Nick shook his head. "It's not that bad."

Brian, on his part, snorted. "It's worse," he said mournfully, his eyes scanning the small pieces of leather and jewelry draped along the small cotton tent laid on the table.

This wasn't the first time Nick and Brian had gone in search of a present for Kevin, the older man's birthday drawing nearing with every passing breath. And for Brian, that only meant headache.

"I really have no idea what we're looking for here, you know?" Brian commented off handedly, watching Nick with his head tilted to the side. "I have more experience about this than you and I'm telling you right now, there's no way we're going to find something Kevin likes. It's impossible."

Nick chuckled, picking up a small earring made of seashells. BJ would love these earrings, he thought with a smile, but placed them back onto the piece of cloth it had been pinned in.

"You're being melodramatic, you know?"

Brian shook his head. "I'm not. Look, Kevin is turning twenty-two. You tell me what you give to a twenty-two year old."

Nick shrugged, his eyes still looking for something that should catch his attention. "I don't know. If I knew, don't you think we would have already bought it?"

Taking a couple of steps, not really looking, but staring all around him, Brian closed his eyes and turned his face towards the streaming sun, burning his skin with the heat of mid day.

A slap on the shoulder made him tumble to his right, glaring to a chuckling blond teenage boy. "Idiot."

"It's a present Brian, not a dowry; whatever we think it's good, it's enough. The point is we want him to have it, isn't it?"

Brian considered it carefully. "Yeah, but--"

A calm shrug. "Then we just have to find something we like."

"We only have a week," Brian whined.

Nick's fingers brushed against the silver chain that held the crescent moon, warm against his chest. The movement went unnoticed, as Brian crooked his head to look at a small store a couple of houses down the block.

"That's more than enough," Nick said quietly. Time wasn't Nick's concern. It was not having enough money as to purchase what he would like Kevin to have that preoccupied him.

They had been looking for a couple of days now, a couple of hours every other day, whenever both Brian and him could leave the group and go looking around. It was obvious, by Brian's anxiety that they hadn't found anything close to what they were looking for.

Nick was close to reaching the end of the block. He had been surprised when Brian had taken him to this part of the town. They weren't too far away, barely twenty minutes from where they were staying; and the flea market they had found was astonish.

A bracelet caught his eye, his fingers running along it. Turquoise jewels were encrusted into the silver piece and Nick smiled. He would have loved to give it to Leslie. She liked bright jewels. But he was short of money, and right now the priority was Kevin's present.

He hummed softly, a soft smile on his lips. This present meant a lot to Nick. He didn't want to say it aloud, worried it would sound either stupid or plain down childish, but he wanted to give Kevin something back, something the older man would treasure as much as Nick treasured his own chain.

A dark spot on the corner of his eye made his turn around, his gaze focusing on a black filament that ran around in a circular shape, forming the boundaries of a cone. His fingers itched to touch it and his lips hankered to ask the words to the owner of the small spot, but before either could be conquered, Brian's hand was on Nick's shoulder, turning him around and his gaze yanked from the piece.

"I think I found it!"

Brian caught Nick's hand in his and pulled with as much force as the enthusiasm of a youth could hold, taking him further and further away from element that had captured his attention with so much force.

His body swirled around, his hand stretching, wanting to touch such piece, wanting to feel it between his fingers, but the force was too much and the spot and the woman sitting by her table was out of his vision in seconds. He sighed in frustration and a sudden sadness crawled around him as he found himself in another store, standing by Brian's side and looking at watches.

"This is it!" Brian said, his finger poking at the window that stood between them and the metal piece that Brian seemed engrossed about.

Nick shook his head, the words forming in his lips and he was about to fight Brian, to tell him that he had found something that had appealed him, but he kept quiet. He sighed and asked, "what is that?"

