mike in Silencio and he was impatient to come back to the club, this time as Mike’s partner.Distracted by his own thoughts, it was after a while that Louis realized some of the students were missing. Namely the friend group in which Sam Tiba was the main troublemaker hasn’t arrived yet, their desks in the back of the class standing empty. Well, anyone could arrive late every once in a while, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the boys were stocking up on Halloween snacks before classes, he realized, opening the class register to begin the self-defense class.His first words were soon interrupted by a steady, increasingly loud sound just outside the classroom door. The noise resembled a group of people stomping in unison, just as if someone was mimicking a pack of animals, and Louis raised a quizzical eyebrow as he heard a knock on the door.“Please come in, we’ve just started!” he encouraged the newcomer.To everyone’s surprise, the door didn’t open. Quite the contrary – the knock repeated and someone – or something – neighed behind the door.“Horses can’t open doors! We have hooves, not hands, iiihahahaaa,” a voice outside exclaimed and followed with a convincing neighing sound. The freshmen roared with laughter, some of them slammed their hands on the desks or on the classmates’ backs, and Louis was left with no choice other than to open the door.There was a horse in the corridor. Or rather – a horse mask grinning back at him with a stupid smile, held by a few people hidden under an enormous brown blanket. The fabric moved and folded as the group underneath fidgeted, trying to stand still in the peculiar costume. Louis snorted in amusement at the sight – someone was getting creative here! It was difficult to stifle a laughter, but what came easily to him was sharing the group’s enthusiasm, and he decided to play the cool teacher just for a while.“Please come in, o proud steed,” he welcomed the disguised students, stretching out his hand in an inviting gesture.The horse bowed its head, which surely was Sam Tiba’s doing, and clumsily trotted inside the class. The laughter of their classmates echoed in the room as Sam, Victor, Quentin and Cédric went on – until the horse’s rear under the blanket started shaking when one of the boys tripped.“Cédric, you were supposed to keep the pace!” Sam shouted and neighed loudly. “Don’t- don’t bring shame on the proud horse we are!” he added almost hysterically before bursting out in laughter. Someone under the blanket tugged at the fabric, fixing it without much success, as the four boys whinnied in unison. Seeing this made everyone laugh so much, Louis included, that he came up with an alternative idea for today’s class. They wouldn’t focus anyway…“Fair enough, gentlemen. If there is a horse among us, we’ll have the class outside,” he announced to the freshmen. “We should adjust the lesson to everyone, shouldn’t we?” Louis asked. The young men stood from their desks and Sam with his friends danced a little jig under the blanket. He had an interesting day coming up, Louis was sure about it! Mike was still free; that was definitely good news because with each passing day he had no idea whether he was going to get interrogated, arrested or prosecuted. On the flip side, he enjoyed his everyday life with Louis, spending each weekend, evening and night with him, looking forward to spending his future together with him in the United States.He had already started his visa application process, which would take a few weeks, and so did Louis, however, none of them knew which visa he could choose – after all, he couldn’t work on a tourist one. Mike was reading everything about it and it looked as if being married was the easiest option when only one spouse had a job contract… Damn, another difficult conversation awaited him and Louis, it seemed.Mike rolled over in the bed, still naked after their intense lovemaking the night before, he didn’t bother to put any underwear on; he was alone since Louis left for work earlier, the sheets still slightly damp with their bodily fluids, smelling like sex and smoke. Mike rubbed his face idly against the duvet that Louis used, inhaling his masculine, intensely musky, personal scent he adored so, which brought back all the pleasant memories of their time spent together yesterday, the day before yesterday, creating a bone-deep urge for some kind of physical contact again. Mike almost pitied himself for being so in love, requited one this time, and it felt almost too good to be true.A sudden, unbidden thought popped into his head, making his lips curl up into a smile. He fixed his messy curls with fingers and arranged the sheets in a way that they covered only his half-erected cock, while showing his long, lean legs and the curve of his butt in all their glory. Half-parted lips but no finger in-between them – Mike wanted the picture to be erotic but not tasteless; he positioned his phone across the bed, on a chest of drawers, and set the self-timer for ten seconds. He changed his positions slightly when the phone took a set of ten photos – some turned out really well, which made him content. In the end, he chose two most attractive ones, and sent them to Louis on WhatsApp with a caption: Thinking about you and added a kissing emoji at the end.Satisfied, he got up and proceeded with his usual morning routine; somehow, everything seemed much easier and lighter when one was in love, Mike had already forgotten how good the happy hormones felt. He squeezed in one croissant purchased by Louis in the morning when another wild thought emerged in his mind – what if he could surprise his partner at work with coffee and cigarettes? He recalled that Louis ran out of Marlboros yesterday and had to bum his gold ones.He still had some time before work – a flexible schedule was a blessing sometimes. Mike got dressed in an elegant, marine blue shirt together with a black, fitting waistcoat, and black jeans with a big-buckled belt to that. Before he left, he threw himself on the bed to unplug his phone from the charger and check for messages; there was one from Louis, which immediately shot an arrow of arousal through his body.Distracting me like that during work? Naughty boy 😉, he replied and Mike couldn’t help but bite his lower lip to mute an accumulated giggle.You’re welcome, babe, he typed back and then added: See you very soon, not wanting to spoil the surprise but tease him a little. Louis should have some free time by the time he arrives to the academy, according to his schedule. Good. Mike left, locking the door by the spare key that his partner had given him, and made his way to the nearest Tabac to buy red Marlboros for him and gold ones for himself. He got coffee closer to the academy building, so it wouldn’t get cold on his way there.Being here always brought ambivalent feelings in Mike – after all, he was in the lion’s den. But it was also where he had given his partner the voice recorder, a gesture which could have made him end up rotting in prison, but instead brought them together; Mike still smiled at that memory.“I may be old but I can remember such a beautiful face,” the elderly lady in the reception recognized him immediately, fixing her spectacles. “Looking for Mr. Rogé, I suppose?” Mike nodded and thanked her when she revealed that his partner had a lesson outside, almost like then. He strode in that direction, a smile glued to his face got even wider when he saw a familiar, tall figure dressed in a padded jacket and jeans.Kids were running outside, some dressed in Halloween costumes, together with one… eight-legged horse? Which neighed when they saw him? A few boys glanced at Mike, whispered something, but he couldn’t care less.“Coucou!” he shouted to attract Louis’ attention whose eyes were fixed on his phone. His partner looked up, his whole face and eyes lit up immediately. “I just had to see you,” he explained himself and climbed up on his toes to kiss Louis, unbothered that his students were watching, wide-eyed, and the eight-legged horse whinnied again when the kids fell one on top of each other like a Domino! This day just kept surprising Louis. As if seeing the boys dressed up as a horse wasn’t enough of an unexpected view, Mike visited him at work, and the sight of his loved one sent the excitement and pure happiness rushing through his body.“Hi, love,” Louis gasped joyously, moved by the fact that his partner took his time to see him. “You made me so happy, it’s so good to see you,” he told Mike and only then did he notice the takeaway coffee held by the other man, his hand outstretched as if he wanted to give it to Louis. Something as seemingly simple as a coffee brought by Mike melted his heart – after all, his partner had to take time off his day to reach the academy, and Louis was sure that Mike got there by public transport, which he despised. If this wasn’t another sign of love from Mike’s side, Louis didn’t know what it was. And the feeling was reciprocated.In the moment he opened his mouth again, about to thank Mike, a loud whinnying combined with screams of confusion interrupted them. Sam or someone else in his friend group fell down, pulling the other boys with him and making them roll onto the ground in the coils of fabric.Louis snorted in laughter while Mike giggled barely noticeably, a sound he’s only heard thanks to being so close to his lover, thanks to knowing him so well that being around Mike felt like home. He was so absorbed by the view of his gorgeous partner (who was sharp-dressed no matter what, which Louis admired) that it was after a while he realized the group of young men outside stopped running and exercising. The boys stared at Louis and Mike with excitement and the kind of wild curiosity only known to teenagers who faced anything slightly more interesting than their everyday school life.“Oh, monsieur Rogé, you two are so cu-ute!” someone from the back, whose voice sounded like Sonny’s, commented in a sing-song voice, which sparked a series of giggles and laughter that intertwined with remarks about his boyfriend or the two of them being a beautiful couple.The freshmen were more agitated by the view of him and Mike than by whatever Sam Tiba and his friends were doing and Louis realized he should probably take it as a compliment. In the exact moment he thought about it, the eight-legged horse stood up shakily and tilted its head to the sides.“Monsieur Rogé!” Sam Tiba’s muffled voice shouted. “If you and your boyfriend ever need a horse ride towards the sunset, I’m your man. I mean, I’m your horse!” the boy added and neighed happily, which made the group of boys laugh again.“Just another day at the academy,” Louis shrugged as he grinned at Mike. “Let’s have a smoke?” he suggested and patted his jacket, only to remind himself that he finished his pack yesterday. Merde, he cursed in his mind and made almost cartoonishly big eyes in the moment Mike presented him with a new package of red Marlboro.“I thought I’d get you some,” he said with a foxy smile.“You thought about everything. Thank you,” Louis replied gratefully and stroked Mike’s hand gently when his lover handed him the cigarette pack. They walked a few metres away to avoid the curious gazes (and offers of ride towards the sunset) and Louis lit their cigarettes. At last, they could talk in peace, although in the chaotic and amusing mess that this day was, Louis found it more difficult than usual. Not to mention that seeing Mike face to face again brought back memories of his beautiful partner’s naked picture…“I had no idea you had that much time today, babe. This is so thoughtful of you, thank you,” he beamed with joy and leaned to kiss Mike on the cheek. “Let me do the same for you some other day?” Louis suggested, eager to bring Mike some coffee sometime soon. After all, sooner rather than later they would leave this all behind and move overseas, and he wanted to make sure they made as many good memories as possible while still in Paris. Mike snorted with laughter when he heard the horse’s suggestion – it wasn’t wrong though, since they were planning to move West! Far West, to be exact. Mike couldn’t wait to leave his boring job and stinky Paris behind, and start something new with Louis by his side.“They are adorable,” he chuckled when they disappeared behind the corner to avoid the nosey stares from the youngsters – Mike didn’t mind being stared at, though; he had nothing to be ashamed of. “I think we’ve made quite a first impression, haven’t we?” he asked, seeing confirmation in Louis’ eyes – after all, it was the first time of them publicly out as a couple. They had planned it for tonight in Silencio but Mike’s mercurial character decided to make it official even earlier.He dragged on a much-needed cigarette and made a cartoonish moan of discontentment when Louis kissed him on the cheek only. Mike wanted more, and more he got – Louis couldn’t stand his glower of disapproval and leant in for a kiss on the lips with a small, pleased hum of complacency.“Yes, please do. I’ll show you this table then, when you come. You know which one,” he giggled like an infatuated teenager, reminding Louis that they still had some unfinished business to catch up on. Before moving away, Mike wanted to try that table that had been on his mind for quite a few years, intensified since they got together. “Did you enjoy my pictures in the morning?” he purred when Louis’ lips brushed against his again, making Mike taste smoke on his tongue.“Oh, believe me, I did as hell,” his partner growled in a cartoonish way, pulling Mike’s hand to his groin, so he could feel semi-stiffness in his jeans. Mike jolted in place, a sudden gesture pulled a surprised gasp out of his mouth. “I’ll reciprocate with the same thing soon, when you least expect it.”A bolt of desire pierced Mike through and out, he wished they could just sneak out for a quickie, but they couldn’t risk it here, in the middle of Louis’ lessons. Mike had to head over to work soon as well, the responsibilities calling him, even if it was the last thing he wished to do now. He sighed, aroused and disgruntled, when they said their goodbyes and he made his way back to subway – on the parking lot, he felt someone’s eyes on his back. Instinctively, Mike turned to check who it was – he noticed a tall policeman smoking a cigarette at the main entrance to the building, his blue eyes piercing and smart, scrutinizing him.Mike was used to being stared at but this seemed different – their eyes locked for a moment, which seemed to be an eternity before Mike turned his back and walked away with a strange suspicion leaning on the back of his head. Louis has had his share of adventurous quickies, but what he hasn’t done yet was having sex at his current workplace. Maybe it was better to keep things this way, he thought, as difficult as it was when Mike was around.The other man worked wonders on him and his eyes followed Mike when his lover walked away, the sight tearing out a sigh from Louis’ chest. The calmer moment didn’t get to last much longer, though, because he’s heard a trotting sound nearby – a clear sign that someone was approaching him.“Monsieur Rogé, the generous offer of a sunset ride is still valid,” Sam spoke invitingly, his last words fading a bit as one of his friends neighed with excitement.“If you want to chase your beloved, we can help as well!” that must have been Victor, hopping underneath the blanket and pulling his other classmates as he jumped.“You might be a horse, all right, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run with the others. Off you go!” Louis shooed the group of boys in a light-hearted tone, too happy after seeing Mike to be angry at his class.Being around Mike didn’t just make him happy – it made him a better person, more thoughtful and understanding towards others. Mike was constantly on Louis’ mind, appeared in his thoughts and was the best motivation for their future together.Keeping their shared future in mind, Louis headed to the nearby medical centre to have himself tested. It was his go-to place to check himself regularly and the shorter lessons he’s had this day left him with more time than usual. Louis had time for the medical checkup and a quick route back to his apartment, where his Halloween costume waited. He was just a couple of hours away from seeing Mike again and the perspective of spending the evening and whole night together made the heat rise in his body again. Merde, the sultry pictures sent by Mike earlier that day really worked on his imagination, leaving him restless. Louis sighed, exasperated and impatient, and texted Mike (not without having another look at his partner’s photos first).Back in my place, babe. Let’s meet at yours at 19:30? ❤️ He typed a short message, resisting the urge to just take his belongings and head to Mike’s apartment. Louis wanted to be fair with his partner and Mike’s affirmative reply which came soon after couldn’t make him happier. Mike truly made him happy, Louis realized it once again, and the fact that they’ve been seen together as a couple was only winding up his excitement. What a way to get ready for the “big night” in Silencio, he thought with a smile. After all, the upcoming Halloween party would give them the perfect occasion to go out as a couple and let everyone see how unbelievably lucky he was to have Mike in his life. Louis only hoped Mike felt just the same way around him – that man deserved all the best in life, Louis had no doubts about that. Mike handed in a notice to the HR, and this freedom felt liberating; sure, he had to work two months till his contract expires, but that still left him December to close some things in Paris, find a new tenant for his flat, and arrange all the bureaucratic bullshit needed for their relocation – fortunately, NASA was more than helpful, and they not only offered him to find a flat near San Francisco, but also assured him that all costs of travel and insurance for him and his spouse would be covered.Now, he needed a spouse for that, and the vision of talking with Louis about it made him anxious. He exhaled loudly, standing in a long queue in a Syrian restaurant to pick up his food for later; Mike got tired but the perspective of meeting Louis later on would surely make it up to him. Speak of the devil, he thought when his partner pinged him a message; Mike’s face lit up with a smile straightaway.Yes, come whenever you’re ready 😊 I’m getting us dinner, he typed back and slid the phone back into his pocket when it was finally his turn to get his takeaway. He thanked the sales clerk and returned home with a relief – running errands exhausted his neurodivergent brain more than Mike had expected, so he decided to take a nap before a long night full of loud noises and socializing to accumulate some much-needed energy.After an hour, he woke up feeling well-rested and energized – it was close to seven, which meant that Louis would be here soon, Mike realized and quickly headed over to bathroom to take a shower and do some prep in case they had sex today (which was very probable, considering their fondling earlier on), which he was counting on.His partner arrived right when Mike was changing into his vampire costume – which was maybe nothing special because he dressed up elegantly on a daily basis, but he added a cape and white gloves to the outfit to get a more authentic look. Make-up would follow later on, even though Mike was no expert in this field (unlike Xavier).“Hi, babe,” he purred and wrapped his arms around Louis who pulled him close in for a kiss. The slight stiffening that had begun earlier in the academy, then waned again, came back quickly when their tongues met again; the months of ascesis clearly influenced Mike’s behavior now, he was sex-starved, and every touch set off his arousal immediately whenever he was with Louis. “Hmm, if we don’t stop now, I guess we won’t leave the apartment at all,” he chuckled when he felt his partner’s lips on his ear. Well, Mike wouldn’t mind but he had already promised Xavier to meet up at last!“I guess you’re right,” Louis chimed in and let Mike go, so he could reheat the food for their dinner.“I handed in the notice at work,” Mike said when the dishes were already in the microwave. “I still have two-month-long notice period, until December. But it’s done,” he smiled, wondering how he should start the most burning topic connected to their transfer overseas. Would that scare Louis away and make him run for the hills? They had known each other such a short time, but sometimes, it felt that it had been much longer.“Actually,” Mike hesitated, eyes riveted on the microwave. “How do you… generally feel about the institution of marriage?” he asked, trying to see which way the wind is blowing to have a general idea on Louis’ perspective. Hopefully, this intelligent bastard won’t figure out what was going on, Mike hoped with a racing heart. Just as Louis congratulated Mike so recently on getting the job offer from NASA, he felt like congratulating him on handing in his notice to his current job. That was another milestone in their emigration to the United States, together with registering their union. Louis might not have known the details, but he did know that if they married in France, the visa application process should go more smoothly. Besides, why not marry? They loved each other and he’d happily become Mike’s husband.“Generally, as long as it’s a union of two people who love and support each other… I feel it’s not just a safe and practical option. It can be something beautiful, no?” Louis tried to hear out his partner on that.Mike smiled gently again and played for time as he took out their reheated dishes from the microwave. Louis helped him place their dinner on the table and smiled encouragingly while Mike kept looking at him attentively.“Go on,” Mike spoke softly but somehow, his voice bore no opposition and brimmed with curiosity.Louis didn’t want to keep him waiting and returned his partner’s intense look shortly before continuing.“Just as you’ve said, marriage is an institution, but in so many cases, it’s just safe and secure. It’s serious in the eyes of society and most importantly, it’s a confirmation of the relationship being official, so to speak,” Louis shared his impressions with Mike. He might have started with down-to-earth advantages of marriage, but there was a whole other aspect to it, wasn’t there? They lived in the 21st century, goddammit, and getting married wasn’t just about finances, connections or having children, luckily. “The official part is just one thing, though, I feel like the emotional aspect is more important. It’s just like one more proof of love between two people, it’s the connection, the feelings and the willingness to be with the other person that really matters. At least that’s how I see it. And that’s how I’d love to experience it with you. You know, love, I want to marry you,” Louis said in pure honesty and sheer rush of emotions.He reached for Mike’s left hand and took it in his, spending a moment on intertwining their ring fingers, daydreaming of exchanging wedding rings sooner rather than later. They had to hurry up if they wanted to register their marriage before leaving France, but Louis didn’t mind that - some of the very best things in life came unexpectedly.“What about you? Would you like to get married someday…?” Louis asked with hope in his voice, eager to hear Mike’s opinion and his plans. He got hungry and they had to get ready for Halloween, but finding out what his loved one thought was what truly mattered to Louis now. Mike’s stomach was knotted like a pretzel when he was listening to Louis, suddenly not hungry anymore, a lump in the size of a brick stuck in his throat. Of course, the smart beast figured out what he was aiming at, it wasn’t difficult to guess when one knew each other so well, after all. He stared at his partner wide-eyed, waiting for him to finish.I want to marry you, a mirthless, uneven chuckle of disbelief left Mike’s lips. Waited for Louis to backtrack, say he'd misspoken or just joked. It did not happen. His partner still looked at him with all seriousness, sandwiching his trembling hand between his big palms. Who on earth, in their right mind, would want to marry him? Mike cleared his throat, felt himself wriggling in his seat.“I-uhm,” he started hesitantly. “If that’s a proposal, then yes, I’d love to marry you. But—” he exhaled with irritation, annoyed and frustrated with his own incompetence in talking about his feelings. “are you sure, though? It’s a lot to ask, and I don’t think I’m a good enough partner, let alone husband,” Mike finished, fixing his eyes in their joined hands. Husband. That sounded so seriously, almost solemnly; Mike had never thought about himself in this manner, not after years of being told that he was ‘up to no good’, not after his diagnoses.Sure, deep inside, he wanted to get married, live with someone until they get old, ugly, and wrinkly, but this had seemed to be an unreachable fantasy, which would never come true; being thirty-four, Mike already lost hope of it ever fulfilling, and he, somehow, made peace with that. That is, until Louis stepped into his life, turned it 180 degrees upside down, and dispersed the darkness of his miserable life, making it not only tolerable, but even beautiful, with his presence only.“Excuse me for a sec,” he stammered out and jumped in his seat, almost knocking down the chair, and hurried to the bathroom; wait, did he take the stabilizers today? Mike clumsily reached for the shelf behind the mirror to count the pills – was it ten or eleven when he opened the blister pack the last time? Mike’s mind was hazy, his dulled brain refused to process any information for a few longer moments. Just to make sure he was alright for the rest of the night, he decided to take one pill of happiness and roll himself a joint – he kept the weed for special occasions or ‘funny’ mood swings like this one.“Come on, give me that,” he heard all of a sudden and lifted his head up, just to see Louis’ strong frame standing close to him, speaking softly and lovely. Mike felt pathetic like that, sitting on the closed seat of the toilet, eyes blurry with tears, probably small and red, making him look like a pig.“I’m sorry,” he rasped out, trying to explain himself somehow, but he couldn’t find the right words. Yes, Louis had been warned that Mike was unstable, and now, it had unveiled to him in all its glory, but the theory never matches practice, does it? “It happens, I don’t know what’s happened to me-I,” he paused when Louis embraced him and handed Mike a fresh joint without a word or question. Maybe weed wouldn’t fix him or his brain, but it made him feel a little better when the white smoke filled his lungs. Seeing Mike having a meltdown broke Louis’ heart and only helping his loved one could mend it. It wasn’t the time for big words or spoken declarations of love – instead, Louis focused on gestures and actions that could actually bring his partner some relief, at least for a moment. “You have nothing to be sorry about, love,” he reassured Mike. He squatted next to Mike and placed his hand on the bony thigh, the gesture reminding him of the evening in Silencio which seemed so far away now. “Please take all the time you need and we can come back to this conversation later, okay?” Louis asked Mike, whose only reply was a short nod.He stayed like this for a while, not leaving Mike’s side, letting his partner calm down. The joint seemed to help and after some time, Louis could hear Mike breathing more regularly again, he saw him sitting up rather than slouching in sensory overload, his tears almost gone. He gave Mike one more reassuring hug, pressing his toned body to the thin frame of his partner in a squeezing motion, and looked in his eyes when they moved from each other slightly.“Hey, I’ll help you up,” Louis offered, gently lifting Mike so he could stand up more easily and, gradually and with no pressure, get ready for their night out. “Do you need my help with anything? If not, I can just stay here,” he suggested, mind racing to come up with something, anything, that could possibly make his partner feel better.Maybe the only thing to be done at the moment was giving Mike some more time, space and quiet, Louis concluded as he glanced at his lover splashing his face with cold water. Mike was getting himself together step by step, some of his gestures still a bit clumsy and his gaze absent at times – still, when their gazes locked, Mike’s brown eyes framed by tear-stained lashes stared into Louis’ eyes with such gratitude that it made his heart melt. The trauma popped up and flushed Mike’s brain with a lingering overload, which caused the whole system to shut down, the alarm in his brain howling – it wasn’t the first or the last time it happened, and he knew the procedure: he would use flash technique any time his brain decided to malfunction.The trauma therapy taught him to do it himself at home – after Mike settled enough thanks to Louis’ calming presence and weed, he recalled a positive engaging memory which was vivid in his brain: this time, he chose the moment of dancing with Louis and kissing him for the first time in Silencio. He grounded himself in this sweet memory, let it sink, then tapped his thigh three times along with recalling the upsetting memory. The positive memory worked already after the first round of tapping, he felt the disturbance fade away as if it was never there.“I’m better now,” he exhaled loudly, then washed his face not to look like a disaster when he leaves home and shows himself to other people. “Thank you,” he whispered, unsure what else to add, and wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist, squeezing him tight, nuzzling his face in his T-shirt, inhaling the sweet personal scent he adored so. Louis didn’t reject him or push him away, instead he also held Mike closely, kissing him on the top of his head.“No need to thank me, love. I’m here, and I always will,” he reassured Mike’s poor, bruised heart, then kissed him, partly to shut himself up, to keep from babbling and spilling the rest of the contents of his head like water pouring out of a tipped-over bucket. And partly out of a surge of pure emotion. Presumably there were other reasonable options, but Louis -- completely out of his depth – probably didn't know them. And it didn't matter; the kiss, or the words, or both, got the message across. Mike responded in kind -- a hand raking through Louis’ hair, kissing him back, lips parting to taste him and deepen the kiss.“Do people in love smell differently?” Louis asked, visibly amused, when Mike inhaled his smell again. “Pheromones or something?” he wondered aloud, looking at Mike who grinned at last.“I think so,” he chuckled, finally in better spirits. “Body odor may provide significant cues about the genetic quality, health and reproductive success of a potential mate. So yes, it applies to heterosexual women, but, generally, axillary steroids are produced by the testicles, ovaries, apocrine glands and adrenal glands, so if you were trying to mate with me, which I hope you still do, you’d produce more hormone called androstenone through your sweat, skin pores, and such,” Mike explained shortly, back to being himself, in his nerdy-mood, which was a positive change.The noisy rumble of hunger in his stomach at the sight of food surprised Mike. His appetite had been nearly absent during and after meltdowns; this, he supposed, was a good sign. Whatever was wrong, perhaps he was on the mend finally, thanks to Louis’ soothing voice and presence.They left the bathroom at last and when his partner sat down by the table, Mike crawled up on his lap.“Were you serious about the marriage offer--?” he inquired, brushing his fingertips over Louis’ hairy cheek, looking him deep in the eyes; Mike had to know that, otherwise he wouldn’t find peace. Louis nodded decisively before replying to Mike’s question.“Of course I was serious, love,” he spoke in a firm voice and stretched his hand to stroke Mike’s face, not as red as a while ago, his eyes less puffy than right after crying. “I want to marry you. I want to be together for many more years to come and stay there by your side. And no, I’m not disheartened by any potential low mood, any meltdown…” Louis continued.To him, a relationship was about supporting the other person and accompanying them through highs and lows. He took his connection with Mike very seriously and he was eager to work on their relationship, he was ready to help his loved one with small everyday things and with the most challenging meltdowns. He couldn’t even imagine lying to Mike, let alone in a matter as important and life-defining as marriage.“So if you still want the same and you’d love to marry… let’s do this, Mike. I love you and I really, really hope you feel as understood and cherished around me as I do around you,” Louis went on and on, his eyes lighting up when he saw a glimmer of hope in Mike’s gaze. He simply spoke the truth. His partner made him feel loved, desired and admired, without judgement or prejudice. For that, Louis was immensely grateful to Mike and he wanted him to feel just as loved as he did.He wrapped his big hands around Mike’s waist, so thin and almost delicate in his grip. While Mike was still in his lap, Louis held him close and let one hand stroke his partner’s back. He could sense the other man relaxing ever so slowly, his body getting less tense and his gaze softening as he listened to Louis’ words. When he noticed that, Louis pressed his forehead to Mike’s and rubbed his nose against his lover’s, making both of them smile.“Love, listen, I know that making the arrangements might not be as… exciting and romantic as it should be if we want to get married before getting out of here,” he spoke softly. Mike’s eyes sparkled with hope once again while he was listening to Louis’ words attentively. “I’m not sure if there’s time for proper engagement and such, but I’ll do all it takes to become your husband soon,” he promised. Louis let his words sink in while he held Mike in his lap and looked at his loved one’s face. There was nothing he wanted more than to wake up every day looking at these beautiful features of a man he loved. Mike felt his heart swell in his chest, imploding almost, with exhilaration at Louis’ sweet words, and such wise, calm words. He cupped his handsome face in his hands, trying to detect any lie in his warm, black eyes; he found none. Louis was dead-serious about this. Mike stroked his strong jaw, looking down at him with the most heart-eyed expression.Being looked at that way, spoken to that way, set up a little bloom of warmth somewhere in Mike’s middle; it started small and swelled until it filled the entirety of his chest. “I love you too, Loulou,” he said, meaning it, and leant over just enough to kiss Louis softly. The words still felt funny in his mouth, new, but their edges were starting to wear soft, smooth and comfortable, like a pebble in a stream.“I don’t care about a proper engagement, let’s just do it, then,” he started giggling like an idiot in love (who he, apparently, was), and couldn’t stop this happy reaction. Another, more passionate kiss followed immediately. “The first free date in the registry office, then?” Mike asked, moving his finger along the seam between Louis’ parted lips, when his partner kissed his fingertip all of a sudden in the sweetest gesture possible.“Yes, I know someone who works there, I’ll contact them,” he confirmed, gently grabbing a hold of Mike’s butt, sending a warm tingle that tickled Mike’s nerves.“Good. Then I’ll apply for a visa for both of us, and we’ll organize a honeymoon on Hawaii or somewhere. Doesn’t sound too bad, to be honest, huh?” Mike giggled happily again, feeling something thicken underneath his butt when he wriggled so much on his partner’s lap; this tore a quiet gasp out of Mike’s mouth, his cock stiffening immediately in his jeans as well. Maybe that wasn’t the worst idea after an awful meltdown to just fuck the bad memories away?Mike moved his slender leg to straddle Louis on the tiny table chair, moving his hips gently, humping him until he heard a low gasp which escaped his lover’s mouth – exactly a reaction he wished to hear, a clear indicator of arousal. They still had some time left, and Mike wanted nothing else right now but to be with Louis as close as possible.“I want my soon-to-be-husband to fuck me,” he pleaded, his voice almost plaintive, a sudden urge almost unbearable to hold. “Please?” Mike looked at him from under his eyelashes, boldly tugging at a curl of Louis’ chest hair where it peeked out of his open collar. Louis didn’t need further encouragement to follow Mike’s suggestion.“Mhmmm… I’m more than ready to fuck my future husband,” he replied, his voice low and rumbly in his chest from the arousal. "Let me remove this so it doesn't get too crumpled,” Louis purred as he started undoing the buttons of Mike’s shirt. He couldn’t help thinking how his partner looked so seductive in the well-fitted shirt, tailored as well as if it was made especially for him (must have been one of the tailor-made garments), but even better without it.Mike didn’t oppose while Louis moved closer to give him a thirsty kiss, taking hold of his partner’s slim thighs as he did so. He lifted Mike up from the chair, which resulted in the other man squealing in surprise, and helped him seat himself on the tabletop.“I have a much better view this way,” he rasped and proceeded to open the next buttons on Mike’s shirt, kissing every inch of exposed skin.It was even better, so good that it bordered on surreal, and Louis felt the arousal filling up his body to the point of his erection getting painful. His kisses moved from Mike’s jawline and the crook of his neck to his collarbone, chest and belly, where the thin line of hair led all the way the waistband of his trunks. Louis grunted happily at the sight, delighting in each of Mike’s gasps and stifled moans, and looked at his lover with a mixture of affection and desire, two sensations so intense that they must have made his eyes glimmer as if he was feverish.He took the waistband of Mike’s underwear between his teeth and pulled it down slightly. His action was followed by Mike’s giggle, and soon afterwards, another one when Louis trailed his pleasure path with his tongue and licked his belly button.“I could eat you whole, baby,” he murmured with his lips pressed to the hot skin on Mike’s flat stomach. Louis kept leaving wet, impatient kisses on his bare skin as he opened his partner’s belt buckle to pull down his pants. “How about I prepare you a bit…?” he suggested, staring shamelessly on Mike’s nearly naked body in front of him, legs spread and naked skin so addictive it made Louis restless. “Just give me a moment,” he whispered, letting out a sigh when he saw Mike rubbing himself through his underwear. Louis had a hard time taking his eyes off the wet spot on Mike’s trunks, a clear sign of him leaking in arousal, before he went to the bedroom to fetch them condoms and lube.When they had everything, he resumed his actions and knelt by the table to tease Mike further with some kisses on his thighs. The closer he was getting to his groin, the more intense his actions got, and soon enough Louis started sucking the skin on his lover’s inner thigh. He left a circular, reddish mark on Mike’s skin shortly before pulling down his underwear and undressing him completely. His cock sprung out, stiff and shiny from the wetness, and Louis found himself staring for a while.“Beautiful,” he whispered, awestruck and aroused almost to the point of insanity, and squeezed some lube on his fingers. Louis spread Mike’s thighs a bit further to have a better access to him, his hole pink and twitching, right before he pressed the sensitive skin around it to massage it in circular motions. Mike seemed to be entirely in his element already, vocal and pleading, begging Louis to be fucked with each sound and each movement he made, and Louis could hardly wait to give Mike what they both wanted. “I’m ready to fulfil my marital duties, babe,” Mike chuckled jokingly, gasping for air when Louis pulled his underwear slightly down with his teeth – what a man! He adored him with all his heart, and their lust for each other seemed insatiable, growing more intense with each lovemaking, Mike had such an impression, which was a great perspective for their future life together.Their unbridled passion was something new to Mike, he had never desired anyone like that, getting aroused only by sensing Louis’ intensely musky personal scent. He moved closer to the edge of the table, fingers tangled in Louis’ hair when his partner was working on his hole while sucking on the tip of his dick, making Mike experience bolts of electricity pinching, electrocuting him. A litany of nasty curses slipped out of his tongue, urging Louis to just go straight to business and take him.“Fuck me, please,” Mike hastened him, voice rough with desire, hands trying to clumsily open the buckle when Louis got up from his knees again, Mike’s precum glistening on his beard and lips. A view worth to remember, he thought with unusual affection, eyes dark with arousal.“You wicked, wicked boy. I’ll ream your ass, jerk you off, with the whole Montparnasse watching from below. Make you lick the mess off the table afterwards. Would you like that, hmm?” Louis gasped, pushing his head inside Mike’s warmth, breaking the resistance of the sphincter, making him nauseous and dizzy with arousal; his mouth agape, the first moan when two becomes one, a confirmation that he definitely felt his partner rip his body apart.Mike clasped his legs to Louis’ sides, let him push him onto the surface of the table. A plate fell on the floor, broke, making a lot of noise. But that didn’t matter – the only thing that mattered was the direct course on orgasm, the direction where Louis was taking Mike. He brought his partner’s hand to his throat, letting him squeeze it with his big hand, while spiking him mercilessly with his cock. The grasp on his neck wasn’t too tight, but enough to block the air flow for a bit, sending an unexpected lightning bolt of pleasure through Mike.He sucked in a gasp and moaned, the table creaking awfully under intense thrusting motions, moving on the expensive paneling. Mike didn’t even react to that, drowning in pleasure, shocked, and speechless, letting Louis ram his girth all the way out and inside again, have his way with him, toy him in any way he pleased. His legs started shaking, so Louis threw them onto his broad shoulders, kissed Mike’s hairy calf, and continued to push as the waves inside Mike continued to build, making him writhe almost involuntarily, mouth hung open, panting, having trouble organizing himself sufficiently to speak.He finally managed to produce a mangled, guttural utterance –“JesusfuckLouisI'mgonnacum” – and stroked his own cock frantically, on that last halfway point before the finish line. Almost before he got the words out, Mike convulsed with a roar, the wave cresting, thrusting upward sharply and loosing jet after jet of hot, pearly jizz, fingers twitching and shaking, squeezed his dick, the other hand clamped over his own mouth in a futile attempt to keep the noise in. They didn’t have much time and Louis tried to make up for it by giving it all to Mike, thrusting him as intensely as if their lives depended on it. He held his partner’s legs up and kept ramming him almost ceaselessly while his body longed for more. Louis felt as if his body begged for more and he felt his dick throbbing, skin turning red-hot and legs going weak.The sensation of Mike squeezing him inside and twitching around his cock worked like drug on Louis and he felt himself on the edge in almost no time. Fuck, fuck, fucking hell. After a few more forceful thrusts, he found himself shivering in ecstasy and nearly losing control, unrestrained grunts tearing out of his throat, so desperate that they almost sounded as if he was in agony.Louis didn’t even manage to announce how close he was when Mike stuttered out that he was coming.His lover’s frantic words were like the best reward to Louis - not just a balm for his male ego, but also a proof of all the pleasure he brought to Mike, a sign of their compatibility. And that amplified his own pleasure as well, preceded by Mike cumming all over his stomach, the hot liquid sticking to Louis’ skin as if it always belonged there. Louis wished he could stare longer at his loved one and appreciate Mike’s O-face to the fullest, but his own body had different plans.He jerked in a spasm too powerful to fight back and the tension he didn’t even know accumulated in his lower abdomen left his body with vertiginous speed. Louis felt as if he was coming and coming, the climax squeezed all the energy out of him and left him panting frantically.As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw that Mike was in the same state. His partner shivered slightly with an exhausted but overjoyed expression on his face, which was the most beautiful view Louis could think of.When his mind got slightly clearer again, Louis gripped Mike’s ankles, kissed his calf and put his long legs down to help his partner lie more comfortably – in any case, as comfortable as it was on the tabletop.“If you only knew how sweet your face is while I fuck you,” Louis purred, leaning closer to Mike, his upper body hovering above the table. “I should really dick you down next to a mirror, darling,” he went on and bent down to kiss his lover (or should he say – his future husband?) who put his hands around his neck. The two men shared an unhurried, emotion-filled kiss after a rougher, almost impulsive fucking session, which was just what Louis needed after letting go of the pressure in his body and coming with full force in Mike’s tightness. Louis hit his prostate like a pro – his dick was slightly bent upwards, which allowed him easily to find Mike’s sweet spot any time they fucked. This never failed to send zaps of stimulation along the nerves, making Mike cum more intensely than he’d ever do when topping; Mike had never forgiven his parents for mutilating his penis by circumcision – it left it keratinized, much less sensitive to receive pleasure.Well, the anal orgasm was something else; It was like falling abruptly off a boat and into the water, a gasping, shocking wave of full-body pleasure, knocking all the thoughts out of Mike’s usually-busy head. It took him a moment to surface again – Louis’ brown eyes saucer-wide, staring down at him with awe and love. Yes, it was definitely love, Mike was sure about it now.“Hmm,” Mike wondered aloud, kissing his fiancé’s parched lips, watering them with his tongue. “Do I look pretty when I cum?” he teased him, slowly coming back to his senses; an unplanned, spontaneous sex was absolutely the best, Mike figured. Yes, a date with sex, all the anticipation, growing arousal, glances filled with desire – it was great, but a sudden rush of lust couldn’t be compared to that. It made him feel desired and loved above anything else. “By the mirror? I love it, this is going to be hot,” he enjoyed the idea and giggled when Louis gently tugged and licked his right nipple.He slid off the table slowly, his head still spinning. Well, there was a mess in the kitchen – a plate was lying broken on the floor, their bodily fluids covering the table, but Mike really couldn’t care less now.It was close to ten o’clock, which meant that they had to get going soon; after such a pleasant moment shared with his partner, Mike didn’t feel like going, but he promised Xavier to come – and he was a reliable person. The tension was gone for now, leaving Mike relaxed and satisfied, though unsure for how long, so he proceeded to dress up and do his make-up. He put white fluid on his face and proceeded to shade his cheekbones to make them more protruding and hollow. With a side-eye, he noticed Louis changing into policeman’s outfit.“Damn, babe,” Mike gasped at the view of his man in a uniform, his mouth almost watering. “You look like a fuckin’ snack,” he chuckled, which made Louis cackle as well. “I need to protect you from all these twinks who will want to steal you from me,” he added and started putting some black eyeshadow over his eyelids. Louis approached him from behind and kissed him on the top of his head.“Nobody’s going to steal me from you,” he assured Mike and stared at him as if he was a damned Eighth Wonder. “However, I could always arrest you for looking too damn good, baby.”“Maybe you should arrest me for indecency,” Mike giggled, adding some eyeliner over his thick eyelashes, which made his doe eyes look even bigger. At the end, he added some fake blood on his lips and face to get a more undead-like look, and they were ready to go. Louis got them an Uber, and they got in, excited and full of anticipation.