Lovers in
Madness
a tale by Gabs and Shila
Dwyn wasn't sure if he should knock on the door, but he figured that just knocking wouldn't set off any magical traps, so he raised a hand and rapped on the frame, pounding out a vigorous rythm. The book he'd borrowed from Kieran and finally finished was tucked under one arm, and his silver-lined cloak was wraped tightly around himself, hood drawn up over his honey-brown hair.
The doorframe glittered as Kieran tugged it open. "Hello," the boy smiled. "I'm just yanking my boots on. C'mon in," he said, waving a hand as he ducked into his room and grabbed up one high leather boot. "Is there anything specific I should bring?" he wanted to know, peering up at Dwyn as he tied his laces. He was dressed in dark purple tunic and breeches and a very long black coat that resembled a duster and his satchel was sitting next to him, crowded with things he'd need overnight.
Dwyn hiked an eyebrow. "Not really. Lord and Lady, what did you PACK? It's just one night. Y'know, unless you want to stay two, but you'd have to run back to school in the morning for class." He eyed Kieran's satchel, then eyed Kieran, admiring his outfit for a breif moment. It made him look.... dangerous? Something like that. A mini-neko version of dangerous.
Kieran glanced up and grinned sheepishly. "I've got a few books," he admitted, sounding as though it was something he was guilty of quite often. "I figured you'd want more. And I have one that I -think- might interest your mother." He smiles hopefully and donned his other boot, standing and hefting his satchel, which really didn't hold all that much to begin with. "You can just set that on the bed," he said, gesturing to the book in Dwyn's hands.
Dwyn nodded and put it down hastily. "So, are you ready?" He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, grinning breathlessly, twisting the point of a knife between his teeth. "I tried to get mom to let me take the broom, but she nixed that idea. Said I can't ride until I make my own.... Goddess only knows how long THAT'll be."
Kieran grinned and nodded, leaning forward to peer up at Dwyn. "Why're you always sucking on a blade?" he inquired curiously, figuring it was safer to ask about that than what the crazy Witch meant about a broom. He shooed Dwyn toward the door and out of the room, following and shutting the door behind him. It sealed with a flash of black light.
Dwyn allowed himself to be shooed, falling into a place that seemed natural to him, one step behind Kieran and one step to his left. "I don't know. It's just something I've always done. Mom says I got into the habit because my father always did it and when I was teething he gave me a knife to chew on once. Of course, I'll bet if that story's TRUE, she tanned his hide. Does it matter?"
Kieran laughed, shaking his head. "No," he shrugged. "Just curious. It's gotten me into plenty of trouble, being curious," he said lightly, leading Dwyn through the halls and out the door into the night. It was snowing again, fat, heavy flakes falling down, the wind just enough to feel as the silence pervaded, the streets verging on empty.
Fortunately, the wind wasn't as biting as the last time they'd made this walk. Dwyn bundled himself up and sang christmas carols at the top of his lungs, dancing and twirling and slipping and sliding in the snow (but never quite falling down) and swishing his cape dramatically - and generally making an idiot of himself.
Kierann watched Dwyn with a smile on his face, stepping lightly through the snow and singing softly with the other boy as they made their way through the snow. Dwyn was like an ever exuberant puppy that had the wisdom of an ancient dragon, and it was a fascinating combination.
Dwyn culminated his performance by throwing himself into a snowdrift on the side of the road with a yell, making a decisive crunch as he landed in the piled white fluffiness ad squirmed around until he was on his back, arms and legs moving. "Look, a tilted snow angel!"
Kieran just about died laughing at that, bent in half at the waist and giggling madly. "You are completely insane," he said, and the way he said it made it sound like a good thing. Like a happy thing.
Dwyn grinned. "And?" he wondered aloud, digging his hands into the snow and flinging a semi-coherant chunk of it at Kieran. "Come on, it's WINTER. Winter means YULE. Why shouldn't I be in a good mood?"
Kieran lifted a hand to bat away the snow, smiling down at Dwyn. "I didn't say you shouldn't be, just that you're nowhere near sanity. And you'll also be nowhere near health if you keep rolling in the snow..." The smaller boy smirked and bent, scooping up a wad of snow and crushing it into a ball which was then lobbed right onto Dwyn's belly.
Dwyn laughed and smacked it away, hauling himself out of the pile of snow (after a couple of unsusccesful tries) and grabbing Kieran around the waist.
Kieran squeaked and tumbled over, falling onto Dwyn. "Oh, no you don't!" he said, laughing and trying to wriggle out of his grip.
Dwyn held him up, then turned and threw them both into a pile in the snow with a kamikaze yell.
Kieran pulled Dwyn into a roll, using the other's momentum to spin them over thrice and land Dwyn on his back. Kieran perched dizzily atop Dwyn with a triumphant smile. "Gotcha."
Dwyn released Kieran and let his arms flap out. "Aww, you're too quick," he pouted.
Kieran smiled brightly. "One has to be, living with Kagami."
Dwyn grinned and planted a handful of snow in Kieran's face.
Kieran yowled in disbelief and tumbled backward, ears folded back as he brushed snow out of his eyes.
Dwyn laughed and picked himself up. "Sorry, kitten, but it was just too easy," he said, offering Kieran an apologetic grin.
Kieran eyed him balefully and hissed softly, sinking onto his knees in the snow. "I'll get you, gaki na. See if I don't." He didn't sound serious, just disgruntled.
Dwyn grinned. "You'd have to catch me first," he murmured, and then squealed and bolted off toward his mother's shop at full speed.
Kieran sighed and got to his feet and lazily sauntered after Dwyn. They'd be sleeping in the same room tonight, after all, and revenge was a dish best served cold.
Dwyn paused several times to make sure Kieran was keeping up, then flew through the shop door, barely pausing to leave his boots next to the counter. "Mom, we're here!" Then his socked feet were pounding up the stairs as Sabbath was forced to direct her question to his retreating back. "Why are you soaking wet...."
"Because he decided to make snow angels and tackle me," Kieran said cheerfully from the doorway as he de-booted himself and shut the door. "Hello," he greeted, smiling up at Sabbath before following Dwyn up the stairs, a silent shadow.
"Yule blessings, Kieran," Sabbath told him as he followed her son up the stairs, reassuming her lazy pose behind the counter.
Dwyn was shrugging off his cape. "Come on, my room's this way," he said, heading to the back corner of the living room and into the small alcove there, shedding clothing as he went.
Kieran bounced after Dwyn, tugging off his duster and resettling his satchel as he followed the other boy into the niche.
The niche was a doorway, really, and on the other side was a claustrophobically narrow hallway with two doors on the right side. Dwyn ducked into the first one. "It's really small... sorry," he said as he tugged off his wet tunic, revealing a well-muscled frame free of scars. The room WAS small, barely more than an alcove itself, with a bed and a bookshelf overflowing with books, a small wooden table with candles and a statue on it, and a few scattered cat toys. Taliesin was sprawled across the foot of the bed, the quilty of which was a gold and black design.
