Temptation of an Evening
By Elymas
Summary
Erik and Nadir sit together one evening, and contemplate temptation. Erik/Nadir. Yes, SLASH.
Author's Note
Mmmm, slashity slashity goodness. E/N makes me happy.
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"Good evening."
"Evening, daroga."
A pause in the still Persian nighttime. A pomegranate slips from one man to the other, like a sacrificial offering.
"Pomegranate?"
"I'm all right, thank you, Erik. Besides, they're not in season, are they?"
"To the trapdoor lover, all fruits are in season."
The other man shifts, restless. "You don't mean to say that the khanum commissioned you to find a way to grow fruit out of season."
"Yes, yes, I do. She is a woman of many – many –"
A white hand raised mockingly, pretending to search for an elusive phrase. A pair of jade eyes watch, silently fascinated.
"Extravagancies?"
"I was going to say impracticalities."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"You say that so minimally. That's what you are, isn't it, a notorious minimalist. Have you ever lived a day in your life?"
Quiet blue green eyes cast down. "One must not give into temptation."
"Religion, honestly. Can't stand the stuff."
"Don't try to be ordinary for me, Erik."
"Oh, and when, precisely, did I do that?"
"Now, just now, when you – oh, I give up. Allah preserve us."
"Give us this day our daily –"
"What?" An alarmed expression, a face upraised for an instant.
"It's the Lord's Prayer, shut up, daroga – bread, and forgive us our trespasses.."
"Don't pray to other gods, Erik…"
"You, daroga, sir, are desecrating my childhood religion! Oh help me, I'm desecrated!"
"Erik. . ."
"Desecrated!"
"Erik! Oh, fine, pray away, enjoy your twisted self."
"Aha, an insult! You see daroga, you're living a little! But now, to business. Lead us not into temptation – "
A silent movement then, in the evening. Nothing speaks. Even the shrubbery is somehow more silent than usual.
Touch. Contact is like fire to tissue paper. Enormous. Explosive. Unbearably hot. But tiny. So tiny. Small and hidden inside of itself. Contact. Hand on hand, then slowly, slowly, cheek on cheek, cheek on mask. He can feel the mask shift and stiffen as the other man's face runs through a gamut of expressions. Terror, joy, apprehension, anger. Still the voice of an unknown and beautiful nightmare, but now hoarse and shot through with desire.
"Lead us not into temptation –"
Not – not – not – into – tempt – temptation – lead us – lead us – not – lead us – temptation.
Persephone partook of the pomegranate, and hades had her, and no more knew she the company of her nymphs with their wreaths of flowers, or the satyrs with their games, or the angels that sing on high, trumpets singing out a joyful Dies Irae,
But then, it's all one, just one night's temptation of an evening.