Kristof and Adam raced by carriage to the mine after Adam was done recounting the story. After the news, Kristof's heart had stopped beating for a second. How could this have happened? An explosion in his mine!

When they arrived at their destination, it was complete chaos. Men were screaming, running, and crying. During Adam's absence, the survivors had laid all the bodies that were found together. Twenty-two bodies were taken out of the rubble already, but not everyone had been found yet.

"What exactly happened?" Kristof asked the mine supervisor.

"I don't know, sir, but my guess is that we had a methane gas leak," the man replied with teary eyes.

"I'll inform the police and call in doctors for the wounded."

Kristof quickly got to work. It helped to have money in situations like these. He wanted to make sure his injured workers got the best care possible.

Kristof then helped the men collect their fellow workers' bodies and covered them up with a cloth. Most of them had died from inhaling the dust. But the bodies that were killed inside the explosion had not been found yet. Kristof was scared for what he would find, but he needed to be here for his men. He needed to show them that they were not alone in this tragedy.

And then there was yet another task that Kristof had to do. The families of the deceased men had to be notified about what had happened, and bringing that news was something that made Kristof even more afraid.

~~~

Searching with lit torches, they'd found the very last missing worker when it was almost midnight. A total of forty-three men had died and many more were injured. Kristof was heartbroken by every death.

Forty-three fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers. Dead.

Some families had already arrived to take the bodies home. Shrieking cries filled with pain and loss tugged at the core of Kristof and it was all he'd heard that night.

Wives threw themselves on the dead bodies of their beloved husbands. Mothers fainted when they saw their sons lying on the ground. The men's faces were black from dust, but their eyes were wide open and lifeless.

It was the darkest day out of Kristof's life. All these men had died because of his mine. He immediately promised to pay for the funerals of every single worker. The families were grieving, but they were also grateful for his generosity.

It was the last thing he could do.

✧══════•❁❀❁•══════✧

"I'm sorry Klaus, but things are pretty hectic today. Kristof had to leave because of an explosion in the mine and everybody is very shaken up about it. Also here in the castle," Armin said, apologizing for the not-so-welcoming reception his friend had to receive.

"It's okay, Armin. I'm very sorry to hear about the accident. Do you know what happened?"

"No, I know nothing. I hope it's not too bad and the men are okay." Armin bit his lip with worries. Kristof had left hours ago. "Anyway, let us drink some tea now and catch up. I need some distraction."

"I'd like that," Klaus responded.

During tea, the two men caught up on what was going on in their lives.

"So, how is married life?" Klaus carefully asked. He'd heard from their friends about Armin's misfortune. How he'd hated to marry the man with only one hand.

"Very well," Armin answered with a genuine smile.

"It is? I heard you didn't want to marry the man at all."

"I didn't at first... but then I got to know him, and I really like him. I... I think I love him, Klaus."

The other was happily surprised. "I am truly happy for you, Armin!"

~~~

In the early evening, Armin and Klaus walked through the garden, and later, they sat in the living room by the fireplace. Armin had only seldom visited that room because Kristof and he would usually sit in the dining room.

But Kristof wasn't here yet. And Armin was worried sick.

Klaus, luckily, kept him company until it was almost one o'clock, But his friend then excused himself as he was tired from the trip and desperately needed some rest.

Armin had insisted that he would bring Klaus to his room in the guesthouse himself, much to the dismay of May. After he'd left the guest room, he retired to his own room, but stayed awake, hoping to catch Kristof upon his arrival.

It was now almost two o'clock and one of the servants came to inform him that Kristof had returned home safely. When Armin heard the news, he immediately raced to Kristof's chamber. He didn't bother to knock and just barged in.

Kristof was covered in dirt but still managed to look as pale as a ghost.

"Why didn't you come to me? W-what happened?" Armin asked, a little shocked by his husband's appearance.

"I... I didn't want to wake you," the older replied. Kristof's voice was hoarse. His eyes were bloodshot from the veins that had popped in his eye sockets. With trembling hands, he tried to clean himself up a little bit before entering the bathtub that was already filled with steaming hot water.

Armin's heart broke. He walked over to Kristof and took the cloth out of the man's hands. "Please, let me help you. You can talk about what happened when you're ready."

Armin removed Kristof's arm cuff and then dipped the cloth in the water before he started washing Kristof's blackened face. He then washed his hand and stump, and then slowly helped Kristof get rid of his clothes.

"Let me check if it's not too hot." Armin tested the water to see if the water's temperature was good. He then took Kristof by the hand and guided him to sit in the tub. All this time, Kristof hadn't said a word. He just watched Armin.

When Kristof sat in the warm water and Armin started washing his hair, he broke down in tears and let it all out. His tears and his words.

He told Armin the whole story, who was also deeply saddened by what had happened. Armin could picture it all in his head. But even though he was sad, he was also proud of the way Kristof had handled it all.

His husband had helped the men in the mine. And after that, he'd helped the families by donating a very large sum of money to a special fund for the families of the deceased. They could give their loved ones a respectable burial.

