CHAPTER TWO: TULIO

It had been less than a month after Miguel had left without so much as an explanation or a goodbye that Chel too, left him. Tulio had blamed himself, mostly, believing that he had driven them both off. It was then of course, that he came to realize something; he wasn't getting any younger and he couldn't spend the rest of his life in a back alley playing loaded dice.

So there he was, with nothing and no one to go to, wandering Spain, letting himself dwindle to the little end of nothing. But with nothing left to go to, he decided there was only one thing he could do at this point, and that was go back to his beginnings. Tulio, after all, hadn't always been a thieving street rat. In fact, he had come from rather good stock, a rather respectable family with a good sum of money. But Tulio and his father had never seen eye-to-eye, and he had left home early to set out to make his fortune.

Tulio was only grateful that his father didn't live long enough to say "I told you so."

When he arrived at his home in Barcelona, he was greeted with a warm unexpected welcome by his former nanny and house maid, and his cousin Inigo, who had inherited the house from his parents since Tulio was nowhere to be found. For sometime Tulio staid there, gathering his strength and his money, trying to figure out what to do with himself. It was then that he discovered that there was good money to be had as a sailor, and so he set off, with only a few belongings and enough money to get him by.

After only four months at sea, Tulio's ship was attacked by pirates, and it was purely do to his smooth-talking silver-tongue that he was not killed. The Captain of the ship, a man named Roberts, took the Spaniard on as his valet, and Tulio did his best to learn all he could about the ship and it's crew in order to keep them happy his neck out of a nose. It paid off eventually and he and Roberts became good friends, making Tulio his first mate. Within a years time, Tulio had collected a small fortune in gold and jewels. It was everything he had ever wanted, all he had ever coveted. Gold, respect, power…and yet it all meant nothing to him. For all the treasure he had, he began to long for a different kind of gold. The kind that you could run your fingers through, the kind that shone in the bright sun-light and hung down in those wide, beautiful, innocent and laughing green eyes…

It was that Tulio realized how much he needed Miguel. How much he had always needed him. Until that precise moment, the black-haired Spaniard had never realized just how much the other man had meant to him. But now, suddenly all things seemed pointless without his smile, without him standing there beside him going on for hours about the adventures they would have.

His heart on fire with a new mission, Tulio retired from piracy, as it was a rather dangerous line of work, and settled down again in Spain. He bought himself a small house, big enough to be comfortable, but not too lavish, even though it was filled with all the comforts he could ever want. Having established himself, he set out then on his quest, one he vowed to follow until it was complete or he died. He would find Miguel.

So imagine his surprise when he had been crossing the square, only to brush shoulders with a stranger, and turn and find the very object of his desire standing right there in front of him.

Tulio stood there, staring, barely daring to blink or breath, afraid if he did the image before him would disappear again. Miguel seemed to be having much the same reaction. He stood there, rooted to the spot, holding Altivo's reigns in a limp hand, eyes wide and staring, mouth agape.

"Miguel…" Tulio spoke at last, a smile breaking across his face as he took a few steps towards him, reaching out a hand to touch him. He wanted to clasp the other man to him and hold him forever, and never let him go again. It took all his self-control and restraint to keep from doing just that.

"It's you…" Miguel breathed as Tulio came towards him, resting a hand on his shoulder, which trembled at the contact. It was then that Tulio got a good look at Miguel, a real, close up look at him. His eyes had gone rather dull, full of sadness and fatigue. Dark rings had appeared underneath them and his cheeks seemed more hollow than before. His body was ragged, his clothes torn and dirty, and he was thin. Much, much, too thin. Tulio could only imagine what the other man had been through.

"It's just so good to see you," he said then, unable to stop the smile that was splitting across his face.

"Oh it is…it…is, but…" Miguel's voice was winding steadily down. "I'm took weak for surprises" were the last sounds he got out before he fainted from fatigue and wine and no food and bad sleep and sheer shock.

Tulio caught the other man in his arms as he collapsed against him, and lifted him up into his arms, then hoisted the two of them onto Altivo, Miguel seated limply in front of him. Altivo whinnied and snorted giving Tulio a look to say "It's good to see you again." as plainly as if he had said it. Tulio chuckled and patted the horse's mane. "It's good to see you too, horse." he said as they trotted off to Tulio's house.

