Viktor & Hix: Kuskus

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Viktor & Hix: Kuskus

This story is erotic fanfiction, based on the Playstation game Suikoden 2. It's about two of my favorite characters, and it's always kinda been a fantasy of mine to put them together. Viktor is awesometastic, and Hix is pretty cool himself. The story is mostly from Viktor's perspective, with occasional 3rd person omniscient moments (hah, bet you didn't think you'd hear that term outside of highschool English class).

I'd like to note that this story has no connection to Konami or anything official. These characters belong to Konami, and not to me, and so... umm... thanks, Konami, for the characters who I'm going to horribly corrupt.

One more thing: Viktor is sexier than Flik, Luc, and Sasarai combined. Take that, fangirls!

"I can't believe I have to head over to Kuskus. There's no decent blacksmith here, and this damn sword keeps complaining about how dull it is." Viktor heaved the sword up over his shoulder. He was talking to himself in his room, venting anger at having to walk all that way. "I swear, this damn thing is so useless..."

"What? What are you saying, human?" The sword had a loud, booming voice. "Say that again and I'll show you who's useless."

"Shut up, SDS. I'm going to take you to be sharpened, what else do you want?"

The sword wrenched itself out of Viktor's hand, floating in the air a few feet in front of him. "SDS?! You would dare give me a 'nickname?' You will call me by my full name! Maybe if you show me a little respect, I won't kill you."

Viktor rolled his eyes and stepped back. "I'm sorry, oh great Star Dragon Sword. Your power is without equal and without you, I would be nothing. Please, oh please, forgive me for my indiscretion." The words flowed out of his mouth with no feeling behind them. He had given this apology speech so many times that it didn't even change anymore.

"That's more like it. Now take me to Kuskus, before I change my mind and find a new owner." The Star Dragon Sword dropped itself onto Viktor's bed with a muffled clunk, throwing sheets and blankets onto the floor.

"Dammit, I just made that bed, too." Viktor grabbed the sword and shoved it roughly into its sheath. "Stupid damn sword."

"Hey, Viktor. What're you doing?" Flik was seated at the table closest to the door in Leona's. There weren't many other people there, but Leona seemed busy preparing for something behind the counter.

"Nothing. I've gotta go to Kuskus and get his highness sharpened. Had to scrounge up 35k to do it, too." He slumped down in the chair across from Flik. "That was rough."

"How'd you get all that?" Flik took a swig from his mug, which was nearly empty. He had been there for a while.

"I found a couple of Celadons out with Riou the other day. He let me keep them." Viktor chuckled. "Man, when I sold them to Lebrante, he practically crapped his pants. His monocle dropped right out of his eye."

Flik laughed along with him. "Man, where does Riou find these people? Tir was the same way, ya know. Half the people in that castle, I didn't know what the hell they did."

Viktor shook his head, still chuckling. "Yeah. I don't think most of them actually did anything. God, what was her name... Esmeralda? She just sat in her room and let Milich and Vincent take turns banging her."

Flik nearly doubled over laughing. "Hah, those two? I think they'd rather fuck each other than wait for her to give them the okay." He wiped a tear from his eye. "Man, I haven't thought about that castle for a long time..."

Vincent looked down at the sword. "I think he's getting impatient. I should get going. Do you wanna come with? I'm walking; Tai Ho won't let me take this guy on the boat anymore. He put a giant hole in the bottom of the last one when I called him Rusty."

The sheath attached to Viktor's side began shaking. "Uh, which was wrong of me, and I have since apologized for it. Because it was wrong. The great Star Dragon Sword is not rusty at all, and even if it was, I certainly wouldn't point it out."

Flik shook his head, grinning at the way Viktor was humiliated by a sword. "Nah, I'm still waiting on... uh... someone. Maybe next time."

"Oh, yeah, okay. Sure." Viktor tried to keep the grin on his face, but Flik could tell that he was disappointed. "No big deal, I was just looking for a traveling companion. Lemme know how your date turns out."

Flik's cheeks turned bright red. "It's not a date! It's just two friends getting together for a drink."

"And then some sex," Viktor said, standing up.

"Yeah, and then-no! No sex! Just drinking, and no sex." Flik was turning so red that he turned away from Viktor. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Viktor had already turned to leave. "Later, Flik."

"Mister Viktor! Mister Viktor!" Hix ran up to Viktor's side just as he was approaching the town gates. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Hey, Hix. Yeah, I'm taking this sword over to Kuskus. He's complaining again."

