Lucky Chapter 7

SSS

We argued again; our voices melted into the crowd easily. However, our clipped tones still went noticed by bystanders. I was not going to relent; this time, I had a valid excuse for arguing. I listened to him with crossed arms.

"Quatre, why can't you stay in the Inn? I am going to pay for it," he persuaded. The man was slowly growing weary from my stubborn behavior. He should have realized that I was a Winner, and a Winner always got what they wanted. My father never backed down from an argument; my father's father never backed down from an argument, and so on and so forth.

"Because..., " it was hard to argue my valid point when I couldn't reveal Trowa. He was the whole reason I was willing to put myself in further danger by venturing into the forest by night. I had an urgent need to see him, to know he still existed.

Tao put his hands up in surrender. "Sometimes, I just don't understand you."

I smiled triumphantly. Granted, I didn't exactly argue with the silver tongue my family was famous for, but I got what I wanted in the end.

My victory received a rain-check. "I'll have to go with you," Tao said. "I guess we'll be camping again tonight." I've learned that it was next to impossible to persuade the Eastern man once his mind was set; it would be simpler to correct Trowa's speech impediment.

I let Tao follow me on the dirt trail. The pink and orange skies moved out of the way for the night. The area grew steadily darker, as we hiked deeper into the forest. The trees slowly thickened, and our path twisted into a narrow, rocky trail. This part of the wood was practically forgotten by civilization.

It seemed my 'guide' was eager to find the perfect spot for us. Finally, he settled on a clearing. The ground was flat, and the branches of the trees created a dome overhead. Tao shook his head. "Nah, this just won't due," he complained before doubling back. I never understood the man; this spot was perfect. Even I, who was unaccustomed to travelling, could see that clearly.

"What! What for?" I demanded an answer. My questioning eyes were probably as wide as saucers, and I never could keep a pout off my face. Neither could a fish. I wiped the pout off my face and settled on a light glare.

He replied, "You can't see the full moon from this spot. What's the good of having your company, if I can't see the lunar light play against your equally luminous skin?" Surprisingly, he was able to say that in a casual tone. It was a shame I couldn't react the same way to his statement. I knew my skin glowed, but at the moment it was a bright red-nothing like the pale beauty he pictured me as.

My hand was grasped lightly in his. I 'illuminated' even more. The thing was, in the faint light sparking from the trees, he looked like a beautiful, fey-like dream. I might have tried to speak, but I couldn't remember if what came from my mouth was actual words. His other hand brushed against my chin and held it there. The only other intimacy like that was with my mother; this was completely different.

His eyes were so close. It was easy to be drawn into the deep black irises. Was his lips moving? He did ask to kiss me, and I couldn't find a reason to say no. My tongue darted against my lips. One simple kiss wasn't much to ask for, but it felt like he was asking me to give him more.

I snapped out of it when I heard a hiss in the trees. I backed away from my captor with an apologetic wave of my hands. "Um," I said with a nervous laugh. Quickly, I thought of a dodge to explain my behavior. "I got to pee," I said. My hands fidgeted in front of me like they always did when I lied. I hoped he didn't notice my habit.

Still recovering from almost bliss, he answered, "Sure, go ahead." I almost expected him to say that he wouldn't mind watching or something, but Tao wasn't tacky; it would have spoiled the romantic mood, like I hadn't already.

I vanished into the foliage. The surrounding branches, twigs, and debris all managed to hit me in the face. Navigating through the forest was difficult. I finally rested, bent over with my hands on my knees, and greedily taking huge gulps of air. A tree was graciously there to lean on. Breathing hard, I berated myself for my foolishness. There were millions of snakes out there, ordinary snakes; why did I jump at the first serpent sound I heard? "Trowa," the name slipped through my lips.

"What were you doing back there?" said a very monotonous voice that I loved to hear. I lifted my tired head to a very scaly one. My snake was hanging from the tree tops, his face at level with mine.

