***

"I'm delighted, my dear. Have you really settled down?" Gloria, Bjorn's old friend, who holds the post of head of an advertising company, sat next to the man and, crossing her legs, looked at him with hopeless lust.

"You're wrong, Glory," sarcastically replied Karin, who had been on edge since the beginning of the business trip, practically groveling at her boss's feet in an attempt to seduce him. "Bjorn will never marry. It's not in his rules."

"I wouldn't say that," the man thoughtfully stroked his chin with his fingers and smiled affably at the daughter of their American partner approaching them, who, like many others, dreamed of marrying herself to him, or at least jumping into bed with him.

And she, of course, had an undeniable advantage over the other ladies in the room.

Olivia Larsen was beautiful and young, and, what especially pleased Bjorn, she was not particularly intrusive, even though she repeatedly made it clear to him that the deal would not take place without her consent.

The young lady approached Bjorn and his companions, and held out her hand to the man.

"You promised me a walk. I'm tired of waiting."

Pink lips pouted prettily, a delicate palm slid into Bjorn's palm and closed, burning with warmth.

Olivia smelled of tea roses and something sweet with hints of vanilla. And there was an unspoken hope in her eyes.

This girl knew how to seduce. There were smoldering sparks in her big eyes, promising a fire of passion. But Bjorn didn't take the bait. Now he knew what real adoration was in the eyes of another person. And that knowledge confounded his mind, making him look at the world through the prism of true feelings, which turned falsity into ugliness.

"It's not my policy to keep beautiful women waiting," Bjorn stood up and let Olivia take his arm, as if they were already married.

Karin burned the man with a scornful look and smiled mockingly at his companion.

"Careful, dear," she said, "this man is not who he claims to be. You will be unhappy in marriage with him."

"And again you are wrong, Karin," Bjorn winked at his former lover, "the person with whom I will tie my life will forever forget about troubles and sorrows."

And, not wanting to continue any longer in pointless conversation, he took his lady to the greenhouse to walk with her among the tropical plants and flowers.

There they had a conversation about an engagement, which Bjorn supported only because the fate of a profitable deal depended entirely on his decision. Olivia was chattering about how she could easily convince her father to sign the contract if her wish came true and Bjorn gave her his hand and heart. After all, they are such a beautiful couple.

Bjorn objected, saying that in matters of marriage he would prefer to be guided by feelings rather than signatures, and the girl replied that he knew the condition and must decide immediately.

"I'll talk to your father," the man smiled charmingly. "I'm sure we'll find a common language with him."

Olivia was amused, clapped her hands and kissed Bjorn on the cheek. He left, leaving her a kiss goodbye. And the next day he flew home with a signed contract and ambitious plans for the future.

"And when is the wedding?" Karin was grinning like an angry wolfhound, and her gaze fixed on the man did not bode well for him.

"Soon," Bjorn smiled enigmatically and looked out the airplane's window, watching the shadow of the iron bird glide across the surface of the clouds. "Did you send the documents I asked for to the firm?"

"About appointing this feckless Tobias to be your personal assistant?" The woman asked.

"Yes," the man nodded and took a sip of the soda that was in front of him in a tall glass.

"Of course," she nodded. "Along with the rest of the documents. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering," Bjorn shrugged.

Karin shook her head, showing her indignation.

"This, by the way, will affect my salary," she stated.

"So quit if you are not satisfied with something," the man advised. "I'm sure you can easily find another job."

"But you won't be at another job," Karin changed her tone to a more affectionate one and stroked the man's knee. "Would you like to go to the restroom with me and fool around a little?"

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood. Besides, I'm engaged. And you know my principles."

"Your principles? Oh, really! You're telling me you're gonna be faithful to your fiancée? And then what the hell do you need a lad for? Or do you think it's not cheating if you fucking with a man?"

"What?" Bjorn looked in surprise at the Karin, who sat up straight again and, crossing her arms over her chest, pouted.

