“Lamb, I am not selling my soul to the Devil. Five hundred is more than I expected, you know. Especially during the Dark Ages,” Nikola had to agree that there was no point. And, he wanted to avoid giving Satan Sadik’s soul, either.

“I guess that, when you die, we can still be together. I’ll have to tell him the negative answer,” Nikola, himself, didn’t want to spend eternity outside of Purgatory without Sadik. Sadik read that in his mind and became thoughtful.

“How about we make sure Eric and his sister, when we go around to getting one, pass on in comfort, and then we can both go to Purgatory. It looks better than what we were told Heaven looks like, even,” Nikola mulled over the words.

“I think we can go even before that. I mean, Eric wouldn’t want to be with us for his entire life. He will need his independence. We can still visit him,” Sadik grinned at that.

“The mother knows best,” he said, and Nikola send him a glare. “And tell that demon not to go in Eric’s room again.”

Sadik got a dangerous glint in his eyes. Nikola felt warmed that Sadik would risk going toe to toe with the Devil to ensure their son’s safety. He smiled and spoke.

“I already warded the house. If Satan wants to speak with me, then he would need to do it at the cottage,” Sadik supposed that the place, where a child had died and come back to life and where Nikola had nearly been lost to him, was appropriate enough.

“Sounds nice. But, didn’t you say that you gave him all your power?” Nikola’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

“I might have been siphoning some power from his demons to power the wards,” Sadik barked a laugh and went to kiss Nikola on the cheek.

“Tricky husband,” Nikola was just about to huff at Sadik and tell him not to call him a wife, when the words registered to him. 

“You aren’t teasing me? Why are you missing the opportunity?” Said Nikola as he bottomed up his coat. They were preparing to go to church and Sadik was already dressed.

“Maybe I know that you deserve better than digs at your masculinity?” Nikola grinned. He had missed Sadik.

“You know what? You can call me wife if you like. But Eric must call me papa,” Sadik grinned and repeated the word a couple of times in a sing-song voice. Nikola blushed deep red. Seeing Sadik this happy was like a balm to his soul.

“Ok, cut it off, you get to call me that ten times per day. And you just did all your allowed slots for the next week,” Sadik snapped his mouth shut and whined.

“But, wife…” Nikola raised a finger.

“We are not even married yet. Unless we got hitched while I was in a coma?” Sadik looked sheepishly down. “You tried, didn’t you?”

Sadik tried to smile, but Nikola looked tired all of a sudden.

“I am sorry. First, I went to the imam, then to your father Sergei. Then, my lawyer told me it was illegal. Since you needed to give consent. And you couldn’t,” Nikola, could understand Sadik. He had wanted to have a way to be together with Nikola. Even in death.

It was not unheard of for people to marry before one of them, or both, died hours later. But for someone to marry a coma patient was unheard of. Nikola shook his head to clear it. He couldn’t begrudge Sadik this. His lover hadn’t been in the known that Nikola would wake up. Even if he hoped.

Sadik took the shake as further disappointment and went on one knee. He took out a box from his coat pocket and opened it.

“Nikola Asenov, my dear lamb, will you forgive this old fool and make me happy by taking me for a husband?” Nikola stared at the intricate ring. It looked as if it costed a fortune, and it was undeniable delicate. Something a woman, a wife, would wear.

Sadik noticed Nikola’s stare and, fearing a rejection, delved into the man’s mind. Then, his face dropped.

“Eric picked it,” defended himself Sadik. And just when he had said he won’t make any digs. “You don’t like it?”

Nikola extended his finger forward.

“I suppose you two will saddle me with the role, no matter if I struggle or not,” said Nikola with a shrug. Sadik took the ring and placed it around Nikola’s finger. Nikola stared at the braid that was on the band and the small stones that were placed tastefully on it.

“You could have bought something simpler,” Sadik shook his head.

“This is the engagement ring. There was no way that it could be simple. No, lamb, you will have to let yourself be pampered,” Sadik stood up and kissed Nikola’s left eye. “And loved,” he kissed the right one. “And cared for,” he kissed the nose. “And you just have to be happy about it.”

Nikola supposed that was the most adorable way someone told him to suck it up. He placed his arms around Sadik and brought him in for a kiss. Sadik grinned into it and, when they broke apart, stole a quick peak on the lips.

“We need to go. Father Sergei has been asking about you,” the priest had visited Nikola at the hospital after he woke up. Nikola had looked at him with barely veiled guilt. He was no longer a part of the man’s flock. No matter how much he wanted to be.

They got in the car and suddenly, Sadik grew still. Nikola turned to him.

“Sadik, what is wrong?” He got no answer.

“Deals with Satan, Nikola? Really?” Nikola turned around to see the disapproving look Uriel was giving him.

“I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t see you getting me out,” Uriel looked down at his hands, ashamed.

“I am sorry, child. But I had been in a holding cell for all this time. I managed to break free to come and talk some sense into you. You can’t enter the house of God with a lie in your heart. You can’t do something so cruel to yourself,” Nikola looked in Uriel’s eyes and vowed to listen. Uriel, who had always looked out for him, deserved at least that much.