Four
Dean was snuggled comfortably by his side, sound asleep.
For some reason, Roman couldn't sleep well; it felt as though someone was watching him. He slowly disentangled himself from his lover's embrace and sat up only to find a black goat with red eyes staring at him.
The Samoan man slowly stood up only for the goat to stand on the back of its two hoofs.
Roman stumbled back. "Dean!" he hissed.
His boyfriend didn't move, merely sleeping blissfully unaware.
The goat started walking towards him.
Not wasting time - Lord knew what this creature was in disguise - Roman punched the ground making the area shake, scaring the creature away, its legs taking it far away into the woods.
Dean merely turned to the other side with a soft sigh as if he hadn't felt the ground rumbling moments before.
Odd.
Roman considered waking him up but decided against it.
Forget about this, he told himself. You have a bigger day tomorrow.
Roman woke up to find Dean putting flowers into his hair. "Dean!" he groaned, rubbing his eyes. "It's too early for this."
His boyfriend laughed. "What? You look so pretty with them."
"What do I look like to you? A Disney princess?"
"Moana."
Well maybe it wasn't bad.
"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. We need to start getting ready." Dean batted his eyelashes. "Do you want company in the river?"
"I won't say no to morning sex."
"Who said anything about sex?"
Roman shook his head at his boyfriend. "Really, Dean? I can see right through you."
"You want me!"
"Yeah, I do. So get your cute butt into that water."
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
Laughing, Roman ran after a sprinting Dean and jumped in after him into the cold water.
Immediately his boyfriend wrapped his arms around his neck. "Someone's eager."
"Eager to fuck you into the next century."
"Prove it."
"I don't have your kind of powers." Roman pouted. "Fuck me?"
Dean chortled. "Smooth, babe. What have I done to you?"
"Corrupt me. Brainwashed me. Hypnotise-"
"I asked for one, not a list."
"With you, Dean, it'll take an entire series."
When Dean and him were dressed and headed out towards where Jon's was, the dirty blond was sharpening his dagger. "Took you both long enough."
"Couldn't wait?" Dean quipped. "Bored out of your mind? Hopefully you were sharpening your dagger because you wanted to stab yourself in the neck."
"Good morning to you too, baby brother." Jon gave Roman a brief glance. "And boyfriend."
"Traitor," Roman replied.
"Traitor!" Dean threw his head back and laughed. "Good one, babe. Your sheep's clothing is falling off, dear brother. Maybe you ought to put it back before your boyfriend discovers that you're a wolf."
Jon didn't seemed to fazed. "Not likely."
Not likely? He'd never tell Leakee and the poor man was going to live the rest of his life in the dark? "Why not?" Roman wanted to know. "Maybe he'd love you all the same - dark lord or not."
"Wake up, Roman. Our kind do not mix with yours."
His comment irked the Samoan warrior to no end. "Then I guess Dean and I are the exception," Roman rubbed in. "Maybe you ought to give your boyfriend the benefit of a doubt."
"You don't know Leakee."
Dean snorted. "Roman knows me. To be honest, I don't believe the words coming out from your mouth… not after what you've done."
"Dean, get over it," Jon said. "I lied, okay? I made a mistake. Big deal. At least I got to experience the best of both worlds. You're stuck with Roman and you'll never know what it's like to have a life of danger and power."
"Danger? Power? Jon, you were too much of a wuss to even stand up to our father. You ran away. I don't. Running's not my thing. I stay and fight; that's what I do. If someone were to force me to do something I didn't want to, I sure as hell wouldn't be sulking like a… oh that's right. You're a prince. I forgot."
"You'd stand up to Dad, Dean? Really? You expect me to believe that?"
Dean rolled his eyes. "Clearly you've never seen us talk before. I'm done with this conversation. Let's go."
Jon raised his chin. "Do you even know the direction, Dean?"
"Nope. But Drew does." A impish grin stretched across the MMA fighter's face. "What? You thought I'd trust you to lead us there?"
When Dean turned his back, Roman did not miss the murderous look on Jon's face.
"What are those orange birds flying in the air?" Dean asked his general as his blue eyes stayed fixed on the majestic bird swooping down from a distance moments later. "Are those-"
"Phoenixes?" General Drew affirmed his suspicions. "Yes. There are plenty of creatures here in the underworld. For example, at Lake Black, you'll see there are Kelpies."