"Don't play dumb," she advised. "I saw you kissing in the parking lot. You should be ashamed of yourself in public."

"Why should I be ashamed?" Bjorn grinned. "I haven't done anything wrong. Besides, my love affairs are none of your business."

"You're such an asshole!" Karin was indignant. "I've been trying to get you for two years. And he got you into bed in just a couple of weeks."

"You taunted me, not trying to get me. And your train has left. You know, I like to test the product before I hang myself on the hook."

"What about Olivia? Did you try her out? And when did you just manage to?"

"There are plenty of bushes in the greenhouse that can help to hide from prying eyes," Bjorn replied. "And believe me, I managed to appreciate her. Any man who marries her will be incredibly fortunate."

"Oh, you know what? I think I'll take advantage of your offer and quit my job. But first I'm going to tell your fiancee that you're gay and fucking a boy. And then I'll sue you for sexual harassment, and your marriage will be ruined along with the contract. You really pissed me off. And you know not to piss me off, right."

"Do whatever you want," Bjorn said and turned away, not wanting to continue this unpleasant conversation.

Karin promised that she would definitely follow his advice, and finally fell silent.

She'd spoiled the man's mood, but not catastrophically.

He was coming home early, and that was the main thing, because Toby was surely looking forward to his return. And the mere thought of it brought a silly but very happy smile to the man's lips.

As soon as he arrived at the airport, Bjorn went straight to work, where he was greeted with cheers and applause.

Well, of course! He provided the company with hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits and dozens of new jobs. He really had a lot to be proud of.

However, he didn't enjoy the honors for long, and went straight to the guard.

Calling Toby's last name, he asked to see if the guy was in the building, but the guard looked at him puzzled and said:

"He was fired on your orders."

Bjorn thought he had misheard. And when he looked back, he saw Karin's overly smug smile.

"Did you do this?!" He asked angrily, barely restraining himself from slapping this snake in the face.

"You have to read what you sign," she said with a cocky, smug smile. "And what's the difference? You're getting married. I saved the lad from a cruel disappointment."

"You're a fool," the man said, and hurried out of the office.

Bjorn was speeding down the road, breaking the rules, and hoping to find Toby at home. But someone else was already renting the apartment.

"What the fuck?!? The man yelled, kicking the railing irritably.

So, where to look for the guy now? Where does he live now? Where does his friend live? Where does his aunt live?

Bjorn didn't know the answers to these questions, and he was terribly angry at himself for not taking an interest in Toby's life.

Having almost jumped out of the house, the man bumped into some woman, whom he recognized as an employee of his office.

"The boy... the courier... he lived in this house... Do you know him?" Bjorn immediately started to ask.

"Toby?"

"Yes! Toby. Where did he move to? There was a misunderstanding. He was fired by mistake."

The woman widened her eyes in surprise and laid it all out.

It turns out that Toby didn't have any money left to pay for his apartment so he went to work in another city. They paid well and provided housing there, but the work was very hard.

The woman was saying something else, but because of the deafening beating of his own heart, Bjorn couldn't hear her.

He had to find Toby. Find him as soon as possible.

And not wanting to waste a minute, the man thanked the employee and rushed to the airport.

***

Toby was found on his way out of work.

Bjorn stood at the bus stop until late at night, hiding from the rain, and watched the large gate through which people eventually started coming.

He saw the familiar puny figure at once.

Toby looked tired, sick and very unsightly. But for Bjorn, the guy shone brighter than a festive garland and was more desirable than a Christmas pie.

Only now, seeing the lonely guy in the crowd of simple workers, the man realized how much he missed him.

And stepping into the drizzling nastiness, across the crowd of sweat-scented, tired people, he blocked Toby's path and hugged him tightly, kissing him on the damp top of his head.

***

The bell announcing the end of the shift exploded in Toby's temples with a savage pain.

