When Mathias finally came down, with drowsy eyes and hair ruffled from sleep, the sun had risen a good bit above the horizon. I had finally managed to prepare breakfast, and Emil, who came down shortly after Mathias' father left, and I had already eaten. I knew that I should have probably gone up and wake Mathias, but I couldn't bring myself to. Instead I had Emil told everything, because as horrible the news were, he would take them with impassive demeanor. But even though his face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, I still knew that he was thinking hard about what to do. And maybe he was even as freaked out as I was.

So we sat there in the kitchen, both trying to figure out something, until Mathias entered through the door and greeted us with an exaggerated grin and wave.

Ignorance sure is bliss.

"So what's for breakfast?"

War, enjoy your meal.

Emil just shoved him a plate with leftovers from our previous meal. Mathias, oblivious as ever, didn't mind at all and dug in to his heart's content.

But there was no delaying the inevitable.

"I talked to your father."

And then I told him everything that his father had told me, and all the while I kept my eyes on the window, and the beautiful sight outside, the sight that soon would be marred by war. Only yesterday, I had thought that my biggest problem was how I could get enough money to pay off the patron, but now that seemed so insignificant.

After I was finished there was a short silence, and then Mathias exhaled the breath he apparently had hold. And then a hand on mine, I tore my gaze from the outside scenery to look at him instead, and was surprised to see him with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I guess that explains some things." He said with a calmness I couldn't feel at all.

"What?" I snapped, "This is all you can think of? " He flinched at my harsh tone, but didn't let go of my hand. "Look Lukas, there is nothing we can to about it, so there is no need to get all agitated. It is better if we keep our heads cool, and think of something together. Berwald should arrive soon, and then we can try and come up with a solution. And hey, maybe we don't even have to worry about it. My father is a real pro at coaxing people into doing things they don't like," his face grimaced a bit when he said those words, "So maybe there won't be a war at all." I just wished I could believe that, but I had seen the look on his father's face.

The look of a man who knew he was fighting for a lost cause.

"So best we stay put, until he sends for us. And we probably should prepare everything for a case of emergency."

I sighed, as hard it was to admit it, but he was right. There was no good in freaking out. "So when are your cousin and friend going to show up?" I asked, leaning back in my chair and trying to distract myself from the dread that still filled me at the thought of war.

Mathias shrugged and poured himself some coffee. "They should be here soon."

Emil poked his puffin, and the puffin poked back with his beak. They seemed content to repeat that kind of game over and over again. If you didn't know him, you'd probably think he was spacing out, but I could tell that he was actually thinking, hard. And the play with the bird was only a way to focus his concentration.

"So what about that plan of yours you were going to tell me about today?" That was probably not the right moment to talk about that, but since we agreed on waiting with the plan making until Berwald and company arrived, there wasn't much else left to do.

"What plan?"

I rolled my eyes. "The patron, you know you told me you had this awesome plan?"

"Ah, this plan."

"So?"

He grinned at me, almost sheepishly. "Well I would have asked Berwald to talk to the patron." I waited for him to continue, but apparently that was all. I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You'll understand if you see Berwald." Mathias held up his hands defensively.

Ah, nevermind.

"But your father told me you and Berwald were on bad terms?"

"What? Why would he tell you something like that?"

"You tell me." I said darkly. Better to get this straight, before this Berwald showed up and everything went down the drain.

"It's complicated."

"Nothing's ever complicated with you." I countered, arms folded and intent on not taking any of that shit.

The look on his face was almost hurt, but then his look of confidence returned and he shrugged a shoulder. "We have quite opposite personalities so we don't get along all the time. But we're not exactly on bad terms, we just fight occasionally. And since he's got Tino, we don't fight at all, so I guess we're alright."

And so what exactly now was so complicated?

But that at least meant that we would be able to cooperate and rely on each other if things were to make a turn for the bad.

A heavy knock interrupted the ensuing silence, making me jump and instinctively look for cover. "That has to be them." Mathias said and got up. He signaled us to wait here, while he was up to open the door. I returned my attention to Emil who returned my gaze with that serious air that was so typical for him. He didn't say anything, but his eyes conveyed the message even without a word. We were brothers and we would be there for each other. It was with pride, when I realized that Emil had grown up, he didn't need my protection anymore. But that didn't mean that I wouldn't be there for him, whenever he needed me. And he would be there for me.

The door opened and revealed a rather scaring looking individual. He was bigger than me, bigger than even Mathias with broad shoulders and a stern face. His eyes behind the glasses he wore were piercing and his brows seemed to be stapled into a frown.