***

Tulio carried Miguel inside and placed him upstairs in his own bed, telling his butler to take care of Altivo and make sure he was cleaned and fed and given a place to stay in the stable. With that taken care of, he rushed down stairs into the kitchen and made some tea, carried it upstairs, and force-fed Miguel. Within a few minutes the blonde-Spaniard was blinking up at him.

"It's just so good to see you," Tulio said as if they had never missed a beat in their conversation before.

"Oh it is, it is," Miguel agreed trying to sit up. "and I'm sorry for fainting on you, but I haven't eaten in nearly a week and a half, and a surprise like seeing you, well, that was just too much for me on an empty stomach. But I'm fine now." he insisted. He glanced around him then at the exquisite looking bedroom he was lying in. "Where are we?" he asked.

"This is my house." Tulio replied.

"You're house you say…" was all Miguel managed before he fainted again. Tulio shook his head and pulled off Miguel's worn shoes, noting that they had rather large holes in the toe and in the soles and moved him so that he could rest more comfortably and pulled a blanket over him. "Rest." he said, laying a hand on the other man's forehead before leaving him to sleep.

Tulio busied himself in the kitchen, preparing dinner, despite the protests of his housemaid, who usually did all the cooking. It was the unexpected smell of a hot meal that woke Miguel an hour later and he came stumbling down the stairs.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Tulio demanded as he brought out a tray of stew and rice and more tea for his friend. Miguel sank into a chair at the table, waving away Tulio's comment.

"I feel strong enough now, really." he insisted as Tulio sat the food in front of him.

"Eat." was all he said, and Miguel obeyed, and began devouring it like a hungry dog. Tulio seated himself a cross from his friend, staring at him with a small, disbelieving smile on his face.

At last Miguel looked up at him, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Why are you staring at me?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Tulio apologized. "It's just…I can hardly believe you're here."

Miguel smiled lightly, sighing. "I never realized I was in such terrible condition," he admitted.

"You'll be a strong as you ever were by tomorrow." Tulio replied. Miguel nodded, finishing the last of his meal and then slowly got to his feet, looking rather nervous. "Well…thank you for the meal, I appreciate it. I'd best be on my way…"

Tulio leapt out of his chair as though he'd sat on a needle and grabbed hold of Miguel's thin wrist, holding it in an iron grip. "Wait!" he cried with more emotion than he had meant to.

Miguel stared at him, blushing slightly at the contact. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Miguel was surprised to find that there was pure fear in Tulio's dark blue eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it had come, and Tulio collected himself, nervously smoothing back his hair. "I mean, you only just got here." he amended.

"I wouldn't want to be a burden." Miguel replied.

"No, no, no! Not at all! Me casa est su casa and all that!" Tulio said, throwing his arm around Miguel's shoulders and leading him over to a lounge sofa. "Please, please, stay?"

Miguel allowed himself a small smiled and nodded. "I suppose I could spare a day or so." he said, trying to sound nonchalant. Tulio nodded and sat across from him once more, smiling nervously.

Miguel's eyes wandered around the lavish house before turning once more to Tulio. "So…this is all yours? How could you ever afford it?" he asked.

"Oh, a little money here and there." Tulio replied. Miguel shook his head, and then…his eyes dropped to the floor. "So…where's Chel?" he asked, although he really did not want to know. He was very surprised then hear Tulio laugh loudly.

"Beats me. She left shortly after you did. I haven't seen her since. It never could have lasted, I realized. We were too much alike, and there was never any REAL love involved. It's probably for the best." he replied. The Miguel of two years ago would have laughed too, he would have rubbed it in his face, he would have said he got what he deserved, for taking that girl's lust over his love. But he simply said, "I'm sorry, Tulio."

A moment of awkward silence passed between the two friends, and Tulio sat, his hands nervously twitching in his lap as he gazed at Miguel. His shoulders were slumped, and his eyes were blood-shot. His entire posture spoke of nothing but fatigue. Tulio wanted to hold him, to care for him, to take all the weariness off him and make him feel alive again. But his pride much too big of an obstacle to do that just yet.

"You're doing it again." Miguel said, bringing him out of his reviver.

"I'm sorry," Tulio began, but Miguel waved it away. "I know, I know. It's good to see you too." he replied, his eyes having some of that old sparkle that they used to. Tulio nodded, and then was silent for another moment. Summoning all his courage he asked the one question that had been burning inside him for two years now.