Emotions welled up inside me like boiling water. "Trowa!" I exclaimed in joy, before tackling him in a vicious hug. My arms encircled the cold, scaly shoulders, and I never felt so warm. I was hesitantly surrounded by his arms. As he hugged back, my toes were slightly lifted from the ground. "I thought I'd never see you again!" I breathed into the green neck.

"And why wass that?" he wondered.

My head shook, the strands of my hair brushed against his cheek. I wondered if it tickled him. "I don't know," I finally admitted. My fears of being abandoned by him seemed ridiculous now. He was my snake!

"Hey Quatre, where are you?" I heard the Eastern man yell. By the sounds of it, he was a good five minutes away.

Trowa rolled his candle-like eyes. "When are you getting rid of him?" he questioned with a little growl.

"Soon," I told him. "I just can't abandon him."

"Why not?" the snake inquired. He had put me down and looked at me suspiciously.

"I just can't abandon him; that would be cruel," I said with finality.

"So you like him?"

I answered without even thinking about it, "And what if I did?" That was definitely the wrong thing to say, because even I wasn't sure of my feelings. I found Tao physically attractive, but other than that; I felt like I didn't have a heart to give him, like it was somewhere else.

Two lit eyes narrowed at me. "I just don't trust him; that's all. Don't get involved with anything you might regret?" The words could have been advice, if they didn't sound like a flat-out demand.

Did he think I was in love with this Tao guy? Okay, if he saw that one almost-kiss, I understood why. Also, my last remark didn't quite dissuade him from that conclusion. However, he was not my father, and I was not some innocent he needed to protect from lustful predators! Come on, I was a guy too! Couldn't I be the one leading complete strangers into a lustful trap? Well, I really wouldn't.

We never got a chance to finish our discussion. Trowa had retreated back into the trees like a yoyo when Tao appeared.

"Oh there you are... What's got you so upset?"

A bladder problem was a poor excuse, but an excuse nonetheless. No one questioned a person's bladder issues. It was a perfect way to sneak off. Every so often, when I felt an inkling that Trowa was nearby (usually, a hiss or soft ruffle of the leaves over head), I would politely excuse myself and wander far away from Tao's prying ears and eyes. Thankfully, the man had below average hearing. There were times when I had to repeat myself three times, before he pretended to listen. This farce continued for a good week.

The moment presented itself. I watched the sun slowly settle just a little closer to the horizon. It looked like a big ball dropping down. Sometimes, I almost expect the sun to bounce, instead of disappearing. More importantly, I knew how to tell time by the sun's movements, and it had been two hours since my last 'bathroom' break. "Hey Tao...," I began.

"Go ahead and wiz," he said with a wave of his hand. He didn't even turn around. "Hey Quatre, have you ever thought about going to a doctor about your little problem?"

So he was more observant than previously suggested. "No," I answered flatly. It was probably for the best to elaborate on my lie. "I drink like a fish, so it's only natural that I need to 'wiz' more than most people."

He slightly twisted his body; I noticed the sword was cradled in his hand. A smooth cloth rested between his fingers and the blade. I briefly wondered if the man ever used the sword in combat. So far the only victims were fruit.

His lightly lidded eyes rested on me. The black irises were more dilated than usual. With a undetermined smirk, he inquired, "Are you sure it's your bladder that always demands your attention?" His hand slowly glided over the blade. The cloth lovingly caressed it, almost like...

My eyes grew big, and my heart doubled its efforts to pump blood to my cheeks. Red and flustered, I defended, "I really can't hold it in that long!" I escaped his provocative display by hopping behind a bush, and running like I was being chased. I skidded to a halt near a depressing willow.

Between harsh breaths, I muttered, "That Tao..., he's going to be the end of me." Images of him gliding his hand through more intimate parts of my body flooded my thoughts.

Never in my life have I ventured into romantic pursuits. Knowledge and enlightenment have always been the love of my life. Sure, I've acknowledged both attractive males and females, but I have never pursued a relationship outside of friendship. Now it seemed like I have somehow converted! I travelled with an Eastern man I wouldn't mind having sex with, and I was emotionally dependant on a demon-snake! Both have changed the way I view others.

