“How did you end up here,” Alto asked.

“They....they sold me...they said they sold me because I sold them out. I have no clue what they were talking about. I was a kid.”

He sat on the green bed, rubbing his palm over the comforter, and his eyes had a glazed-over look. Alto knew that something happened to Nero, but he was lying about his lineage. Someone must be looking for him.

He was a damaged young man, living a fantasy to help him cope. That was the only valid conclusion Alto came to, and he wondered if he was led on, thinking that Nero was not the dangerous killer he might be, disappointed, but he held some hope that maybe there was still some fun to be had.

After a long silence, Alto spoke.

“Let me help you," he said. “It's the least I can do."

“How could you ever help me," Nero asked. “My sister’s right, I’m a monster.”

“No you’re not, let me help you.”

“How?”

“I can help you kill them.”

Nero was skeptical because Alto had never been so nice to him before. Alto didn’t like hugs, sun, or people. He was a troll, living under a bridge, minus the crazy hair and riddles.

“I’ve thought about getting revenge plenty of times, but that's just me venting my frustrations," Nero said.

“What if it was possible,” asked Alto. “Would you do it? Would you rid the world of another Luoh?”

“Every day.”

“Then I can help you. I can use my connections to track them down, to finance whatever you need.”

Nero knew this was too good of a deal. No one ever gives their services for free, especially a businessman like Alto.

“What do you want in return," asked Nero.

“Just to be your friend," said Alto.

Nero sighed and started to think there was subtext when there was none. He leaned in close and kissed Alto. It was quick, and their lips barely brushed but it was a kiss. Alto’s face turned a deep red, which was quite impressive considering his dark complexion.

“That’s not what I want," muttered Alto. “Why would you think that?”

“Because that's what you wanted the first day we met," replied Nero. “Am I wrong?”

He wasn’t.

Nero held Alto close, and he kissed him again. The kiss was deeper and slower and more passionate. Nero stuck his tongue in Alto’s mouth and he got tense in surprise. Nero rubbed the back of Alto’s neck and kissed him faster and quicker.

Alto was sure he shouldn’t be kissing him for many, many, reasons so he tried to gently push Nero away.

“This is a lot. You need to stop,” Alto said.

“How is this a lot," asked Nero. “Don’t you want sex?”

“I am not those men," said Alto. “I don’t want to sleep with you."

Nero moved away from Alto and tried to think about what he just said. He still didn’t understand what he meant and tried to clarify.

“Then what do you want from me," asked Nero. “What could it be other than sex?”

“Do you think the only thing that people want from you is sex? ”

“It’s one of the main things, yes,” Nero replied.

The air in the room felt awkward and thick as Alto waited for Nero to say he was joking, but he was not joking. He was serious, and Alto rubbed his forehead, regretting a choice he had made, a rare event in his life.

“You don’t want me to be your special friend anymore,” Nero asked.

Alto understood the miscommunication and he shook his head no. He told Nero that he had to go back to work, so he did, walking off as if nothing had happened, and Alto knew that something was not quite right about him.

He didn’t want to fire him, but he also didn’t like what he had done with him.

Alto paced the room trying to find out what he could possibly gain from helping Nero, but it was hard for him to come up with an answer. He looked at everything in life as a business decision. From work to relationships, to what he ate for dinner, if the marginal gains were not more than the expenses, then what was the point?

Alto didn’t know how to come to terms with the fact he offered to help, and he had nothing to gain, other than a bit of fun. He decided he would just think about it in the morning.

The morning came and went, and the day after that and the next.

Nero continued to work at Alto’s estate, and whenever Nero was working at the same time Alto was home he tried to avoid him. It didn’t work very well, because Nero was like a homing missile, and Alto was his new target.

After a week of avoiding Nero, Alto finally gave up and stopped him in the hallway before he left at the end of the shift.

Nero leaned on the wall and stood next to a painting of a basket of fruit. He never understood why someone would decorate their house with fruit, but there were many strange things about this planet he couldn’t understand, and he tried to ignore them.

Alto looked uncomfortable.

He was not used to confrontations where he felt that he did not have the upper hand. He tried to give himself one, in another imaginary altercation, approaching him first, when there was no fight until he started one.

“I have something important I want to discuss with you," said Alto.

“Great," grinned Nero. “So do I!”

“You do," asked Alto. “About what?”

“I’ve put a lot of thought into your offer to help me. I… I even came up with a plan…”

Nero looked feeble as he tried to explain his plan, but Alto didn’t really listen. It didn’t matter, because he didn’t really care. Nero kept droning on about what he wanted to do, but Alto interrupted him.

“That's not what's important right now," said Alto. “After a lot of thinking, I realized what the issue was about the other day."

“I’m sorry about that,” Nero replied. “My roommate told me that was an inappropriate response. ”

He said the last two words, enunciating them carefully, and Alto looked at him strangely, because the apology seemed to be genuine but the words seemed brand new to Nero’s lips.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alto sighed. “I think the problem is that you need a good male role model. You’ve never had one, that's the issue."

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“I don’t need that...What I need is to be strong. There’s this sword-”

“You can’t carry a sword," Alto interrupted. “You barely even know how to shoot a gun. Just listen to me."

Nero shut his mouth as Alto explained to him that he was just confusing love or attraction with admiration or friendship. That he just needed to be around more masculine environments and soon he would understand.

“That’s why you like men," said Alto. He rubbed his shoulder and tried to comfort Nero, who looked very uncomfortable. “Don’t worry. We can fix it."

“ I’m not gay," said Nero. “I’m not.”

“You aren’t," Alto agreed. “You’re con-”

“I’m not confused either," yelled Nero. “I like both! You’re the one who assumed without even asking!”

“That’s not possible. You’re just going through some confusion because of what happened when you were younger.”