“Let’s not tell Xavier yet that we’re getting married,” Mike asked Louis, put his palm over his big hand. “I don’t know-, I mean, I’m not sure how he’ll react to that. I think he’ll be happy for us, but I’d rather tell him myself, if that’s not a problem?” “Not at all,” Louis reassured Mike. What he wanted to share with his best friend was his own decision and Louis, who’s only met Xavier twice, should have no say in that. After all, it wasn’t like he was about to text Sébastien, his closest friend, on the spot, and send him a voice message, all giddy and giggling, to tell him about planning the wedding with Mike. “Do whatever you think is best, baby,” he said softly and leaned in to give Mike a kiss on the cheek, carefully not to smear the vampiric makeup.Mike seemed content with the answer (and with his thoughtfulness for the intricate makeup) and flashed him a foxy smile. “I’m glad we’re on the same page here,” he told Louis and stroked the other man’s beard with his fingertips. At least he could touch him and kiss his face without worrying to ruin the look, since Louis didn’t use Halloween makeup – and he used this opportunity eagerly, gently nuzzling his face against Mike’s outstretched hand.When they were together, the ride to Silencio passed fast – their cab drove through streets of Paris that were gradually filling with people, the costumes and holiday decorations flashing behind the car windows while the driver followed the route to the club.A vampire and a policeman surely made an interesting couple, Louis realized with a smile when they got out of Uber and he took Mike’s hand in his. They were on the guest list and they could walk past the queue which was forming outside. The line consisted of people dressed in everything from sexy takes on Halloween classics to downright gory, intricate disguises that could just as well be used on a horror movie set. Louis took just a split second to look at the queue, way too absorbed with Mike’s willowy frame moving ahead of him and leading him further into the club, towards the small backstage.Silencio was already quite busy and Louis, who’s accompanied Mike before, soon moved to the front to make way for his partner. People moved aside after seeing someone as tall and muscular as him, and the police officer’s costume definitely worked its part, Louis realized, still holding Mike’s hand. Every once in a while, he could hear the clinking of handcuffs attached to his belt even through the noise in the club, but what was the loudest of all was his mind when he wondered if he gets to use the handcuffs tonight.Louis smirked at his thoughts, letting Mike pass first when they reached the familiar door to the smaller room for artists and befriended guests, and followed him to the backstage. Oh god, first horse, then rabbit, he thought in the moment they walked inside. Xavier, visibly delighted to see Mike, was rocking a pair of fluffy, white rabbit ears matched with a see-through mesh tank top and tight leather pants. He literally threw himself at Mike, emitting a sound that could only be described as a happy screech. Louis found it heart-meltingly sweet, only he wasn’t sure what to do – uncertain in relatively new surroundings, he just went for his best smile and shook hands with Gaspard. Xavier’s husband turned out to be dressed as Jesus Christ post-crucifixion – crown of thorns, stigmata, fake blood and all that jazz included, and Louis could see for himself that Mike and him weren’t the only couple wearing completely different outfits. Xavier really did have the best costume ever, Mike had to admit that – with a pair of rabbit ears and, wait… was it a fluffy tail attached to his tight-fitting leather pants? Not once had they been on costume parties together during their studies, and his friend had always been the best-dressed one, fulfilling the dreams of furry and Playboy-enthusiasts every time. And that make-up! Mike’s skills definitely couldn’t match Xavier’s intricate one, with whiskers, a cute little nose, and beautifully blended eyeshadows.“I’ve missed youuuu!” his bestie prolonged the last vocal dramatically and gave Mike a short smooch on the lips – this meant that Xav was already tipsy, Mike smelled beer from him. He had nothing against such kisses, he loved his best friend, but the hour was still early for the pre-game drinks!“Oh, I missed you too,” Mike purred and picked up his short friend off the floor, swirling with him around his axis, which resulted in Xavier giggling happily. When he finally put the ‘rabbit’ down, he exchanged bises with Gaspard who was dressed up as if he just left the shooting of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” – all covered in fake, but very realistic, blood and a crown of thorns on his head – probably Xavier’s making, he was great at a special effect makeup after all.“You look so good, Mikey. Tell me everything later on, okay? I can see that Louis is taking good care of you,” Xavier babbled, stroking Mike’s curls affectionately when they sat down on the tiny sofa.“Oh, he’s been taking very good care of me,” Mike took Louis’ hand in his, stroking it gently with a wide grin on his face.“Have you mentioned Mikey that we met…?” his friend turned to Louis who was sitting behind Mike, sandwiched between those two.“Yes, I know everything,” Mike nodded and accepted a bottle of Corona beer, handed by Jesus-Gaspard. They started drinking and talking (the latter was mainly Xavier’s domain), catching up on everything that had happened when they hadn’t seen each other, until it was time to start the DJ-set. As always, Just-ice was accompanied by his husband who trotted proudly behind him, holding his hand, and Mike followed them, holding Louis’ hand.So many things had changed since their first, accidental meeting in Silencio, that first, innocent dance, which turned very erotic quickly, now that Mike thought about it. But he didn’t regret it, on the contrary – he remembered it fondly, with a pleasant tingling in his body when he recalled how this man, who was now standing in front of him as his fiancé, ground against him, grazed his lips, touched his butt – all the movements still hesitant, unsure, since neither of them knew what the other one was feeling; the attraction was palpable from the very beginning, the rest just had to happen on its own.“My sexy policeman,” Mike giggled and lit up a cigarette, swinging from side to side a little when Gaspard dropped some good beats, and then took Louis’ policeman hat and put it on his own head. “I’m happy to be here with you again,” he purred and put one arm around his partner’s neck, Louis’ hands locked on his narrow hips. “This time as a couple.” ”I’m very happy to be here with you again,” Louis smiled back at Mike. His partner decided to borrow his policeman's hat and wear it himself, and Louis had to admit he looked pretty stunning in it!Mike kept the hat when the couple was making their way to the dancefloor, most of the other club-goers stepping away to let them pass more easily. The taller man was used to it thanks to his height, but it still felt good, especially when Mike was next to him. Louis was exactly where he wanted to be, he realized with nearly euphoric joy that was further amplified by Mike casting him a meaningful gaze.“I invite my vampire to dance,” Louis purred into his lover’s ear in a quieter moment, when an outro to a hard-hitting EBM song was echoing in the club. The catchy beat seemed to accent each of their gazes, gestures and moves they made, and Louis felt as if this moment was almost ritualistic, leading them to a dance that could very soon turn into something much more sensual and carnal.Mike bestowed one of his most charming smiles on him, delicate features of that gorgeous face lighting up at the suggestion, and took Louis’ hand in his, their palms and fingers fitting in each other perfectly.Their bodies got close to each other, just as if they were driven by magnetic force, and Louis could swear he was the luckiest man alive to be with Mike. His lover responded to his passion with just as ardent gestures and dragged his fingers through his short hair, caressing his nape as well, all without breaking eye contact. There was sexual tension between them, sure, but there was also a sort of relief to be there, in the moment, to let the beat control their bodies and just be there as soon-to-be-married couple, not just a troubled ex-cop and the wanted man that Gamma was. The song that was playing seemed to reflect Louis’ thoughts and he smiled at Mike exactly in the same moment his lover looked at him.You can bluff the world when every day is Halloween, the lyrics blasted from the speakers, making sparks fly between them once again and their movements get hotter and bolder. Louis’ hands were firmly placed on Mike’s bony hips, almost dangerously close to his butt, and his partner seemed to be rather fond of this possessive gesture… until he took off the police officer’s hat and pushed it on Louis’ head in such way that the visor obscured his sight for a while. What a tease! Louis pretended to be annoyed by this, but he laughed softly instead, ruining the impression. Mike’s playful gesture only turned him on and it was just like a promise of another memorable night ahead of them. They moved like magnets in a hypnotizing, mating dance, unable to keep their hands away from each other, wandering over their bodies, sweat trickling down their necks soon enough; it was a lot of people that night in Silencio, there was squeeze on the dancefloor – after all, it was Halloween, the most magical of all nights. Mike pressed his forehead to Louis’, he threw the cigarette on the floor, unbothered, and wrapped his arms over his partner’s neck, their hips joined together, grinding against each other, causing the bolts of pleasure zinging through Mike’s body.He felt his cock stiffen, squirming with intense need, rubbing his thighs together for more friction. But that only perpetuated the intense flow of honey-like precum, soon coating his underwear. Louis must have sensed Mike’s anticipation and arousal, teasing him more, his big hand stroking him between his slender thighs, which tore a squeal out of Mike’s mouth.He both hated and loved to become a jiggly puddle whenever his lover touched him, well-aware how he worked on Mike.A sudden touch from behind, a stranger’s touch, broke the haze of arousal, making Mike jolt and gasp with surprise, an unpleasant one. It was a man he didn’t know who settled his hands on his waist, flattening against his back.“Can I dance with you?” he asked into Mike’s ear, trying to scream over the music. Louis’ reaction was fast and unprecedented: he grabbed the man’s shoulder and pushed him away in a violent gesture – and he didn’t lack strength.“No, fuck off!” he shouted and pulled Mike in close to protect him from a predatory behavior; Mike put his hand on Louis’ chest, pushing him away towards the bar – he didn’t want the conflict to escalate, not there. Tonight, they were supposed to have fun, not worry about anything else. “Are you fine, baby?” he asked Mike immediately when they made their way to the bar.“I’m okay, don’t worry,” he assured Louis with a faint smile, settling down after that unpleasant encounter. His partner nodded and stroked Mike’s face, a gentle gesture of love and care. “Let’s do shots?” he suggested, eager to use the occasion that tomorrow was free off work over the whole country, and none of them had to go to work. Mike was free to get as shitfaced as he wanted to, which wasn’t difficult with his frail frame and lightweightness.Louis agreed eagerly and put his hand on Mike’s lower back, pushing himself through the crowd occupying the bar, when, all of a sudden, he heard a high-pitched sound (or rather a squeal?) of awe and surprise; they both turned and Mike noticed a swarthy Mediterranean-looking fellow, slender and clean-shaven, who latched himself onto Louis’ arm like a leech.“Louis! It’s you! I’m Alex, remember me?” he chirped, beating his eyelashes at his partner, behaving as if Mike was air. He froze and graced the twink with a death glare. Louis, fortunately, handled the situation well and peeled the other man’s hand off his arm, gently pushing him away. That must be one of his countless flings, Mike thought with an unexpected pang of jealousy, even though, logically, he had no reason to experience it. He was going to be Louis’ husband soon, after all, but still, the presence of this man made him feel uneasy, and he hoped that this Alex would spare him of the details what he’d done with his fiancé back in the day.He moved closer to Louis who still held his hand on Mike’s lower back, and put his hand on his broad chest, showing the twink who the boss was. Their evening out that started off in a nearly perfect way has already been interrupted twice, first by the creepy stranger and then by one of his former sex partners. Louis resisted the urge to roll his eyes when Alex of all people came up to them and glued his thin body to him, which resulted in him briskly taking the fling’s arm off him. He didn’t use too much force while pushing Alex away, although he wouldn’t think twice if the younger man tried something again.“Alex, hi,” he said politely but flatly. “Sure I remember. Now, if you’ll excuse us, my fiancé and I will move,” Louis began, making a step in the direction of the queue which advanced. His hand rested on Mike’s back while his husband-to-be kept his hand on his broad chest.Alex’s eyes instantly got big when he heard that, mouth opening wide and making him look almost cartoonishly surprised.“Fiancé? You surely are fast!” he giggled shortly, in a quite nervous way. For a while, it looked like his former casual partner wanted to say something, but Louis was faster.“You don’t overthink when you find the one,” he said in a voice so stern and serious that it rooted Alex on the spot. Louis turned to the counter to order six shots for Mike and him to share – just vodka ones - the bar recommended a mysterious “TGV shots” as well, but they decided to stick to the classics.“That was a one-time fling, well in the past now,” he explained, his voice still serious but also reassuring. Of course, Louis’ many sexual encounters were nothing to be proud of, but he’s always tried not to be ashamed of them – at least until now, when it was painfully obvious he’s tried to forget about his loneliness by having many casual partners. Too many, if one of them made it to a place as classy as Silencio, he realized and looked Mike deeply in the eyes. He couldn’t even imagine hurting Mike, in fact he’d never forgive himself if he hurt his future husband. “No one to worry about,” Louis added softly, speaking from the heart. He didn’t want his loved one to worry about flings from the past that were irrelevant now and which would never happen again. No matter who else was about to approach them this evening, Louis only had eyes for Mike and only his company mattered. Mike raised his eyebrow when the twink commented on Louis being fast -- that was none of his business anyway, and he didn’t even grace that Alex-guy with any word or introduction; Mike was, however, surprised at the note of pride in Louis’ voice, and the ease at which the word fiancé fell from his lips.And at his own warm and fuzzy feelings hearing it, making his lips curl in a proud, albeit sly, smile. Mike decided to be a petty person, so he climbed on his toes, kissing Louis on the lips when he was done talking, showing everyone who Louis belonged to; never before had Mike thought that he was possessive or clingy, but maybe he just wasn’t with the right person, he thought briefly when his partner finally got rid of the annoying twink.“Was it a long time ago?” he asked, moving hands over Louis’ broad chest, rather intrigued than annoyed.“A month or so, before we even met,” his partner assured him quickly, brushing his hand over the curve of Mike’s butt. The bartender delivered a flirty wink to Mike, along with the requested shots – he was dressed in tight-fitting clothes and fishnet, clearly into men.“I’m taken!” Mike replied proudly and glanced at his perfect Louis with enamourment. For him, he was perfect in his imperfections. “Damn, these gays,” he said and chuckled, fending off the bartender’s attentions. Louis leaned in to kiss him, perhaps a little more wetly and lustily than was actually necessary, partly for the flirty bartender's benefit and partly because he wanted to.“These gays indeed,” he stage-whispered in Mike’s ear, grinning as they clinked their glasses and emptied the first round of shots, wincing as they did so, the strong liquor burning their throats. Mike was rather lightweight, and he could already feel the alcohol buzzing pleasantly in his veins, making him much more giddy and horny. He made a loud ‘brrr!’-noise when he swallowed the second round, making Louis huff a chuckle. “Just one more, baby!”“You’re going to sweep me off the floor later on,” Mike made a happy chuckle, his head slightly woozy, pleasant warmth burning all the way down to his stomach as they chugged down the last round. He thumbed some stray liquor off his lips when he noticed familiar rabbit ears approaching them, squeezing through the tight crowd; Xavier wasn’t in a better state – his pupils dilated, his jaw clenched. Mike already figured out that his friend had taken something when he hugged him tight out of the blue.“I love you, Mikey,” Xav sighed happily, nuzzling his face into Mike’s ruffled shirt.“I love you too, Xavi,” he replied, embracing his friend back as he cast an amused look at Louis who tried to suppress his muffled cackle.“I have something better for you,” Xavier spoke suddenly and slid something into Mike’s hand in an almost invisible gesture; a tiny Ziplock bag with something inside. Drugs. Probably ecstasy or LSD, it wasn’t in a form of powder, Mike figured out with a smug face. “Open your mouth,” his friend asked and Mike complied quickly, eager to feel out of this world again – it was a long time ago since they took something together. Xavier put a ‘candy’ into his mouth, Mike sucked on it for a moment – it tasted bitter, so he quickly swallowed it.“Babe, do you want some MDMA?” he whispered into Louis’ ear, flattening his body against his partner’s, Mike’s hands brushing under the policeman’s jacket.“Sure, let’s do it,” his partner agreed quickly, so Mike extracted a pill out of the Ziplock bag, slid it in his mouth without breaking the eye contact, and then leant over to kiss Louis and feed him the drug from his tongue. It was sexier than he’d expected, and the whole thing made him shiver with arousal.“Good boys,” Xavier praised them and rubbed their arms in a funny, drug-induced pride. “Now, let’s go dance.” The alcohol that tickled his throat and electrified his veins made it so much easier to agree to MDMA. Sure, it might have clouded Louis’ judgement, but Mike could suggest anything and he’d agree in a heartbeat, so madly and deeply in love he was. They haven’t done drugs together and the opportunity that presented itself with Xavier’s arrival was thrilling, Louis had to admit that.Among the blinding lights and surrounded by the beat pummelling through their bodies, a drug like that should really work wonders. Louis sucked in the air and sighed at the thought of touching Mike’s soft, thick hair or his warm skin after MDMA does its magic. His mind flooded with fantasies of kisses with his loved one amplified by the drug and possibly even sex.“Come on, I think it’s just slightly too early for it to work,” Mike giggled, scratching Louis’ beard with his fingertips. He must have heard him sighing, that smart devil!“Who says it’s working?” Louis countered him playfully and took a hold of his hand. The taller man tilted his head to kiss Mike’s hand, letting his facial hair brush against the smooth, exposed skin. “Maybe… maybe, I just let my imagination do the work,” he added. They were on the dancefloor again, which forced them to speak directly into each other’s ear. At least it gave Louis access to that sensitive erogenous zone and he nearly hummed in delighted when his eyes fell on Mike’s long neck and the warm-colored skin on his nape. “Maybe I was imagining what it feels like to fuck your tight little ass after MDMA…” he breathed heavily into Mike’s ear. The drinks were making him all eager and frisky, and Louis dragged the tip of his tongue over the hot skin on Mike’s neck, slightly damp from sweat. “…or how my cock will throb and thrust you until you come for me, baby,” Louis went on, following the dirty talk with biting his partner’s earlobe gently.He could feel how the consumed alcohol buzzed in his veins and pleasantly hazed his mind, and the dancing that followed was sultry, sensual and addictive. Mike’s movements were so seductive when he let the palms of his hands slide over Louis’ chest, brushed his fingers against his abdomen and near his belt, when he licked his lips in the increasing heat. Louis wasn’t sure how much time has passed when he noticed Mike’s pupils dilating and his lover’s lips parting in silent awe or endless arousal – he wasn’t sure what exactly made Mike seem so bedazzled. The drug must have been working, Louis realized, even if his portion didn’t seem to kick in just yet. Well, he could wait a little longer or even make peace with MDMA not having any effect on him – Mike’s kisses felt amazing no matter what state he was in. Especially when his partner really took the experience to another level, and this was the case: Mike stuck out his tongue and licked Louis’ lower lip. He made their lips clash with such intensity as if they haven’t kissed for weeks and Louis responded to it with all the passion he had: he was all in the present moment, using his tongue and every once in a while also his teeth in the kiss so intense that it bordered on insatiable and rabid. The alcohol mixed with drugs made their way into Mike’s bloodstream quickly, slowly making him giddy, everything was buzzing, the butterflies in his stomach started fluttering. His mouth agape, lips parted as he danced or rather ground against his partner with an increasing arousal, Louis’ filthy words, harsh with desire, fiercely worked on Mike. He took his cape and vest off, tossing it somewhere on the sofa, too absorbed by the present moment to care about such mundane things as clothes.It got hot, both in a literal and figurative way; Mike turned with his back against Louis, just the way they danced on their first night in Silencio, moving his narrow hips, so he could sense his partner’s growing erection when he humped him dry. Louis’ hands were all over his body, under his shirt which suddenly got out of his pants, on his sweat-damp, naked skin, on his neck, everywhere.Not only drugs but also Louis’ touch created an intoxicating blend which rushed to Mike’s brain, accelerated his cardiac action, making his heart hammer loudly in his chest. The euphoria and pure joy filled his every muscle and fiber in his body, making every living cell burn with life and love. The happy chemicals rushed in his body, his limbs felt like they had music flowing through them, making Mike dance in the purest, primeval form, blissfully connected to the surroundings.“Mmm…” he purred, eyes half-closed as he tilted his head back, supporting it over Louis’ broad shoulder, big hands moving over Mike’s tiny waist in the most obscene gesture, the world around them far away, slowing down. Mike got the perfect clarity of mind, every sound, touch, taste, smell was enhanced ten times or more. His jaw started clenching uncontrollably as well but he didn’t mind it in that moment as the tingles of thousands of needles pinched all over his body and mind. “It feels so good to be here now with you, babe,” he gasped in exhilaration, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket of pure elation.He turned back to face Louis again, his hands touching him, grabbing him as if Mike wanted to scoop him whole and take for himself, a loud techno music vibrating in his chest, music coming alive in his bones and muscles, making Mike wish this moment could last forever.“Babe, you are the love of my life and I want to fuck you so badly,” he spoke, tongue untied completely, all the brakes and limits suddenly gone. “I’ve never wanted anyone so badly as I want you, all the fuckin’ time I think about you, and I’m horny,” Mike added, his voice thick with joy and desire. He knew that he’d probably never say it out loud, so he used the occasion to speak his mind and kiss his lover with frenzy and love, putting all his emotions in it. MDMA did have an effect on Louis. What’s more, a really strong one, swathing him with such warmth as if he’s either descended into hell or ascended some kind of heaven. Probably the latter one, because how else would he describe this bliss and all that joy that suddenly became obvious to him? Louis was with Mike and that was all he needed.“I’ve never loved anyone as much as I do you,” Louis told his partner, his voice low and rough from the throat-clenching affection. He could swear that it was love in purest form that cruised through his veins and alcohol mixed with drugs that fueled his racing heart. It made the blood rush to his nether regions as well, and the sudden arousal overwhelmed him, additionally spurred by Mike’s words. “I love, love, love you, Mike, and every moment spent with you makes me so happy,” he added, mindlessly in love with Mike.Louis loved this man, he was completely obsessed with him and desired him with every fiber of his being, and he couldn’t get enough of his lover. Touching Mike’s bare skin under his clothes felt so inebriating that the sensation was almost orgasmic and when Louis kissed his nape and inhaled the scent of his hair, he must have moaned in sheer delight. He even felt as if his sight improved while he was staring at Mike’s face, more beautiful than all the masterpieces of art combined, the most striking sight Louis has ever beheld, so breathtaking – and also so his, he realized when he reminded himself again he was looking at his future husband.He felt his teeth clenching as if his body received too much stimulation or as if he needed to ground himself, and it was in yet another rush of pure drug-fueled lust and love that Louis grabbed Mike’s wrist gently. The inside of his wrist felt silk-smooth and intoxicatingly hot under his fingertips and Louis needed a moment to gather his thoughts, too absorbed by the touch of Mike’s skin at first.“Love, let’s,” he gasped, his mind working slightly slower when his senses skyrocketed. “Let’s fuck. Being inside you feels the best in the whole world,” he added with a frantic need to fuck Mike there and then. They needed some space and he laced his fingers with Mike’s to move away from the crowded dancefloor. The space around them made Louis’ head spin in a pleasantly overwhelming way, it was pulsating and vibrating with colors and sounds and the faces of dancing people melted in a familiar, inviting blur. The music with its rumbly bass reverberated through Louis’ body, echoed in his bones and shook him to the core, and when they went to the club bathroom together with Mike, he almost felt like gliding.They were lucky enough to find the furthest toilet stall open and their bodies nearly mashed when they got inside the closed space at last. Louis grunted in pleasure when he felt Mike’s erection on his thigh, palpable and rock-hard through the fabric of his pants. Fucking hell, he’s been waiting for this, no – he’s been starved for this, he realized as he squeezed Mike’s butt. The other man’s body felt so insanely good against his hands that Louis hummed in contentment, pressing Mike’s body close to his.“I want you to ride me,” he told Mike in a voice nearly shaking in arousal. “What do you say, baby…?” he asked and took a gentle hold of Mike’s chin to tilt his head up before kissing him in a thirsty, passionate way once again. Louis felt his partner’s stubble on his naked skin, the eagerness with which his lips sucked on his, he sensed Mike’s irresistible personal scent around him and he wanted his lover to ride him there and then, until the climax turns their minds blank. “I’m so looking forward to spending my life with you and have sex with you every day,” Mike giggled, his teeth clenching, mouth suddenly dry as a sandpaper, which made him produce more saliva and swallow it constantly.On their way to the bathroom, Mike touched some people with his fingertips, combed his own, fluffy hair with his fingers, moving as if he was hovering three feet above the ground – so light. An empathogenic, engendering sensation of love filled him from the inside, imploded, the colors of lights were vibrant and alive, and everything was just the way it was supposed to be – so perfect. There was also an insufferable urge to be intimate with Louis, then and there, immediately.They were like cats during a rutting season, biting and scratching each other in a sudden, overwhelming need to just breed. Another couple probably got the same idea, the sounds of their pleasure echoing over the bathroom tiles, moans blending with the reverberating sound of techno music. This worked on Mike’s imagination and his arousal skyrocketed, leaving no space for logical thinking at all – he pushed Louis onto the closed toilet seat, forcing him to sit down, and quickly unbuckled his belt quickly, his movements surprisingly meticulous for someone as tipsy and drugged as Mike.His partner bucked his hips, helping him to free his cock out of the layers of clothes; it sprung, hard and leaking, pearly juice glistening at the head, rolling down the shaft – this view and intensely musky scent drove Mike completely wild, he couldn’t stop staring, completely mesmerized by Louis’ meat.“I’ll ride you, I just need you in my mouth now,” he gasped, already on his knees, purring hungrily under his breath as he eagerly lapped up the drizzle of honey-like precum, swallowing it eagerly, savoring his partner with half-closed eyes. Louis was gasping, shaking, all the senses enhanced, multiplied by three.“Fuckin’ hell, you taste so good,” Mike melted away and looked up at his lover who seemed to be on cloud nine. Mike’s pants were killing him, fully-erect cock squeezed uncomfortably against his inseam. “Fuck,” he hissed, impatient, and rose to his knees again -- pushing himself back up to his feet long enough to wrestle himself out of his trousers and trunks, heaving a breathy sigh of relief when his already-slick cock sprang free.He placed himself on Louis, bracketing him between his slender legs – there was not much space, but Mike couldn’t complain, too horny to focus on anything else than the upcoming pleasure.“Hmm, babe, we don’t have lube, will spit be enough?” Mike inquired, conscious enough to realize that fitting that girth inside his tightness required some moisture and glide. “We do,” Louis assured quickly. „I came prepared, baby,” he added as he started fumbling in his pockets to find the small tube with just enough lubricant for the night out.Mike’s expression, delighted but also surprised, made his eyes look so big that he looked like a doe-eyed anime protagonist, and Louis couldn’t help but smile broadly at the sight. He slid his hands over Mike’s thighs and his butt, the familiar gesture bringing him so much pleasure that he had the feeling of being addicted to touching his lover.Mike’s body right under his fingertips already made Louis’ senses tingle with such multiplied intensity that he was sure having sex would be out of this world. Just seeing Mike and touching him felt like absolute heaven.“I love seeing you like this, when you open your eyes wide and part your lips… so strikingly beautiful, ma biche,” Louis sighed. “Spread your legs a bit wider for me,” he told Mike, his large hand still on his partner’s thin leg, waiting for the other man to open his legs just a bit further (at least as much as the toilet stall allowed them). Louis inhaled sharply, admiring the sight of Mike straddling him, and grunted in arousal when Mike held his legs further apart to let him access his hole, the sensitive skin so hot and alluring that just feeling it with his fingers made Louis melt. “It’s going to be insane, love,” he purred, at loss for words. Louis felt as if his skin got ten times more sensitive and his eyes devoured his surroundings with more clarity than ever – having sex with Mike was guaranteed to make him melt in ecstasy and, quite possibly, scream his soul out in the orgasmic haze, and there was nothing else Louis wanted more for his lover and for himself.Both of them couldn’t care less about controlling their moans when Louis took some lube on his hand and slid first one, then two fingers inside Mike, pushing his way inside his partner and curling up his fingers to prepare him for the best part. How else could Louis describe their upcoming sex when his body shivered in impatience and all the love and lust made him restless? There was nothing else he wanted more in that moment than being ridden by Mike and as soon as he put on the condom, he put his big hands on Mike’s thin waist to bring his lithe, infinitely gorgeous body close to his.“Ready, love…?” Louis breathed mere inches from Mike’s face, his lover’s skin so close to his and the other man’s personal scent driving him crazy. “Hmm, you’ve thought about everything,” Mike purred and stuck his butt out, allowing Louis to have a better access to his hole. Every touch was multiplied by hundred, Mike’s skin was pinching, goosebumps appeared, following Louis’ touch on his skin, making him shiver in a feverish delirium. No inhibitions, no hidden catch, just freelove. “I love it when you call me like that,” he made a hum of appreciation, kissing and tracing his partner’s neck with his lips, completely unable to keep his hands off him.“Fuck,” slipped out of Mike’s throat when Louis started fingering him, squeezing his sphincter around them as if he wanted to suck them in. “I think I could cum even with you just fingering my ass, I love it,” he confessed, bucking his hips slightly to spear himself on Louis’ fingers, gasping and squealing when they found his sweet spot. Even when Mike started stroking his dick, the sensation was much more enhanced than usual, just as if he had his foreskin back.“Hmm, yes, I’m always ready for you. You are mine, Louis. Mine, mine, mine,” he murmured, punctuating each word with a love bite on his partner’s skin before he lowered his hips and felt the head of the cock sliding over his hole – even this sensation was heightened, making Mike shudder and blinded with desire. He grabbed the base of Louis’ dick and pressed it against his entrance, pushing him there where he needed it the most. The stretch of the sphincter was delightful, tearing a loud, almost agonizing whimper out of Mike’s throat as he clutched onto Louis like a life buoy, taking his whole length in. It was like entering another dimension, Mike’s head was spinning and he started moving on top of his partner in slow, hypnotizing movements of his hips, so eager and so warm, his body overheating and sweating profusely, just like Louis.“Merde, I love being a slut for you, I want you to use me any way you want,” words just slipped out of his tongue like warm butter, without any inhibitions or blockades – something which he’d probably never say out loud when sober. Louis’ pupils were dilated, huge, Mike stared into them, moving faster and faster on top of him, enjoying a smooth glide that the lube provided.He controlled the depth of the thrusts, but Louis didn’t stay passive, he bucked his hips frantically, hitting Mike’s prostate, all while holding his hips to impale him on his cock. He felt him all the way up in his belly, making Mike howl and squeal and whimper like a wanton, as they were both moving in vertiginous speed, teetering on the edge of the first release. The pleasure was overwhelming and it almost made Louis close his eyes – almost, because he didn’t want to miss a thing. He stared at Mike in awe and ever-increasing arousal and let his movements synchronise with his lover’s. His hips bucked wildly as his body begged for more, more and more.Mike squeezed the whole length of Louis’ throbbing cock, his tight and delightfully hot hole constricting and twitching around him. The sensation of burying his cock balls deep in Mike’s warm insides and letting his partner control the depth of each thrust worked like a catalyst on Louis, who kept moaning, grunting and gasping as frantically as if he’s never had sex with Mike before. After all, they’ve never done that on drugs and MDMA was much like an amplifier for their senses, kept them in tune with each other more than ever before, elevated them above heaven, so it seemed.Exactly, they’ve never done that on drugs, Louis reminded himself, once again admiring Mike’s face in the neon lights of the club, his body bathed in the pink, purple and blue lighting. He saw everything much more sharply and in the most stunning colors and whatever he touched felt amazing against his skin, as if pure ecstasy was seeping through his pores. While Mike was riding him so wildly, Louis had the impression of his lover squeezing everything negative and harmful out of him, replacing these sensations with sheer pleasure. He absolutely adored the heat and tightness, the glide was perfect, everything about this moment was just as it should be.“I love it when you’re so eager… so easy,” Louis rasped, his voice tired and hoarse in his parched throat. Somehow, Mike’s words made him even hornier and he wanted to reply to his lover in the same tone. He wanted to get even more of Mike and he let his hands wander under his partner’s shirt, now soaked with sweat and gluing to his skin, his warmed up, damp, absolutely intoxicating skin.Louis moaned in the intensifying pleasure and pulled Mike towards him in a rush of raw, impatient love that couldn’t wait another moment“I’m almost coming… I’m gonna fill you up,” he panted and leaned towards Mike to exchange one more frantic kiss, their lips clashing and pressing against each other until an uncontrollable, almost rabid groan tore itself from Louis’ throat. He was charging at the orgasm (or perhaps multiple orgasms?) with a breakneck speed, and through the pre-climax haze, he could see how close Mike was as well. The orgasm they reached together was out of this world; the moment was sparkling and Mike felt like a ballet dancer gliding above the air, ascending from heaven to hell where he met gods, angels, and demons, everything mingled, twinkled, and merged. Then stopped. Mike froze on top of his partner, his shriek echoed over the tiles of the bathroom.The bubbling sensation brought him yet another climax, and another one, drowning him and casting him over the shore again and again, and his arms were still latched onto Louis, holding onto him, his life vest. This was mind-expanding, otherworldly, it squeezed all the sweat out of Mike, his shirt was damp and glued to his back; usually, he’d hate the sensation but being this high, he couldn’t care less. His head was blissfully empty, body relaxed, and all the sensations, every moment, were cherished and savored.There was silent, broken only by their hitched breaths, like after the explosion of the nuclear bomb.“Christ, I love you so much,” Mike gasped, trailing his tongue over a drizzle of sweat on Louis’ neck, sniffing at him like a wild animal. Their eyes locked again, still saucer-wide, staring at each other as if they had seen each other for the first time. “I want more, babe. I want to enjoy you, all of you. Can we just go home or anywhere really?”Louis was more than eager to bring their intimacy somewhere else as well; the bathroom definitely didn’t satisfy their needs of touch and closeness, so they quickly dressed up and left the club without saying goodbyes to anyone – no one would hear it anyway in the overwhelming beat of the music.They got in the cab and it got a little warmer again when Mike’s hand crept up Louis’ thigh -- a quick squeeze of the thick muscle, and a brush of knuckles against his bulge that was clearly meant to look accidental. “Now I cannot wait to be with you again,” Louis told Mike quietly, grinning, spreading his knees a little and resettling himself to make room for the slight stiffening the touch had set off. Mike leaned in and captured Louis’ mouth in a warm, deep kiss. Louis’ eyes flicked up briefly towards the rearview mirror -- spotting the cabdriver watching, catching his eye. Caught, the man cleared his throat pointedly and deliberately looked away. “That's better,” Louis muttered, and kissed Mike back with enthusiasm. It was Paris, after all; surely the cabdriver had seen far worse.When they arrived back at Mike’s apartment, they immediately undressed and lay down on the bed, just touching each other, touching everywhere, setting Mike’s entire nervous system on fire, thrills moving over his whole skin. Louis couldn’t stop himself from touching his hair, suddenly so temptingly tactile, and Mike couldn’t stop moving his hands over his partner’s skin, suddenly so silky and warm, until he followed the trail of curly black hair on the chest, down to his partner’s belly and his stiff cock; Mike grabbed it, slowly slicked the foreskin back and forth along the shaft.“You are a beautiful person, my love, on the inside and outside. I’m obsessed by you,” he spoke, kissing Louis slowly, almost languidly, enjoying the sensation of their wet tongues dancing. Louis wasn’t sure which was better: one more love confession from Mike or the kiss preceded by licking and caressing his erect cock. He shivered in Mike’s skilful hands, his lover’s touch bringing him loads of pleasure and making Louis moan into his mouth.“Mike, love, you are perfect,” he replied, love and desire for Mike filled every cell of his body and Louis felt as if his feelings could make him explode if they remained unspoken. “You make me so happy and I want you to feel just as loved and happy around me,” he gasped in-between their kisses.They kept kissing each other both lustfully and lovingly, and Mike’s lips on his felt warmer and softer than ever. Louis couldn’t keep his hands away from Mike’s hair, which was turning messy now in the most adorable way, and he’s never felt anything as smooth as the other man’s skin. He could swear he was melting under Mike’s touch as well, his graceful hands with long fingers working on him like the strongest drug while his partner stroked the base of his dick, his balls, the insides of his thighs. Each gesture made his skin tingle and his heart flutter – after all, Mike, who was behind all this, was the love of his life and when they were together, Louis felt affection and tenderness stronger than ever before.It was a matter of time for their bodies to get entangled in a tight hug, the kind of embrace that limited their gestures but at the same time pushed them towards even more skin-to-skin contact. Louis welcomed that and stroked Mike’s back, his ribs and his thin waist, caressing him. He couldn’t deprive himself of the pleasure of grabbing his partner’s shapely butt – just as humming in delight when the sensation of Mike’s hot skin and the curve of his ass against his large hand was just perfect.Their hugs and caresses continued and at some point, Louis found himself underneath Mike, the other man’s face looking so beautiful it seemed noble or otherworldly despite the deep blush on his hot, olive-colored skin. Mike’s messy curls fell on Louis’ forehead when his lover leaned to kiss him, and their lips touched in a way so passionate and loving that it gave Louis a new idea.“Babe, I want you to fuck me,” he spoke while looking deeply into Mike’s brown eyes, those eyes he loved so much, framed by thick, long eyelashes and gleaming almost feverishly at the moment. “What do you say…?” Louis asked with hope in his voice. He loved Mike and trusted him with his life, and it was only natural for Louis to nearly daydream about bottoming for a change. He stuck out his tongue and licked Mike’s lower lip slowly, as if he was tasting the best thing in the world (which couldn’t be far from the truth, he thought). Louis’ action might have been seductive and encouraging – he’s heard his partner gasping slightly at the suggestion, after all - although the sparks in Mike’s eyes told him much more. He could recognize the fascination and arousal in his loved one’s eyes, pupils dilating as Mike let Louis’ question sink in before sharing his thoughts with the other man. Mike trailed his tongue over Louis’ lips, down to his mouth, chin, neck, and chest, nosing his face in the curly hair there, savoring the intensely musky scent from his armpits, licking the sweat off that place, all while stroking his own cock, precum dripping over his partner’s belly and dick. Mike behaved like in a trance, completely enthralled by the love of his life and his toned, masculine body.“I am very happy with you, babe,” he murmured, voice rough with desire, reaching his hands up to skim both thumbs across Louis’ nipples, then wetting them with spit and doing it again, pinching them and tugging on them gently until they were as hard as if they could cut paper.The air between them was shivering, coming alive, the night outside velvet and the stars shining – expensive, glimmering jewels. The time seemed to slow down, irrelevant for now – Mike was grounded in the now, and he wished this night never ended.A sudden suggestion from his lover made Mike lift his head up, startling him but in a positive way; he’d lie if he said that the vision of being inside Louis didn’t rush arousal all over his body. It was also a sign of trust, which melted Mike’s heart – this would probably elevate their relationship into yet another level, bringing them even closer together. Before he answered, he leaned over Louis’ face, his hair in a mess, flushed pink, pupils still dilated – it was such a beautiful view that Mike committed it to the memory.“I’d love nothing else but to fuck you, but it’s been a while since I topped, though,” he warned his partner, although determined to make him feel good. “But I’ll do my best to drown you in pleasure,” he promised with a smirk as he reared back on his haunches, scrabbling for the condoms and lube, tossing it on the sheets to have them within reach when the time comes. “Oh, babe, look at you,” he breathed. “Fuckin’ glorious.”Louis was unspeakably handsome – long and toned and gorgeous, hair a mess, sheened with a glow of perspiration, flushed pink with heat and desire. He gasped on the sheets below Mike, cock standing stiffly, pink and veined, a trickle of slick rolling down from its tip. Delicious, fucking irresistible. Mike tucked a hand under his knee and pressed it gently back towards his chest - rolling him back, exposing his beautifully-shaped ass, spreading him a little.The sight dragged a moan out of Mike; he slicked a thumb with spit and trailed it gently across Louis’ lovely pink hole, feeling the muscle twitch and flutter under his touch. He stroked a little harder, circling and pressing. “God... fuck,” he breathed, mesmerized by Louis’ reactions, his own cock twitching hard in response. His brown gaze hung, riveted, on the sight of his own fingers circling and dipping in, working one finger in.Mike bent to lick Louis’ balls, his stubble tickling his thighs. He dipped a little lower, tip of his tongue flicking, teasing the delicate skin of his love's taint. Raising his head, he glanced up at Louis along the long, toned line of his body, gaze heated and dilated. “Can I, love? Let me lick you.”His partner gave permission – desire sapping his ability to speak coherently, which delighted Mike to no end. He dove in with a ragged groan, devouring Louis with verve, circling his tongue over the enervate skin, licking him and fingering him open, tongue-fucking him. He spat on the hole, slicking it, making out with it as if it was the most delicious meal he’d ever had – all this elicited moans and spasms and squeals out of Louis’ mouth, much to Mike’s delight. Louis’ head was spinning from the stimuli and he sucked in the air sharply. All of it felt so good that it bordered on unreal – at first, Mike’s wetted finger circled around his hole with varied pressure and then, it slid inside Louis at last. The initial stretch and discomfort disappeared almost as fast as they appeared and it was in a blink of an eye that he focused entirely on the pleasant side of it. The feeling of opening up, of being fingered and stretched ever so slowly as Mike pushed in – all of it brought him delight so intense that his head was spinning and his heated body sweated even more. And it was just the beginning…By the time Mike was working his tongue around his stretching entrance, Louis got vocal. Very vocal, even, and he couldn’t stop the frantic moans, grunts and nearly visceral sighs that echoed in the bedroom now. He wouldn’t even want to stop, after all his vocalized ecstasy was a way of telling Mike how skilful he was without having to form any sentences. Using any words was getting increasingly difficult when every part of his body was so warm and sensitive under the drug, Mike’s actions spreading the feverish pleasure like a wildfire in his veins.Louis frowned, his tended body and MDMA-fuelled brain straining for a moment when he tried to form a full phrase.