I wished I could have consoled in my sister or my father. They had more experience than me. Iria had no problems identifying with her feelings. Their absence have left a small pit in my heart that I only felt when I was alone.

Where was Trowa!

I stood there in utter, ear-splitting silence. My fingers drummed against the bark of the willow. "I don't have all day Trowa," I muttered. I hoped he would appear from the branches above and remark on my impatience. A sigh escaped. I resigned myself to the possibility that he wouldn't appear this time. My feet grew heavier, as I walked away. Disappointment and rejection crept on me like summer turning into fall, turning into winter.

"Where are you going. Patsssiencse isst a virtue," Trowa hissed. I spun around. The serpent was elegantly wrapped around the willow like a vine.

"You were just waiting for that moment, weren't you?" I asked. I tried to add annoyance into my voice, but it was completely overshadowed by relief.

He descended down the trunk. His body curved with inhuman flexibility. I walked to him. I always felt like I was the one being charmed. "Quatre?"

"Hmm."

He glided inches from my face. "How long can it take to get rid of one man?" His eyes narrowed. The snake looked ready to strike at something, anything. Automatically, I took a step back.

My glare matched his. "Is that all you have to say to me!" The air between us was thick and choking.

"What else isst there to sssay? We only talked two hoursss ago," he said with a slightly tired voice. I took that offensively.

"Does that mean you don't like talking to me?" my voice was very accusatory.

"That isst not the issssue. Why do you twissst everything I sssay?" he argued. One admirable thing about the serpent was that he rarely rose his voice or lost his temper.

"I don't twist everything!" I paused briefly to calm down; what was with my temper lately? "Listen, Tao can't travel with us forever; he has other stuff to do. If we wait patiently, he'll leave." I felt disappointed that the Eastern man would leave, and I felt relief at the same time. It was a mixture of highly volatile emotions.

Trowa's yellow eyes looked anywhere but at me. "He's not going away anytime soon. He likes you," he admitted.

I wasn't about to argue with that logic. He was right. Tao was definitely attached to me. Personally, he had strange tastes. I did everything to discourage him. I even punched the Easterner. Nothing drove him away; he thrived when I rejected him, and was perfectly smug when I showed any complacency. I was always warned by Iria about those types of men, but I never believed they existed.

"So he likes me," I said. "That doesn't mean he can stay with me forever. By next week, he'll be gone."

Next week came and went behind my back. I thought about my declaration while Tao roasted some rabbits on the small campfire. Maybe Trowa had a right to be suspicious about our relationship. Every time I attempted to talk about our inevitable departure, he managed to charm me into another conversation.

The Easterner sliced the meat, and held it to me for a taste. The roasted rabbit was very bland but otherwise good. I took my time chewing the cooked meat.

He began to talk again, "My little brother could probably do better. He always was the skilled one in the family, but that's fine. I'm not jealous or anything. Mother and Father expect more from him and leave me alone. It's great growing up with no expectations."

"It doesn't sound so great," my voice grew soft. "If my father never encouraged me to do better, I would feel like he didn't care."

The fire crackled. The flame was half the height of me. I stared at the fire proudly and remembered the day my father first taught me how to build a fire. He constantly remarked how ridiculous it was to give up just because I couldn't produce a spark from the two pieces of timbre. He never let me give up, and he never stopped encouraging me to be better than the person I was. My father always said, 'the only person you need to compete with is yourself.'

Tao argued, "Still, that only means the only person your parents care about, is what they can mold you into." Mold? I never felt that way.

"Shouldn't it show that they care about your future," I revoked. "It's not like they tell you exactly what you have to be, is it?" My voice held less certainty.

He said with his eyes to the stars. "That's exactly it. I don't want to be their son." My eyes watered a little. Although, I argued with my father constantly, and feuded with my sister, I never wished they weren't my family.

