A note: A joint effort with Gaspode5

Disclaimer: Nah, already done many times...

The falling out

Satisfied that the fire had caught properly, Duncan leaned back against his pack turning his face to the evening sun. The fire was not lit for warmth, but to keep away any predator interested in the remains of the Roe deer Riordan was skinning. Covered with blood up to his elbows, the man knelt by the carcass and made quick slashes along the side to work the skin loose.

Since Duncan had helped his fellow Warden block his Taint dreams, their relationship had grown increasingly relaxed. He had made no attempts to further stretch the boundaries of this new companionship they both seemed to have silently agreed on, but then, neither had Riordan.

"This is a nice piece, pity we can't take it with us," Riordan observed, holding the dripping hide to the sun. Duncan glanced over.

"Yeah, it'll stink worse than you in a couple of days."

Riordan smirked. "So, I'll race you to the other side of the river and back and then we'll both smell rosy and perhaps the whores won't run screaming when they see your ugly mug," he suggested slyly.

"No way, you'll win; I'm a lousy swimmer. Anyway, it's not me having gore all over my face." He knew the moment he said it that it was a mistake.

"You do now!" Riordan shouted and before the other man could duck away he swung the sodden pelt around. It hit Duncan hard in the face rocking him backwards. His opponent grabbed the chance and rubbed it well in before shoving his foot against Duncan's chest, sending him toppling. With that head-start Riordan took off towards the water while Duncan was still struggling out of the humid, copper smelling slime.

"Makers sodding balls!" Came the muffled curses from underneath the pelt before Duncan could claw it aside. He spat, "I'll kill you for this! I really am!"

"Promises, promises!" Riordan shouted while removing what he could of his clothing on the run. Duncan was on his feet now and gaining fast enough that his target had to dive into the river with one boot and leggings still on to avoid getting caught. Riordan emerged from the water with an oath and a nasty scratch on his neck. "There's a sodding tree submerged right there."

Duncan laughed; he suddenly realized that he wasn't angry but happy. For once he could set aside the restraints he had placed on himself; perhaps because his companion seemed to have very few. "I may be a lousy swimmer but I run faster!" Duncan called out. He had to duck to avoid Riordan's boot that came flying through the air, while removing his own clothes.

Riordan tried to launch his leggings the same way but they fell short and were now happily drifting downstream and out of sight. "Blight!"

"I do hope you have another pair." Duncan shouted gleefully as his opponent followed them. He took his time getting into the water, washing the blood off while keeping an eye out for the other man.

His ability to sense the taint saved him as he felt the tell-tale tug in his chest. He dove sideways as Riordan quietly slipped out of the water right behind him. The other man's hand found only air but wasn't daunted by this though and as Duncan splashed upright he felt wet heavy cloth wrap around his neck. Riordan yanked him backwards with his make shift snare and Duncan had just enough time to take a big gulp of air before water closed over his head.

There was a moment of panic but he ignored it and twisted in the loose grip of the leggings. There was no point actually trying to see anything in the silt clouded water but it was easy enough to locate Riordan and instead of trying to break loose, Duncan simply used the cloth to pull himself close.

He wrapped himself around his companion's waist and legs using his own weight to unbalance him. He hooked one leg around the back of the man's knees and Riordan sank backwards into the water. Grinning Duncan pushed him down further for good measure when suddenly his left eye exploded in pain. Riordan had pushed his thumb into it. He released the other man and stumbled backwards spluttering. "Maker's fucking balls!"

Riordan emerged some way out, Duncan halted at the wild look of hatred in his eyes. He blinked furiously to clear his vision but the injured eye wouldn't focus and it felt like it was on fire. He turned and headed for the shore. "You're insane!" he muttered and tried to suppress the fear that sank trough him.

"What...shit. Duncan!"

"Fuck you!"

Duncan had to let go of his eye in order to pull his pants on. The pain was still excruciating and he could barely open it because of the rapidly increasing swelling, his anger burned hotter. Even so, what smarted the most was that he had almost been lulled into believing some kind of friendship with the other man was possible, he knew better now.

Riordan pulled on the discarded wet clothes with jerky moves and an angry frown on his face. "I didn't mean to hurt you that bad, I'm sorry! It just…Makers balls!" the man sounded frustrated.

"I said, fuck you! You're no better than bloody Vittorio. You're both first class bullies."

Riordans head whipped round as if he had been hit. "That is how you see me?"

"That is not how I see you, that is what you are." Duncan retorted, there was blood on his fingers. Would his eye ever be right again?

"Yes, yes maybe you are right." the other man crouched on the shore keeping a safe distance. "I never thought of it that way."

"Feel free to start right now, asshole!" Duncan stomped over to his gear and began to rummage through it when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Anger, reflex and not a little bit of fear made him react. The chocked surprise in Riordan's face when he saw the dagger thrust into his bicep must have been mirrored in Duncan's own. In stunned silence he watched as Riordan reached for the blade with a puzzled frown on his face before slipping to the ground without a sound.

Duncan's heart raced and his first instinct was to run.

There's so much blood. How can anybody contain that amount of blood? The metallic stench of it clogs Duncan's nostrils. He pushes and pushes at the wound but the blood just keeps flowing through his fingers, warm and slippery. He sobs in panic and flinches when a slack hand lands on his arm. He lifts his eyes and looks into the man's face. His eyes are glassy and his lips white. There's a wet rasping in his chest and he whispers, "Thank you." The hand falls away and Duncan stares down at the empty shell that was a man only moments ago.

That wasn't who he was anymore though. Instead he bent down; surely he could not have hurt the man that much? He had seen Riordan take considerable damage without fuss before. The dagger he had used had no poison on it but he checked it again just to be sure. He felt for Riordan's pulse which was steady. If he didn't know better he'd have thought the man had fainted. When he noticed Riordan coming to, he felt enormous relief but moved back just in case. He waited until the man had opened his eyes. 'What's wrong with you?'

Riordan began to sit up. He ran his hands across his face, before examining the wound. "You mean, apart from the obvious?" He answered in a hollow voice pressing a hand to it.

Duncan stood. "You are too bloody weird. Just, keep away from me."

"I will."