"Tomorrow always changes everything," Almiron answered as his hand
carressed the lightly scarred face of the older man.  "But we still have
tonight, no matter what tomorrow brings."  His hand slipped behind M'tan's
neck, pulling him forward into a kiss. 

	The muscles in M'tan neck tensed beneath Almiron's fingers.  He 
massaged, caressed, comforted.  M'tan felt the younger man pull him into
an embrace.  His mind raced in circles.  It had been so long since someone
held him like that.  A year... nearly a year.  He had not realized until
that moment how the lonliness had eaten away from the inside.  He was a
shell, hollow, empty, suddenly remembering what it was to be filled.

	Once the trial came, everything would be over.  Everything.

	Their lips met.  M'tan felt the heat of Almiron's body against
his, like a flame melting ice.  His body responded instinctively, pulling
his companion closer.  Lips and teeth parted, and for and endless moment
M'tan was no longer the outcast who had attempted to murder his brother's
killer.  He was alive, comforted, loved, held.

	He'd never expected it to be so easy to kiss him.  He'd never
expected to feel so liberated.  He felt the walls of carefully constructed
numbness melt away, lost in this kiss as a leaf in the river's torrent.

	<<"Even if... even if you and I never... become lover, I would
like to keep your friendship.">>

	<<"If there's any chance you love me still, I want to make
good on all the things I didn't tell you.">>

	<<"Lori.  Her dragon Wyndalie.  Hers and Michel's baby.  One, two,
three.  Who knows, Michel might have also suicided if you'd succeeded, he
loves her enough, and Paranth would definitely follow.  So five.  Five
lives, M'tan!">>

	<<"Don't you love Al'dairan?  Didn't his life mean anything?">>

	<<"Now I know why Almiron loves you.">>

	<<<How could I have chosen you?  Why didn't I see how black you
are inside?>>>

	"M'tan, are you all right?"

	He couldn't stop shaking.  "Only your will, oh God," he whispered,
barely audible against the roaring in his own ears.  "I did it for
Al'dairan, but you guided me...." 

	"M'tan!"

	The voices haunted him.

	<<"M'tan, please stop. Please.....I didn't mean to kill him. I
didn't know what I was doing!">>

	"You guided me.  You have to understand."

	*SMACK*  

	The pain began in his right cheekbone, spreading over his face
like burning fluid.  He looked up, his eyes meeting Almiron's dark eyes
filled with fear.  "I'm sorry," Almiron breathed.  "I didn't know what to
do.  Are you all right?"

	M'tan reached out a hand to hold Almiron's, distantly surprised at
how it was shaking.  "I'm sorry," he whispered.  "I can't.  I'm sorry.

	"Could you stay with me tonight?"


Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Rati
Creator, DragonLands RPG