Farewell-II

"We're almost there"

Joshua Hughes mumbled those words as Nicolas wouldn't stop looking at him from the corners of his eyes while he was completely laid over the seat that Joshua had moved back in order to make him comfortable. The rain really was making it harder to drive and it was getting darker too. Travelling down such a worn down road was nothing but madness at this point.

Nicolas Strahovski didn't say a word, in fact it wasn't actually Joshua that he was looking at but the jacket that the man was wearing. Nicolas wasn't afraid because of it, but afraid of the fact that Joshua had made a decision and this decision ultimately applied to both of them. In fact, all along Joshua's life was in Nicolas's hands, however right now it was the other way around.....

Joshua Hughes had made up his mind and Nicolas Strahovski could only comply....

"Oh we're here!" Joshua Hughes spoke rather excitedly looking at the empty space next to him while Nicolas gazed at him with a rather confused look upon his face.

Joshua got off first looking at the huge traditional mansion before him. In that darkness and rain it almost looked like an abandoned ghost manor of 19th century. The moss accumulated at the outside even added to that haunting feeling.

Joshua went over and unloaded a few bags from the back that Nicolas was uncertain about. Not that he could move freely enough to check them, he hadn't been able to feel his legs for a while now and after all that torture from Ivan Strauss, he doubted he would be able to do so in any near time. After Joshua was done with those things he came over to Nicolas, opened the door and actually picked the other man up in his arms.

Nicolas rested his arm comfortably around Joshua's shoulder and let the man carry him in a relaxed manner now that he was no longer wearing that jacket once he came back out.

For a while Joshua had a crazy look to his eyes, not that Nicolas was any less crazy but yeah even someone as scary as Nicolas could only silently abide as he looked over to the full moon being covered by clouds getting cleared up while being carried in. It had finally stopped raining, the baptism was finally complete...now there was only rebirth....

It wasn't long until Nicolas was in a bathtub with Joshua sitting at his back washing his hair for him with his sleeves rolled up.

"Why don't you undress and come in" Nicolas finally spoke after a long time of silence.

"You do know I don't like being naked right?" Joshua gave a calm response throughly rinsing out the shampoo from Nicolas's hair with the shower head in his hand.

Just what Nicolas had expected, Joshua Hughes was atleast still Joshua Hughes.

"Did you buy this place?" Nicolas asked simply looking at the water go down the drain of the tub as Joshua washed his body clean.

"... Why? Don't you like being here? This was where you spent your childhood with your sister before moving abroad right..?" Joshua Hughes counter questioned.

Indeed, the mansion belonged to Clara Hughes before she'd sold it off and went to the city side.

It was not only where Clara Hughes grew up with Nicolas but also the place where Joshua Hughes first met Clara.

It was a place that was both dear and and hated by these men.

After the shower Joshua dried Nicolas's hair for him, normally the other would usually dry Joshua's hair, but today it was the other way around. Though there was no electricity or dryers at hand so Joshua had to do it with a towel before hanging it by the window.

"Are you hungry?" Joshua helped Nicolas lay down on the bed afterwards and gently covered him with a blanket before he was about to leave to fix something to eat. However Nicolas held his wrist without saying a word. Joshua didn't turn back to look at the man.

"I want to hold you" Nicolas stated feeling somewhat dejected with the man's back towards him. Initially he was going to be mad at Joshua for the choice he had made, however noticing that Joshua himself looked mad at him, he'd decided not to do so. Atleast not when there was not much time left. He'd already been rejected once in a roundabout way, this time he was more direct about his demands.

Joshua finally turned his head and looked down at him with eyes full of contempt, however Joshua's gaze soon softened at those feline eyes of his in their natural state, his messed up hair which were getting a bit longer down his neck since he didn't get a haircut for a while, his dark full lips and pale complexion, the only thing manly about him was his big body, otherwise he looked like his sister with short hair.  Not wearing glasses made them resemble even more.

