“You made a deal with the Devil?” Sadik looked astonished. These words had been said after a five-minute silence.

“Not a deal. More like a non-aggression pact,” Nikola said. Sadik looked at where the icon was hidden.

“And now you are no longer a Christian?” Sadik wondered if Nikola would really make such a step. After all, being a Christian had defined the man.

“Well, technically, I still am. But I think about becoming an atheist,” Sadik’s eyes threatened to bulge out of his eye socket.

“You? A what now?” He made a step back. Nikola rose from the bed and took Sadik’s hand in his.

“I'm aware that a God exist, but he doesn’t like me. So, I will deny his existence altogether,” said Nikola stubbornly.

“You can’t,” blurted out Sadik. When people woke from a coma, they were usually more religious, not atheists. “You have to stay the way you used to be.”

“Why?” Snapped Nikola, eyebrows furrowed. “So I can bow to the man who thinks my existence is a mistake? Who made me sterile?”

“It is not like you and I could have had children, least you mean you wanted to cheat on me?” Nikola got a remorseful expression on his face.

“No, it is not that. I am sorry. Why do I need to remain a God-fearing person, when I no longer fear it?” Sadik raised an eyebrow.

“I am pretty sure you can still be smitten. In case thunderclouds appear in the clouds, know I am blaming you,” Nikola grinned. He was pretty sure he could withstand a lightning. Maybe he will have some burns, but he won’t let there be scars.

Thinking of scars, he pulled up his sweater and stared at the big one on his stomach. He was never going to do what he had done to earn it. He didn’t need the reminder.

Nikola made it disappear with a though. He looked at Sadik.

“I can say I went to get it removed with lasers, if anyone asks,” Sadik nodded and spoke.

“People expect you to go to church. To help in the soup kitchen. If you stop, they will begin to ask questions. Ones you can’t answer,” Nikola nodded. He supposed he could still visit the church every Sunday. But he was never going into the confessional again.

“Fine. What day is today?” Nikola hadn’t cared about that in the hospital. He knew that today was the eleventh of March 2023, but he didn’t know what day it was. Which made him smile sheepishly.

“Saturday. You will have tonight to make peace with the fact that you will be in a place that no longer welcomes you,” said Sadik, and the thought saddened Nikola. He longed to feel the same acceptance he used to, but knew that any goodwill that he felt must be gone — now.

“I will go. Come with me?” Asked Nikola. Just once, he would take Sadik away from his faith. He would be selfish, like he had promised himself. Sadik nodded.

“If you need the support, I will be more than happy to,” Sadik went to the wardrobe and pulled two pairs of pajamas. Nikola grinned at his set.

“I have thought that you will deck me in new things,” Sadik grinned. Nikola knew him too well.

“Yes, well, the hospital staff didn’t let me bring in a tailor,” not even when he had offered to make another donation. Which had made him snappy with the nurses. “But, now that you are awake…”

“Fine, we will go shopping. I want to see if my favorite stores still have sweaters,” Sadik groaned. You can take the sweater off Nikola, but not Nikola off the sweater.

“Yes, well, how about something for the warmer months? Here, it can’t be eternal winter,” Sadik had found it amusing that Nikola had made a paradise out of Purgatory. It sounded like something he would do. If that was what he had to look forward to, when he died, he’d go happy. Knowing full well that Nikola will find him, and they will be together even in death.

“What are you thinking?” Nikola must have seen Sadik’s faraway look because he edged to him and wrapped his arms around him.

“That even death won’t do us part,” said Sadik, content with the knowledge. “We are almost like soulmates, you know?”

“Not almost, we are soulmates. As far as I am concerned,” said Nikola as he guided Sadik to the bed. “Are you up for some cuddling?”

“I am up for many things,” said Sadik, nuzzling into Nikola’s sweater clad chest. “But first, pajamas.”

“So, you don’t want me to become a vampire, now that you know?” Nikola sounded hopeful. Sadik send him a contemplating look.

“You are saying the truth,” and Sadik had checked, more than once, during the explanation. “But, if you begin to age…”

“I will let you turn me,” assured him, Nikola. “I promised you an eternity and I will deliver.”

“It is nice knowing that. Do you want to call the kid? He wakes up during the night and then jumps on me,” whined Sadik. Nikola nodded, a small smile blossoming on his lips.

“I’ll go and get him,” he went out of the room and into Eric’s. Eric was walking around the room with a teddy bear clutched in his hand.

“Eric, what is wrong?” Eric had gone to sleep an hour ago. Which was why Nikola had the conversation with Sadik.

“The man told me to call you. But I can’t see him. Grandma always told me not to trust things that I can’t see where they keep their brains in,” Nikola got worried.

“What man?” He sounded near panicked. Maybe, he won’t be smitten with a lightning, but the angels could take Eric away. And Eric would go to Heaven, and then Nikola would never see his son again.

“Me, best friend. Send the boy to his father. We need to talk,” Nikola looked around and saw a streak of red in the faint light. Then, the telltale fedora.

“Eric, go to Sadik and tell him to stay there. I’ll be right back,” Nikola felt indignation and fear, at the same time. The Devil was in his home and he could do anything to his family, really.