Sadik left Nikola at home and went to his house. He wondered how to make the house more welcoming. The housekeeper had come by yesterday while he was out, so it was clean.

He checked that out of things to do, and went in the kitchen. He drank a bottle of blood and washed it. Checking in his fridge, he saw that he had only ten more bottles. He needed to get more soon.

Or, maybe, Nikola could let him drink his blood? The thought aroused Sadik. He liked it when he could drink from the neck. First, he will kiss the spot. Take his time with it until it was nice and rosy. Then, he would drink.

He would play with Nikola’s hair. Take small gulps. Then, his hands would travel lower and… Nikola would probably slap him. He felt like a bucket of cold water washed over him.

The realization that, if he wanted Nikola, then he would need to marry him hit Sadik. He was not ready to get married, yet, he wanted Nikola. He was torn at what to do. Marriage proposals didn’t happen after two days of people knowing each other, no matter how much one simped after the other.

So, what was he going to do? He groaned as the answer hit him. He would need to get to know Nikola better. To romance him. It would take him months, maybe even a year.

But, Nikola was worth it. And, if they didn’t work out, then Sadik would still have these past…day and a half to remember everything fondly. He went to his room and placed a scented candle on the bedside table. Then, he took out a couple of others and made them in the shape of a heart.

Nikola could take some teasing, Sadik was sure of it. Besides that, Sadik wanted to romance him and, if he pretended he was only after friendship, then that was what he was going to get. Which was not what Sadik wanted.

So, he would be forward. Ask Nikola about his day, about his job, about church, even. And, he was going to make sure that they slept and cuddled every night. And, in a couple of months, Nikola was going to be his.

Sadik smiled. It has been a while that he needed to actually work to have someone. He’d enjoy the process, surely. He then wondered if he should order something or cook for dinner.

Deciding that it would be more personal if he made something, he went outside and went to the butcher’s store. The man smiled as he saw him.

“Lamb, Sadik?” The owner, Edward, knew him for quite some time. Sadik had been in this town for twenty years, and he would remain for another twenty. Then, he would move before people began to ask questions why he didn’t age.

“You guessed it. Make sure it is extra tender. I have a date tonight,” Edward grinned and ruffled through the meat on offer before taking a large slab.

“Who is the lucky lady?” Sadik smiled softly.

“He is a lucky man, indeed. I think I’ll marry him in a year,” Edward’s eyes widened.

“You? Getting married? About time! You are, what, forty?” Sadik nodded.

“About that much, yes. But, better late than never,” Edward packaged the meat after weighting it and then handed it over.

“That would be thirty dollars,” Sadik pulled out his wallet and paid.

“And, Sadik? Remember, show him some good time, will you? Don’t just put your needs forward. Be a good listener,” Sadik nodded and then exited the store. Then, he went to the nearest market and picked some vegetables.

Carrots, which he was going to grind. Peppers and onions and some garlic and green onions too. Then, he picked a salad and three cucumbers. Nikola had not said anything about a salad yesterday, he had made some eggs for them both since he had been tired, but Sadik knew that it was a Balkan thing to eat salad with the meal. That, and tons of bread.

He went to the bakery next and picked up some white and black bread, not knowing which one Nikola would prefer. Then, he was off to the supermarket and buying flour, sugar, and some curry mix.

It was not as spicy as the things that Sadik normally enjoyed, but Nikola had not enjoyed the curry that Sadik favored the other day. And, Sadik wanted to make sure that Nikola had a good time today. Still, he was going to buy himself something spicier from the curry shop.

That was his last stop and, after he got a box of the special, he went home. Sadik unloaded his purchases and got down to cooking. He made the lamb with the vegetables, placed foil over it, and then put it in the oven.

He would need to mix the curry souse with water and then bathe the lamb in it every hour. Normally, the lamb was ready in five hours. He checked the clock. His outing had taken two hours, so, he would have an hour to spare.

Then, he began making the tulumba pieces. They would need frying, so, that meant he wouldn’t need the oven for them. After he made them, he soaked them in the sugar syrup and observed his handiwork.

The lamb was going to be done in an hour and so, Sadik had time to clean up after he cooked. The meticulous task gave him time to think. Then, he clapped his hands once and the lighting got dimmer.

Thereafter, he set the table, placing a scented candle in the middle. Lighting it, he smiled. Nikola would see right through him, but then, Sadik was not attempting to hide his intentions.

The lamb was done by the time he finished, and he placed two generous servings in the plates. He put apple juice in the glasses and went to the couch to wait. Exactly in an hour, his doorbell rang.