It made Armin only fall harder for the man. And he, on his turn, had comforted Kristof by telling him that it was not his fault and that he was the kindest boss anyone could ask for.

When Kristof was done crying, he looked at Armin who was still sitting beside him, and said, "I'm sorry Armin, but I need to leave for a little trip tomorrow. I need to go to a mining community to get new workers. And...It will take some time. I know that tomorrow we were supposed to... I... I'm sorry."

"What do you mean by taking some time?" Armin was a little shocked. How long will Kristof leave him?

"I hope to be back in a few days."

Armin was disappointed and sad he had to miss Kristof, but he knew he was being childish. Families had lost their loved ones, so he could survive a few days without Kristof and their planned 'wedding night'.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight?" Armin asked.

"I'm afraid that I will not be at my best tonight. And you deserve the best after your only other experience that came out so awful. If I would take you tonight I'm afraid I will be selfish and th--"

"I meant sleeping, Kristof. I just want to be close to you." Armin cut him off with the gentle words.

"In my bed, you mean?"

"Yes, please," Armin replied. He wanted to be there for Kristof, like a husband.

~~~

It was already half past four in the night, but Kristof couldn't sleep. He kept seeing the awful images in his mind. Images of the men, blown to pieces by the blast in the mine. Limbs and pieces of flesh had laid everywhere.

Armin also couldn't sleep because he wanted to make sure Kristof fell asleep first. They lay next to each other with the sides of their bodies touching.

"Kristof, what did you mean when you said that you didn't want to take me because you would be selfish?" Armin whispered.

"I'm not in the right state of mind to be able to make love to you for the first time the way I want. It must be special. I do not want to be selfish by using sex with you to relieve my own stress. Because I feel that if I sleep with you feeling the way I feel now, that's what's going to happen. I'm sorry." Kristof sighed. "But... Can I lie against you?" he then asked Armin.

"Of course." Armin rolled to the other side so that Kristof could spoon him from behind. Armin never lay with someone like this before. He liked the warmth coming from Kristof's body.

But he also felt Kristof restlessly moving the entire time. Kristof must have gone through a nightmarish time, witnessing all those deaths. The crying families must have reminded him of his own loss.

Armin wanted to help him. He wanted to be the one to help Kristof for a change. It was always Kristof who thought of him, took care of him.

Armin turned around and looked at Kristof, whose eyes were still wide open, and a little teary, shining in the flickering light of the candle.

"What's wrong?" Kristof asked softly when he saw Armin looking at him with furrowed eyebrows. To his surprise, Armin slowly craned his head to kiss him and pushed him to his back.

"Armin?" Kristof's voice was soft.

The younger felt a little insecure when he placed his hand on top of Kristof's stomach and gently caressed it inside his pants.

Kristof held him by the arm. "Armin, I can't--"

"Shhhh..." Armin shushed him.

"I just want to touch you. I want to make you feel better," he whispered. "Make you forget it for a while. Nothing more than that. I want nothing in return."

Kristof swallowed and hesitantly let go of Armin's hand so that the younger could proceed.

Armin slid his hand further down until he felt the soft, warm flesh in his palm. He felt his heart pounding in his throat as this was the first time he had ever touched another person in such a private manner.

As Kristof stared at him and Armin looked back, he lovingly explored it between his fingertips.

Kristof took in a nasal breath. Uncontrollably. As if he had forgotten how to breathe. Then he closed his eyes and left himself in Armin's hands, who started massaging, the way he liked to touch himself.

Armin felt the flesh slowly swelling up within his palm, growing fuller, longer, and harder. It was soft like velvet yet firm as steel, and he caressed every inch of it.

He still had his eyes on Kristof who was now breathing a little faster, the same as he was. He was beautiful, the way the candlelight flickered a warm yellow glow on his face. Then Armin remembered why he was touching him in the first place. It was not to fulfill his curiosity but to help his husband release some stress.

He slowly but firmly started stroking while he tried to keep an even pace. He relied on Kristof's breathing to tell him whether he was finding it pleasurable or not.

As his hands kept working, Armin kissed Kristof's cheek and licked his way to his neck, causing Kristof to start panting. Armin then brought his mouth to Kristof's, who kissed him back with the same amount of passion.

Armin felt something dripping in his hand and he then knew it wouldn't last long anymore. He looked at Kristof, wanting to see his face as he climaxed.

Kristof had furrowed his eyebrows together and his mouth was parted. He was just as gorgeous as he was at the lake. When Kristof threw his head back, digging into the cushions, Armin felt him erupt in his hand. He slowed his stroking pace a little bit, matching it with Kristof's spurting contractions, repeating the same motion until Kristof was done. Then he stood up and took a cloth to wipe Kristof and the bed clean.

Kristof started to tear up again and Armin saw the tears flowing over his temples.

"Thank you, Armin. I'm s-sorry for my tears," Kristof said. "Thank you."

"Now sleep," Armin said comfortingly, laying his head on Kristof's chest.

When he looked up again after a few minutes had seemed to pass, he saw his husband had fallen asleep at last, and he could finally close his own eyes now too.