My Beloved Shadow

**
sethy: Thank you. Like I said before, I love seeing new faces.
Ray 4 Ever: It is cruel, isn\'t it? Well... Michael might of lied a little about that... *grin* But, I won\'t leave it off like that.
desperatedesire_maliciousintent: Thanks. That\'s a big name. *smile* Well, I thought kaleidoscope was a perfect description of Athan\'s eyes. I will have to admit that I don\'t use that word often.
Janette: I always review your stories. *pouts* I\'m still waiting for more chapters, too. :D
*lol* Your not all that sick, if you are than I am. So... heh Anyways, yeah, gotta have some violence and some sex...
DanishGirl: I promise that you\'ll get another scene with just Jason and Nick. And yes, Michael is.
Rosemary: *nod* Very kawaii.
**


Nick watched Michael’s hand come at him in slow motion. It seemed as if he had all the time in the world to think before it struck. It seemed wrong somehow, after all, hadn’t Michael once told him he could never hurt him? Yet it seemed that everything he had done since coming to this world was hurt Nick in one way or another.

Nick would of just taken the punch if he hadn’t suddenly been taken back to his childhood. A five year old just wanting to have fun, but instead getting smacked across the face hard enough to leave his ears ringing. No, after that he couldn’t just stand there and take it, take everything that Michael had been giving him, that his own father had given him.

The rage that had always stayed just below the surface boiled up. Nick’s eyes become blood red as the rage takes over. The old man had taught him how to dodge attacks, had helped him to use his own Enhancer abilities in a fight. That had been one of the many ’other’ weapons he had been training with all month long.

At the last moment Nick side steps, but it\'s not soon enough and it connects with the side of his face. It had lost some of it\'s momentum so it wasn\'t as bad as it could of been, but it still left Nick fuzzy for a moment. Nick counters with one to Michael’s stomach. Startled, Michael takes a step back. He shakes his head and starts to move to the shadows, to leave. That just fuels Nick’s rage, that Michael would run away.

Before Michael is completely consumed by the shadows Nick grabs hold of his arm and pulls. In a move he had only use on the training mat, he grasps hold of the powers that allow Michael to Shadow Dance, and pulls them away, into himself.

Suddenly Michael is solid again, he doesn’t look too happy at what Nick had done, but there is the hint of something else in his eyes. Michael starts to charge Nick, but he somehow manages to dodge it, only getting side swiped. Nick turns around and kicks the back of Michael’s knee, sending him down.

His teacher had said that even the strongest of men fall when you hit a sensitive spot. Nick pushes him down the rest of the way and Michael lays on the floor, on his stomach, for a moment as he tries to catch his breath.

Nick moves closer to him, his attention undividedly Michael’s. Something clicks, though, as he watches Michael laying as he is. When Michael tries to get up he pushes him down and moves to straddle his back. The red in his eyes flare, for a moment looking like flames, but only Michael knows this, only Michael can see it.

Michael struggles to get up again but Nick leans down, his lips against Michael’s ear.

“Stay.”

Nick kisses his way down Michael’s neck, to the same spot that Michael had bit on Nick not long after they first met, the mark that had tied them together. Nick runs his tongue along the tender spot and he feels Michael shudder beneath him. Without knowing why, without really understanding, Nick bites him.

Nick holds Michael’s flesh between his teeth, his tongue running along it. The longer he stays like that the calmer he becomes until his eyes are normal again and he’s back in his own head. When he starts to taste blood he releases his hold and just lays against Michael.

“That was beautiful.”

Michael said, his voice breathless.

“What?”

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t do it.”

“Do what?” Now Nick is confused, they had just fought and, though he’s not certain, Nick thinks that he won. Now Michael is talking strange and trying to confusing Nick.

Michael tries to sit up but Nick tenses and won’t let him up. Michael just smiles, his head turned so he can see Nick, though it’s bothering his neck, the position it’s in.

“You finished the ceremony, Nick. We will still have to have a public affair, an announcement. But the part that matters has just been finished.”

“What part? I’m really getting tired of you saying something, but never giving me all the details.”

