For Whom I Dance

I cannot believe that there are no Tanya Huff fanfics here . . . at least not that I've seen. If I'm wrong point me in their direction! Anyway, this is a what-if on 'The Fire's Stone.' It's a slight bit of AU and is a spoiler for the book. WARNING: Contains yaoi, slash, m/m, whatever you want to call it. Also, this is a very short vignette, so don't expect a long, long read. Got it? Good. Oh, and they belong to Tanya Huff, not me. The last line is meant to be some kind of romantic poetry from Aaron's homeland.

Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra are at the Shoi camp. While Darvish flirts with two of the Shoi, Aaron dances.

His hair blazed red and gold like a cap of flame as he whiled and leapt impossible high. The fire danced in reflection on skin wet with sweat.. Even the scars on his chest seemed some bizarre barbaric decoration. His eyes were closed, or almost closed, and he gave himself over totally to the music. Bare feet slammed down into the dirt, the walls tumbled, and all the passion behind the walls blazed out.

The beat came faster, harder, and he followed it.

Chandra searched for Darvish and spotted him at last moving with the two Shoi into the greater privacy behind the wagons.

Turn around, she pleaded silently. Look to the fire! If Darvish looked, she knew he'd understand who Aaron Danced for.

She though for a moment he wouldn't turn. She thought he wouldn't look. Her shoulders slumped as she watched Aaron pour his heart out to a man who paid no attention. And then...

Darvish glanced back to grin at Chandra, and his eyes were caught by Aaron's passionate dance. His jaw dropped and he ignored the two Shoi trying to pull him behind the wagons. He stepped closer to the fire, just as Aaron, beginning to tire, stumbled. he grabbed the other man and held him tightly in the circle of his arms. He pressed his lips against Aaron's copper hair, greatly daring. The thief moaned as if in great pain and clutched at Darvish, sobs beginning to shake his shoulders.

Chandra couldn't contain a slight squeal of glee. She hugged Fiona enthusiastically, knowing she was grinning like an idiot and unable to do anything about it. Everything will be all right now...

For the two men locked in their tight embrace, none of this mattered. The copper-haired thief and the blue-eyed prince allowed their mouths to meet for a single slow kiss. Aaron murmured in the language of his father, a language he had almost forgotten. Darvish whispered into his ear, "What was that?"

Aaron smiled, the walls gone, the ice melted, the void filled. "'Tis you, my love, for whom I dance, 'tis ever and always you..."

~Finis~