The next morning was sweet and gentle. Indeed, Vitya had shown up at just the right moment for Lien whose spirit was left in tatters. In the bed, the sun peaked through the curtains that swayed from the draft coming from under the door. The man was awake, rubbing Lien's back who laid against him. He had been comforting the younger man the whole night, telling him he was safe now. That he didn't need to worry and how sorry Vitya was that he couldn't stop it. Of course, this moment was a lie that Lien could not detect. In fact, Vitya had left the very same night he dropped Lien off in this hell known as Butterfly Garden. "Kotenok." said the low, gravely voice of Vitya.

Lien stirred before waking up, his head was laying against Vitya's chest. It's right where he wanted to be. His dark eyes had met Vitya's icy ones. "Tell me, kotenok. Who's body is this?" Vitya asked. His hand moving down to grip the underside of Lien's thigh, trailing it up to capture the skin under his fingertips. Lien held a look of confusion, was this a test? He would move away from Vitya for a moment. Gathering his thoughts before speaking, "Why did you leave me here?" Lien asked, without attitude or spirits. It was simply a question. Vitya's smile dropped into a bleak expression as if he didn't have the answers either.

"The Triad is not known to visit this place. I believe it's the best way to keep you undetected." Vitya brushed it off, though this explanation did not suffice. Lien was rattled with horrific images in his mind, every noise seemed to make him flinch and every movement was like a hand ready to strike. "Anya said it was to train me. For what? All I've experienced is pain." Lien admitted. It was as though he believed he could be honest with Vitya, and at this time he could. Vitya would not disturb the delicate balance so soon. He had to keep Lien right where he wanted him, so that he could use him and exploit his identity. The heir to the Triad was in his grasp. To break him was to break a decades long rivalry between Moscow and Beijing. To make Lien submit to him was to tear down the hegemony of the Triad in the East.

"Come, kotenok. Do you trust me?" Vitya inherited the ability to feign kindness and warmth. Lien moved back to him, their limbs grazing against one another as if they had been lovers for quite some time. The kind of connection that could never be bought or forced. Lien had no reason to deny himself this comfort. How could he? Vitya had saved him twice now. Who would Lien be if he were to be angry with the man that was protecting him? "I trust you, Vitya." Lien responded, his resolve hanging by a thread. He wanted to believe in this fairytale dream that the two of them could be together.

The Russian man had held Lien in his arm for the next moments that felt so permanent to Lien. No longer was his life on the line if he were in these arms. "Can I trust you, kotenok?" Vitya asked. Though, his expression proved that he already believed Lien had been broken down enough to submit to him. This was his chess game and it was nearing checkmate. Lien's life turned upside down and he blamed himself for all of it. For Hana's disappearance, Gao's death, and in some miserable scope of the imagination he believed that it was his fault for his parents death, too. "You can trust me. I am undoubtedly yours." Lien responded. The man would then bring his hand up to capture the top button on Lien's shirt. Slowly unbuttoning each one. Running the back of his hand down Lien's sternum. "Can you prove your loyalty to me?" asked Vitya.

Lien nodded, to be touched by the man he was beginning to crave, love, and need. It was godsend, despite the state of his aching body. "Anything to prove I am yours, I will do it." replied Lien with a breathy voice. Soon, the shirt had been completely unbuttoned and the cool hands of Vitya wrapped around his waist and in an instant Vitya was hovering over him. His long inky hair barely held by the tie. Strands falling out and draping over Lien. "This is good, kotenok." Vitya hummed, grabbing the side of Lien's face, his fingers stretching out into Lien's hair and pulling him forward. They shared a kiss that star crossed lovers shared. At least to Lien, it had resembled that.

Vitya's hand went down and grabbed Lien's hip that was sensitive from bruises. It didn't matter. Lien wanted Vitya more than anything in the world. No matter the cost, he needed to prove to Vitya he was to stay with him. Vitya chuckled when Lien's hand had traced down the man's chest. "How can you prove your loyalty?" Vitya emphasized the word loyalty. Lien's eyes had looked nervous. Could he let Vitya take him when his body was in such a state? He had the urge to say that he couldn't, that his body was too weak and in pain. However, this intimacy was rare from Vitya, he could not give up now. Lien's hands trailed down further and began to undo Vitya's belt. This produced a heated sigh from the man who would bring his own hand down to stop Lien from progressing.

This was confusing to Lien. He had thought that this is what Vitya wanted and what he meant by proving loyalty. The man smirked and leaned in close to Lien's ear, his breath against Lien's. "Do you want me to fuck you?" Vitya probed. This was not a test, but rather seeking confirmation. Lien's stomach grew queasy and the want to please Vitya was overriding his rational thinking. "Yes, if it proves my loyalty, then my body is yours." He said firmly and Vitya looked impressed and Lien gazed back.

"Good, kotenok. But, I couldn't possibly do that now. You were recently used, I don't like sloppy seconds." The man harshly replied and had stood up. Lien laying on the bed completely perplexed. He felt dirty again and he sat up on the opposite side of the bed, Vitya looking over. He wondered if that fiery spirt in Lien would return. Was he really broken like Anya said Lien would be? Lien tensed up, his arms trembling and he felt embarrassed. "It's not my fault. You brought me here. Why?" Lien stood up in a flash and clenched his fists.

Vitya was addicted to this behavior. How Lien could face the brunt of life changing trauma and still find a way to rise in defense of himself. "But you asked for me and I came. Is it you who should decide the cost of your protection?" The man paced before slowly inching towards Lien. There was palpable tension in the air between two strong personalities. Vitya had seemed excited, aroused even and Lien was growing quite mad and devastated. "No! I mean yes! Damnit. You don't know what it's like until it happens to you. And you let it happen to me." Lien's body was shaking violently and those tears were returning.

The man had inched closer and closer, every step making the hardwood floors creak. "Yes, Lien. Tell me how I caused your suffering." Vitya requested, walking closer and closer. His eyes flashing in amusement and desire. Licking his lips while Lien became raw and unfiltered. "Because...you're all I've wanted from the moment I met you! You were supposed to be there!" Lien was cracking under the pressure and Vitya's mouth curved into a quivering smile, his tied black hair beginning to cover one of his eyes, not caring about keeping himself tidy in this moment. Vitya was close enough to Lien now who had his back against the standing wardrobe, the man reached out and wiped the tears falling from Lien's eyes. The young man bringing his arms up to try and push Vitya away. "Don't touch me!" Lien cried, he was too emotional for the others touch.

Though, as if based in natural instinct. Lien stopped pushing and refusing Vitya. Not because he didn't want it. It was because it is exactly what he wanted. In the heat of the moment, Vitya gripped Lien's hips and spun him so that his back was to Vitya. "Tell me that you are loyal. Tell me all the things you want to tell me and give yourself to me." Vitya growled against Lien's ear from behind, the sound of a belt buckle unlatching making Lien feel hot in the face.

"I am loyal to you, my God. I-I." Lien paused when he felt his shorts had been pulled down around his ankles. "I am yours! I love you!" He cried out and Vitya was hot from this moment. He had, indeed, brought Lien to his knees in the metaphorical sense. Vitya pulled Lien back into himself and then opened the wardrobe. "Change your clothes, kotenok." The man flicked his tongue against Lien's cheek.

When Lien had thought Vitya was going to fuck him in the heat of the moment, he hadn't. Vitya had what he needed from Lien and that was not primal desire, no. It was that he had instilled the ability in Lien to be broken and needy.

Exactly how Vitya wanted him to be.