"Tao, how could you say that?" I questioned. My voice was a tad scratchy, the price of trying to hold back a sob. When Tao looked at me, he jumped slightly.

"Whoa! Quatre, don't cry on my account! Look it's no big deal to me anymore!" The man reached inside his vest and brought a piece of cloth out. He carefully crawled to me and tenderly dabbed at my eyes. "Better?" he wondered with genuine concern. I probably caught him by surprise; boys weren't suppose to cry.

"Sorry," I said with my head hung low. "Family issues always get to me."

I was forced to look into his face. "Please don't be ashamed of caring. That's one of the qualities I find most endearing about you." That one remark was more flattering than the hollow praising I was forced to endure from him the last two weeks.

Time annoyingly stilled. It weaved an uncomfortable net of silence around us; it was almost to much to bear. I wished, desperately, for something to happen if only to relieve the awkwardness. I stared at the raven beauty and wondered if he would alleviate the tension.

Our lips met in a forced yet chaste kiss. I was the one who kissed him. The feeling of being close to someone attractive and my curiosity compelled me to move my lips. My partner was in no way retaliating. I felt him quickly dominating the action by nibbling slightly on my bottom lip. He let go of me and quickly replied, "That was definitely a pleasant surprise."

"I was just curious how you tasted," I said with honesty. He laughed.

"Quatre, you're something," he teased. He grabbed both of my hands and leaned me onto the soft Earth. He kissed me again, but this time was different. His tongue was braver. The soft muscle swiped against my teeth. When I gasped in shock, he invaded. I couldn't decide if having someone else's tongue in my mouth was pleasant or unnerving.

I knew I was suppose to do something. Slightly, experimentally, I sucked on the tissue. My response was a small moan that vibrated against my lips. I experimented more, trying to match his movements and enthusiasm. I was enjoying this experiment.

He broke our connection. His lips sucked some much needed air; I was barely out of breath. "Damn Quatre, how long can you go?" I propped up on my elbows. I couldn't sit up, because the man was still leaning over me.

"I don't know," I answered. "I never kissed like that before."

He leaned in, so our noses were touching. "I find that hard to swallow." My face turned a light pink.

"I never have," I confirmed. He smiled before kissing my nose. I expected and wanted him to do anything else. My hormones were at a rocketed high, and that little peck did nothing but tease me.

Tao whispered, "I wish I could take you right now, but we're quite unprepared." His voice lilted softly.

"Unprepared?" I questioned.

"You're so cute. Please don't make this any harder for me than it already is," he proclaimed while pressing his body into mine. Oh, I get it. It wasn't like I was not having the same reaction. I unconsciously moved my legs to feel a little more contact.

My vision was blurred by newly awakened passion, but I was able to see past Tao. A green blur swiped in and out of my vision. There was a sharp cracking noise that made Tao shot up like someone lit a fire under his ass. I had a feeling it wasn't the noise that caused him to bolt up. He whipped his head in all directions.

"Ah crap! That hurt! Quatre, did you see anything?" His hands were cushioning his rear. I shook my head; how was I suppose to explain what I just saw? He groaned, "It felt like someone whipped me!" His dark eyes kept shifting right to left.

"I swear I didn't see anything," I assured. It was difficult to choose whether to be angry or laugh at the snake. There was one thing Trowa accomplished, and that was ruining the mood. There was no way of rekindling the romance after an incident like that.

The Easterner rested on his knees over the fire. "The rabbit's burnt," he said moodily.

While I watched him sulk, I wandered how it would have felt to if we had taken it a little further. Maybe, I should try to seduce my companion. He was more than willing, and I was a little more than curious to experience the most intimate level of passion. Though, I would probably never get the opportunity with my silent, scaly protector.

(To be continued...)

Kudos to me! I actually made it through an 'ahem' (I know not too graphic) scene without blushing..., it helps when you focus on the grammar and ignore the words you are actually writing. I'm going into hiding until winter is over.

Oddly, I can write blood and guts scenes without getting squicked in the least.