"Oh." Hix stopped for a second, looking around. "Um, do you think that you might, I dunno, want me to go with you?"

"Hmm." Viktor pretended to think about it for a second. "I don't know, maybe Tengaar has some more training for you."

"Please!" Hix sounded so plaintive. "I promise I won't get in the way. I just wanted to, you know, talk to you and stuff."

"Alright, I'll let you come with." The smile on Viktor's face was growing before he even said anything. "Just don't let Tengaar know, the last thing I need is her attracting monsters with her constant yelling."

"Thanks, Mister Viktor!" Hix started walking toward the gate, leaving Viktor trailing a few feet behind.

"Look, just drop the 'Mister,' okay? I prefer thinking of us as partners." Viktor caught up to him and matched his pace. "This shouldn't take too long, maybe a day or so."

"I haven't seen you in a couple of days. I was starting to think that you didn't want to talk to me anymore." Hix kicked at a stone in the path, not looking at Viktor.

"What? Nah, I've just been busy. Shu's got me running all over the damn city-state." He paused for a second. "I've actually kinda missed you."

Hix's head shot up, looking Viktor in the eye. "Really? 'Cause I've kinda missed you too. Those first couple of days were amazing. I don't think I told you how much I enjoyed them."

"Oh, you did, don't worry." Viktor held back a laugh. "It sure was rough explaining to Yoshino why I needed my sheets washed so many times."

"Well, I didn't mean to... you know." Hix turned a light shade of pink. "You're just so good that I couldn't help myself."

They both grinned at each other, and then kept walking along in silence. About twenty minutes passed, neither saying anything, but both just enjoying the other's company on such a beautiful day.

A thought entered Viktor's head. "You said you wanted to talk to me about something."

"Yeah, but it's nothing, don't worry about it. It's just me being stupid." Hix stopped and turned around, looking back at the castle. He could just barely see it in the distance. "There's not anything to talk about."

Viktor stared at him, noting just how sad he looked. He didn't want to push. "Why'd you want to come along, then?"

Hix turned back toward Viktor and raised his eyebrow. "I just like spending time with you is all. Like I said before, I missed you."

Viktor started walking again, trying not to let Hix see how happy he was. "Come on, I want to get there before the blacksmith closes."

"Wow! Mister, do you know what this is?" The young blacksmith gazed in awe at the sword lying in front of him. "This is the Star Dragon Sword! Master Tessai told me all about it; he's been dying to even get a glimpse of it!"

"Really? It's just some junky old sword that talks." Viktor glared down at the sword, checking to see how angry it was. "Could you sharpen up the edges? It's getting a bit dull lately."

The sword made a kind of grunting noise; Viktor could tell it wasn't pleased.

"It would be an honor, sir!" The blacksmith caressed the blade, eliciting a sigh from the sword.

"See, Viktor? Here's someone who knows how to appreciate how great I am." The Star Dragon Sword closed its eyes and went silent.

Hix just watched, fascinated, while the sword got its kinks hammered out. Viktor tried not to stare at him, but found it very difficult. He kept thinking about how Hix made him feel for those few days... every minute with him seemed like it was heated, drawn-out but still so fast; he felt something with him that he hadn't felt for a very long time.

"Sir, your sword is ready." Viktor jerked his head up, looking away from Hix. He grabbed the sword from the blacksmith and handed him his money. "Thank you for doing business here! Oh, and if I could ask you to come back in a week or two, my master is going to be visiting. I'm sure that he would love to take a look at your sword!"

Viktor shook his head, blowing the young man off. "Yeah, sure, I'll see what I can do."

"Well, Viktor, should we head back? It's already getting dark." Hix looked up at the sky, where thick, heavy storm clouds were blotting out what little was left of the sun. "I think it's going to storm soon, too."

"Huh, I don't like the looks of that. Why don't we just stay at the inn here, we can head back tomorrow morning." Viktor pointed toward the inn just down the street. "I spent all of my money on this damn sword, so we'll have to share a room. That okay?"

Hix looked down the street, trying not to look at Viktor. "Yeah, that'll be fine." He smiled and turned around. "Let's go."

The two checked in and had their meals. In their room, Viktor sat on the bed and started taking off his boots. Hix sat in the chair, and the Star Dragon Sword was thrown unceremoniously into the corner.

