"Riders Of The Apocalypse"
Part 4
by Osiris Brackhaus & Beryll

 

Starring Brad Pitt as Famine, starring Ewan McGregor as Pestilence

---

London, outside Dr. Bean's flat

Pestilence turned from the window with a strangled sound of horror, pressing both his hands over his mouth. The urge of repeatedly wash his eyes with disinfectant was nearly overwhelming.

His back pressed against the cool wall of the house he tried to breathe calmly and deeply, trying to regain his composure. Even though no more than a minute could have past already the scene he had just witnessed started to seem so surreal that he could hardly believe it had been real.

Famine - level-headed, calm, sensible Famine - naked in the arms of a mortal man, writhing in unnatural passion. That was so many sins rolled in one that even a citizen of Sodom or Gomorra would have blushed. It was really just ridiculous.

Having convinced himself that he must have suffered from a moment of hallucination - probably induced by one of the stranger viruses coursing through his bloodstream - he closed his eyes and took his hands from his mouth, now able to control the sputtering sounds of disgust that had been threatening to spill over.

He had secretly followed his colleague from New York after their dinner, his curiosity piqued by the changes he had seen in Famine. Seriously - who had ever heard of the cosmic principle of hunger gaining weight? He had to be engaged in something really fascinating and Pestilence had not wanted to miss out on it.

When Famine had met with the mortal doctor Pestilence had been quite disappointed at first. No fantastic conspiracy, just another business acquaintance. But as the evening progressed thing had started to get stranger and stranger and Famine and the mortal getting closer and closer.

Blinking several times Pestilence realized with renewed horror that maybe this had not been a hallucination after all. He knew he should turn around and look into the window again but for the first time in his existence his curiosity had to wrestle with the fear of what he might find.

Calm down, he told himself, you are a scientist, whatever you find has to have a rational explanation. With this firmly in mind he turned and looked.

Within moments, his eyes grew huge and his body got rigid in shock as he watched his colleague lie on the couch with the mortal, happily lapping at the man's cock.

Not able to contain his sounds of outrage anymore, Pestilence barely managed to shift away to a remote spot of Scotland to let out a stream of prayers to the Lord above, equally damning Famine and begging for forgiveness for him.

When he had spent his overheated emotions he slowly sat down on a large flat rock, thanking heaven that God was too busy to listen to his prattle and would hopefully never know of Famine's transgressions.

There had to be an explanation. It would have to be a pretty good one. But there was an explanation for everything.

There was, of course, the possibility that Famine had successfully been tempted by Lucifer but Pestilence discarded that right away. Famine was for too bright to fall for Lucifer's whispered promises. No chance for the lord of hell.

So, whatever could have happened to result in such sinful behavior?

Pestilence breathed out thoughtfully to release some extremely malevolent bacteria into the clean, crisp air. Scratching his chin, he watched them drift towards a small village a few miles away on the slight breeze.

Maybe a virus? They were mutating all the time. Even Pestilence couldn't keep track of all of them. A terrible illness that produced sinful thoughts and actions? A fascinating thought. Something that definitely needed to be studied further. What one could do with such a virus if it was isolated and carefully hatched.

And of course, he would have to study it anyway if he was to find a cure for Famine. He felt a slight nagging worry at that thought. He had never before tried to cure anybody - after all, his job was to make them ill - but he brushed that doubt aside quickly. After all, he was brilliant. It shouldn't be such a problem.

So how could Famine have become infected? Obviously, the mortal was a carrier. Pestilence was pretty sure that his colleague would not submit to a testing so that human would have to serve as his subject of study. He would have to wait till Famine had left but as soon as he was gone Pestilence would find the virus at the bottom of this. And then everything would return to normal.

---

London, Dr. Bean's flat

Famine watched as the first rays of the rising sun started to seep in through the half-closed curtains of Sean's bedroom. With slight amusement, he realized that he had 'spent the night'. Something that was considered pretty fast in the terms of moving ahead in an relationship in mortal words. Considering the length of his existence up to this moment, it was a blinding speed indeed. And Famine didn't mind one bit.

Happily, he brushed some blond strands from the face of the man curled up under the blanket with his head resting in Famine's lap.

They had spent another two hours in front of the fireplace yesterday, exploring each other - and in Famine's case themselves. Again, Famine felt wonder well up in him at the marvelous sensations that this mortal seeming was capable of producing. Unthinkable that he had missed out on this for the last couple of millennia.