“Mike, please… fuck me,” he forced the words out of his squeezed, dry throat. Mike has been lubricating his hole now, one finger working its way further in such expertise that he added a second finger soon enough. Louis squirmed when the stimuli got so intense that it threatened him to come. “Mike, love. I need you inside me,” Louis pleaded in the heat of the moment. He really needed Mike to push his cock all he way inside him, hit his prostate and thrust him repeatedly. It wasn’t just pure desire or a rising need in his body – it was the urge to be railed right there and then and to let another man fuck him. Surely Mike wouldn’t keep him waiting for long? Louis casted his lover a gaze that was so impatient it must have been begging. His hole was twitching and he felt his stiff cock leaking, which attracted Mike’s gaze. His partner stared at him for a short while, taking the sight in as if he wanted to engrave it in his memory, and reached for the condoms in a gesture that seemed almost painfully slow to Louis. Even in the MDMA-induced haze, he knew he should be properly stretched and relaxed to take Mike in, after all his partner was well-endowed and his size could certainly be described as impressive. Still, there was nothing he wanted more than to let Mike penetrate him. The fact that Mike seemed to be just as horny as him turned Louis on even more and he was fidgeting and wriggling in anticipation, more than sure he’d be seeing stars when Mike starts pounding him. The eagerness in Louis’ voice -- the impatient, ragged gone, the whining and squealing --- was music to Mike’s ears. “Fuck, so much better, babe,” he gasped. “Why didn't we fucking do this sooner, eh?” he chuckled and got up to open the condom packet, then quickly rolled it on with his eyes still on Louis, squirming underneath it. Giving his sheathed erection a few brisk strokes, Mike added some more lube and lined himself up carefully, pressing into Louis firmly and steadily, guiding him backwards with a hand on his hip, sucking in a sharp breath at the tight, enveloping heat. “You alright there, my love?” he asked softly. It was hard to be still, to not immediately, brutally fuck the daylights out of Louis, so hot and fluttering around him, but this was no ordinary one-off hookup. This was his fiancé, the man he loved. He heard a positive reply, something along the lines of huh and yes, which Mike accepted; a deep shudder rolled through Mike as he buried himself balls-deep in Louis, belly snugged up against his lovely narrow hips. He swallowed sharply, taking a moment to steady himself before starting to thrust, hips rocking slowly at first in a deep, rolling motion. His fingers dug into Louis’ hips, pulling him back gently into each thrust. “God -- ngh -- Christ you feel good,” he purred, brow furrowed, features tensed with pleasure, so tight his partner was, it felt like having sex with a virgin.Louis reached down to stroke himself in time with Mike’s thrusts. A sound tore out of his throat -- almost a keen -- and he arched, pushing back. Mike, fairly certain he'd found Louis’ sweet spot, leant down over Louis – pushed his legs up to aim at him better, shifting the angle of his cock to stroke more firmly against his prostate. Louis’ breath caught, and Mike leant down to kiss him, murmuring sweet words of encouragement, fucking him hard and steady.He had already forgotten how good it felt to top someone, especially someone so close and dear to his heart. The sensation bordered on spiritual, even though their bodies moved in a carnal dance, as close as never before, melted together.Mike could feel the tension building in Louis’ long, lovely body, the way his hole was starting to twitch and flutter, the wetness that welled up slicked the cock in his fist. Louis wasn't far from cumming. Mike felt the slow, steady build of heat in his own belly, the fire singing through his nerves, felt himself swelling inside Louis and knew he wouldn't be far behind. “Come for me, babe, give it to me,” he urged Louis, fucking him harder, loving the handsome face underneath him, wry with delight, their mingled scent of sweat and cologne and sex filling in the bedroom. Mike's slow movements spiraled into harder, regular thrusts that felt heavenly in Louis’ tight insides. He wasn’t used to the sensation of having a cock inside him, reaching his prostate and ravaging his stretched hole, but with Mike, this rare feeling turned to an otherworldly experience.His muscles were gradually letting go of the tension and he could fully focus on the pleasure - the one his lover brought him and the feeling of grabbing his own dick as well, when his body got used to being penetrated, stretched and ripped apart.With the right person, bottoming could feel otherworldly and he knew that Mike was just the right person for that. Louis let moan after moan tear out of his throat while his lover’s thrusts continued, and he almost howled in the moment Mike hit his prostate. His hips jerked forward as his whole body jolted in a near-electrical shock, the ecstasy running through him. God, it felt out of this world, he had almost forgotten how good that could feel, and Mike made it all better. While he was under Mike’s gorgeous body, so beautiful and so naked and so his, Louis couldn’t help but bring his loved one closer and put his big hands on Mike’s back.“So good, love,” Mike gasped. “God, I love fucking you,” he sighed and leaned down for an intense kiss without stopping the movements of his hips that reached Louis deep inside, tickling his sweet spot and pushing him to the edge.“I love it… don’t stop,” Louis panted. His voice sounded like begging, the saliva from their kiss hung in a thin string between them, his lips were still parted in the multitude of sensations too intense to even be processed.Now that his muscles loosened and both glide and sheer arousal made him more receptive to pleasure, Louis felt as if he'd ascended heaven. He wanted nothing more than Mike to fuck him senseless, thrust him mercilessly deeper and deeper, until his mind gets blank and his body melts into the orgasm.Louis’ hand worked frantically on his dick, slick and sticky precum trickling down the shaft, spasms reverberating in his lower abdomen. All of this was so good it bordered on surreal and Louis was torn between letting go and trying to edge for just a moment longer, his mind was split between clenching his eyelids to focus on the bodily sensations and staring at Mike with his face frowned in effort, the strained expression on his face, gorgeous even when it was flushed red.“Mike… oh god, oh fucking hell, fuck,” Louis gasped and sucked in the air sharply. “Mike, I’ll come—“ he began and moaned mid-sentence to announce the climax that gripped him in the next seconds. Louis shook and stopped, a wave of pleasure rolling through his body with a power he couldn't oppose. With the last hit against his prostate, with one more harsh, decisive push almost desperate in its vigour, Mike made him experience one of the most intense orgasms in his life. Every cell of Louis’ body was set ablaze for one sweet moment, his abdomen shivered with spasms that transcended his whole body and his muscles clenched Mike inside as hard as if Louis’ life depended on it. He felt as if he died and was reborn, just in time to witness the entrancing, endlessly beautiful spectacle right above his sweaty, orgasm-stricken body, that Mike’s orgasm was. The force of Louis’ orgasm took Mike by surprise – he almost choked and gasped and clung to Mike, shouting loud enough to be heard by all their surrounding neighbors.This triggered Mike’s own; he had hoped to last a little longer – intent on fucking Louis through his own climax. But the sudden hot clench and spasm, and the sight and sensation of Louis spurting under him, on his belly, undid Mike, milking the cum right out of him. Its ferocity caught Mike off guard, sucking the breath out of him in a surprised “Oh merd--,” that turned into a strangled shout. His hips stuttered as he lost his rhythm, then buried himself deep in Louis with a guttural grunt, waves of pleasure crushing over him.His partner melted underneath him, the drops of his sweat falling off his forehead on Louis’ face, and Mike – still spasming, locked inside him, dazed and blinking, panting with effort. The orgasm was a powerful one, induced by the drugs as well, much different than anal climax he was used to, but a pleasant one as well; not worse, just different. “Fuckin’ hell,” he croaked, breathless. His dick was slowly getting flaccid, so he could pull out of Louis, holding onto the condom, keeping it in place until he pulled out completely, and, with whatever conscious thought he could muster, he knotted the swollen rubber, surprised with the amount of cum he’d produced, and tossed it onto the floor to be dealt with later, when he could move and think properly again.Mike collapsed next to Louis who seemed half-dead, flushed red, hazy, damp with sweat, toned belly still striped with his own cum. They cuddled again, waiting for their heartbeats to come back to the normal pace again.“Fuck, Mike, what was that?” Louis rasped, the ecstasy-induced high slowly leaving them after the powerful orgasm.“I don’t know what it was,” Mike confessed with a shaky chuckle. “But you’re wonderful and I’m the lucky bastard who gets to keep doing it with you,” he rasped, then leant over to kiss Louis, and fell back on the messy sheets, happy and spent. Too happy to mind when his neighbors in the flat underneath pounded on the floor; he just laughed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

November the 2nd swathed Paris in a greyish fog, and the darkening sky seemed to hang low above the city. The atmosphere couldn’t be more fitting to Louis’ mood as he was parting ways with Mike at Gare de l’Est, their unwillingness to separate palpable in each of their gestures and words.“Text me when you get there,” Mike said and looked up at him with genuine sorrow.“Of course, ma biche. I’ll miss you,” Louis sighed and leaned to kiss his partner. He’d be back in three days, a time which wasn’t even that long. Still, it sounded like a dreadful time to spend around his relatives, and if Louis was about to visit his family again, he’d wait much longer for that. “I’ll miss having you inside me as well,” he added in a low, seductive voice with his lips next to Mike’s ear. He just couldn’t leave this little obscenity unspoken, and Mike’s foxy smile was the best response he could think of.“I’ll miss you too,” Mike replied and kissed him once again before the final announcement for the train departure boomed from the speakers.Reluctantly, Louis got onto the train. He looked at Mike through the window until the platform was too far to see anyone or anything.He hasn’t visited his family in Reims for over a year now, and if it wasn’t for his mother insisting to come visit on her birthday, he wouldn’t have bothered. Ever since he could remember, his mother was “the lesser evil” compared to his father. On the first date, Louis’ told Mike that his family wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either, but would he really feel so uneasy if his relatives really were just fine? The skin-deep feeling of discomfort told him something wasn’t right, especially when he envisioned meeting both of his parents, his brother with family, as well as some assorted relatives from different corners of the country, most of them so distant from Louis that he could just as well encounter the snarky Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets, those who judged everyone from the comfort of their balcony.He sighed and dragged a hand over his face in a gesture of exhaustion. It was better if he kept himself busy, he concluded and forced himself to read at least a few pages of a popular science book which he borrowed from Mike. Holding an object which belonged to his most beloved sparked hope in Louis and brought a warm feeling into his chest. Sooner rather than later, they’d be reunited, and this conscience was comforting to him.An hour and a quarter later, Louis got out of the train to be welcomed in Reims by just as grim weather as in Paris.Dad will pick you up from the station, a message from his mother read, even though he didn’t ask for a lift, and he definitely didn’t feel like seeing his father so soon.They never even got along, not really, and ever since Louis came out, he felt as if his father treated him as a functionally or mentally retarded individual. It was as if Louis had to be fixed, even though the only thing that needed fixing was his relatives’ attitude.He went down the stairs to the main hall of the station, the repeating motion of steps making him feel the sweetest pain imaginable while his hole pinched from last nights spent with Mike. Louis frowned at the discomfort, but a split second later, he smiled at the memory of his partner.Arrived, babe, he texted Mike and added a red heart emoji at the end. I’ll keep daydreaming about you to stay sane, Louis said in his thoughts as if he could address Mike telepathically, and typed it in the next message. He saw an animated ellipsis on his screen, a sign of his lover texting him back immediately, and Louis’ heart made a few faster beats until he faced the harsh reality.There he was, just a few meters from him - Philippe Rogé, born and raised a proud Rémois, a respected engineer and a father of two. To Louis, though, he was just a dad who never knew how to properly show him parental love and support, if he was even capable of that.“Welcome home, son,” he greeted Louis with an awkward smile and an even more clumsy hug. Louis had outgrown him a long time ago, and he towered above his father now, noticing his receding grey hairline and the same thick-rimmed glasses he’d been wearing for years. He didn’t even feel nostalgic to see his father again, nor did he have the patience to explain the same things to him again. In this case, some things just had to be unspoken, Louis thought when he returned the embrace with one arm, staying polite but cold, not forcing himself to do anything more than necessary.He didn’t even feel “home” after spending his entire life as an adult in Paris, and he absolutely didn’t feel at home when he was away from Mike. Besides, how could one feel a domestic atmosphere in a place where everyone ignored his identity, orientation and experiences? Louis thought he’d explode when he heard his father asking about work, as if this was the only thing that mattered in life.He didn’t even care about Louis’ career when all his father wanted him to do was to become an engineer, he thought bitterly before, once again, replying curtly with just as much politeness as the situation required.The forced, not-too-comfortable conversation went on until both men reached the father’s car, and Louis left his duffel bag in the trunk, bending slightly as he did so. He hissed at the sensation and adjusted the jeans on his butt, making his father raise a brow.“Aren’t you a bit too young to have haemorrhoids?” he asked snappishly. Louis wasn’t even sure if he should bother replying to such a pointless comment, but a sudden thought made him turn to his father and look him dead serious in the eye.“Oh, I don’t have those. I was just having sex with a man,” he replied in a flat voice.Their ride to the Rogé family house passed in silence.Mike already missed Louis.Without him, his life seemed bleak and monotone again, empty and hollow; they spent every day and night together, and Mike only now realized how attached he grew during that period, how much fuller his life was with his partner. Even though he absolutely loved being alone, he needed this to process everything, heal, and focus on his special interests.However, he would give every minute of his alone time to be with Louis. Which made Mike realize how much he loved him and how he needed him in his life, by his side. He was standing on the platform for a longer moment, watching the train disappear in the distance, his hands deep in the pockets of his coat. It was only two days, he repeated to himself, only two days.The good thing was that he was invited to his friends, Caroline and Michel, so he could stop focusing on the choking loneliness which suddenly overwhelmed him, clenching its claws on his throat; a cloud formed out of his breath, it was cold, November came with full force, bringing low temperatures and rains along with it. Mike lit up a cigarette as he was leaving the station of Gare de l’Est, then headed quickly to the subway to avoid getting soaking wet by the pouring rain.While on the train, Mike found himself checking the phone for messages from Louis; he didn’t want to be that pushy, imposing partner who spams the other one with messages, constantly checking on them. Still, he couldn’t really stop himself, his hands itching to send Louis something, anything; he decided to attach one of his nudes from that one time when he had made a whole photoshoot in bed.Come back to me quickly, he typed, adding a kissing emoji at the end. When Louis replied, a familiar warmth of love spread over his chest, filling in every fiber of his body, lifting off the heavy shade of yearning and emptiness.Once Mike got home, he felt restless when he threw himself over the bed, nosing the sheets which still smelled like Louis, his sweat, his cologne, and his cum.Sure, they fucked in the morning, but his body already longer for his lover’s touch, even an innocent one; he stayed like this for a longer moment before he slightly rocked his hips in an almost desperate need of friction. The movements only perpetuated the leaking from his half-hard cock as he imagined grinding over Louis’ rigid dick, then having him inside, fucking him from behind into the next week.“Fuck,” Mike growled and unzipped his pants, quickly tugging them down. It was then when he got a wicked idea: What if he sent Louis a video of himself masturbating? Nudes were one thing, but a video was an even nicer gift, a sign of trust and, well, desire for the other one.He found a good angle and placed his phone on the chest of drawers so it wouldn’t fall down during his little show. The vision of Louis watching this aroused him beyond words, and he wanted to give his man the best performance; he started with touching himself over his body, unbuttoning his shirt, only to cast it on the floor. Once he was fully naked, he lay down on his back, so Louis would have a good look on his dick, balls and hole, which was already twitching with impatience.“Oh, babe, I wish you were here to fuck me,” he gasped, slicking his hole and moving his other hand on his cock, precum dripping from its tip, down over the shaft, which Mike licked off without thinking twice. It had been a while since he had masturbated, not being a fan of it since he was a teenager, but he wanted to spoil Louis a bit and pleasure himself when his beloved was away.In the bedside table, Mike kept not only lube and condoms, but also toys: dildos, anal plugs, anal beads, fleshlight, and so on. Nothing could replace his partner’s warm and hard cock, but the dildo he had from Lelo was a very good one, he’d use it most often in the past; first, he slicked the purple toy with his tongue, taking it inside his mouth with a satisfied groan. His mouth started watering, spit trickling down his chin and neck as he took the dildo deep, imagining Louis fucking his throat mercilessly.His face was already flushed pink when he sprawled on the bed and stuck his butt out to the camera, legs spread, showing Louis his hole, still relaxed after their morning sex. Mike quickly spread the lube over the toy and gently started pushing it inside him, stretching himself for his partner to enjoy; the sounds that left his throat were slightly exaggerated, but he wanted Louis to have something to listen to as well. He pushed the dildo further, thrusting it in and out, fucking himself, his cock leaking over the sheets like a faucet.“Fuck yes,” Mike gasped, trying to switch the angle of the toy to find his sweet spot, but it was difficult on his own, especially when the other hand was occupied with his cock, stroking it frantically; damn, how did these pornstars do it even? Mike tried to keep his balance while shoving the dildo in his butt and masturbating, hoping the view was good, and Louis would see all the assets in a good light.The orgasm was pleasant and shook his body, but it was nothing like the knee-bending, overpowering climax he’d have with Louis; still, it brought Mike some relief, leaving his body slightly sedated and satisfied for a moment. He slumped down on the sheets and pulled the toy out, slick with lube and cum. Then he turned back to the camera and blew a kiss to Louis before turning the recording off. Just to be sure, Mike checked if the video was recorded properly – well, his ass was in the middle of the picture, so this should do, he thought and decided to attach the video in the e-mail, the file was too big for usual social channels they used.Babe, I got you a little gift in your e-mail. Check it when you’re alone. Love you, he typed on WhatsApp to inform his partner about the ‘secret delivery’ and added a winking emoji at the end.The house at 3 Avenue Nationale has barely changed since Louis’ childhood and early teenage years. The façade has been repainted, but the memories associated with this place stayed, and Louis couldn’t think of a more fitting metaphor for the relation with his parents. From the outside, it seemed to be just fine, but in reality, repressing some obvious truths was exhausting. How else could he describe being hugged by his mother, this woman who looked proud and stylish while she celebrated her 60th birthday, but at the same time didn’t fully accept him?“Louis dear, I’m glad to see you,” she greeted him with a somewhat sad smile. Just as if she wished he was different, Louis thought for a heartbeat and smiled back faintly. He just had to stay a few more hours at a family gathering, and he could spend the evening – or most of it – in his old room, away from the nosy questions, far-too-curious gazes and pretended pleasantries.“Happy birthday, mom,” he forced his smile to widen and handed his mother a gift voucher to one of her favorite stores, not sure what else would be the best and the most practical present.It seemed that he didn’t know too much about his own relatives, and they knew even less about him. And maybe that was for the better, he told himself while following his mother further to the house so he could leave his things in his old bedroom.Soon enough, Louis was back in the familiar room with a sloping roof, where his sports trophies were still aligned on a long shelf, and the walls were half-covered with posters of bands and football players.Nine Inch Nails could be found right next to a poster that promoted Rammstein’s debut album, with the band members presenting their bare torsos, and a picture of Judas Priest’s Rob Halford in a very tight leather outfit hung next to a gigantic photo of a shirtless football player Antoine Griezmann.And his parents still thought that he had just a “gay phase”…Louis couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at that. If his parents only knew that he was in a fulfilling, supportive relationship that redefined his life and that he was about to marry Mike, they wouldn’t believe his words.Already feeling tired at the perspective of a family gathering, Louis fell to his old bed – how would he even fit on the short mattress now? – and immediately checked the phone that buzzed in his pocket.Mike texted him, and realizing that made Louis open his eyes wide, blood rushing to his face. Did he really mention “a little gift” which he sent to his e-mail? Louis grabbed his weekender bag as fast as if it contained some life-saving device and took out his laptop. Something told him this was better seen on a bigger screen, and he couldn’t be more right about this – the present delivered by Mike was nothing else than a video of him masturbating.Oh fucking god in gay heavens, was that real? Louis’ mouth hung open for a moment. He gathered his thoughts quickly, searched for the headphones to plug them to the laptop and sat in a way that would save him an intrusive stare in case someone decided to fling the bedroom door open.When he pressed “play,” his breath stopped, as if following the “pause” command. It was after a moment that he started panting softly to the footage of Mike undressing himself on camera until he was completely naked. Louis devoured the spectacle with his eyes, missing Mike so much it caused him almost physical pain. While he was watching the video, he realized once again how much he missed his partner’s touch and feeling Mike’s skin next to his, and his body reacted as well. Louis felt himself stiffening, his jeans suddenly tight in his crotch.“I wish you were here to fuck me,” Mike gasped shortly before licking the precum off his fingers, his pink tongue visible on the recording brought back the sweetest and the most salacious memories to Louis’ mind hazed in arousal. He kept watching the video that only got better. Louis couldn’t have enough of watching Mike’s mouth tightening around the dildo, which he later used to pleasure himself, legs spread and his hole stretched in the most delightful way possible. The recording had Louis at the edge of his seat with his heart hammering and the tension in his pants getting almost unbearable. His body felt hot, just as if he had a fever, and he swallowed hard when he watched Mike come on the camera. God, that was insanely hot and worked so intensely on his imagination that Louis hardly resisted the urge to open his belt buckle there and then and jack off wildly. He was breathing heavily and felt his hands shaking slightly as he was typing a reply to Mike.You little devil… I love you so much, he texted and hit “send”. What he’s just seen wasn’t just sexy; it was so arousing that it worked on his whole body, as well as on his imagination and mind, and it left him wanting Mike so much it almost made him howl. Louis decided to record himself as well – though only in a voice message. The men on the posters, in various stages of being undressed, seemed to look at him from above, which must have been the perfect setting for recording a slightly spicy message.“You’re making me so, so very horny, baby,” he confessed in a low, hoarse voice. “I wish I was there to fuck you and ram your lovely little ass until you come screaming…” he added and let himself moan softly after his last words. After all, Mike was very vocal in the video! “I can’t wait for it to happen soon.”That would be it, Louis realized when he saw the voice notes as “delivered” on WhatsApp. He didn’t have nearly as much time as he wanted, after all. His eyes stayed glued on the screen, waiting for Mike’s reply, but before he got to read the next messages from his partner, someone knocked on the door. The sudden sound made him alert, and Louis almost jolted on the spot.“Louis, would you join us downstairs?” his mother’s voice called from behind the wooden panel. So much for more sexting and voice messages, he thought as he replied, absentmindedly, that he was just going out of the room.He had one more thing to do, though, and he browsed through his photos to find a naked mirror selfie. To be exact, the picture showed Louis waist up, his abdomen and hips visible in the lower half of the photo, making it obvious to the viewer that he wasn’t wearing anything. Technically, nothing indecent was visible, but an observant eye would catch a discreet line of his trimmed pubic hair in the very bottom of the photo, and the setting was so erotic that it was clear nobody would use this as a profile picture for a phone app (unless the app in question was Grindr). The selfie pictured him standing proud, with his back slightly bent and his free hand placed behind his head to underline the muscular body, not too exaggerated or “gym-like,” more like a picture of someone who wasn’t ashamed of looking in the mirror – and share it, he thought when he sent the photo to Mike.I’ll come back soon, he promised in the following text message and slid the phone back into his pocket.Caroline and Michel lived close to Boulogne-Billancourt, a quaint district close to the famous Roland-Garros stadium and the Boulogne forest; Mike had been there countless times, even if it was less and less often in the recent months. Nevertheless, he felt very welcome every time, and this time was no different – Caroline opened the door with a loud, happy shriek and hugged Mike tight.“So good to see you at last! Come in,” she chirped and moved away to let Mike inside. He handed her a bottle of wine that he had brought as a gift, hoping they would drink it together during dinner; it already smelled lovely at the threshold, probably something with meat and potatoes.Michel was there, dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans jacket. He opened his arms with a grin to greet his longtime friend. He was a man on the bigger side, not necessarily chubby, nor toned or muscular either, probably because of his sedentary lifestyle as a web developer and a hacker after hours. Mike had to lean down in order to hug him since Michel was over half a head shorter than him; he was used to that, being over six feet tall in France.“Mike, at long last!” he grinned and embraced Mike tight, giving him a tight bear-hug, which felt very good; somehow, he needed it tonight, now that Louis was far away and he felt like being on a rehab, with all the side effects that came along with that separation, touch-starvation included. He clung to his friend for a moment, enjoying that brief moment of togetherness.“I’m happy to see you,” Mike spoke truthfully. He always meant what he said.“Let’s sit down and eat, I’m starving!” Caroline called them to the table, where Mike saw a freshly baked turkey with chestnuts, cooked potatoes, and a green salad. Michel uncorked the wine and poured everyone some. It felt good to be reunited with friends and people who wished Mike well and who took his mind off yearning after Louis for a moment. Obviously, they asked about his partner as well, without being overly nosey or inquisitive; Mike hadn’t mentioned them leaving for the US, but he proudly boasted about being engaged already.“I’m so happy for you two,” Caroline gasped and stretched her hand out to clasp Mike’s hand in hers. “Congratulations, you really deserve someone like Louis.”Mike didn’t think that he was entitled to anything, even after his traumatizing past, simply because things didn’t work like that; however, he decided not to spoil the pleasant atmosphere with his neurodivergent, coldly logical thinking and just keep his mouth shut.After some more eating and drinking, Mike headed to the bathroom, desperate for a leak, and checked his phone; after that, Louis had sent him a text and voice message. And a photo. Mike’s heart started racing as he beheld a half-naked photo of his gorgeous partner, which almost made him lick the screen of his phone. Louis just looked so good, so delicious, even though the best part was obscured by the washbasin. Mike sighed with utmost admiration, eager to just start pleasuring himself again when he heard his partner’s low voice promising to manhandle him soon. The need was almost unbearable.I can’t have enough of you, he replied, almost desperate to ask his lover to come back home sooner; it was selfish to think that, perhaps, but Mike was sure that he needed Louis much more than his family did, anyway.Louis was staring at the abomination that his footwear was. He got a pair of quilted black slippers with The North Face logo on them, so mind-bogglingly ugly that he spent a moment just looking at those atrocities before putting them on. That’s exactly the kind of house shoes that would have the Fab Five from Queer Eye groan in disapproval, Louis thought as he eyed his outfit in the hallway mirror.He was wearing a black turtleneck and simple black jeans, nothing too extravagant or tight-fitting, and the slippers were so out of place that he did his best to focus on the comfortable fit rather than the questionable aesthetic value. Hesitantly, he walked down the stairs just in time to see Jean-Charles, his older brother, together with his wife Julie and two kids.“Uncle Louiiiis!” Alice, his six-year-old niece, screamed happily, running towards him. Louis would need to squat to hug the girl, so instead, he decided to pick up the child and twirl her in the air, which made his niece giggle loudly. At least the kids were happy to see him, Louis thought as he reminded himself to smile broadly and waved at his nephew, the three-year-old Théo, who was holding Julie’s hand. Louis exchanged bises with Julie, still smiling when it dawned on him how little he knew about his sister-in-law. Jean-Charles and Julie started dating nearly 20 years ago and have been the textbook example of high school sweethearts, and Louis could never find an adjective other than “nice” to describe Julie. Well, it was still better than trying to describe his brother – when it came to Jean-Charles, the first thing Louis would say about him was “full of himself”.“And how is my little brother doing?” Jean-Charles, noticeably shorter than Louis, had to look up at him to even ask the question. Speak of the devil, Louis thought, although the devil would most definitely make for a more enjoyable company. There was something sly about his brother’s smile, a kind of superiority he felt towards the others, and Louis despised that. The way Jean-Charles grinned almost mockingly, the self-confidence with which he smoothed his slightly receding hair and the air of arrogance worked like a repellent on Louis.“Doing just fine; work and personal life are going great,” he replied calmly, without adding any details. His brother didn’t need to know anything more.Fortunately enough, the other relatives who came to visit, all aunts and uncles with their families because his last grandparents passed away a couple of years ago, weren’t as unpleasant as Jean-Charles. Unfortunately, their presence of ten or so more people still meant a few forced conversations, and Louis discovered that the only family member who seemed to, more or less, understand him was missing. His mother told him that her older brother, Louis’ uncle Jacques, was sick and didn’t want to infect anyone, and it sounded like an irony of fate. Louis has always had an impression that his uncle might have been gay or in any case queer - he never married, he’s always been the best dressed person in the family and had such a responsible attitude to life and empathy that Louis just couldn’t help perceiving Jacques as a sort of an ally in that ordinary, not-too-bad-and-not-too-good family.God, he could never let his life look like this, Louis thought as he glanced at the people around the living room. All of them looked one-dimensional like cardboard cut-outs, focused on work and family but forgetful about the purpose of work and the meaning or improvement of family relations, living day to day as if there was nothing more in this world.Frustrated, he frowned and felt a deep line appear between his eyebrows – the same kind of vertical wrinkle which Mike would smooth with his fingers half-jokingly, but what was the most important, lovingly. Louis already missed this touch and being close to Mike, and he fumbled with his phone to check what time he was supposed to leave in two days, already impatient to be on the train back to Paris. Just when he opened the ticket, Louis got a WhatsApp notification from Mike, and the small note visible on his phone screen already made his heart somersault. I can’t have enough of you read the message that made his heart feel heavy and his whole chest warm.I miss you. It’s thanks to our morning together (and to your gift) that I’m managing today. Thank you, love, he wrote, how he felt. Let’s have a call tonight, Louis suggested. If anyone could help him deal with the harsh day, it was Mike, and he’d give anything to just leave the family gathering and talk to his partner or just daydream about him, look at their photos, read through his messages – simply speaking, do all the things that could be sappy or over-the-top but just made sense when he was so in love with Mike.“Louis, are you listening, dear?” A sudden question from his mother distracted Louis completely. “It’s almost like you don’t want to be here with us,” Christine pointed out at one point, smiling with uncertainty, while Philippe gave him a reproaching look. It was a scrutinizing gaze he knew all too well, the kind of expression that contained disappointment, superiority and an absolute unwillingness to even try to understand someone else. Why should Louis even bother to stay in this environment?“That’s right,” Louis replied as flatly and emotionlessly as he could. He simply told the truth, agreeing with his mother’s statement. “I don’t want to be here at the moment. If you excuse me, I need a short break,” he added curtly but without unnecessary rudeness. Louis decided to leave the noisy living room for a moment and have a cigarette. Or two. Or perhaps three cigarettes and a walk – whatever it was he needed, it couldn’t be found among the chattering and gossiping relatives.Mike was slightly worried about Louis – after all, he might not feel welcome there, standing out, just like Mike often did, especially as a neurodivergent and a queer person he was. Family was not a pleasant topic, so they didn’t discuss it often, but something in his intuition, be it a gut feeling or a premonition, told Mike that the family reunion in Reims didn’t necessarily go well.He was playing Stellaris on Xbox with Michel, violently hitting the buttons when they just visited a neighboring stellar colony, when he got a message from his partner. Without pausing the game, Mike fished for his phone in the pocket and read what Louis had sent him. Damn, this really didn’t look good, he realized, and his heart squeezed with sorrow at that thought; Louis, his beloved Louis, he sighed and quickly typed a reply:Let me know if I can do anything else for you, babe. Yes, let’s call, around eleven? I should be back home by then.Mike laid the phone by his side, in case his partner messaged him again – and he soon did, making his heart flutter and hang heavy at the same time. Louis agreed to the timepoint, and Mike couldn’t wait for their call, hoping to see his beloved again on a video or even just hear his raspy, low voice – it would be a delight. Mike exhaled loudly, unable to focus on anything else at this point, too worried about Louis.He'd lie if he said that he didn’t want him just for himself, so hopelessly in love with the man that it could have bordered on insanity or obsession, but Mike couldn’t really care less.“I’m getting tired,” he confessed, feeling comfortable enough around Michel to just speak out his mind plainly. “I think I’ll go home if you don’t mind.”“No, of course not. Shall I get you a cab?” Michel suggested, which was very kind of him. Mike refused and decided to get an Uber himself, he didn’t want to be a burden to his friends. They exchanged hugs and bises before Mike left, and he immediately pinged his partner that he was going back. It was already after ten o’clock, so not much time was left anyway.Paris was still alive, buzzing with life, which caused the Uber to get stuck in a traffic jam. When Mike got home and took a shower, it was almost eleven. Clean and shaven, he put on his trunks and jumped on the bed, exhausted but more than eager to see his partner at long last. He clicked on a symbol of a camera, and he saw his favorite human after only one ring – Louis picked up immediately.“Hi, babe,” Mike chirped, lying on his back on the bed, feeling like an enamored teenage girl, and this was the best sensation in the whole world. “How are you doing? What’s happened?”Louis needed two cigarettes and a short walk to be able to deal with his relatives again. He’s almost forgotten how visiting his parents could trigger all the negative memories, uncertainties and fears, and how he was tolerated there but perhaps not fully accepted, and definitely not cherished or unconditionally loved for who he was.It was Mike’s message that helped him the most. As soon as his partner agreed to have a call, Louis felt hopeful again, confident that he could make it through the rest of the day. Not that sitting among his relatives and sensing his father's criticizing gaze and his brother's mocking one was particularly pleasant; it was just the perspective of talking to Mike that felt like salvation to him."Baby, hi.” Louis nearly sighed in relief when he saw Mike, so dear to him, so beautiful on the video call, and so far away in his flat in Paris. "It’s so good to see you finally. Both now and in the video,” he added with a knowing smile. Seeing Mike and to remind himself of the recording changed Louis’ mood completely. He found himself smiling in the most natural way, and his eyes must have lit up at the sight of his loved one, even if he could only see his gorgeous, delicate features on the small phone screen. “How has your day been? Tell me everything,” Louis encouraged Mike.He didn’t care if he sounded like an idiot in love, asking Mike to tell him all about his day. Louis wasn’t by Mike’s side and really wished to know how his day went, what made him happy and what kept him busy. And, if the mood gets a bit hotter, maybe he’d even find out what Mike was up to later tonight. It flickered through Louis’ mind when he had another proper look at his lover, who seemed to be beauty incarnate as he lay shirtless on the bed.The tension in Louis’ body dissipated, and the events of the day were pushed further in his mind when he kept listening to Mike attentively with his eyes wide open. His pupils must have been dilated from beholding a view that was so close to his heart. Louis missed Mike’s physical presence so much that seeing him in two days felt like being forced to wait two weeks or even months, which he did mention to his loved one. Still, there was a moment for exchanging a few jokes (“Look at the posters in my old bedroom and tell me I wasn’t gay since forever!”), as well as more playful comments.When Louis slumped onto the mattress - never mind his legs were too long to fit on it – the flirtatious mood returned for good, and he observed Mike for a while when his lover was making himself comfortable in the double bed, reclining on the pillows.“What are you wearing, baby…?” Louis wondered out loud. He had a feeling Mike was in his underwear and didn’t just call him naked, but what if…? Or the contrary – what if Mike wore a kind of yoga pants and could undress from them on the call? Louis was intrigued, his curiosity and most importantly his body aroused, when he waited for Mike’s reply.Mike kissed the screen when he saw Louis, feeling again like a giggling high-schooler who just got a call from their crush; he just couldn’t stop himself when his partner was there, seemingly so close and yet so far. His mood improved immediately, and the exhaustion which he had experienced just a moment ago seemed to evaporate in one second.With an old vigor, Mike summarized his day, not without mentioning his masturbation session, which already caused a slight stiffening in his trunks. They laughed at Louis’ posters with half-naked men, which caused Mike to roll on the bed, laughing.“Aren’t your legs too long for that tiny single bed?” he asked and covered his face with his hands when he saw that his partner didn’t fit in the bed at all! His stomach hurt from all the laughing until tears welled up in his eyes. “The rats are going to nibble on your toes. Be careful, babe!”When they calmed down and his breath came back to normal, the atmosphere between them got hotter again; Mike bit his lower lip and moved the camera to show Louis his Calvin Klein trunks with a white waistband, his half-erected dick was seen through the thin fabric.“Wanna see more--?” he asked, lowering his voice to sound sexier; damn, he had never done it before, sexting or having a sex call, but why not now? Mike just hoped that Louis’ parents were asleep and they wouldn’t be suddenly busted out like in all these stupid movies! When his partner nodded eagerly, Mike bucked his hips and slowly slid his underwear down with one hand (which wasn’t easy), arousal piercing him through and out when he realized that he was being watched.His half-hard cock sprung out of the underwear, and Mike heard Louis breathing heavier, faster when he grabbed his girth and started moving his hand up and down.“I want to see you too,” he rasped, yearning to see his beloved one naked again. “Please, babe,” Mike moaned, wanton, unable to wait any longer.“Okay, wait,” Louis replied and rolled over the bed to get up and lock the door; better safe than sorry, Mike thought and gasped when he saw his partner unzip his jeans in quick, slightly clumsy movements, to take his dick out. It was also half-hard, veiny, already slick with desire, just as Mike remembered. This sight sent fire singing through his veins, he felt himself hardening in his hand immediately.“Fuck, so gorgeous you are,” Mike rasped, taking some lube that stayed on his bed from his morning fun, and spread some on his swelling cock to make the friction smoother.Was it too late to sprint to the station and catch a train back to Paris? Louis would lie if he said he didn’t consider this; he was just too eager and impatient to see Mike again. To fuck him again, it flickered in his mind in the next second, or be fucked by his partner again – both worked, and both brought forth the kind of pleasure that was hard to describe.Fuck, Mike knew exactly what to do to make him horny as hell. Seeing his gorgeous lover jerking off firmly and asking him to undress as well turned Louis on even more as his body begged for relief.“Have I told you that I still feel you…?” Louis asked, his hand already on his rigid, stiffening dick. Mike’s words of praise and awe made him purr in delight, and he wanted to continue their conversation in just as sultry and spicy tone.Staring shamelessly at his lover who was masturbating so vigorously was the best turn-on he could think of and he kept his eyes fixed on Mike’s cock, stiff and slick in his tightening grip, the circumcised tip leaking so generously that Louis wished he could lick all of it. His body reacted to it not just with steadily rising heat or the blood rush to his hardening cock. In addition, he felt more saliva in his mouth than usual and spat it out on his hand without thinking further. He could use some glide while his hand moved up and down his erection, after all, especially when his movements got faster.“I keep thinking of your cock, baby… I wish I could suck you off, then fuck you again,” Louis went on, his voice deep and rumbly as it vibrated low in his chest. He kept his voice quite low in case someone was eavesdropping or just going to the bathroom at night, but at least a lower and deeper voice could make him sound more alluring, he thought. He licked his parched lips at the sight of Mike rubbing his cock, slick with precum and well-lubricated. “You’re so beautiful, love,” Louis gasped through his throat, already clenched in arousal as his dirty talk got more emotional and affectionate for a moment.Of course, he was head over heels for Mike, adoring him to the borders of impossibility and dreaming day and night of having sex with him, but at the same time, Louis loved Mike truly and deeply and wouldn’t even want to imagine his life without his future husband. He never felt this way with anyone and couldn’t even recall the last time he’d had a sex call. What mattered now was that he enjoyed the masturbation session on camera thoroughly, gasping and panting under the blissful stimuli and at the sight of his most beloved, most beautiful man pleasuring himself on his eyes.Mike’s arm started shaking with the effort of holding it up all the time, so he swiftly changed the position to lie down on his side, his phone leant over the headboard in a horizontal position so that Louis could admire more of his body.“I still feel you as well, as you fill me up whole,” Mike moaned, watching mesmerized as his partner slicked his girthy cock with his spit – that worked on him as a catalyst, sending fire zinging into his veins and loins. His dick started twitching under his fingers, but Mike needed more stimuli, being circumcised, he couldn’t cum as easily as a man with an uncut penis. “I want you to fuck me against the window when you arrive… so everyone could see us,” he rasped, voice trembling with desire.They were leaving France soon anyway, so Mike let his fantasy slip and drift away. They could do something more risky before they head overseas; there was something in being watched or the danger of being caught that worked on him like nothing else.“…and I want you to cum inside me, leave me dripping from my hole for a whole day,” he moved on, arousal sapping his ability to speak coherently. Shaking, Mike stretched out his hand to get the dildo that he had used earlier, left there just in case, and this ‘case’ of emergency was now. He was too horny to move out of bed anyway, or take his eyes off Louis who was jerking off vigorously, Mike’s mouth watering at this view. He slicked the dildo with the lube again and pushed it inside him effortlessly, his hole still relaxed after an intense day of fucking and masturbating.Louis’ breath caught and hitched at this sight, Mike could hear that, his own eyes half-closed, still watching his partner stroking himself, but simultaneously drowning in his own pleasure, imagining being dicked down by his partner on the screen, he didn’t need any wilder fantasies – Louis was enough of an aphrodisiac for him.