Nick sits up, still not letting Michael up. For the most part he’s not certain what Michael will do if he does let him up. But there is a part of him that likes it that way.

“Since the beginning of time the ceremony for the Zorey has always been this way. Always there is the more dominate partner, and the more submissive one. Though each one controls what the other does, neither can seek out a bed partner without the other’s permission.

The more submissive one is the one who initiates the ceremony. That way they can be denied if the other does not wish to accept, or simply lets them know that they aren’t in complete command.

Then it’s up to the more dominate partner to finish the ceremony. They must display their dominance, then leave their mark. Just like you did, Nick.”

“But…” It can’t be right, Nick has to be dreaming. Michael had been the one to mark him first. Had Michael been declaring him the dominant one all along? Nick had seen it as the other way around, that Michael was the one in charge.

“I’m suppose to be the dominant one?”

Michael laughs softly, Nick can feel his whole body vibrate with it.

“Who’s sitting on whom, Nick? You aren’t all controlling, I could never let someone take me over so completely.”

“So, if I go and let Jason and Norris be together, you wouldn’t stop me?”

“I could try, but I doubt you would allow me to. But, I don’t see the harm in it.”

“Then why haven’t you let them…” Nick suddenly has an idea and he’s not sure if he likes it.

“Keeping them separated when you knew I wouldn’t like it, distracting me, Athan…”

“All to get you to wake up.”

“You manipulative bastard!”

Nick glares at him, feeling suddenly ill to his stomach. Even though Michael had just told him he’s the ‘dominate’ one, Michael had manipulated him and purposely made him jealous so that he would do what he had done. Jealous? He hadn’t been jealous, had he? You are only jealous of someone if you really care…

Nick stands up, not caring whether or not Michael moved, and hugged himself. He doesn’t react when he feels Michael come up behind him, wrapping his arms around Nick’s waist.

“I was jealous of you and Athan. You were ignoring me and not him.”

Michael moves to stand in front of Nick, keeping his arms around the other’s waist.

“There is nothing wrong with that, though you needn’t be. I wasn’t jealous about you and Jason. Athan is just someone who comes around when he feels like it and then disappears. I want someone who is willing to stay with me, to help me run this place.”
Nick’s eyes grow a little wider when Michael comments about Jason.

“Y-you know?”

Michael laughs, “Know? Of course, did you think I wouldn’t find out? I’ll admit it didn’t hit me the first time. I smelled him on you but I thought it was just because you had been standing close to him.

It really came to me when you went to get him the day we left. You smelled strongly of him when you returned.”

“We didn’t have sex...”

“I know, I would of smelled that, as well. No, you two smelled strongly of each other and your faces were flushed. But I felt no jealousy in the knowledge. You shouldn’t either, with Athan or anyone else.”

“I know, but I still don’t want you around him.”

Michael smiled and caressed Nick’s cheek, “If that’s what you want. You will have to tell him yourself, though. He will not believe it otherwise.”

Nick allowed himself to relax, a little. He didn’t like the idea that he would have to talk to Athan. They hadn’t said anything to each in the whole time Athan had been there. They had just merely looked at each other and moved on their way.

Michael leans towards Nick, his lips brushing the other’s lightly. With that one small touch Nick felt desire course through him. It had been a long time since Michael had touched him so intimately and Nick hadn’t even realized how much he missed it.

Nick moves his arms to wrap around Michael’s waist, drawing him closer as he presses their lips even closer. Nick doesn’t want to stop, he’s not scared this time, or unsure of things. For the first time in his life he has some confidence in himself. What had brought it on?

Michael had missed having Nick this close as well. He hated going to bed alone at night only to wake up the same way. He has been alone all of his life, every lover he’s ever taken has been gone the next day, or the next week. Nothing has ever been permanent for him. Until now.

He is happy, satisfied, that Nick finished the ceremony. Michael had honestly started to think Nick would never and that he would have to just turn away from him completely. He didn’t need another ‘lover’, he had wanted a ‘love’. But now, Nick has finally opened up, becoming more the person he should be. The person Michael knew he could be.