"A watch." Brian said, proudly, a smug on his features. "A couple of days ago, Kevin complained that his watch seemed to running fast. He said it wasn't the battery, because he changed it a couple of months back, so it's gotta be the watch itself. Besides, I know he's got that thing for ages. I think Harold gave it to him back when he still lived with aunt Ann, and that was like... four years ago."

Nick looked at it solicitously, his head tilted to the side, as he considered it carefully. "I don't have much money," Nick said absentmindedly. It wasn't that far from the truth. He did have some money, just not enough to buy a watch.

"Nah, don't worry. I called Harold a couple of days go and asked him if he could tell Kevin to give me a little bit extra for the past couple of weeks. I have no idea what Harold invented, but I've got enough to give Kevin, at lest, a decent gift." Brian smirked in despite of himself. "Come on!" he said, taking a hold of Nick's hand and pulling him, once again, onto the store.

It didn't take them much time, since Brian was set on a watch and there was this nice one, manly and dark, that affordable for two young boys. And as the sell clerk wrapped the small box in a star filled paper, Nick looked doubtfully at the present.

It wasn't what he had meant to give Kevin. It wasn't at all. Nick had wanted to give Kevin something he'd remember, something that would lighten up his eyes and show in his smile, something that would mean something, not matter how many time passed by. And a watch just didn't cut it.

And even as Brian got the gift from the man's hand and thank him, Nick following him out of the store, Nick couldn't help but think about that thread of leather that went round and round, like a serpent trying to bite his tale.

*****

It wasn't until the day after, just as the sun began its way down the clear blue sky, that Nick was finally able to head back to the flea market. It hadn't been easy, as he usually spent every free time with Brian, doing this or that. But he knew, something in his heart told him, that this was something he needed to do alone.

After telling Kevin that he wanted to go a candy store he had seen a couple of blocks away from the hotel, the older man had nodded, but stare at him with a look in his eyes that connoted Kevin knew Nick was lying, but he let him be -- this time. There had been the promise to be back in no more than one hour, or not only police would go after him, but Kevin would make sure he was grounded indefinitely. He had been lucky, Nick realized, for they were leaving the day after, on their way to another city and in search for more opportunities. If it hadn't been for that small show they had tonight in a local high school, Nick knew they would have left by now.

Moreover, Nick walked the now memorized streets, making his way towards the flea market that had revealed to hold the present Nick so fervently looked for.

Finding the spot, barely three or four feet before reaching the end of the market, Nick's eyes caught, once again, the sight of such a thread, going round and round, making a dark mass on top of the shady blue cloth covered table.

"Find anything that amuses you, little one?"

The voice surprised Nick, forcing his eyes to leave the sight of such an intrinsic piece over to cobalt eyes, dark as the sea and deep as the ocean.

"Hmmm..." Nick muttered, his voice caught in his throat, finding himself with no words to be spoken.

But the slender hand, calluses on the rough skin, picked up the piece that had not only captured Nick's interest the prior day, but seemed to hold everything the young boy had been looking for.

"Is this what you look for?" The woman asked, fingered fiddled with the leather, obviously soft and so appealing.

"Yes," Nick nodded, looking straight at the woman.

She grinned, the simple pierced silver band on her nose catching the soft light coming from the almost setting sun. "You were here yesterday."

It was a statement, and Nick was only able to nod.

"You liked it back then, and you like it even more now."

Nick nodded again, his heart racing and he wondered if the woman could hear his heartbeats, as they seemed to be the only thing he could listen to at the moment.

"Why do you like it?"

"It..." But Nick didn't know how to explain, how to tell her that, somehow, it seemed the perfect gift for Kevin, even if Nick himself didn't know what it was exactly. Bar it was. It called out to him, like it knew his name. It called out to him and Nick had responded. "I just do." Nick finally said, and didn't know if it sounded as stupid as he believed.

Instead of laughing at his expenses, the woman assented knowingly. "That's enough." She said, her finger caressing the piece like it would to a lost lover. "It's lovely," she whispered, Nick's eyes fixed on her fingers as they went up and down the length of only one circle in the many the thin leather made. "I bought it from a gypsy that refused to sell it. I had to bet for it. I won the game, and it has belonged to me ever since."

