"Mal." I cried. He pulled up his pants, whimpering, and crawled up to me. He opened the cuffs and I kissed him immediately. "I'm so sorry." He clutched at me.

"I love you so much, Angus. Please don't leave me." He cried. I was shocked.

"Of course I'm not leaving you! I love you, Malcolm!" We both cried. He was trembling badly in my arms and pale. "Did he do that more often?" I asked while we sat on the floor, his face pressed against my neck and I stroked his hair. He nodded weakly. "Is that why you have your problem?" Actually, I already knew.

"Yes." He breathed, looking up at me with big brown eyes. "I'm so sorry, Angus. You shouldn't have seen that. You shouldn't have taken me. I'm not worthy of you."

"Stop saying that, Mal! You are worth me I'm not worthy of you! You are the most loving person on the whole planet! I don't know how to do this to you just because you're gay." I whimpered.

"I love you." He whispered and kissed my neck. His fingers gently caressed my neck. I pressed against him and held him by the hip. "I love you so much." He whispered dazedly. I groaned and leaned my head back. He sucked on my larynx. It all made sense now why he was so good. He HAD to do it as a child. Did he think he HAD to do it with me to make me love him? I gently pushed him away.

"You don't have to do that, Mal." I whispered. "Honey, why didn't you tell me?" I brushed a strand behind his ear.

"I was afraid that you would hate me." He mumbled quietly. "I told my first partner. He dumped me and told everyone else in the village. I had to move away because everyone hated me so much."

"Darling. I would never have done that." He wept loudly.

"I ... I'm so sorry I ... I didn't ... trust you." He whimpered with hiccups. "I'm so ... such a bad ... b ... boyfriend. I'm ... so sorry." I looked at him in shock. Did he think he was a bad boyfriend? He wasn't! I hadn't noticed that he was hurting himself! His fingers clawed into my shirt and he tried to hold himself up like that. He was very weak after the procedure. His head was leaning against my chest and he was looking into my lap. I was overwhelmed. The love of my life was raped before my very eyes and was now trembling in my lap. What should I do? I rubbed his back awkwardly.

"Sh." I whispered. "I've got you, Malcolm. I've got you. I love you, okay? No matter what, I love you."

"I love you too." Malcolm breathed, closing his eyes. He leaned against me. He was really weak.

"Come over. Stand up. Go to bed." I pleaded. But he couldn't stand up properly. I half dragged him into his bedroom, where I laid him on the bed. He curled up moaning and pulled me close.

"I love you so much, Angus. Forgive me." He whispered.

"What should I forgive you?" I asked tenderly. He closed his eyes.

"That I didn't tell you. I thought I would protect you if I didn't tell you."

"Oh, Mal." I kissed his neck and pulled him close. We soon fell asleep.