Mikhael tore his eyes away from them first, took one look at Skids' stricken face and dragged the kid out of the gallery before he broke down. He shoved Skids into the car and drove away. They didn't speak; Mik had nothing to say. He knew it was over; Tybalt had won and Harley was gone forever. And really, when Mik thought about it later, why would he want anything Tybalt's corrupt hands had touched?

Seatbelts and bucket seats made it impossible to effectively hold someone while driving, so when Skids' silent weeping finally got to him enough, he pulled over to comfort him. Mik had a moment to admire the streetlights reflecting in the tears on Skids' cheeks before the kid buried his face in his neck. He shook a little in Mik's arms and then calmed down. Mik asked him what was wrong.

Skids sniffed and looked up at Mik with enormous soft eyes and said that Cy had taken Ronnie away from him, he thought he might get over it with Tybalt. And now Harley had taken Tybalt. It seemed so unfair to him, Skids continued, that Cy and Harley had families and lots of friends and love and they could not let him have one person, one special person, in his life. He had thought he could forgive Cy, and forget about Ronnie, because Tybalt was so beautiful and so wonderful and might be his, but now he never wanted to see either Cy or Harley again.

Mik told him he'd had a narrow escape with Tybalt, that whatever it was with him and Harley probably wouldn't last more than one or two nights.

"But the damage is done, isn't it?" Skids asked and wiped his eyes.

"Yes, very much so," Mik sighed and sat back. The emergency brake had been uncomfortably pressing into his thigh and it was a relief to be in his own seat again. He looked over at Skids' profile and allowed himself to think he was beautiful. Over the years with Harley, he'd often noticed Skids, when not moving or making noise, was just a little more beautiful than Harley, who got all the attention, including the kind that made Mik jealous, because he was a flashy, brassy blond.

He considered taking a page out of Tybalt's book and seducing Skids right there in the back seat. However, that had never been Mik's style and doing anything the way Tybalt did completely revolted him. "I'll take you back to your dorm," he said softly.

"Mik... I... can I stay with you tonight? I don't want be alone," Skids said shyly.

Mikhael started the car and said that he didn't mind if Skids slept on the couch that night. If Skids thought it was odd that Mik specified exactly where he would be sleeping, he kept it to himself.

They rode to Mik's apartment in silence. Once inside, Mik didn't turn on any lights. No need for lights, he knew the apartment like the back of his hand. This was one of his post-Harley ways; he didn't want to see too much of the apartment so he kept it dark, there were too many memories there.

Too bad for Skids, who didn't know the apartment in the dark, and did pretty well until he stumbled directly into Mik's arms.

"Are you okay?" Mik asked, steadying him but not letting go.

"I think so," Skids said, not drawing away, if anything he was tightening his arms around Mik.

"Um, I'll get you some blankets and..."

"Mik," Skids said, taking a deep breath. "I don't wanna sleep on the couch." He drew Mik down to kiss him, it wasn't far because they were nearly the same height.

The first things that went through Mik's mind was that Skids' lips were soft and his mouth was fresh and sweet, that he fit into his arms like he was made for them, that Mik only had to tilt his head down to kiss him instead of hunch over, that Skids' little sigh of surrender was making him hard and the hardness that Skids' pressed against him was the answer to a deeply longed for, but never spoken, prayer. Then he thought he should take Skids back to his dorm, that it was wrong to take advantage of him like this, it was more than wrong, it was wicked. He wrenched himself away. "I'll take you home," he said firmly.

"No, please... don't you...?"

"Yes, I do, Skids, but do you know what you're doing?"

"No... but I know what I want." Skids nestled back into Mik's arms.

Mik looked down at the handsome face inches from his own and realized that he didn't want to sleep alone either that night.

And it was sweet for both of them. Mik was not surprised to discover that Skids was a virgin. He slowly undressed him and took him into a warm shower. Holding him close, he returned Skids' passionate kisses and spun out the arousal between them. Soaping the fingers of his right hand, Mik began to very gently stretch Skids, who jumped slightly at the contact. "Are you okay?" Mik asked, but didn't remove his finger (in fact, he eased it in a little farther).

"Yeah... I'm okay," Skids said and went back to kissing Mik with all his heart. He occasionally had to draw back to pant or writhe because Mik's fingers were making him crazy with passion, so, yes, Skids was actually more than okay with what Mik was doing.

And when he came against Mik's belly, his knees got so weak, the Russian had to hold him up.