Nick nodded, transfixed.

"It's very lovely indeed." She paused, looking at him carefully, blue eyed dilating. "The story says, that this bracelet, for that's what it is, can only be given with a pure heart, for it will show the bearer it's future. It will show what the bearer most desires. And it says, that not only it will be the desire that would manifest itself when the time comes, but destiny herself will show her face, letting the bearer know its fate."

Nick blinked rapidly, blue eyes confused. "Huh?"

The woman sighed in exasperation. "It means," she said, her voice softening, trying to explain such an intricate prophecy to such a small and immature child, "that one can not just give this bracelet. You must mean it. You must want the other person to have it, to posses it, for the bracelet it's not a simple one."

"I do," Nick said with as much force as he could muster. "I want him to have it."

"Him?" The woman asked, consternated. "You seek this to be present for a man?"

"Yes, for Kevin."

"What is such man of you?"

Nick took a minute to reorder the words and translate them into ones he understood. "Oh," he said, "he's a friend of mine."

"Just a friend?"

Nick's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean just? He's my friend. He takes care of me, he has for the past months."

"Oh," the woman said, understanding falling into place, "he's a caregiver. That's a different matter," she said as a sly smile made its way towards her lips, "that's entirely a different matter." She paused, looking him over. "You say you want him to have it?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"It'll be a present, then?"

Nick nodded.

"Just as foreseen," she whispered, her mind processing the boy's words.

"Huh? What did you say?"

Except the woman didn't answer, instead she said, "It will help your friend a great deal." She smiled yet again. "You must place it on his right wrist, going around as many times as it can, knotting it with only one hand, for the piece is not to be touched."

Nick had been lost many words ago and looked at the woman, puzzled. "Why?"

She grinned once again. "That piece of the prophecy was lost ages ago, for I do not know it, and the man I won it from does not know it."

"Can he take it off?"

The woman shook her head. "That is not possible, for the bound won't fall until destiny it's ready to speak and fate shows before him." Her eyes fell down to the leather thread on her hand. "It's ready to go with you." And she extended her hand, the piece standing more like an offering than as a sell.

And Nick took it, his fingers barely brushing the leather and he had been right, it was petal soft to the touch. He placed it on his jacket pocket, promising himself he'd give it to Kevin the first opportunity he had, the first moment they were alone. He was about to turn around, to head back to the hotel when he remembered.

"I never did ask you," he said, a shy smile on his features, "how much is it?" His right hand made its way into his pants' pocket, reaching for the money.

She shook her head. "There is no pay for the bound. It goes where it wants to go."

Nick frowned. "I don't have to pay you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

She laughed a mirthless laugh, the smirk almost gone from her eyes. "Yes, it wants to go with you."

Nick nodded once again, still confused, but believed if she didn't want to be paid, then he couldn't force her. The blond boy swirled around, making his way back to the hotel, the piece save in his pocket.

Nevertheless, her eyes staid with him, dark pools gazing at his retrieving back, the sun setting with every step took until he was only a dot in the immensurable of the horizon, and she grinned. "It had been waiting for you," she whispered into the wind, the last rays of lights dimming, casting an orange glow over the city, his blue eyes and golden her a craved memory into her mind.

*****

Five days later, October the third finally rolled in. They had a small gig to do that night in yet another local high school. It was somewhat of a winter dance and Nick couldn't help but remember the first dance he had even gone to and the first slow song he had ever danced.

That day, it seemed that the more he wanted one minute alone with Kevin, the less he got it. Breakfast was on Kevin's room, all of them together as usual, then they had vocal practice with Claudia, which could be sum up in one word: tiresome.

For Kevin's birthday, they had lunch in a Italian place and celebrated with a couple of drinks, even if Nick and Brian had coke -- Alex, of course, had rum and coke.