Kieran ducked in behind him, smiling as he looked around. "It's okay. It looks comfortable. Hello, neko-chan," he trilled, extending a hand to Taliesin and providing a wonderful little chin-scritch. He grinned, looking up at Dwyn. "I like it here," he murmured, black eyes sweeping over Dwyn's body.
Dwyn grinned. "Good. I like it too, even though it's small. It's mine. ANd the walls are thick." There was no telling WHAT on earth he meant by that as he shed his pants without a shred of embarassment... for all he thought, they were just a couple boys, after all... and went over to the little dresser to hunt for a dry pair.
Kieran couldn't help but look, but it was more curiosity and a want to assess the other's nature than any lecherous purpose. Still, Dwyn was hot. That revelation faded inconsequentially, and Kieran pulled fresh tunic and breeches from his satchel. "And you thought I wouldn't need all this."
"Well, why do you think I pushed you into a snowbank?" Dwyn wondered, rolling his eyes as he sat on the floor and rolled around some, struggling into a dry pair of breeches.
Rolling his eyes, Kieran pulled off his tunic, mostly folding it and dropping it on his feet as he shook out the one he'd pulled out, a dark green, and tugged it over his head, wiry muscle rippling under pale skin. "Because you want me to pay you back in your sleep?"
"Nah, pay me back when I'm awake. I sleep like the dead," Dwyn told him cheerfully. "Oh... shit. And I grind my teeth too. I'm sorry, I should have warned you."
"It's okay. Corus snores and Caden's been known to talk in his sleep," Kieran shrugged, a slight smile curving his lips. "And... where'll I sleep?" he asked, tugging off his wet breeches and pulling on fresh, black, loose pants that were thick and warm. Wet clothes vanished into the satchel and several books came out.
"Well, my bed's big enough," Dwyn told him, "And I don't drape." He tugged on a short-sleeved black tunic that laced up at the neck, showing off his silver pentacle necklace that hung out of the cleft.
"I'll probably end up using you as a pillow, but if you don't mind... and I sometimes purr in my sleep, too," he confessed, sounding amusedly sheepish.
Dwyn shrugged and made a dismissive sound. "Hey, I don't care. I'm cuddly enough, I just sleep on my stomach, so I don't like to have people under me. On top of me isn't a problem. And if you purr, it'll just help me sleep better." He smiled warmly.
Kieran nodded, smiling sweetly. "Okay," he agreed, holding a book out to the other boy. "I think you'll like this." It was a collection of myths and legends, some of which just may have been true. "I hope you will, anyway, and I -really- want to show these to your mother... I bet she can read them," Kieran said, eyes glowing as he held up two small, battered books.
Dwyn tilted his head and reached for them. "What are they?"
"They're in runes," Kieran told him. "And there's pictures. Acorns, trees, diagrams, pentacles..." He offered the books to Dwyn.
Dwyn shook his head suddenly. "No, you go give them to her," he said, flopping onto his bed and folding his hands behind his head.
Kieran blinked and eyed Dwyn for a moment before nodding. "Alright," he said, turning and ducking out of the room and slipping down the hall and the stairs to prowl toward the counter.
Sabbath glanced up at him and smiled. "Any idea what you boys want for dinner?" she inquired lightly, her own nose stuck very firmly in a slim book of her own.
Kieran's eyes widened. "Um," he said intelligently. "I don't mind and Dwyn hasn't mentioned anything and he said I should show these to you," he said, offering up the two abused, yellowed books.
She looked curious and took them from him, flipping the covers open and glancing over them. "These are in Rus," she murmured. "Where did you get them?"
"The vendor wanted to get rid of them, said they were bad luck, and that I could have them cheap. They looked interesting, so I said yes," Kieran said, peering up at her. "What are they?"
She smiled at him. "Lost ways of brewing, lost rituals.... that sort of thing. Idiot of vendor... but then again, people do tend to fear what they don't understand. Thank you, Kieran." She slipped off of her stool and gave him a tight, warm hug, as loving as any his parents had ever given him, but softer because she was a woman.
Kieran glowed and nodded, returning the hug happily, glad that he could do something nice for her. "You can keep them. I doubt they'll ever be up to me to comprehend. Should I ask Dwyn what he wants to eat?" he wanted to know.
She rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "Nevermind. Dwyn doesn't care. There's nothing you want?"
The boy shook his head. "Nope," he smiled. "Is there anything I can do for you before I go bug Dwyn again?"
"Such a responsible little sweetheart. Yes, you can do something for me - you can rub off on my son. So go do that, why don't you?" She grinned at him.
Kieran giggled. "I'll try," he said earnestly, scampering off up the stairs and through the living room and back to Dwyn's room. "Hey," he said, knocking lightly as he stuck his head back in, followed by the rest of his slender frame.
Dwyn was wrestling with his cat. "Hey!" he called cheerfully. "Um, just make yourself at home. The shop'll close in about an hour."
"Okay," Kieran said, grinning as he perched on the edge of Dwyn's bed. He began to encourage Taliesin with purrs and meows; Cat usually understood him, so why shouldn't Tal?
Taliesin squawked as Dwyn threw him onto his back and vigorously rubbed his belly.
Those back claws came up, batting at Dwyn's hands, but the cat's claws were retracted.
"You like teasing us kitties, huh?" Kieran asked teasingly, watching with sparkling black eyes. His tail swayed lazily behind him.
Dwyn chuckled. "I like wrestling kitties." He stuck his face in Taliesin's belly and made a brrrrrrrrapp! sound. "And teasing them and snuggling with them. Fondness for cats seems to run in the family.
"I can tell. Is that why you keep pouncing me? To wrestle?" Kieran wondered, pulling his knees up to his chest and looking like a small doll.
"Sometimes. You don't fight back though," he said regretfully. "Oh well, doesn't matter. Pouncing you is fun anyway."
"But I don't want you hurt you," Kieran protested, hiding a smirk.
Dwyn blinked at him, then melted into an 'Oh, come on' sort of smile. "Kieran, you're not going to hurt me. Trust me on this one."
Kieran tilted his head. "Alright." He was more than willing to take Dwyn at his word, and he proved it by tackling the other boy with a whoop.
Dwyn let out a gleeful yell and bounced on the bed, one knee coming up to catch Kieran. It sank into Dwyn's chest under his weight, giving so as not to hurt him, and then Dwyn was grappling FIERCELY with him, growling under his breath, golden eyes flashing as he writhed in ways a human being should not have been able to, straining to get Kieran pinned.
Kieran laughed and twisted, wriggling in Dwyn's grip. For some reason, he didn't mind being trapped by the other boy. The flash in Dwyn's eyes should have made him afraid, but instead it just made him shiver; why, he didn't know.