"Kel-what?"
"Kelpies are water horses that lure their victims to sit on their backs… to ride them to their doom."
"Sounds morbid."
"I'm not sure if you've noticed but your father has three headed hellhounds locked up in his basement. Their his pets. Also remind your boyfriend to be careful when going to rivers. There are nymphs there that seduce anyone with their singing and then drown or make them theirs."
Dean made a mental note to remind Roman later.
"Interesting place. Are there any normal creatures?" Dean wanted to know. "Like owls? I'm pretty sure I heard a hoot last night."
"There are owls. And crows as big as hawks, goats and rabbits that are well… humanoid."
"You have got to be kidding me."
General Drew laughed. "I kid you not, Sire. May I tell you a story?"
"Story?"
"About the castle we're heading to?"
"Sure. Tell me the story."
"There was a dark lord that was so powerful…"
While Dean walked ahead with General Drew, Roman wondered why Jon had decided to lie in that book he had made the pretense of leaving behind to guide Dean and him in their battles. The way how he spoke about his love for Leakee like it was of ancient love that transcended time.
"That book that you wrote," the grey eyed man asked slowly. "You lied in it about Leakee and you."
"No, I love Leakee," Jon swore. "From the moment I met him, I wanted him so bad. He just never saw me at first as his potential mate. I had to do whatever it took. I mean how can I not want him? He's the son of the Chief; it's a huge deal!"
Something about the way he had said those words… "What do you mean whatever it took?"
Jon shrugged. "What do you think?"
"You wooed him?"
"Ha! See, Roman that's where you and I differ. I saw him and I did whatever I could to have him. You took a chance. Suppose Dean had said he didn't want you?"
"Then I'd have to accept it. His happiness matters to me."
"Oh Leakee's mattered to me too but I knew I had to have him no matter what. And I told myself that when I did have him, I'd make him happy. To do that, I did whatever that was necessary. First thing I did was get rid of Afa… the way you should have with Corey."
"Get rid of Afa? What the hell do you mean?"
Jon merely winked at him.
"Why would I get rid of Corey?" Roman pressed. "If Dean had told me he loved him-"
"What, Roman? You were going to sit back and let someone else take your man away?"
"Dean's his own person. He's allowed to love whoever he wants."
"Even now?"
Roman frowned. "Yes. Even now."
A shrug. "Maybe you don't love him enough."
But Roman did love him, he thought to himself as they stopped for a short rest. He had chosen to sit by the river bank where he could gather his thoughts as he tied his hair.
Dean was by his side shortly after giving him a hard kiss. "Miss me?"
"Yeah." Then Roman took the plunge. "Dean?"
"Mmmm…"
"You know… you know that if you had told me you loved Corey or anyone else, I'd have left you alone after that night in the glasshouse."
His boyfriend stared at him. "I know."
"You do?"
"Of course. And even if I had been with Corey or anyone else, someday I would have still found my way to you." With a soft smile, Dean slid closer to him. "I just didn't want to wait for someday."
Roman's heart melted.
"What's up?"
"Something about what Jon had said about doing whatever it took to get Leakee… and getting rid of Afa."
"He got rid of Afa? Like killed him or something?"
"I'm not sure how but that was his implication."
Dean looked thoughtful. "This guy is crazier than I thought."
"You have to be careful of him, Dean. He-"
"Roman, I am more powerful than he is."
"Why is that?" Roman wondered. "Is it because you have my blood?"
"You think because you can crack the earth, you're more powerful than me?"
"Well it scared that goat away last night."
"What goat?"
Roman realised that he hadn't shared with Dean about that black goat. He started relating to him what happened including how the auburn haired man had slept through the mini earthquake.
"The last time a goat came, it was Seth," Dean recalled.
"You don't think…"
"No, it couldn't be. Maybe it's Jon?" A dangerous look crossed Dean's face. "He's dead if it's him."
"I still can't believe you slept through it."
"I didn't feel the earth move or hear you. If I did, I'd burn that goat."
"Dean, that's cruel."
"When it comes to me protecting you, all bets are off. I'll go straight for that person's head."
