AN: This is intended to be a one shot, unless I suddenly get an idea for this and even then I'd probably edit this and add a a proper beginning and stuff. But it's not very likely as I'm appaling at continuing multi-chapter pieces.

Anyway... I hope that this makes some sense to those that are reading it, I wrote it kind of quickly as the ideas came spilling out of my head, so if it's difficult to understand I apolagise. It was one of those times when I just felt like writing and this was what came out without any real prior thought. Still I hope people enjoy it.

Also if anyone's interested Askel's name is a variation of Eskel which is an old Norse name which means 'divine cauldron' a cauldron used for sacrifice to the Gods.

Eiyra hates it when Askel licks his knife. He hates the way his delicate, vulnerable tongue slides gently along the smooth metal edge of the blade. Hates the way his eyes meet his own half way through and the hint of amusement he sees there; because Eiyra knows that Askel is aware of his discomfort, but he continues anyway. When Askel is in a mood he likes to watch him squirm.

When Askel flips the knife over in his hand, so the jagged rough edge is facing upwards, Eiyra's hand shoots forward grabbing hold of Askel's wrist. Stopping him from moving it further towards its destination.

The smaller mans gaze meets his again, purple eyes glinting with a dark humour that can only really be seen if you know Askel as well as Eiyra does; and Eiyra knows him very well.

"Is something wrong Eiyra?" Askel asks pleasantly. The false innocence in his voice betrays his age; making him seem like a young child instead of a 23 year old man.

Eiyra narrows his eyes and slowly releases Askel's wrist from his grip. He doesn't bother replying to his question, he's long since realised that anything he does say will only be taken as a challenge. When Askel is in one of his moods, nothing but time will bring him out of it.

Askel smiles and stares down at the table. His hand remains suspended half way between his plate and mouth; exactly where Eiyra had left it. Gripping the handle of the knife with such force that his already pale fingers whiten further.

Then, with one small movement, he releases the knife and it falls onto the empty plate below. It makes a harsh echoing sound that reverberates through the large, vacuous dining hall for what seems an eternity. It is the only sound besides Eiyra's unsteady breathing.

Eiyra looks down at his own half finished food and pushes it away from himself. He wasn't hungry to start with, and now his appetite has been completely destroyed. He just hopes that Askels mood will blow over, like a passing raincloud instead of a full blown storm.

He looks at Askel through saddened eyes. He had always been slim, it was something that Eiyra supposed came naturally after the endless growth spurts that had left him at six foot eight; but now he was skinnier than ever, rapidly approaching skeletal. His long red hair that had once been warm and fiery – glowing with several shades of orange red and yellow - now lay lank and greasy around his shoulders. He'd torn half of it out last week; Eiyra had attempted to salvage what he could of his ruined locks. It was all pointless though and Eiyra felt useless, a waste of air because he couldn't fathom how to help his friend.

Askel began to trace patterns into the table with his fingers, now little more than bone.

"Why does Eiyra look at me with such sadness?" Askel asked softly, barely more than a whisper.

"I'm not" the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, force of habit, one he instantly regretted.

Askel's head snapped up, expression thunderous "Do not lie to me Eiyra!"

He roared the words, and Eiyra thought the urge to cover his ears. He wanted desperately to drown out the broken sound of his friend's voice.

"I don't like being lied to." His voice had calmed once again. "I shouldn't be lied to should I Eiyra?" He asked softly looking into his eyes.

Eiyra shook his head gently and Askel smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile, it was bitter one.

"No, I shouldn't be lied to. Not me, the great virus that's poisoning this world; the scourge of our kingdom, bane of this world!" His head collapsed against the table. "The ruler of everything..." He uttered the last words brokenly.

There was a time before, when Eiyra would have tried to comfort his friend. Those where times long gone, because any comfort Eiyra attempted to offer him now was pointless. Askel wouldn't accept it, and at any rate it would do nothing to alleviate the pain his friend was feeling, or the pain he himself was feeling. It wouldn't change the fact that Askel, the gentle loving boy that had been his friend since childhood had been forced to remain on their world when all he wanted was to die; but he was unable to, possibly forever.

And Eiyra couldn't leave him, couldn't bear the thought of being somewhere else living his life normally when somewhere elsewhere he knew that Askel would be suffering. So he stayed inside the dark tower that had become their home now, with Askel, refusing to leave. Even though watching him slip further and further into insanity was torture, he knew that being elsewhere and not knowing what Askel was going through would be worse.