From behind him I could hear Mathias' chatter, but obviously he wasn't talking to the imposing man that had just entered. Behind him there were Mathias and another male, this one seemed a lot more likeable than the other one. He was bouncing on his feet and happily listening to Mathias' mindless talking. But he stopped on his tracks when he spotted Emil and me sitting at the kitchen table.

"Oh is this a puffin? How cute, where did you get it?" With that the small Blonde rushed into the kitchen, past the big one and reached out a hand to stroke Mr. Puffin, only to stop midair and casting a questioning look at Emil, who just nodded. With eager he then proceeded to pet the bird.

Mathias laughter filled the kitchen and he stepped forward slapping bespectacled one on the shoulder. "Seems Tino found a replacement for you." He joked with a grin, unaware of the increasing frown on the others face. So, if the small one was Tino, that one must be Berwald, I concluded in my head. Now I could understand, why Mathias would think it a good plan to unleash Berwald on the patron. With that look, he could scare anyone to death.

"Okay, so this is Berwald and that is obviously Tino." Mathias began introductions. Berwald inclined his head in greeting and Tino waved enthusiastically. Mathias then pointed towards Emil, "This is Emil and the bird's name is Mr. Puffin." Tino smiled at Emil and even went as far as to shake hands with the Puffin. "And this," I was filled with sudden dread, when I realized that Mathias was heading over to me, probably planning on a cheesy introduction. But before he could embarrass me, I quickly leapt up and put a hand on his mouth. "I am Lukas." I supplied.

That earned me curious glances from Tino; Berwald hadn't spoken a word since he entered. I removed my hand from Mathias mouth, hoping that he would take the hint and be quiet for once. "So, are you two a couple?" Tino asked, innocently as the day. "Hell yes!" Mathias exclaimed. I slapped him across the cheek, not hard but enough to make it sting. Emil just threw me a knowing look, and I was once more stunned at how observant he was.

"That hurt babe." Mathias whined and rubbed his cheek that had already turned red. "Don't call me that." I snapped and plopped down on my chair. Besides, we had more important things on our hands.

Somehow catching on the change of mood, Berwald finally moved and sat down at the table beside Emil. Following his example, Tino sat also down. That left only Mathias standing who took the remaining seat beside me, still grumbling under his breath.

I could tell from Tinos curious glances that he was dying to know how Mathias had met us, but the sudden seriousness that had fallen over us, prevented him from inquiring. Instead Mathias raised his voice and explained what his father had told me. I was glad that I didn't have to do, twice was enough, but listening to it was only that much better. And watching the expression on Tinos face changing from disbelief to horror was disheartening at best. Emil looked as impassive as ever, this time only rivaled by Berwalds unreadable demeanor.

"So now we have to figure out what to do." Mathias finished; his grin all but a shadow of its former self.

He was answered with silence. And then Tino spoke up: "Well I think we should heed your father's advice and wait for him to send for us." "But what if something happens, before he can send for us? What if something happens to him, and he can't send for us at all?" I interjected; Berwald still hadn't spoken a word.

My words had an unwanted effect on Mathias and Tino. Both faces fell, as if they had only know realized that this was very well a possibility. And that was far from, all there was so much more that could go wrong…

"We should prepare for the worst. Pack everything that is necessary and place it somewhere easily accessible. And be ready to run." Emil had spoken, voice steady, eyes fixed on the table. Nobody answered, they probably felt as I did, unable to come up with a response, and to be honest a response wasn't really necessary.

"Sounds like a plan." Mathias finally broke the silence. And that was it. Just like that we had decided what to do. It was not much, but it was enough. Hopefully it was enough.

After that the mood was dampened, Tino tried halfheartedly to lighten it up, but even he gave up after a while. There was nothing for Emil and me to pack; we hadn't brought anything with us, but Tino, who was at least somewhat our size, agreed to lend us some stuff. And then we began packing bags with clothes and food, and everything else someone of us deemed worth taking. Truth be told, none of us had any knowledge of road-travelling and everything that went with it, how to set up camp, how to make a fire in the middle of nowhere, etc. Emil and I at least knew a little about useful plants, we had to rely on plant medicine since we couldn't afford a doctor and we had occasionally used the forest behind out house to help sustain us. And we could only hope that that would be sufficient.

Soon there was nothing left to do, and we all gathered in the ground floor living room. A cozy place, with a big sofa, some arm chairs and even a fire place. And since tension can't hold up forever without nourishment, we soon relaxed and finally took the time to get to know each other.

I was lounging on the sofa in Mathias arms, Emil sat on the floor, leaning against my legs. Berwald had taken one of the armchairs and pulled the protesting Tino on his lap. So they were a couple too. That was the first time I heard Berwald speak, his voice was deep and somehow gruff.