Dwyn straddled his hips, grinning, his eyes a sea of tiger yellow, the pupils just the barest pinpricks of blackness. His grin... it was feral, more like a baring of teeth. Then, inexplicably, he lowered his head and took Kieran's throat in his teeth. He put the slightest bit of pressure on the bite, enough to make Kieran's helplessness blaringly apparent to him.
Kieran made a soft noise and let his head fall back, knowing that Dwyn wouldn't hurt him. He tasted like spice, cinnamon and clove, and he was warm. His hands wound around Dwyn's wrists and his tail twitched as he showed submission.
Dwyn chuckled against his throat and the dominant hold changed to a playful gnawing at the side of his neck where the flesh wasn't quite so tender. He seemed satisfied with Kieran's submission, enough at least to switch from feral beast to playful kitten himself.
Kieran arched his neck, turning his head. He found it interesting that there was a shivery sensation rippling from where Dwyn was chewing on him. It tickled in a pleasant way, and he saw no harm in just purring softly and kneading the other boy's shoulders with his hands.
Dwyn finally nuzzled down, resting his weight on Kieran. He might have been taller than the mage, but his frame was slender, fine-boned like his mother's, so despite the ammount of muscle he carried, he wasn't that heavy. His breath blushed against Kieran's neck as he made himself comfortable, letting out a little sigh as his hands wormed their way under Kieran's body so Dwyn could cling.
Kieran was used to being used as a pillow and otherwise snuggling post, and he'd been missing it during the time he'd been in school. So it was more than fine with him to cuddle up to Dwyn and just purr steadily, letting his eyes shut themselves. Dwyn was warm atop him, and his weight was comforting, not confining. Kieran did like small dark spaces to curl up in, and those that consisted of snuggleable things were the best kind.
Dwyn sighed again. "I probably should let you change for bed," he said, sounding remarkably young, innocent, and vulnerable. "But I don't want to move."
"Already changed," Kieran mumbled, cracking one eye open to peer at Dwyn. "And I'd rather you didn't, too. Good blanket," he said with a warm, sweet, and somewhat sleepy smile.
Dwyn considered that. "I guess we could get under the blanket," he murmured.
Kieran considered that. "Hai," he said, nodding slightly. The tip of his tail, sticking out from under him, twitched lazily and he yawned widely, nose wrinkling. "But you... have to move for that, too. Not as much, though..."
Dwyn nodded. "Right. Not as much. And it means more warmth. I don't want you to be cold," he said matter-of-factly as he shifted off of Kieran and pulled the covers down.
Kieran wriggled until he was under them, pulling Dwyn with him gently but insistently. He curled up against the other boy, a small, warm weight against his side, ears flicking and black eyes heavy-lidded.
Dwyn rather easily curled around Kieran, finding it surprisingly comfortable to be close to another person. he felt protective, and even as he realized that, he was pulling Kieran closer and nuzzling at his shoulder.
It was nice to cuddle with Dwyn, and to Kieran, that meant a great deal. He didn't trust many people enough to snuggle them like this, and Kieran felt that there was something pulling them together, that they were destined to be friends. Amazingly, it had not yet taken on a sexual connotation; the idea had occurred to him, but he had dismissed it to think over again in five years.
Dwyn settled in, making a contented sound deep in his throat as those golden eyes sealed shut. Doubtlessly his mother would check on them before too long, but she'd be quiet about it. She might not even bother actually looking into the room, and as long as she saw they were sleeping soundly, she wouldn't be concerned. Unless she woke them up, squealing about how cute they were - she was liable to do things like that.
Kieran purred softly as he lay there, daydreaming in and out of his own world and really not paying attention to much at all. His world consisted of warm darkness and Dwyn pressed against him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt perfectly safe.
Dwyn smelled of blood, of bread baking, and distantly of the herbs and sweet-smelling wood that the shop smelled of. It was an odd combination.
It was pleasant, though, and Kieran didn't mind. He knew that he always smelled a bit odd, a bit more spicy than proper, but it didn't really register. The sound of their heartbeats were loud, though, and Kieran wondered if Dwyn could hear it just as loudly.
Dwyn could. Dwyn could practically feel the blood running through Kieran's veins. There was a part of him that desperately wanted to taste it, to bite into Kieran's skin and eat him alive. Fortunately, that part of him was subdued, shoved into the background by the part of him that truly hated to hurt people and would have REALLY hated to cause Kieran even a shred of pain. Even though he had a hard time knowing what was painful for others, despite his mother's careful coaching.
"Ne, arekuru..." Kieran murmured softly, thinking lazily and only somewhat aware that he was actually speaking. He thought it fit Dwyn, though... arekuru. Wild... feral, only tamed by his will. And one hell of a will that was. Dwyn was iron, steel... something that would never break, but simply bend. Or maybe that was all just a fanciful analogy conjured up by his half-asleep mind. That happened sometimes.
"Hm?" Dwyn murmured quietly, half-asleep himself and drifting into that pleasant realm where everything was warm and fuzzy and Kieran smelled so nice under his cheek.
"Why are your eyes gold?" Kieran inquired faintly, not bothering to open his own eyes. He smelled of clove and cinnamon, skin soft and hot as the nekojin's tail curled around Dwyn's knee.
"My father's eyes are gold," Dwyn told him, yawning mid-explanation. "So I guess I got it from him. Why, is it important?"
"It's exquisite," Kieran corrected with a sleepy smile. "Nothing like it, ever. Seen, that is. Pretty."
Dwyn chuckled at the disjointedness of Kieran's speech. "You think so? Most people think it's... unnerving. Mom says I have a tiger's eyes. Like a predator."
"It's not. It... I don't know. It's like all the light, all the -power- in you shines through them. That's why some see it as unnerving. It's not the color. It's the look behind them, how you radiate intensity. Most people aren't comfortable with that." Kieran's voice was soft and slow, words deliberate. Thinking in this warm, snuggly state was a bit more strenuous than usual.
Dwyn nodded, turning that over in his mind. "We're all intense," he said quietly. "My mom and my dad and me. And we can all be pretty frightening in our intensity when we want to be. I like my eyes. But yours are prettier. You can see stars and colors and endless reflections in perfect black," he said reasonably.
"Nuh-uh. Yours are," Kieran corrected him with a slight grin. "Yours are suns. Mine are shadows. Gold and obsidian, ne, arekuru?"
"What does that mean?" he wondered, duplicating the word with impressive verbosity. "Arekuru?"
"It means feral," Kieran said, cracking open an eye to look over at Dwyn. "It suits you."
Dwyn laughed. "Like kitten suits you. A tame little housecat...."
"I am not," Kieran said indignantly, shifting and propping himself up on his elbows to eye Dwyn. "This neko's got -claws-, you know."