“I’m coming,” he announced. The growing tension in his balls was a prologue to the orgasm, which shook Mike’s whole body and spread over his muscles, bringing along some relief and letting off the steam. Still, it was incomparable to the orgasms he’d have with Louis, who’d hit not only his prostate but also both of his sphincters at the same time, bringing Mike the ultimate state of heaven for a moment.When he opened his eyes again, Louis was wiping his dick with a paper tissue, he clearly came as well, which made Mike happy – in a way, they experienced it together, even long-distance.“Oh, babe,” he gasped, face flushed red. “I enjoyed it, but I wish you were here instead of this guy.” He showed him the purple dildo, covered with glistening juices and lube. Mike tossed it on the bed as if he was disgusted by it, making his partner chuckle.He slept like a shrimp. Not that Louis expected much more after a harsh day in Reims and spending the night in a bed that was too short, but waking up tired was far from pleasant. At least he got to talk to Mike the last night, and the memory made him smile.Louis sighed and stretched before getting out of the bed while Mike was still on his mind - his low, raspy voice, gorgeous body in the most arousing pose imaginable and the expressions he made while pleasuring himself. Louis hummed in admiration as he reminisced about the night call with his loved one, more than impatient to see him again the next day. God, he really needed to be near Mike after all the stress and pretending at his parents’ place, and the day he had ahead of him didn’t sound thrilling at all.He went for a short run before taking a shower and making himself a coffee, meeting his mother in the kitchen. Right after Louis greeted her, he could tell she was worried. Maybe even disappointed, although disappointment had always seemed to be his father’s domain.“Louis, I… look, I just really think you didn’t have to make such a scene yesterday, did you?” Mother asked carefully.Blaming me again while trying to sound caring, Louis thought, feeling too bitter to reply.“I didn’t have to, but being constantly belittled and ignored doesn’t help me feel welcome and accepted. I’m sorry to say this, but that’s just how it is,” he replied flatly. What else could he say? Louis felt genuinely sorry that even his mother couldn’t embrace who he was. He really wished there was a way to talk about this, he’s been trying to explain to his mother how he didn’t get to choose whom he loved and to whom he was attracted. It was almost an irony that Christine Leduc-Rogé, his own mother, a renowned psychologist and a counsellor at hospitals and schools, was so helpless when it came to relations with Louis.The conversation led them nowhere, and the two of them exchanged arguments and opinions without getting anywhere, and Louis felt himself getting more and more frustrated with each moment. He didn't even want to interact with his father and went for a short nod when he saw Philippe entering the kitchen - Louis decided to excuse himself and go for a much-needed smoke. He texted Mike during his cigarette break, missing his loved one so much it caused him almost physical pain. Now that they had found each other and become a couple, Louis longed for Mike’s company and counted down the hours until they could meet."Just got up, baby. I keep thinking about the call we had yesterday 😉❤️” he typed and finished the message hurriedly when he heard footsteps behind him. His father was approaching, most probably to scold him for smoking right outside the house, and Louis hit “send” before the older man could stare at his phone screen.“Keep it down next time, will you? No one has to know how miserable you feel,” father scolded him as if Louis was sixteen again. “You know what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend to be more stupid than you already are,” Philippe added angrily. Disappointment and contempt were palpable in his voice as the man eyed his younger son with a disbelieving gaze. A gaze that said “you are a failure,” Louis realized. He took a deep breath before replying, he wanted to keep his cool and not give satisfaction to the little man that Philippe was.“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d appreciate it if you talked more specifically,” Louis replied coldly, despite the blood boiling inside him. “Should I ‘man up’ and never show my emotions? Or do you think I should abandon all potential relationships because I deserve to spend my life all alone as a gay man?” he turned to his father, speaking in a tone so cold and outraged it must have sounded venomous.“Come on, I didn’t say that—“ Philippe frowned, shaking his hand dismissively, but Louis went on.“What did you say, then? That it’s a phase? That it’ll go away and I’ll see for myself how dumb at was? You’ve said it all, Dad,” Louis sneered. He’s just reminded his father what he’s been hearing throughout the years and what he’s been sick of. “You’ve said it all and, consciously or unconsciously, made me feel hurt in the process,” he added. Each word seeped the precious energy out of him and, what was just as worse, made him feel as if he was a teenager again, depending on his parents who didn’t give him the love, attention, care and understanding he needed growing up.“You sound worse than your mother talking about those ‘hurt feelings. ’ And put out that cigarette already!” Philippe waved his hand in the air in an attempt to keep the smoke further from him. What a fucking saint, Louis thought – his father has been a smoker for nearly 40 years and had to quit due to serious health consequences. Ever since he stopped smoking, Rogé senior looked down on other smokers with as proudly as if he’s never had a cigarette in his mouth. His sense of superiority, the conviction that he was better than others, and the attempts to force his own worldview on other people were things Louis despised deeply. He looked his father dead in the eye as he put out the cigarette on the nearby post box, making the thin metal crinkle and melt in the spot where it met the smoking hot tip.“That’s what matters to you and Mom, right? Keeping the appearances,” Louis spoke in a stern voice. “The well-maintained house, presentable sons, even though neither of them is an engineer… did my choice of job really concern you the most? Were my grades truly more important than my emotional needs?”“Hey, now you’re trying to settle an account with me? Is it some sort of calculation? You never lacked anything in this home! Now you’re destroying it,” the older man snarled as he tried to swipe away the ash from the postbox.He was visibly baffled, talking to the younger son in a tone that indicated he was about to burst in anger. If he gets any more raging, I have no chance of talking to him, Louis realized and crossed his arms on his chest.“I’m just telling you how I feel, Dad. I might have a stable job and close friends who care about me, you know.I might have found a person who makes me happy and with whom I might form a relationship that means the world to me. I might have fallen in love with the smartest and kindest man in this world, and you’d still care about all the ways I failed you.” Louis kept talking without pausing, putting his emotions into the right sentences but using a cold, serious tone as he spoke. He didn’t need to lower himself to his father’s level. “Isn’t it better if I just leave if you see me as such a failure?” he asked without waiting for the answer and turned to go back inside.Louis’ pace sped up with each step as he walked to the first floor, taking two steps at a time, distancing himself from his parents, their values, prejudices and ambitions. He couldn’t stay there anymore and started packing his duffel bag in a haste, throwing in his belongings, stuffing it with what he brought. He was better off there, and he had to go back to where he truly belonged.Plans changed, taking the first train to Paris. I’ll see you very soon, love Louis typed Mike hurriedly and stormed downstairs, where his father stood with a confused expression and his mother glanced at him with worry in her eyes. He heard his name being called but couldn’t care less at the moment. The visit to his parents’ house was over.Mike sent Louis a sleepy selfie from the bed after he just woke up – it wasn’t the best sleep without his partner by his side, but melatonin and anxiolytic drugs helped him fall asleep; he got used to sleeping with Louis so much that he didn’t want to do it alone anymore, even if his fiancé snored sometimes!Thinking about you too, love you, he replied back to Louis’ message, his heart fluttering happily in his chest. That should do for a couple of hours, Mike hoped and rolled out of bed lazily, stretching like a huge, slender Siamese cat in a beam of the Sun. It was Sunday, and Louis wouldn’t be here until tomorrow, so Mike had to fill out his day to concentrate on something other than his absence.Soaking in a bathtub was pleasant and relaxing, reminding Mike of the times when he bathed with his partner; now, he could at least recuperate from the night of drinking with Caroline and Michel. Mike had always been quite lightweight, even in his twenties, so he had a slight headache today. Some food and painkillers should do, as always. And a cigarette, naturally, he thought, his hands already itching to have a smoke.When he was still in the bathtub, his phone pinged. Mike stretched out his wet arm and raised his eyebrows in bewilderment; Louis was coming back already? Well, Mike couldn’t be happier about it, but it also meant that something must have happened at home. He wasn’t sure if his partner could talk right now, so he decided to drop him a message: I’m looking forward to seeing you, babe. Call me when you can?Mike put his phone away but kept it close in case Louis called soon. Worrying about his beloved one was unavoidable when they were so close; still, the sinking feeling in his stomach was nothing pleasant. Fortunately, the call came soon enough, and Mike answered it immediately.“Hey, babe, good to hear you,” he sighed with relief. “What’s happened? And when should I pick you up from the station?” he asked straightaway, biting the nail of his thumb, a bad habit which had plagued Mike since he was a teenager.”It’s so good to hear you,” Louis sighed in relief when he heard Mike. His loved one’s voice quickly became Louis’ favourite sound, and despite the morning fight with his parents, he already felt better, thanks to the call with Mike. “Nothing serious, really. I just… I tried to talk to my parents, and it didn’t end well,” he explained. Enough of the self-pity, Louis thought and cleared his throat. Merde, he was more stressed out than he thought, and his body reacted to the unsuccessful conversation. The muscles of his nape and back were tense, and so was his jaw. In addition, there was a faint, pulsating ache in his head that must have been related to the nervousness, and Louis could only hope he’d packed some painkillers.Mike’s words of compassion and encouragement comforted Louis and helped him get through the day. He wasn’t sure how else he’d handle the fact that the next train to Paris was full, and he had to wait an hour and a half for the next one.“Fucking Sunday,” Louis cursed under his breath. He found himself crumpling the ticket with the Parisian Gare de l’Est as a destination, which once again made him realize how wracked his nerves were. Fuck, he wasn’t a teenager anymore and didn’t need his parents’ approval for anything, but the feeling of rejection was there, hurting and bringing back the most bitter memories. Louis sighed and dragged his hand across his face. He still had to wait for quite a while to catch his train, and he decided to go outside the station to have a cigarette – this time without putting it out on someone’s postbox, he thought half-grim, half-satisfied, taking some kind of mean joy in disfiguring a part of the well-kept family house.When he came back from a smoke, Louis noticed that the main train station in Reims boasted a spacious florist’s store. What was even better, some dark-colored flowers were on display, most likely associated with the recent holidays, and he decided to stop by and get a bouquet of roses in such deep shade of crimson that they looked black in the shade. What would be a better choice of flowers for Mike? Thinking about his loved one made all the waiting more bearable for Louis, as he was almost counting down the minutes to his arrival in Paris.He spent his route from Reims texting with Mike and nearly jumped out of the train when he got to Paris Est.Mike was already on the platform, as gorgeous as ever, looking just perfect in a tailored coat matched with a scarf and dark jeans. Louis’ face beamed immediately, and his heart sped up at the sight of his loved one. Hugging Mike felt like home, and Louis savored this feeling before they exchanged a short kiss. Louis handed the bouquet to Mike when they broke the kiss, making his doe-eyed partner’s curious gaze fall upon him with such intensity it almost made him blush.“I told you that I was thinking about you,” Louis purred, giving Mike a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so happy to see you again. Thank you for picking me up,” he said with genuine gratitude. Louis wasn’t sure if he was ever going to get over all the signs of care and affection Mike showed him and all the moments he was there for Louis.It came as a huge relief for Mike to see the train roll into the station and Louis finally get out of it; his tall frame couldn’t go unnoticed. In an automatic reaction, Mike’s face lit up with a smile, his heart started to flutter, and his legs immediately picked up the speed when he saw his beloved. Was it roses that he was holding? Mike almost jumped at Louis, giving him a much-needed hug and a kiss, savoring him as if they hadn’t seen each other for weeks. Still, one day was more than enough for Mike.“Babe, you needn’t have to,” he gasped, touched by this simple, yet sweet gesture, and took the bouquet from Louis’ hands; his partner was through an unpleasant time, and yet, he found the time and will to buy him a gift, think about him – never settle for less, Mike thought and gave his lover one more kiss on the lips, unwilling to stay separated from him again. “Thank you. I love you. Let’s go home, shall we?”He laced his slim fingers with Louis’ and got them an Uber, not really looking forward to taking the subway again when he didn’t have to. He enjoyed the quiet ride in the cab, however, he quickly sensed that his partner was still very tense and stressed after the recent visit – brow furrowed, features tensed, jaw clenched. Once they got home to Mike’s apartment, this brought him an idea.“Babe, would you like to talk about what’s happened or maybe have a hot bath together or… would you like some massage? You seem very tense,” he suggested when they were taking their outerwear. Louis looked at him, both grateful and startled, and accepted the last option, which was Mike’s favorite one as well.“Alright, get undressed then and lie down on the bed, face down. I’ll be back in a moment,” Mike smiled softly at him and headed over to the bathroom to find the warming body oils – he still had some left in the closet, and he found the coconut-scented one as the best for the occasion.When he got back to the bedroom, Louis was already waiting for him, dressed down to his underwear, in the fresh, bergamot-scented sheets that he had changed into earlier today. Mike took care of the right atmosphere as well; he lit the candles in the room and played soft piano music from his laptop before he undressed down to his trunks.“Alright, babe, let me know where it feels the most tense and whether I’m massaging you too hard or too soft, okay?” he inquired when Louis stripped down completely and lay down on his belly, allowing Mike to straddle him and slowly start kneading his tense muscles, hands covered with a thick layer of the coconut oil. Louis sighed and groaned, making sounds of deep pleasure, much to Mike’s delight; sure, they also worked on him in a sexual way, he felt the rush of blood southwards to his cock, but he decided to ignore it for now, focused to relax his partner first.When he was with Mike, Louis could really forget everything, including the disastrous morning in Reims. He was relieved that this was long gone, and he left his hometown behind. And not having to talk about it just now was for the best.Mike worked wonders on his body, straddling him as he massaged his sore upper back and shoulder blades with the palms of his hands. Louis couldn’t help but groan and sigh deeply as he felt the much-needed touch of his partner’s hands.“Mmm, just like this, please, baby,” Louis gasped while Mike kneaded the upper part of his back and followed with pressing his hands against the stiff muscles. “You can go harder… fuck, I’m just so tense,” he muttered under his breath.Louis was aware of how sexually charged his words might have been, but it was exactly what he needed - the pressure which Mike applied to his naked skin and strained muscles was divine.Louis let his loved one handle him like a pro, pressing his oil-slicked hands to the bare skin and touching him in a way that was both intimate and healing. Mike kept putting pressure to Louis’ nape, broad shoulders and along his spine, and as his partner slowly moved lower down his back, Louis felt himself fidgeting in his skilful hands. While Mike continued to touch his naked body, Louis felt the tension and uneasiness give away to comfort and pleasure so intense that they seemed to bubble up inside him and make him increasingly aroused.He swallowed hard when saliva gathered in his mouth and made a stifled moan when Mike put some more pressure on his skin, making him realize how hard he was. Fuck. If it was up to him, Louis would much rather take Mike there and then and fuck all the pain away, letting the ecstasy fill his mind after the recent stressful experiences. Sure, he loved what Mike was doing, and he admired his partner’s care, his skilful hands, the precision of his movements. Still, Louis couldn’t ignore the fact that he was half-hard now and he could swear Mike was too – when his partner sat astride on him, his starting erection rubbed against Louis’ back and butt, and the sensation tore out a sigh deep from his chest.Mike must have been reading his mind when his hands moved to Louis’ lower back and followed to the back of his thighs. His lover brought much-needed relief to his knotted muscles, that was for sure, but Mike’s hands on his thighs had also turned him on even more and one more groan from his side must have confirmed this.“Maybe I should turn on my back now…?” Louis gasped and turned his head to look at Mike. God, his lover was so gorgeous that just looking at him worked like an aphrodisiac on Louis. He couldn’t take his eyes away from the warm shade of Mike’s skin, gleaming slightly in the hot room, the intense gaze of his big, brown eyes framed by thick eyelashes and the graceful, willowy body straddled over his muscular frame. Seeing the subtle, regular features of Mike’s face light up with a smile was one of the sights Louis loved the most, and he smiled back at his partner, already feeling as if Mike’s touch performed miracles on him.Mike pressed his knuckles into Louis’ tight trigger points, trying to remember the anatomy course from the beginning of his studies. He was very focused on his task, sliding his hands along the shoulder girdle, between the shoulder blades and along the erectors spinae. The tension was slowly yielding, and the sounds leaving Louis’ throat only confirmed this, making Mike proud of his task. He smirked and leaned over to pepper his partner’s nape with kisses, nibbling on the erogenous zones.“Maybe I should have become a sexual masseur instead of a scientist, hmm?” he asked, amused, feeling his cock twitching and leaking, the wet spot on his trunks only confirmed his growing arousal, when he touched his partner’s glutes, sneakily brushing his finger close to his hole. “Hmm, maybe you should… in a moment,” Mike teased his partner more, kissing him along the spine, the oil covering his lips, until he went with his mouth to his cheeks, spreading him a little.His tongue dived in between, licking Louis with verve, making him a moaning, quivering mess. There was some sense of satisfaction for Mike when he could reduce Louis to such a state, meaning that he did something right. After a moment, he stopped and hopped off his partner to tug his trunks down, while his fiancé turned over, and his cock revealed itself to be completely hard, ready for Mike.“I want to feel you today. All of you,” Mike emphasized, sitting astride on Louis’ belly again, clashing their lips in a frenzied kiss. Somehow, the idea of having an unprotected sex turned Mike more than he’d thought, the idea of being creampied, filled with Louis’ cum turned him on wildly. They had been in a stable relationship for a while now, and Mike trusted his partner like any other, so he wished to bring it to another level. “Come and breed me,” he whispered into Louis’ ear, stretching his arm to grab the lube from the bedside table and handing the tube to him, his pupils dilated, his eyes pleading.Louis was in the ecstatic haze while Mike was rimming him. His lover made sure to lick his hole with such passion and skill that the pleasure made Louis’ head spin, and whenever Mike sped up or pressed his tongue harder to the sensitive skin, the taller of the two men moaned uncontrollably.Fuck, Mike performed wonders on his thirsty body and Louis’ mind was still clouded when he heard his lover’s fantasy.Louis was startled in the most positive way when Mike suggested they have unprotected sex this time. Well, he was still waiting for the results of the medical examination from a few days ago, but he’s always made sure to use the necessary means of protection and stay safe, so going for bareback sex this time should be safe enough. And besides, the mere thought of fucking Mike unprotected woke up something wild in Louis, as if his whole body was set on fire.Now that Mike’s said it, he started imagining in a heartbeat what it would be like to fully feel his lover inside, ram in his cock without anything between it and Mike’s hole, finish deep inside him and fill him up properly. Louis sucked in the air sharply, his pupils dilated and his heartbeat racing.“I’d love that. Tell me where you want me, baby,” he told Mike in a throaty whisper. Louis stared shamelessly at his lover’s body over his and kept eye contact while he squeezed out some lube onto his fingers.“In my ass,” Mike replied in a single breath, voice shivering with lust. “Fuck me hard and make my hole drip for the rest of the day…” he purred and gasped slightly when Louis gently pushed two fingers in his hole, relaxed after their recent sex and Mike’s own self-pleasure sessions, both of which Louis has seen.“Mhmmm… all nice and loose for me. All mine,” Louis sighed in awe. One of his hands worked on Mike’s hole while the other one stroked his lean thigh and moved up to his abdomen and chest. Being reunited with Mike at last felt so good that he savored each kiss and caress with more joy and arousal than usual. His body responded with increasing, impatient heat and an erection so strong it made Louis grunt almost painfully. Mike, who was stone-hard himself and leaking like a faucet already, gripped Louis’ dick firmly and pointed it towards himself, and his action culminated in their loud, nearly desperate moans. “Good boy,” Louis rasped through his throat clenched by desire and grabbed Mike’s butt in both hands to urge him to ride him sooner. “Come and ride me,” he encouraged Mike, aroused to the limits of impossibility. For the first time, he wasn’t wearing a condom when he was about to penetrate his partner and Louis was almost losing his mind at that perspective, breathing heavily while Mike rubbed himself against his cock.This was a moment Mike was waiting for, anticipating it like a child who was about to get their Christmas gift; he had imagined this many times before, even before their first night together with Louis. To be taken bareback and fucked raw, without any protection – in the past, it had almost never happened before, Mike was always too conscious about STIs, being a scientist, their garden-variety ones -- herpes, gonorrhea, or any of the other seven dwarves. He never went or allowed anyone to go bareback on him if they were not in an established relationship.That was also why he found the breeding kink ultimately hot; this time, it was very special to him, making their sex an intimate experience, which would elevate their relationship to another level, not only fulfilling his longtime desire.He was shaking and trembling when he felt Louis’ cock pressing against his sphincter; such a warm, twitching piece of flesh, uncovered by any fabric or other artificial barrier, a piece of his partner’s body. It was an otherworldly experience; even only having that awareness made it so explosively arousing to Mike, who moaned loudly and tilted his head backward when Louis slid inside whole.“Oh fuck--” his breath caught, hatched, warmth spreading from his lower belly all over his body. “Shit, ngh—this feels so good,” he gasped and slowly started rolling his hips in circular way, getting used to the wonderful sensation, trying to keep it in his memory forever. Only then did he start moving his legs as well, bouncing on Louis’ cock in faster and faster movements, his hands leaning over his partner’s broad chest to keep the balance.Mike already knew that he didn’t want to have protected sex with Louis ever again. This clicked something inside him, turning this whole experience into a primal, almost animalistic act, making Mike behave like a savage, tearing all kinds of noises out of his throat. It was beautiful to not be obligated to control oneself at last, but completely let go and set oneself free.It was so raw but also wonderfully intimate that Louis was in sheer ecstasy. Mike lowered his hips to let the whole length of Louis’ cock inside, no condom this time, just their bodies synchronized with each other.Mike’s first movements already brought Louis such intense pleasure that he grunted like a dying animal, feeling his loved one even better than before when the hot flesh squeezed his warm, twitching dick deep inside.“Fuck… I love it,” Louis gasped when all other words dropped from his head. “I love it so much,” he breathed with effort before a low groan tore out of his throat and stopped him from speaking more. His lover didn’t say anything either, after all - not when the most arousing, visceral moans escaped his throat and Mike kept gasping, whimpering and squealing on top of him, leaning on his chest. Louis just couldn’t say anything more when Mike rode him so energetically that the circular motions of his hips were almost feverish and pushed his cock even further into his partner’s tightness.He was balls deep in Mike, ridden by his lover in a frenzied, rhythmical movement that was slowly but surely pushing him to the edge. The fact that he’d finish inside Mike this time, no protection, no barriers between them, made Louis’ head spin with both lust and love - that was exactly the experience he wanted to have with Mike.While his partner rode him wildly, Louis was bucking his hips to intensify the pleasure and penetrate Mike even deeper. His big hands moved from Mike’s shapely butt to his sides, grip tightening around his protruding hip bones. He felt like all he could do was give in to the ever-increasing pleasure, hold Mike tight and vocalise the upcoming orgasm. Louis was sure he wouldn’t last too long when Mike tightened around his dick, hole twitching and pulsating around his hot flesh, his partner’s cock dripping and staining his chest.“I’m gonna fill you up, love,” Louis growled in effort as he squeezed Mike’s butt so forcefully he risked bruising his lover’s skin. “Come, baby, give it to me,” he almost stuttered, his hips moving as frantically as if he was sick or delirious, desperate to push deeper into Mike and climax together. Louis chased after another shared orgasm, which would also be the first without protection, one of many more to come. The sensation was simply too addictive, and the feelings between them were too intense to stop just after that one time…“Breed me, babe,” Mike stuttered out, eyes half-closed, giving his aching erection a few brisk strokes to amplify the pleasure. He was sure that he would come hands-free, as it was usually the case with Louis, but he wanted to cum on his chest. With the other hand, he grabbed the headrest, clenching it as if his life depended on it, bouncing on his partner even faster, even deeper, now that he could have a more powerful momentum.Louis locked his hands on Mike’s bony hips, keeping him in place, using him for a moment to just buck his hips and cum inside. Fuck, Mike loved it, stopped moving and allowed Louis to do what he wanted to; the ferocity of his orgasm took him by surprise, and trigged Mike’s own – when Louis’ cock started twitching inside, leaking and cumming, he couldn’t hold on anymore.A sudden clench grabbed him by the neck and tossed him into the depths of divine pleasure, making him gasp and choke and shriek loud enough to be heard by all surrounding neighbors. Louis was locked inside him, and Mike clenched his hole as if he wanted to keep all the cum inside, milking his partner until he was empty. He was filled in completely, and the musk of seed filled the room, the warmth spilling out of Mike and on his butt.It was an ecstatic, cathartic experience, he was dripping, cum trickling down his butt and thighs. He collapsed on the sheets close to Louis, his legs shaking with effort, and stretched out his arm to touch the sperm leaking out of him, massage it into his skin, done almost automatically in a post-coital haze. He put a bit on his finger and licked it, tasting it, much to Louis’ delight, who was observing Mike’s actions with saucer-wide eyes.“It’s delicious,” he gasped with a satisfied grin, snuggling up to Louis’, trying not to mind the mess he’d done on his chest with his own spunk, giving Louis jewels from his own body. “I loved it, babe. I don’t ever want to do back to condoms, you hear me?” Mike chuckled, his head still spinning after what had just happened.“I hear you very well, love,” Louis grinned at Mike and leaned closer to kiss him. He tasted some of his own cum from his partner’s tongue, which was just another thing as intimate as it was arousing. It brought them closer to each other, not to mention that taking Mike bareback felt so otherworldly that Louis’ mind was still cloudy in the post-orgasmic haze. “Just as I felt you very, very well…” he added in a delighted murmur, his lips still pressed against Mike’s.Louis’ breath tickled his lover’s hot skin as he stayed close to Mike, rubbing his nose against his partner’s cheek, his gorgeous face still flushed red after the orgasm. He could just stare at Mike and never have enough, Louis realized when his gaze slowly moved to his lover’s body and stayed on Mike’s sperm-coated thighs for a longer while.“Damn, babe, now that’s a view I can definitely get used to,” he gasped in awe when Mike stretched his long legs, making the layer of cum shine on his naked skin.“You better get used to it, then,” Mike purred and scratched Louis’ beard with his free hand.Louis took hold of his lover’s wrist and, just like he’d done so many times before, kissed his hand. Mike’s soft laughter was a sound that never failed to send Louis’ heart fluttering, and it was more than enough to make him smile at his loved one. Louis was sure he’d get used to spending every day with Mike, and the thought of sharing his future with this man truly was the best perspective he could think of.Séba put out a cigarette, already third this hour.The case seemed to be in a deadlock – there were no new killings, and all they were left with was gathered from the three previous ones together with two dead policemen and one politician. Bangalter and his superiors wanted results but Séba couldn’t just pull it out of the hat like some fucking white magic rabbit.The contents of the laptop and phone of one of the ex-prostitutes arrived in his e-mail just in time. Séba was digging through all the messages and phone billing, trying to notice anything suspicious, any calls made during or after the murders – but there was nothing. Séba huffed out a frustrated sigh, and the digits and letters started wobbling in front of his eyes. It was time for another cigarette.He lit it up and then noticed a phone number that showed up a few times, however, quite some time before the murders. Séba tried googling it and calling on it, but a lovely female voice informed him that this number wasn’t in use anymore. It must be one of those prepaid telephone cards, he realized – the murderer knew well what he was doing, and one could get such prepaid cards literally everywhere.They had to extend the investigation and talk to absolutely everyone linked to the case in any way. In practice, it meant interrogating politicians of the party Resistance, the closest colleagues, high-ranked policemen… Louis included. Séba had absolutely no will to do that, even if it was going to be someone else hearing the deposition of his best friend, but it was probably wise to inform him about that. He really, really wanted to spare him from talking about his personal life and his past with the Commissary Winter, but Bangalter was relentless.Hey man, gonna pop in after your class for a sec. Séba sent him a short message, remembering Louis’ schedule by heart – his photographic memory never failed him, after all.It was raining cats and dogs, heavy clouds hung over Paris. Séba ran to the other wing of the academy, wearing his jacket over his head, and still ended up soaking wet in such a short time. “Jebiga,” he mumbled in Serbian, moving his fingers through his damp hair. He missed warmer Serbia in moments like that.Louis appeared soon enough, striding happily on his long legs – it seemed as though the things were good between him and his boyfriend at last. Séba had seen ‘the chosen one’ one day, during Halloween, yes. Something was off with that tall, pretty face, but Séba couldn’t put his finger on it. Or maybe he was just paranoid because of this case, he concluded.“Hi there,” he nodded at his friend and patted his shoulder. They couldn’t get out to smoke since it the rain was pouring down, so they stayed in the corridor. “Listen, two things. I cannot inform you about the case anymore. I’m sorry. Preordained from Bangalter,” Séba spread his arms in a gesture of innocence. “Second thing, you will be interrogated. Not by me, but by someone else, of course. We’re checking everyone linked to the case, in any way, because we are really in deep shit and cannot find the murderer,” he confessed, looking Louis in the eyes. “But, as always, you don’t know this from me,” Séba added with a faint smirk and headed back to the police station.“Séba, actually, there is something,” Louis began, making Sébastien stop in his tracks. “There is something you know from me,” he added and couldn’t help smiling at his friend’s surprised and also intrigued expression. “I’m getting married this month.”Louis was about to ask Séba to be his witness, but first, he had to tell him about the wedding itself.He couldn’t just tell him all the big news and expect to immediately accept his invitation – that would be too much. Louis saw that from his friend’s eyes staring wide open at him.“This month? Congratulations!” Sébastien smiled at him and put his hand on Louis’ shoulder, processing the information. “Now I know why you looked so happy on your way here,” he added with a smirk. He might not have burst out in joy or reacted in an overly enthusiastic way, but the warm smile and scintillating eyes said all to Louis – he was genuinely happy to hear the news.“Would you like to be my witness?” Louis asked with hope in his voice. After all, Séba was his closest friend, and if it wasn’t for him or Vincent, Louis wouldn’t have anyone to ask about it.“And you ask? Keep me updated on the exact date, and I’ll be there,” Sébastien assured him. “I’ll make sure to dress sharp for the beautiful couple you two are,” he added and for a while, Louis wondered where the hell his friend saw him and Mike together but decided not to give it too much thought just now.“Thank you, Séb,” Louis gasped in relief and stretched out his arm to embrace his friend. Sébastien returned the hug and congratulated him once again before the two men parted ways.As soon as Séba turned back to his workplace, Louis walked a few meters further to record a voice message to Mike. He wanted to do this as soon as he heard about the interrogations, which meant both of them would be questioned.“Everyone will be interrogated soon,” he recorded himself not to type anything about this case. The lesser written proof there is, the better, Louis reminded himself, deciding to tell Mike more – or in any case tell him what he knew – when they met face to face. He knew his partner was out to meet Xavier, but Louis would see Mike later tonight, and he already looked forward to that.But first, he had to contact a friend who worked in the city hall to confirm the date of his and Mike’s civil marriage. Louis has known Yoann ever since the infamous bribery case in one of the town halls of Paris was revealed, and he had to admit his friend was one of the few honest people engaged in local politics. As a trusted contact and a gay man himself, Yoann was the best help Louis could get in arranging the marriage faster, and to his relief, his friend’s reply came soon.The earliest available is on the 13th (Wed). Does that work? Yoann asked in a message that almost made Louis jump on his seat as he miraculously found a free spot in the metro. It was just a week away, he realized, and he immediately agreed to his friend’s suggestion immediately. Louis hasn’t forgotten that, and Mike would still be interrogated. He also kept in his mind that he was in the middle of moving out of his small flat to live with Mike until they left for the United States. Still, the perspective of them getting married so soon made him giddy with happiness and pure affection, and Louis had to share the screenshot of the conversation with Yoann with Mike.I can’t wait to kiss my husband on our lucky 13th ❤️, he typed, fingers shaking in the overload of emotions and face beaming with genuine happiness.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I swear to God and all that is holy that if Miss Lucie rings bell at night one more time, I’m going to lose it,” Xavier huffed an annoyed gasp when he arrived to the restaurant, fashionably late as always. Mike was already waiting for him, his face lit up with a smile when he saw his longtime friend, and he got up from his seat to exchange bises with him.  “Hello, Mikey, good to see you.”“Good to see you too, Xavi,” Mike purred with contentment; recent days were filled with warmth and fulfilment, especially when his apartment was slowly filled with Louis’ things, moved from his flat, giving this space such a cozy, domestic chaos. Not to mention the upcoming wedding, which made Mike both giddy and hopeful and stressed at the same time.“What a week, huh?” his friend gasped and slumped on the chair with a loud oof when he did so and took the menu in his hands.“It’s only Wednesday,” Mike made a huffed chuckle.“Yo, babe, shut up,” Xavier pointed at him theatrically and then also burst out laughing. “Alright, no, tell me this big secret, otherwise I’m going to explode! I’ve been thinking about this all day, since you invited me,” he grabbed Mike’s hand that was lying on the table and sandwiched it between his palms, staring at him expectantly.“So,” Mike inhaled deeply, unable to stop himself from smiling. “I’m getting married later this month!”Xavier gasped loudly and covered his mouth with his hands, eyes saucer-wide in shock and disbelief. A silent squeak left his throat and he jolted in place, then rushed to Mike to hug him tight, almost squeeze him.“Mikey, I’m so, so happy for you!” he exclaimed and took Mike’s face in his hands to look him in the eyes. “Fuck, I thought I’d never live to this day. Fuckin’ hell, you’ve made my day, and yes, I’ll be your best man, baby!” he yelled loud enough for other clients of the restaurant to hear him, but none of them couldn’t care less.“Thank you, you always know what I’m going to say,” Mike got up as well to hug Xavier, sharing his happiness with his closest friend. “Louis is going to fix the date today, and…” he exhaled loudly and plopped down on his chair. “and then we leave.”“You leave?! What’s that supposed to mean?” Xavier got back to his seat but raised himself again when he heard the news.“I-ugh,” Mike lowered his gaze, unsure how to dress it properly in words. “I got a job in NASA. In the United States,” he added, hoping that his friend would understand.“Oh, Mikey, congratulations. This is such wonderful news. I know that you’ve been dreaming about it for years,” Xavier replied in a calmer tone, trying to catch Mike’s gaze again. “I mean, of course I’m happy for you. And of course, I’ll miss you as fuck. But you’ll have Louis, and we can always FaceTime each other and visit, right?” he asked, hope and emotions making his voice falter.“Of course we can,” Mike nodded and stroked Xavier’s hand gently. “I was, uhm, just afraid that you’d be mad for me leaving.”“Of course I’m sorry that you’re leaving, but, hey, I’m also very happy you’re fulfilling your dream and not going there on your own. Then I wouldn’t have let you!”Mike smiled at last, Xavier’s words brought him a relief – he didn’t want to leave on bad terms; he’d never forgive himself if this happened. Xavier was his closest longtime friend, and he’d always be dear to Mike, even when they live on two different continents.“Thank you,” Mike whispered with a smile at last, touched to the core. They talked a bit more about the upcoming plans, all while trying to choose a decent dinner dish, when all of a sudden, Mike’s phone pinged. It was Louis, so he read the message – otherwise, he wouldn’t bother. And the message filled him with warmth he hadn’t known from before, it spread all over his body, making his skin prickle and his mouth curl up in a genuine smile.“I’m getting married on the thirteenth,” Mike announced it to Xavier, his throat clenched with emotions. He was getting married, fuck. It still didn’t really come through to him, he needed a moment to process that fully.“I have free that day! Perfect, and it leaves some time to get you two a wedding gift,” his friend grinned, leaving Mike lost for words. He went speechless for a moment, his head spinning as he tried to type a more-or-less coherent message to his partner: OMG baby I’m so happy! And Xavier just agreed to be my best man ❤️ love you
 