At the beginning Mathias did all the talking, telling all about his and Berwald's childhood adventures. Then Berwald would from time to time grunt in agreement or grunt in disagreement, it really was hard to tell with him, but as Mathias' story neared the present time, Berwald would even speak up and correct him. And then Tino would pipe in and tell us how he and Berwald met in manner that would make the man whose lap he was sitting on, blush. And then finally Tino would ask how Mathias had met us, and this time I would talk, hesitantly because I didn't want strangers to know that I had worked as a whore, but seeing their reaction, they seemed more concerned than disgusted. And so I told them everything, well almost everything, there were certain parts that especially Emil didn't need to know. And Mathias squeezed my arm reassuringly all the way through. I even told them the unfortunate beginning of it all, the moment when my mother's future was crushed and everything that followed after that. And when I came to the parte where I discovered the plaque in the attic, Mathias confessed that his father had always felt kind of bad for what happened, but the twonspeople didn't want to tell him where that carpenter had lived and so he had put that plaque there in order to amend at least a little.

And then, after our life stories were finished we talked about everything and nothing, about our hopes and dreams, about life and about death. And after that we still talked, and in the end it felt like I had known all of them my whole life. And it was nice, before I had only Emil, and as great as he as, he was only one, and now I had all those great new friends I could rely on.

Night had fallen during our talking, and signs of exhaustion already were evident. Emil was napping against my legs, which were numb from the long period of stillness, Mathias was yawning in my hair and Tino looked as if he would fall asleep the next moment. Berwald looked as always, but he blinked more than often and even I felt tired.

So we made our way up to the first floor, where we stumbled upon a small problem. We completely forgot to prepare a room for Emil, and now since Berwald and Tino were here, he couldn't take up their room anymore. But Emil, whom I had to wake in order to get my legs free, only shrugged and muttered something that sounded like 'sofa' and disappeared downstairs, after pulling a blanket out of a cabinet in the hall.

Tino was carried by Berwald into their room; he tiredly waved a hand before Berwald closed the door behind them. That left Mathias and me. I started to go in the bathroom, in order to ready myself for the night, but was held back by Mathias strong arms. He hugged me from behind, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Lukas," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "I need you, please." His breath tickled my neck. I knew what he meant, even though he hadn't said it clearly. The ache in my backside had subsided over the day, but my ass was still sore. But despite that, I wanted him; maybe I wanted him even more desperately than he wanted me. Who knew what would happen tomorrow? Before that, I wanted to remember the feeling of being loved, of being held as close as possible, of being complete.

I turned around in his arms and pulled him down into a kiss. It was a slow kiss, a gentle one, one that said 'I love you', because I couldn't. And then Mathias lifted me once more into his arms, carrying me through the door into his bedroom, kicking it close behind him, and all the while he was kissing me, this time more heated and passionate than before.

He laid me on the bed, removing my clothes and then his, and then he kneeled between my legs and took me in his mouth with such fervor it was breathtaking. I didn't notice when he took up the bottle with lubricant, and when he inserted his first finger I inhaled sharply in surprise. His mouth was still around my member and the sensations of his wet cavern and the prodding finger together were overwhelming.

I moaned shamelessly as he inserted the next finger, pushing my body into his fingers, feeling the need to be touched at that special spot. And he complied, stroking at that spot, sending tingling heat through my every nerve.

He released my member and concentrated fully on stretching me, and I lied there moaning and writhing, desperate for him to finally enter me. And when he did I almost screamed in pleasure that was laced with delicate pain, and I couldn't wait, so I began moving on my own, pushing as far down on him as possible.

Mathias moaned my name and started thrusting at a fast pace, slamming mercilessly into me and right on that spot, and every hit sent my mind a little further up into the clouds where only bliss reigned. His hand grabbed my cock and began pumping, my body was quivering and then finally I couldn't hold back any longer and came with a loud scream, not caring if anyone would hear us. He followed soon after, his grip tightened around my now limp member, my name on his lips.

I panted and waited until the heat in my veins subsided and clear thoughts once again returned to me. "I love you." Mathias said; voice hoarse from his constant moaning.

This time I didn't care that we were sticky and full of semen, and that tomorrow the mess would have become hard and it would be a pain to remove it. I didn't care that I hadn't gone through with my night preparation routine; I just wanted to fall asleep right there in Mathias arms, the warmth of our intercourse still between us. Mathias moved slightly and slid out of me, and then he readjusted his position until he was comfortable.

He never asked for an answer.

Maybe he knew that I couldn't say it, maybe my other ways of saying it were enough.

Like this, we fell asleep.

...