January 31, 1943
Douxie watched Carter from his bed with worry. He kept to himself up until the medic left the tent before he joined his friend on his bed.
"You okay?" He asked, reaching out to take Carter's injured arm.
Carter gave him a small smile. "I'll live, Douxie. The bullet barely grazed me."
"That's the understatement of the century." Douxie muttered, running his thumb over Carter's bandaged arm. "There was so much blood…"
Carter tilted his head, giving Douxie a sarcastic smile. "You squeamish, England?"
Douxie met his gaze, eyes hardening a little. "Carter, you could have died."
Carter's smile fell and he looked away, pulling his arm out of Douxie's grip. "I know the risks, Hisirdoux. We all do."
Douxie shook his head, taking in a deep breath. "Two things there, Queens. One, jumping in front of a bullet for me is not going to help anyone. Two, you know how I feel about you using my full name. It makes you sound like my father."
Carter's smile came back a little and he looked back up at Douxie. "Daddy issues?"
Douxie snorted a laugh, gently bumping shoulders with his friend. "Oh please don't. My father wasn't the best but he tried. He would just really sternly yell my name alot and he never called me by my nickname."
Carter chuckled. "Man, you should hear my mom when she's pissed at me. She goes the whole nine yards. Middle name and everything."
"Middle name?" He inquired with a curious smile.
Carter groaned. "God no, please don't make me say it."
Douxie nudged him. "No, you kind of have to now."
He huffed, brushing his hair away from his face. "Fine. But promise me you won't laugh?"
Douxie grinned. "Promise."
Carter sighed, running a hand over his face. "My middle name is… Bellum."
Douxie blinked, that familiar fear of the unknown creeping in his chest. "Bellum… like the latin word for 'war'?"
Carter snorted. "Yup. Guess my mom had a sense of humor."
Douxie pursed his lips, trying to push down his suspicion. "Carter Bellum Howard?"
"You said you wouldn't make fun." Carter warned, although there was a certain playful lilt to his voice.
"I'm not…" Douxie murmured, eyes fixing on the floor as he thought. Old memories swirled around in his mind. A name whispered in the wind. A faceless figure looming over the fields of fallen men. A feeling of dread stirred in his gut.
"Doux…?" Carter said carefully, placing a hand on his arm. "You look like you're about to throw up. Are you okay?"
Douxie looked at him, studying his face intensely. They were sitting so close he could see every detail. The little scar over his upper lip, the slight crookedness to his nose that had come from a few too many punches in the face, the minute dash of freckles splattered across his nose and cheeks like a careless painter had decided to go wild on his canvas. And his eyes. Carter had the most gorgeous brown eyes Douxie had ever seen. They swirled with various shades of amber and brown. Slight flecks of gold were placed deep in the earthen shade of his eyes, like precious jewels hiding in rich dark soil. And in his face, Douxie could see it. He could see the almost unnatural and slightly ethereal beauty that wasn't there in regular mortals. Carter's face was just a little too perfect, a little too symmetrical. He was absolutely breathtaking to look at, and Douxie wondered how he'd missed this before.
Carter wasn't human… was he?"
Now, whether or not his friend knew that, Douxie didn't know. But if Carter wasn't aware of this, Douxie wasn't going to be the one to tell him. At least not yet.
"I'm fine." Douxie finally answered, forcing a smile. "Just thinking, that's all."
Carter's brows furrowed with worry and he held Douxie's gaze a little longer. "You sure?"
Douxie nodded. "Absolutely." He couldn't figure out if the way his heart was pounding in his chest was from the sudden realization, or the way Carter was looking at him. "I'm okay."
March 15, 1943
As the months passed, and the war went on, Douxie's suspicion about his friend's true nature grew. But so did his feelings towards him.
Douxie wasn't a stranger to romantic or physical attraction to either gender, and Carter wasn't the first boy Douxie had been attracted to. He'd had multiple partners in the last eight or so hundred years since he left Camelot, and he hadn't limited himself to just one gender. But as the world grew more cold and rigid, so did people's perceptions of love and it had become increasingly difficult to keep a healthy and safe relationship with any male partner he'd tried to be with. It had been almost fifty years since Douxie even thought about being in a relationship at all, actually. He'd been… busy, keeping the world safe from the countless magical threats to even really consider another relationship.
But Carter was different, somehow. Douxie liked him, he was funny, sarcastic, a little bit rude and abrasive if you didn't know him, but he had a good heart. Carter made Douxie want to try to love someone in an intimate way again, after such a long time of ignoring personal relationships to focus on the tasks Merlin had given him.
In short, Douxie had a massive crush on Carter Howard.
The problem lied with Douxie subtly trying to guess or ask if Carter was even attracted to guys, and if he was willing to take the risks of a relationship with him in times like this. The other problem lied with Carter maybe being a demigod, and Merlin's very specific instructions to stay out of the gods' business, and to not engage with their children. Douxie didn't know what to do. He couldn't see hidden divinity in individuals like Merlin could, and if Carter hadn't realized who his father really was yet, then that would make it even harder to tell. But then again, Douxie could be wrong.
And he couldn't exactly focus on finding out right now, anyway. His only focus at the moment should be sticking with his team, and watching Carter's back.