Mike’s sweet message released a shot of dopamine to Louis’ brain and once again, his lover made him smile radiantly.Love you so much ❤️, he typed a short reply. There was no use writing more if they already knew the most important things and Mike was spending time with Xavier.And besides, Louis had things to do as well, he was well aware of that as he got out of the metro line 3 at Gambetta station, finishing the route he’s done countless times.The apartment at 3 Rue Dupont de l'Eure was a place he’s called home for more than five years, the longest he’s ever lived on his own. Louis pondered on it as he got into the tiny elevator, the one that would feel full with one more person inside and threatened with claustrophobia if two more people joined. Keys to his flat made a familiar, jingling sound when Louis took them out of his pocket, keychain with rabbit-like Chibi Totoro dangling from a chain attached to them. He’d keep the fluffy white keychain for his future home for sure, the one he’d share with Mike – the thought itself made Louis giddy and left him wanting to almost jump in his place as he got out of the elevator, to the stairway with its greying paint on the walls.He’s spent so much time in this apartment, inviting many of his one-night-stands there, but he didn’t really grow attached to it. Louis would actually leave it behind with some relief, he realized, and move on to something bigger and better. He had a future together with Mike ahead and that was his main focus. Most probably, Louis wouldn’t need too many things to take anyway, and he’d easily donate some of the basic home equipment or his old clothes. He’s never been too much of a gatherer, focusing on experiences rather than physical objects, and he’d part ways with the few books and music records by giving them out to Sébastien and Vincent’s place. They had quite a packed apartment, sure, but Louis knew for certain they wouldn’t mind.Louis headed to the half-empty bedroom, where two boxes of clothes and some personal objects stood packed and prepared, ready to be taken away. The truth was he didn’t need a lot and looked forward to creating new memories with Mike, as sappy as it sounded. For instance, he didn’t have any framed pictures in his flat, but he really wanted to suggest Mike they print out some of their photos and hang them in their future place. Or perhaps they could get some crystals or meteor rocks and arrange them in a free space on a shelf, it flickered through Louis’ mind and he made a mental note to himself to get some for Mike. Of course, he also wanted to get flowers for his husband regularly when they move out… it sounded almost impossible but also absolutely wonderful to call Mike his husband so soon, Louis thought.He paced around the room for a while, eyeing the small hardware he’d take with him overseas - his trusty laptop, favorite headphones or the beard trimmer that worked perfectly for him were must-haves. Louis was slightly overwhelmed by the thought of moving to another continent so soon, but his eagerness and enthusiasm were much stronger, and the feelings he had for Mike were, without a doubt, the strongest of all. Love tears down walls, he thought and texted Mike before heading out of the apartment.Heading to your place. Get home safe and see you soon, baby, he typed and added a kissing emoji at the end. Few months ago, if someone told Louis he’d find the man of his life and marry him in a week’s time, he would have laughed, and now, this was becoming reality. What a lucky man he was, he realized again, feeling his heart flutter and the corners of his mouth raise in a smile when Mike sent him a short message in reply. Mike came back home slightly tipsy – he’d always been lightweight, and so was Xavier, but he was much smaller and thinner than him, so it was quite obvious that he couldn’t handle his drink. Mike blamed his genes and poor liver enzymes for being so weak in digesting alcohol –and he couldn’t really do much about it. They had had almost two carafes of wine, which was a lot for his frail frame.“Babe, I’m hooome!” Mike shouted in a dramatic, theatrical manner at the threshold; as always, he was rowdy, giggling, and horny after drinking. When Louis appeared around the corner, he almost jumped at him, hanging onto his neck to kiss him. “My beloved almost-husband, I’ve missed you,” he purred, kissing him on the mouth, almost dropping the pizza slices he brought to his partner after the dinner.“Woah, woah, got it!” Louis reacted just in time, saving the food from being dropped on the floor and trampled, and made a flirtatious smirk at Mike. “Xavier’s made you buzzed again, huh?”“Oh yeah, is that so visible?” Mike burst into giggles and shrieked when he felt his partner’s hand on his butt, giving him a light spank. “What was that? Who let you touch my butt, hmm?” he asked, pretending to be agitated or angry but a smile hidden in the corner of his lips betrayed him straightaway.“Isn't that one of the fringe benefits of this whole ‘husband’ business?” Louis inquired, mock-serious. “That I get to touch your ass anytime I like?” He grinned.“Well…” Mike pondered, pouting, as he kicked his shoes off and took his outerwear off, heedlessly. “Anyway, Xav agreed to be my best man, aaaand I was doing some thinking,” he followed Louis to the kitchen, keeping close to him all the time, seeking touch and attention.“I don’t like wearing rings. What would you think of tattooing them instead? Xavi could do this for us for free!” Mike added enthusiastically and hopped on Louis’ lap when he sat down by the kitchen table to eat the reheated pizza, doing everything to interrupt and distract his partner. “Let’s go for it, love,” Louis agreed in a heartbeat. His partner’s idea was a really good one and immediately made his imagination work. “There’s no inconvenience of wearing an actual ring and no fear of losing it, and I mean… I’ve always wanted a tattoo,” he admitted, taking Mike’s smaller and softer hand in his. “Were you thinking of a line that would imitate a wedding ring, a word or initials of name, or…?” he wondered out loud as he turned Mike’s palms in his hands, his fingers touching his lover’s exposed skin. Louis loved the way Mike’s hands fit in his and he adored his partner’s smile just as much, the subtle, foxy grin that wandered over his shapely lips.Louis would be fine with everything, really, as long as his future husband approved it. They didn’t need wedding rings just as they didn’t need official engagement beforehand - matching finger tattoos would work perfectly. He was glad that his-husband-to-be asked about it. After all, quite a few arrangements still had to be done before their civil marriage - what suits they would wear, if they want a dinner afterwards, how long should their wedding vows be… so many new things awaited them that the upcoming days would almost feel like a crash course in marriage. Just like moving abroad, it was all slightly overwhelming for Louis, but it was just as thrilling.It looked like Mike pondered upon Louis’ suggestions for a while. They still held hands and in the short moment of silence, Mike traced Louis’ ring finger above the knuckle, a gesture as subtle as it was heart-melting.“Or maybe you suggested getting tattoos because you want to see how I react to the pain? Have I guessed right?” Louis teased Mike, still nibbling on the pizza brought by his partner, chuckling in between bites of his dinner. “You have the shoulder ink and I don’t have anything, maybe you want to trick me into a tattoo session!” he went on, making both of them laugh softly. Not that Louis expected a finger tattoo to hurt, he just wasn’t used to the sensation of the ink machine’s needles! “Just an imitation of a ring, something simple, yet powerful. I don’t like words or sentences on the skin, it looks a bit cringy to me, is that how the youngsters say that?” Mike made a huffed chuckle, massaging his partner’s cheeks to help him chew on the pizza, or rather annoy him further. Louis almost choked on the food when he started laughing!“We can have symbolic rings just for the ceremony. Maybe we can use those from chips!” a silly idea just popped into his head, and for a while, he looked like a cartoonish character who just had a light bulb light up over their head. “Do you already know what you’re wearing for our big day? I think I know, do you want to see?” Mike tried to jump off Louis’ lap but his partner held him with one of his large hands.“I don’t think I should see my groom’s clothing before the wedding,” Louis grinned, patting Mike’s thin thigh.“Oooh, what a traditional man! I see,” he giggled and kissed his partner’s nose. “I’ve also booked a visit to the hairdresser’s and nail artist, if we wanted to take pictures of our hands. Should I book one for you too? I know a talented girl who does it,” Mike suggested, watching his nails – hands were dry from wearing rubber gloves all the time, and from using the chemicals in the lab all the time. But for his wedding (this still sounded absolutely surreal!), he wanted to look perfect.“I’d love to, thank you, ma biche,” Louis replied and checked his phone to show Mike something. “I thought of organizing the dinner for our friends in Monteleone, it’s close by. What do you think?” he asked and showed him a neat place with Italian food, definitely an upscale one, which met his expectations, especially for such an important day as his own wedding.“I love it, and Xav with Gaspard love Italian food. Can you book it for us?” Mike clapped happily and gave his fiancé a kiss on the cheek. “Damn, babe, can you imagine? We are getting married. To be fair, I’ve never thought I would ever do this,” he shook his head with disbelief, running his hand through his locks, letting them fall haphazardly. “And you know what? I’ve given it much of a thought, and I think I’d love to take your last name.” “Table for six it is,” Louis smiled in reply. “I’ll be inviting Sébastien and his partner Vincent as well, Séb will actually be my best man,” he told Mike. They hadn’t met before but Louis was sure his husband and close friend would get along. Unlikely as it was, the wanted man Gamma would meet one of the most successful aspirants in the Parisian police (without the latter one knowing about it), but in the light of the recent events and wedding planning, Mike meeting Sébastien still wasn’t the most shocking thing that could happen.Louis could see that Mike and him felt the same way, he would never expect to marry and he was overjoyed time proved them both wrong. He was about to agree with Mike in the moment his lover mentioned taking his last name, something that was both a small surprise and an absolutely wonderful thing to hear.“You would? Babe, this makes me so happy,” Louis gasped, so happy at the perspective that it almost felt euphoric. His last name would do some good at last, he realized. “Mike Rogé... I really love the way it sounds, don’t you just love it?” Louis mused out loud, tasting the sounds on his tongue.He spent some time thinking about having a shared or combined last name, but Mike’s idea sounded much better to him.Now that Mike was about to take Louis’ last name, he really wanted to do his absolute best for their wedding. And he couldn’t really do that with the current choice of his wardrobe, he had to admit that.Technically, he had a proper black suit, of course he did. The main problem was that he wore the garment to either forced and tense celebrations, such as his brother’s wedding, or tearful gatherings, one of them being Mehdi’s funeral. Louis didn’t want to reuse this, he was certain about that, and he’d much rather give out the fitting black suit to the nearest second-hand store or homeless shelter – anything not to wear this to their own wedding with Mike.“I’m thinking of getting a new suit… I need one for our special day,” Louis purred and once he wiped his greasy fingers on a napkin, he stroked Mike’s neck and chest as if he was imagining a fitted shirt with a tie. “Now, your traditional man doesn’t want his beautiful future husband to see the suit, so maybe Xavier could help me out? As long as your bestie doesn’t spill the tea, that is,” Louis chuckled. “Mike Rogé,” Mike mused over for a while, tasting his new identity on his tongue. It was smooth, easy to pronounce, and even had the same number of syllables as his current last name, which he didn’t want anyway; his connections with his family were nonexistent, and he’d much rather become a family of his husband than a Lévy. “I love it, it sounds just perfect. Even if I’ll have to change all my documents,” he sighed theatrically, wrapping his arms around Louis’ neck. “Still, it’ll be worth all the hassle.”Mike knew that Louis didn’t care which last name either of them kept or took, not bound by any stupid, patriarchal tradition; still, it must have tickled his partner’s ego in the right way – his reaction was even more enthusiastic and positive than Mike expected.“Oh, who’d think I was about to marry a conservatist!” he made a muffled chuckle when Louis mentioned not seeing each other’s garments before the marriage. “I’m sure Xavi will treat this as a serious quest if you ask him. He has a great taste in clothes, so I trust him to choose something decent for you, babe,” Mike added and wriggled in his place, teasingly, still buzzed and amorous – Louis’ body reacted to this almost immediately, slight stiffening appeared in his sweatpants, poking against Mike’s butt.“Okay, this is going to be cheesy buuuut--,” Mike ran his hands over Louis’ chest in tight-fitting sportswear T-shirt. “I really cannot wait to spend forever with you,” he added, grinding his hips over his partner’s growing rigidity.“Damn, ever since I saw you in these grey sweatpants, I can’t wait for you to fuck me either,” he gasped in a shaking voice, straddling his partner on the small chair, which creaked under their combined weight; Mike didn’t care about it, though, too focused on rubbing against Louis, even though his tight jeans started aching his growing erection soon enough.“Hmm, and for our wedding night… let’s go to a nice, expensive hotel, and fuck there like rabbits, what do you say--?” a moaned gasp escaped his throat when the friction and pressure started to become unendurable. “Oh?” Louis gasped at Mike’s sweet words about spending eternity forever, just as if he wanted his partner to repeat himself. In a way, it was true – he could listen to Mike for long hours without ever getting bored, and he wouldn’t mind if his future husband repeated what he’s just said. “If what you said was cheesy, you have your husband’s full permission to be as cheesy as you want, baby,” he murmured happily and accentuated his words with a short gasp when he felt Mike’s shapely butt grinding against him.He let the other man vocalize his impatience for a while and listened as he started sharing his wedding night fantasies. The scenario suggested by Mike was what Louis had in mind – and what was more, he’s already worked on making it true.“What if I said I already booked us a suite?” Louis teased, doing his best to keep his cool as he asked the question with a raised eyebrow. “What then, hm…?” he went on and leaned in for a kiss, moaning in Mike’s mouth when the arousal buzzing in his body and the tension in his sweatpants got too intense.“You did? Tell me more,” Mike requested boldly. His stare was just as urging as his words and his hips started to move over Louis in an overly languid manner, tantalizingly slowly as he had a hard (sic!) time putting his fantasies into words.“I want to carry you over the threshold bridal-style,” Louis began. He didn’t really care if he sounded sappy or as if he was the protagonist of some gay rom-com, he still wanted to do that! Mike’s half-smile was the best encouragement to him and he stood up from his seat, grabbing his partner’s thighs to lift up that gorgeous, lanky body that sat on his lap moments ago. “How does that sound?” he whispered when Mike wrapped his arms tighter around his neck, pressing his body closer to Louis’ muscular frame. “I have to say I like that… go on,” Mike approved of his ideas and leaned closer to give him a short kiss.Louis made a pleased grunt when Mike bit his lower lip gently, tipsiness making him rowdier, hornier and bolder than usual.Louis made a few steps towards the bedroom and continued when he helped Mike lay down on the bed, admiring his lover’s body sprawled on the mattress underneath him.“We’ll have a bed at least this big. I would absolutely love to undress you bit by bit…” Louis mused and bent over Mike’s thin body, his hands toying with the buttons of the other man’s shirt. “…and fuck you slow when the lights are still on,” he murmured, his voice low and husky from the ever-increasing arousal. Louis started undoing the buttons of Mike’s shirt one by one and leaving unhurried, open mouth kisses on his loved one’s skin, admiring this body he’s known so well by now. He really had a feeling he could do this for hours, savor Mike’s skin and inhale his personal scent mixed with the rich, slightly spicy perfume he used. Louis kept kissing his way down Mike’s chest and his flat belly, and his partner’s warm-colored olive skin radiated the familiar heat he loved so much. He steered right down, where the thin trail of hair pointed towards Mike’s crotch and his visible erection, and with a short sigh of awe, sank his tongue in his partner's belly button. It was in that moment Louis stopped his actions and looked up at Mike to watch his lover’s reaction. When he looked in wide-open brown eyes of his loved one, darkened with desire, he felt as if his body was struck by the most extreme form of affection and arousal combined. “Or? What if I wanted the opposite and I’d rather fuck you hard and fast?” Louis changed the tone of his voice and let it drop low as it rumbled in his chest. “Mhm, I think I’d like that even more. Go deep inside you, get balls deep and fuck you until you beg me for more,” Louis fantasized and decided to tease Mike for a while.He moved his big hands to the hem of Mike’s pants and played with the button and zipper for a while, his deliberately slow gestures making Mike whimper. Prolonging his lover’s sweet torment brought Louis a sort of nearly perverse satisfaction and he enjoyed that as he watched his partner’s reactions. After all, sometimes a little wait could make the whole experience even better, Louis concluded as he unzipped Mike’s pants and let his desirous gaze fall on his lover. Mike usually didn't like surprises, too anxious for that, but he trusted Louis like no other -- knowing that he had gotten them a decent place was calming, he didn't need to know which one exactly. And still, he was too focused on other things now to think about the wedding suite.When they landed on the bed, Mike's state of mind changed, his eyes darkened with desire, voice dropped down low, the tightness in his jeans was absolutely killing him, and the damp spot on the crotch only confirmed that he had leaked through the fabric of underwear and pants as well."Hmm, we'll have time for both," Mike's Adam apple gulped, the arousal clenching his throat, making it difficult to speak coherently; Fuck, he shuddered when Louis wetted his nipples with his tongue, tugging on them not-so-gently, making them so hard they could cut paper. He wriggled on the bed like a snake, impatient, fingers tangled in Louis' longer hair in the middle of the head. "Merde, I think I'm addicted. I could do it all day, every day with you," Mike chuckled and bucked his hips to help his partner tug the tight jeans and trunks off his slender legs at last. The erection caught briefly on the waistband, and his cock sprang out, glistening with precum.So much better, Mike sighed with a relief, enjoying the sensation of being hard -- or almost there -- and Louis sighed with utmost admiration, seeing him almost-naked for god-knows-which-time; still, every time they got intimate with each other, was equally as passionate, or perhaps even more, than the previous ones."I want to see how you play with yourself for a while, baby. Just like on the video," Louis asked, gently licking and biting Mike's inner thighs. "But first, I'll prepare you a bit. Give me that pretty ass."Mike nodded, eyes hazy with desire -- it didn't even cross his mind to try to refuse Louis; obediently, he rolled over on his belly, and his partner pulled him closer to the edge of the bed, effortlessly as if Mike weighed nothing. With butt up in the air, Mike spread his cheeks for him a little, letting his fiancé sink between them, eat him alive, fuck him with his tongue, finger him open."Oh, fuck yes," he whined like a teenage wanton girl, turned into liquid state by this point, stroking himself semi-consciously, precum dripping on the sheets, spit dripping out of his mouth pressed into the bed."Mhm, delicious," he heard his partner gasp for air and scrabble for lube and his little purple friend in the bedside table. Mike spread his legs further as Louis handed him well-lubed dildo -- the show was about to start. Louis had a hard time when he had to stop eating Mike’s ass out. He loved everything about it - the way his lover tasted, his addictive personal scent and his body heat, as well as the pleasure itself, all the delightful stimuli he generously gave to Mike. The other man’s sounds aroused him so much that Louis could listen to these sweet moans, whimpers and squeals the whole night and never have too much. One more whine from Mike’s side has only made Louis more certain of it. He watched his lover wide-eyed and sucked in the air in the moment Mike slid the dildo inside him.Fuck, what exactly was so arousing about staring at his partner pushing the sex toy into his hole, was it the way it worked on Louis’ imagination? Perhaps it was the satisfaction and desire combined when Mike followed his order even though the other man was right there to pleasure him if he decided to. At that moment, Louis had full control over the situation and maybe it was his dominant side showing, he thought.First, he pulled the t-shirt through his head and dragged the waistband of his sweatpants down without taking his eyes off Mike, whose one hand worked on his dripping cock while the other one toyed with the dildo, now almost entirely in his ass.“Keep going, baby, I want to watch you,” Louis commanded and dragged his pants down completely. “I want to watch you as you prepare to take me in,” he added in a voice just slightly louder than a throaty whisper. Louis pulled down his boxer briefs to bring some release to his dick that already throbbed and slicked it with some lube that lay nearby. Louis wanted to make sure Mike hears the slicking, slapping noises he made while masturbating. He wanted his partner to know what was coming next, after all. “How do you like it, baby?” he asked at one point, forcing himself to sound casually. Only then did he gasp softly when his cock twitched in his hand - Louis’ body begged for relief and sex, the rawer the better. He started panting when he felt his dick started swelling in his grip and he moved his wrist in harsher, firmer motions.“I-I prefer you,” Mike stuttered, and a strained sound that followed made Louis sure that his partner bit his lip in effort. Louis recalled the way Mike’s lips felt around his cock and teased his foreskin, staring greedily at his lover.“Do you want me in your mouth, darling? I think… I could use some help,” he said, not without difficulties, as he leaked and salivated just as if his body couldn’t function properly without dripping.“…please, Louis,” Mike gasped, his pleading ‘yes’ lost somewhere among moans and sighs.Hearing this was like a trigger to Louis whose whole body spasmed as if he was in withdrawal from a drug. He needed Mike and he needed him now, it dawned on him when he sat on the bed next to Mike. Louis spread his legs and grabbed the base of his dick, its glistening head in centimeters’ distance from his partner’s blushing face. Without giving it second thoughts, he gently slapped Mike’s cheek with his cock, making his partner’s eyes grow even bigger.Louis felt as if time froze for a moment as his pre-cum mixed with lube stained Mike’s face, his lover’s eyes wide-open and shining as lively as if he had fever. “Open your mouth,” Louis ordered in one breath and shivered at the sight of Mike parting his lips and sticking out his tongue to bring him the long-awaited pleasure. He kept moving his hand up and down his circumcised dick while the his hips circled to take all the dildo’s length in, and Louis could hardly think of a more mesmerizing view when he moved closer to let Mike suck him at long last. It was difficult to balance like that, having both of his hands full of work, all while sucking Louis' large dick, and trying to do it well; his partner was testing him, pushing Mike to his limits, and he absolutely loved that. When his cock slapped his face, he was startled for a second, when the sweet, sticky liquid stuck to his face, but then quickly got to work, the intensely musky smell filled his nostrils, making Mike dizzy with desire and need.It felt almost as being spitroasted, taken from behind by one man, and fucked in the mouth by the other; Mike had never tried a threesome like that, not that he had never had an opportunity to do so, but he was too anxious or perhaps too fixated on just one person to care for the third one in bed.With Louis, it was just perfect; his partner steered his head, and Mike relaxed his throat -- having almost no gag reflex surely helped a lot -- allowing him to use him like Fleshlight. The spit and saliva trickled down his chin, his mouth was watering like crazy, and Mike couldn't catch up with swallowing it."Good boy, fuck, you're so good at this," Louis grunted with satisfaction and slowly, with difficulty, pulled out of Mike's mouth, and positioned himself behind him. Mike was already slightly annoyed, impatient, he didn't want to wait anymore, and Louis caught the right moment to stop the teasing and get to work. The annoyance was the killer of orgasm, after all. "Come, baby, give me this," he took the dildo out of Mike's butt, tossed it on the bed and entered him with momentum, without a further hassle.Louis was much bigger than the toy, Mike still felt the difference very clearly, sighing with a relief when his partner finally went in, immediately thrusting him hard and steady, reaching his prostate straightway, sliding his cock over it in the sweetest way, giving Mike the respite he so needed.The tension was growing inside him very quickly, like a lit fuse which was about to blow up like a dynamite inside him; every deep thrust pulled a row of curses and whimpers out of Mike's throat, bringing him closer to the finish line, until he was teetering on the edge of a sweet release. His mind was in another dimension, on his own private orbit, and all the words dropped out of his head, the closer to the edge he got.A sudden clench ended the torture, pushed Mike over the edge, making him spasm and shriek and sweat. After the first, most powerful explosion, there came another, weaker one, and another, crushing over Mike like waves over the shore; he froze, completely lost in sensation.He barely noticed when Louis filled him up with his load, breeding and milking him, until the sweet juice started dripping out. Mike sighed with admiration, then plopped down on the bed, motionless, and his partner fell by his side, panting, his arm immediately wrapped around Mike's thin, sweat-damp waist."Sweet Jesus," Louis croaked, clearing his throat. "Have I exaggerated?" he asked, wiping wet locks off Mike's flushed face."A bit," Mike rasped, his head still spinning. "But it's okay," he ensured quickly, trying to catch his breath after an intense climax. The pre-orgasmic haze would always cloud his judgement and for a moment, Louis was worried out of his mind that he might have been too harsh. It wasn’t until Mike reassured him that he was okay that Louis could breathe easy, feeling again.Mike fulfilled him and satisfied like no other, and it seemed that both of them were equally thirsty for orgasm - the kind of intense, earthquake-like climax that left them almost lifeless. For a while, Louis still felt as if he was in shock and all he could do was caress Mike’s waist and back, damp from sweat and so pleasant to the touch it felt addictive.“Should I get us some water, love?” Louis felt as if he had to squeeze the question out of his parched throat, and Mike must have been in the same state since he’s just nodded. When Louis got back, his partner emptied most of the glass in nearly one gulp and thanked him with a short kiss on the cheek.“Thank you,” Mike said quietly, his voice making Louis’ flutter again.“I might manhandle you sometimes, but I’m not a brute,” Louis assured and smiled at his lover, overjoyed at the thought of becoming his husband so soon. They had so many more nights together coming up that his face beamed and his heart raced at the mere thought of that. “And I mean, I want to get you breakfast to bed sooner rather than later, what do you say?” he asked and looked at Mike expectantly. His loved one surely deserved more than quick breakfasts caught between the morning cigarette and skincare routine, right?“And sleep among the crumbs of croissant the next night? Ew,” Mike made a wry face, so mockingly exaggerated that Louis burst out in laughter.“As if the sheets are in better state now!” he chuckled, dragging his hand over the wet spot on the mattress, god only knew if it was from pre-cum, sweat or saliva.Mike rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed, but giggled as well, gracing Louis with the sound he loved so much. He could swear that it was his favorite sound in the whole world and he was looking forward to hearing it over and over again, later on when they are married.“Excuse your sappy future husband, but I just can’t stop thinking about our wedding, being married, all that. I hope you’ll bear with your Luisito for many more nights to come,” he whispered with a hopeful smile and sparkling eyes and took a gentle hold of Mike’s wrist to kiss his hand. The thought of wedding tattoos on their ring fingers was enough to fill Louis’ whole chest with warmth more intense than he’d ever felt in his life. The Big Day was approaching in huge leaps, making Mike jittery and slightly apprehensive, however, the reality arrived much sooner, his old ‘sins’ still following him like a shadow. He was still reclining in bed before work after yet another intense night, stretching and yawning a bit too loud than he’d intended – cringing at himself straightaway when he realized that he must have sounded like an old, middle-aged guy.Louis was talking to someone on the phone in the living room, he figured out when he didn’t hear the second voice of the interlocutor. He rolled over on his stomach, listening to what his partner was talking about, and to whom. He was speaking to someone about a meeting? A certain date? Mike couldn’t be sure.At last, he decided to get up; he looked around but couldn’t find his trunks. Goddammit. Mike sighed with irritation and took another pair of underwear he found instead – boxer briefs, and, judging by the size, belonging to Louis. They were sliding off Mike’s slender butt, but there was something slightly erotic and intimate in wearing partner’s undies, carrying their smell close to the body. Mike smiled to himself and left the bedroom, just to see Louis smoking by the window wide open.“Babe, who were you talking to?” he asked, rubbing his sleepy eye.“The police secretary called,” Louis replied tersely and approached him to give him a kiss on the lips. “I’ll be interrogated later today.”“What? Wait, give me a moment,” Mike mumbled, too tired and sleep-hazed to wrap his head about it. He didn’t like his morning routine to be interrupted, rituals brought safety to an unpredictable day. After brushing his teeth, washing his face, putting his LED-mask on, he felt much better, his mind clearer. “Okay, so, once again: the police called? What did they want?” he repeated while on his way out of the bathroom. He sat down half-naked across his partner and lit up the first morning cigarette, a pleasant tingling in his lungs spread all over his body.“They’re going to call you today or tomorrow as well at the latest,” Louis mentioned, making Mike exhale loudly.“I’ll need an alibi,” Mike pondered out loud and dragged on the cigarette. “Our stories need to be consistent, but I don’t need to tell this to an ex-cop. On the day when Tailler died, what did you do in the evening?” he asked in a veiled way and in a quieter tone of voice, just in case they were being listened to. The walls had ears, after all. Waking up next to Mike felt like a cure to everything, even when Louis had a tough day ahead. This would be one of those days, it dawned upon him when a familiar-looking number dialed. The police secretary called, asking him to come for an interrogation later that day – now, that shouldn’t be much of an issue for an ex-cop who was well familiar with the police procedures, but he wasn’t just a former officer. He was Mike’s partner, about to become his husband, and after all, Mike was Gamma.Louis didn’t have such an easy task ahead of him and he recalled the recent events in detail while preparing two cups of coffee for Mike and for himself.As soon as his partner got back, Louis slid his café allongé towards Mike and gave him an attentive look.“I visited Sébastien and left between nine and ten in the evening, and then we met,” he replied matter-of-factly. The last words said by Louis were accompanied by a slight raising of eyebrows while he signaled to his partner that he was just working on their alibi. As long as both of them presented the police with the same version of the events and claimed that, in fact, they met on that night, their statements would be consistent.Mike nodded pensively as he kept his gaze fixed on Louis. He loved it the most when Mike stared back at him with warmth and affection, but he had to admit there was something downright sexy about Mike’s brown eyes darkening in focus and his eyebrows frowned ever so slightly when he was so deep in thought, his gaze so piercing and sharp it could see right through Louis.Mike slid the cigarette in between his lips to inhale the smoke once again, letting the greyish cloud swirl around them as the nicotine scent spread in the air.“I was sick around the time of Bailly’s murder. That was…” Louis made a short pause, as if he was counting the days or having a hard time memorizing something, and gave Mike a knowing look. “That was when you brought me some medicine and stayed for the night. I had to call in sick the next day,” he spoke objectively, keeping his voice calm and low, just as if he was recalling actual events. As an ex-cop, Louis knew best that keeping one’s calm was usually the key to telling the perfect lie. It was the best not to share too many details, not to hesitate too much but not to speak overly fast either and it was essential to speak with confidence, as if sharing a real statement.Just as Mike made a perfect murderer with his medical scientist skills, Louis’ experience in the police would make him fit for an interrogated person, never mind he wouldn’t say the whole truth.“Are those… are those mine?” he asked at one point with a surprised chuckle when he noticed Mike wearing slightly oversized boxer briefs. He must have put on Louis’ underwear, that smart devil, and Louis himself would lie if he said this didn’t turn him on! Mike listened attentively to what Louis was saying, in a calm, reassuring tone, as if it really had happened; right, they had to pretend that they were already in a relationship by the time Mike killed Tailler – the story which his partner presented, sounded very logical and plausible; this could work. He just needed a good, credible story about the time when he killed Winter – after all, he and Louis met only after that.“If the students spill the tea that they have seen me give you something on the corridor of the academy, it was a medicine, right?” he made sure, raising his eyebrow in an inquisitive way. He put the cigarette out in the ashtray standing on the window and crossed his long, lean legs.“Correct,” Louis confirmed with a nod. Good. Was there anything else they had to go through? Mike started biting the nail of his thumb, a gesture of nervousness. He got up to get a croissant for himself, and the slightly oversized boxer briefs slid down, revealing a piece of his buttcheek. He tugged it up quickly but Louis already noticed this tiny detail. “Oh, those are yours?! I haven’t noticed,” he gasped, pretending to be shocked, although the smirk dancing in the corners of his lips betrayed him.“I think they should get back to their rightful owner, then,” he purred flirtatiously, approaching Louis again to give him a full-mouth kiss with a tongue; the mood shifted immediately, from apprehensive to erotic so quickly, that Mike could barely wrap his head around it. It was always like that with his partner, they worked on each other in such a way that every touch, smell, word could trigger a response. “How much time do you have left…?” he asked with hope in his voice, already in the mood for a quickie, delighted when Louis grazed his large hand over his ass.Mike pushed his knee between Louis’ legs to spread them a little and grind it over his crotch to tease him a bit.“The glide is still good after you cummed inside me,” he whispered into his partner’s ear, wrapping his arms around Louis’ neck, kissing him on that erogenous zone closer to the nape. Louis grunted in pleasant surprise when Mike rubbed his knee against his crotch. His reaction was instantaneous and he felt his cock stiffening as his body sensed the not-so-innocent touch.“Should I see for myself?” Louis asked in a low purr, locking his hands on Mike’s hips. He could feel the loose fabric underneath his fingers as his boxer briefs were nearly hanging on his partner’s bony hips. Mike’s actions and his whisper directly into Louis’ ear felt as if someone flicked a switch, turning him on in a matter of seconds.“Come see it now or I’ll start dripping,” Mike encouraged in a throaty whisper and nibbled on Louis’ earlobe with his teeth. What a sexy devil! Louis was sure his partner could feel his half-hard dick even through the relatively thick fabric of his black sweatpants, the ones he’d sometimes wear to work, and he couldn’t stifle a grunt when Mike’s leg wedged slightly further to his crotch. The movements were almost grinding and Louis gave his partner a spank, not a very gentle one, as he felt the ever-increasing lust and tension in his body.“Get your pretty little ass on the couch… I don’t want to risk breaking the chair,” Louis smirked at the last words, afraid to wreck one of the kitchen chairs. He moved onto the couch and Mike followed, abandoning the underwear as he went, right before he straddled himself onto Louis. “Beautiful. Let’s use this time well, shall we…?” he gasped and lifted his hips to drag down his pants and his boxer briefs, very similar to those borrowed by Mike. Louis’ stiff cock sprang out, glistening at the tip and pointing at Mike, completely naked next to him. How could he ever refuse his loved one? Every time Louis had sex with Mike, it felt as thrilling as if they were just getting to know each other, even if they had to hurry. A quickie with Mike was so much better than a whole night of fucking with any of his previous partners anyway… Mike squawked when Louis’ large hand gave him a smack on the butt, sending a rush of blood immediately southwards to his cock, making it thicken quickly. A pleasant surprise – although still virile, Mike was no longer a young man of twenty; the relationship with Louis, a deep and nurturing one, woke him up from a sexual slumber that had lasted for a few years, and now, he was making up for the lost time, but multiplied.He helped his partner get undressed as they both worked to pull the boxer briefs and sweatpants down, they tangled around Louis’ ankle but it didn’t matter – none of them wanted to wait any longer.“Oh, babe, I can’t believe you’re going to be my husband soon,” he gasped, leaning over his head a little to lick his way into Louis’ mouth. The string of saliva dragged between their tongues until it snapped, which was incredibly hot to Mike.“You’ll make me the luckiest man in the world, you know that?” he breathed in a mad desire, clenching his fist over his partner’s rigid cock, thumping and twitching with impatience, as beautiful as always, ready to plunge its way into Mike’s velvet insides.He took some of the slick and precum gathered on his shaft, massaged it quickly and carelessly into his hole, just to make the moment of entering through sphincter a bit easier. Otherwise, Louis’ cum was still inside him, dripping out through the night and morning, making Mike constantly horny.He lowered himself onto Louis’ dick with agility, taking him in with ease and a deep, hoarse moan of contentment. That was exactly where he needed him the most, and Louis fitted inside him perfectly, like two pieces of jigsaw, which brought Mike a lot of inner satisfaction, even if he didn’t speak about it out loud on a daily basis; he loved Louis and he loved having his cock inside himself.“Oh, fuck, yes, right there, babe,” he groaned, unable to find the right words to convey just how good this moment felt, Louis’ dick drove into his slick asshole, still covered with his previous load, which made the whole experience even hotter to Mike. And it only got better as his lover started bucking his hips, hitting his prostate over and over again, like a battering ram.Mike continued to bounce, his cock slapping down onto the other man’s stomach each time he impaled himself onto the length inside of him. Smearing pre-cum that oozed out of his tip. Mike was close, though he was trying to hold himself off for longer, because he didn’t want this to end. It felt so good, but each time he brought himself down again he couldn’t deny the way his stomach tensed and tightened.Heat filling every inch of his body. His breath came out in harsh pants, completely out of breath from the way his body moved above Louis. It was truly a work out for him, legs burning each time he bounced. “Oh, god… ah… your dick is so good.” Mike babbled, just saying the first words that came to his heady and arousal filled mind. “so… close,” he moaned, loudly, followed by almost high pitched whines that were forced out of him each time Louis fucked up into him. “Come closer, baby,” Louis panted, sucking in the air when his cock was ramming against Mike’s prostate in repetitive motions. He could never have enough of this feeling and the harder Mike rode him, the faster the heat spread in Louis’ body. He was ecstatic, panting and moaning, and his large hands latched onto Mike’s hips as if his life depended on it.Louis bucked his hips in nearly violent movements, losing himself in the ever-increasing pleasure.His partner delivered it generously each time - Mike bounced on top of him, leaned against his chest to take him all in, while his moans and squeals confirmed his pleasure and filled Louis’ ears.“Just like that… fuck, give it to me,” he gasped, barely audible through Mike’s whimpers, these desperate, obscene litanies that tore out of his lover’s throat. Louis felt the sweat staining the back of his t-shirt and the front of the fabric getting sticky from Mike’s pre-cum, which only made this whole moment hotter. They might have been in a hurry, without the time needed for some longer and “more proper” lovemaking, but he just let himself enjoy the intensity and heat of the moment.Mike squeezed him in and rode him so vigorously that Louis was on the edge as he thrusted his hips in almost spasmodic motions. Each time Mike bounced on him, Louis’ dick met his prostate, which was followed by a series of their combined moans and grunts. Fuck, he could hardly compose himself to say even one sentence when his dick started twitching inside Mike and leaking profusely.“Coming,” Louis groaned and pulled Mike’s body closer in the urge that made him feel alive, as alive as he only felt with his lover. His whole body spasmed in the moment he yielded to a squeeze in his lower abdomen, a prelude to his own orgasm. Mike’s muscles tightening around him worked like a catalyst for Louis who first felt his partner cumming all over his chest and belly and then, a split second later, climaxed so fiercely it resembled an out-of-body experience. Despite their intense night together, it seemed that Louis’ body was still yearning for more and chased after the orgasm in a nearly desperate way. It kept happening whenever he was with Mike and even though Louis couldn’t tell this to his partner just yet, panting in exhaustion and breathing heavily, he took their insatiability and compatibility as a good sign for the shared future. A very good sign, he thought as Mike raised himself slowly and let Louis’ dick slide out of him. Mike pressed his hand against Louis’ chest, balancing himself as he kept his hips moving. Bringing his ass almost all the way up, his partner’s cock very nearly slipping out of him before he brought himself back down. His breath coming out in harsh pants, head hanging low as he focused on the feeling. Really concentrated on his movements and the way Louis’ cock penetrated him over and over.“Merde… it’s so good,” Mike moaned, his hips and thighs already starting to burn but he kept going. Really going for it, trying to chase the feeling. Soon enough, growing tired of the feeling that Louis wasn’t going deep enough, so he shifted back. Planting both of his feet on the sofa, hands coming to rest behind him as he began to bounce. His head fell back, eyes rolling into the back of his head as the angle meant Louis hit is prostate just perfectly.Mike angled his body again, so he was able to reach down, grabbing his pulsing dick and began to stroke himself furiously. Whilst also continuing to roll his hips, keeping Louis deep inside of him. The swollen head pressed firmly against his prostate, which made Mike see stars. His body trembled. mouth gaped open as a series of curses and moans tumbled out.It didn’t take much longer, already sensitive from his previous release, but Mike was very quickly cumming all over his partner’s T-shirt, on his stomach and chest area. His hand jerking himself off quickly and efficiently, squeezing at his dick to milk himself thoroughly, hips jerking at each pulse of his length. “Fuck--!” He cursed, looking like an utter mess. His hair sticking in all directions, body covered in sweat and bodily fluids.What a wonderful way to start the day, it flickered through Mike’s mind as Louis slowly slid out of him with a pop, leaving his sweet juices inside him, trickling out of his gaping hole.“Much better, babe,” he gasped with a relief, slumping down on his partner with his whole weight, tracing his hand over Louis’ broad chest, until he encountered the puddle of his own cum and sweat, soaking into the fabric. “Oops, I think I’ve destroyed your T-shirt, sorry,” Mike grinned in a theatrical way, even though it was clear that he wasn’t apologetic at all.They stayed like that, resting, letting their breaths come back to normal; now, Mike didn’t feel like going to work at all, but he gaslighted himself that only two weeks of the termination were left. He was already half-assing the job he didn’t have a heart for anymore, especially when the perspective of working for fucking NASA was so close. Still, the contract still applied, so he had to get ready for work and let Louis go as well. ”That’s so much better, love,” Louis sighed when Mike rested his body against his.The familiar weight against his strong, muscular frame felt like home and he hugged Mike slightly tighter to enjoy the feeling of closeness and intimacy. Louis let himself stay like that for a while before Mike shakily raised his thin body from his, their sweat and cum mixed and sticky against his naked skin.“I’ll get to work with the sight of you on my mind,” Louis purred, sprawled on the couch, as he beheld the view of his lover’s gorgeous, completely naked body glistening from sticky wetness on his chest, belly and thighs. He was definitely looking forward to all the years of relationship and upcoming marriage they had ahead, and seeing Mike like this was just a small part of it. The way Mike made him feel and the profound, intense love that bonded them was what really mattered, Louis realized once again, his dreamy gaze still fixed on Mike.Mike shook his head at Louis’ words as if he wanted to say what an idiot my fiancé is, but a small smile wandering in the corner of his lips deceived him.“You’ll get to work late, that’s for sure!” he added, now with a full-on smile that made his delicate features beam.Louis smiled back at his lover’s satisfaction, the view he admired so much, and allowed himself the luxury of watching Mike’s shapely butt when the other man got up from the couch. While his partner took a quick shower, Louis rummaged through his belongings to find a clean t-shirt. His own sweat- and cum-stained shirt with some saliva marks and damp patches on it wasn’t a suitable part of the outfit, after all…He decided to wait for Mike – he wouldn’t make it on time to work anyway – and flicked out his phone to check on his inbox. He’d handed in his termination notice a couple of days ago and waited for an official confirmation from his workplace, which hasn’t reached him yet. Still, there was an e-mail in his inbox that made Louis smile instantly, the one labelled as “RESERVATION Bvlgari Suite”. The one where the hotel staff confirmed his suite reservation for two people, for the night of November 13th. The suite wouldn’t normally be for his budget, but the discounts were really tempting outside the holiday season and his future husband deserved all the best. He was still smiling at the e-mail’s contents when Mike emerged from the shower, giving him that charming foxy smile of his.Louis decided to wait for his partner and leave the apartment together, since they could travel by the same metro 4 until the Châtelet station. Despite all the time they’ve been spending in each other’s company, he had a really hard time leaving Mike on his morning commute and continuing to his workplace.“I’ll keep you updated on everything. See you in the evening, ma biche,” he assured Mike before kissing his future husband goodbye. Louis hardly made it out of the wagon before the metro doors closed, but he didn’t really care about it. He had a routine interrogation coming up today, and he had to make sure Mike had an alibi for the nights of both murders. As soon as this was done, they were free to focus on wedding preparations again – and on starting over when both of them are married and living overseas. „Give me this, babe. I’ll throw it in the washing machine,” Mike made a huffed chuckle when he saw what state Louis’ T-shirt was in after their small fun on the couch. “If it doesn’t wash off, I’ll buy you a new one,” he smiled apologetically – after all, it was mostly his bodily fluids that had stained his partner’s clothing.“Don’t worry, it’s just a T-shirt,” Louis ensured him with a kiss on the lips. “I’d give any clothing for having sex with you again,” he purred flirtatiously, making Mike roll his eyes, although a cheeky smile that blossomed on his lips quickly betrayed him. He giggled instantly when Louis’ lips traced the curve of his long neck, beard whiskers tickling his sensitive skin.“You don’t have to, my perv. We’ll have sex as soon as we get back from work, I’m sure,” Mike assured him with another kiss and padded naked to the bathroom to take a quick shower. His sex-thirst was quenched for some time, cum dripping deliciously from his hole reminded him consequently of what had happened between him and his partner, leaving Mike feeling aroused and horny, ready for action any time. What had Louis done to him even? It was like a sexual awakening in his thirties, or maybe just the sex itself tasted much better with the person he loved, Mike wasn’t sure which one of the two it was, or maybe a combination of these.He had a difficult time parting ways, as always, even though he didn’t show it outside that much – eager to have Louis only for himself. The good thing was that from the day after tomorrow, he had to take all the unused holidays that he had left at work, and since he rarely used all the twenty-six days in the year, in practice it meant that he had almost a month free. Mike needed it badly to rest and run all the errands before getting married and leaving overseas – it was a great leap for an anxious neurodivergent person he was, and his mind needed a while to process it all.“Thank you, babe, tell me how it went when we meet,” he replied in a veiled way; both of them knew what ‘it’ meant anyway. They kissed before his fiancé had to change lines at Châtelet, and Mike waved at him before his train took off from the station. “Is it true that you were in on close terms with commissioner Winter?” came a question from sergeant Foie, who eyed Louis attentively. Close terms, as if the power imbalance, which Winter used to his own advantage, and engaging in a toxic relationship, defined a close contact between two people? In this case, he could reply affirmatively, Louis thought and nodded slowly.“That’s true. We were in a relationship for around five years,” he replied plainly. Louis swore to tell the truth and his relationship with Pierre, as unhealthy as it was, has really happened. “He’s also influenced my decision to join the police,” he added.Back when Louis was a teenager, it was Pierre who’s been repeatedly telling him to study at the police academy. It wasn’t just encouraging, it was constant convincing, almost nagging, and Louis recalled vividly just how charming and persuasive Winter could be when he truly wanted something. Like fucking a barely legal adult, he thought without as much as budging in his seat.During the interrogation, Louis made sure to stay calm and stick to the facts, without showing any excessive emotion that could deceive him. He was also questioned by an ex-colleague he didn’t know too well – of course Antoine Foie used to work at the same police station, but the two men worked in different departments and he hardly spoke to the sergeant. It was a much smarter choice to provide the questioning officer with some plainly spoken facts instead of emotionally engaging in the interrogation. Louis had no time for that.“Did commissioner Winter have any known enemies?” Antoine went on, visibly content with the previous information.“Not that I know of,” Louis replied after a moment of silence, just as if he was considering the reply carefully. In reality, he knew that his abusive partner had no enemies. Everyone liked a smooth talker like Winter, he concluded bitterly.Antoine nodded with understanding and had a look at his notes. The sergeant consulted his laptop, scrolling through the files of the case, until he asked Louis another question. It was what he discussed with Mike, he realized as he kept his cool, the alibi for his loved one.“On the night of Pierre Winter’s murder, you were at La Java club,” sergeant Foie read. “What were you doing on the night Robert Tailler was murdered in Bois de Vincennes?”