Title: Undisclosed
Author: MissForsythe
Summary: It lingers over them, like a sword of Damocles ready to fall and destroy them both at any given moment.
Disclaimer: Don't own nothing, except a lot of patience and a creative mind.
Pairing: It's not a threesome fic, per se, but it has hints of both Nathan/Audrey and Duke/Audrey.
Author's Notes: September, you guys. You'll need something to hold you over till then.
They don't speak of it.
After the shot rings out and hurts Duke's eardrums and leaves a mark on the wooden floor, they stand there like statues. There's a tattoo, THE tattoo. And Nathan isn't seeing or feeling it.
They don't speak of it.
They find Audrey in a cabin in the backwoods of Tuwiowok Bluff, bound to a bed and surrounded by smoke. It takes effort, combined effort, to cut the sturdy ropes and carry her out. They lay her out on the grass, and they call her name until she finally takes a big gasp of air. It's the most beautiful sound they ever heard.
Nathan holds her to him, and he can tell something has changed in the way they go about with each other. It's deeper, intimate. It starts to dawn on Duke that the lacy scrap of fabric she's wearing was probably meant for him. He tries to ignore the pang somewhere in the depth of his soul.
In the orange glow of the fire, he can still see the tattoo. Fainter now, but definitely there.
They don't speak of it.
They bring her back to her apartment, strip her naked , check her for injuries and clean her up.
She's still not fully conscious, but when Duke tries to walk away, he feels that tiny hand of hers around his wrist. So he stays.
It's nothing sexual, and it's not about them both wanting her. But they'll never actually admit that it is. Nathan picks her up his arms, and her fingers tighten around his arm. If Duke didn't know any better, he'd swear he'd heard a slight hiss.
They lay her on the bed, and he sits with her while Nathan goes in search of something for her to wear. She opens her eyes, briefly, and smiles at him. He places a kiss on her forehead, leaves it to linger for a moment until Nathan comes back with the clothes.
He walks away, because if he stays, Nathan will have to use that gun again.
The last thing he sees before he turns the corner ist hat Audrey is refusing the clothes, and that she pulls him close. And by the heaving shoulders, he can tell that Nathan Wournos is crying.
They don't speak of it.
The months go by, and it lingers over them like a sword of Damocles. Ready to fall and destroy them both at any given moment.
He pretends not to stare when Nathan wears a short sleeved shirt, looking for any sign of the tattoo which has now completely faded.
If he tries, he can tell himself that he imagined it. That it was his mind playing tricks on him.
But he didn't and it's not. And they still won't speak of it.