"I overheard something strange as I was coming in today." Soudan's hands were always gentle with Ala, this time no different as he twirled a strand of Ala's hair around his finger, despite it falling back in place without the curl, tenderly and thoughtfully. There was no anger to his voice, no frustration. His calloused fingers took up another strand, further back on Ala's head as his cheek lay atop. "Maybe I shouldn't have stopped to listen, eavesdropped, but I heard my name. Two of your employees were talking amongst themselves, saying something about how there was something I needed to hear about." He quieted for a moment, absently stroking Ala's hair and running his fingers through it before adding; "One of them, a man, said that if you didn't say something soon he would. I'd rather hear it from you, little bird, whatever it is. Is there something I should know?"
‘Is there something I should know?’
It felt, with that question, as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs. Of course he knew what Soudan was referring to, and there was absolutely no one to blame but himself. He had a brief urge to throttle Nijad, even if it wasnt him that Soudan had heard, but anger was quickly swallowed by panic, and guilt. In the end, he had made the choices that had led them to that moment.
Prayers to be swallowed up by the floor went unanswered, and he had lay in silence for as long as could be tolerated; Soudan deserved an answer. Ala pulled away, because surely the confession to come wasnt one to inspire tender feelings.
“I- you know what I am, what we do here.” Ala had to clear his throat to get the words out, and they sounded pathetic, even to his ears. He closed his eyes, took a shaky breath, and tried again.
“No. No, that’s an excuse. I... there is someone else who shares my bed, when you are away at sea.”