Of Mercenaries & Love Affairs

"No one 'as eever 'eld my 'and beefore." He simply continued to stare as their hands, his face troubled as he did so. "All 'ou 'ave done zince knowing mee ez zurprize mee an 'elp me. Your..I don't know." Christophe was at a loss.

"I 'ope that is a good thing." Livius smiled softly, chuckling as he continued to hold Christophe's hand lightly.

"I don't know. Ez eet?" He glanced back to Livius, one of his eye brows arched as he questioned the man. "Why 'are 'ou 'olding eet?"

"I'm 'olding it because..." Livius frowned. "Because I want to. I want to be close to you and touch you because I want to get to know you, Christophe." His accent was heavy on the other man's name, the r sound rolling off of his tongue softly as he looked at their hands together.

"Non." Christophe shook his head, feeling he owed enough to this man not not to let him f*ck his life up. "'Ou don't want to bee cloze to mee, or geet to know mee." It was a hard life he live, and Livius would be better off not getting into it. "'Ou 'ave zeen 'ow I llivee. 'Ou don't know eef i'll bee alivee tomorrow."

"I do want to get to know you, Christophe. Because if you might not be alive tomorrow," He paused, leaning in closer. "Then there should be someone here to remember you when you are gone."

Christophe's breath caught in his throat, his mouth slack as he stared at Livius. He had never been at such a loss in his life. Someone to remember him when he was gone...Someone who might actually give a damn
That sounded nice.
"Alright, but don't blamee mee wheen I am gone and 'ou aree leeft 'ere wondeering what 'appened to me." His voice was softer, his cheeks flushed as for the first time he felt as though he belonged somewhere.

"I won't." Livius smiled softly, his gaze flickering to Christophe's lips, debating on whether he should go through with what he got the urge to do in this moment. "But while you are 'ere, I think we should make the time worth while." He murmured, his eyes not leaving Christophe's mouth as he leaned in, gently covering the man's lips with his own.

Christophe almost jumped out of his skin, He didn't know what to do. His arms moved as though to shove Livius away, yet he found his fingers simply curling around the fabric of his shirt. Never had he been kissed properly, and once again he had been taken totally by surprise. Against his better judgement, he found himself leaning into the kiss.

Livius let out a mental sigh of relief as Christophe did not push him away, instead embracing the kiss. He pressed closer, although still keeping the kiss gentle, trying to show that he wanted to care for Christophe, rather than making the man feel like he just wanted in his pants. He had not felt a connection like this to someone in years and he would do everything in his power not to fuck it up.

Christophe had neglected to think that Livius could have alterior motives. In his life, between trying to stay in once piece and gluing himself back together, he had no time for things like sex. Christophe was the one to pull back, his cheeks almost glowing. He cursed and told himself he was simply severed. He was almost afraid to speak, worried he might ruin the serene feel of the situation. "Zhat 'as neever 'appened to mee beefore."

"You mean you 'ave never been kissed or never 'ad a kiss like that?" He arched an eyebrow, smiling softly as he moved back into his seat. "Because I 'ave never 'ad a kiss like that either, although I 'ave kissed many people."

"Eh..." Christophe had been kissed, but it had never been consensual and never that gentle. "Neever a kizz likee zhat." His hand was cold now without Livius to warm it. In the back of his mind he longed for that warmth to return.

"Well if you would like to..." He paused, moving to take Christophe's hand in both of his own this time, one of his thumbs tracing small circles on the man's palm. "If you would like to stay with me, we could share many kisses like that." He smiled softly, tiny crinkles at the corners of his eyes as he did so.

"'Ou know I cant ztay." His voice didn't hold the usual certainty it did when he said something. Instead it seemed as though the tiny crinkles in the corner of Livius's eyes had stolen his breath away.
He couldnt understand himself. No one made him act like a love sick bitch. Yet here he was, holding hands with a man he had barely just met. "I can't bee 'ourz. I can't promize 'ou ill bee around alwayz." He paused, his fingers warm in Livius's grasp. "But, whilee im 'ere, i'll ztay weth 'ou."

"That is good enough for me." Livius nodded his head, smiling softly. "You stay with me while you are 'ere... And you be safe when you are gone."

"I'll try." Christophe pulled his hands from Livius's hold, instead moving once more to hold the bridge of his nose and gently prod at the bullet wound in his shoulder. "Takee mee back to 'our 'ome." He was wary, and unsure of what he had with this man now. He needed rest.

"Of course." Livius nodded and pulled back, heading back towards his home the way they had came. When they arrived, he stepped out of the car, looking down to Christophe. "Do you need 'elp walking?" He wasn't sure how bad they had hurt him back there.

"I can managee." He stood slowly, his movements sluggish and wary as he made his way back up the steps, stopping long enough to pull out the pack of cigarette's Livius had given him. He took one in his mouth, sitting himself down on the door step. "'Ave a light?" It seemed as though he had lost his in their haste to get away from that place.

Livius smiled softly as he nodded his head, pulling out his lighter and lighting the man's cigarette before getting one out for himself and slipping it in between his lips, though he did not light it.

Christophe was well into his third cigarette before his curiosity got the better of him.
"Do 'ou need 'our lighteer back er zomething?" He had sat it beside him, but now he offered it to Livius, as though this was his only reason for not already having lit the cigarette.

"No, I do not smoke." Livius said simply, shaking his head. "You may keep the lighter if you want."

"'Ou don't zmokee, yeet 'ou 'ave a zigarette in 'our mouth. 'Ou Eetalians are ztupeed." He shook his head as though exasperated. How did someone waste a perfectly good cigarette?

"I am stupid because I do not want cancer in my lungs?" Livius chuckled softly. "It is a metaphor, you see? I put the killing thing in my mouth but I am not giving it the power to 'urt me. I 'ave never lit a cigarette of my own."

Christophe shrugged with his good shoulder, finishing his cigarette before plucking The one from between Livius's lips and placing it in his own. "Light eet for mee zheen."
At this rate, if he wasnt killed on the job, he would definately die of cancer.