A/N: Okay so I've finally got this chapter finished. I decided it wanted to hate me and never get done. And yes, Kocoum is MAJOR OOC in this chapter but it's the only way it wanted to work. Now please review for all my hard work
"NO NO don't do that!" Wiggins screech, an octave high enough to make your ears ring, as he started forward, pulling his precious art supplies away from the large Indian before him.
"Look at what you've done! You've just wasted all of my paint!" the distraught man said slightly lower, cradling the broken tube of paint to his chest. "It was my favorite color."
Staring with tear filled eyes at the rocky ground between the two men, now decorated a lovely shade of teal. It piled up in a messy spiral, spilling unceremoniously over to the left, staining the dried leaves and small rocked in its oily substance.
Kocoum stared at the now slumped man sitting on the fallen log, his head in his hands. He had never meant to make Alexander sad. All he wanted to do was investigate this mysterious substance further. The semi-liquid that resembled the color of Wiggins' eyes. Kocoum never thought the other man would react so negatively.
"I…sorry?" The Native said softly, his English heavily accented but passable. He got up and crouched down in front of the red haired man. Large brown hands reached up and pulled smaller white ones off of the face of the other man, grasping them between his own.
Wiggins looked up when Kocoum pulled his hands away from his own face. Watery blue eyes stared into dark brown, where apology was clearly visible. Sighing, Alexander gave a small smile at his Indian friend.
"It's okay." Alexander said. His smile grew wider at the look of relief on the Brave's face. It was absolutely adorable. Dropping his eyes, Wiggins looked at the larger hands still encircling his own. They dark coffee color of Kocoum's skin contrasted beautifully with Wiggins' own porcelain skin. It was a picturesque, the way his hands fit almost perfectly into that of the other mans.
Quickly realizing that they were still holding hands, Wiggins pulled his hands out of the other man grasp and he got up slowly. Kocoum stood up with the Englishman, still staring at him for his reaction. Walking past the taller figure, Wiggins moved to the almost empty tube of the paint. Maybe there is still some he could salvage.
They'd been meeting like this for little over a month now. Both coming to the place they first met to see each other. They'd attempt to talk, each teaching the other a bit of their native tongue mainly through pointing at an object, than saying the name. The other would try to repeat the same word and the two would go on like that for hours on end. It was a peaceful time for both parties, a chance to enjoy an almost forbidden company.
"Well I must be getting back now." Wiggins said as he started to pack his things up, making the gesture the two had created to signify they had to leave.
"D'accord (OK.)" Kocoum replied, watching as the other man gave a small wave and smile before turning and heading down the newly made path to the English settlement.
Kocoum turned, heading towards his own home. Walking through the changing leaves, the bright reds and yellows, the Indian became lost in his own thoughts about the Englishman. He liked him, that much was for sure. But sometimes Kocoum would find himself thinking about what the other man when they were apart. It was slightly disturbing how much that red haired main penetrated his thoughts. There was only one person he trusted enough to help him figure these things out. Now it all depended on if she'd help him.
Pocahontas sat underneath the swaying branches of Grandmother Willow, Meeko sitting in her lap as he munched happily on something. Her long, black hair hung midway down her back aside from the few flyaway's dancing happily in the light breeze. Pocahontas's hands played idly with the tail of the raccoon sitting in her lap, her posture the epitome of someone lost in thought.
"Some one comes to seek you wisdom, my child." The soothing voice of the ancient willow tree announce before disappearing into it's hidden home. Looking up at the announcement from the tree, Pocahontas spies Kocoum picking his way carefully through the reeds.
"What brings you here?" The young Indian woman questions in their native tongue once Kocoum has reached her. There's a small amount of animosity in her voice as she regards the large male carefully. Ever since the incident with John Smith, Pocahontas had been incredibly careful around Kocoum.
"I….I need your help." Kocoum says, attempting to look strong but the minute stutter in his speech shows his true nervousness. He stands tall, legs slightly parted with his arms down by his sides. His large hands closed into fists and then released repeatedly as he waited for the response of the girl in front of him.
Still holding Meeko to her chest, Pocahontas stands, walking closer to Kocoum. She stands just under his chin, her large almond eyes staring up into Kocoum's eyes with unchecked curiosity. The larger man tries to hold her gaze, but drops his eyes to the leafy ground. Kocoum begins to fidget under the unnerving gaze, his instincts telling him to run but his pride telling him to wait it out.
