The Fine Print: Daniel Knauf and HBO own Carnivale and, unfortunately, Justin and Iris.

Minutes Like Hours

By twinb80

Chapter Fifteen: Whispers

"Whispers" by Afanasy Foeth 1850

Whispers. Timid breathing. Trilling

Of a nightingale.

And below the runnel-rocking,

Sleepy, silver-pale.

Strange nocturnal lights and shadow,

Shadows that enlace.

Row on row of magic changes

On the dearest face.

Smoky cloudlets, rose and purple,

With a tinge of fawn.

Kisses. Ah, and tears among them.

And the dawn, the dawn.

Iris stood with her back to him. She looked around his room and thought of the young girls one after another coming through this room. Her hands clenched at her side and she tried not to scream out the betrayal she felt. She could feel his eyes bore into her back as he waited for her to speak. She closed her eyes and gathered her strength together. She wanted him to feel the hurt and pain she had endured this past year. To feel the sting of rejection from a loved one who had been scorned. He had to understand that he couldn't hurt her anymore. That she wouldn't allow him to. She prayed that he would realize this and stop tormenting her. Couldn't he see that if he wasn't careful he was going to lose her? His smug attitude repeatedly told her that he didn't see this. Didn't see that he was slowly killing her by rejecting her. She wouldn't stand for this anymore. He had to learn that he couldn't do this to her. She unclenched her hands and turned around. Justin was standing by the end of the bed staring at her. He couldn't read what was written across her face and he felt like he had stepped into the eye of a storm. The woman before him was his sister and at the same time she didn't look like her. Justin's eyes traveled down her body and he found that her robe wasn't tied around her waist and that her feet were bare. Her legs stood out against the dark color of her robe. His eyes continued to stare at her legs beneath her slip. Standing there he remember that night in their old home when he had awoken from another dream. He had rub his eyes and glanced over at the couch. Iris was lying there. Her robe was pulled up around her waist and his gaze had travel over her body and landed on her thighs. His sister's thighs fascinated him. Her whole body fascinated him but her thighs held a special place in his memories. He had been a teenager riding in the car with her when his gaze had first fallen on her thighs. She was driving Norman's car and for the life of him he couldn't remember where they going. He did remember how she looked as she drove the car to their destination. She was dressed modestly in a light blue cotton dress. She wore stockings underneath the dress but in the course of their drive she had pulled her dress up a little higher to let her legs feel the cool air outside. Her dress had then covered her knees modestly. He really couldn't see anything but the bottom part of her right leg and her shoe pressed up against the gas pedal. Her hair was pulled up in the latest fashion of that year and she had just barely turn twenty years old. The weather outside had been unusual hotter than anyone could remember. Justin had been sitting in the passenger seat listening as Iris went on about her new job at the Inn. His gaze had drifted to the scenery outside and he had not heard the last thing she said. When she had repeated her question to him twice he had finally heard the words. His gaze left the window and he looked at her. He could only see her profile as she asked him again if he wanted to stop for lunch. They had been driving for an hour and it was close to lunchtime. He wasn't hungry but he could tell that she was so he had replied yes to her question. She nodded her head and her eyes continue to focus on the road before her. He had stared at her as she drove and his eyes were soon traveling from her face down her neck and stop at her breasts. Earlier that year he had accidentally seen her as she got out of the bathtub. They were getting read for a friend's wedding at their church. Norman and Rose were upstairs getting ready in their bathroom and he had been wandering around the house waiting for everyone to finish dressing. He had been dressed and ready before anyone else and was now restless. His wandering led him down the hallway back to his room. The bathroom door had been opened a little and he knew that Iris was getting ready for the wedding. She was humming a song to herself again and he had without thinking leaned closer to the crack in the door. His eyes had found her drying her body off with a towel and he became mesmerized as he watched her. She didn't see him there and he knew that it was wrong to be looking at her like this. His eyes had danced across her skin and landed on her breasts. He had never seen a woman's breasts before and he watched as hers rose and fell with each breath she took. She looked at the door suddenly as if sensing someone was there and he had raced back to his room and prayed that she hadn't heard him. Now he was once again staring at her breasts praying that she wouldn't notice his gaze. He quickly looked back at her face and to his relief she was still staring straight ahead. He knew that he shouldn't be staring at her body but she fascinated him. She had gone from a young girl who used to play outdoors with him to a young woman men stared at as they walk by. His gaze went back to her breasts and then down her stomach and finally rest on her thighs. The shape of her thighs played against her dress and he found himself unable to look away. His eager eyes saw that her thighs had open a little as her right leg stretch out pushing the gas pedal down. His eyes gaze at the space between her legs and then at her pelvis. Images of her nude body flashed in his mind and he suddenly wanted to reach out and touch her. It had taken every once of his will power not to give in to this impulse. Instead he had willed his eyes to look away and went back to gazing out the window.