"Why are you so mean to the Star Dragon Sword?" Hix walked across the room and stood it up against the wall. "He's not so bad. And if it wasn't for him, I-we never could have saved Tengaar back then."

Viktor placed his boots neatly at the foot of the bed. He pulled off most of his clothes, leaving him sitting on the bed in just his underwear. "He's just so pompous. Yeah, he's powerful, I admit that, but... I think if he wasn't so full of himself, I'd like him more."

Hix looked down at the sword, admiring the rune sketched on the blade. "Sometimes warriors are a little overconfident. Overconfident stupid assholes. Sometimes I hate them." He sat back down in his chair, taking his own clothes off. His face was set into a hard, angry grimace.

"Somehow I don't think this is about Mr. Self-importance over there." Viktor leaned back against the wall. "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing. I'm just-"Hix looked over at Viktor, who was staring intently at him. "Don't look at me like that. I hate it when people can tell I'm lying. Tengaar can always tell."

Viktor patted the bed next to him, waiting for Hix to come over. When he did, Viktor put his finger under his chin and forced him to look him in the eye. "What's wrong, Hix?"

"Has Mister Flik been acting strange lately?" Hix looked very uncomfortable even saying Flik's name. "Is there anything different at all?"

Viktor furrowed his brow, wondering how Flik could make someone as mild-mannered as Hix angry. "He was really anxious today, I guess. He was waiting on someone at Leona's. He had a date or something."

Hix made a barely audible gulping noise. "Then it's true. I didn't want to believe it, but... it's true."

"What's true? Hix?" Viktor put his arm around the young man, who immediately collapsed onto him, laying his head on Viktor's shoulder.

"Tengaar. That's who Flik was worried about meeting, I'm sure of it." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I guess I'm just a giant hypocrite, huh? I'm allowed to be with you, but she can't be with him."

"Hix, no, it's okay." Viktor shook his head and pulled Hix a little closer. "How do you know? I mean, do you think that you might be wrong?"

"No, I'm pretty sure. A day or two after he got back from Greenhill, I saw Mister Flik coming out of our room. When I went in, Tengaar was only half dressed. She seemed really surprised to see me." Hix chuckled, a morbid, depressed little laugh. "She sent me to South Window to get her some salt. I told her to just get some from the restaurant, but she insisted. I guess I know why."

Viktor stayed quiet, just holding Hix, letting the young man cuddle up against him in peace. He found himself filled with anger at Flik. Part of him was jealous that Flik would go and have sex with someone else, but the larger part of him was angry that he would do something that hurt Hix so much. He couldn't stand how much pain Hix was in; he felt him almost sobbing, trying to hide it. He pretended not to notice.

Hix fell asleep like that. Viktor pulled him down onto the bed, lying against him. Viktor fell asleep, too, spooning against Hix's back, his arm wrapped around his midsection.

It was the both the best and worst feeling Viktor had had in a long time.

A loud crash of thunder woke Viktor up. He guessed that it was around 3 or 4 in the morning. He still had his arm wrapped around Hix, holding him close enough to feel his steady, slow breathing. He started to move his arm, worried that the position might be a little uncomfortable for him.

"Don't," Hix whispered, almost inaudible over the rain hitting the window. "Please."

Viktor pushed his arm back down, once again feeling Hix's heartbeat.

"Did I wake you up?"

Hix shook his head. "No, I've been awake."

They lay there, listening to the storm. Viktor desperately wanted to say something, anything, to make everything okay again. He couldn't think of anything.

"Viktor?" Hix's voice sounded small, scared.

"Mmm?"

"Is-is Flik... good?"

"Good? At wh-?" Viktor cut himself mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what Hix meant. "I don't know. I mean, he's not bad, but..."

"It's okay." Hix turned a little; Viktor could feel his heart beating faster. "You don't have to lie to me. I just... wanted to know. I hope he is. She deserves someone... good."

Viktor pulled Hix over so he was lying on his back. "You're good. Very good, in fact. I know what you're thinking, and it's not your fault that she's doing what she's doing."

Hix closed his eyes, gently biting his bottom lip. "Isn't it? If I was making her happy, why would she need to go to him?"

"Tengaar loves you." Viktor felt cold, saying her name. He wished he could tell Hix that she didn't, that he should be with him instead of her. "She's just young."

"Yeah." Hix seemed unconvinced.

"When you're... with me, do you love her any less?"