The guy grimaced and stepped away from the machine, exhaling with relief the acrid air soaked with the stench of burning rubber.

Working in an auto parts factory was difficult. Working a double shift was doubly difficult. But the guy had no other choice.

To make ends meet, Toby worked sixteen hours a day. There was a catastrophic lack of sleep. His body was on the verge of exhaustion. And as a result, the guy caught a cold.

But he didn't care about both fatigue and sickness.

Life had lost all meaning for him, and he had neither the strength nor the desire to look for a new one.

The gray sky was once again pouring down rain on the ground.

Caught up in the flow of people rushing home, Toby walked through the gatehouse and shivered, wrapping himself in a shabby and unseasonably light jacket.

He followed them all, unable to see anything and thinking only of falling asleep as soon as possible.

Someone pushed him in the shoulder, and the guy almost fell, staggering dangerously. But he managed to stay on his feet and continue on his way.

The cold wind creeps under his jacket. The water soaks his already damp clothes. And then, suddenly, warmth enveloped him. Hot as a stove. A sweet-smelling, cologne-scented warmth that made his heart clench in his chest and tears come to his eyes.

It took the guy a few breaths to realize what was happening. A few breaths and a few furious heartbeats.

"Why are you doing this?" Toby asked hoarsely from prolonged silence and an illness, petrified in Bjorn's arms.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, mingling with the rain, and an invisible hand squeezed his throat.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why, Toby?" Bjorn asked quietly, pulling the guy even tighter against him.

Toby, in response to his embrace, tensed so that his body became unpleasantly angular. And for a moment it shook with a violent shiver that traveled from top to toe, making the boy stagger.

"Why are you mocking me?!"

Despite the tears, the guy's voice sounded firm.

The momentary weakness passed as quickly as it had appeared. Anger and resentment burned on the embers of smoldering despair, but the guy couldn't push the man away.

"Why did you come? What for? I know why you went on the business trip. I know. And I won't be second best. You better go."

"What are you talking about, Toby?" There were fewer and fewer people, and the rain was getting heavier.

The guy was clearly angry, and besides, he was shaking a lot.

"However, it doesn't matter. We'll talk at the hotel. You don't look well. Did you catch a cold?"

Bjorn's tone, so simple, so calm made the guy angrier, and he found the strength to scramble out of the man's tight grip.

"What am I talking about?!" Toby shouted, having no idea where his strength came from. "I'm talking about the contract that you went to sign! And about my dismissal, which was so necessary for you. I knew what I was getting into. I knew! You didn't need to lie to me! I would have understood. You could have told me everything. I knew I was just a distraction for you. It wasn't a secret. But your cowardice was a revelation to me. We have nothing to talk about. Not here, not at the hotel, not anywhere else. Go to your girlfriend. And I have to go. I have to go to work in the morning."

Bjorn was taken aback by the sudden realization that, in a matter of seconds, he had been labeled a liar, scoundrel, hypocrite, and who knows what else. However, Toby appeared so pale and weary that Bjorn's heart refused to harbor resentment. It pounded louder and louder, responding to the guy's voice, to his disheveled yet entirely ordinary appearance, to his eyes - red and swollen with tears, ablaze with righteous anger.

Looking at Toby, Bjorn gave a completely idiotic smile.

Unthinkable, but he was bursting with happiness, as if a huge balloon was inflating in his chest.

Toby loves him. It's so simple. For almost nothing. Loves him so much that he's mad with resentment and heartache. So desperately that he's going to throw himself at him and beat him until he's strong enough.

And what about himself?

He's just drunk on his own feelings! Drunk on this guy. Frozen, miserable, sick... so cute.

"Toby, I didn't fire you," he said and caught the guy's hand, which felt icy. "I didn't cheat you. I was in a hurry to get this deal done and get back to you. Do you seriously think that I dragged myself to the devil knows where, and this is after an eighteen-hour flight to have fun?"

