It had been two days. What was going on? Christian had seen neither hide nor hair of Syed since he´d left his flat to go back home at Masood´s request. He´d left afraid, afraid of what his father had to say to him and whether he would be made to tell Amira the truth.

Until the call had come, Syed had been wilfully restless, trying to soak up as much as Christian as possible. He´d been laying on his chest – his ear a stethoscope to Christian´s strong heartbeat, his cheek nestled in his chest hair – but he´d abandoned this, needing to look at him, taste him, touch him. They´d played together, silly little games for the senses. They were discovering each other all over again. It was bliss but for the dark undertone of reality threatening to invade at any time. And with a phone call, it did.

Since then, Christian had checked his phone incessantly for word from Syed, but none had come. He couldn´t imagine what was being said – he´d given up trying to second guess the Masoods. He had resisted the temptation to call unless this got Syed in more trouble but he was going out of his mind not knowing if he was ok.

Javi had called in by surprise and Christian wasn´t going to be heartless and turn him away. He tried to block out everything that was going on and enjoy Javi´s company. It kind of worked. It was difficult not to delight in his perfect body, his youthful confidence and his charming philosophies on life. He was unafraid, perhaps fortunate in life not to have suffered the fates which aged others, Christian included. Sometimes Christian felt old beyond his years but Javi helped him to feel young, like he was being given a new lease of life, the opportunity to start again.

Christian was laughing at one of Javi´s schoolboy anecdotes about a teacher he´d slept with to make grade, and how he charmingly described him as ´near to the death´.

"I hope you don´t say those things about me!"

"No, I mean really old. With the grey hair there," he said, pointing at Christian crotch before giving it his undivided attention. Christian lay back on his pillow, enjoying the feeling and for the first time in days truly forgetting any outside pressures. That was until, timely as ever, his phone rang.

"Sy, what´s up??" he said, sitting up quickly and politely gesturing for Javi to stop.

"Are you free later?"

"Yeah, course. Are you ok?! I´ve been worried sick!"

"I´m fine. I´ll come round in an hour or so, yeah?"

"Yeah, ok."

Christian was little confused. Syed didn´t sound upset or anxious – in fact he sounded really casual. What had gone on?

"Javi, I´m gonna need to go out soon…" he said, dropping the hint but knowing Javi was impossible to offend.

"OK," he said sweetly. "But I finish first." He gave the cheekiest of smiles and Christian fell back onto his pillow unable to resist.

He let Syed in and was surprised to see him walk straight past him and into the flat as if it were just another day.

"So?? What did they say? What happened? Does Amira know?"

"It´s ok, Christian. It´s ok, see?"

"See what?"

"I´m here, aren´t I?" Christian looked befuddled. "I´m here so what does that tell you?"

Christian half-smiled, not knowing whether he´d interpreted him correctly. "You mean…?" His smile widened but quivered waiting for confirmation. Was Syed really telling him that they could be together now?

Syed kissed Christian and took his jacket and t-shirt off but Christian was no longer smiling. Something was wrong. Syed´s actions were… mechanical, somehow. He took his jeans off and kissed Christian´s neck but it was clear his motivation was neither love nor passion.

"Syed, stop."

"Just let me have this one, Christian."

"Sy…"

Syed shut him up; his lips had found passion and though at first Christian was sure this was contrived, he understood that Syed was pleading with him to accede to his demands. He returned Syed´s kiss with a lust he hoped was contagious and immediately found it reciprocated with gratitude.

Syed lay in Christian´s arms slowly drifting off to sleep but Christian shuffled deliberately to keep him awake. He had to know what had gone on.

"So are you gonna tell me what happened?"

"We can be together."

"Just like that?" said Christian, getting annoyed that Syed would not give a comprehensible answer.

"We can see each other as much as we like."

Christian was struggling to contain his frustration. Something was amiss. Would Syed please just tell him! "But?"

Syed stroked Christian´s chest soothingly and placed his mouth over Christian´s nipple, sucking it gently but like a baby trying for milk. Christian was torn between concern and arousal.

"Sy…"

Syed carried on but slid his hand down from Christian´s chest, past his stomach and started rubbing him. Christian could see he was not going to get much out of him right now.

"Ok, Sy, then maybe just…" – the arousal was getting strong – "just an overview."

Syed made his way down Christian´s body leaving a trail of kisses. He stopped where he was needed, looked up at Christian with a grin on his face and said, "Or… you could put this in your boyfriend´s mouth."

Christian gladly obliged. Boyfriend? Boyfriend. Finally.