"I miss her so bad it hurts," he said. "I lie there every night thinking about her, thinking about how close we came to finally doing it. I feel like now it'll never happen."

In their defense, he did actually say that. He wasn't really awake, and he was still so mad at Mador, and at Maidal, and at Arn Arther, that he wasn't really thinking - but he said it. And they heard him.

On Friday night, when he came back late from the lab, the tent was deserted - he thought. He closed the flap and started taking off his clothes - it was a warm night, balmy, and he'd been sleeping in his shorts lately. Then he heard a giggle and whirled, shocked, to find a girl sitting on Denny's cot with a blanket wrapped rather loosely around her body. Brilliant red hair cascaded down around her face; her eyes were dark blue and lustrous, and her lips full and moist.

"Hi," she said. "Are you Erythor?"

He stared at her open-mouthed. "What- who the- what- what are you doing here?" he spluttered at last, awkwardly holding his half-unbuttoned fly shut with one hand.

"I'm Angel," she said, biting her lip coquettishly and grinning. She let the blanket slip down off her shoulders, which were bare and smooth. "I'm here to show you the best time of your life."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Your friends told me you're still a virgin," she continued, moving towards him. She let go of the blanket; it slid off of her, and underneath she wore only a sheer, almost transparent chemise - nothing else. Hastily he brought his other hand up to cover his eyes. She giggled. "Aw, don't be shy. Angel's gonna take you to heaven and back."

"I'm married!" he cried, at a loss as to what else to say.

"That's okay, lots of my clients are. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Put your clothes back on!" he replied rather sharply.

"Don't worry, Angel's already bought and paid for. You just gotta come along for the ride."

"I don't 'gotta' do anything, and neither do you. I'm giving you the night off. For God's sake, woman, I mean it! At least put the blanket on again."

She did, seeming confused and a bit put off, and he quickly redid his fly.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. "You some kind of faggot?"

"No," he snapped, indignant. "I told you, I'm married."

"But you and your wife never got it on? Not even once?"

He glared at her. "Circumstances intervened. Look, no insult to you, you're very pretty and all, but I'm not going to betray my wife. Go home."

"Well, we don't have to do it the usual way," she replied, persistent, sliding her hands down his bare chest from behind. "Angel knows how to use her hands, and her tongue-"

"No!" he shouted in sudden anger, shoving her away. "Go on, get out! Don't you get it? Your services are not required! Scram!"

"Faggot," she muttered, pulling a red bathrobe on over her chemise, and leaving the blanket on the floor she stalked out. He watched her go, went and put his shirt back on. He waited until he felt sure she was gone, and then went to find Francis. If anyone were behind this, it would be him. And Alec. The whole thing smelled like their handiwork. He wouldn't be surprised if Vern and Alren had had a hand in it as well, though it was hard to be angry at Vern for anything, even this, simply by virtue of his easy-going nature. Even so, Erythor was furious. At the whore, at his friends, at Mador and the lot of them for keeping him here, at Vida for not being with him, at the whole damn world for putting him into this situation in the first place.

He found all four of his friends in Alren's tent, sitting around drinking and laughing, and with them Denny Vex and Veren Youngblood, whom he had thought above such things. Not unexpectedly, they were speculating, in the most vulgar and insulting terms imaginable, on how Silvertip's first sexual encounter must be proceeding. They were too drunk to notice him immediately, and when he stormed in - shoving Francis, who was nearest the door, roughly out of the way - the group looked a little surprised.

"Ow," said Francis, who had fallen and hit his head on the corner of Alren's cot.

"You inconsiderate assholes! The fuck was that, hey? I mean, seriously, what the hell?"

"What, was she bad?" Denny asked, confused.

"Why'd you push me?" asked Francis, though he wore a sophomoric grin that made obvious how hard he was trying not to laugh.

"So, how many shots went into this brilliant plan?" Silvertip shook his head in disgust. "God damn. Bunch of adolescent retards."

Everyone except Denny was giggling by now; the latter still seemed to be trying to figure out what was going on. Shandra leant sideways and muttered to Tomas in a stage whisper, "Came too early."

"Look, Alec, just because you haven't got any stamina doesn't mean nobody else does," Veren put in equitably, having overheard. "Give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Nothing happened!" shouted Erythor. "I kicked her out, what the fuck did you expect? Do you know me?!"

Wordlessly Tomas nudged Alec and held out a hand. Shandra sighed dramatically, rummaged in a pocket, and withdrew a ten-unit bank note. "So I was optimistic. So shoot me."

"I'm gonna kick you in the face if you don't shut up, Alec," Erythor growled. "It's bad enough getting by out here without you dumbasses trying to screw up my marriage-"

"It's the thought that counts," Vern replied, smiling sagely.

"Man, I wish I could have seen your expression," said Francis, still grinning broadly. "If only we could've gotten a photo..."

"Maybe we could get him to do it again," Shandra suggested. "Then if he could just hold it for ten minutes while the plate sets..."

"You didn't do anything with her? Not even a little touchy-feely?" Alren sighed. "That woman was not cheap, you know."

"I don't cheat on my wife," Erythor snapped.

"Making out isn't cheating," said Veren.

"You wanna ask Celise that?" Vern replied with raised eyebrows.

"Well... okay, maybe it is... but that was a lot of money..."

"It was worth a try," Alec said, shrugging. "Someday we'll catch you off guard, my celibate friend, and before you know it..." He made a pumping motion with his arm, laughing. Francis joined in; then all of them were gesturing and giggling, and Erythor shook his head and sighed. "Fuckers." And, looking weary and frustrated, he left.

"Maybe we shouldn't have done that," Denny said quietly after the laughter had died down.

"Oh, come on. He's a man, he can take it."

"Yeah, but Alec, didn't he look... I dunno... sort of ...defeated just now? What if he does something to get back at us?"

"He won't," said Francis. "That's not how he works."

"Yep," said Vern. "If he's mad, he'll shrug it off - if he's not, he's got nothing to shrug. Pass that vodka, why dontcha?"

-

((Hey there kids! Did you read this? Well, then I'd be ever so pleased if you let me know! Thank you! You're a real sweetie! Or something like that! :D))