Finally, a long day of work at the hospital had caught up with Sean though and his eyes had started to drift shut even though he was fighting hard against sleep.

Famine had suggested they move to the bedroom, and the happy and surprised - if a little sleepy - smile Sean had answered that suggestion with had shown Famine that he was slowly starting to get the hang of mortal conversations and relations.

Of course, Famine didn't need sleep but he had definitely not wanted to part company with Sean. So he had explained that he wasn't really sleepy yet - due to the fact that he had just flown in from China and spent the day sleeping in the hotel - but that he would be content to maybe read a bit and snuggle with a sleeping Sean. Thankfully, Sean had been too tired to question this.

So Famine had spent the night with Sean in his lap and a cheap novel about some knight in shining armor that he had borrowed from the coffee table and that probably belonged to one of Sean's daughters.

It had been the most enjoyable night of his existence and with a strange pang of pain Famine realized that he wanted nothing else but to spend all the remaining nights like this. And there were so few nights remaining.

It was Lucifer's words, which softly rang in his memory then. 'Is there truly nothing you would miss?' At that time, he had just discarded them as meaningless, but when he looked down at this mortal man, his lover, they suddenly were laden with pain and sadness.

His lover. Had he truly just thought of Sean like that? With a mixture of wonder and sadness he identified this sweet pain that had grown in his heart. So, this was love. What a terrible, wonderful thing.

He would miss Sean. Terribly. Unbearably. He would miss existence even more. But then again, he wouldn't be there to miss existence, would he?

Just like Lucifer had said. What if he had been right in other matters as well? He had argued quite eloquently against the Lord's infallibility. Of course, there was always the option that God had created Lucifer with all his faults to test his loyalty. But if he was truly all seeing and all knowing that he would have known the outcome right from the start so why do it at all?

And as he was asking such blasphemous questions anyway: what god would create a Rider of Apocalypse who was capable of falling in love, of regretting his mission? That really served no purpose.

There were two answers to these questions and Famine liked neither of them: either God was a cruel master with a bad sense of humor or he truly was not infallible. And maybe then Apocalypse really wasn't such a good idea.

His fatal thoughts were interrupted by the insistent beeping of the small alarm clock on the night stand next to him. Sean stirred in his lap, groggily slapping in the general direction of the clock.

With a smile, Famine reached over and pushed the snooze button, cutting the annoying noise and bringing Sean's attention to the fact that he was not alone in his bed.

Sean blinked up at him sleepily as if he was either trying to recognize him or not believing that he was really there.

"Good morning, love." Famine said softly, brushing tousled hair from Sean's face.

"Hey..." Sean replied a smile slowly forming on his lips. "Did you... did you stay like this the whole night?"

Famine grinned a little stupidly. He had not moved expect to turn the pages of the novel. He should have guessed that this would seem a little odd to his host. But probably not more odd then all the other little things he could not explain to this mortal.

"Yeah..." he answered. "You looked so... sweet. I didn't want to disturb you." And that wasn't even lying. After all that had been the reason why he had stayed at all. To be able to look at Sean sleeping and to feel his warm body snuggled up to his.

Sean sat up and stretched, his senses returning to wakefulness. "Thank you. I think I haven't slept this soundly for ages." he said. Then leaned forward to pressed a long, sensual kiss to his guest's lips.

Famine felt himself melt into that kiss with longing and hunger. He wanted more. More of Sean's touch, more of his passion, wanted to explore further what they had started yesterday. They had not gotten to real sex as Sean had wanted to 'take it slowly' but Famine didn't really see the point. He wanted more of Sean.

He wrapped his arms around Sean, trying to convey all his desire through this kiss.

Finally, Sean broke away with a gasp, staring at Famine with huge eyes.

"Oh my..." he whispered a little breathlessly. "What beast have I awakened?" Mirth was sparkling in his eyes.

Famine licked his lips. "I want more." he announced with naked hunger in his voice and marveled at how good it sounded.

"Yes, I can see that." Sean purred and leaned forward for another kiss when the alarm clock started beeping again. "Oh shit!" Sean cursed, raking a hand through his hair. "I'd love to, I really would, but I have to go to work."