Askel groaned and then suddenly, spontaneously began to laugh happily. It was pitiful, skewed mirror of what his laugh had once sounded like. It had brought happiness to him even if he thought he had no happiness to feel, but now it just left him feeling empty. Cold shivers running down his spine. He would never get used to it.

"I should be happy. Look at me laying here." He sneered. "Piteously feeling sorry for myself; I have everything."

Askel jumped to his feet with a sudden burst of energy, "come." He demanded holding out his hands. "Dance with me."

Askel grinned and his fangs that had never once scared Eiyra in their younger years glinted in the pale light of the dining hall and now they terrified him. They were more sinister than ever before.

Eiyra stood up taking the taller man's hand as he walked around the table. Askel led them into the centre of the large room.

"I'm afraid I am lacking music. Perhaps I should send for a group of musicians. I'm sure they would come." Askel laughed bitterly again. "Of course they would, they all fear me – still." Askel cocked his head to the side. "We do not really need music do we my friend?" Askel twirled around. "Nobody ever said that music was needed to dance and I, as King declare now that it is not needed."

The skeletal man grabbed Eiyra's hands and began to twirl them around and around the dining hall. Eiyra felt nauseous but did nothing to stop him. He supposed that even if he did he would be powerless to. Askel had all the magick of the world flowing through his veins now, something he had never wanted, and he had little control over it now that it was a part of him.

No Eiyra thought forcefully, not a part, it's a parasite.

Suddenly Eiyra felt Askel's hands grip his shirt and slam him up against the wall – Askel's breath against his neck "You want to please me don't you Eiyra." He whispered the words against his skin, and Eiyra felt like they were invading his body.

Want to please him... His mind became foggy – probably a result of being slammed up against the wall, or the magick that was raging to get out of Askel. It had been a long time since its last outburst; Eiyra wondered whether he would receive the full force of it this time. The thought scared him, and not because he would be destroyed, but because he didn't know what would happen to Askel when he realised what he had done.

Askel laughed against his neck, and then began to kiss the skin there. Soft, gentle kisses and Eiyra closed his eyes desperately trying to ignore the sensation his friends lips were causing him. The worst part was that it wasn't unpleasant and if the situation were different Eiyra would have allowed himself to enjoy it.

He would have taken Askel's face between his hands, felt the soft skin against his own and gently kissed the other's lips. They would have been soft and warm. Not cold as they were now against his skin. He could have loved Askel if things had been different. He wouldn't allow himself that now; he was good at suppressing his feelings, something Askel had always encouraged him not to do. But it came in handy now.

Especially as Askel's left hand released his shirt and moved lower as he began to undo the buttons of his shirt.

Please don't let him take this much further though he was pleading to he didn't know. The spirits that ruled over this world were using Askel as their pawn after all. A living being that to carry out their desires for them directly; they would never be so selfless as to care about his. Or Askel's for that matter.

"There" Askel cooed softly as he opened the last of his shirts buttons. "Now you're completely vulnerable to me." Askel laughed. "But then, you always have been haven't you?"

And before Eiyra could even think of something to respond with, Askel's hand had begun to trail along his flesh, leaving little patches of heat, and cold wherever his fingers touched. "So very vulnerable to me, aren't you?" He murmured softly.

And for a moment Eiyra wondered if he'd regained control over the insanity that forever gripped him now. He sounded so like he used to when he spoke those words. Eiyra couldn't help the tears that began to well up in his eyes, hoping that Askel wouldn't notice.

However he did. The pale mans fingers began to trace his closed eyelids gently. "Open your eyes for me Eiyra." Askel demanded, and his voice had returned to the way it often was these days.

Eiyra allowed his eyes to flutter open slowly and thought the urge to jump in shock when he realised how close Askel was to him. His vision was filled with Askel, his cold purple eyes, his dull red hair.

"There, there," he said in a mock-sweet voice. "There's no need to cry. A human such as yourself should feel proud to be touched by such a powerful elf as me. After all, there are millions that would give their right hand to be in your position."

Eiyra tried to look down but it was no use, he could still see Askel in his peripheral vision. He was smirking coldly now, "But you wouldn't would you? You wouldn't give me any part of your body. Not even the part I most want."

