Overview

This is a standalone story. This is the story of Arkady, one of Ilya’s friends from when he lived in St Petersburg. It isn’t necessary to read Ilya’s story first or indeed at all, but this little tale takes up a thread that is mentioned in Ilya.

It’s not safe to be gay in Russia and Arkady isn’t as carefully out as he should be. But what crime has he committed to result in him being abducted and locked away in a conversion clinic? Time passes and he despairs of ever being released. When he falls ill and is transferred to a hospital, he sees a chance to escape. But how, when he has no clothes, no money, no phone and no ID?

Gav has orders to rescue Arkady not fall for him. Oops. But there’s just something about the thin, pale guy that tugs at Gav’s heart. Fighting his attraction is a battle he loses. But he can’t leave Russia and Arkady has to. What future could they possibly have?