If Nadir had learned one thing in how to care for Erik, it was that leaving out food or drink for him to take at his leisure was the only way to get the man to eat. From dawn til dusk, he was in the employ of the Shah and the Khanum, working himself to a point of exhaustion that would kill most men. At night, when they were in Mazenderan, as they were now for the holiday, he retired to Nadir's home. Erik was a permanent guest in the Khan household and while there, he still somehow found time to delight Reza with games, tricks, and stories; to fill the house with his melancholy violin; and to occasionally even indulge Nadir in conversation or a game of chess.
But tonight, Erik had been mysteriously unavailable. He did not take dinner with the household, he did not watch as Nadir lit Reza's candle upon their Nowruz table. In fact, Nadir was certain that if they hadn't spent the day in celebration with the Shah and his ilk, Erik would not know that today was the first of Persia's most important holidays. But as Nadir made his way through the darkness to extinguish the candle, he saw Erik, devouring a senjed from the spread with blissful and childish greed. His eyes were shut in ecstasy. Illuminated by the single candle as he was, it was almost impossible to tell that Erik had no mask on. But occasionally the flame would dance in a way that would reveal the hollow of his cheek, the sharp cut of his jaw, the shadowy pool where a nose should be. Nadir held still, like a tiger watching lone antelope, refusing to make sudden movements lest he chase away his quarry.
Erik's golden eyes opened and shone like a pair of lanterns at the other end of the hallway. He met Nadir's gaze and for a moment, Nadir couldn't remember why he'd come down here in the first place. Neither man moved for a long time and then, slowly, reluctantly, Erik reached for another senjed. He plucked it up and began to flake off the skin hurriedly. His long fingers moved deftly, starkly white in the candlelight.
"You haven't eaten all day," Nadir said.
"I'm eating now," said Erik. "It's not sacrilegious to eat of the Nowruz table, Daroga, so if you've come to lecture me-"
"I haven't," Nadir said. "I came to put out the candles. Darius always forgets."
Erik removed the stone of the fruit and brought it to his lips.
"You know what they say about people who eat of the senjed, don't you?" Nadir said, drawing closer and picking one up. They were sweet fruits, almost impossible to resist. And Nadir had always had a sweet tooth, even as a boy. He remembered chasing Rayka down in the kitchens and begging her for some treat – even the tiniest taste – when she was baking. He just never would have guessed that Erik who pretended to be made of vinegar would relish something as cloying and delightful as the fruit of the lotus tree. Erik didn't pop this one in his mouth, though. He seemed to be waiting for Nadir to continue. Nadir looked at him and realized that, for once, he knew a story that Erik did not. He swallowed hard and wet his lips. "They say… They say that those who eat the fruit of the lotus tree are destined to fall in love. And not just any love, but the cloudy kind of love where nothing else matters, the kind of love that puts you into a heavenly fog."
"I know," Erik said quietly.
Erik popped the senjed fruit into his mouth and chewed slowly. Under his thin skin, it was easy to imagine the muscles at work in his jaw. Maybe it was the flickering light, but the vein in Erik's neck seemed to jump just a little. Nadir realized, suddenly, dizzyingly, that Erik had not taken his eyes away from him. He watched Erik's Adam's apple bob up and down when he swallowed and found himself doing the same.
"You look distressed. Perhaps you think it would have been more appropriate for me to eat one of the apples you've laid out, Daroga?" Erik asked. "Perhaps I should have wished for beauty this bright New Year."
"No," Nadir said. The word tripped out of his mouth suddenly before Nadir could even think what to say next. "If anything, you chose the better of the two fruits. What good is being beautiful if no one loves you?"
"Ah, but what good is being in love if there is no one there to love you in return?" Erik asked wryly. He took a single step closer to Nadir. "You said that the eater of the senjed will fall in love… But is he to be in love all alone?"
"Perhaps…" Nadir said. He began to flake the skin from his senjed without thinking. The skin got caught under his fingernails. "Perhaps you are not as alone as you think you are."
"Perhaps," Erik said. "Or perhaps these are just legends."
"Legends that I have faith in, I'll have you know," said Nadir, digging the stone out of the fruit.
"Then you must have faith for the both of us," Erik said. "I lost all my faith years ago."
"Don't worry, Erik…" Nadir said. "I do."
The fruit was growing hot and sticky in his hand. Nadir stared at Erik. But before Nadir could eat the senjed in his palm, Erik's hand found his wrist in the dark. He seemed to be pushing Nadir's hands down, as if trying to stop him from making some kind of mistake.
"Bonne nuit, Nadir," Erik said. "And Nowruz Mubarak. I shall see you in the morning."
"Will you partake in the festivities?" Nadir asked. Erik released him and began walking away, towards his room.
"Perhaps," he said. Then, with a nasty, self-deprecating laugh he said, "Perhaps I am as likely to take part in the festivities as someone is to partake in eating the fruit of the lotus tree with me!"
But once Erik turned his back, Nadir watched him go and brought the sweet, sweet senjed to his mouth. He chewed slowly and swallowed just before Erik disappeared from sight. Then, wearily he turned and blew out Reza's candle.
A/N: Happy Nowruz to those of my followers who celebrate! I hope you have an excellent year! I only recently learned about Nowruz and its importance in the Persian culture, so if there is anything that needs correcting, please (gently!) tell me!