The truck bounced along on the dirt road, the men lined in the backseats solemn and quiet. Nobody much had the heart to try and lighten the mood. Not when they were being sent to their graves.
Carter was tense next to Douxie, fist curled into a ball at his side, knee bouncing with anxiety and restlessness. His jaw was clenched and Douxie could tell he was biting back a scream. He'd gotten a letter from his mom just before they were deployed. It… wasn't good. Carter hadn't bothered to tell Douxie what it had said exactly, but judging by the way his face had paled when he read it, Douxie guessed it wasn't good news.
Douxie slowly placed a hand over Carter's balled up fist. "You're going home after this, right?"
"Just a few weeks." Carter whispered softly. "I have to-" he swallowed thickly, blinking back tears. "I have to see her, Douxie. I need to see my mom." He closed his eyes, taking in a rattling breath. "And this is all assuming I even live through this mission."
Douxie squeezed his hand. "You're going to make it home, Carter. I promise. I'm going to make sure you get home."
Carter didn't answer, but squeezed his hand back. Douxie saw a single tear slip down his cheek.
As the soldiers piled out of the truck, the eerie quietness of the forest seemed to seep into their bones. The truck pulled away, leaving the men there to either come back triumphant, or die in the battlefield.
"Let's move out." Sergeant Vera ordered, keeping a hand on his rifle. "Stay close and stay quiet. We'll reach the enemy base camp by sundown."
Douxie stuck close to Carter as they walked. He glanced at his friend every so often worriedly.
"Stop doing that." Carter said in a tired voice. "I can feel you looking at me."
"I'm just worried." Douxie said softly.
Carter huffed. "I didn't ask for you to worry."
Douxie blinked. "Carter, you don't need to ask me to worry about you. I'm worried because you're my friend and I care about you."
Carter stopped, gripping his gun so tightly his knuckles turned white. He looked at Douxie, brown eyes boring into his. "Why do you care? What is it about me that makes you care so damn much?"
Douxie felt his chest constrict with sadness at the look of anger in Carter's eyes. How he was so hurt that he couldn't even believe someone actually cared about him? "Why would I not?" He asked gently. "How could I not? You're the first person who talked to me when I got here. You've saved my life countless times. You're the only person I've let myself get close to in years. I-" he stopped himself from saying I love you. He couldn't say that yet. Instead he took a deep breath and gently but firmly grabbed Carter by the shoulders. "After everything we've been through together, I trust you to have my back. Do you hear me? I trust you, Carter Howard. I trust you and I care about you. I care that you live to see your mother again. I care that you come back from this mission alive because it would destroy me if you died." He felt tears pricking in his eyes. "You're my best friend. You're the only friend I have out here."
Carter stared at him, eyes wide. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of something to say. Finally he settled for a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Thank you." He pulled out of Douxie's grip. He turned away, but paused and added, "You have my back, I've got yours."
Douxie decided that would be the best response he'd get right now. He matched Carter's pace as they walked. "You can count on it, Queens."
The corners of Carter's mouth twitched with a smile. "Thank you, by the way." He met Douxie's gaze. "For trusting me. I…" he laughed softly. Douxie wanted to hear him laugh more. "I don't know why you do, but I'm glad you think I'm worth it."
"I think you're worth that, and more."
Carter's cheeks flushed and he quickly looked away. "Okay, that's enough sappy feelings." He grumbled.
Douxie couldn't help the satisfaction he felt at making Carter blush. Maybe there was a chance for them after all.
By the time they got to the enemy camp, Douxie had begun to feel twitches of nervousness. His magic was buzzing at the base of his skull, ringing his mental alarm bells like crazy.
Carter was crouched next to him, peeking through the bushes, brows furrowed slightly. "This isn't right." He muttered. "There should be men stationed all around that front entrance."
"Sergeant." Douxie said in a low voice. "I don't like the look of this."
Sergeant Vera waved him off. "Howard, give me a bird's eye view of it." He glanced at Carter. "Stay out of sight."
Carter nodded and retreated into the forest. He was probably looking for a tree to climb. The rest of the group stayed crouched in the bushes, watching the scene before them.
About thirty feet directly ahead of them was a large, squat building made up of rusted metal and old bricks. A heavy metal door stood between them and the inside. A couple dozen trucks were lined up at the front, but there were hardly any guards anywhere. Just the odd patrol or two. Douxie watched one of them for a moment before the guy disappeared around the side of the building.
"Sir?" He spoke quietly, hands beginning to shake with adrenaline. "Sergeant Vera, I really think we should go. This feels like some sort of trap."
The sergeant grunted, slinging his gun off his shoulder. "We have our orders, Casperan. You just follow yours."
Douxie forced down a scowl and turned away. He looked out across the treetops, hoping to catch a glimpse of Carter. He didn't see him. But he didn't need to because about five seconds later, a shrill whistle rang out across the forest.
Sergeant Vera whistled back and cocked his gun. "That's our cue boys. Stay low, and try not to get caught. We move quickly and quietly."
Douxie waited as Sergeant Vera went first, looking over his shoulder for Carter. He still didn't see him. He took a breath and brandished his weapon, following his commanding officer into the base. He just really hoped nothing would go wrong.