Dwyn shrugged. "Kitten claws don't bother me," he said as he rolled onto his back and looked up at Kieran.
Kieran tilted his head, ears perking curiously. "How not?" he inquired, black eyes sparkling with the endless thirst for knowledge.
Dwyn blinked. "They... don't. I like cats."
"So you don't mind," Kieran said, nodding. He stared at Dwyn thoughtfully for a moment before holding out one hand, which was completed by long and sharp nails, if not claws. He drew the tip of one nail over Dwyn's cheek lightly, not wanting to hurt him, just tease a little.
Dwyn pushed into the nail, making a pleasured sound.
Kieran blinked and obligingly pressed harder, dragging his fingernails down Dwyn's jaw and then his neck, leaving thin red lines.
Dwyn rubbed against his nails, a low 'mmmmm,' escaping his throat as his eyes drifted closed in pleasure.
"You like that?" Kieran asked, not sounding very surprised. He knew how nice a good scratch was, and it didn't really hurt. He trailed his nails further, leaving patterns that faded quickly.
"Yeah...." Dwyn groaned, eyes popping open, looking adorably plaintive. "Kieran?'
"Mmm-hmmm?" Kieran answered, peering down at Dwyn inquisitively. "What is it?" He didn't stop, tracing more fine lines up over the other's cheek.
"Could you do me a really big favor?" he asked meekly.
"Sure!" Kieran said brightly, smiling sweetly. "What?"
Dwyn rolled away from him and squirmed until he was on his back, pulling his shirt up in the process. "Scratch here?" he begged.
Kieran laughed, having half been expecting that. "Alright," he agreed, clambering onto Dwyn and sitting on his butt so he could scratch properly. He leaned over and drew his nails down Dwyn's back just hard enough, scritching all over the other's pale skin and purring softly to himself.
): Dwyn convulsed. Hard. Almost hard enough to throw Kieran off of him. And the groan he let out would have better suited an orgasming male than one getting nails drawn down his back. He gasped, fingernails digging visibly into the sheets and twisting them as he shivered under Kieran's hands and groaned loudly.
Kieran meeped and then giggled, tightening his legs on either side of Dwyn. "Does that feel good?" he asked teasingly, making sure to not miss an inch as he scraped sharp naisl over every spot of Dwyn's flesh.
"You're GOOD at it!" he marveled. "I've only let maybe one other person do this EVER, aside from mom, and they were trying to be a fucking tease and I killed them....." he writhed under Kieran, making satisfied sounds. "Well, I didn't kill them... I wanted to."
"Well, when you want scritches from a kitten, you're bound to get good ones," Kieran said, voice laced with amusement as his hands roamed over Dwyn's skin, nails leaving the slightest of welts. "Who teased you?"
"Doesn't matter," he groaned, shuddering deeply. "You're much better at it. Back scratches are sacred. You should NEVER tease about a back scratch."
Kieran giggled softly. "I won't," he vowed, never stopping in his motions. He liked the way Dwyn's voice sounded with a hint of a shiver to it. He had a dirty thought and giggled again, pushing it to the side.
Dwyn didn't notice the giggle. His attention was utterly and completely focused on Kieran's nails raking over his skin. "Harder?" he pleaded, arching up into Kieran's hands.
Kieran bit his lip and refused to laugh his ass off, obediently scraping harder. He was scratching quite forcefully now, making sure that there wasn't any bit of Dwyn's back that wasn't at least a bit reddened.
"Unnnnngh," he moaned, finally going limp on the mattress. "Thanks."
Kieran nodded cheerily. "No problem. That was fun. I'm betting you enjoyed it too?" he asked lightly, now just tracing over Dwyn's back gently, nails almost tickling.
Dwyn squirmed violently. "You said you wouldn't tease!'
"Oh!" Kieran said, instantly contrite. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that was teasing," he said, wide eyed. "And I thought you weren't ticklish?"
Dwyn hesitated. "Truth?"
"Please," Kieran said solemnly, leaning over to look at Dwyn.
"I'm ticklish. I just have the discipline to not laugh."
"Oh," Kieran said, nodding sagely. "So that means..." A smile spread over his face as he drew one fingertip down Dwyn's side, a feather-light touch.
Dwyn's teeth gritted together and he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Not moving.
"Do you want me to stop?" Kieran wondered. He didn't want to torment Dwyn, but... well... tickling was fun. He kept doing it, almost petting Dwyn rather than tickling him, but so lightly it was impossible to ignore.
Dwyn smirked. "I can withstand this all day."
"Oh. Okay," Kieran grinned, stopping and sprawling over Dwyn. He draped himself over the other boy, putting his face in the other's shoulder, and purred softly. He could tickle Dwyn some other time.
Dwyn wiggled a little, settling easily into his roll as mattress. "I probably have an unfair advantage," he said mildly. "I'm really used to it. Mom uses it to punish me since other stuff doesn't work so well."
Kieran didn't bother to move, just letting himself slide upward. He nuzzled into Dwyn's neck and purred there. "Hmmm... I guess." He was starting to feel vaguely lethargic, and Dwyn make just as good a mattress as he did blanket.
Dwyn smiled, recognizing his lack of interest as a sign of sleepiness. He said nothing, closing his eyes and drifting, finding it remarkably easy to find sleepiness himself even with Keiran's slight weight and surprisingly welcome warmth on his bare back.
"So how's that, anyway?" Kieran asked suddenly. Perhaps a bit of a delayed reaction; he was in a very relaxed state of mind. "Your advantage?"
Dwyn shrugged. "It's hard to hurt me," he said simply, face pressing into his pillow.
"What do you mean?" Kieran inquired, instantly interested. It was all to easy to whet his curiosity.
"That it's hard to hurt me." Dwyn yawned. "Don't feel it that much. S'just my unique psychosis, inherited biokinetics or some such wierdness, I don't know and I've never understood." he yawned again.
Kieran nodded and smiled sweetly. Dwyn was so cute when he was sleepy. He didn't analyze that thought too closely, instead making sure to remember to ask more tomorrow. "You're tired, aren't you?" he asked, sliding to Dwyn's side and curling against him with a soft sigh.
"Yeah," he mumbled, shifting as soon as Kieran was off of him and curling up against the other boy. "Aren't you?"
Kieran nodded against, yawning himself as he snuggled into Dwyn. "Hai," he confessed. "Quite."
"Then go to sleep," Dwyn told him. "See, logic strikes again." That seemed to amuse him for some reason and he broke out into a fit of giggling.
Kieran giggled as well, but he really had no idea why he was laughing other than that Dwyn was. "Alright," he conceded, making good use of Dwyn as a cuddling-post and burying his face in the other's neck.
Dwyn did the same and dropped off to sleep easily, falling into vivid dreams. Kieran was not far behind.
end chap 4 Back to part three / On to part five
Back to Heroes, Inc!