The afternoon was spent watching movies with the gang, and Nick couldn't help but feel like maybe, he'd have to wait for tomorrow to give Kevin his present.

The official exchange of presents was held in between movies. Howie gave Kevin the latest Elton John CD "Sleeping with the past", fully knowing Kevin didn't have it, as Kevin had mentioned it months ago. A nice burgundy scarf was Alex's present for Kevin. In the hard winter they were experiencing as they travel all through south, it was nice to have something to keep him warm. Brian handed Kevin his and Nick's present, a big smile on his face. Nick could barely reflect the same, only managing a small smirk. He was happy, of that there was no doubt, but it sure wasn't the present he wanted to give the older man.

That night, after the gig, they made their way back into the small bus they were riding from one city to the next. Everyone hit their bunks as soon as possible, seeming a long day and with much to do the next one. Kevin, as usual by now, picked up the remnants of dinner and left the plates to wash them the next morning. Nick, tiredness showing on his face, fought the sleepiness that wanted to creep and show him the way towards his own bunk.

He approached the older man with heavy feet, his hands shaking and his palms sweating, walking over to the kitchen area where Kevin was standing, his back to the youth.

The sounds of footsteps approaching made Kevin turn, a grin making its way to his lips as he saw Nick on the threshold that divided the kitchen from the bunks. "Hey there, what are you doing still up? I would have thought you asleep by now."

Nick smiled back, Kevin's presence relaxing him tremendously. He sat on one of the chairs, his hands clasped together on top of the table, his lower lip quivering. He bit it down and wondered how to begin.

Kevin frowned. "Nick, is something bothering you?"

Nick shook his head and knew that Kevin had seen right through him.

"You sure?"

He took his sweet time to put the words together before he dared to speak. "There's something I wanted to ask you... well, not ask you, but give you."

Kevin's head tilted to the side. "Give me?" He smirked inquisitively, drying his hands on the dishtowel, leaning against the small counter as he crossed his legs at the ankles. "Another present? But you already gave me one."

"This one is different," Nick said, instead of the phrase that popped into his head that sounded something like I didn't want to give you that silly watch. But that would have sounded rude, and Nick wasn't rude.

"Oh, that's so sweet Nicky, but you shouldn't have bothered." He didn't want to put a cringe on what little money Nick handled. It was him who managed the money Nick made and the one Jane sent, giving the boy a small allowance, just enough to get a coke here and a chocolate there.

"It was nothing," Nick reassured, standing up and walking over to where Kevin stood. He smiled up to the older man and swallowed his nervousness. Letting in a deep breath, Nick let it out through his nostrils, giving Kevin his toothy grin, making the older man grin with glee.

"I got you this," Nick said, looking down at the floor, not really wanting to look at Kevin as he said this. "I know you probably liked a lot Brian's present--"

"It was yours too, wasn't it?"

But Nick continued, "-- and yeah, it was mine, but I wanted something else. I wanted to give you something you'd like beyond just a watch."

"I liked the watch."

Nick sighed. He knew he probably wouldn't finish the speech if Kevin kept on interrupting him. "I know you liked it Kevin, but I wanted to give you something else. A watch breaks, and then you change watches, and I didn't want you to change my present."

Kevin smiled candidly. That was so sweet of Nick.

"So," Nick went on, unaware of Kevin's thoughts, "I looked a little and I found this." Nick's right hand moved to his jacket's pocket, getting out the black leather thread that had been kept with immeasurable care for the past five days. "I hope you like it."

Kevin paused, green eyes lowering as to stare at the present in Nick's hands. It wasn't wrapped, that was obvious, and hence it called out for his attention. It seemed to be a leather thread, thin but noticeable not breakable; it looked much stronger that it should, making dark circles over Nick's hand, seeming to go endlessly in circles.

Nick's smile faltered as he saw doubt on Kevin's eyes. "You don't like it," the young man declared, closing his fist as to prevent further embarrassment.