"Well what can I help you with?" Pocahontas suddenly announces, returning to her previous spot with a smile on her face as she gestures to Kocoum to sit next to her. Warily the Indian man sits next to Pocahontas, maintaining a safe distance from her as he regards her with caution. It's not natural for someone to go from being almost threatening to insanely happy in his books.
"I need your advice...on a personal problem." Kocoum answers hesitantly, unsure how word himself.
"Really? The great Kocoum is coming to me for advice?" Pocahontas says; surprises and mockery clear in her voice as a smirk graces her fine features. Kocoum immediately bristles at the mockery, his body stiffening and his face falling into a harden mask of indifference.
"Don't mock me." He warns, "If you aren't going to help me I'll just leave." The large male rises and turns to walk away from Pocahontas when a thin hand on his shoulder stops Kocoum.
"It was just some fun brother, calm yourself." Says Pocahontas, her clear soprano soft. Leading Kocoum back under the swaying branches of Grandmother Willow, the two Indians sit with their backs against the trunk of the large tree with their feet dangling in the water.
"What's your problem?" Pocahontas asks again, "and this time I promise not to mock you."
"I'm confused." Kocoum answers after a moment's hesitation. It felt so awkward to be talking to his once lover about something like this. The two had been wary around each other but Pocahontas was the only one Kocoum could trust with something like this.
"About what?"
Kocoum fidgets nervously under the curious look Pocahontas is giving him. He looks out over the lake, taking in the calm mood of the peaceful place. Lilly pads and cattails swaying in the slight current as insects flew from flower to flower. The faint trickling of water was heard as the woodsy scent of the surrounding forest hung in the air.
"There's this person…and I'm confused….about how I feel about them." Stutters the distraught male as his hands shift restlessly in his lap.
Pocahontas stifles a giggle at the antics of her companion, and instead focuses on the task at hand. "Well when you see them, what do you feel?" she questions.
Pausing for a moment, Kocoum thinks back to the first thing he does every time he sees the red haired English man. "I can't stop smiling… my heart starts to beat faster and I just feel so happy now that I'm with them."
"And how about when you're with them? How do you feel then?"
"Free and happy. Like someone just lifted this….weight off me and I can be myself." Kocoum answers, a secretive smile gracing his thin lips as he remembered the morning he had spent with Alexander.
"Now, how about when you leave this person?" Pocahontas asks, though she knows just from the first two answers how exactly Kocoum is feeling about this 'person'.
Kocoum pauses, his features darkening at the thought. "I fell like I'm loosing a part of me. I don't ever want to let him leave."
At the word him Pocahontas's eyebrows shot up into her forehead as her mouth dropped open in shock. This entire time she thought Kocoum had been talking about one of the pale skinned girls down by the sea, not a man. Hearing Pocahontas's gasp of shock, Kocoum looks up and all color in his copper face drained. He never intended to tell Pocahontas that his problem involved a male.
"You're…you're in love with a man?" Pocahontas stutters, shock the only emotion clear on her face.
"…yes, I think so." Kocoum answers quietly, his head hanging in shame. Now the entire village will know, and he'll be an outsiders. Though same sex relationships weren't looked down upon in the tribe, they weren't exactly supported. The strong males were supposed to have the children to continue the bloodline whereas the smaller, weaker males were freer to have relationships that didn't result in children. Sadly, Kocoum, being one of the strongest males in the tribe, was expected to have many strong children too.
After recovering from her shock, Pocahontas looks over at the now insecure male sitting beside her. Placing a hand on the muscled thigh, Pocahontas offers a smile to Kocoum. "Don't worry; your secret is safe with me. As for this man, you should let him know how you feel. You never know what could come from it."
Kocoum nods, relief flooding his body knowing that he now has an ally and a friend in the beautiful Indian woman.
"But I must be going now." Pocahontas says as she stands, still carrying Meeko. Kocoum stand with her, grasping her shoulder in an affectionate gesture. "Just know that if you ever need advice again, I'm here"
Pocahontas turns and begins to walk away, her long hair blowing behind her as agile feet take her from rock to rock. Kocoum watches her leave, willow branches dancing across his toned body as he thinks on what to do about his newly realized love for a certain Alexander Wiggins.