With a soft sigh, Famine leaned back against the headboard. Of course Sean was right. Working at the hospital meant he couldn't arrange his working schedule as freely as Famine did. He would be needed there. Still Famine felt yet another new emotion at Sean's reluctant rejection and this time he was able to identify it right away with a certain amount of amusement: the sting of jealousy. He was seriously jealous of anybody else demanding time of his Sean.

Sean looked at him, thoughtfully chewing on his lower lip. "On the other hand, could call and tell them I'll be late." he suddenly said with the final sound of a decision already made in his voice.

Before Famine could find any reply to this sudden change of situation, Sean already got up from the bed.

"Don't go anywhere, my beauty." he commanded and then hurried out of the bedroom, probably to find a phone, leaving behind a thoroughly startled Famine.

Diligence was one of his own most prominent traits and he had the distinct feeling that Sean was the same. A small happy smile appeared on his face as he realized how important he must be to Sean if he skipped work to be with him. Silently Famine promised to himself that he would make it worth Sean's while.

He could faintly hear Sean talking on the phone downstairs and then the creek of the stairs as he came back up. When he walked in Famine opened his arms wide to invite him back to bed. The indecent grin on Sean's face grew even wider as he crawled back under the blankets.

"We have all morning." he announced before he drew Famine into another wild kiss.

It took Sean only a moment to ignite Famine's passion anew. Now that he had gotten a taste of carnal delights his mortal seeming was craving to have more and to feel surrounded by the warm glow of Sean's love was so much more satisfying than the pristine joy of duty and a task completed.

After a few more kisses Famine gazed up at his mortal lover with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

"So, Dr. Bean, how far do you want to go this morning?"

Sean laughed. "A tiny bit eager, aren't we?" he said and affectionately nudged Famine's nose with his own.

Famine stretched languidly beneath Sean in what he hoped to be an enticing way. "I remember you saying something about fucking me senseless...?"

Sean smiled but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes now. "I don't want to hurt you." he said. "And as you said yourself, you are rather inexperienced..."

"How about you try and I simply let you know if it gets to much?" Famine suggested sensibly. Of course, he was more than sure that he would be able to simply adjust his mortal seeming in any way that was necessary. But he couldn't very well say that to Sean.

But Sean seemed reassured by Famine's suggestion and leaned down for another kiss, again making Famine feel like he was melting and dissolving in the other. In Sean's eyes, he saw love and admiration and wonder. How could you not feel perfect when this man was looking at you like that?

With a happy purr, Famine wrapped his arms tightly around Sean and drew him closer against his body. For a while, he was content with Sean cuddling and caressing him but fire was still roaring in the core of his mortal seeming and this time it would not be quenched by touch alone.

"Come on, you won't break me." he whispered into Sean's ear and listened with delight as Sean chuckled shakily and a bit breathless.

Then Famine drew in a deep excited breath as Sean stretched out on top of him and his erection pressed hard against Famine's thigh. He opened his legs to Sean's questing fingers.

He could see in Sean's eyes that the good doctor had expected some kind of shyness or reluctance despite Famine's hungry demands. There was quite a bit of surprise as Famine pressed up against Sean's fingers, holding Sean's gaze. One finger slipped in easily and both gasped in surprise, one at the ease the other at the new sensation.

"Are you sure you are doing this for the first time?" Sean asked slightly suspiciously.

Famine nodded, more than a little distracted by the feeling of being invaded in such an intimate fashion. He moaned in delight as Sean caressed him inside, his eyes drifting shut to concentrate more on the feeling and on adjusting his mortal seeming to what was required.

Again, he heard Sean gasp in surprise as he felt Famine's muscle relax so quickly, allowing him to push in another finger.

Famine smiled up at Sean, feeling hazy with the prospect of Sean making love to him. "Told you... I could..." he managed to get out. Then Sean's fingers brushed something inside of him that made sparks explode in front of his eyes and he yelped in happy surprise, his head falling back again.

Sean took some more time to prepare him, and even though Famine was rather sure he wouldn't have needed any, he didn't complain, as he thoroughly enjoyed it.

When Sean drew back, he complained with an unhappy growl but Sean leaned down, kissing him gently, bringing him back to reality a bit.

"Ready?" Sean asked softly, his eyes so full of love that Famine thought he must drown in them.

Famine just nodded, unable to find any words.

