When Nikola fell asleep in Sadik’s arms, Sadik waited for an entire hour to pass before planting a kiss in the man’s fluffy hair. Sadik smiled at the stolen treat and closed his eyes. He didn’t need to sleep, but he could nap. And, he had found early on, that it did wonders for his sanity.

When Sadik woke up, it was to Nikola gently attempting to untangle himself from him. Sadik smirked and decided to play a game. He kept his eyes closed and nosed his way down until his head was on Nikola’s shoulder. Then, he nuzzled the soft skin below.

“I know you are not asleep. Drop it, Sadik,” Sadik had the urge to flip them, then. To pin Nikola below himself and drink from his blood. To make it clear to the young man that he was Sadik’s and no one else’s. But that would make Nikola run for the hills. So, he resisted the urge.

“Good morning, lamb. Slept well?” Nikola finally managed to get himself out of Sadik’s hands. Sadik opened his eyes then to see Nikola standing up.

“So, now, we need to shower. Since I need to prepare the dough, I think I should go first,” Sadik regraded that Nikola’s pajamas were so loose. They left much to the imagination, and the Turk vowed to place Nikola in something more tight-fitting. Someday.

“Ok, it is your home,” Nikola went to a nearby wardrobe and collected his items for the day. Sadik watched him go. Then, he flopped back in the bed and groaned.

It had been pure torture to be so close and not to get a taste. Nikola smelled good. Of something that reminded Sadik of a crisp winter day. How would he taste, Sadik wondered? How would his blood taste?

Sadik hadn’t had any fresh blood in a century. Ever since, he had fulfilled Abraxas’s wish and turned him into a vampire. They had loved each other, back then. And, when Abraxas had gotten what he wanted, he had been horrified with his new reality.

Not that Sadik had ever lied to his once lover. He had told him it was a nasty way to spend eternity. That it was lonely and dark. But Abraxas hadn’t wanted to listen. And then, he had left him. Instead of spending eternity together with him, like he had promised.

However, Abraxas must still care for him, even a bit. For he had delivered him Nikola on a silver platter. Granted, there could always be the chance that this was all a fluke. That Abraxas had simply picked the most interesting from among Sadik’s neighbors and left it at that.

Sadik, however, liked to believe that Abraxas still cared for him. The possibility that the Italian didn’t be too much like salt on an open, festering, wound. The salt would speed up the death of their smoldering feelings, but, not by much.

Nikola exited the bathroom just as Sadik was finishing this particular train of thought. He was completely dressed. Again, in a sweater. This one beige. And with jeans this time. Sadik pretended to look in a mirror behind Nikola, while, in reality, he was admiring the man’s ass.

He imagined it in his hands. How would each cheek fit in his hands? Sadik had big hands, but then again, he was 187 cm. Nikola was shorter than he. Maybe no taller than 170 cm. He would fit perfectly in Sadik’s arms. If he only let himself be caught in them.

“So, Sadik, I am going downstairs. You might want to wait ten minutes for more water to heat,” Sadik nodded and tore his gaze from Nikola’s ass before the man noticed.

Nikola got out of the room and Sadik went to the side of the bed that Nikola had mostly occupied. He grabbed the man’s pillow and hugged it, inhaling the scent.

Whatever Nikola used, he used something similar for his hair. But, there were minty undertones in there. On a whim, Sadik stood up and went in the bathroom.

There, on the sink, were toiletries which he supposed were normal enough. A Head and Shoulders, a Dave body wash. An opened body lotion, and Sadik imagined that was the reason behind Nikola having such soft and shiny skin. There was a bar of soap, another Dave. Toothpaste that had words written in Bulgarian on it, so Sadik had no idea what it was.

He opened it and licked some. It tasted bitter and he placed it back down. Did Nikola have any teeth problems? This toothpaste looked like to be something a dentist would prescribe.

When Sadik had kissed Nikola, he hadn’t tasted any sickness on him. Or, maybe Nikola was simply taking precautions? Sadik checked the boiler and saw that the water was ready. Going back in the room, he made a beeline for the wardrobe.

He found the towels after a bit of searching. Nothing of Nikola would fit him, and it was not polite to just take the man’s things without asking. So, he just undressed in the bedroom and went inside the bathroom with a towel.

After he washed, he noted that he smelled like Nikola. He rather liked that. He didn’t touch the man’s lotion, but he did help himself to the toothpaste, as unpleasant as it was. Furthermore, he used his finger as a toothbrush and, after he was done, he went and put on his old clothes, minus the underwear.

That he folded and, after looking around, placed in a bag. Nikola had an entire bag with bags, all neatly folded. This was a Balkan thing, Sadik knew. When he had lived in Turkey fifty years ago, his housekeeper did the same.

He tied up the bag and went downstairs. He had gone commando before, so he was not feeling worried. If anything, he felt better. When he went into the kitchen, Nikola was making thin layers of dough.

“How do I help?” Asked Sadik, placing his bag with his dirty underwear on the floor.

“Can you press a layer? There is some space on the counter,” Sadik nodded and was given a wooden tool with which to do so. He got to work, letting the mechanical task ease his mind.