"Okay" Joshua Hughes gave a subtle response before he moved the blanket over and straddled on top of the other man before leaning down to kiss him. Nicolas wasn't passive, he kissed back with just as much...no, even more fervor and passion as if trying to make things more rougher. His hands travelled back and forth roughly over Joshua's back scratching up his skin even from over the clothing.

They were both out of breath once they'd parted. Maybe it was because of the heat of the moment or the fact that it was one of those rare times where Joshua was initiating things by himself, Nicolas reacted quite fast, within a few kisses, he'd been up and throbbing, dying to get out of his clothing and hold this man down. However due to his injured legs, he could only impatiently lay there. Ultimately Joshua did start undressing the other and putting his clothing on the other side of the bed.

"Aren't you gonna undress?" Nicolas asked once Josh helped him out of his clothes yet kept his own clothes on. Normally Nicolas would remove his clothes by pinning him down as Joshua didn't like taking them off at any given point. However right now he couldn't even do that.

"I don't like that" Joshua repeated himself, not that Nicolas didn't know his response already.

For Joshua, he was naturally disgusted by any sort of physical affection ever since that incident. No matter how gently or harshly Nicolas went, whether he did it out of love or contempt, it didn't matter.

However, the fact that Joshua let this man touch him or how things became physical between them was still one thing he couldn't explain for himself.

There was a silent attraction and a physical compatibility between the two of them and neither of them tried to understand nor explain it.

For Nicolas, his initial purpose was clear cut revenge for his sister but now that Ivan Strauss had revealed that this all had started with Joshua Hughes, Nicolas himself was very perplexed about what he felt for this man. He had nor time nor any energy left to hate this man..not that he really could anyways..his feelings for this man were anything but ordinary...

For Joshua Hughes, Nicolas Strahovski had concealed that Alex Hughes was still alive from Joshua Hughes. There was no doubt about it.

Would knowing this have changed anything? Probably not.

However Joshua's heart could have been in less torment worth one less person.

This was probably the most unforgivable thing that he couldn't help but hate Nicolas for...yet he couldn't say no once the other asked him for something like this, why?

Joshua probably didn't have an answer for this either, in fact every time they did it, he'd feel his heart getting heavier with guilt...and not just over the fact that he'd been sleeping with his wife's younger brother but also the fact that he'd made sure that his heart was completely shut off after Clara Hughes and yet...

Nicolas was silent for a while before he naturally said some words unexpected of him.

"I'm sorry"

Hearing this Joshua was certainly surprised however the only thing he did in response was to step off the bed and remove only his lower clothing, yet keeping his underwear on. He straddled back on top of Nicolas and slightly moved his underwear sideways from the back whilst holding the other man's hot member and positioning it between his hips. With a dry expression he lowered himself over the man while holding onto the ridge of the bed with one hand and his own hip with the other. He took deep breaths over Nicolas with a cringing expression and then straightened his back sitting there still half dressed. He didn't wait afterwards nor bothered to give a reply and started roughly straddling on top of the other.

"Hur... slow down!" Nicolas groaned, yet Joshua paid no heed and violently rode up and down till the bed made heavy creaking sounds. Nicolas ultimately tried to push him off but for once Joshua had more stamina compared to him, he only pinned down Nicolas's wrists and continued to ride down harder with a pained look upon his face.

He was clearly not enjoying this....yet on the other hand Nicolas had already reached his limit despite the other's violent straddling....

It was probably that apology that suddenly made Joshua feel mad out of his mind or the fact that Joshua already knew how this would end...it suddenly made him feel regretful....

Gradually he'd slowed down, just sitting there filled with the other man while he panted hard.

"Are you calm now?" Nicolas whispered with a rather gentle expression upon his face.

This malicious man, who was so intoxicated with his revenge that he not only dragged innocent people into his dangerous game but also manipulated and lied to the only person by his side for so long...

Such a man was now showing him a deeply loving and gentle expression....

How could one trust the feelings of such a man??