Back to originals
Back to fanfiction
a tale by Gabs and Shila
Dwyn wasn't sure if he should knock on the door, but he figured that just knocking wouldn't set off any magical traps, so he raised a hand and rapped on the frame, pounding out a vigorous rythm. The book he'd borrowed from Kieran and finally finished was tucked under one arm, and his silver-lined cloak was wraped tightly around himself, hood drawn up over his honey-brown hair.
The doorframe glittered as Kieran tugged it open. "Hello," the boy smiled. "I'm just yanking my boots on. C'mon in," he said, waving a hand as he ducked into his room and grabbed up one high leather boot. "Is there anything specific I should bring?" he wanted to know, peering up at Dwyn as he tied his laces. He was dressed in dark purple tunic and breeches and a very long black coat that resembled a duster and his satchel was sitting next to him, crowded with things he'd need overnight.
Dwyn hiked an eyebrow. "Not really. Lord and Lady, what did you PACK? It's just one night. Y'know, unless you want to stay two, but you'd have to run back to school in the morning for class." He eyed Kieran's satchel, then eyed Kieran, admiring his outfit for a breif moment. It made him look.... dangerous? Something like that. A mini-neko version of dangerous.
Kieran glanced up and grinned sheepishly. "I've got a few books," he admitted, sounding as though it was something he was guilty of quite often. "I figured you'd want more. And I have one that I -think- might interest your mother." He smiles hopefully and donned his other boot, standing and hefting his satchel, which really didn't hold all that much to begin with. "You can just set that on the bed," he said, gesturing to the book in Dwyn's hands.
Dwyn nodded and put it down hastily. "So, are you ready?" He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, grinning breathlessly, twisting the point of a knife between his teeth. "I tried to get mom to let me take the broom, but she nixed that idea. Said I can't ride until I make my own.... Goddess only knows how long THAT'll be."
Kieran grinned and nodded, leaning forward to peer up at Dwyn. "Why're you always sucking on a blade?" he inquired curiously, figuring it was safer to ask about that than what the crazy Witch meant about a broom. He shooed Dwyn toward the door and out of the room, following and shutting the door behind him. It sealed with a flash of black light.
Dwyn allowed himself to be shooed, falling into a place that seemed natural to him, one step behind Kieran and one step to his left. "I don't know. It's just something I've always done. Mom says I got into the habit because my father always did it and when I was teething he gave me a knife to chew on once. Of course, I'll bet if that story's TRUE, she tanned his hide. Does it matter?"
Kieran laughed, shaking his head. "No," he shrugged. "Just curious. It's gotten me into plenty of trouble, being curious," he said lightly, leading Dwyn through the halls and out the door into the night. It was snowing again, fat, heavy flakes falling down, the wind just enough to feel as the silence pervaded, the streets verging on empty.
Fortunately, the wind wasn't as biting as the last time they'd made this walk. Dwyn bundled himself up and sang christmas carols at the top of his lungs, dancing and twirling and slipping and sliding in the snow (but never quite falling down) and swishing his cape dramatically - and generally making an idiot of himself.
Kierann watched Dwyn with a smile on his face, stepping lightly through the snow and singing softly with the other boy as they made their way through the snow. Dwyn was like an ever exuberant puppy that had the wisdom of an ancient dragon, and it was a fascinating combination.
Dwyn culminated his performance by throwing himself into a snowdrift on the side of the road with a yell, making a decisive crunch as he landed in the piled white fluffiness ad squirmed around until he was on his back, arms and legs moving. "Look, a tilted snow angel!"
Kieran just about died laughing at that, bent in half at the waist and giggling madly. "You are completely insane," he said, and the way he said it made it sound like a good thing. Like a happy thing.
Dwyn grinned. "And?" he wondered aloud, digging his hands into the snow and flinging a semi-coherant chunk of it at Kieran. "Come on, it's WINTER. Winter means YULE. Why shouldn't I be in a good mood?"
Kieran lifted a hand to bat away the snow, smiling down at Dwyn. "I didn't say you shouldn't be, just that you're nowhere near sanity. And you'll also be nowhere near health if you keep rolling in the snow..." The smaller boy smirked and bent, scooping up a wad of snow and crushing it into a ball which was then lobbed right onto Dwyn's belly.
Dwyn laughed and smacked it away, hauling himself out of the pile of snow (after a couple of unsusccesful tries) and grabbing Kieran around the waist.
Kieran squeaked and tumbled over, falling onto Dwyn. "Oh, no you don't!" he said, laughing and trying to wriggle out of his grip.
Dwyn held him up, then turned and threw them both into a pile in the snow with a kamikaze yell.
Kieran pulled Dwyn into a roll, using the other's momentum to spin them over thrice and land Dwyn on his back. Kieran perched dizzily atop Dwyn with a triumphant smile. "Gotcha."
Dwyn released Kieran and let his arms flap out. "Aww, you're too quick," he pouted.
Kieran smiled brightly. "One has to be, living with Kagami."
Dwyn grinned and planted a handful of snow in Kieran's face.
Kieran yowled in disbelief and tumbled backward, ears folded back as he brushed snow out of his eyes.
Dwyn laughed and picked himself up. "Sorry, kitten, but it was just too easy," he said, offering Kieran an apologetic grin.
Kieran eyed him balefully and hissed softly, sinking onto his knees in the snow. "I'll get you, gaki na. See if I don't." He didn't sound serious, just disgruntled.
Dwyn grinned. "You'd have to catch me first," he murmured, and then squealed and bolted off toward his mother's shop at full speed.
Kieran sighed and got to his feet and lazily sauntered after Dwyn. They'd be sleeping in the same room tonight, after all, and revenge was a dish best served cold.
Dwyn paused several times to make sure Kieran was keeping up, then flew through the shop door, barely pausing to leave his boots next to the counter. "Mom, we're here!" Then his socked feet were pounding up the stairs as Sabbath was forced to direct her question to his retreating back. "Why are you soaking wet...."
"Because he decided to make snow angels and tackle me," Kieran said cheerfully from the doorway as he de-booted himself and shut the door. "Hello," he greeted, smiling up at Sabbath before following Dwyn up the stairs, a silent shadow.
"Yule blessings, Kieran," Sabbath told him as he followed her son up the stairs, reassuming her lazy pose behind the counter.
Dwyn was shrugging off his cape. "Come on, my room's this way," he said, heading to the back corner of the living room and into the small alcove there, shedding clothing as he went.
Kieran bounced after Dwyn, tugging off his duster and resettling his satchel as he followed the other boy into the niche.
The niche was a doorway, really, and on the other side was a claustrophobically narrow hallway with two doors on the right side. Dwyn ducked into the first one. "It's really small... sorry," he said as he tugged off his wet tunic, revealing a well-muscled frame free of scars. The room WAS small, barely more than an alcove itself, with a bed and a bookshelf overflowing with books, a small wooden table with candles and a statue on it, and a few scattered cat toys. Taliesin was sprawled across the foot of the bed, the quilty of which was a gold and black design.