Except Kevin's reaction was far quicker than Nick's hand, Kevin's hand moving to Nick's wrist, fingers brushing the sensitive skin where the hand and the forearm met, stopping Nick from doubling his fingers.

"Let me see it," Kevin whispered, and Nick comply, his fingers opening once again, dark circles once again visible on Nick's clear skin.

Emerald eyes stared at the piece, his mind fuzzy as he wondered what it was.

And as if Nick had just read Kevin's mind, he spoke, "it's a bracelet." He frowned, trying to recall the woman's words, but falling miserably. "The woman who sold it to me," even though she really didn't sell it, but explaining that would be far too complicated, "said that it would show you your destiny."

"Oh really?" Kevin smirked incredulously.

Nick nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, she said that the bracelet would show you your future once you were ready." A puzzled expression crossed his face. "I'm not really sure what it meant, but it look great on that table, and I just wanted you to have it."

Kevin nodded, a beam on his lips. "Thanks," Kevin muttered under his breath, and even thought it seemed Nick had been had, for Kevin didn't believe in fate nor in destiny, he still smiled. Nothing would have made him reject a present from Nick. "How do I--?"

"Oh," Nick said, anticipating the question.

He took the bracelet in his hand, his thumb and index finger from his right hand holding it tightly, doing as he was told and not touching it more than he should. He placed one end one Kevin's inner wrist, his pulse hard and loud against Nick's fingertips, holding it there with the edge of his cast not yet touching it. And with his right fingertips, he turned the material around Kevin's wrists, over and over again, until the other end was reached, fitting perfectly on Kevin's wrist for seven perfect circles; seven, a magical number.

Hearing the woman's words in his mind, he did as she had spoken, the curved rim of the plaster still holding the thread, stopping it from unfastening, and again, with only his fingertips of his right hand, he knotted it. It was a difficult feat to accomplish, but Nick had practiced the previous days in anticipation to this night. He knotted it hard and tight, afraid that if he didn't do it right, then it would fall and the gift would be lost. Bar he was careful, and sure it wouldn't fall until the right moment.

When he was done, Nick stepped back, a smile on his face as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

It looked perfect on Kevin's wrist.

"Do you like it?" Nick asked, nervously.

Kevin nodded, the leather warm against his skin, Nick's touch still present against his flesh. The black leather bound seemed to fit on his wrist, making him wonder if he hadn't worn it all his life, for it felt as such. It felt like it belonged there, on his wrist, as a gift from Nick.

"Thanks," Kevin whispered, his eyes still fixed on the material.

"It looks good on you." And Nick wasn't lying, it looked... right.

Nodding once again, Kevin finally lifted his eyes, staring at sea deep cobalt eyes, waves of tenderness and affection pouring off of Kevin. The corners of his lips twitched upwards in a ghost of a smile, his nose wrinkling, and for Nick, it was the best thank you Kevin could have said.

They stood like it for a minute, just enjoying being in each other's company, their eyes meeting in a meaningful gaze, but all moments have to come to an end, and this was no different. The instant was broken by Alex's snores, and both boys laughed at the detail.

"Thanks," Kevin repeated, touching the bound with his own fingertips, so warm it wasn't possible, and it seemed like he was touching Nick's own wrist.

Nick shrugged nonchalantly, smiling toothily. "I like it that you like it."

Kevin grinned, and then yawned, and that enough indication that it was time for both of them to head over to their beds.

Nick turned around before having to hear anything from Kevin's lips, but knowing it was coming nonetheless. Kevin followed the blond, a soft smile on his lips.

When Nick reached his bunk, clad already in his pajamas, the swirled around, gave Kevin one last heartfelt smile, and turned in for the night.

Kevin, from his part, stood there for a second, savoring the moment, the feeling and the smell of everything around him that, combined, made home: Nick's smell of soap and pears, the feeling of the material against his skin and the sound of the boys sleeping soundlessly. And with one last grin, he, too, turned in for the day.