"Who knows what's on your mind?!" The guy grumbled indignantly, realizing that Bjorn had a point.

But the fatigue was so intense that Toby would not have been surprised, even if the man was just a hallucination.

"Why did you come?" He asked wearily, feeling his legs wobbling. "What for? If you came to have fun, I'm not in the mood. I have to go. I'm tired."

"So let's go," Bjorn pulled the guy toward him, but Toby bucked, and even tried to scream.

The man had to stop the guy's scream with a kiss and squeeze him tighter in his arms.

Toby was like a wild stallion, stubborn in his desire to get away. But Bjorn was twice as stubborn, and four times as strong.

He held the boy until he was exhausted and staggered from weakness.

Now Toby was just crying, unable to shake off Bjorn's heavy arms. And he was talking nonsense about the office gossip, in which he overheard something. And now, as a result, he doesn't believe a single word the man says.

"You're a fool, Toby," Bjorn stated the obvious, and no longer listening to the guy's rambling objections to everything in the world, dragged him to the rental car.

Toby resisted for a moment, but then he gave up. Fatigue had taken over both his emotions and his common sense, and the sudden apathy that had come over him had made him into a helpless puppet.

Inside the car, where the man pushed him, it was warm and smelled pleasantly of some unobtrusive fragrance. A soft and comfortable armchair took the guy into its cozy embrace, and the engine started purring a lullaby.

As soon as Toby was warm and cozy, his eyes began to stick together treacherously, and drowsiness enveloped his consciousness, which he simply could not fight.

"Where are you going to take me?" Still sulking, Toby asked the man as he climbed into the cabin. "You want to have some fun? So let me suck your dick here, and you'll leave me alone. What do you say? The deal is great, no matter how you look at it"

"Let's just keep your mouth shut before you say too much and calm down."

Bjorn locked the doors just in case Toby decided to get out of the car on the move, and buckled him into his seatbelt.

The guy looked at him pejoratively, showing himself indignation and resentment, and Bjorn smiled.

The guy was not a weakling and a suck-up. He believed that he had been betrayed, and refused to be the bedding of a married man.

Bjorn was impressed by this, and liked Toby more and more.

The man turned away from the guy and drove out onto the road. He was silent for a few minutes, pondering his next words, and then he spoke while Toby was still awake.

The gossip you overheard was somewhat true. The young daughter of our American partner really had her eye on me. Our company was promised huge funding if I married this girl. But even before you appeared in my life, I was not going to go along with her, although this contract promised both the company and me a huge profit. As I told you before, if I want something, I get it. And you must be thinking that I got it through bed. And getting rid of you to keep you out of my waif's sight.

Toby nodded sullenly and turned away to the window, frowning even more.

You are deluded," the man said simply. - You're deeply mistaken. The thing is, Toby, I think I'm in love. And not just for a day or two. I'm really fucked up with this crush. And now I don't know what to do. I even confessed my feelings for this person to my American partner. And he immediately agreed to finance the project. But that's not the most important thing. Toby, I came here to ask for your advice. You're a wise guy; you know this stuff, unlike me. So, tell me, what do I need to do to make believe me, such a flighty jerk, once and for all?

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" The guy blurted out angrily, switching to some creepy and gruff dialect of a back alley hustler. "Are you completely fucked up? Stop that damn car! And get out of here and ask your mistresses for advice. Just don't involve me in this. Or have you found a joke point in my face? So the circus is in the other direction. I didn't sign up to be a clown advisor."

"Is it that simple?" Bjorn pretended to be amazed. Toby's outburst really stirred him up; making his heart beat with redoubled force and jump to his throat. "If I stop the car, will that help me convince you I'm in love? Or without going to mistresses for advice, you won't believe me?"

Bjorn's nerves were so tense that, for safety reasons, he actually pulled over to the side of the road and, stopping the car, began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, stubbornly staring straight ahead at the torrential rain pouring down the glass.

