Love Beyond Celestial Bonds

Roi ran his fingers through the holy water, letting it trickle through his grasp and drip to the floor of the cathedral. The soft sound echoed softly against the walls, as though in a gentle chime.

His time in the church was approaching an end. It was nearly time for him to begin his prayers for the evening. But he needed just a few more moments to himself. He had been so distracted lately with all that was happening between him and Zorak. It made it difficult to concentrate on his holy duties.

He moved through the main aisle, bowing his head in reverence as he passed each of the stained glass windows depicting their Lord and Savior throughout His life. Then he mounted the steps behind the pulpit, where he knelt to pray. As he lowered himself, however, he heard a soft moaning sound from further down the aisle where it ended at the altar.

He turned just enough to see Zorak emerging from behind one of the pews. He was naked as usual, and Roi stared up at him eagerly as his gaze swept over that magnificent body, every muscle sharply defined and glistening with sweat from their recent tryst. His stomach clenched in anticipation of what might come next.

"I knew you would be here," Zorak said softly as he approached Roi's kneeling form. "I could smell your perfume."

Roi looked up at him guiltily.

"That wasn't very wise of me," Roi said softly, "to wear this perfume today."

"But you did so because you knew I would recognize it," Zorak replied, caressing his hair gently with one hand as he stared down into Roi's face. "You want me."

Roi couldn't think of anything to say to that, so instead, he reached up and took Zorak's hand in his own and brought it down to press against his chest. He felt his lover's heart thudding beneath his palm, and he let out a sigh of longing so intense it sent shivers running through him all over again. He leaned up as though to kiss Zorak but then changed his mind at the last moment, turning away so that only their cheeks touched and their mouths were near but not quite touching lips. Zorak sighed softly with frustration but didn't pull away; instead, he caressed Roi's face tenderly with one hand while slowly stroking along Roi's thighs with the other until finally, that hand traced its way teasingly up under Roi's robe, making him shiver anew before finally exposing him fully and running teasing fingertips along the length of his now swollen shaft once more until Roi's hips began thrusting eagerly without even thinking about it anymore.

"It is time for your prayers now," Zorak said softly after some time had passed like this between them. "But perhaps we will meet again before too long."

* * *

Roi looked at him sadly as they stood in silence before parting ways there in the aisle where they'd taken each other passionately not long ago; still looking at each other longingly even though separated by many feet now, like two lovers who hadn't seen each other for days when it had only been hours since they had last touched each other.

When they next met there at twilight on the same night two weeks later, Roi saw something different in Zorak's eyes as they stood facing each other across that aisle again; something new that Roi couldn't quite identify at first but which seemed vaguely familiar somehow. Was it sadness or perhaps resignation? And then suddenly, it struck him: those eyes no longer held that hunger for him that had been there before. None of that burning desire, and there was no passion shining within them for him alone. Instead, those eyes were filled with hope, but was it hope for someone else? Someone other than Roi? Hope for a different life, perhaps? The thought occurred to Roi: Had Zorak found someone else already? Had he noticed Roi's absence while he had been away these last two weeks? “Has someone else caught his eye while I've been gone?” Was there ever any hope for them after all? Or was their love doomed from the start? Was Roi never more than a diversion for Zorak? A way to pass the time when bored but easily replaced when other options appeared? Or worse: Was Roi merely a convenience, kept around only when nothing better presented itself but quickly discarded when better prospects arose? Was this truly the end of their story, or was there still the slightest chance they could find happiness together after all that had transpired between them thus far? Was there still a place deep within Zorak's heart where he might still love Roi if given an opportunity, regardless of what may happen in the future? Could they possibly make it work despite all they had faced up until now, and whatever challenges the future would