Kieran ducked in behind him, smiling as he looked around. "It's okay. It looks comfortable. Hello, neko-chan," he trilled, extending a hand to Taliesin and providing a wonderful little chin-scritch. He grinned, looking up at Dwyn. "I like it here," he murmured, black eyes sweeping over Dwyn's body.
Dwyn grinned. "Good. I like it too, even though it's small. It's mine. ANd the walls are thick." There was no telling WHAT on earth he meant by that as he shed his pants without a shred of embarassment... for all he thought, they were just a couple boys, after all... and went over to the little dresser to hunt for a dry pair.
Kieran couldn't help but look, but it was more curiosity and a want to assess the other's nature than any lecherous purpose. Still, Dwyn was hot. That revelation faded inconsequentially, and Kieran pulled fresh tunic and breeches from his satchel. "And you thought I wouldn't need all this."
"Well, why do you think I pushed you into a snowbank?" Dwyn wondered, rolling his eyes as he sat on the floor and rolled around some, struggling into a dry pair of breeches.
Rolling his eyes, Kieran pulled off his tunic, mostly folding it and dropping it on his feet as he shook out the one he'd pulled out, a dark green, and tugged it over his head, wiry muscle rippling under pale skin. "Because you want me to pay you back in your sleep?"
"Nah, pay me back when I'm awake. I sleep like the dead," Dwyn told him cheerfully. "Oh... shit. And I grind my teeth too. I'm sorry, I should have warned you."
"It's okay. Corus snores and Caden's been known to talk in his sleep," Kieran shrugged, a slight smile curving his lips. "And... where'll I sleep?" he asked, tugging off his wet breeches and pulling on fresh, black, loose pants that were thick and warm. Wet clothes vanished into the satchel and several books came out.
"Well, my bed's big enough," Dwyn told him, "And I don't drape." He tugged on a short-sleeved black tunic that laced up at the neck, showing off his silver pentacle necklace that hung out of the cleft.
"I'll probably end up using you as a pillow, but if you don't mind... and I sometimes purr in my sleep, too," he confessed, sounding amusedly sheepish.
Dwyn shrugged and made a dismissive sound. "Hey, I don't care. I'm cuddly enough, I just sleep on my stomach, so I don't like to have people under me. On top of me isn't a problem. And if you purr, it'll just help me sleep better." He smiled warmly.
Kieran nodded, smiling sweetly. "Okay," he agreed, holding a book out to the other boy. "I think you'll like this." It was a collection of myths and legends, some of which just may have been true. "I hope you will, anyway, and I -really- want to show these to your mother... I bet she can read them," Kieran said, eyes glowing as he held up two small, battered books.
Dwyn tilted his head and reached for them. "What are they?"
"They're in runes," Kieran told him. "And there's pictures. Acorns, trees, diagrams, pentacles..." He offered the books to Dwyn.
Dwyn shook his head suddenly. "No, you go give them to her," he said, flopping onto his bed and folding his hands behind his head.
Kieran blinked and eyed Dwyn for a moment before nodding. "Alright," he said, turning and ducking out of the room and slipping down the hall and the stairs to prowl toward the counter.
Sabbath glanced up at him and smiled. "Any idea what you boys want for dinner?" she inquired lightly, her own nose stuck very firmly in a slim book of her own.
Kieran's eyes widened. "Um," he said intelligently. "I don't mind and Dwyn hasn't mentioned anything and he said I should show these to you," he said, offering up the two abused, yellowed books.
She looked curious and took them from him, flipping the covers open and glancing over them. "These are in Rus," she murmured. "Where did you get them?"
"The vendor wanted to get rid of them, said they were bad luck, and that I could have them cheap. They looked interesting, so I said yes," Kieran said, peering up at her. "What are they?"
She smiled at him. "Lost ways of brewing, lost rituals.... that sort of thing. Idiot of vendor... but then again, people do tend to fear what they don't understand. Thank you, Kieran." She slipped off of her stool and gave him a tight, warm hug, as loving as any his parents had ever given him, but softer because she was a woman.
Kieran glowed and nodded, returning the hug happily, glad that he could do something nice for her. "You can keep them. I doubt they'll ever be up to me to comprehend. Should I ask Dwyn what he wants to eat?" he wanted to know.
She rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "Nevermind. Dwyn doesn't care. There's nothing you want?"
The boy shook his head. "Nope," he smiled. "Is there anything I can do for you before I go bug Dwyn again?"
"Such a responsible little sweetheart. Yes, you can do something for me - you can rub off on my son. So go do that, why don't you?" She grinned at him.
Kieran giggled. "I'll try," he said earnestly, scampering off up the stairs and through the living room and back to Dwyn's room. "Hey," he said, knocking lightly as he stuck his head back in, followed by the rest of his slender frame.
Dwyn was wrestling with his cat. "Hey!" he called cheerfully. "Um, just make yourself at home. The shop'll close in about an hour."
"Okay," Kieran said, grinning as he perched on the edge of Dwyn's bed. He began to encourage Taliesin with purrs and meows; Cat usually understood him, so why shouldn't Tal?
Taliesin squawked as Dwyn threw him onto his back and vigorously rubbed his belly.
Those back claws came up, batting at Dwyn's hands, but the cat's claws were retracted.
"You like teasing us kitties, huh?" Kieran asked teasingly, watching with sparkling black eyes. His tail swayed lazily behind him.
Dwyn chuckled. "I like wrestling kitties." He stuck his face in Taliesin's belly and made a brrrrrrrrapp! sound. "And teasing them and snuggling with them. Fondness for cats seems to run in the family.
"I can tell. Is that why you keep pouncing me? To wrestle?" Kieran wondered, pulling his knees up to his chest and looking like a small doll.
"Sometimes. You don't fight back though," he said regretfully. "Oh well, doesn't matter. Pouncing you is fun anyway."
"But I don't want you hurt you," Kieran protested, hiding a smirk.
Dwyn blinked at him, then melted into an 'Oh, come on' sort of smile. "Kieran, you're not going to hurt me. Trust me on this one."
Kieran tilted his head. "Alright." He was more than willing to take Dwyn at his word, and he proved it by tackling the other boy with a whoop.
Dwyn let out a gleeful yell and bounced on the bed, one knee coming up to catch Kieran. It sank into Dwyn's chest under his weight, giving so as not to hurt him, and then Dwyn was grappling FIERCELY with him, growling under his breath, golden eyes flashing as he writhed in ways a human being should not have been able to, straining to get Kieran pinned.
Kieran laughed and twisted, wriggling in Dwyn's grip. For some reason, he didn't mind being trapped by the other boy. The flash in Dwyn's eyes should have made him afraid, but instead it just made him shiver; why, he didn't know.