“I had dinner at aspirant Sébastien’s home and met with my partner Mike in the evening, he works at the Laboratoire de police scientifique de Paris,” Louis stated. He adjusted the tone of his voice and the pace of his answer to speak in a trustworthy way, just as if he was recalling real, past-life events. After all, the dinner at Séba’s place really happened, and Louis’ with his calm, matter-of-fact statement demeanor nothing but reliable.“Mhm, that is noted,” Antoine clicked something on the work laptop, most probably to look at the files of the case. “Do you know if anyone might have wished ill to Tailler, wanted to hurt him?” he let the question about the deceased main commissioner sink in.Louis shook his head first and later, told the sergeant what he knew.“I don’t know of any. I suppose you could say anyone in his position has opponents, but during my years in the police, no such names have come to my attention,” he replied in all seriousness. He knew Tailler to be a scum, all right, but he had no concrete information against him, and Louis couldn’t risk it all when the perspective of his marriage with Mike and moving to the United States together was so close. He’s been pretending to be fine for so many years, hiding his distress and traumatizing experiences from the world, and wearing a professional mask of the perfect ex-cop for just a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. Louis was slightly tense, sure thing – who wouldn’t be at an interrogation? – but he wasn’t nervous or troubled, knowing well how he should answer. He stayed focused and direct, providing the necessary information to his former colleague.Sergeant Foie nodded understandingly and spent a while on checking the case files. Louis knew this time was sometimes used to put the pressure on the interrogated, but he didn’t feel any of it. Instead, he just sat and waited. He knew well what to say and could let the answer roll off his tongue almost in the exact moment Antoine asked it.“What about Bailly’s murder? Could you tell me what you were doing that night?” the sergeant gave him a date of the politician’s killing and Louis’ statement followed. After all, he was with his partner at that time, wasn’t he? Louis was down with the sickness when Mike came to visit him and stayed for the night, just as he confirmed this version of events with his lover. Lying was so easy when he’s been hiding the truth for so many years, pretending to be satisfied with his life. It made no difference to lie for a few minutes more, Louis knew it well when he was answering the last questions of the interrogation. He only hoped Mike would take the questioning as calmly as he did, but knowing his partner, talking to the police shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Louis loved Mike and trusted him with his life, in every way possible. On the next day, Mike was interrogated.He stayed calm, allowing the charming, manipulative part of his anti-social personality to take over and steer the entire interrogation; of course, he couldn’t be too calm either, that would be suspicious.“Please, take a seat,” aspirant Akchoté-Bozović showed him a basic, wooden chair, seemingly very uncomfortable, not up to Mike’s standards. He exhaled and put his briefcase on the floor, crossing his long, lean legs with a smirk – funny how this man, now dressed in a dark-blue police uniform, would be Louis’ best man in a few days, attending their wedding as well.He eyed the other interrogator as well – a young woman with an undercut and piercing blue eyes skimmed the files quickly, checking some details.“Well, Michael Lévy, right? I’m aspirant Sébastien Akchoté-Bozović, this is sergeant Louisa Pillott,” the policeman started in a bored tone of voice. Mike nodded politely, still keeping a faint smile on his face. He leaned over closer to the policemen, hunching over on his elbows which rested on his thigh.“That’s correct,” he nodded.“Could you state your name, age, profession and civil status, please?” the policewoman asked.“Michael Lévy, age thirty-four, I work as a pharmaceutic engineer in a lab in Saint-Denis, engaged to be married in a few days,” Mike spoke proudly, darting his eyes at Sébastien with a friendly smile – the cop didn’t return it, though.“Could you tell us what you did on the 2nd September around ten o’clock in the evening?” the sergeant continued, shifting her gaze to Mike.“Hm, what day of the week was that?” he asked the policemen, pretending he didn’t remember – but he recalled the day very well; his first ‘victim’ after so many years made his skin tingle, the excitement was still there – especially since this death brought him and Louis closer.“It was Monday,” Sébastien replied shortly.“Then I must have been at home after work, getting ready to sleep,” Mike replied casually – how would he remember any Monday two months ago if he was innocent? That was only natural.“Could anyone confirm this?” sergeant Pillott asked but Mike shook his head.“No, at that time I lived on my own.”“Very well,” the policewoman mumbled and noted something on the laptop. “What about the 25th September around ten-eleven o’clock in the evening? That was Wednesday,” the aspirant picked up the slack and looked at him inquisitively; Mike pondered for a moment, rolled his eyes up in a natural gesture of trying to “recall” the past events.“I was at home again,” he shrugged as if in an apologetic gesture of sorry-that-my-life-is-this-boring. “By that time, however, I was already with my partner Louis Rogé, and, if I remember correctly, he went out that evening to visit some friends,” he added, well-aware that one of these friends was sitting right in front of him, behind the desk. “When he came back, we just went to bed.”It was going smoothly, Mike was confident that they had nothing on him, but decided to keep it low for the time being.“What about the evening of the 11th October? It was Friday.”“Hmm, if I remember correctly my partner got sick around that time, I brought him some medicine against the flu and stayed for the night, taking care of him,” he replied calmly, just as he and Louis had arranged before. Their confessions were consistent, he hoped.“Alright, Mr. Lévy, are you familiar with a drug called vecuronium?” Sébastien asked all of a sudden, surprising Mike a bit – however, he was prepared for that as well.“Vecuronium bromide, of course,” he nodded. “It’s used for general anesthesia, if I’m not mistaken.”“Do you happen to have this medication in your lap, perhaps?” came another question.“No,” Mike shook his head. “We work mainly on developing mRNA-vaccines and testing psychiatric drugs like benzodiazepines, SSRIs, anti-psychotic medication—” he started naming everything he had worked on until he was stopped by the policeman.“Alright, thank you. Do you have any knowledge on how to get this medicine?”“I’m sure that all surgery rooms in the hospitals and anesthesiologists have it, but, otherwise, I don’t know,” Mike replied smoothly, lies melting on his tongue softly like a warm butter. Fortunately, soon he was released and was free to go home, to Louis. Sure, he was about to meet Sébastien in a few days at his wedding, but that was unofficial, and Mike didn’t have to watch himself and his every word the entire time.Babe, I’m free. See you in half an hour? he typed quickly to his partner to let him know that it was finally over. See you very soon, baby, Louis texted Mike back as soon as he opened his message. He wanted to know how his partner handled the interrogation, but that had to wait. They couldn’t risk discussing this over the phone, after all.It was the greatest relief imaginable to see Mike again when he came back from the police station, give him one more kiss and close him tightly in his embrace. Being together felt like home.Louis was sure his partner managed well at the questioning, but being interrogated was never a pleasant experience, and he knew well how anyone could perceive it as a nerve-wracking experience, even innocent people. Damn, he’s been slightly tense too when sergeant Foie questioned him - this just wasn’t an everyday experience and Louis wanted to make sure Mike was doing fine.Luckily, it turned out everything went smoothly and the police were satisfied with Mike’s testimony. Louis found out that Sébastien himself was leading the interrogation, and as weird as it was considering the fact that Louis’ friend would be his best man, perhaps it was for the better. If there was anyone at the police whom Louis trusted with his life, it was Séba, and since he knew what his friend’s values and principles were, he could trust the aspirant with keeping any suspicions to himself.“Our part here is done, darling. One more thing to check off our to-do lists, right?” he asked with an encouraging smile and felt the grin growing bigger on his face in the moment Mike nodded, hugging him closer. Louis could swear his loved one inhaled the scent of the clothes he’s been wearing that day, which melted his heart.“I handed in my notice a few days ago,” Louis began after a while, satisfaction audible in his voice. “My work ends on the last day of November and then we’re free. I got it confirmed today, together with two days off for the next week, for our big day,” he lowered his voice suggestively at the mention of their upcoming civil marriage and wedding night. The playful gleam in Mike’s eyes and a subtle smile that lit up his gorgeous face, the face that was so serious moments ago, were the best rewards Louis could think of. “Could you show me Louis’ testimony, please?” Séba asked his colleague, rocking on the chair by his desk; something was off, it was just a gut feeling, but the aspirant had learnt to trust his intuition during many years spent in the criminal investigation department.“Sure, I’ll leave it on your desk,” Antoine replied and came back after a moment with the files. “He didn’t say anything suspicious, just so you know. He’s clean.”Séba nodded – sure, he knew that his friend was innocent, that wasn’t up to question. However, there was something else bugging him: his partner, Mike. He opened both files and scrutinized both testimonies – the night of the 25th September, he remembered well when Louis visited him and Vincent, how bad he looked, on the verge of crying, how he and his partner tried to console him in any way. He recalled how desolate and desperate Louis was when talking about Mike with whom he was getting married in a few days.How was it possible that they met on that day? And that Mike ‘stayed home, waiting for his partner to come back from the meeting’? Something just didn’t add up in this story. Séba exhaled, brow furrowed.What if Louis was covering Mike, it suddenly struck him, hit him like a wrecking ball and sent a cold shiver down his spine. Their testimonies were consistent, yes, but they were a couple now, they must have talked about the interrogations. Séba wriggled in his seat, his fingers tingled – he felt that he was close to the truth. Oh, God. He moved the screen of his computer so that no one from the outside could see what he was doing.With shaking hands, the aspirant opened the pictures of Gamma and compared them with the photo of Mike they had taken; the hair, the nose… there was a striking resemblance, damn. He quickly recalled the testimony of the car dealer: tall, sharp-dressed, dark-haired, early thirties. It added up. It added up perfectly.Then there was also the old case of the rabbi in Lyon. Séba’s eyes moved to Lévy’s files: place of birth: Lyon. And then there was also his Jewish last name. Maybe it meant nothing, but there were too many ‘coincidences’ for this to be accidental. Séba knew that something like a circumstance didn’t really exist in the criminal cases; too many common factors in here.Lévy knew what vecuronium was, of course he did – he was a scientist. He knew well how different medicines worked. Even though he’d claimed not to know how to get the drug, it was still much easier for him to find it than for any other citizen not well-read in medicine.On one hand, Séba wanted to run and immediately conduct a search of Mike’s apartment, interrogate his neighbors, what they had seen and heard, catch the murderer and get a prize for that, maybe even a promotion. On the other hand, he couldn’t do that – not only because his best friend was getting married to him, but mainly because… Gamma had murdered bad people: rapists, groomers, perverts. He had helped poor illegal immigrants who covered him as well. And rightfully so.He had served the society more than the high-ranked policemen and politicians ever did.No, Séba couldn’t bring himself to do that. He jolted in his place and plopped back down on the seat with a loud exhale, his eyes fixed on the black, obsidian-like mask on the computer screen. He’s found Gamma, he met the hero – he just wished to know why? and how?, his brain was itching to know, but he couldn’t just ask Louis’ fiancé about it – he’d just deny everything. Maybe he could at least leave him a message? An idea rooted in his head in that moment, unwilling to leave.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

For so many years, Louis would never have expected this to happen. He was about to marry Mike, the man he loved the most in the whole world, and the prospect of it made his head spin in the most fantastic way possible. November 13th would forever stay in his mind as the day he got married to the love of his life.It was almost dreamlike to get ready for the big day. Louis had already been to the barber and the nail artist, sure thing, and he was also taking extra care of his morning routine, his hairdo, the wedding suit… he almost lost track of all the preparations and things on his to-do list, even though Mike and especially Xavier, the couple’s biggest cheerleader, did their best to help him memorize all of it!Still, what was much more important was the emotional side of the upcoming event and the actual, binding union which Mike and him would enter very soon. Realizing this made Louis mostly happy, even indescribably happy, but also nervous. It was just as if he wasn’t good enough for Mike, just as if Mike deserved so much better than just being married to Louis. The intrusive thoughts made him doubt himself every once in a while, but he knew all too well that this wasn’t the right day for harsh self-criticism. Not when Mike was about to marry him for real, take his last name and become his husband, just like Louis would become his. No, this wasn’t the right day for criticizing himself, he told himself while looking at his reflection in the mirror. A tall, sharp-dressed man looked right back at him, his brown eyes scintillating with anticipation and certain tension, his facial features underlined by a well-trimmed beard, his whole muscular but overall slim frame resembling a young god – or so he’d heard. Still, he couldn’t care less for all these people paying him compliments and praising him. All that was really important to Louis was Mike’s loving gaze, the way he smiled and laughed when they were together, the things he told him in strict confidence and in the deepest awe. That was what really mattered; Louis knew it well, and he did his best to focus on that while he was preparing to go out. He checked if his white shirt wasn’t crumpled on his broad chest and the refined, masculine line of his shoulders. He adjusted the grey suit that matched his trousers with a crease, his gaze met his reflection in the mirror again.Louis had to, he just absolutely _had to_ focus on the feelings they had for each other and let go of the insecurities and fears, he _had to_ keep in mind just how much he and Mike loved each other. Love tears down walls, Louis told himself once again, and nothing, not even the trauma triggered by his previous toxic relationship or the abuse, abandonment and neglect which Mike experienced, could stand in their way. In any case, not now when they were just a couple of hours away from their wedding ceremony.As if becoming a married couple and facing the perspective of moving abroad together so soon wasn’t enough, they were about to spend their wedding night in what had to be the most breathtaking terrace suite in Paris. But first, they planned the wedding dinner for their closest friends and the civil marriage ceremony itself, and the official part still made Louis’ heart rise to his throat. He was impatient beyond words for that, so happy that the joy buzzed through his body, but at the same time, he was so nervous he was almost physically shaking. Oh god, he just had to focus on the wedding vows and not fainting, Louis reminded himself half-jokingly, although losing consciousness sounded like a genuine concern in the ever-increasing stress that mixed with excitement. The time spent waiting was as nerve-wracking as it was heart-melting, and Louis had to pace around Mike’s apartment in an attempt to calm down. He kept telling himself that they were almost there and would become a married couple very soon. In less than a few hours, Louis would be married to the smart, passionate and caring man that Mike was, to his most beautiful lover with whom they were so compatible that they seemed to have known each other for ages, to the person who quickly became the most important one in his life.The happiness was almost too great to process, and the love he felt for Mike filled his heart to the point of making his whole chest ache. Louis dragged his hand across his face as he tried to compose himself. He repeated in his mind once again that he was loved by Mike with a feeling just as ardent as the one he felt towards his soon-to-be-husband and that he was worthy of that love – still, Louis was more than sure that tears would spring in his eyes during their wedding.Their big day had come, and things were about to become even more real very soon. He was waiting at Mike’s place until his future husband got his hair done so they could meet there and continue to the city hall in their district together. Louis was feeling ecstatic and stressed at the same time, his head filled with both overwhelming and comforting scenarios, and what stopped his frantic train of thought was the beep from the intercom. It signalled that Mike has typed in the code to enter the building and was on his way, which made Louis hold his breath while he was waiting for his beloved one.Mike had never thought he’d ever get married.It felt unreal and surreal, as if he was dreaming or dissociating, looking at someone else get ready for the wedding, have his hair washed, cut and dressed at the hairdresser’s he had used for years for a trim - he’d never thought that Miss Abaza would wait the day to prepare his hair for such an occasion. He was staring at his own reflection, barely recognizing the face from the mirror – this man, he had never seen him before.That man of delicate features and shortly-trimmed stubble was almost unrecognizable. Mike touched his face and felt like dreaming again; all the doubts suddenly overwhelmed him as he bent his neck to get the cut on his nape, wondering if this was a good decision at all. Maybe they had hurried up too much? Would Louis have agreed to marry him if he hadn’t gotten the work at NASA? Maybe this was all a mistake, it flickered through his mind for a moment, and he debated whether he should call off the whole event today, fear and anxiety taking over him for a while.Mike had taken his meds today, but maybe he needed a higher dose today, he figured out, hesitating if he should send a message about the wedding cancellation, but he decided to drop it -- stop this bullshit, Mike admonished himself and admired the finished result in the mirror after the hairdresser added the pomade and lots of hairspray, so his now-fashionably-messy locks would hold at least for half a day.“All the best on the new way of life,” Miss Abaza kissed him on both cheeks, almost as touched as if her own child was getting married; the reaction was unexpected and genuine, leaving Mike bewildered for a moment, unsure how to react – a lump in his throat grew to the size of a tennis ball, disabling his speech skills. If an elderly Muslim woman could congratulate him on his marriage to a man, which she knew about, why couldn’t he share his happiness with the whole world? Mike wanted to cry when his hairdresser embraced him, and he realized that he couldn’t even share this day with his blood family because he was practically disinherited from it.“Thank you,” he managed to stutter out in a raspy voice, left the woman a banknote of one hundred euros, and refused to have any change. Once he left the hair salon, he smoked two cigarettes, one after another, bursting into silent, messy tears, slender frame shaking, too spent to even cry aloud.This brought him some relief, the tears had dried some of the tension away of his body; Mike decided to get an Uber back home – the fucking subway would be too much for today. Fuck, the day had really only just begun, they had the wedding planned at one o’clock in the city hall, there was still so much more ahead of him, and Mike had absolutely no idea how he’d survive this.When he came back to his apartment, he was standing in the gate for a longer moment, having another smoke, trying to compose himself – but the more he tried, the worse results he got, tweaking and trembling all the more. With a long sigh, he tapped the code to the intercom – twice, he got it wrong the first time, and walked upstairs into the tenement house where Louis was waiting for him; I can’t do this, the thought plagued him, making it hang heavy on his shoulders and neck.However, when his partner opened the door, some of the nervousness disappeared, dissolved like sugar in a warm tea – Louis looked like a young god in a tailor-made grey suit and a white shirt, ready to get married to him at any moment; Mike’s heart swell with love and gratitude for this man who loved him more than anyone else ever had. He embraced him tight, crumpling his elegant shirt, as if that hug and closeness could kill his doubts even for a while.“Babe. Are you sure you want to do this? We can always call it off and just get the fuck out of here—” Mike rasped, his voice muffled by the fabric of Louis’ clothes. He looked up at his fiancé, his eyes still red and watery, but there was a fiery determination in Louis’ face – he wanted to do this. “I just want you. Maybe we don’t need to get married—” Mike was forced to pause again when Louis kissed him on the mouth.Louis couldn’t imagine doing anything else other than kissing Mike at that moment. Actions spoke louder than words, after all, and he wanted to speak to his loved one in the loudest way possible.“I love you, Mike, and I want to marry you,” he whispered while they were so close to each other that their foreheads pressed. “I’m sure about this and don’t want to call it off. I want to be with you on every day that awaits us, and if you want the same thing, love… then let’s get married today,” Louis spoke slowly and a bit solemnly – how does one even talk when confronted with such emotions and a life-changing decision? He was aware of the importance of his words, and this was exactly how he felt about his love and upcoming marriage with Mike.Louis was nervous; sure thing, none of them had experience in matters regarding marriage and at times, he still felt as if he wasn’t good enough for Mike. Still, there was nothing he wanted more than marrying the love of his life after all they’ve been through and ahead of what awaited them. His whole body yearned to keep Mike in his arms for a while longer to help him calm down. God, how he wished his future husband would see himself the way Louis did – as a person worthy of love and care, as someone who deserved all the good and safety in this life. For a moment, Louis wasn’t sure how long exactly, they stood in an embrace tight enough to let their bodies feel the intimacy and warmth, but at the same time far enough to look at each other’s eyes. It made Louis’ heart flutter to see Mike’s eyes filling with hope again, and when his partner’s nervousness seemed to fade, he stroked Mike’s cheekbone and the side of his face in a reassuring caress. He’d never seen such strikingly beautiful features on anyone, and it was one of Louis’ greatest wishes to see the face of the man he loved at first sight each morning – surely this could be arranged? At least this was what flickered through Louis’ mind when he looked at Mike with a reassuring, affectionate smile – at first a shy one, then broadening into a full, love-filled grin, the one he could hardly control when the man he loved so madly and deeply was so close to him.“I want to make you as happy as you make me, my love. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do for you right now, okay?” Louis asked quietly, eager to help Mike both with the smallest and with the biggest things possible. His husband-to-be looked stunning with his hair done, but after all, they still had some preparations to do for their big day. The perspective of their civil marriage was slightly intimidating, but most importantly, it filled Louis’ heart in a way no other event did, and each time he realized he was about to marry Mike, his face beamed and his eyes watered.The longer Mike held Louis, his partner squeezing him tight, the more the tension and anxiety seemed to fade, as if the other man absorbed all the negative emotions shaking him now. His lips curled up in a faint smile when Louis stroked his cheek, and Mike put his own palm over his hand, stroking it gently.“I love you too, Loulou.” Normally voluble, Mike was reduced to brief and nearly telegraphic utterances, too breathless and spent to communicate in his usual way. He squeezed Louis’ hand tight and kissed it, hoping it would convey more than he could say. Louis’ embrace, the soft kiss, reassuring words and the comforting warmth and smell of his love’s body helped. Everything was still confusing and new and scary, but Mike felt a little less frightened with Louis there.“I’ll get changed, then,” he said, breaking the hug, slightly more confident in their decision. His suit had already been prepared, hanging on the wardrobe in a garment bag; Mike exhaled loudly and changed into a snow-white shirt, black pants with a crease and a black tailored fit suit jacket. He buttoned it at his waist and added a white, elegant scarf instead of a tie. At the end, a nice pair of freshly-shined cap-toed oxfords from Gucci and a fresh application of Tom Ford’s Oud Wood perfume, which he also used at one of his first dates with Louis – this brought pleasant, serene memories, calming Mike down.“Oh, sweet God, babe,” Louis sighed with utmost admiration when he saw him leave the bedroom. “You look absolutely gorgeous, and you’ll soon make me the luckiest man in the world.”Mike made a muffled chuckle and approached his partner to gently pull on his tie in a playful way.“You also look like a damn snack,” he purred and kissed Louis on the mouth, finally in a bit better spirits; soon, they had to get going, but Mike added some concealer under his eternally-dark-circled eyes and a bit of face powder not to start shining in the photos. Xavier tried to convince him to wear makeup like he did, but Mike didn’t like to have anything on his face, it felt heavy, and his sensory issues didn’t let him have any; still, he was quite satisfied with how he looked and he admired his reflection in the mirror for a moment, until Louis came to the bathroom and stood behind him.“We look perfect together, don’t you think?” his soon-to-be-husband asked, wrapping his arms around his waist. Mike smiled and giggled when Louis’ lips grazed against the sensitive skin behind his ear.“We do,” he agreed, and he really meant it. They complemented each other well -- Mike slender and elegant where Louis was stocky and brawny, olive-skinned to Louis’ peaches-and-cream, smooth where Louis was furry. Mike gazed fondly at their reflection together- both sharp-dressed, in their best clothes, with amorous gazes, sleek. Mike committed the image to memory. Louis reached down to capture his hand, bringing it up to his mouth to lavish kisses on his knuckles. “Do you have the rings?”“I do,” Louis confirmed and showed Mike the box; they decided to buy cheap, gold rings just for the ceremony, until Xavier does their tattoos in a few days – Mike wanted to have that symbolic exchange of the rings and some lovely pictures taken during that moment, it felt important to him. He wanted to look back at this day with warmth in his heart and nostalgia, not with discountenance and awkwardness. “Are we ready to go?”“I’m as ready as I could be,” Mike replied with a faint smile, unsure if he’d ever be more ready to get married.“Let’s get going, love,” Louis encouraged Mike and gave him one more short kiss on the lips.He could swear that his lover’s half-smile got wider after they exchanged the quick kiss, and that was the best reward Louis could think of. He was looking forward to seeing Mike smiling every day, hearing him laughing and sharing the moments of joy, happiness and intimacy together.They were ready to leave the apartment, or in any case as ready as they could be when they had a civil marriage ahead. Louis took Mike’s hand in his, grabbing a backpack in the other free hand – they would need a change of clothes after the night at the hotel, a thing which seemed so trivial he could hardly believe he remembered it. In all the excited nervousness, he wouldn’t be surprised if he forgot something important at home, but then again, what could be important enough to spoil their big day? What mattered was that Mike was next to him and about to marry him.There was no turning back the moment the couple got to the taxi, with Louis opening the door for Mike and only then getting in the cab from his side. By then, it was automatic for Louis to reach out his hand towards Mike, feel his long, graceful fingers against his palm and stroke his lover’s skin in the most natural gesture of all. It was their last car ride before the wedding, an experience as enjoyable as it was surreal, and he spent it mostly looking at Mike, so breathtakingly beautiful right next to him and so dear to his heart it almost made Louis sigh in awe. His future husband looked just like he’d stepped off the red carpet, with his perfectly coiffed hair, discreet makeup and tailored clothes, and Louis couldn’t have enough of this sight.“We need lots of photos from today. I could look at you forever,” Louis purred, brushing his thumb against Mike’s palm. Now he was sure he wanted framed pictures from their wedding at their new place, at this distant place in not-so-distant future – Mike was irresistible and being with him really made Louis feel like the luckiest man in the whole world.When the couple arrived at the city hall, there was more than a quarter of an hour left until the appointment, and they decided to have a much-needed cigarette first. Nicotine addiction seemed to multiply when Louis was overjoyed, tense and high on affection all at the same time, and Mike seemed to be in the same state, nodding gratefully when he lit his cigarette.They hadn’t even finished when two familiar faces showed up, dressed to the nines and beaming with happiness much like them. Damn, a true emotional rollercoaster awaited them and both tears and laughter would follow, Louis realized when Mike’s best friend was nearly bouncing at the sight of him them together. Xavier and Gaspard wore matching white suits and gold accessories that made them look like out of some music video from the eighties, quite a contrast next to the soon-to-be-married couple dressed mostly in shades of dark. Louis realized. As it soon turned out, Sébastien and Vincent went for darker-colored clothes as well, and with the two of them arriving, congratulations followed, and the conversation got even more lively. Louis was grateful to their friends for releasing some of the tension and distracting them with words of encouragement and genuine support. That really helped him get rid of at least some of the stress – even though Séba’s gaze, observant as ever, was so watchful for a split second that Louis knew, he just knew that his friend had discovered Gamma’s identity. Sébastien wasn’t stupid, but he wasn’t evil either, and if he hadn’t reported Mike and Louis yet, he wouldn’t do this. They were in good hands, literally – at least that was what Louis realized when his gaze fell on Xavier hugging Mike again, both men on the verge of tears.A cigarette and a hug combined could cause miracles; Mike caught his breath and raised a shaky hand to brush the snot and tears away. Made a concerted effort to stop, but he was touched to the core, and it was almost impossible to hold all the feelings inside. Xavier squeezed him tight and kissed his cheek – he knew exactly what kind of support his best friend needed.“I’m here, you’ll do this, and you’ll do this perfectly,” he whispered confidently, staring Mike deeply in the eyes. Mike only nodded; tears softened him, made him giggle at the same time – he wasn’t sure what he was feeling; it was difficult to navigate. But he was among the people who loved him or liked him and wished him well – and that was enough for Mike to feel comfortable around them.“Thank you,” Mike closed his eyes and swallowed hard, then nodded - a tiny confirmatory bob of the head, a few weary tears seeping out from under closed lids. Then he rolled his damp brown eyes towards Louis, lacing their fingers together – Mike needed him close today, the man of his life, his support and safe haven, or otherwise – he was afraid that he’d fall apart at any moment.He exchanged bises with Sébastien, who had interrogated him just a few days prior, and Vincent, whom he saw for the first time. They all congratulated them. Mike gathered as much breath as he could and rasped out a few words in a quiet whisper: Thank you. He was grateful for his partner to do all the talking – he was simply unable to do so. Not now. Not yet.“Let’s go,” Louis encouraged him, still squeezing his hand, thank God. Mike squeezed it in response, feeling it sweat, and the scarf around his neck tighten like a noose, making him breathe louder and sweat more profusely; it was close to one o’clock, so they were allowed to enter the marriage hall – it was a truly stunning place kept in an old, classical style, with wooden paneling on the walls, chandeliers hanging above their heads, the padding on the benches kept in blue, just like the long carpet – reminding Mike of their date in Le Train Bleu. That seemed to be eons ago!They sat down in the first row, reserved for the couple, in front of a huge mahogany desk, where the official would soon place themselves and pronounce them a married couple; Mike exhaled loudly, looked up at a huge painting in front of him, post-Impressionism style, portraying a couple walking in the orchard together with a dog. Somehow, this serene landscape calmed him down a little, or maybe it was Louis’ presence by his side – he couldn’t really tell.His partner looked at him, sandwiched his hands in between his palms in a reassuring gesture – they were so close to becoming a married couple. Mike sighed with disbelief and utmost admiration for his soon-to-be-husband. Someone, probably Xavier or Gaspard, took a picture of them from behind, but he didn’t mind, in his own bubble of happiness and anxiety – it was unbelievable how these two emotions could coexist together in one person.The mayorship’s official entered the hall, dressed in a black robe and a sash in the colors of the French flag, and they all got up to greet her – it was a middle-aged lady who seemed positively surprised to see only men at the ceremony; that was probably a big change from all the heterosexual couples that got married here every day.“Please, rise.”All of them stood up while Louis once again reminded himself to breathe deeply and slowly, trying to stay composed. This was really happening, he was about to become Mike’s husband and say his wedding vows – if he didn’t forget how one speaks, that is. For a moment, he was tongue-tied and awestruck, the official’s voice reaching him as if he was underwater.“We are gathered here to celebrate the union of two people and witness the exchange of wedding vows. On this big day, let me congratulate you and remind you of your rights and responsibilities,” the official started. Despite the woman’s calm demeanor and the classy, serene-looking historical environment they were in, Louis’ heart kept hammering, and his palms started sweating. He knew the wedding vows said at the city hall would be short and concise, letting him and his almost-husband speak more only at the wedding reception dinner, but he couldn’t help feeling the nervousness. It made no sense, but on the other hand, was there anything about love that made sense? Mike and Louis met after so many years, and just as if they wanted to catch up for the lost time, they soon grew so close to each other that they were inseparable. They made it despite the initial difficulties, past traumas and the sheer unlikeliness of the two of them meeting – what were the odds of an ingenious medical scientist devoted to his work falling for some ex-cop who taught at the police academy? To Louis, it was still incredible, and every day, he was grateful for Mike’s presence in his life. The similarities they shared turned out to be much more important than the differences and that mattered the most, Louis thought while looking at the man he loved for his strong spirit, knowledge and compassion he had for him, the person who was so dear to him that his heart squeezed at the mere thought of Mike.Sure thing, they might have been so stressed they were almost scared, but wasn’t it less scary to be next to a loved one? If one of them started crying, Louis was sure it would trigger the other one’s tears, just as one of them laughing was more than certain to make his partner laugh. Taking the next big step together was as overwhelming as it was heart-warming, that was for sure, and the warmth soon spread into heat through his body. With each frantic beat of his heart, Louis was reminded just how much he loved Mike and how determined he was to spend the rest of his life with his loved one, and hearing the official nearly done with her speech almost made him jolt.“You declare that you know of no legal reason why you may not register as each other’s civil partner. By signing this document, you will be forming a civil partnership and will become a married couple from now on,” the woman instructed. Louis understood her words, but still had the feeling of listening to it from behind a glass or with his head underwater, and when his eyes darted to Mike, he could see his future husband being just as emotional and moved as he was. Almost like a deer in headlights, fear mixed with shock and awe, Louis shared his feelings. The fear of not being good enough and doing something completely new was almost paralyzing, but on the other hand, his beloved was right next to him, which made everything easier. He always did, Louis told himself and gasped at the feeling of a single tear rolling down his cheek.“You can start whenever you’re ready,” the city hall official smiled encouragingly at them, more than sure to sense just how tense and happy they were, the soon-to-be-married couple experiencing all sorts of possible feeling all at once, with the intensity that almost made Louis’ head spin.“You say your name and follow by ‘I take you to be my lawful husband from this day forward’, I will help you out with the rest of the vow, of course,” she assured matter-of-factly, with her voice so deep and focused it helped Louis calm down at least a bit.He looked at Mike to make sure if he should go as first, to which his lover nodded affirmatively. Louis inhaled deeply, his breath shaking while he did so, and fixed his gaze on Mike. Louis wanted to share his life with Mike; he didn’t even imagine a different future, and he loved his soon-to-be-husband so much that the awe, affection and tenderness he’d never felt before gripped his heart and clenched his throat. If the hammering of his heart could speak, Louis would have given a hours-long speech, but in their current situation, he just had to speak up to publicly announce his love to Mike. The first step, as always, was the most challenging one.“I, Louis Rogé, take you, Michael Lévy, to be my lawful husband from this day forward,” he began. He did it; the first words of their wedding vows were said, and they would only move on from there. The tension and nervousness slowly gave up to the ever-growing thrill in Louis’ body, euphoric joy helping him to speak on.“I promise to be faithful to you and to love, cherish, and respect you. For as long as we both shall live,” Louis went on, Mike’s hands in his, their gazes locked, the love an certainty shining in his eyes mirrored in the irises of his husband. Has anyone ever felt as lucky and indescribably, otherworldly happy as Louis did? He doubted that in this moment, just one step from truly becoming Mike’s husband, letting their lives bond as closely as possible, feeling the joy and utmost affection fill every cell of his body.The sudden change in orientation – sitting to standing, grappling to stand again sent the dizziness and swimmy-headed sensation into overdrive. Mike felt his knees give way, a dreadful sensation even under normal circumstances. Good thing that Louis was there, his guardian, holding his hand – Mike squeezed it in return, tightly like a life buoy. He found himself shaking slightly as well, his throat as dry as a bone.He loved Louis, and Louis loved him – this seemed so simple, and yet, Mike knew that he’d never find the suitable words to dress his feeling for the other man in; what he felt to him, escaped all definitions. But they were together, against all the odds, and that was what counted – he recalled Xavier’s words of encouragement and listened to his beloved speak the words of his vows, making the warmth spread all over his chest and pull a sigh out of his mouth.Mike’s head was spinning from all the accumulated emotions, and he just hoped that he didn’t look as horrible as he felt right now; such simple words, words of love, they almost broke my completely. But being looked at that way, spoken to that way, set up a little bloom of warmth somewhere in Mike’s middle; it started small and swelled until it filled the entirety of his chest; he knew what he wanted to say, he just needed a moment to coordinate his brain and vocal folds.“I, Michael Lévy, take you, Louis Rogé,” he started, his voice cracking and faltering, tears sprung in his eyes, but Mike carried on, bravely, despite the difficulties: “to be my lawful husband from this day forward,” at the last word, the official handed him a glass of water – Mike took it with one, shaking hand, the other one still squeezed on Louis’, and took a few sips before he continued: “I promise to be faithful to you and to love, cherish, and respect you. For as long as we both shall live.”He did it. He finally did it. Louis’ lips curled up into a big grin, and Mike’s face immediately mimicked this – a kiss that followed was an extraordinary one, setting his whole body on fire, even though they had kissed with more passion thousands of times before – but this one was their first as a married couple. A husband and a husband. And that changed everything.The four guests started clapping – Mike even heard some sobbing behind him, probably Xavier. The newlyweds turned to face them and exchanged the rings – it was another surreal moment for Mike when he was sliding the golden ring on Louis’ finger, marking him his forever. It happened.“Hereby I pronounce you a married couple.” The official’s face lit up with a smile, her words reached Mike as if he was underwater; they changed everything. “Now, I’d like to ask you and the witnesses to sign the marriage certificate. Does any of you want to change the last name?”Good thing she asked – in the overwhelming chaos, Mike had almost forgotten about it.“Yes, yes, I’d like to,” he sniffed and leant over the certificate to sign it, his signature lopsided and ugly, his hand shaking too much. Xavier approached him from behind and stroked his back before he also left his autograph on the document confirming his union with Louis; this was so surreal. Mike had to sit down again before he signed another document, which changed his identity to Michael Rogé now. He stared at the form for a longer moment, hardly believing his own eyes.“Thank you and congratulations, I wish you all the best on the new way of life,” the official took the document from him and smiled encouragingly; they left the room and the congrats continued outside, Xavier being the first one to hug and kiss the newlyweds, dissolved into tears as well.“I’m so, so happy for you, Mikey. You know that I love you,” he told his best friend, embracing him tight. “And also, I’m so proud you’ve gone through it like a pro.” Xav rubbed his shoulder and then turned to Louis: “Take care of my Mikey now, shall you? If not, I’ll do everything to find you and kick you in the balls myself.”“Babe, stop threatening the groom!” Gaspard chimed in – fortunately, Louis burst out laughing, knowing well it was only a playful teasing.“I allow you to do that if I’m ever so stupid to hurt Mike,” Louis replied, and Mike looked up at him, amused and awe-struck at the same time, unable to believe that this man was his husband now.In a way, marriage felt like a joyful blur in time, so surreal and so relieving. From then on, he was married to Mike. Louis knew that they were now officially husbands, and he was aware of it, but at the same time, he still processed what had just happened. Was he really lucky enough to marry this wonderful man next to him, the one who looked at him with such love and awe?The first few seconds after realizing that felt almost as if Louis was on some kind of drug, his senses sharpening, visuals and sounds around him changing and colors gaining brightness.The six of them were right outside the marriage hall, standing in the liminal space that the vast corridor was. The enthusiastic congratulations, suggestions of honeymoon getaways and wishes of good luck followed, and Louis didn’t just start relaxing himself – he could see that Mike was gradually calming down, and that meant the world to him.“We did it, love,” Louis whispered to Mike’s ear as he leaned closer to his husband. “Or should I say Mr Rogé_?” he asked with a smirk, receiving one of Mike’s most beautiful smiles in return.“Mhm, I like the way it sounds,” his husband purred and tilted his head gently, letting their lips meet in one more affectionate kiss, more tender than passionate. They had all the time in the world for the thirsty, lustful kind of kisses, Louis thought as he smiled against Mike’s lips when they slowly broke the kiss, neither of them too willing to let go of the other one, especially now that they were married.“You’re so beautiful together,” Xavier sighed, clasping his hands together. “Do you want any pictures in which you kiss or we’re going for more classy ones, just with a hug or holding hands?” Mike’s best friend continued, full influence more on.Louis wasn’t sure yet if they wanted the sickly sweet pictures of Mike and him kissing, and he shrugged lightly when his _husband_ (Louis just loved the way it sounded) took his hand again.“Let’s go for hand-holding this time,” Mike suggested. After all, there was an impressive background right behind them, with the intricate wooden paneling and the post-Impressionist painting that should work as the perfect backdrop for their photograph.Louis agreed with Mike wholeheartedly and made sure to stand close to his husband while they held hands and moved on to a few different poses, all while letting Xavier photograph them from various angles. Louis towered over everyone, and for a moment, he was worried if Mike’s significantly shorter friend would manage to fit both of them in the frame of his phone lens, but Xavier seemed to be a pro. He’s even lost count how many pictures they had by now, he just counted on his husband’s friend’s skills! In just a few minutes, Louis felt as if they’d had a proper photo session, and their timing was on point, judging by the commotion downstairs, which Sébastien noticed immediately. Police officer or not, Louis kept his habits from the time he worked as a cop and paid attention to noisy spaces and commotion like that, and it was no exception.“Is it smoke o’clock?” Séba asked at one point when a small group of people in formal wear started climbing upstairs. The gathering couldn’t be more “normie,” Louis realized upon seeing the bride and the groom looking like straight out of a wedding catalogue, just a _very straight_ couple with a very typical family following them. In a heartbeat, Louis felt immense gratitude that he wasn’t one of those people, and he nodded absentmindedly in the very same moment Mike made an affirmative nod as well.Louis held Mike’s hand when they headed outside, carrying himself as proudly as if he’s achieved the greatest thing in the whole world, which couldn’t be far from the truth. He’d done something he’d never expected he’d do, and he was filled with joy that despite their fears and concerns, he and Mike proved themselves wrong.It was only when they were walking downstairs that Louis felt his knees go soft, his whole body buzzing with nearly euphoric joy. The realization that Mike was his husband now hit him with the force of a great wave once again, and it was a matter of seconds before his face beamed again. Louis walked outside with a broad smile on his face, the disbelief and shock in his heart leaving way for sheer happiness and awe, and gave Mike a knowing smirk when they walked out of the city hall’s door.