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Reyn shifted his position slightly -- branches were not designed with comfort in mind. But he'd taken to sitting in this particular tree because it was leafy, and hid him well. Standing on the street so often was too obvious, and bound to get him noticed. And he couldn't help but come here so much; his feet seemed to know what he wanted and where to be before his mind had even registered it. He heard footsteps and checked his watch automatically. Same time as usual. These boys were too predictable. He peered down between the branches, watching as Shurik came into view, being led by an eager Puck. He eyed the dog. Only two weeks since Shurik and Tavir had gotten him, and already he was noticeably larger. <I'm going to have to do something about that dog. He's both an annoyance and a distraction.> Just like Shurik was. Even from here he could see the scar that marred Shurik's face, and he couldn't help but grin. A permanent reminder of Shurik's lesser place in Reyn's scheme of things. Shurik had done too many things to thwart him, and he didn't like being thwarted. It didn't happen often. But Shurik persisted in getting in his way. He'd enjoyed putting Shurik back in his place, kicking him down like the underdog he was. Not to mention relieving his anger about the annoyances Shurik had caused for him. <Shurik isn't as important as he likes to think he is. He's too submissive, too shy, too unsure.> Unsurety; that was one of the worst things in life. You had to know what you wanted, and then you had to go about getting it. <And right now I want Tavir.>

He couldn't explain his obsession with Tavir, not really. Oh, he could think up plenty of good reasons for it, but deep down there was no reason. He just craved him. Desired him. Wanted him. Loved him, even. <And I'll get him back, no matter what I have to do.> Tavir had been his, once. And he'd been satisfied. Tavir was submissive; not as submissive as Shurik, but enough that he gave in to Reyn's dominating presence. What's more, Tavir tried to please him. And for once, Reyn's fickle obsessions had been sated, had been comfortable to have just Tavir, without constantly craving something new, something better. So he'd let Tavir a little closer than he let most people. He'd tried to make something of Tavir. And how had he been repaid? Tavir had pushed him away, and blamed him for all of Tavir's own problems. He'd gotten rid of Tavir after that, and found a new obsession. But this time it hadn't helped. His obsessions, and his mind, kept coming back to Tavir. He didn't know what else to do.

He started slightly as a door slammed, and berated himself. <Don't be jumpy. It was just Shurik.> He'd been too busy thinking to notice Shurik going inside the house he shared with Tavir.

He lowered himself from the branches, climbing carefully down to the street. His obsessions were satisfied, for now at least, and so he could safely go home again. With a last glance at their house, he turned and walked away, thinking once more. He had a few ideas. Interesting ideas, if he could make them work. Tomorrow he'd have to make a few phone calls.

Shurik closed the door quietly behind him, leaning down to unleash Puck. As the dog lumbered off to make sure the house hadn't radically changed in the last few hours, Shurik straightened again and tugged off his jacket, glancing around for Tavir. He caught a glimpse of movement from the sofa, and crossed the room, peering over the back of it. Tavir was sprawled listlessly across it, watching the TV without really seeing it. Shurik leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead. Tavir's gaze flicked up to meet his, and the ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"Hi, Shur. I missed you," he said softly. Shurik climbed over the sofa and into Tavir's embrace, revelling in the closeness of him. Even after two weeks, he could still be reduced to simple wonder and delight in Tavir's arms. But this time he disentangled himself after a moment.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Tavir was rarely this lifeless or mopey, and when he was, there was always a serious reason.

"Something happened at work today," Tavir offered in response, then fell silent again. Shurik shifted his position, so that he could hold Tavir and see his face at the same time. Tavir sounded like he could use Shurik's closeness.

"You know how we're doing that special on hockey?" Tavir finally asked. Shurik nodded; Tavir had been talking about it constantly.

"Well, my boss came to see me today. He said I'd just gotten what could be my lucky break." Tavir fidgeted, staring at his hands. "One of the members of the best minor league team returned his call and agreed to be interviewed, on one condition; that I do the interview." He turned confused, worried eyes on Shurik.

"Reyn." Shurik understood at once, and as Tavir nodded, confirming it, he felt his good mood sinking fast, vanishing in a wave of bitter anger. <Why doesn't he leave us alone? Everytime we think we're finally rid of him for good..>

"My boss didn't even let me think about it. He said that we want this interview, and if I do a good job, this could mean the start of my career. The interview is in a week." Tavir looked bleak now, faced with Reyn in a way he could not avoid. Shurik could understand.

"Damn him! What does he want from us?" Shurik pulled Tavir closer, cuddling him tightly, wishing he could hug that bleakness away.

"To make my life a constant misery." Tavir's voice was muffled by Shurik's shoulder, but Shurik could hear the pain in it. <He never talks about Reyn. Never says what Reyn did to hurt him so... Whatever it was, I wish I could ease it somehow. Soothe it from his memories. Why did you break him so badly, Reyn?>

"Do you have to go by yourself?" he asked, wondering if there was some way he could go as well. No, Tavir's boss would never agree to that. Too unprofessional.

"I don't know. I think one of the photographers is coming, too." Tavir didn't sound hopeful.

"Well, he can't do anything with someone else there, can he?" Shurik reasoned, though he didn't quite believe it.

"He's so good with his words.. and his looks. He'll probably tear me to pieces and make it seem like part of the interview." Tavir clutched Shurik as if he were the only thing in the world that could keep him safe. Shurik ran his hands gently through Tavir's hair, trying to calm him down.

"He was always jealous of you, y'know." Tavir's words were faint.

"Jealous of me?" Shurik couldn't imagine it.

"Yeah. He never admitted it, but.. he didn't like to talk about you, or let me see you. Maybe he was worried I'd wake up to myself." His last words were scathing, bitterness aimed at himself.

"What'd he do to hurt you so much, Tavir?" Shurik asked gently.

"He.. tore apart everything that mattered to me and made it all secondary to him. He made me give it all up and submit to him.. He learned me and everything about me so that he'd know just the right things to say to make me keep on giving in to him, without letting me know even the slightest thing about him. I.. I was stupid. I let him manipulate me for so long.." Tavir sighed. "Everything would be fine, and then the littlest thing would happen, and it'd be my fault again, I'd done something wrong, and he.." He trailed off, shaking his head, and brushed his hair back fitfully. Shurik wondered what he'd been going to say, but then he spoke again, moved on already. "He ruined my hockey and he almost ruined my friendship with you. And he knows, even now, just what to say to break me again." Tavir shivered, and Shurik squeezed him gently, then pulled back slightly, letting his eyes catch Tavir's.

"He can't break you anymore. You have what matters in your life, and he can't manipulate you, or force you to do anything, alright? You can do this interview just fine, and be done with it." He tried to look and sound convincing, but something worried at him all the same. Reyn always seemed to manage to twist things in their lives, and ruin the best moments. He could only imagine what Reyn might be thinking, with this interview.

Tavir stared back at him for a long time, but finally he nodded.

"Alright. I can do it. Having you helps a lot." He offered a tiny smile, and burrowed into Shurik's embrace again. Shurik rubbed his back gently, wishing once more that he could soothe Tavir's pain somehow.