Hix lay in silence for a minute. "No. I still... but if I do love her, why am I with you in the first place?"

Viktor took his turn to be quiet.

"No, I didn't mean to say that... I love her, but I think I-"He cut himself off, looked over at Viktor, and sighed. "I think I love you."

"Hix, you... that... thank you." Viktor leaned down and kissed him. "I don't know if it's love, but I know that I can't stop thinking about you now. When you're upset, all I want to do is make it better. It's been a long time..."

Hix lay there for a few minutes, quietly looking at Viktor. When he had gathered up the nerve, he leaned up and kissed him. It wasn't a short, chaste kiss like they had shared before; Hix's tongue was exploring Viktor's mouth, pressed against Viktor's, following every texture he could find.

"Viktor, you make me feel... I want to make you feel as good as I do when I'm with you." Hix, his palms pressed against Viktor's bare chest, gently kissed his way down his neck. "Will you let me?"

Viktor pulled Hix back up to him and returned the kiss, more passionate and hungry than he had ever felt before. "God, yes. I'm going to make you feel the most amazing things. You're going to beg me for more."

Hix straddled Viktor's waist, gently kissing him on the cheek. "You are so gorgeous." He began moving down, moving his lips over Viktor's neck and onto his chest. He let the soft, dark hair tickle his nose for a second, then lightly touched his tongue to Viktor's nipple.

"Oooh." Viktor sighed, laying his head back and closing his eyes. Hix continued slowly running the tip of his tongue in a circle, just barely touching the skin. Viktor's nipples were stiff, sensitive. He shuddered a little each time Hix licked their tips.

Hix gently took one between his teeth-not biting, but holding it there, stroking it with the rough part of his tongue. Viktor moaned, reaching down and resting his hands on Hix's lower back. "Please..." he breathed, "keep going. I can't take... please..."

Hix smiled; he loved teasing Viktor. He released the nipple between his teeth, but immediately took the other in his mouth. Viktor breathed in sharply and arched his back, almost whimpering. He knew that pleading any more would just egg Hix on.

Without much warning, Hix pulled off and moved a little further down, kissing and licking a trail onto Viktor's stomach. His fingers traced small, winding paths along Viktor's skin; Hix relished in pressing his face against the rapidly tensing muscles. He was more defined than Viktor, but Viktor was heavier, stronger. Hix breathed deeply.

"I love the way you feel, the way you smell." He slowly pushed his fingers beneath the waist of Viktor's underwear. "The way you taste."

Before he had a chance to react, Viktor was lying naked on the bed, his legs spread. Hix was holding his hard dick downward, kissing the area right above it. He took great measures to make sure his mouth never touched Viktor's cock as he slowly, agonizingly kissed every square inch of skin that lay uncovered before him.

"God, Hix, what are you doing to me? My entire fucking body is ready... please..."

Hix looked up with a mischievous grin on his face. "I know, you're young and you want everything now, but I think you'll be really happy if I make you wait."

Viktor groaned and whimpered, letting his arms slump onto the bed. "You just wait until I get my turn..."

"I'm counting on it." Hix moved down and took one of Viktor's balls into his mouth. He gently rolled his tongue along it, ignoring the cock pressed against his face.

Taking the other, he marveled at the size of Viktor's balls. They were so big they filled his mouth, just barely leaving room for his tongue to move. He took the opportunity to study his cock up close, too.

It was about three quarters of his wrist in thickness, with that same dark hair that covered the rest of him at the very beginning of the shaft. Hix loved that hair. It was the same on his balls, maybe a little thinner. Gauging the length, he wrapped both of his hands around it; there was plenty of cock still showing.

Hix blew onto the head of Viktor's dick, letting the thin fluid cool. He looked directly into his eyes as he pulled the loose skin up and down, gently massaging through the foreskin. "You know I'm not going to let you come yet, right?"

Viktor nodded. "Can I at least touch you?"

Hix smiled, not breaking his smooth, slow motion on Viktor's cock. "Not until you know what I want tonight."

Viktor sat up on his elbows, trying not to breathe too heavily as Hix got him close and then stopped over and over.

Hix pulled the skin down and bent over, taking Viktor's entire cock into his mouth. He pushed it in and out of his throat two or three times, then raised his head back up. "I want you to fuck me tonight. It felt so good those first few days, and I want to know what you were feeling, too. I've got some of that oil in my bag."