“I haven’t forgotten about carrying you bridal-style over the threshold, darling,” Louis spoke with a promising voice. “Let me carry you like this in the evening, how about that?” he suggested, thinking about their night together in one of the fanciest hotels out there. Mike’s gorgeous face lit up with the foxy smile that Louis loved so much (that really showed that his husband wasn’t that stressed anymore!) as he reached for a cigarette. Louis waited to hear his beloved one’s reply while he lit Mike’s cigarette, in the exact same moment their witnesses and their partners either fumbled for their cigs or lighters, all of them moving just as if they were synchronized by nicotine addiction. What a very French thing to do, Louis thought when his eyes fell on the flag next to the city hall. The image was engraved in his mind as one of the memories of the big day. They were still about to make many more memories that day, he realized when his awe-filled gaze fell on Mike again, so strong, proud and beautiful, and so very dear to him that it made his heart ache.It was over.Mike's head was spinning as if he'd just been to the highest and most extreme roller-coaster in Disneyland; time seemed to stop, but, in fact, it hadn't been much longer than twenty minutes. A dilatation of time, he shook his head - it had never ceased to amaze him. Gradually, the overwhelming and omnipresent stress dissolved, leaving his head pleasantly empty, open for joy and relief. Now, it was finally time to celebrate.He was still slightly overwhelmed and needed to rest for a moment - otherwise, it threatened with a meltdown or shutdown later at night, and he didn't want to spend his wedding night curled up, crying; Louis didn't deserve it either."I love you, Mr. Rogé," he whispered to his husband (it still sounded surreal!) when they were posing for a photo on the balcony, his hand resting on Louis' broad chest. Xavier was really in his element, directing the whole photoshoot as if he worked for Balmain - Mike remembered that vividly. "I need to rest a bit. Could you stay with our guests at the restaurant?""Of course, baby. I love you too," his husband replied and kissed his cheek, tickling him with his trimmed beard. Mike giggled and sighed with a relief and gratitude - what had he done to deserve such a man? They both noticed a very mundane heterosexual couple, with just as a mundane family following them, heading to get married as well - Mike looked at his husband, and they exchanged meaningful looks; telepathically, both of them knew what the other one was thinking.The cigarette was much-needed, almost necessary, and it brought Mike a relief. He dragged on the smoke, slowly, exhaling languidly. His first cigarette as Mike Rogé, as a husband – it seemed that from now on, a lot of ‘first times’ awaited him in his new identity; it was overwhelming, yes, but he was also looking forward to that, tasting life as someone slightly different.“I can’t wait to be alone with you, hubby,” Mike responded mock-seriously to Louis’ suggestion and let his husband wrap his arm around his thin waist and then pull him in for a kiss.“Stay like that!” They heard Xavier’s scream, so they froze in one position so his friend could snap a photo. They posed for a few other ones, in twos and a group outside the mayorship building, perpetuating the moment of true happiness forever.Louis took the guests to the restaurant, and Mike stayed in the park nearby with his headphones on, slowly simmering down, regaining his composure; he needed this moment alone, only by himself, to wrap his mind around what’d happened, what it meant for him and their future together. Deep inhales and exhales from the diaphragm helped, although a nap would be perfect – but it was no time for that yet. After roughly half an hour, he cooled off enough to join the rest of the group in the Italian restaurant.“I’m back,” he waved to everyone and kissed Louis on the cheek as his husband moved to make some place for him by his side.“Better?” Louis asked quietly, stroking his hand underneath the table.“Better,” Mike replied with a thankful smile.It was a relief to Louis to see Mike coming back, as elegant and gorgeous as ever, and visibly less exhausted than a while ago. Louis would do anything to help his newly wed husband and wanted to put all his care and affection into the small gestures they exchanged.“Let me know if you need anything more, okay? A moment to yourself, a joint, something stronger to drink, anything?” Louis asked with hope in his voice, to which Mike nodded. He actually came prepared and sneaked some pre-rolled joint into his cigarette package just in case Mike needed it! He knew that Mike didn’t resort to alcohol in situations of extreme stress, but if he felt like drinking a stronger one, Louis would be the first one to order some spirits for his husband.A champagne bottle, as well as a few wines, were a must (would they even be French if they didn’t order some wine?) and ordering starters followed soon. It was after a while that the newlyweds and their four guests were left alone in a more private corner of the restaurant, located upstairs, far from the curious gazes and commotion of other customers.The Italian place, Monteleone, which Louis reserved for them, was classy but simple, nothing over-the-top – he decided to keep the luxuries for the night and his and Mike’s stay at the hotel. Nobody seemed to mind that they weren’t dining in a place awarded by a Michelin star anyway – their friends’ company was what mattered the most, and Louis was just happy that they had their own reserved space in the restaurant, which gave them some privacy. They also kept the space simple and didn’t want any excessive decorations – none of the kitschy “just married” signs, balloons or garlands. Louis has only asked the restaurant to prepare three large bouquets of warm-colored roses, the shades of the flowers’ petals ranging from deep crimson through bright red towards orange. The restaurant staff surely delivered, bringing forth the eye-catching, exquisite bouquets of red-orange roses, the kind of flowers that made Louis think of the first time he bought roses for Mike. It was at the same time, aeons ago and just a few days ago, that he realized as he felt the ever-growing warmth in his chest. The warm sensation quickly turned into heat when Mike caught his gaze and looked at him knowingly, surely remembering the small gift from Louis.“Everyone, please just get what you want from the menu. It’s on us,” Louis asked their guests, letting them know in advance that splitting the bill was a no-go. The dinner was their treat, and as cheesy as it might have sounded, the presence of their nearest and dearest was more than enough. Louis would feel bad if everyone paid their part, especially when the guests came prepared and brought well-thought-out wedding gifts. A happy murmur of gratitude filled the room when the group studied the extensive menu for a while, trying to choose from a wide selection of starters, all of which seemed mouth-watering. It was only now that Louis realized he had gotten hungry - the cigarettes and, most importantly, the emotion-filled experience made him forget about his basic needs. It seemed that everyone shared his feelings as they scanned the options offered in the restaurant.The different starters were on the way, together with the first bottle of wine. Champagne arrived first, letting them raise a toast to the newlyweds before the dinner. Louis asked their waiter to give them a while before bringing the appetizers – he surely didn’t want his or Mike’s speech to be interrupted by the arrival of Salmon carpaccio, deep fried shrimps or aubergine rolls with herbs… Louis also decided he wanted to open the champagne bottle himself, since it felt more suitable on his own wedding. He didn’t even spill the bubbly drink, which could be seen as an achievement considering how rarely he opened bottles of champagne! Once everyone had their glass ready, Louis cleared his throat and stood up. He knew that if he hesitated just for a moment longer, he’d have a hard time uttering anything – as difficult as it was to put his love for Mike into words.“Thank you for coming, everyone,” Louis began, genuine gratitude audible in his voice. “You are those who are the happiest for us two and who cheered on us, believing in our relationship when none of us did. Mike, love, what we have is something I’ve never experienced before, _ever_, with anyone,” he went on and slowed down at the confession. Louis reached for Mike’s hand while his husband was still seated, the touch of his loved one reassuring him when his voice shook slightly. He felt his throat clenching in the overload of feelings - love, awe and gratitude stronger than anything made him stop for a while in an attempt to gather his thoughts. “My beloved, you show me how to live again. It is thanks to you that I feel loved, and there is nothing I want more than making you feel the same way. I’ll do my best to make you happy every day, to support you and to help you realize how worthy of love you are. You’re... Mike, you are a dream come true incarnate. You have a pure heart, the sharpest mind I’ve ever witnessed and the most beautiful smile that makes me forget about everything else. The probability of us meeting was closer to zero than one and if this is not some kind of miracle, if our love isn’t some kind of miracle, I really don’t know what is,” Louis spoke in utmost awe and affection, and his last words probably resembled some love-filled babble due to the tears welling in his eyes and the emotionality of the moment nearly crushing his throat. “I love you, Mike, and I can’t wait to spend the future with you,” Louis ended as he squeezed Mike’s hand in his. Tears stained their faces, their touch electrified Louis’ body, and their friends burst out with clapping and even quiet cheering, sharing with them what must have been one of the most beautiful moments in Louis’ life so far. When Louis stood up, Mike’s heart skipped a beat for a split second and the next inhale stuck in his throat; he took his glass of champagne and fixed his eyes up at his husband who looked so confident and handsome in his suit that Mike could hardly believe he just got married to this wonderful human who loved him, wanted to spend his future with him, live with him on another continent. That was a lot to process, but the golden ring on his finger confirmed all of this.He listened to Louis speak, absorbed every word, drinking it from his mouth, moved deeply to the core; tears sprung in his eyes again, his emotional state shifting from despair to disbelief, through awe to gratitude. He didn’t believe in everything that Louis said, but he was happy that his husband felt this way with him – and he’d do anything to keep it this way for the future. And the way he mentioned his own words about probability? Mike shook his head, the words of his husband slowly planting in his brain.He squeezed Louis’ hand and raised the other one to brush the snot and tears away. Their guests clapped and cheered, especially when the newlyweds kissed shortly. Mike cupped his partner’s face in his hands and grinned at him, eyes bright. “I love you too, Loulou,” he whispered, breath caught, and kissed his love again, soundly, an impassioned smooch. It went on a little longer than was necessary, but Mike didn’t really want to part his lips from Louis’!“Well,” he cleared his throat and took his glass of champagne. “I guess it’s time for me,” he made a slightly awkward chuckle. “I’m not going to stand up because my legs are already shaking like crazy, and I don’t know if I’m going to say anything nicer than Louis, he’s much better than me in this… in many things really,” he darted his eyes at his husband, amorous and still awe-struck, squeezed his hand again.“I…” Mike took a deep breath, slightly frustrated with his own awkwardness. “I’ve always thought and heard from others that being the way I am, with my condition, I’d never fall in love, in a requited love, or get married,” he started, suddenly deciding to speak the outright truth and not to beat about the bush. “I’m happy that Louis proved me wrong.” A tiny smile lit up Mike’s face. “You are the most understanding, loveable, and the bravest person I know, Louisito. I’m an introverted autist, and I love spending time alone, but I’d give every minute of that alone time to spend it with you, so yes, maybe this is a miracle indeed.” He made a huffed chuckle and brushed his thumb against Louis’ palm.“You make me so happy and so understood, and my daily struggles become irrelevant when you’re with me. For what I feel for you, science hasn’t yet found a name, and—” Mike exhaled loudly, reaching the end of his speech. “and I’m looking forward to sharing my life with you forever.”It wasn’t that bad, it flickered through Mike’s mind as he finished; their guests clapped and Louis’ eyes shone with tears – his husband was smiling, so, apparently, he did something right? They kissed again – this time, more passionately and lovingly, and he enjoyed the kiss even more than before their wedding. It even seemed to taste different, although that was probably an illusion, created by his enamored brain. “I meant every word,” he added in sotto voce, his words directed only at Louis.Anyone could say anything and make big promises, but when it came to Mike, Louis knew his loved one meant everything he spoke about. Mike’s speech couldn’t be faked or forced, and it made Louis more than happy. He was overjoyed, euphoric and madly in love with the man who was his husband now.“You had such a beautiful speech, baby. I think I love you even more now. Is it possible?” Louis wondered in a whisper, his face in centimeters’ distance from Mike’s.“Isn’t everything possible when we’re together?” Mike asked softly as he stretched his hand to stroke Louis’ beard.“Mhm, I think it is,” Louis replied. He couldn’t argue with that. Instead of continuing with the conversation, he leaned closer towards his husband to press his lips to his. It was an unhurried kiss filled with tenderness and pure affection, so loving it made Louis sigh quietly in Mike’s mouth. Soon, they’d be moaning in each other’s mouths during more intense kisses, it flickered through Louis’ mind when he reminded himself of the upcoming wedding night. Very soon, he thought, surprising Mike with a gentle peck on the lips after the “proper” kiss – Louis really couldn’t have enough of it.On one hand, he wished they were already at the hotel, just the two of them, but on the other hand, celebrating their marriage with the closest friends felt right and helped him process everything that had just happened. It was for real, they had witnesses who could confirm that, and all those people were genuinely happy for him and Mike. This was so much more than Louis could ever have wished for, even in his wildest dreams, and it was surreal to see how supportive everyone was. He’s never seen Sébastien smile so much in such a short time, for instance!“After our own wedding, this must be the most beautiful ceremony we’ve ever attended, right, babe?” Gaspard asked at one point, turning to Xavier but speaking loud enough for everyone to hear him well.“Come on, of course!” Mike’s best friend replied, treating the event as something that was guaranteed to be a beautiful experience. “I love an intimate wedding reception,” he added, his voice so enthusiastic and self-confident as if he starred in some French rendition of Queer Eye. “Do you know that after our civil marriage, there were a few of my Instagram followers outside the city hall? Crazy!” he said the last words in English to emphasize how unexpected the situation was.“I remember!” Mike chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “What a relief that none of this happened at our wedding,” he murmured, exchanging knowing glances with Louis. The media as well as, so to speak, ordinary people, would definitely swarm if they knew that Gamma himself would be anywhere near the city hall, and he felt relieved that none of this happened. The thought disappeared from his mind as quickly as it had appeared, and Louis didn’t give it too much time. Soon enough, they were distracted anyway, and everyone’s attention shifted to the starters brought by waiters. In addition to what they’ve just ordered, Louis has made a special request to prepare some hummus as a side dish as well. He knew that an Italian place in Paris wouldn’t necessarily deliver “the real deal” when it came to Middle Eastern specialty, but Louis wanted to include it anyway. Mike looked at him with an expression that seemed to say you didn’t have to and his pleasantly surprised glance made Louis’ heart flutter.Mike could swear that every time he looked at Louis, he fell in love with this man anew, over and over again; it could be a sappy thought, but that was exactly how he felt every time he laid his eyes on his husband.With the amount of wine and champagne consumed, Mike was getting more and more amorous and tipsy. The atmosphere buzzed with joy as their sextet kept feasting on delicious Italian food, the stories of mainly Mike’s and Xavier’s shared past were unveiled, tears of joy flowing. His best friend finally calmed down from his boisterous laughter.“Loulou, you must hear what Xav has to say!” Mike pulled his husband close when Louis got back from the bathroom.“I just reminded Mike of that one time when we had a party with the medical faculty on the rooftop of the university, and this one here,” he pointed at Mike who covered his ears and pretended not to listen! “was so shitfaced, that he was holding on to the mast with the flag of France, trying not to fall!”“And you,” Mike booped Xavier’s nose. “got so buzzed once that you stole someone’s wedding ring and started screaming: Frodo, we need to destroy this ring! while running half-naked around our dormitory!” he recalled, making everyone roar with laughter, the warmth of the evening and the camaraderie making the celebration even more special. Louis held Mike’s hand tightly, their future bright and full of promise.“Hmm, my husband,” Mike mumbled to him, clinging to his side. “Your husband demands to be taken to the hotel soon,” he chuckled and nuzzled his face in the crook of Louis’ neck. Their guests laughed at his slurred speech, their amusement evident as they watched Mike cling to him. The lively atmosphere of the feast, filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses, only added to the joy of the occasion. Louis couldn’t help but smile as he cupped Mike’s cheeks in his palms, his breath becoming shallow and his eyes darkening with desire.“I’m going to fuck you hard tonight, my husband,” Louis whispered into his ear, his voice a sultry promise. With a smirk, Louis turned to the two other couples, his expression playful. "Gentlemen, please enjoy the rest of the party. It seems my husband needs some loving."“Mhmm, take my card,” Mike was swooning to the sides as he tried to scrabble for his credit card. “Give the waiter a tip, ‘right?” he asked and handed Louis his Visa. His husband was doing incomparably better, so it was he who went to settle the bill. When Louis got back, everyone hollered and cheered, their voices ringing out in celebration as Louis scooped Mike up in a bridal style, flipping him over on one shoulder like a sack of potatoes or a Viking carrying his bride!“Like Fiona and Shrek,” Xavier sighed with awe, almost tripping as he walked – or rather tried to walk – down the stairs.The goodbyes and kisses were awkward because Louis didn’t put Mike down until their Uber arrived, and that caused another ripple of laughter. “I still don’t know where you’re taking me!” Mike moaned like an offended child, while Louis continued to be purposefully mysterious - giving the driver a street address but not the name of the destination. "You are really getting into this surprise business, aren't you?" Mike remarked, settling in next to Louis as the cab pulled away from the curb.“I might be,” Louis replied with a smirk and stretched out his arm to pull Mike’s thin body closer.He enjoyed the much-needed time to wind down at the dinner, sure thing, but he was getting more impatient and turned on with each moment. Mike worked his usual wonders on Louis and set his heart racing while his mind swarmed with lustful scenarios of what they could do very soon.“Keep the secrets to yourself, then. There’s no need to blindfold me, though…” Mike shrugged slightly with a playful smile wandering over his lips and scooted himself closer. “…it’s enough if you close your eyes for a moment,” he ordered Louis in the kind of throaty whisper that had him on the edge and made his body even more eager.He moved his large hand to Mike’s hip to embrace him more tightly, and only then did he close his eyes, letting his husband’s kiss work on his other senses. He felt his partner’s tongue licking his lower lip and then the upper one, sliding into his mouth to give him a deep, ardent kiss, one of many they would exchange on that night.They quickly moved on to fondling, and Mike sneaked his way into Louis’ lap, as graceful and seductive as ever. Feeling the familiar weight of his loved one on him made Louis’ whole body buzz in tenderness and arousal – he was married to the love of his life, and they were on the way to their wedding night, husbands at last. Louis was high on happiness, letting his enthusiasm show in his gestures.“I promise you’ll enjoy the little surprise,” he purred and leaned closer to nibble on Mike’s earlobe. He was whispering to his husband’s ear and couldn’t resist the urge to gently bite on his exposed ear! Mike burst out in a high-pitched giggle, nearly kicking Louis after being teased in such a way. “And if you end up disappointed, well, then you’re free to use me as a porter. I’ll carry you everywhere on my back and be a faithful servant,” he spoke in such a firm voice that it was a challenge to keep a serious expression.“Get me a… what’s it called, a palanquin. Then we’ll talk,” Mike replied in just as solemn tone, sounding like a sulky prince for a moment. However, the effect was soon ruined by an abrupt hiccup that shook his whole body. Louis couldn’t hold his laughter back even for a moment!“Get you a what? Say it again, love,” he chuckled, pretending not to have heard Mike through the hiccupping sounds. The fact that his husband’s willowy body shook in his lap didn’t help, and the rest of their way to the hotel was mostly spent on hugging and giggling.It was only when the cab pulled up at the grand entrance of the Parisian Bvlgari Hôtel Paris that the newlyweds calmed down. Louis looked at Mike with an encouraging smile while his husband’s eyes widened in a flabbergasted doe gaze.“That’s the right address?” Mike asked slowly, eyeing the renowned hotel’s name with disbelief.“That’s the place. And we have a suite booked for tonight,” Louis said proudly as they walked out of the car to be greeted by a sharp-dressed doorman by the entrance. Security stood nearby, and the main hall in front of the reception, with its marble tiles and lamps cascading down from the ceiling, was enough to take one’s breath away. Louis had to hold Mike’s arm not just because of his husband’s tipsiness but also to make sure he didn’t faint under the impression of such an exquisite place! It was all new and striking to Louis as well, and he walked to the reception in a self-confident pace and the most charming smile he could muster.“Good evening. My husband and I have a reservation for tonight, our last name’s Rogé,” he spoke when the smiling receptionist greeted them and found the mentioned reservation in a heartbeat.“Suite for two, one night. Bvlgari Hôtel wishes you both all the best on the new way of life,” the woman congratulated them, stretching out a perfectly manicured hand to Louis to hand him the key cards.“I hope I came up with not such a bad surprise.” He turned to Mike when they were in the elevator on their own and had already exchanged another kiss behind the closed doors. Louis smirked at his beloved one who still seemed to have a hard time speaking, overwhelmed but undeniably thrilled. He shared Mike’s sentiment, his whole body buzzing with arousal and affection, his senses tingling in the impatience to start their life as a married couple with a bang. “After you, my beloved,” Louis encouraged Mike when the carpeted, soundproofed corridor led them to the door of their suite.When they arrived at their destination and got out, Mike stopped and stared up at the marquee on the building, processing, jacket slung over his arm."Why are we..." he began, and Louis interrupted to explain, taking his hand and pulling him inside. The interior was a marvel of lovely art deco, in colors reminiscent of Mike’s place - sparkling white marble, stark black and white, lovely silver. Dimly lit. He looked up to see a huge stained glass confection, casting lovely colored shadows here and there.Louis pulled him towards the reception desk and spoke to the clerk, who took his ID and walked away to a computer. "You didn't," Mike said, a brow quirked in mild disbelief. "You did?... Christ, Louis, are you trying to... romance me?" he asked, eyes sparkling, a smile spreading across his face, surprised and happy. "Good lord, I believe you are," he marveled. "My lovely, silly husband." He wrapped his arms around Louis’ neck and pulled him into a quick, amorous kiss, chuckling under his breath while the clerk was busy with the check-in process.Bvlgari Hôtel is one of those places that always seem out of reach for ordinary people – stories about rooms going by forty-thousand euro per night were not trumped up, after all. How could Louis afford this? Mike had no idea but decided to leave the sentiments for later and just go and check out their room for the wedding night.The fondling that started in the cab caused pleasant stiffening in his pants, made the erection wane, then continued in the elevator, waking the arousal back to life again; Mike almost bounced to their suite, in a hurry, which put Louis in a hurry as well, because rushing to their room, and being alone, promised a delightful evening. The card reader beeped, letting them in, and Mike soon found himself pushed against the wooden door, Louis’ arms around his waist and tongue halfway down his throat. Not that he objected; he was waiting for that as well, made a guttural sound of surprise and pleasure and kissed Louis back hungrily, one hand up his husband’s neck and the other planted firmly on his shapely ass, pulling him forward to mesh their bodies together.“What about carrying me bridal style?” he asked, coming up for air between the intense kisses. Louis groaned with impatience and tossed their backpack onto the floor, picked Mike up as if he weighed nothing, and carried him inside, as promised.The view was the first thing that caught Mike's eye. "My goodness," he breathed, pointing out at the window - an entire wall of glass, really, with a balcony beyond, looking out over the city, close to the famous Louvre glass pyramids. It was easy to forget, sometimes, how pretty Paris really was - easy to forget that it wasn't all smog and noise and honking car horns and scam artists.The room was spacious, an entire flat almost, with black-and-white marble walls in the bathroom, rich wood-paneling on the walls in the room, and a huge tub in the middle of the place, its king. There was also champagne and a bucket of fruit prepared for the newlyweds. The scented candles left a fresh and erotic mood, just like the slightly-over-the-top rose petals on their king-size bed and a trail leading to it.“I’m really happy with the surprise, babe,” Mike told Louis, still in his arms. “Let’s check out our bedroom.”No further encouragement from Mike was necessary for him. Louis grunted happily in approval and gave his husband a knowing look, both of them well aware of what was coming next. They had time to admire their hotel room later, after having satisfied their other, much more simple needs, something which now felt like an instinct of their nearly perpetually aroused bodies. The place he reserved for them was impressive, sure thing, but no sight could compare to Mike’s eyes scintillating with both love and lust, his parted lips curling up in a smile when their gazes locked, a stray lock of hair that slipped from his intricately coiffed hair in the heat of the moment.“You make me so happy. I love you, Mike,” Louis whispered, overtaken by affection too intense to be put in any different words than a confession of love. When they reached their bedroom, Louis seated himself on the bed and lowered the slim, graceful body of his partner to let Mike sit in his lap. Mike latched onto him in that exact moment, bracketing the other man's broad chest between his spread legs and putting his arms around his neck.Louis closed the distance between them when he hugged Mike tighter and slid his hands down his husband’s slender back to grab his butt. When they kissed again, Louis moaned in Mike’s mouth, and he felt himself go hard. The erection was getting impossible to ignore, especially when Mike rolled his hips over Louis in a way which couldn’t have been accidental. His partner started grinding against him, and Louis’ body responded in an automatic way, rubbing himself against Mike.“Fuck, let me see you. All of you.” Louis gasped impatiently at one point, his voice raspy with desire. “I want to see my gorgeous husband…” he panted in the ever-increasing arousal. The temperature around them seemed to get much higher in mere seconds, and all the events of the passed day, as exciting as they were, drifted somewhere to the back of his mind. What was most important was being with Mike, and Louis admired every second of it while their intense kisses continued and his gestures were gradually getting bolder over his partner.Louis undressed Mike piece by piece, and his scarf was the first to go. He leaned towards his husband’s neck to unbutton his shirt and leave a trail of kisses on the exposed skin, pressing his lips to Mike’s delicate jawline, the curve on his neck and his collarbone. Much to Louis’ delight, Mike showed him just as much enthusiasm as he helped him slide the dark grey suit from his broad shoulders and stretched out his hands to undo the buttons of his shirt. Their suits soon ended on the floor, just as Mike’s shirt, and Louis soon shrugged off his buttoned shirt too – he wanted to see all of Mike and feel all of him too. He craved his stunning husband, all of him, and Louis had no words to describe how much he loved that warmth of naked, olive-colored skin, thin frame, skillful hands with long fingers that wandered over his body.“Get down and lay on your back, baby,” he asked at one point. Louis was just unzipping Mike’s pants, his hands sensing the bulge in his trunks, and fixed his gaze on his partner to see his reaction. “I want to see all of you, but how about you wait just a bit before seeing me?” he suggested as he reached for the scarf which was still lying on the bed. Louis presented it to Mike with what must have been a devilish smile, proceeding to hold the scarf in his hand as if he was holding a blindfold. He was still smirking when he recalled how Mike told him there was “no need to blindfold him” – it didn’t stop Louis from being curious as hell about trying this out. Curious and impossibly turned on by Mike, who was lying on the mattress just underneath him, his husband and beloved one, who complemented his life in ways Louis didn’t even expect were possible.A contented purr left Mike’s throat as his husband’s lips clashed with his, grazing over his neck and chest as their clothes were gradually sliding down, revealing the maps of their bodies. Mike wanted nothing else but to see for himself whether sex after marriage would feel any different, any better – although it was almost impossible it could get any better at this point, as it was always already mind-blowing, every time they got intimate with each other.“Oh?” he got intrigued when Louis stretched his white scarf out, and Mike rolled over to sit on his knees. “Yes, let’s try this,” he giggled and allowed Louis to blindfold him, trusting him completely. The vision of being completely at someone’s mercy would normally make him anxious and apprehensive, but not with his husband – he knew that nothing bad would happen to him, and they would stop immediately if he needed to.After a moment, the scarf obscured his vision completely, and Mike could see nothing; Louis helped him out of the bed and spun him a few times around his own axis, making Mike dizzy and giggling like crazy. At this point, he had completely no idea what was going on with him until he fell back on the bed, which rebounced under his weight.“What are you going to do to me?” he asked, intrigued and turned on more than he’d expected to be; the unknown, the anticipation – it all built up on the atmosphere. When Louis touched him again, a familiar, homey touch, Mike’s skin prickled, and he realized that he could feel it much more intensely than when his sight was working normally. He gasped when he felt his husband’s hand between his thighs, desperate for some friction, and his tongue slicking his nipples, tugging on them, toying with him in any way he wanted to. There was also an element of surprise – Mike had no idea what was coming next, where Louis was going to touch him, which multiplied his pleasure and impatience.His trunks finally slid down, caught briefly on the aching erection; Mike didn’t know what was going to happen, but he could hear the lube tube being opened, then a slicking noise of Louis’ hand, slicking his own cock, which sent a fire zinging down to his loins. He gasped and stretched out his hand to stroke himself, his dick leaking profusely, creating a natural moisture.“I want to feel you, all of you, babe,” he heard his husband rasp, felt him flatten against his body and tuck his large hands under his knees, bending them up, grinding their bodies together, rigid cocks slipping slickly against each other, precum mixing with lube, driving Mike absolutely wild with desire.If Louis gave up to his instincts and followed the urge of his red-hot, sweaty body, he’d enter Mike there and then. His husband was irresistible, providing for the most arousing view Louis had ever seen in his life, and he quickly found himself panting.Louis squeezed out some more lube on his fingers and rubbed them against Mike’s rim, and his partner’s reactions followed. Mike was gasping under his touch when he felt the pressure of two of Louis’ fingers slowly pushing in, soft squeals tearing from his throat as he writhed impatiently, thirsting for more. Louis kept fingering him as he moved his eyes away from Mike’s pink hole, skimmed his gaze over the other man’s naked body, to admire his frowns and desirous expressions of both delight and impatience. With his mouth open, lips parted and still glistening with saliva from their intense kisses, and his eyes covered, Mike looked like a saint in ecstasy, a view as perverse as it was breathtaking.“If you only knew how beautiful you look…” Louis panted in awe, keeping his eyes fixed on Mike’s body. Fuck, they should definitely have sex by the mirror at the nearest opportunity, he thought as he added a third finger to work Mike open, which was met with the other man’s hitched breath. Louis inhaled sharply when he sensed his own body’s reaction and felt like his stiff, leaking cock begged for release. He pulled his fingers out of Mike and gave his erection a few strokes, his movements getting faster when he heard his partner’s whimper at the sudden emptiness. That was it, he thought, none of them could take it any longer, and their bodies seemed to gravitate towards each other. Louis could only imagine Mike’s tension and sweet torment while blindfolded, his own skin tingling and his body shivering in eagerness when he lowered himself over his husband, bending up the other’s slender legs.“Ready?” he asked in a throaty whisper. Mike nodded frantically, his head moved in such desperate motion that one could think his life depended on being filled up and railed hard. In an automatic response, Louis nodded hastily as well, never mind his partner couldn’t see him, and bent down to exchange one more fast, thirsty kiss with Mike. A string of spit stretched from his lips, its snapping sound working like a trigger on Louis who started rubbing the head of his dick against Mike’s entrance, already fingered open and loosened up enough to take him in.The stretch was delightful when Louis entered Mike in a firm motion, pushing the tip in and jostling his cock further inside. He groaned in the moment his body got the relief it longed for, and the first spasm of pleasure ran through him. He fitted inside Mike perfectly; his lover squeezed him, and his hot, lubed hole twitched in a way that drove Louis insane. When he pushed his whole length inside Mike, Louis felt as if he saw stars and he could swear that whole galaxies exploded in his mind while his friction movements sped up and he started ramming his cock inside Mike. Their red-hot raw sex was an experience like no other for Louis, and their wedding night had just started, guaranteeing to leave both men exhausted and ecstatic.At fucking last.Mike reacted with an audible gasp, his body shifting on its own accord when Louis finally entered him with his throbbing length curved upwards, finding his prostate immediately. The sensation was intensified by the lack of vision, so his brain focused on touch, smell, and hearing. His knees bent up, Louis holding them up to bury his cock inside him deeply, with expertise.“From behind,” Mike stuttered out with difficulty, wishing he could look at his partner when they were doing it in the missionary. “Take me from behind,” his plea beseeching, almost desperate. Louis gasped, his breath hitched, but he stopped, pulled out and helped Mike to flip him on his belly, dragging him up on his knees, butt up, to the edge of the bed. And entered him again, with momentum, no time to waste, which pulled a short scream out of Mike’s throat.Fucking from behind had always been more animalistic and rough, with his partner having full control over thrusts and intensity – Mike gave it to Louis, yielding to him, melting underneath him. He twisted his fingers into the sheets, mouth parted wide, drooling and watering, the other hand reaching out to stroke his leaking cock. The clapping sound of Louis’ hips thrashing against his butt turned him on even more, and when their balls met halfway, it sent fire singing through his nerves, driving him absolutely crazy.Mike buried his face in the sheets, muffling wanton squeals that were leaving his throat, so intense the whole experience was – he needed this, to have his brains fucked out thoroughly, so no thought would come to his brain for quite some time, giving him a lovely and much-needed break from constant thinking and analyzing. Only Louis could send him to that orbit, push him through the edge, and bring him the ultimate delight he craved.Mike arched his back lower and pushed back, rolling his hips to feel that cock even more intensely, especially when Louis crossed his hands on his lower back, ramming him from behind like a pornstar, causing Mike to mewl, beg and sob, so close to the finish line, balancing over the edge. His whole body went taut, eager and slick with sweat, just a step away from the sweetest release.“Louis, please…” he managed to stutter out with effort, hand moving up and down, stroking himself feverishly, as if his life depended on it. The blindfold was wet with his sweat and tears of pleasure.A strained grunt escaped his throat when Louis thrust into Mike once more, plunging into the heat and tightness of his partner once again. In no time, the motions of his hips grew desperate, and he was on the edge himself, which was additionally confirmed by the gradual loss of control over his movements and loosening his grip on Mike’s wrists. Sweat dripped from his back and forehead and the sensation of extreme pleasure spread through his whole body when he kept fucking Mike mercilessly from behind.At that moment, he felt an intense spasm in his lower abdomen. Louis moaned like a dying beast, unable to control himself anymore, not even trying to hold anything back. One of the best things about having sex with Mike was how both of them were as synchronized as if they were made for each other, fitting the other man perfectly and adjusting the pace of their movements to each other. After all, Mike rolled his hips in the way that made Louis fuck him even deeper, something which the more dominant man took with pleasure. It took Louis just a few more harsh thrusts to realize he was about to climax any moment now and he bent over Mike, his hips glued to his partner’s butt and bony thighs, their sweaty bodies turning feverishly hot to the touch.“Come, baby… give it to me,” he panted with effort, his words almost indiscernible as they came out of a clenched throat and were followed by a low, almost pained grunt. A split second later, Louis heard himself groaning when his body jerked forward in a spasmodic motion and his dick twitched inside Mike. He couldn’t hold back the orgasm anymore as he filled Mike up, his whole body giving in to the overwhelming and all-consuming pleasure. It felt surreal to sense the delightful heat spread from his abdomen to his whole body, but what felt the best of all was experiencing this together with Mike.His partner’s muscles clenched Louis inside and squeezed him tightly, making him come on the spot. The intense orgasm turned his mind blank and shook his entire body as Louis shot his whole load among the litany of moans that were almost drowned out by Mike’s muffled scream. The climax spread through his body like wildfire and left Louis panting, breathing as heavily as if he’d been struggling for his life. He stayed inside Mike for a while before sliding out and falling onto the mattress next to him, just as breathless and exhausted as his husband. Louis could only hope Mike was as satisfied as him, and he wanted to make sure about it as he reached for the scarf to untie it.“I am so, so very lucky,” Louis began. “To have a husband who is so great in bed,” he panted and leaned closer to Mike when he undid the blindfold. “Hold on, love, I don’t want you to get blinded,” he murmured and planted a kiss on his partner’s exposed neck before removing the fabric completely. Louis reached for the light switch to dim the lamps in their bedroom and looked at his husband’s face, flushed red just like his own face must have been and so gorgeous it made Louis’ heart skip a beat.The force of Mike’s orgasm startled even himself; he was swept away from the surface of the reality for one, sweet moment, choking, gasping for air, screaming loud enough to be heard down the corridor if the room wasn’t soundproof.The power of his climax caught him off-guard, squeezing tears out of his eyes, waves of pleasure washing over him until the sea calmed down, low tide. He felt Louis swell inside him right before he bred him, Mike squeezed his sphincter around him, milking the cum right out of him, keeping him inside. For a while longer, they stayed like this, motionlessly locked in one another, lost in sensation.He slumped on the sheets and grunted with effort, his hole gaping now, Louis’ juices trickling out of him, down his lean thighs and butt. He was spent and breathless, but the fire in his loins was still smoldering, not allowing Mike to forget how hypersexual he got once Louis entered his life and became so dear to him.He blinked at first when his husband removed the blindfold; the light was dim, but he still needed a moment to get used to it after spending a while in a grey darkness. Louis’ flushed face appeared in front of his eyes, so beautifully ugly after an intense climax together. Tears and snot stained Mike’s face; he was probably a picture of despair and misery himself, but he couldn’t care less.“Oh, babe, what the fuck,” he rasped loudly, rolling over onto the back, only then did he tilt his head to look at his husband with a wide grin. “I should be the one asking this. You’ve fucked the brains out of me,” Mike added with a satisfied chuckle, allowing Louis to wrap his arm around him to scoop him closer and kiss him gently, such a stark contrast to what they had been doing just a moment ago. “And I’m the lucky bastard who’ll keep doing this with you for years to come,” Mike added, so looking forward to that kind of future.Louis got up and padded to their luxurious bathroom naked and barefoot, taking a long, luxuriant piss with the door open, his back to Mike. He washed his hands and guzzled down some water before he took some for Mike in a glass. He rose on his elbow and accepted the water with gratitude, guzzling it down straightaway as well.“Let’s take a bath?” Mike suggested, feeling the need to decompress and wash himself after a long day before they continue with their marital duties in this beautiful, luxurious place.“Absolutely,” Louis purred in approval. He couldn’t have thought of a better continuation of their night, or rather – a better break in-between their intense fucking sessions which have just began. “I could never miss out on sharing a bath with you, especially not in such a place,” he recalled the exquisite marble wonder that the large bathtub was, which made both of them smile dreamily.Louis was eager to take a bath, all right, but he couldn’t deprive himself of the pleasure of some more cuddling. He seated himself on the bed next to his husband, who was reclining on his elbow, sprawled on the mattress like a prince and looking just as stunning. Mike agreed to his words with a happy murmur and stretched in Louis’ arms.“My muscles are so sore that I could definitely use a bath,” he added with an exaggerated groan. In a theatrical gesture, Mike reached out his arm to squeeze his buttcheek and made a wry face so convincingly that Louis burst out laughing. “You destroyed my hole,” he nearly howled and fell on his back dramatically. “Will my prince forgive me even if I don’t carry him to the bathroom, hm?” Louis asked in a tone just as serious as Mike’s distressed complaints. His muscular frame was still above Mike’s lithe body when he caressed his husband’s neck and brushed a few messy curls away from his forehead. Louis did that almost absentmindedly, so familiar with his loved one’s body but at the same so filled with admiration deep enough to border on devotion.Mike nodded affirmatively as his flirtatious, foxy smirk changed to a warm smile. Louis welcomed that with a happy grunt and treated Mike’s grin as an invitation to get their bath ready. God, what a work of art that suite was, it dawned on Louis once again when he paced to the bathroom. The monochrome marble-tiled space boasted windows so large they almost spanned from the floor, and the bathtub itself guaranteed to accommodate two people, still leaving a lot of space.The hotel staff cared about everything and left a whole selection of bath salts and oils for them - in fact, there were so many miniature bottles and jars to choose from that Louis needed a moment before finding the one he had in mind, the one that scented of bergamot. He opened the tap with hot water, letting it pour into the bathtub, and looked up from the spacious black-and-white marble to stare into Mike’s eyes when his husband entered the bathroom. For a moment, he watched Louis get their bath ready, and when the level of water was just enough for both of them, Louis closed his arms around Mike, whose slender back leaned against him.“I’m happy to make some more memories with you here before we move,” he murmured against Mike’s nape, brushing his facial hair on the sensitive skin on his husband’s neck. Louis was genuinely happy to have another unforgettable experience of Paris before they left and moved on, but what made him the happiest was sharing his future with Mike. Their bond and understanding, the feelings they shared and deep, mutual trust - none of this could be faked and when it occurred to Louis once again, a wave of gratitude spread through his body, his eyes almost watering again when he thought how lucky he was with Mike.Mike hissed slightly when the hot water went in touch with his toes, but he got used to it quickly, slowly lowering himself to make himself comfortable, bracketed between his husband’s muscled thighs; the jacuzzi was huge, nothing like his tub at home where they were forced to squeeze their tall bodies – here, Mike could even stretch his long, lean legs, submerging himself in the soft soap, enveloped by the bergamot scent.“Mhmm, this is absolutely wonderful,” he purred with delight, eyes half-closed. He was sobering up, the orgasm squeezed all the ethanol and half of his bodily fluids out of his body. “This is the best wedding night I could have imagined, babe,” Mike added and tilted his head to kiss Louis on the lips.To make it even better, he stretched out his arm to grab the champagne that was placed in an ice bucket, a gift for the newlyweds.