Their soft kisses and gentle touches soon become more as their passion flares to life. They had gone a month without touching each other. A month with only watching each other and sleeping alone at night. That alone was enough to drive them mad with desire.
Clothes were suddenly flying in all direction, parts of clothes as they tore most of them off. They were on the bed before they knew it, hands everywhere, exploring and exploring again until they knew the each other’s bodies by heart. And still they couldn’t get enough.

Nick laying on the bed as Michael kissed and licked his way across his chest, coated lightly with sweat. Nick cries out Michael’s name, his hands clutching at the sheet, as Michael’s lips brush up against the head of his cock. Michael rolls his eyes up to look at Nick as he draws it into his mouth, all the way down the shaft, then pulls back up. Nick’s hips buck up at the sensation, wanting more.

Michael moves down on it again, sucking hard and moving his tongue around it. When he pulls up this time his teeth graze against the delicate skin, sending Nick’s eyes to the back of his head. Michael does this a few more times before he moves to kiss Nick’s lips.

Nick rolls them around so that he’s now on top. He ends the kiss, trailing kisses down Michael’s jaw and neck. Nick runs his tongue lightly across Michael’s nipple, making it’s all ready hard nub harder. He bites down gently on the skin and he feels Michael’s reaction like gas on an all ready burning flame. He bites down a little harder and feels Michael’s body shake beneath him.
Nick returns the favor to his other nipple, leaving red marks on both. Michael pulls him up and kisses his lips roughly.

“I didn’t know you liked it that rough.”

Nick smiled, “I didn’t either until recently.”

And Michael knew, without Nick having to tell him, who had been the one to help him realize just how rough he liked it. He saw Jason’s face in his mind.

Michael didn’t want Nick to be the only one having fun. He moves to Nick’s neck, biting it none too gently, making a red trail down to his chest. Nick’s eyes are closed and his breathing heavy. He understands, now, how Jason had felt when he had been marking him.
In the middle of it all Michael pulls out a jar and holds it up for Nick to see. Nick rolls his eyes then looks at Michael with barely contained laughter.

“I think you just ruined my mood! I can’t believe you brought that…”

Michael chuckles, “I can’t help it, I’m rather fond of it. Why don‘t you try some.”

Nick’s smile fades, his eyes darken, as he takes the strawberry flavored lube from Michael and moves down to apply it. Nick liberally applies it to Michael’s hole, then moves up to teasingly rub some on Michael’s cock.

Nick puts the lid back on the jar, interesting to do with it all over his hand, and sets it at the side of the bed. It’ll end up in the floor before too long, but he doesn’t care. Nick turns his attention back to Michael, eating his naked and exposed body with his eyes.
Nick settles himself between Michael’s legs and, starting at the base, runs his tongue along Michael’s cock. Treating it as if it were some sweet candy, sucking and licking it, tasting the strawberries.

Michael watches Nick, his whole body on sensory overload. When Nick pulls his head away and licks his lips, eyes locked with Michael, Michael can’t stop his body from shivering at the desire flaring in Nick’s eyes, or the fact that his eyes are once again red.
Nick starts to roll him over but Michael stops him.

“No, just like this.”

Michael sat up enough to grab Nick and pull him down, their bodies laying length wise one on top of the other. Michael covers Nick’s lips with his own as he moves his hips up, giving Nick an open invitation.

Nick takes it, his hand on Michael’s lower back, helping to support him as he thrusts into Michael. Michael wraps his legs around Nick, his hands grasping at the bedding and his head thrown back.

Nick builds up an almost brutal rhythm and Michael merely urges him on. Nick continues to thrust into Michael until pressure builds up between them. Their bodies tense and find release at the same time. When Nick moves out of Michael and collapses next to him he vaguely notices that their hearts are beating as one.

For the first time in a long time Nick feels like he’s finally home. Laying next to Michael, their bodies so close and limbs entwined so that they cannot tell where one ends and the other beings, he has never felt so sated. Or happy.


**
For those of you curious about Athan\'s name: Athanasios “Eternal Life” Athan for short.(Greek)
Isn\'t this an interesting development?