"Okay, but it'll take a little preparation." Viktor glanced down and grinned at Hix. "And you'll need to stop that if you want me to last longer than three seconds."

Hix took Viktor's cock in his mouth again, but only for a second, then he let go completely. "Shame you can't just be ready again in a few minutes like I can."

Viktor grinned, then pushed Hix onto his back, lying on top of him. "Let's hear you say that now, tough guy." He kissed him, pushing himself into his mouth and tasting himself. A few seconds passed, but he pulled away when he felt Hix's hands grabbing his ass. "I thought it was you who was going to be fucked tonight."

"Who says we can't have it both ways?" He kissed Viktor again. "I love your ass. The other night, when I fucked you three times in a row? I could've gone again. And again."

That elicited a chuckle from Viktor. "You might have been able to, but geez, I'm not nineteen anymore!"

He sat back on his knees and started pulling off Hix's underwear. "The first thing we've got to do is let me suck that beautiful cock of yours."

Viktor bent down and took the head of Hix's cock into his mouth, swirling it around with his tongue. He didn't even bother listening to Hix's moans and sighs, he just wanted to taste this cock, to feel it pushing into his throat. To make this young man push his hips up, trying to get it a little deeper.

Viktor had him close in almost no time; after all, Hix was young, and Viktor wasn't that much older. He pulled off, holding Hix tightly between two fingers just beneath his balls.

"That was for earlier." Viktor smirked up at him. "Let's turn you over so I can get started on your ass. I've wanted to do this since that day in the bath..."

Hix rolled over, lying on his stomach with Viktor between his legs. He ran his fingers between the cheeks, admiring the tight, sculpted piece of muscle before him. Hix had always been the one to play with his ass, it hadn't gone the other way around. He tried to remember every single touch, every tacit feeling.

Viktor gently pushed his tongue into Hix's ass, pulling it apart as he went. Hix wasn't nearly as hairy as Viktor was, but he wasn't exactly smooth either. He immediately touched his tongue to the tight, constricted hole; he had wanted to wait, to tease, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Oh, Viktor... that feels... wow..." Hix was breathing heavily already. Viktor had never had anyone come just from being fucked before; maybe tonight would be the first.

He traced small circles around Hix's asshole until he stopped clenching. Viktor spit onto the hole, then used the lubrication to let his tongue push in. Hix had stopped using words, and instead was just grunting and moaning into the blankets. Viktor kept gently pushing, then retreating, almost like he was fucking with his tongue. Soon, Hix was in such a state of bliss that he was lying in front of Viktor, his legs spread open and his ass exposed, without even the faintest hint of reservation.

Viktor reached down into Hix's bag at the foot of the bed. He found a bottle of oil and grabbed it, placing it next to himself. He didn't want to stop exploring Hix's asshole with his tongue just yet, but with him this relaxed, he decided that he needed to take his opportunity.

He opened the bottle and poured a little of the oil onto his hand without removing his mouth; only at the very last moment did he pull up and watch his finger push onto Hix's anus.

"Hix, this might feel a little weird, but I promise it'll feel really good, too. If it starts hurting, just tell me and I'll pull out. Okay?"

Hix nodded and grunted almost impatiently. Viktor smiled and began to gently push his index finger in. He would go in just a tiny bit, then pull back out. He would add more oil every few cycles, until finally his finger was pushed in all the way. He slowly pulled it out to the knuckle, then pushed it back in just as slowly. He kept it up until he was sure that Hix was totally comfortable with one finger.

"Would you like me to try two now?"

Hix nodded. Viktor could tell that he was enjoying the sensation, but that he hadn't quite hit the spot yet. He softly, slowly pulled his finger out, receiving a disappointed whimper from Hix. He generously oiled up his second finger and began to push them both into Hix.

It was a tighter fit, but Hix let him right in. The trust that Viktor could feel was overwhelming; he wanted to be inside Hix so badly, but he knew that it would take a while. As slowly as the first, Viktor's fingers pushed themselves all the way in.

He took a different tactic this time. Instead of just pushing and pulling, Viktor began gently twisting his fingers as well. This helped to open up Hix's asshole a little wider, and it helped him hit the spot a few times, as well. Each time he did, Hix shuddered and sighed.

A few minutes of this passed. Viktor was getting good; he was hitting the spot every other entry. Based on Hix's breathing, he guessed that he was getting somewhat close. He hoped he could hold out; he wanted Hix to come while he was inside him.