Dwyn straddled his hips, grinning, his eyes a sea of tiger yellow, the pupils just the barest pinpricks of blackness. His grin... it was feral, more like a baring of teeth. Then, inexplicably, he lowered his head and took Kieran's throat in his teeth. He put the slightest bit of pressure on the bite, enough to make Kieran's helplessness blaringly apparent to him.
Kieran made a soft noise and let his head fall back, knowing that Dwyn wouldn't hurt him. He tasted like spice, cinnamon and clove, and he was warm. His hands wound around Dwyn's wrists and his tail twitched as he showed submission.
Dwyn chuckled against his throat and the dominant hold changed to a playful gnawing at the side of his neck where the flesh wasn't quite so tender. He seemed satisfied with Kieran's submission, enough at least to switch from feral beast to playful kitten himself.
Kieran arched his neck, turning his head. He found it interesting that there was a shivery sensation rippling from where Dwyn was chewing on him. It tickled in a pleasant way, and he saw no harm in just purring softly and kneading the other boy's shoulders with his hands.
Dwyn finally nuzzled down, resting his weight on Kieran. He might have been taller than the mage, but his frame was slender, fine-boned like his mother's, so despite the ammount of muscle he carried, he wasn't that heavy. His breath blushed against Kieran's neck as he made himself comfortable, letting out a little sigh as his hands wormed their way under Kieran's body so Dwyn could cling.
Kieran was used to being used as a pillow and otherwise snuggling post, and he'd been missing it during the time he'd been in school. So it was more than fine with him to cuddle up to Dwyn and just purr steadily, letting his eyes shut themselves. Dwyn was warm atop him, and his weight was comforting, not confining. Kieran did like small dark spaces to curl up in, and those that consisted of snuggleable things were the best kind.
Dwyn sighed again. "I probably should let you change for bed," he said, sounding remarkably young, innocent, and vulnerable. "But I don't want to move."
"Already changed," Kieran mumbled, cracking one eye open to peer at Dwyn. "And I'd rather you didn't, too. Good blanket," he said with a warm, sweet, and somewhat sleepy smile.
Dwyn considered that. "I guess we could get under the blanket," he murmured.
Kieran considered that. "Hai," he said, nodding slightly. The tip of his tail, sticking out from under him, twitched lazily and he yawned widely, nose wrinkling. "But you... have to move for that, too. Not as much, though..."
Dwyn nodded. "Right. Not as much. And it means more warmth. I don't want you to be cold," he said matter-of-factly as he shifted off of Kieran and pulled the covers down.
Kieran wriggled until he was under them, pulling Dwyn with him gently but insistently. He curled up against the other boy, a small, warm weight against his side, ears flicking and black eyes heavy-lidded.
Dwyn rather easily curled around Kieran, finding it surprisingly comfortable to be close to another person. he felt protective, and even as he realized that, he was pulling Kieran closer and nuzzling at his shoulder.
It was nice to cuddle with Dwyn, and to Kieran, that meant a great deal. He didn't trust many people enough to snuggle them like this, and Kieran felt that there was something pulling them together, that they were destined to be friends. Amazingly, it had not yet taken on a sexual connotation; the idea had occurred to him, but he had dismissed it to think over again in five years.
Dwyn settled in, making a contented sound deep in his throat as those golden eyes sealed shut. Doubtlessly his mother would check on them before too long, but she'd be quiet about it. She might not even bother actually looking into the room, and as long as she saw they were sleeping soundly, she wouldn't be concerned. Unless she woke them up, squealing about how cute they were - she was liable to do things like that.
Kieran purred softly as he lay there, daydreaming in and out of his own world and really not paying attention to much at all. His world consisted of warm darkness and Dwyn pressed against him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt perfectly safe.
Dwyn smelled of blood, of bread baking, and distantly of the herbs and sweet-smelling wood that the shop smelled of. It was an odd combination.
It was pleasant, though, and Kieran didn't mind. He knew that he always smelled a bit odd, a bit more spicy than proper, but it didn't really register. The sound of their heartbeats were loud, though, and Kieran wondered if Dwyn could hear it just as loudly.
Dwyn could. Dwyn could practically feel the blood running through Kieran's veins. There was a part of him that desperately wanted to taste it, to bite into Kieran's skin and eat him alive. Fortunately, that part of him was subdued, shoved into the background by the part of him that truly hated to hurt people and would have REALLY hated to cause Kieran even a shred of pain. Even though he had a hard time knowing what was painful for others, despite his mother's careful coaching.
"Ne, arekuru..." Kieran murmured softly, thinking lazily and only somewhat aware that he was actually speaking. He thought it fit Dwyn, though... arekuru. Wild... feral, only tamed by his will. And one hell of a will that was. Dwyn was iron, steel... something that would never break, but simply bend. Or maybe that was all just a fanciful analogy conjured up by his half-asleep mind. That happened sometimes.
"Hm?" Dwyn murmured quietly, half-asleep himself and drifting into that pleasant realm where everything was warm and fuzzy and Kieran smelled so nice under his cheek.
"Why are your eyes gold?" Kieran inquired faintly, not bothering to open his own eyes. He smelled of clove and cinnamon, skin soft and hot as the nekojin's tail curled around Dwyn's knee.
"My father's eyes are gold," Dwyn told him, yawning mid-explanation. "So I guess I got it from him. Why, is it important?"
"It's exquisite," Kieran corrected with a sleepy smile. "Nothing like it, ever. Seen, that is. Pretty."
Dwyn chuckled at the disjointedness of Kieran's speech. "You think so? Most people think it's... unnerving. Mom says I have a tiger's eyes. Like a predator."
"It's not. It... I don't know. It's like all the light, all the -power- in you shines through them. That's why some see it as unnerving. It's not the color. It's the look behind them, how you radiate intensity. Most people aren't comfortable with that." Kieran's voice was soft and slow, words deliberate. Thinking in this warm, snuggly state was a bit more strenuous than usual.
Dwyn nodded, turning that over in his mind. "We're all intense," he said quietly. "My mom and my dad and me. And we can all be pretty frightening in our intensity when we want to be. I like my eyes. But yours are prettier. You can see stars and colors and endless reflections in perfect black," he said reasonably.
"Nuh-uh. Yours are," Kieran corrected him with a slight grin. "Yours are suns. Mine are shadows. Gold and obsidian, ne, arekuru?"
"What does that mean?" he wondered, duplicating the word with impressive verbosity. "Arekuru?"
"It means feral," Kieran said, cracking open an eye to look over at Dwyn. "It suits you."
Dwyn laughed. "Like kitten suits you. A tame little housecat...."
"I am not," Kieran said indignantly, shifting and propping himself up on his elbows to eye Dwyn. "This neko's got -claws-, you know."