Eiyra forced his eyes closed again and this time Askel didn't seem to care. The thin elf delicately traced the skin around his chest. "The part what the gods most want." He murmured.

What? Eiyra thought, confused. What would the gods want with him? It was as Askel said; he was just a human, no magical ability, no power.

"You're just a human," Askel replied as though reading his thoughts, and in truth Eiyra couldn't be sure that that wasn't the case. No one, not even Askel himself knew the true extent of his new found power.

"But," Askel continued, "What Askel wants more than anything in the world." Askel laid his head against his chest, "is to be able to love you." He said sadly.

Eiyra held his breath, trying to block out the words.

"You have this power over Askel the most powerful of this world. That's why, even though I am Askel, I will not refer to myself by that name." His voice suddenly became angry. "I would never be so weak willed to feel such an emotion, especially for a human. That side of me needs to die." He growled, and began to claw at Eiyra's chest furiously.

Eiyra hissed in pain and began to move away, knowing that it would incite his anger further but unable to stop himself.

"Don't you dare run away from me." Askel spat furiously.

Eiyra couldn't suppress the groan of pain that escaped his lips as Askel grabbed his arm beneath his open shirt, his long nails digging into his sensitive, bare flesh.

And Eiyra felt himself thrown against the wall behind him, and he cried out in pain as he literally slid down the wall until he slumped into a weak pile to the floor. This time it wasn't by Askel's hands but by the magick that was slowly becoming more and more concentrated. It needed a release and soon. The spirits were hungry for a sacrifice and this time it was him.

"What do you want?" Eiyra asked weakly.

Eiyra watched as Askel stood stock still, frozen in thought. "I want you," he answered finally.

Eiyra was too weak to move as Askel moved towards him. Though even if he could have moved, he doubted he would. He couldn't run from Askel, even if he wanted to.

"The magick calls for blood. You're blood, but I won't let it have it until I've finished with you." Askel snarled.

"Besides there is something that all of us want first, have longed for."

Askel suddenly cried out as though in pain, clutching his head. "Out, get out! He screamed."

"I don't care what he thinks, I will have you; you who is always so dethatched and out of my reach!"

If only he knew, Eiyra thought bleakly.

He was kneeling in front of him now. "I'll make you hiss," he said scratching his claw-like nails against one of Eiyra's nipples. Eiyra bit his lip to keep from reacting. "I'll make you moan." He added, and suddenly kissed him on the lips, furiously; his tongue demanding that Eiyra kiss back and Eiyra had known he would be too weak to deny Askel this. He'd never been the strong one. He returned his heated kiss with barely a second thought. Fighting the urge to moan as Askel's fingers began to explore his own black curls. He'd never gone this far before.

Eventually Askel pulled away looking Eiyra right in the eye, and he could feel the strength of his gaze deep inside, pinning his very soul against the wall. Askel was right; he was incredibly vulnerable to him.

He continued to look into Eiyra's eyes as his hand trailed further and further down, below the waistband of his trousers and his underwear; his cock was half hard just from the presence of his fingers being so close to his sensitive organ.

Askel wrapped them around the smaller mans cock, and Eiyra's erection - throbbed almost painfully as he slowly began to circle the tip with his thumb. He closed his eyes defeated; because deep down he wanted this badly, had wanted this intimacy for a long time. But it wasn't Askel, not the Askel he used to know and he was loath to feel pleasure.

Askel continued his exploration, caressing him with torturously long strokes "And after all that," he murmured quietly – still keeping his purple eyes fixed on Eiyra's. "I'll make you scream."

Eiyra hated that Askel was toying with him now, hated that he had gone further than ever. He hated the fact that Askel was no longer really in control. And most of all he hated the spirits that ruled over their world who had made Askel their go between, who had placed the burden of all the worlds magick upon his shoulders. It was a burden that no living being could take, and Askel, who had been powerful enough to survive the transformation, was living proof of this. Many would have died, but he supposed that was why they chose Askel, he was pure enough to withstand the taint of the spirits ultimate knowledge and power.

Askel had removed all of his clothes by this point, but Eiyra remained too lost in thoughts to notice. And now Askel was lying on top of him, fondling him with deceptive gentleness and he couldn't stop himself from writing beneath him; and Askel, Askel just smirked down at him

Because when Askel was in a mood he liked to watch him squirm.