Justin's memory ended and he was once again staring her thighs beneath her slip. His eyes travel back up her body and stop on her breasts. He had taken his time looking at her expose legs and now he took his time staring at her breasts. Her breasts had become fuller and each nipple danced out against her slip. His gazing at her body had aroused not only him but her as well. His eyes left her breasts and finally came back to her face. She was blushing and her mouth was open a little as if she wanted to say something. The only sound in the room was their breathing. They stare at one another across the small distance between them. She had come to his room. The next move was his. She watched as he close the distance between them and then he was standing right in front of her. She looked into his eyes and saw something that she never thought she would see again. He wanted her. His gazing upon her had aroused them both and now they both wanted satisfaction. She closed her eyes as she remembered why she ha come here in the first place. She wasn't going to back down now. Even though a part of her just want him to take her right there. She sighed and opened her eyes. He was still looking at her with lust in his eyes. She placed her hands on his chest and allowed him to bring his mouth down onto her neck. Her hands moved from his chest as his arms encircled her waist beneath her robe. She held onto him as his mouth played against her nice kissing and biting her. She let out a gasp as his hands grab her bottom. His mouth moved form one side of her neck to the other side. They continue to hold onto one another as if one of them was drowning. She brought her mouth to his ear and whispered in Russian that he wasn't the only man to have touched her like this. His mouth continued to bite and kiss her neck as if he hadn't heard her. She knew that he had and that he was ignoring her to make her words not true. His hands continued to roam over her body and found her breasts. His ear was still near her mouth and she knew what she had to do. She whispered the year their affair had taken place and where he had been. She whispered about the birthday party that year and how she had missed their mother. He knew she wasn't making anything up. He had been there and been a witness to her pain that year. His hands stop fondling her breasts and he raised his head from her neck. They were still holding one another and he looked at her as if she was lying. She gave him a small sad smile. Happy to be back in control. Now he would know how she felt to be tossed aside for someone else. He would be anger and hurt but she didn't care. She took her hands from his arms and gently brought his head to her mouth. His breath was hot against her neck as he waited for her to say the man's name. Waited to hear who this man was that had taken her to bed numerous times. Waited to hear who had made her cry out in pleasure and who had dared touch her. Waited to her that another man's name had been on her lips as she came in his arms. He closed his eyes as her mouth moved against his ear and whispered one name: Norman Balthus. Shocked he open his eyes praying to God that he had heard wrong. He looked down at her and found that wasn't lying. She was telling the truth and he stood there as she told him how their affair had started. How they always used the guest bedroom to make love in and how Norman had even taken her in his office. The same office that Justin had sat in with his mentor and talk with. The same office that they had played in as children. His arms around her fell and he slowly started to back away from her shaking his head no. This couldn't be true. He would have known if something like this was going on. They told each other everything but she hadn't told him about this. He stood there and felt like someone had stuck a hundred knives into him.

She stood across from him and told him everything about their affair. How long their affair had lasted and how Norman would call out her name when he came inside her. How his kisses felt on her mouth and how his hands had roamed across her body almost every night. His eyes burned with anger and pain as she went on calmly about how Rose had done them a favor by joining that book club. Told him how the minute Rose step out the door that Norman and her were instantly tearing each others clothes off and how he never suspected any of it. Justin closed his eyes as the images played across his mind. She wasn't lying. She had willing gone to bed numerous times with their guardian and he had never suspected a thing. His whole body by now had tighten with anger and revulsion for what she had done. She had betrayed him. She had let another man touch her and taken her to bed. Another man had felt her legs wrap around them and heard her sighs and moans. Another man had been in her body and made her cry out his name. The images kept coming and Justin willed them to stop but they didn't. Another man had dared touched his Irina and that man had been his mentor and guardian. Justin wanted to kill Norman right then and there. Wanted to end the old man's life once and for all. Iris was calling his name again and he opened his eyes. He watched as she walk over to him and spoke to him again.

"Now you the truth Alexei. Now you know how it feels to be tossed aside by the person who loves you. Who would do anything for you. I won't be toss aside for one pretty maid after another. Do you hear me. I won't be pushed out of your life for someone else. Someone who hasn't been by your side since the day you were born. You are not sacrificing me for your mission. I am sick of your games and am not playing them anymore. Do you understand me Alexei!."

