Hidden Truths - Ethan

22 - The Lead

After I checked the guards in charge of the day shift and gave instructions for Erwin and the next shift I came back to the familiar door in front of me. Tristan's door. He told me that nobody would enter without knocking anyway. Let's see if he locked it.

I enter the room and find him in his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Would you mind locking the door?" he asks.

"I thought nobody would enter without knocking anyway."

"You are not nobody, and I thought you feel safer when it's locked," he counters with a smirk. Touché. I go back to lock the door and come to sit down at the edge of the bed, where he lays in.

"I'm Ethan, the butcher. The only thing I fear is you," I return a sad smile.

"You fear the only one, who will never hurt you?" A little smile on his face and he reaches out to caress my hand. I hum. I can totally deal with physical pain, but he is capable of so much more. One word and I'll step out into the sunlight for him. I sigh because that thought means it is not just Tristan, who wants to get some fun.

"Do you really think I would ever hurt you?" he says and drags me out of my thoughts and into his arms. "Come here." I'm surprised and can hear my heartbeat increase.

"I... erm..." I clear my throat before I start again. "Not on purpose, I think..." I try to give him a proper answer.

"What if you stop thinking for a moment?" he presses me against his bare chest.

"Maybe I forget to breathe then..." It slips out of my mouth before I could think twice.

Tristan smirks, "Is it that bad to be here with me?"

I have to grin about my own foolish reactions. How did Lyall put it? I'm acting like a stupid Teenager.

"It's different." I bury my face at his chest.

"So, what? That doesn't mean it's bad." Taking in his scent for a few moments I can't deny it.

"No, it's not. I'm sorry that I caused you extra troubles these days," I whisper.

"You are a fool," he starts and I interrupt him.

"How many centuries did it take you to figure that out?" He shakes his head in disagreement before running his fingers through my hair and placing a kiss on my head. Intuitively I move my face in his direction but stay put as his gentle eyes meet mine.

"You are my fool."

"That's right, but could we agree that not everybody needs to know that?" I remember about his thoughtless approach when Eve brought the news about the newborns.

He kisses me instead of answering and the world is alright again for a moment. "See? It's easy," he says, "It's just Eve, we both know that she suspected that right from the beginning," he keeps on smiling while I frown. She did? I can't remember when I ever gave her any kind of reason to suspect that. The thought works through my mind and I look at Tristan. He did. If it wasn't me, then he gave her hints about his affection?

"Just Eve? You try to ruin me, don't you," I sigh but slip my wounded hand in Tristan's neck.

"Don't worry, Ethan. You in my bed is the one good thing today with all that mess around," he kisses me once again.

"Yes, at least I can be of use that way," I say before moving to get up again and start undressing. I can't stand sleeping in my suit. Tristan watches me silently as I clumsily untie my shoes and unbutton my shirt. Oh, I can't wait for my fingers to grow back!

"Are you sure I should stay here the whole day?" I ask.

"I am. Are you?" he wants to know. I get rid of my shirt and undershirt before I release a bitter laugh.