Chapter 2
It was beginning to grow dark when the ledge they were following suddenly led them into a proper canyon. Though the walls were still steep, the ground at least was solid, and there was even a small forest in front of them, though it didn't extend completely to the sides of the canyon.
Ky looked over at Sol to find him grinning. Perversely, this made him annoyed. "What are you so happy about?"
Ky's annoyance only seemed to make Sol happier. "Good news. I know where we are. The fissure that that... whatever-it-was made seems to have cut right into one of my favorite haunts, though I don't usually come this far down the canyon. I've used this canyon before and you'll be pleased to know that it's about a day and a half hike from here to your police station. Of course, it will take longer with you injured, but still, it's nice to have an idea of where we're going."
Ky felt relieved. Only a day and a half. With his leg, it would obviously be longer, but it still shouldn't take more than four days. The fewer days he had to spend with this ex-Knight bounty hunter pervert the better.
"Well," said Sol, interrupting Ky's thoughts, "it's getting dark. We should probably make camp and then keep going in the morning." He paused. "Since it widens here, you can't lean on the side any more. You're going to have to lean on my shoulder again."
Ky glared at him and stubbornly took his sword out of his sheath, leaning on it as a crutch and hobbling his way forward. A few seconds later he heard Sol sigh and follow him.
It didn't take them long to find a small clearing, and Ky gratefully collapsed against a tree trunk, sinking wearily to the ground and closing his eyes.
"You stay there," he heard Sol say. "I'm going to go get some stuff to make the fire. I'll be back in a bit."
Ky nodded, but he had no idea if Sol noticed or cared. Instead he let himself drift peacefully into darkness.
He awoke sometime later to a rhythmic clicking noise. He opened his eyes, then blinked for a few moments at the seemingly incongruous scene. In front of him, Sol crouched diligently, a neat stone ring full of firewood between them. In his hands were two rocks, presumably flint, which he was apparently using in an attempt to start a fire. Ky blinked a few more times.
"What... are you doing?" he asked finally.
"Huh?" Sol looked up at him, apparently startled to find him awake, then blushed, looking faintly sheepish. "I'm starting a fire. What does it look like?" he mumbled.
"You're a master of fire magic," observed Ky. "Since when do you need flint to start one?"
"I just... wanted to do it the old-fashioned way," said Sol defensively.
Ky stared at him. Then suddenly, comprehension dawned and he burst out laughing. "Oh my God, you don't have the control, do you? You have all the power to start a raging inferno, but you can't even light a little campfire!"
"Hey, shut up!" yelled Sol, blushing further. "It's not my fault that I never took the time to... okay, well maybe it is." Sol waved his hand in the air as he attempted to find some sort of intelligent comeback. "That's not the point," he said lamely.
Ky looked at him skeptically. "Sure."
"Why do you think you know anything about me anyway?" asked Sol bitterly.
"I read your case file," Ky answered truthfully.
Sol leered at him. "Aw, are you taking a special interest in me, Captain?"
Ky looked at him disgustedly. "That's another thing that's been bothering me. Since when do you hit on me like that?"
Sol's leer grew. "Are you that bothered? It's because you like it isn't it? I bet it is."
Ky frowned and with a considerable amount of dignity managed not to blush. "Just answer the question Sol."
Sol closed one eye and held up a finger. "It's like this. I've always wanted you. It's just that wanting to kill you took greater precedence. Now that that option is currently closed off, I'm on to plan B."
Ky struggled to take this in. "So you haven't hit on to me up until this point only because you were too busy trying to kill me?"
Sol nodded enthusiastically. "Now you're getting it."
"But..." Ky frowned. "What about I-No? Aren't you and she...?"
Sol sputtered incoherently for a few moments, his face turning red. "No! Of course not. No! Just- no! Definitely not. Where did you hear that?"
Ky smiled slightly, amused at having been able to unbalance his rival. "I don't remember. Someone told me, I guess."