Dwyn shrugged. "Kitten claws don't bother me," he said as he rolled onto his back and looked up at Kieran.
Kieran tilted his head, ears perking curiously. "How not?" he inquired, black eyes sparkling with the endless thirst for knowledge.
Dwyn blinked. "They... don't. I like cats."
"So you don't mind," Kieran said, nodding. He stared at Dwyn thoughtfully for a moment before holding out one hand, which was completed by long and sharp nails, if not claws. He drew the tip of one nail over Dwyn's cheek lightly, not wanting to hurt him, just tease a little.
Dwyn pushed into the nail, making a pleasured sound.
Kieran blinked and obligingly pressed harder, dragging his fingernails down Dwyn's jaw and then his neck, leaving thin red lines.
Dwyn rubbed against his nails, a low 'mmmmm,' escaping his throat as his eyes drifted closed in pleasure.
"You like that?" Kieran asked, not sounding very surprised. He knew how nice a good scratch was, and it didn't really hurt. He trailed his nails further, leaving patterns that faded quickly.
"Yeah...." Dwyn groaned, eyes popping open, looking adorably plaintive. "Kieran?'
"Mmm-hmmm?" Kieran answered, peering down at Dwyn inquisitively. "What is it?" He didn't stop, tracing more fine lines up over the other's cheek.
"Could you do me a really big favor?" he asked meekly.
"Sure!" Kieran said brightly, smiling sweetly. "What?"
Dwyn rolled away from him and squirmed until he was on his back, pulling his shirt up in the process. "Scratch here?" he begged.
Kieran laughed, having half been expecting that. "Alright," he agreed, clambering onto Dwyn and sitting on his butt so he could scratch properly. He leaned over and drew his nails down Dwyn's back just hard enough, scritching all over the other's pale skin and purring softly to himself.
): Dwyn convulsed. Hard. Almost hard enough to throw Kieran off of him. And the groan he let out would have better suited an orgasming male than one getting nails drawn down his back. He gasped, fingernails digging visibly into the sheets and twisting them as he shivered under Kieran's hands and groaned loudly.
Kieran meeped and then giggled, tightening his legs on either side of Dwyn. "Does that feel good?" he asked teasingly, making sure to not miss an inch as he scraped sharp naisl over every spot of Dwyn's flesh.
"You're GOOD at it!" he marveled. "I've only let maybe one other person do this EVER, aside from mom, and they were trying to be a fucking tease and I killed them....." he writhed under Kieran, making satisfied sounds. "Well, I didn't kill them... I wanted to."
"Well, when you want scritches from a kitten, you're bound to get good ones," Kieran said, voice laced with amusement as his hands roamed over Dwyn's skin, nails leaving the slightest of welts. "Who teased you?"
"Doesn't matter," he groaned, shuddering deeply. "You're much better at it. Back scratches are sacred. You should NEVER tease about a back scratch."
Kieran giggled softly. "I won't," he vowed, never stopping in his motions. He liked the way Dwyn's voice sounded with a hint of a shiver to it. He had a dirty thought and giggled again, pushing it to the side.
Dwyn didn't notice the giggle. His attention was utterly and completely focused on Kieran's nails raking over his skin. "Harder?" he pleaded, arching up into Kieran's hands.
Kieran bit his lip and refused to laugh his ass off, obediently scraping harder. He was scratching quite forcefully now, making sure that there wasn't any bit of Dwyn's back that wasn't at least a bit reddened.
"Unnnnngh," he moaned, finally going limp on the mattress. "Thanks."
Kieran nodded cheerily. "No problem. That was fun. I'm betting you enjoyed it too?" he asked lightly, now just tracing over Dwyn's back gently, nails almost tickling.
Dwyn squirmed violently. "You said you wouldn't tease!'
"Oh!" Kieran said, instantly contrite. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that was teasing," he said, wide eyed. "And I thought you weren't ticklish?"
Dwyn hesitated. "Truth?"
"Please," Kieran said solemnly, leaning over to look at Dwyn.
"I'm ticklish. I just have the discipline to not laugh."
"Oh," Kieran said, nodding sagely. "So that means..." A smile spread over his face as he drew one fingertip down Dwyn's side, a feather-light touch.
Dwyn's teeth gritted together and he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Not moving.
"Do you want me to stop?" Kieran wondered. He didn't want to torment Dwyn, but... well... tickling was fun. He kept doing it, almost petting Dwyn rather than tickling him, but so lightly it was impossible to ignore.
Dwyn smirked. "I can withstand this all day."
"Oh. Okay," Kieran grinned, stopping and sprawling over Dwyn. He draped himself over the other boy, putting his face in the other's shoulder, and purred softly. He could tickle Dwyn some other time.
Dwyn wiggled a little, settling easily into his roll as mattress. "I probably have an unfair advantage," he said mildly. "I'm really used to it. Mom uses it to punish me since other stuff doesn't work so well."
Kieran didn't bother to move, just letting himself slide upward. He nuzzled into Dwyn's neck and purred there. "Hmmm... I guess." He was starting to feel vaguely lethargic, and Dwyn make just as good a mattress as he did blanket.
Dwyn smiled, recognizing his lack of interest as a sign of sleepiness. He said nothing, closing his eyes and drifting, finding it remarkably easy to find sleepiness himself even with Keiran's slight weight and surprisingly welcome warmth on his bare back.
"So how's that, anyway?" Kieran asked suddenly. Perhaps a bit of a delayed reaction; he was in a very relaxed state of mind. "Your advantage?"
Dwyn shrugged. "It's hard to hurt me," he said simply, face pressing into his pillow.
"What do you mean?" Kieran inquired, instantly interested. It was all to easy to whet his curiosity.
"That it's hard to hurt me." Dwyn yawned. "Don't feel it that much. S'just my unique psychosis, inherited biokinetics or some such wierdness, I don't know and I've never understood." he yawned again.
Kieran nodded and smiled sweetly. Dwyn was so cute when he was sleepy. He didn't analyze that thought too closely, instead making sure to remember to ask more tomorrow. "You're tired, aren't you?" he asked, sliding to Dwyn's side and curling against him with a soft sigh.
"Yeah," he mumbled, shifting as soon as Kieran was off of him and curling up against the other boy. "Aren't you?"
Kieran nodded against, yawning himself as he snuggled into Dwyn. "Hai," he confessed. "Quite."
"Then go to sleep," Dwyn told him. "See, logic strikes again." That seemed to amuse him for some reason and he broke out into a fit of giggling.
Kieran giggled as well, but he really had no idea why he was laughing other than that Dwyn was. "Alright," he conceded, making good use of Dwyn as a cuddling-post and burying his face in the other's neck.
Dwyn did the same and dropped off to sleep easily, falling into vivid dreams. Kieran was not far behind.
end chap 4 Back to part three / On to part five
Back to Heroes, Inc!
Back to originals
Back to fanfiction