Then Sean's hard length started to enter him and his world again dissolved into sensation. It felt good. Good, good, good, beyond reason. Famine moaned in mindless pleasure, opening to Sean.

Sean moved slowly inside of him, again and again brushing that sweet spot deep inside him, making him writhe and wrap his arms around his lover to draw him even deeper.

He couldn't have said how long they made love. While it lasted, it seemed like an eternity of bliss. Later he would always think that it had been much too short.

But it could not last forever. At some point Sean's thrusts started to get erratic as he approached his orgasm and Famine's passion reached its boiling point. The universe seemed to shrink to just the two of them as his mortal seeming and his true self seemed to melt into one seamlessly and he came, screaming out his ecstasy for all to hear.

When he finally emerged from his daze, several things intruded on his awareness. He had changed in a way that should have been utterly and entirely impossible. His immortal being had changed. The starved, rag-clad figure that God had created to be Famine did not exist anymore. Famine would still be able to take it on as a seeming but this mortal self he had chosen for himself had somehow become his true self.

He loved Sean. Sean loved him. Sean was a good man. Sean had done nothing whatsoever that would justify God's wrath. And if there was one good mortal who could say how many more there were who did not deserve Apocalypse?

There was only one possible consequence to this. Famine would have to quit. Face his colleagues, face God if need be. But he could not continue on the course set by the Almighty.

With a soft sigh, Famine wondered if Lucifer had felt so small and alone as well when he had realized that maybe God was not perfect after all.

He cuddled against Sean, seeking some kind of sanctuary in this simple mortal who had thwarted the plans of Heaven without even realizing what he was doing.

Sean drew in a ragged breath, slowly reviving as well. His eyes opened and he smiled at Famine happily. "I'm sure half of London heard that." he said, sounding more than a little smug.

Famine grinned. Mortals and their simple worries. "I hope so." he answered.

---

***NEWSFLASH***

... even more. The first young patients not reacting to the standard smallpox treatment have been recorded in Jerusalem, but by now cases are known all across the eastern Mediterranean. Until now, only two of the infected children have died, but doctors are completely at a loss what causes the dramatic change of a generally harmless disease to an excruciating ordeal with no possible treatment or natural end in sight. In most hospitals, patients who suffer from the 'Jerusalem smallpox' in progressed degrees have been put into artificial coma, to prevent them from going mad as their skin progressively dissolves into layers of perpetually itching, infectious blisters. The virus can apparently be treated with a specific kind of alpha inhibitors, but the massive anaphylactic shock caused by breakdown products of the virus has been identified as the cause of death of the two victims. Medical experts all around the globe warn that the current emergence of epidemics is only....

***NEWSFLASH***

---

London, St. Anna Hospital

Sean was whistling happily as he walked down the long main hallway of the pediatric ward. He couldn't remember when he had last been as happy. It must have been before his divorce. Long before his divorce. Maybe when he had first fallen in love with his ex-wife.

And now he was in love again. Madly, head over heels in love with a young man he knew virtually nothing of except the fact that to watch him munch down a whole box of cereals with milk after spending the most passionate morning of Sean's life in bed was a joy that he never wanted to miss again.

And this time Sean was very sure that Brad would call again even if he now was heading God knows where on another business trip. That there would be a third date. And a fourth. And that with time Brad would tell him some of the probably nasty secrets that he so carefully kept quiet about. And that it wouldn't matter whatever it was because Dr. Sean Bean was madly in love with Brad.

And Brad loved him too. It had been his parting words when he dropped Sean off at the hospital. And Sean just knew that Brad had meant them from the bottom of his heart.

With a happy sigh Sean pushed open the door the ready room to greet Sister Agatha who would probably bombard him with her reproachful looks.

To his surprise Sister Agatha was quite busy chatting with a dark-haired young man in a doctor's coat that Sean hadn't seen around the hospital before. And - impossibly - she seemed quite charmed by him.

When she noticed him, she did cast a trademark reproachful look at him though. "Dr. Bean, you're late." she said.

Sean smiled. "I know." he answered unfazed. There really was nothing that could spoil his good humor today.

Noticing that he was unaffected by her reproach galled Agatha even more but she covered it well by turning to the younger doctor again.

"So this is Dr. Bean." she announced grumpily and then introduced Sean. "Dr. Bean, this is Professor McGregor."

 

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Osiris Brackhaus & Beryll

go to PART 5

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