"Three?"

"Yes. Yes." Hix was almost incoherent; he didn't bother lifting his face off the bed to speak. Viktor knew what it was like, though, so he pulled his fingers out and started replacing them with three.

It didn't take as long as the first two tries. Hix was ready and relaxed; Viktor didn't need to spend quite as long on this round. He gently twisted and pushed, but Hix was begging him for his cock now.

"I think you're ready now, Hix." Viktor pulled his fingers out and covered his cock in the oil. He leaned forward, placing his dick against Hix's asshole, and gently started pushing.

"I feel it... going in. God, this is amazing..."

Viktor's cock was sliding easily in. It was half in before Viktor stopped to see if Hix was okay; he just kept begging him to push all the way. Soon, Hix was completely filled and Viktor's balls were resting on his skin.

"This feels so good." Viktor leaned down and kissed Hix's neck. "I want to stay like this for a little bit. Is that okay?"

Hix nodded. Viktor started kissing and licking his neck, careful not to leave any marks. Most of his weight was on his arms, but a good amount was on top of Hix, pressing his cock into his ass.

"Viktor... fuck me... please..." Hix was just barely holding on. Viktor could tell that he was going to come, and he wanted to join him. Viktor felt pretty close himself; the more he thought about his cock being inside Hix's ass, he hotter and closer he felt.

"I'm going to start slow... but I'm going to speed up fast. Try not to come until I'm ready." Viktor slowly started moving his hips, pulling out a little, then pushing back in. "I want us to come together."

He kept kissing the sides of Hix's neck, sometimes just barely licking his earlobe. He was obviously hitting all the right spots, as Hix kept moaning, pleading with him to go faster.

"I'm getting close, Hix. Do you want it?" Viktor kept increasing the speed and the roughness of his fucking. "Do you want me to come?"

"Viktor! Yeah! You keep hitting... that spot! Oh! Oh fuck yeah!" Hix was whimpering, grinding his own hips into the bed beneath him. "I want you to come. I want us to come. Please..."

He was moving even faster now, the muscles in his ass constricting. His skin shone with sweat in the moonlight. Viktor's thrusts were faster... harder...

"Oh, God Hix, I'm going to come!" Viktor thrust harder, trying as hard as he could to hit the spot in Hix's ass. His muffled screams were enough to show he had. Viktor was fucking as hard as he could, shoving his cock in and out with almost violent motions. "I'm coming, Hix!"

"Unnnhhh... me too... oh God, Viktor, I'm coming too!"

With one final thrust, Viktor buried his cock all the way in Hix's ass and began pumping out his hot, thick come. Beneath him, Hix was firing load after load of sticky come into the bedsheets.

Viktor collapsed onto Hix's back. They were both breathing so hard that he was slowly moving up and down, almost fucking Hix even still. His cock was still as hard as it was before, and it didn't show any signs of getting soft.

"That was... amazing." Viktor leaned down and kissed Hix, whose head was turned so he could do just that. "I want to stay like this. With my cock inside you."

Hix closed his eyes, feeling more satisfied than he could remember. "Can you go again? I want to go again."

Viktor grinned and began thrusting his hips in soft, shallow motions. "Give me a few minutes, but yeah, I definitely think I can."

Neither of them got any more sleep that night.

They were about halfway back to headquarters. When they finally decided to give up having sex (out of nothing more than exhaustion, mind you), they actually found things to talk about. Hix told Viktor about growing up in the Warrior's Village; Viktor told Hix about his youth in Jowstone.

Even on the trip home, there really weren't any big pauses in the conversation. Well, maybe one.

Viktor was a little apprehensive to ask, but he wanted to know, to stop Hix from doing anything rash. "What are you going to do about Tengaar and Flik?"

Hix looked up a little curiously. "You know, I hadn't actually thought about that." They kept walking quietly for a few minutes. "I think I'll just let them do what they want. Tengaar and I obviously need some time apart. Look at what we're doing to each other."

Viktor nodded. "Sometimes two people just need some time with other people to know whether or not they're right for each other."

Hix smiled. "I've loved her since before I can remember. Maybe it's permanent, maybe it's not." He stopped in the path and stood directly in front of Viktor. "The only thing I know for sure is that I'm with someone who I actually do love right now. Maybe we're permanent, maybe we're not."

"Maybe," Viktor agreed. He started walking again, wondering whether he should be excited or disappointed in what Hix had said.