The look of intense hatred on Nero’s face made Alto realize he had said the wrong thing. Nero slapped him in the face but Alto didn’t feel a thing, except a bit of shock. Nero himself looked shocked that he had slapped him, but the rage was still there.

“I never assume things about you," yelled Nero. “Give me at least that."

Nero walked off and left Alto standing in the hallway stunned. The last man to even look at him funny was missing three teeth. Nero made him feel funny, and he knew that wasn’t good.

It made him angry.

Alto decided to go to an expert for advice.

Alto saw Azara as an expert in anything related to people. Alto saw everything logically, while Azara understood the nuance in life.

He never thought she would be a good lieutenant, but she helped him understand how to make better deals. Alto never considered the emotional aspects of his business dealings, and Azara was clever to see what others couldn’t.

After searching through the house, he found Azara in the day room, watching TV and chewing gum. Loud smacks filled the air and a soft pop could be heard as Alto crossed over to her on the couch. He stood over her, large and intimidating, but Azara was unphased. What looked to others like a cruel man was simply her little brother throwing a tantrum.

“I need your help ‘Zara," said Alto. “I have a….personal issue."

Azara stopped smacking her lips and groaned.

“Can’t you get one of your men to kill or fuck, or whatever it is you make them do? I’m busy."

Alto turned to look at the TV, and Azara’s favorite soap opera was on.

“I doubt you're busy, and I’m pretty sure it's a rerun," said Alto.

“Yes, but a rerun of when Jess and -”

“Please. Just listen," pleaded Alto.

Azara stopped watching TV and looked at Alto. Alto looked embarrassed and his body language showed it. The usually proud and confident man had his hands in his pockets and had a bit of slouch.

“What did you do," asked Azara, goading him.

“ I’ve done nothing," said Alto. “Someone else just refuses to listen to me."

“Then just give a bullet a brand-new home inside his skull, what’s the issue?”

She absent-mindedly began to channel surf, and Alto sat down next to her.

“It's not that kind of problem," Alto said.

“What kind of problem do you have that you can’t just shoot," laughed Azara. “What did you do, tell me the truth!"

Alto recounted his version of events, which he tried to skip over the parts he didn’t like, but Azara knew better.

“Wow," said Azara. “That kid should have punched you in the dick ."

She laughed at him and Alto became even more embarrassed. When he didn’t say anything, Azara noticed that he was silent. He would threaten or smack her whenever she said something he didn’t like, but now he was silent.

“Have you gone soft or something," asked Azara.

“No, of course not,” Alto sneered.

“Then why did you let him hit you? Your employees should fear you. You’re the Fearsome Feardocha after all."

Alto’s upper lip twitched in annoyance at the stupid nickname.

“ He doesn’t seem afraid of me at all," said Alto. “In fact quite the opposite. It's like he...worships the ground I walk on. At least until today.”

“So what's the issue then," prodded Azara.

Alto realized she was right, but something felt off.

“Why do I feel so bad then," asked Alto. “Am I sick?”

“Ohmigod you are so dumb," she drawled out in one long breath. “What you’re feeling is guilt. Maybe you are human after all."

Alto’s lip twitched again.

“There’s nothing to feel guilty for. I’ve done nothing wrong,” said Alto.

“Well if you don’t feel guilty then clearly you like him .”

“Of course I do. I like him because he’s survived a lot. He’s a good kid. He's been through the things we've been through.”

Azara’s eyebrows raised in surprise, trying to hold in her laughter but couldn’t. It was louder than ever before. She dropped the remote to the ground, and the batteries fell out clattering to the ground.

“Stop laughing, Azara," seethed Alto. “Who laughs at someone trying to ask them for help?”

“Ohmigod," sighed Azara. “You are so deep in the closet you have a hanger up your ass .”

Alto’s nostrils flared and he grimaced.

“I am not like that. He’s just that way because some men decided to touch him when he was younger.”

Azara looked at him in disgust. “What is wrong with you," she asked.

“It's true," confirmed Alto. “He told me himself.”

Azara shook her head and walked across the room trying to find the lost batteries.

“Even if it's true, why would you go around telling people about that? That’s fucked up.”

She found the first battery under a day table and continued to scour the ground.

“I didn’t mean to-”

“Shut up," yelled Azara. “I don’t care if you like dick or pussy, but you can’t go around saying stuff like that about people!"

“I can do whatever I want, whenever I want," yelled Alto. “I’m in charge! ”

“Yeah, you are! But just because you’re in charge doesn’t mean there are no consequences.”

Azara found the second battery underneath another couch and placed them both inside the remote.

“No wonder he slapped you," she said. “You deserved it."

“I should have hit Nero back," said Alto. “You think I’m soft because I let him get away with it."

“No, I don’t," Azara replied tersely.

She turned off the TV and put her house slippers on.

“I think you’re an ass. I can’t believe you’d even consider hitting that tiny child. ”

Alto thought about the other day, inside his room, and how he felt strange things. He caught himself in his thoughts and tried to get rid of them.

Azara continued her verbal assault on Alto, screaming and keeping him in check.

“That kid is treated like shit by all the other employees around here, and it's pitiful," said Azara. “So what if he has a crush on you? Can’t you at least be nice to him!?”

“Why? What’s there to gain from it?”

“I can’t believe for a second I thought you might be a human being but I was wrong," she said.

“Shut up," barked Alto.

“You don’t do nice things for stuff in return," yelled Azara. “Dumbass! You do it just because. Ohmigod.”

She stormed out of the dayroom, trying to get away from her brother as fast as possible.

Alto was worried that he was getting soft. Two people had argued with him, and he had done nothing about it. After much consideration, Alto finally came up with a plan.

Alto grinned, and his large incisors made him look like the monster he truly was.