Mikhael smiled into Skids' neck while the kid recovered. Being more experienced, Mik was better at pacing himself and could wait until they were in bed to get off. 'I'm going to bed with Skids,' he thought, carefully drying him off. Skids was so eroticized from their shower that he was hard just from Mik caressing him with the towel. 'I hope I'm up to this,' Mik thought wryly. But then Skids was crawling all over him and he pretty much gave up analyzing the situation altogether.

Wrestling the laughing, aroused Skids down, Mik reached for the lube and was surprised when Skids asked if he had any condoms. "No... why...?"

"I do, wait." Skids bounded out of bed and came back with his jacket. He fished a strip of Trojans out of the pocket and tossed them on the nightstand. He got back in bed and looked up into Mik's puzzled face. "I guess I was hoping to get lucky tonight."

"With Tybalt?" Mik asked, impressed in spite of himself at Skids' innocent ditzy acuity.

"Tybalt who?" Skids asked, pulling Mik into a long, leisurely kiss.

While kissing him, Mik wondered if Skids knew what a slut Tybalt was or if he was just being prudent in these still dangerous sexual times. It was neither here nor there but the maturity of it greatly and favorably impressed the Russian. However, he wasn't really thinking about that as he slipped a generous amount of lube into Skids ('Good thing this isn't petroleum based lube,' he thought, idly) while Skids, with only minimal fumbling, rolled the condom onto his erection and lubed it. He seemed puzzled when Mik turned him so his back was to Mik's chest, but Mik explained that this would be the easiest way. "You can guide me in and stop me when you want to," Mik panted. He put Skids' hand on his own hip and took firm hold of the kid's waist and thigh when he centered his cock. "Whenever you're ready, Skids," he said, knowing better than his lover what was about to happen.

"Okay," Skids chirped cheerfully and tugged at Mik's hip.

Having more experience, Mik gently but forcefully pressed the head inside and stopped. Skids gasped with more surprise than pain, but there was some pain � there always is the first time � so Mik waited, gently stroking Skids' erection, until there was a more tentative tug on his hip to continue.

Only twice Skids asked him to wait, but not to stop, before Mik was completely inside. He said he was okay when Mik asked him and even relaxed a little when Mik began to fuck him very gently.

For himself, Mik was nearly overwhelmed by the tenderness he felt for Skids. This was no mere conquest of a bar pick-up. No, this was the sweet initiation of a lover and if he went one step farther in his thinking, Mik knew he was doing a better job at this than Tybalt was even capable of conceiving of. And, some part of him was enjoying taking Skids away from Tybalt, who might much too late realize what he was missing. He withdrew almost completely to put more lube on the condom; this was not going to be wam bam sex and would take a while. That was fine with Mik, he was up to it, although it did get a little more vigorous when his erection brushed against Skids' prostate and Skids was suddenly begging for it, demanding it and sweetly ordering him around. Oh well, that was fine with Mik, he was up to that, too, and then he was away into his climax. But he felt a little sad as lay in Skids' arms later, that this might be the only time for them. They had come together in desperation and now there was only calm and peace and Skids' soft lips on his, saying good-night against them and drifting away into sleep.

In the morning, Skids was too sore for anything more than getting off orally, which took care of breakfast for Mik. Skids got him off in the shower, so they were both in excellent moods until the uncomfortable silence fell between them. What now? It seemed to be asking.

Skids lowered his eyes and said he thought he should probably go if he wanted to go to mass before his afternoon lecture.

Mik nodded and said he'd go with him and drop him at his dorm afterwards. They drove in silence to Our Lady of the Assumption. They were early enough to confess before mass and then took communion. Several hours after he dropped Skids off at this dorm, Mik realized that, in some cosmic way, he'd gotten married that morning and he was happier than he could ever remember being in his life.

It never quite wore off. Scooping Skids up in his arms that night, he asked him to stay with him forever and Skids thought that was quite a shibby idea. He'd always liked Mik and now he'd fallen in love with him.

Mik bought a house with a garden and hired a couple to look after both so that when Skids moved in, he wouldn't have to lift a finger. While Skids was at school or studying, Mik painted some of his best work to date. When Skids was accepted into grad school at NYU, Mik bought a townhouse and hired some staff. He bought a subscription to MOMA and season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera because Skids liked the opera better than the symphony. He had several successful shows and made lots of new friends that he hung out with while Skids was writing his master's thesis. They quietly became patrons of the arts and encouraged many new and wonderful talents. Oddly enough for two guys who got together on the rebound, Mik and Skids managed to live very very happily ever after.

They never saw Harley or Tybalt or Ronnie or Cy again.

***

After the gallery, Harley and Tybalt... Oh, who cares about Harley and Tybalt?

***end***

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