Roman didn't want an angry Dean so he decided to distract him. "We passed a field just now but it only had weeds. I wish I had seeds to plant here. This place could use a little cheering up."
"I saw some black roses not far from here. I'll go get some for you."
"Dean-"
"I insist, Roman. Stay here." Dean then gave him a quick kiss before standing up and heading in that direction.
Roman stared as his boyfriend ran into the woods.
He seems dressed in all of me… stretched across my shame…
The haunting voice caught his attention then as he turned his head.
All the torment and the pain… leaked through and covered me. I'd do anything to have him to myself… just to have him for myself…
Slowly standing up, Roman followed the direction of that voice, further into the river
Now I don't know what to do when he makes me sad…
His surroundings became quiet then. Crows flew over his head, the remaining dead leaves attached to the trees gently moving.
Suddenly, Roman felt himself being pulled into the water… into something far deeper. He tried to swim up but something was holding him back. Whirling around, he found an auburn haired woman wearing a long white dress staring at him.
Come, young warrior… let me show you something…
Roman accepted her stretched hand as she continued to bring him down.
Then a white light flashed out of nowhere making him see an image...
Jon walked down the corridor of the stoned castle, turning to his left and right before making his way to where Afa - the one man Leakee had feelings for - stood in front of the treasure room.
"Afa." The dirty blond nodded at him. "May I have a word with you?"
Afa raised an eyebrow. "You may."
"Not here. Maybe near the corner of this passageway?"
"Very well, Jon. But let us make haste."
The two men walked briskly to the spot not long after and Jon immediately jumped on the subject. "I do not wish for you to go near Leakee."
Afa started to laugh. "And why should I abide by your wish?"
"Because I want him. And I know you have feelings for him but they have to remain concealed or I will make you suffer should you choose to reveal them."
The Samoan warrior took a step closer. "You do not frighten me, Jon Moxley."
"Oh but you will because I know everything about you, Afa. I know last night, you spent the night in Leakee's bed. I should not have allowed it to have led to that but…" Jon shrugged. "I know that you have an ill sister to look after and you need this position to care for her. I know that your father is with fever and you seek the antidote for it but alas for you, it is only found in the underworld." Jon removed a small twig with a row of yellow leaves to it. "I can give this to you if you stay away from what is mine."
Brown eyes bore into blue ones. "You snake!"
"I prefer fox."
"You will not get away with this!"
"Oh but I have."
"I hope your family members never find their true love," Afa sneered. "For what you've done to me."
"That's their problem, not mine."
"You selfish bastard."
"Only when it comes to Leakee."
"I've got news for you, you delusional fool. This is not love."
"It is to me."
"I'm not surprised," Dean surmised as he sat beside Roman at the river bank where he had found his love all wet. Upon asking what had happened, his boyfriend had related everything. "But I assumed you are?"
Roman nodded numbly as he patted his hair dry with a hand towel. "Yeah."
"Huh." Dean gave his darling an owlish look. "And what do you make of all this now?"
"That he doesn't know what love is."
"Yeah." Then Dean added with a frown, "Next time don't go anywhere without me. This is the underworld, babe. Not our world. There are nymphs who… wait a minute. She didn't drown you."
"No, of course not. I thought she wanted to but clearly she had her own plans."
Odd.
Then what was she?
Dean shook his head, focusing on other questions on his mind. "I wonder if my family knows that he resorted to that? Well not yours, obviously. Even if they did, I'll bet they'd hide it."
"Yeah," Roman agreed. "I mean it is what it is. That book he had written was just a book filled with lies. I wonder what his intention was."
The dark lord knew his boyfriend enough to know that his heart was broken but he was trying hard not to show it. "Roman."
"I'm okay."
"Sure you are, Roman. It's me. Dean. I know you, remember?" Dean pulled him into his arms. "You don't have to hide from me."
His lover looked away but Dean could see the pain in them. "I feel bad for Leakee," Roman admitted before giving him a soft squeeze. "He's in the dark about the whole thing. He thinks Jon really loves him but action always did speak louder than words..."
"Yeah it does," Dean agreed.
He stared after his boyfriend who had started walking ahead, unable to fight the uneasiness within him.
This was affecting Roman deeply.
"Next up," Drew announced when Dean finally joined them. "Lake Black!"
A/N Thank you for giving this story a chance :-)