Sol shook his head vehemently. "Well it's not true! She must have been spreading that rumor. Damn. I knew she had a thing for me! No, I was just using her to get to that ma-" He stopped midsentence. "Er, nevermind."
"Do you often use people?" Ky asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sol looked at him with sudden and surprising seriousness. "No," he said matter-of-factly.
"Ah." Ky looked back at the still unlit fire. While they talked the sun had finally set, and it was beginning to get cold. With a sigh, he maneuvered his sword out of its sheath and laid the point of it on the dry wood.
"I don't have enough energy on my own at the moment," he said, "but I think I might manage to..." He closed his eyes and concentrated, sending a spark of electricity through the blade and into the firewood. The tinder caught immediately and within moments there was a roaring campfire between them. With a little effort, Ky sheathed his sword.
Sol blinked. "Or you could do that, sure."
Ky smiled at him. "I may be injured, but I'm not totally useless you know." He yawned.
"Why don't you get some sleep," suggested Sol.
Ky shook his head. "Do you honestly think I'm going to sleep around you?"
"What?" Sol grinned. "Are you afraid that I'm going to kill you in your sleep or molest you? Because don't worry, I'm not going to kill you after all that work keeping you alive."
Ky put a hand over his eyes. "God. That hadn't even occurred to me. Now I really can't sleep."
There was a short silence in which the only sound was the cheerful crackling of the newly made bonfire. Finally Sol seemed to take pity on him. "Fine, fine. Sleep. I promise that I won't molest you while you're unconscious. You have my word, okay?"
Ky looked at Sol through the fingers of one hand. "You seriously promise?"
Sol put a hand on his heart. "I swear, on my honor." Ky nodded, satisfied, and closed his eyes.
"Oh, but before you go to sleep," said Sol, and Ky opened his eyes once again. Sol stood in one fluid motion and walked around the campfire to Ky's side, kneeling down next to him. Planting one hand firmly on the tree above Ky's head, he placed the other on Ky's cheek and used it to gently turn Ky's face toward his own.
Coherent thought suddenly fled as Ky felt Sol's lips against his own. It was gentle - surprisingly so. He had never really expected Sol to be gentle for some reason. It seemed contrary to his nature. But then, Ky had never really expected any of this.
Ky felt Sol's tongue glide over his lips, mutely requesting entry. Without hesitation he opened his mouth, allowing Sol to slide his tongue between Ky's lips, deepening the kiss and sending a raging jolt through Ky's entire body.
The blond Knight could feel his breath coming in gasps now. Each inhalation came heavily laden with Sol's scent, intoxicatingly close. The strange musk seemed to be driving him mad, pushing all rational thought out of his mind. All he could feel was the want of it, the desire to have more. He whimpered slightly against Sol's mouth, lifting his hands to tangle in Sol's hair in an attempt to somehow drag him closer. He was rewarded by a renewal of the crushing heat upon his mouth. Ky felt like he was melting.
And then suddenly, Sol pulled back. He grinned and licked his lips. "Mmm." He stood up. "Good night, Kiske." And then he walked back around the campfire and lied down, appearing to fall instantly into a deep sleep.
Ky sat staring for a moment, trying to comprehend what had just happened. His brain carefully catalogued and deciphered the events of the past minute or two, then formulated an analysis, which it summarily presented to Ky's consciousness in the form of this thought:
Sol just kissed me.
There were a few more moments of processing, which led to another conclusion:
I liked it.
His mind conferenced on this for a moment, then amended it:
I really liked it.
These functions completed, his brain proceeded to shut down as he went into shock. Or more accurately, relapsed into shock.
Ky lied gently back against the tree and closed his eyes. Sleep. Sleep would definitely do him good. He could sleep on this, and then try and come up with some appropriate reaction tomorrow. Right. Sleep was a good idea.
But before he drifted off, he cracked one eye open for a last fleeting glimpse of Sol.
Oh God, that was hideous. Take me back.
or
Oh God, that was hideous. Let me complain to the author.