"What's not to believe in?" The guy shook his head. "Well, you fell in love, so what? One damn thing, sooner or later, this shit would have caught up with you. What's that got to do with me?"

The pain in Toby's heart became unbearable, and the guy burst into tears like a little boy, continuing to talk only to keep from screaming at the top of his voice at the unbearable agony:

"Or wasn't it enough for you to throw me into a social pit? Did you also want to crush me mentally? So congratulations, motherfucker, you did it!"

"What are you talking about, Toby?" Bjorn asked in a strangled voice, being on the verge of a breakdown, just like the guy.

It's just a pity he couldn't cry. Not small anymore. And what is there to cry about? Toby is here, and he's not going anywhere. He just won't let him go.

The guy looked at him like he was an idiot and started yanking the door handle frantically, demanding to be let out of the car.

Bjorn would have been glad not to open it, but he was afraid that Toby would be injured. It's better to come out, cool down, calm down and finally realize... but first he will listen.

- I love you, Toby... - Bjorn said, as soon as the guy stopped screaming and throwing tantrums. - This business trip allowed me to sort myself out. In the States, I suddenly realized that I terribly want to go back to you. And this desire was unbearable. That's what I told my partner. I told him openly that I was in love with a man. And Mr. Larsen thought his daughter would be unhappy with me. But he still signed the contract. There's no fiancée. There's no engagement. There's only you. And I've come for you. So? I stopped the car. But I don't want to go to the mistresses.

Toby froze. Bjorn's words did not immediately reach his mind. They circled a little more in the air like wayward birds, having managed to shit in the soul a couple of times, and then they cooed and purred about love.

That's not something you say in jest. That's no way to joke, and that's no way to make fun of others. And yet Toby was afraid to turn toward the man.

"What did you say?" The guy asked very quietly and very carefully, fearing that he had just imagined the words about love. "Say it again."

"I don't want to go to mistresses," Bjorn shrugged, looking stubbornly in front of him.

His blood was rushing in his ears and his heart was jumping out of his chest.

What an impossible boy! Why won't he understand?

Toby was silent for a few moments, not moving and, it seems, not even breathing, and then he laughed. Hysterical, heartbreaking... tired.

"And that's why you came to your lover?" he asked, wiping his tears with the palm of his hand. "Repeat what you told me at the beginning. Say it again before I get out of this damn car. Because then it will be too late, Bjorn. Then I won't believe it."

"I love you," the man replied quietly, realizing that he had already brought the guy to a nervous breakdown, although he did not want it. "Toby, I really love you. Whatever you think about me. So stop being hysterical and let's go to bed. I'm tired. I was terribly afraid that I wouldn't be able to find you. I thought I'd go crazy. And I almost did... with happiness when I saw you. When I realized I'd never let you out of my sight or lose you again. So, stop crying, okay?"

He turned to the guy and ruffled his blond damp strands.

"It's gonna be okay. I'll take care of you."

Bjorn's caressing touch, gentle and very tender, made Toby's heart beat gingerly and cautiously.

He turned to the man, stared into his eyes for a few moments, and then just hugged him. Without words, without promises, without confessions. In complete silence, broken only by the sound of droplets hitting the roof and glass of the car.

"Well done!" Bjorn kissed the guy's temple with feeling and started the engine again. "Now you can scold me for everything. I'm yours with all my guts. So use it, don't be shy."

'Use and don't be shy. It's a tempting offer. Very tempting. But...'

"I don't want to," Toby said and leaned back in his seat. "I don't want to fight. I want to love you. Just love you, that's all."

He closed his eyes and relaxed.

To love... He wanted this more than anything in the world. And now, it seems, this wish was coming true.

Who knows how much time fate has allotted to them. Who knows what other challenges and misunderstandings will arise on their path. But all of it was so insignificant. All of it was so trivial. The main thing is that Bjorn is nearby, that he loves...

And Toby was infinitely happy about it.