“I’m scared, you open it!” he shrieked, remembering how his husband managed with the liquor during their dinner and covered his ears – he really hated the sudden, loud sound the cork made! Louis took the task seriously, stretched himself out to open the bottle outside the tub. A loud pop resounded, but without making a huge mess! Mike took it with a relief and took the tall glasses for them to pour it in, but the foam had other plans, falling onto their skin and into the water, making both of them burst into laughter.“Champagne is so pervy, don’t you think, hubby?” Mike chuckled and clinked his glass against Louis’, then licked some of the foam off his husband’s neck, chest and face, shamelessly and lavishly. “Mmm, tastes really good,” Mike finished with a wide grin, hoping that it set the mood for the rest of the night.It was impossible to disagree with Mike when he mentioned how pervy champagne was. He licked it directly off Louis’ body, which only heated up the atmosphere and made the taller man shiver in delight, the satisfied grunt rumbling in his chest.“Sure it does, but you taste better,” he replied as if he was stating the most obvious thing and smirked at his gorgeous husband. “And besides, we have so much time for so many pervy things.” He followed up on his partner’s previous words and whispered the sultry promise right into Mike’s ear. Louis slid his tongue down the other man’s smooth, slender neck, which made Mike giggle, and went on to tasting his skin as he sucked his mark onto his husband’s neck. Mike’s sigh was the best reward Louis could imagine, and he left a few more love bites on the warm, exposed skin on his partner’s neck and nape, which was followed by gasps and soft moans that he loved hearing so much. Much to Louis’ delight, Mike responded to his actions with just as much ardor and affection, and soon enough, he turned his body to face Louis, straddling him in the bathtub and making the water splash around them.The atmosphere got much hotter again, and Louis welcomed that. He moaned in Mike’s mouth and sucked on his tongue when his husband kissed him with eagerness and hunger, letting his sleek hands wander over Louis’ toned body. It seemed that Mike wasn’t just turned on again – Louis could feel how horny and restless his husband was and how much he wanted to take the initiative. He couldn’t be more sure of that when Mike started grinding against him, beginning with languid, unhurried motions and tempting him with increasingly faster and harder movements later on. Louis inhaled sharply when he felt himself getting hard and sensed the stiffness of Mike’s cock rubbing against his torso and lower abdomen.“Actually, I was thinking…” Louis began and made a short pause. His goal was to speak in a slow, sultry rasp and work on Mike’s imagination, but instead, it seemed that his partner was rather amused by his attempt. Mike smirked and shot him an asking look, just as if he wanted to say, “A himbo like you? Thinking? Impossible,” and Louis bit his lower lip at that thought. Sometimes, Mike was such a devil! “…we could move to the sofa, the one near the mirror,” he suggested quietly. “That big mirror, the one in which I want to see you on top of me, riding me and moving that pretty ass of yours,” Louis added in a voice that turned low and guttural in arousal. His eyes must have darkened with desire while he stared at Mike intensely, waiting for a response. “What do you say…?” he asked, breath hitching when his husband grabbed him by the chin. Usually, Louis was the one to take hold of Mike’s face and tilt it up, but he had to admit this sudden change of roles, as temporary as it was, turned him on to the point of impossibility and made him breathe heavily in impatience, his eyes wide open as he stared at his lover.Mike’s erection came back quickly, the fire in his loins reignited again by a mere touch of his husband’s lips on that erogenous spot on his neck. He was sure that he’d never have enough of this man, finally sure that he had made the right decision to marry him, spending the forever with him. Louis made Mike feel safe and secure, and although many told him that such things normalized and banalized sex, he thought of it differently – sex in an established relationship filled with mutual trust was better because Mike could be himself, and not pretend to be anyone else.There was no thrill of discovering new things together, but Louis knew what Mike liked, and vice versa – so they could focus on doing exactly what they enjoyed.Mike gave his growing erection a few brisk strokes, but the touch of his husband’s toned body underneath him was enough, his eyes fluttering shut as he kept grinding against his slick skin, pink from the warm bath. He was almost sure that he would cum even from humping, but he didn’t have to – Louis had a much better idea.“Mhmm, a mirror, you say?” Mike stretched out his arm to grab his partner’s half-hard cock, expertly slicking the foreskin back and forth, edging Louis, his brow furrowed, a low grunt pulled out of his throat. Mike pretended to think, tormenting his partner – a refined torture, but still a torture anyway. “I think… I’d love that,” he reckoned at last and got out of the bath, quickly, carelessly dried himself and his husband, eager to feel him again.As Louis said, there was a huge mirror in the other part of their suite, right in front of the sofa – created to fuck in front of it, most definitely. Mike gazed fondly at their reflection together - both naked as jaybirds, still flushed a rosy pink from the heat of the bath, slick and sleek. Mike committed the image to memory and wrapped his arms around Louis’ neck, pushing him with his body weight, moving him inexorably backwards until the backs of Louis’ knees hit the edge of the sofa, making him slump on it.“Oh, this is going to be hot,” he gasped when he took a look at the mirror, enjoying the view of their naked, tangled bodies to the fullest.Seeing the reflection of their naked bodies, so close to each other that they looked entwined together, made Louis gasp audibly.“Fucking hell, just look at us,” he sighed when their gazes locked in the mirror. “We’re simply made for each other, don’t you think…?” he asked in a throaty whisper. Louis didn’t care that he might have sounded cheesy or spoken like a protagonist of some sappy gay drama movie. He really couldn’t shake the impression that he and Mike looked as if they were made for each other, and when his husband straddled him, positioning his lean, willowy body over Louis’ hips and leaning against his toned abdomen, he couldn’t be more sure of it.“Yes, we are,” Mike agreed in the calmest, most composed tone imaginable while he slid his hands over the other man’s thighs. At the same time, Louis loved and hated this sweet torture and the contrast between his husband’s stoical voice and his sultry teasing. Mike started to knead Louis’ thighs, grinding on top of him in a way that made their cocks, slick from precum, rub against each other. Louis could see that his stunning partner took satisfaction in teasing him like that, letting his hands explore the body he knew so well already, picking on his chest hair and tugging at his nipples with moistened fingers. He didn’t stay behind and put his large hands around Mike’s thin waist, motioning him to get close and then closer, the closest possible, right before he grabbed his husband’s shapely butt. “Why don’t you get us the lube? Please, baby,” Louis rasped, his last words coming out as a begging whisper. He tried to play it cool for a moment, but his body was too thirsty again and his erection too painful to even attempt sounding more firm or dominant. “You know where we left it… even if I nearly fucked your brains out,” he smirked without breaking eye contact with Mike, who got so close Louis could see his own reflection in his lover’s eyes.His husband gave him a foxy smile and playfully bit Louis’ lower lip.“So impatient and so eager again,” Mike murmured with satisfaction, sliding his hand over his torso, tracing the hairy chest with his long, graceful fingers. Despite the earlier tease, so intense it almost made Louis howl in impatience, Mike seemed to have decided not to torture him longer. Louis watched his partner rise and walk to the bedroom where they had previously left the lube, admiring the view of Mike’s stark naked body approaching him when he brought what they needed.“Don’t keep me waiting for too long, love,” Louis gasped when Mike sat astride him again. He squeezed some lube onto his fingers to prepare his partner and gently massage his hole while Mike made sure to lube his partner’s erect cock, Louis’ increasing stiffness fitting Mike’s hand perfectly. Louis felt as if he couldn’t take it anymore, so overwhelming the pleasant stimuli were and so many views caught his attention - he gazed at Mike’s face flushed red, then stared shamelessly at his lover’s grip on his dick, and last but not least glanced in the mirror that provided them with quite an entrancing spectacle. When Mike lowered himself over Louis’ hips, their eyes locked automatically, though, and all he could do was mouthing a faint “ride me” as his husband positioned himself over him in a way that made Louis’ impatient dick rub against the hot skin of his entrance, almost entering him.Mike couldn’t take his eyes off their bodies locked together, the show was truly entrancing, and it made Mike wonder whether he’d ever seen himself like that, his face pink, their bodies slick and sweaty, Louis’ dick twitching, red and veiny, at his hole. He grabbed him and pulled him closer, to his hot insides, where he needed him the most.The moment of his husband’s throbbing length entering him always took Mike’s breath away, the stretch of the sphincter was delightful, it pulled a loud moan out of his breath, his eyes fluttering shut for the first few seconds – no matter how many times they’d do this, the moment of entering had always been Mike’s favorite, appreciated with any kind of a sound of pleasure.“Fuck—” he rasped, sensing that Louis buried himself balls deep into his guts, reaching also the other sphincter. “We’d make a great pornstar couple,” he added, voice ragged with pleasure, slowly rolling his hips, watching as his partner’s girthy cock disappeared into his warm tightness, then appeared again; Mike was absolutely mesmerized by the view in the reflection, the utmost perfection of their dance of love, and the pleasure surging through him, sent him spiraling closer to the edge.But Mike was only getting started. He grabbed Louis’ hand and placed it on his throat, so his husband would squeeze it, own him, dominate him, making pleasure all the sweeter; he took him in with a mastery that had been honed over years of practice. He let Louis’ cock disappear inside him, bouncing, grinding, the length of it making his belly bulge with each deep thrust.“Oh, God, yes,” Mike managed to wheeze out with his partner’s large hand around his throat, riding him wild, like a pro, until his cock slid out of him with a pop. Mike whined and quickly grabbed it and pushed it back into his hole, growling in response, a feral sound that rumbled in his chest when their bodies locked together anew, and he started riding Louis with the same passion as before.His moans and strained grunts didn’t even resemble words anymore when Louis felt the pleasure controlling his body. His eyes shut almost instinctively in the moment Mike impaled himself onto him, letting Louis bury himself deep into his hot tightness, well-lubed and properly stretched after the sex they’d had earlier.It was after a moment that he reminded himself to look not just at Mike but also at the mirror. After all, they really looked as if they were made for each other and Louis took immense pleasure in watching Mike grinding on him, his back arched, sticking out his butt when he rolled his hips. His cock sank inside his partner and reappeared in a way which was hypnotizing to Louis, it looked so mesmerizing and felt so addictive that his body was nearly shivering in pleasure.He loved everything about every time he had sex with Mike – the way they synchronized and fit each other, the glide and the delightful squeeze that his husband’s twitching muscles provided, the intimacy and closeness of his lover’s red-hot, sweat-stained skin. Now, they also had the mirrored reflection to add even more to the experience, and when he felt a sudden grip on his hand as Mike motioned Louis to choke him, he embraced the familiar role of dominance.Everything was perfect to Louis, and he vocalized his satisfaction with all the grunts, moans and raspy curses that tore out of his chest. The sensation was electric and downright overwhelming, and he bucked his hips to meet Mike halfway, their skin clashing with a clapping sound that turned him on even more.Louis kept his hand on Mike’s throat, squeezing his neck for a longer while and hardening his grip when his partner’s pace sped up. It was only when Louis inhaled sharply, the heat intensifying in his lower abdomen, that he let go of Mike’s neck and planted his hands firmly on his husband’s hip bones.“Mike… oh, fuck,” he grunted and looked at the other man with eyes hazy in the ever-increasing desire. The upcoming climax was pushing Louis to the edge, and he felt almost feverish when he tried to speak to his loved one. “If you keep doing this… I’ll come,” Louis groaned in effort, his eyelids clenching while his body’s sudden jolt. He rolled his hips against Mike’s in a nearly automatic motion, hardly controlling himself when his partner was riding him as wildly as if their lives depended on it. Watching themselves in the mirror felt almost surreal for Louis, who found himself entranced by the view, his eyes fixed on the raw, passionate love between them and Mike’s face frowned in ecstasy – the sight he could never have enough of.All that thrashing and bouncing sent fire zinging down to Mike’s loins, his blood singing, licking him, making it even better when Louis’ fingers dug deeper into his throat, cutting halfway into his airways. His mouth wide agape, gasping for air, however, at the same time slowing his hip movements on his partner’s dick.“On your back,” he heard his husband order, smacking his butt fiercely. It didn’t even cross Mike’s mind to disobey the order, although Louis practically tossed him onto the sofa, manhandling him as if he weighed nothing, then bent one of his lean legs up and entered him again, with momentum which made Mike scream; he couldn’t admire their reflection in the mirror anymore, but it didn’t matter – his eyes were fluttering shut in the overwhelming pleasure, his nails dug into the thick, sweat-damp skin on Louis’ back, his legs bracketing him, giving his husband a little hug.“Breed me, babe,” Mike managed to stutter out, feeling the explosion grow in his lower belly, blowing him apart from the inside, and every thrust was bringing him closer to the culmination point. He sensed that Louis was close too, throbbing impatiently inside him, fucking him as if his life depended on it, and ultimately pushing Mike over the edge as well.He was choking and mewling and gasping, holding on for dear life, arms wrapped around Louis’ neck as if he was a buoy on the sea. The orgasm electrocuted him, piercing throughout him, then also brought another, smaller earthquake, squeezing tears and energy out of Mike, who was spasming and panting like an animal in agony. His limbs slumped on the sofa, shaking with effort as Louis pressed his forehead against Mike’s, trying to calm himself – and his heart rate – down.“Jesus fucking Christ,” he heard his husband croak, breathless, trying not to slump down on Mike and crush him. He stayed inside, milking him, until his erection waned, and he pulled out of Mike completely, leaving a stain of cum on the sofa. His belly was covered with Mike’s juices as well, which created a sticky puddle there, but Louis didn’t seem to mind at all.“That was… nghhh,” Mike mumbled, scooping up to make some space for his lover by his side. “Spectacular, babe,” he finished, his throat as dry as a bone. He was spent and almost lethargic, but so happy, letting Louis gently stroke him as they were slowly coming out of their high, grounding back down.It was spectacular not just to experience one more orgasm with Mike and let it exhaust and empty their bodies, milking them to the last drop. Watching themselves in the mirror was a spectacle in itself, even if switching to a different position made it impossible to look at the reflection of their intertwined bodies.When they were resting on the sofa, Louis just looked directly at Mike, whose sweaty face in deep blushed shade and chest rising in much-needed, repetitive breaths provided for the most wonderful sight he could imagine.“I’m ready for our spectacular night to continue… as soon as we rest a bit,” Louis whispered, his voice still raspy from their recent excesses. His husband purred in approval, scooting himself closer to Louis, eager for more touching and cuddling. His big hands kept stroking Mike’s lean back and arms, caressing the Gamma tattoo on his shoulder blade as well. It was difficult to take his gaze off Mike, but when Louis did it, the sight of a nearby window worked on his imagination and brought back pleasant memories.“I promised to fuck you by the window for all the Montparnasse to see,” he began in a whisper as he nuzzled his face against Mike’s neck. His husband giggled when Louis’ facial hair brushed against the sensitive, exposed skin, and he used this playful but intimate moment to whisper the suggestion to his partner’s ear, biting gently at his earlobe. “Well, we’re not at home at the moment, but maybe this view will do, hm…?”“Louis Rogé, you are impossible,” Mike said, shaking his head, chuckling. “I can’t believe that moments ago, you said we should rest!” he gasped and looked pensively at the direction of the wall of glass next to them, with the panorama of Paris stretching behind it.“We should! Just let me carry you to the bed first, love,” Louis assured quickly and sat up from the sofa. He put his arm under Mike’s knees and the other under his back, securing his partner’s slim frame in his embrace, and stood up as easily as his husband weighed nothing. When Mike made a small gasp at the sudden movement, Louis just smirked at him. “Told you,” he whispered, carrying his partner to the dimly lit bedroom that still smelled of sex. Louis brought them some water to share and joined Mike, who was reclining in the messy sheets, up for everything as long as it was with his loved one. They could let the night continue, but just as well, they could nap or get some proper sleep. The night was theirs, and it was already the best wedding night Louis could imagine.When Mike woke up in the morning, he was groggy and exhausted and so thirsty. If there was any liquid left in his body by the time Louis had finished with him, he couldn’t find it. All the wine and champagne also had an influence on Mike’s head, which was aching, pain throbbing between his brows as if there was metallurgic factory working inside. He rolled over on the other side with a grunt and padded naked to the bathroom to have a piss and take a few painkillers.The cold shower also did Mike the world of good, and when he got back to the bedroom, he slumped back on the bed, trying not to wake Louis up, who was still sleeping deep, his mouth open, snoring quietly, and curled up by his side, then fell back asleep.When he woke up again, his husband was already awake, gently stroking his back; much to Mike’s relief, the headache was mostly gone, however, his muscles were still sore after their adventurous night when they indulged into all types of positions, also quite acrobatic ones, probably more suited to someone in their twenties, not middle thirties; they had christened all the places in this luxurious apartment, and Mike was worn out, but in the most delightful way possible.“Sleeping beauty awakes,” he heard Louis giggle when his eyes slowly fluttered open, lazily, as if his eyelids were glued together. Mike smiled faintly and took a deep breath, roving his hand over his husband’s hairy chest, admiring the wedding ring on his own hand as if he was afraid that it was only a dream. Fortunately, it wasn’t only a product of his own imagination.“Good morning, Mr. Rogé,” Mike snuggled up closer, inhaling his partner’s intensely musky, attractive personal scent with admiration, which blended with the smell of sex filling the whole apartment. Louis placed a kiss on his forehead, slowly waking Mike back to life. He stretched with a loud groan, feeling the stiffness of his muscles, although his ass was surprisingly fine – lots of lube certainly helped with the friction, which could be painful on the next day.“Something’s dawning on me… did we get married yesterday?” he asked mock-seriously, teasing his husband as he rubbed his tired eyes.“Oh, I’m not sure, did we?” Louis responded in a similar tone, half-serious and half-joking, picking up on Mike’s mood. “I think… we might have. If my memory doesn’t fail me, of course,” he added matter-of-factly, as if he really had to think deeply about this.He was filled with joy and fresh excitement that hasn’t faded since their marriage ceremony, and he felt as if the happiness was so intense it bordered on disbelief. Louis shifted on the mattress in a way that positioned his body over Mike’s and gave him the best view of his gorgeous partner’s face.He supported himself on forearms, careful not to crush Mike with his weight, and looked at his husband’s face attentively as he basically fidgeted himself into the right place.“Loulou, what are you up to…?” he asked, not sleepy anymore. The dizziness was gone from Mike’s attitude, replaced by curiosity and excitement, which Louis loved hearing in his husband’s voice.“Let me take care of these,” he said firmly but quietly as he gently wiped some eye gunk off Mike’s face. “Get used to it now that we’re married!” Louis chuckled. He wasn’t wrong, though – everyday life would surely include small gestures like that and the details, seemingly not too important, that added up for a shared reality. Mike giggled as well, making himself comfortable under the other man’s muscular posture. Soon after that, he realized that Mike was ready for more – much more, as his stray hand over Louis’ butt and lower back would suggest.“Actually, why don’t I do the same thing…” he murmured and brought his large hand to Mike’s narrow hips. Louis slid his palm to his partner’s slim thigh, fingers caressing Mike’s skin warmed up from sleep, and gently bent his leg to pull it up. His husband’s gasp was the best reward to Louis, who already got half-hard, his body fully awake and craving more touch again. He leaned in for a kiss passionate enough to confirm that none of them was tired or dizzy anymore, and when Mike responded with a soft moan, Louis was sure he’d done something right.His other hand found its way to Mike’s thigh and spread his legs slightly while their kisses became thirstier and hotter, bordering on desperate when Louis stroked his partner’s inner thighs. Encouraged by Mike’s actions, Louis shifted his body to the lower part of the mattress and dove between Mike’s legs, staying so close to his lover that his facial hair brushed against the other man’s bare skin. He made sure to leave a few kisses on Mike’s thighs and slicked his thumb with spit to trail it gently across his hole, loosened by their intense night and twitching slightly under his touch. Louis sped up a bit and stroked just a little harder, circling his finger until he heard Mike’s gasps turn into heavy, labored breathing, his inhales spasmodic as the other man worked wonders on him.Louis raised his head to glance up at Mike along the refined, graceful line of his body.“Let me lick you... Can I, love?” Louis’ voice came out in a raspy whisper, and his gaze, fixed and dilated, stayed fixed on Mike.Louis’ touch worked like an aphrodisiac, waking Mike up better than drinking ginseng tea or anything else, really. His breath hitched, stuttered, slender fingers pulling his lover’s hair as he lowered down, peppering his body with kisses and licks, savoring it as if he’d never seen or tasted him before; a short squeak left his throat when he felt himself pleasantly groped, his dick waking up, showing interest again.He shuddered when Louis’ thumb pressed against his asshole, fingers clutched onto the damp sheets. His nod was erratic, quick, Mike was already too horny to wait for another occasion like that.“Yes, baby, please—” he rasped, toes curling up in intense pleasure as his husband’s wet and warm mouth finally enveloped his dick, so skillful, teasing the underneath of his cock, an audible gasp was an immediate reaction, body shifting on its own accord. Mike looked at his love’s ministrations, his face pink and his eyes wide, pupils dilated with desire, full of pleasure from simply sucking him off. As he tongued the sweet spot on the underside, it unlocked something within Mike, pulling out a wanton whimper out of him.“Oh God, yes,” a moan broke free from his throat, making his eyes roll in delightful spasms going through his body as his husband slid in the second finger, making him taut. When they found his prostate, he let out another squeal that decrescendoed into whimpers, threatening to sing in a higher octave. Mike made Louis sure that he needed this; he needed him. His narrow hips started to roll, gently at first, and feeling himself move in his mouth caused him to mewl. “Babe… fuck me slow, like this,” he begged at last, eyes beseeching.Mike was too tired for any gymnastic positions, but sweet lovemaking in missionary was always welcome, his words bordering on a needy whine.“Please, babe…”Mike’s words worked like a catalyst on Louis. Hearing his husband’s request and listening to his begging voice had only turned him on more, making him moan under his breath while he pleasured Mike.“I’m on it, baby,” Louis assured him quickly and looked around for lube. Luckily, the tube of lubricant wasn’t far – it ended up next to the bed, on the floor among their scattered clothes – and he could use some on Mike in no time. “Just going to prepare you a little bit and fuck you slowly while reaching you deep inside… how does that sound?” he asked in a hoarse voice, low from the overwhelming desire. Louis didn’t even want to tease Mike too much; he just felt like some dirty talking and working on their imagination, and it seemed that his words were just right for the occasion.“I want you inside me,” Mike gasped in a dying breath. He spoke in a strained way, his whole body went taut, and Louis felt the same way when he massaged some lube into Mike’s hole. His fingers sank into his lover’s addictive heat and tightness, and he hissed in the increasing arousal. His erection couldn’t be ignored anymore and Louis spread some lube onto his aching cock, keeping his gaze fixed on Mike.He moved closer to Mike, letting his husband press his legs to his sides, and started rubbing his dick against his partner’s entrance. Louis inhaled sharply when he pressed the head of his dick to Mike’s hole, hot and twitching. Their breaths mingled when he was so close to his husband, the heat of his skin got even more intense in the moment he lowered himself over Mike’s filigree body, and their moans blended into one prolonged howl of ecstasy as Louis finally pushed himself inside him.Good heavens, fucking hell and everything in between, it flickered through his mind when Mike let him squeeze further inside. Louis broke the resistance of his muscles and stretched his sphincter, nearly seeing stars underneath his eyelids. Their morning sex felt so good that it was almost too good, and Louis moaned in audible effort, probably sounding like an animal in agony. He had to stop himself from speeding up and fucking the daylights out of Mike and instead, he focused on the rhythm and depth of his thrusts, reaching his husband deep inside without being too harsh, just staying in the moment.Louis sighed and gasped, his moans nearly drowned out by Mike’s ecstatic sounds, and kept thrusting his lover in slow, steady movements. He gave himself some time to gain momentum and speed up, sure, but what mattered the most to Louis was being with Mike. They complemented each other and worked like a well-synchronized machine together, he realized seconds before all thoughts dropped from his head. Mike squeezed him inside and put his arms around Louis’ neck to press his body closer, and he couldn’t help but enjoy all of it as he leaned in for an ardent kiss and started moving inside his husband in impatient, slightly faster movements.It was the type of sex one could never put a price on. Mike wasn't usually the fan of lovemaking, movie-like type of sex, but with Louis, everything was different. Who'd have thought that it'd ever come to this?Clearly not Mike, who was feeling like the protagonist of some stupid romantic movie now; it didn’t, however, change or spoil his good mood. Usually, he was like Louis – such maudlin, amorous moments would usually make him run away or at least make his erection drop instantly.Romanticism was anything but sexy, he used to think. But now, he surprised himself by being almost completely hard again, a pleasant rush of blood to his underbelly when he was under Louis again. Maybe this worked only with that one special person, he wondered. The person he’d been waiting years for, yearning for a moment like this, dreaming and day-dreaming about it.Now, it had become his reality, and Mike couldn’t be happier.“I love you,” he gasped with effort when his husband started moving inside him, with gentle thrusts, his own dick pressed between his and Louis' belly, leaking profusely on their skin, creating a sticky puddle soon enough. Mike wried his fingers into his partner's hair, staring him into the eyes, unashamed.For a moment, their movements stood still. Louis froze into him, cupped his face into his hands and kissed him in a wet, passionate way. "I love you too, Mike, so much," his husband replied, visibly touched by Mike's words. "I can't believe we get to do this as husbands now."“I can do it all day, every day,” Mike gasped and chuckled at Louis ’ words, accepting him inside with a relief that he was finally back there, where he needed him the most. He wrapped his arms around Louis’ neck, not shunning the intense gaze on his face.It was different this time. Loving. Affectionate. Slow. Something that neither of them was used to, but, somehow, they made it work, learning new things together. This rhythm, painstakingly slow, would bore the hell out of Mike in the past, but now, he was enjoying himself immensely. All he needed was the right person, and then everything was right.“I love you more,” he purred back, unbothered if it sounded cheesy or corny, taken from some stupid rom-com. With Louis, he was free to say what was on his mind and not get judged.It was hot and lovely, so different, but not in a bad way, from the yesternight’s fucking. They caress each other, drink sweet words from each other’s mouths, and get high on their love and intimacy. Mike was on the verge of crying, so lovely it was. Perhaps the orgasm wasn’t the best or the deepest one, but that he had already experienced; this was a feast for his soul as well, not only a carnal pleasure.They were still in bed by the time the breakfast arrived, and Louis was the one to fetch it. He almost did it naked, but Mike reminded him of underwear at the last moment! To make things even funnier, he put on Mike's briefs, almost tearing them in the seams."How on earth do you squeeze into these things?" Louis groused, returning with the breakfast tray. He'd snatched up a pair of boxer briefs without looking. "Oh damn," he'd said mildly, discovering they were Mike's and too small, but -- already half in them and hearing the room service clerk knock a second time -- he'd put them on anyway.The result had been almost more obscene than going completely starkers. "Eyes up here, thank you," he'd told the steward crisply, catching him staring, then shut the door, while Mike was on the bed, rolling with laughter.The breakfast tray was laden with all sorts of goodies - smoked salmon and capers, fluffy scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, flaky warm croissants with butter and jam, a steaming mini-carafe of coffee and another of hot water for tea. Louis set it carefully on a mostly-unruffled section of the bed. Stripping off the offending shorts before they cut off circulation to anything vital, he hopped back into bed, sitting criss-cross-applesauce against the padded headboard, and poured himself a cup of coffee.“What’s mine is yours now,” Mike chuckled when his partner put the tray on the bed. Mike opted for a smoke, but he decided to wait, too absorbed by his husband and the food. “It looks nice,” Mike said, beholding the copious breakfast they got delivered. “You should make it every day for me now,” he chuckled and took one strawberry in his fingers. “Open your mouth, babe,” he told Louis.There was something weirdly erotic in feeding your partner, licking fingers and lips, and Mike wanted to try it out with Louis; fortunately, his partner obeyed, opened his mouth, and he gently slid the fruit in between his lips.A few drops fell to the linens, and Louis chuckled around a mouthful. "Good lord, the cleaning staff is going to think someone's been deflowered in here." He snatched up one of the linen napkins and laid it on the mattress between them. He eyed the smoked salmon - delicious, but hardly as romantic for Lady-and-the-Tramp-style sharing as strawberries. Picking out a piece of cantaloupe instead, he held one end delicately between his teeth and leaned in towards Mike, offering him a kiss and a bite.Leaving the suite in a state that reminded a crime scene wasn’t much of an issue for Louis. Not when he was with Mike, in any case – his whole focus shifted to his gorgeous husband who looked so gorgeous among the crumpled sheets, fixing his doe-eyes on Louis.“Let them think their little thoughts,” he shrugged with a smirk. Much to his happiness, Mike chuckled at his words and reached for a slice of orange to feed it to him. They still had a lot of time for themselves – he’d asked for a late check-out when he was booking the suite for them, so there was no rush. For now, he just wanted to enjoy the time shared in the best company of his loved one, in what must have been the most breathtaking place they’d ever visited. Louis looked forward to more cozy mornings with Mike - even if he couldn’t guarantee spoiling his husband with such breakfast on an everyday basis!“We’ll have a hard time leaving, won’t we?” Mike asked, stretching himself on the wide mattress when they finished their breakfast, the meal so filling that both men could hardly move. It was only now that Louis felt how hungry he was after their nightly excesses, and a proper breakfast and some rest by his husband’s side was all he needed.“When it comes to this lovely suite, leaving will be hard for sure. Leaving Paris, though? I think parting ways with this city is so much easier when I’m with you.” Louis smiled encouragingly and leaned in to kiss his loved one once again.…Just as the recent events were all about many “first times” as a married couple, the days that followed revolved around equally numerous “last times”. There was the last visit to his old apartment to pick up the very last box of his belongings, the last time he spoke to his landlord when he handed in the keys to his previous place, followed by infinitely many small things he’s done for the very last time in his old neighborhood. Damn, even smoking a cigarette in front of the building at Rue Dupont de l'Eure had something nostalgic to it when Louis realized he’ll never get to do this again, despite having done it for so many times in the past.Of course, Louis was also faced with the perspective of his last day at work. He approached it responsibly and professionally, as just another day at his workplace, mostly. Only his short speech, pleasantries than usual and the numerous times he’s heard “you will be missed” made this day different – it wasn’t a tearful occasion for Louis, though. That day made him feel grateful, and it was more of a reminder of a work well done. It really wasn’t all that sad, as his freshmen promptly proved him.“Monsieur Rogé, we have something to share with you!” Sam Tiba screamed from his seat in the last row when Louis was left with five minutes of the lesson. “Can we please present it now?” the student asked, cheered on by his friend group. Sam’s buddies, Victor, Cédric and Quentin, were all giddy and giggling around him, unable to contain their excitement. Louis had no heart to say no – after all, he grew close with these kids – and nodded approvingly as he showed them the space in front of the desks.“The stage is yours, gentlemen,” he invited the boys. Louis didn’t need to fake a smile anymore, and this made him genuinely happy. The fact that his work here started off when he was mentally unwell, dealing with loss and loneliness, and that he was leaving the job as a happily married man with a great perspective on his life was mind-blowing. He tried not to think about it too intensely, though, otherwise he would risk missing the performance meticulously prepared by the four young men – and apparently featuring their iconic horse mask.“We present you…” Sam Tiba announced in a mysterious tone as he raised the mask of a stupidly grinning horse above his head. “…the urban folklore group Club Cheval!” the boy roared, motioning his friends to bounce around in what could be described as some chaotic folk dance. “Club Cheval, assemble!” Sam continued in a solemn tone and formed a line with his three classmates.He cast an asking look at Louis when he flipped out his phone from the pocket, to which the teacher nodded. Who was he to deprive these youngsters of some fun on his last day at work? Sam’s face beamed when he turned on a cover song of a popular hit, only the chorus was replaced by the sound of a horse whinnying.The class burst out in laughter, and Louis chuckled when the song boomed on full volume and the clumsy, disorderly movements were gone as the four boys moved synchronized. Their prancing motions resembled an actual dance and not some seizures now - when the first and the third in line jumped up, their classmates crouched; when they sped up, the others copied the movement in slow motion, and the whole performance was as amusing as it was well-planned.The grand finale left a few youngsters in tears of laughter, as Sam and Quentin gave piggyback rides to Victor and Cédric in a parody of a polo game (which looked either as if it was played by drunk people or by contestants who have never played any sports).Beaming with satisfaction and rejoicing over the applause, Sam and his friends bowed down after the dance was finished. The boy also reached for the horse mask – it was left in the corner of the writing board during the “urban folklore” show – and handed it to Louis.“Please accept it as a token of our equestrian gratitude, monsieur Rogé,” he panted, still exhausted from the tiring dance, and Louis couldn’t do anything but accept the horse mask with its broad smile on the rubber face, its eyes staring back at him.“I will miss your jolly equestrian jigs and your chatting, boys. I’ll miss all of you,” he admitted with a smile, making the class sigh in unison as the young men all said “Aww”. Louis could swear it sounded just as if they rehearsed it! There wasn’t much left of the lesson and in a spontaneous act of gratitude, the freshmen formed a line to thank him for the time they shared and promised to send him an e-mail after their exams.It surely made for a heartwarming memory, Louis thought after his shift, when all was said and done, and he was heading to Mike’s place. He’s shared one last cigarette with Vincent shortly before making his way to the station of RER express train.“Work’s over for today. Omw home, see you very soon ❤️,“ he typed a message to Mike when he got on the train. His backpack was so full of goodbye gifts that it risked bursting at the seams, and the horse mask was so big he had to adjust it to the bag on the net outside that so many tourists used for storing water bottles. Well, the Parisian metro has surely seen weirder things than a man of nearly two meters’ height who carried a horse mask on his backpack, hasn’t it?There were no regrets and few goodbyes, but none of them made Mike have second thoughts about them leaving Paris. Today, he said goodbye to some old clothes and kitchen utensils, which wouldn’t be useful to the new tenants anyway. Some other things, he carried down to the basement – it was all a huge change for him, sure, and it made him anxious and apprehensive, but it was only a transition – he knew he’d love it in the States.Everything was easier with Louis by his side anyway – if he was alone, he wouldn’t probably make such a leap; that would be too overwhelming with his anxiety and autism. Sometimes, he still wondered whether he really got married – but the tattooed ring on his finger didn’t lie; it was there forever, not as easy to take as a part of jewelry, so not as easy to take a divorce either!Mike’s neck cracked, and he shrugged his shoulders, tense from packing and carrying all the boxes and stuff for a whole day. He lay down on the floor to rest his back and stretched out his arms in front of him to take a look at his phone when it pinged, announcing a new message – from his husband. He got up from his cozy place to unlock the door and got back to it, resting his long legs up on the sofa.Louis took two steps at a time, hurrying up to get to their apartment. Mike smiled, already looking forward to seeing him after a whole day’s absence.“I’m here!” he shouted and saw his partner’s surprised face when he rolled into the living room. “What? I’m just comfortable here,” he made a giggle and glanced at the backpack which Louis slumped over his shoulder onto the floor, raising a quizzical eyebrow. “Why is there a horse mask, babe? Did your students give it to you?”Mike stretched out his arms, his phone falling on his chest, to kiss his partner, and Louis obeyed, got on all fours and bent over to kiss his demanding husband. “Are you sad to leave?” Mike inquired, his big doe eyes staring into Louis’, his hands gently stroking his bearded face.“No, love,” Louis assured quickly, enjoying the touch of Mike’s hands as he stroked his facial hair and traced the line of his jaw. “When I’m with you? Of course, I’m not sad to leave,” he added. Actually, he really didn’t think all that much about moving out from France. Mostly, he just looked forward to starting over with his husband, living abroad and making the big change go smoothly.Louis was going through many feelings and emotional states, but sorrow and longing weren’t among them. There was some nostalgia, just as the bittersweetness of leaving something behind and closing a chapter of his life, but Louis wouldn’t call it sadness. He was certain that he’d miss Sébastien and Vincent every once in a while, although no other person would really lack in his life.He definitely wouldn’t miss his family, and he knew it applied for Mike as well – they wouldn’t need the contact with relatives anyway.“I’m excited to leave, that’s for sure,” he told Mike and brushed some hair off his husband’s face. Gently, Louis moved aside a strand of unruly locks to reveal more of Mike’s regular, delicate features and smiled at the sight he admired so much. “With you, everything gets easier,” Louis spoke softly, sensing the tenderness fill his chest with warmth.It was true, after all – everything was so much easier with Mike, even getting his body down on the floor, which Louis made with a small grunt. They were in their thirties after all, and the whole day of work he’d just done didn’t help either! Mike giggled at his strained groan and turned his head to give Louis a kiss, something that rewarded his effort as he lay down on the hard, paneled floor. For a while longer, he stared right back into Mike’s eyes, his warm brown gaze filled with affection, until Louis glanced at the surrounding boxes and the half-emptied living room. The sight of Mike’s apartment, almost completely ready to welcome a new tenant, brought comfort to Louis and made him sure that they had made the right decision. The perspective of moving abroad together with the love of his life provided Louis with an excitement like no other. He was thrilled and full of hope, well aware that their time in Paris was over. They should move on, Louis knew that, and he was ready to face whatever obstacles might stand in their way as long as he was with Mike.

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Charles de Gaulle Airport had always been a chaotic mess for Mike, who could never find the right pathway, no matter how many times he found himself there. He was wearing earplugs and dark sunglasses to minimize the impact of the much-despised, loud place on his nervous system. They checked in four big suitcases and were handed paper tickets to Los Angeles.“Surreal,” he sighed when he saw CDG and LAX printed on the ticket, then raised his eyes at his husband with a grin. “There’s another surprise from NASA, baby. Are you ready?”They got their red passports ready, and Mike headed to the Business Class security lane, making Louis raise his eyebrow in a quizzical way. “They paid for it, I didn’t even ask,” Mike shrugged with a grin, and handed their passports to the sharp-dressed clerk, who showed them the way where only one, elderly man was passing through. Perfect. If there was anything that Mike shunned from more than subway and airport crowds, it was the security check.Thanks to NASA, they could do it painlessly, without a queue, awkward passengers who don’t pack their liquids properly or push their way through with the baby pram and three screaming brats. For Business Class, they could avoid all that and pass through the security with dignity. That also involved flying for eleven hours – Mike felt too old to even try taking Economy, only to save a few hundred euros. And with their height, that sounded awfully uncomfortable as well.The wheels of their hand luggage were rolling as they made their way to AirFrance lounge – the open buffet and bar were open, fluffy armchairs welcoming. Such a perfect way to leave France, it flickered through Mike’s mind as he took some champagne for Louis and himself.“There you go, baby. To our new home,” he smiled and they clinked their glasses, watching the airplanes rolling on the tarmac with excitement and anticipation.“To our new home,” Louis repeated after Mike, his whole body buzzing with excitement. His past experiences had nothing on the big step forward they were about to make together - he’s just flown a few times in Europe, but never actually made it outside the continent. The perspective of moving overseas was as life-changing as it was thrilling, and Louis could swear his insides were all bubbly, much like the champagne they were having. “Let’s make our last memory in France a good one,” he added softly and leaned in to give his husband a short kiss on the lips.Mike purred happily like an oversized Siamese cat, stretching his long legs while both of them reclined in the cozy plush armchairs of the airport lounge. When Louis caught a glimpse of his partner’s necklace with Gamma symbol, he reminded himself of Mike’s jet-black mask, the one his loved one wore as his alter ego. Mike shipped the mask inside a box filled with clothes to keep it safe, sending the parcel together with some of their other things safely packed in cardboard. Even though the things they left behind were too many to count, there still were some must-haves that Louis and Mike had to bring overseas, Gamma’s mask being one of them.The thought of bringing a part of their lives to their new home made Louis smile slightly and in the moment Mike looked back at him with a foxy smile, he could swear he felt like the luckiest man in the world.“Should we have one?” Louis asked between the sips of champagne, fumbling out a package of Marlboro Gold. He carried Mike’s favorites on himself, always ready to give his husband a much-needed nicotine kick, especially when they had the perspective of eleven hours of flight.Mike accepted the cigarette gratefully, there was still some time left until boarding. They smoked in silence for a moment, processing the fact how much their life would change very soon.“It’s just so surreal,” Louis shook his head when they were finishing their third cigarette and it was almost the time to go to the gate. “You know, love, I’d move anywhere in the world for you, and I mean anywhere. But this… this is just so exciting. Living with you in San Francisco will be a dream, I’m already planning to take you to a local planetarium,” he confessed in a voice so low that it sounded like a whisper, just like a sultry promise. What could possibly be better than a planetarium trip, just like their first date together?