"Where have you been?"

What he meant to say was "Why did you leave" but for now "where have you been" was just as good. Miguel took a deep breath, and pushed his golden tresses out of his face, eyes turning skyward. "Well…" he began.

For the next hour and a half Miguel related all his adventures to Tulio, about how he had picked up fencing and how he had become the undisputed champion, and how he had just been wandering from country to country learning from the masters. Of course, Miguel left out several "minor details" to his tale a) why he had left in the first place, b) His vow never love again after his heart had been broken by Tulio, and c) why he had returned to Spain in the first place.

Tulio listened to all of it in fascination, until Miguel finally concluded with the two of them passing each other in the square.

"Fascinating…you've done nothing but two years but learning to fence?!" he gasped.

"Yes, that and getting drunk, but mostly fencing, yes." Miguel concluded. Tulio laughed then, a loud, long, happy laugh, which was something no one had heard from him in a long time. Miguel was surprised himself by how much the sound elated him and gave him strength. Then Tulio stood, taking hold of Miguel's shoulders as he stood up too. "You're tired."

Miguel smiled, "I never could hide anything from you, could I?" he said as Tulio lead him upstairs once more, this time taking him into the guest room.

"You can change over there," Tulio said motioning to a Chinese styled dressing blind on which a night shirt had been laid out for Miguel. The blonde-Spaniard nodded and slipped behind it, tossing his clothes over top of the blind as Tulio collected them. "If you don't mind, I can have Maria mend and wash your clothes for you. They're looking a little worse for wear." he said.

"As you wish." Miguel replied from behind the blind, emerging a moment later in the sleeping shirt which was the same style as his own red one, only white. He wore nothing underneath it however since it drooped close to his knees.

Tulio adverted his eyes, a tinge of red in his cheeks, though he couldn't quite understand why. It wasn't as though he hadn't seen Miguel naked before. "If you need anything, my room is right across the hall." he said, gathering Miguel's shoes as well.

"Where's Altivo?" Miguel asked then as he sat on the edge of the large feather bed.

"He's in my stable, don't worry." Tulio replied. But in actuality Altivo was standing outside right under the open bedroom window, munching on a carrot and ease-dropping.

Miguel nodded, and Tulio turned to leave. "Wait, Tulio!" Miguel said then, making the other man freeze for a moment and then turn.

"Yes?" he asked.

"You know my story. Now where have you been?" he asked.

Tulio smiled, "It's a long story, and one that will keep till morning. You need rest." he replied.

"Oh, but I'm sure it would make a wonderful bedtime story." Miguel said, patting the spot next to him as he sprawled himself across the bed. Tulio took a seat instead on the changing stool next to the bed, and began his long adventurous tale.

Miguel listen intently to everything Tulio had to say, just hearing his voice again made him feel stronger. But he noticed that Tulio's sudden retirement seemed a bit…unexplained. This was of course, because Tulio didn't say that he had left to look for Miguel.

"And well…you know the rest." he finished with a little shrug.

"What an adventure." Miguel said in awe. Tulio grinned, and then stood up again, taking a stern appearance.

"Now, sleep. I insist." he said. Miguel nodded and had no sooner laid his head on the pillow than he fell into an exhausted sleep. Tulio draped the blankets over him again and turned to leave, but found himself stuck to the spot. He had an unexplainable fear that if he should leave that room, Miguel would disappear again, this time maybe forever. He seemed so fragile, so frightened. Tulio was afraid if he even breathed wrong he would run away from him again.

Fear getting the better of him, Tulio changed into more comfortable clothes and slipped back into Miguel's bedroom, taking a seat in a large chair in the corner of the room facing the bed. He would sleep here for the night. But sleep was a long time in claiming him as he gazed at the sleeping figure in the bed, and Tulio felt hot tears stinging his eyes. "Please, God…let him still be there when I wake up in the morning." he prayed quietly before finally drifting off himself.

Outside, Altivo shook his head. The horse knew those two better than they knew themselves. It was frustrating to the creature, knowing that the one thing that they needed to say to each other was all that they needed to make amends for everything in their past, but knowing that they were both to stupid, afraid, foolish, prideful to say it.

He snorted in disgust, bowing his long grey mane out of his eyes and munching on some more oats. They'll figure it out eventually.