She shouted the last part out at him and he saw that she was shaking with rage. His eyes narrowed as he watched her standing there waiting for his response. One thought kept running through his mind. "His Irina had been with another man." The fact that it was Norman was twice a blow to him but the real blow was that she had allowed this to happen. That she had allowed another man to kiss her. To hold her and give her pleasure. That another man had felt her hands on them and tasted her mouth. Justin began to shake his head again and Iris began to yell at him in Russian. Yell at him that she wouldn't be left behind. Yelled at him that he couldn't do this to her. Justin tuned her out as that one thought played over and over in his head. "His Irina had been with another man. She had betrayed him." Rage filled him from the bottom of his feet to his head and without thinking his arm rose and he slap her hard across her face. The blow sent her reeling and she landed on his bed. Shocked she sat up with tears and fury in her eyes. He had never struck her before. How dare he! Iris stood up and cursed his name in Russian. Cursed the day that he was born and cursed him for being her brother. Justin stood there shock written across his face. He had never hit her before and no matter what she had done he had no right to strike her. His anger left him as she continued to curse him. She threw every curse their mother had taught them at him. When she was done her face was red and she was breathing hard. He had stood there and taken every curse she had given him. He tried to say something but no words would appear. She wiped her hand across her eyes and began to walk past him and out his door. His hand shot out and he grabbed her wrist. She struggled and tried to get his fingers off her wrist. As she began to yell at him again his body sunk down onto the floor and he wrap his arms around her waist. Iris was taken back by his sudden movement and stop struggling. His head was against her stomach and he was mouthing words into her slip that she couldn't hear. She closed her eyes as his arms wrap around tighter and his body shook with emotion. She opened her eyes and look down at him. He was still mouthing the same words and she saw to her amazement that he was crying. She let her hands caress his hair and began to hum a song she use to sing when he was a little boy. They stayed like that for a long time. She had finally hurt him and gotten her pound of flesh. His tears stop and he looked up at her. Iris continued to play with his hair as he finally spoke the words he couldn't before.

"Please forgive me Irina. Forgive me."

He was sincere in his request and Iris found herself wanting to forgive him. Found herself wanting to put the past behind them and begin anew. She didn't know it that was possible. He was sorry terribly sorry for hitting her but she didn't know if he would stop tormenting her. If he would stop shutting her out and let her back in. She could tell from the expression on his face that he didn't know either. They had said so much and done so much to hurt one another that neither knew if they could walk away from it. She wanted to be able to forget what they had done to one another. To forget the games they had played and return to who they use to be. But part of her knew that wouldn't happen and she close her eyes again. He continued to watch her waiting for her answer. He had read each of her though as they played across her face as if she had spoken them out loud. She open her eyes and look back down at him.

"I will forgive you if you promise never to raise your hand against me."

He nodded his head and would have agreed to anything she said at the moment. She smiled and he buried his head into her stomach again like the little boy he use to be. The house was quiet as they stood there in the middle of his room. Iris continued to let her fingers roam through his hair. His mouth was against her stomach and every breath he took warm her. His arms that had been wrap around her waist slowly began to loose their tight grip on her. She let out a small cry as his hands began to caress her behind. She closed her eyes and let him pull her slip up over her hips. His mouth found her bare skin and began to leave kisses across her stomach. She held him close to her body and open her eyes. His head danced beneath her kissing and bitting at her skin. His hands roamed over her behind and soon found her legs. She let out a gasp as his hands begin to caress her legs and thighs. Her robe became too hot to bear and she took the robe off and left it on the floor. She was now only standing in her slip and underwear as Justin continue to caress her skin. Her hands found his hair again and she tried to bring him up to her. Their breathing had become heavy and the need to be satisfied grew. He stopped his kisses and looked up at her. She smiled down at him and he smiled back at her. He stood up and pulled her towards him. His mouth was soon upon hers and she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him. His mouth was bittersweet against hers and she returned his kisses with as much passion as he was kissing her. A moan escaped her as his tongue forced its way into her mouth. His hands continue to roam over her body and they clung to one another. His mouth left hers and she opened her eyes. He was staring at her with lust and adoration in his eyes and she wanted to cry. Instead she brought her mouth to his neck. He moaned against her ear and his hands wrap under her bottom. He lifted her up and she wrap her legs around his waist continuing to bite at his neck. He carried her over to his bed and gently laid her down. He hovered over her and she moved until her head was resting on one of his pillows. He climbed onto the bed and she spread her legs for him. They were soon kissing one another with an abandon passion as their bodies pressed against one another. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies and he soon had her slip off. She arched her back and moan as his tongue danced across her skin and found her breasts once more. Her legs wrap around his waist as he grinded into her. She met each of his movements and he moaned his approval. He soon brought his mouth back to hers and her hands found his nightshirt. She began to unbutton his shirt but he stopped kissing her. She looked at him with a questionable look on her face. He gave her a strange smile and then leaned over her and turned the nightstand lamp off. The room was in total darkness and Iris was surprised by his action. Her surprise didn't last long as she felt his hands on her hips. He slowly pulled her panties off in the darkness. He soon had his nightclothes off and he grabbed her legs bringing her closer to him. They each let out a cry as their bodies became one. He moved inside her and she met each of his movements as only an old lover could. The room echoed with their lovemaking and neither of them cared if anyone else in the house heard them. They were beyond caring if anyone saw them. They clung to another and his bed shook with every one of their movements. The room was filled with their gasps and moans as they rediscover each other in the darkness. Justin's voice filled the room as he came inside her calling out her true name. The room echoed with her response as she came in his arms calling out the one name that had always been on her lips. Alexei.