"Nicolas Strahovski" Joshua spoke with an uncertain gaze

" What am I to you? "

It was as if those words sent a chill down Nicolas's spine, his eyes widened and before he'd realized there were little droplets accumulated at the corner of his eyes.

His vision was purely hazy after that...he was unsure, why...but the next moment he'd suddenly sat up and hugged Joshua's chest tightly with his forehead resting against Joshua's shoulder....

Just this one night, Nicolas didn't want to keep up his cold physical front. There were some feelings better left un-conveyed and some nights better spent upon drenched shoulders rather than at unfruitful confrontations.

This one moonlit night shall be one of it's kind. Tommorow would be a different day.

It was only barely 4am when Joshua Hughes gently tugged at Nicolas's shoulder waking him up.

Nicolas neither protested nor questioned him.

Joshua helped him clean up and dressed him properly. It seemed like Joshua Hughes had just showered himself since hair was still wet and Nicolas couldn't help running his fingers through those wet red strands that he loved so much.

Nicolas's eyes were already swollen from the punch marks and crying half the night didn't do him any better. He looked awful.

Joshua Hughes's anger had subsided for now and he was quite gentle with the man now.

He had no choice but to resolve this grudge now... After all there wasn't much time left anyways...

And so he'd settled it...

He helped Nicolas up after dressing him handsomely and dressed himself up too quite neatly before moving to another room.

He helped the other man sit down over the floor infront of the table and adjusted some pillows at his back for comfort before he placed empty tea cups on either side.

This table was placed on the prettiest angle of the mansion, just nearby the pond enclosed by a flower garden. Even though the flowers had withered away now and the pond had dried up and frozen, in Joshua's mind it was still the place where he first met Clara Hughes and sat before her.

Though right now..... it was Nicolas Strahovski in her spot...

Despite the dry winter scenario, in Joshua's mind it was still spring with hundreds of sakura and jasmine lined up outside and occasionally petals flowing in riding the wind while the little pond rippled up.

There were footsteps all across the exterior of the mansion.

Yet Joshua calmly stared outside lost in his imagination holding onto the empty cup while Nicolas sat across him looking at the handsome red haired man in awe, being completely smitten.

The footsteps closed in and within a few seconds the whole place was brimming with men.

"Hello again, Joshua Hughes"

The familiar voice made the cup within Joshua's grip shatter to pieces of porcelain as blood trickled down his hand, yet still Joshua's expression remained stiff. He didn't even bother turning to look at the uninvited guest and kept his gaze towards the imaginary spring scenery.

Nicolas couldn't stand on his own anyways, so he sat there calmly too.

He had probably submitted himself to Joshua's decision too...

"I hope I'm not intruding onto your little reunion" Ivan Strauss stepped in and slowly walked infront of Joshua blocking his view.

Joshua wasn't surprised at this third man's arrival, nor was Nicolas, in fact...this was how they'd chosen things to be...

The sun was starting to rise now, the orange dark blue hue covered the sky.

"Nicolas Strahovski, do you remember what I said to you about what I'd do when I meet Joshua Hughes?" Ivan Strauss reminded him.

Nicolas subconsciously shuddered at the man's threat, he didn't really intend to do so, it just naturally happened.

Ivan Strauss squatted down and put a hand over Joshua's thigh who turned to look at him with an expressionless face yet eyes brimming with blood lust.

"Yes! That expression! It's perfect! Just like Raina!" Ivan Strauss mumbled with an ugly demeanor and a nasty look to his eyes.

Before Nicolas could raise his voice in anger, Joshua raised his hand and slapped Ivan Strauss in the face to which his men suddenly moved forward and over twenty guns were pointing at Joshua's head.

Ivan Strauss brushed off the blood at the corner of his lips with his thumb as he smirked yet Joshua didn't even blink nor showed any sense of fear nor any other reaction....he simply felt numb at this point.....

There was nothing this man could do to him that was worse than what he'd already done...

"I've gotta say, this whole hateful behavior is such a turn on" Ivan Strauss made a snide comment.

" However it ends here " 

Ivan Strauss got up and brushed his clothes straight.

" Kill the alpha and bring the omega back, I'm gonna have fun with him"

" Yes Sir!!! "

Even though the men said so, no shots were heard and so Ivan turned his head back to look at the two only to see Joshua Hughes holding a remote in his hand, with his thumb near the big red button. His eyes widened, Joshua Hughes turned his head back looking at Ivan Strauss with a really scary look in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare...!" Ivan Strauss mumbled with a horror upon his face to which Joshua smirked and pressed down on the red button.

Within the flash of a second, all sorts of explosives started going off in all directions of the mansion, from all rooms. The whole place had basically been turned to a huge land mine !

Gradually the fire began to spread in all directions following the earthquake that was caused right after the loud bangs. The mansion began to crumble and break down.

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

There was alot of yelling, screaming and coughing, with the fire spreading faster due to the wooden flooring, plus all that loud jolting caused the old walls to shake and break down falling upon people and crushing them underneath.

Joshua had adjusted the bombs in all directions which could possibly be exits, completely blocking everyone inside this fiery pit. Neither Nicolas nor him were affected by any of this. If anything Nicolas crawled his way by Josh's side despite the falling debris here and there.

"What are you to me?"

Nicolas's words caught Joshua's attention even though he was supposedly still lost looking at his imaginary garden with a relieved smile upon his face.

The smile faded as he'd heard these words, even though he didn't turn to look at the man.

Nevertheless Nicolas moved over by his side and made his way next to Joshua resting his body against the other's side.

"I don't know either....but...if only I had met you...in a different time...in a different situation...."

Nicolas finally responded to that one question from last night.

"Under a moon lit night, driving back to the country side after selling a good harvest just to see you waiting by the staircase counting stars so that you can scold me for not fixing the water pipes and then eat dinner together...sleep holding onto each other and wake up next to you everyday... I'd wished for something like that... "

It was as if Joshua's heart had been pierced with a sharp dagger, he felt such an immense pain that he had to clutch onto his chest tightly...

Maybe it was because of all the smoke or maybe the suffocation caused by those words, he really couldn't breathe. His eyes which had long repressed such emotions began to swell up.

"In the end, I'd only brought demise to all those around me..." Joshua hiccupped over his own words " To Raina, To Clara, To Alex....To...you..." He really didn't hold back his voice as he cried "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry...." He cried messily.

" Joshua Hughes...I regret nothing...not a single moment that I'd spent with you..." Nicolas held his face cupping it ever so gently whilst wiping his tears with both his thumbs and embraced the man tightly into his chest.

"...if only I had met you...in a different time...in a different situation...." Nicolas repeated himself, choking onto his own words as he gulped down hard with a great difficulty. The same words that had been in his mind since last night and caused him to break down so badly.

From the outside, the mansion had completely burnt down to rubble. The people who were inside had been crushed inside. Nobody knew if anyone ever made out of that fiery pit.

The screams and voices had gradually died down too.

On the inside, it was uncertain how many bodies that been piled about and where. However in one certain corner, Joshua Hughes laid his head upon Nicolas Strahovski shoulder.

It was uncertain when Joshua Hughes had laid his head peacefully over Nicolas's shoulder heaving out his last breaths and fallen into an eternal slumber with a peaceful look upon his face.

Nicolas Strahovski stayed there besides him, watching over him, caressing his forehead time to time while holding onto his cold stiff hands as he stared into the abyss until out of the abyss a dark slim figure stared back at him before walking out dressed in a black gown.

"You made me wait long enough..." Nicolas whispered with a light smile upon his face "Sister...."

The light within his eyes gradually faded and he heaved out a huge sigh clutching onto the hand of his other half tightly.

In a house, in the country side, in a corner undisturbed....

There laid a vengeful brother now in peace...

In a house, in the country side in a corner undisturbed....

There laid a loving husband, a loving father and a man wronged by the world...

And neither shall suffer again.

Farewell..

Farewell....

Farewell...

Farewell.....