Shadows and Light 9/?
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.
Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.
Not related to either Journey of Love or Through the Darkness Falling
War Games
I woke up that morning with the sunlight streaming in my window. Only after I turned back over to try to get back to sleep did I realize that I had overslept. I practically jumped out of bed, tripping on the sheets in my haste.
As I strode to the center of town, I was still fastening my ranger cloak to my shoulder. Once I got to the courtyard I noticed everyone waiting for me. I barely kept myself from blushing under all of the scrutiny. Neroon simply stepped to the side as I came forward.
"Sorry for the delay." I said looking around at the men. "If we are all ready?"
It was decided that the Anla'shoc would get a ten-minute head start. After the allotted time the Warrior Caste would pursue and the group with the last man standing would be declared the winner. As the Anla'shoc entered the underbrush, Neroon and I sat in chairs near the entrance of Ombrachiaro. Ten minutes later the Minbari left to follow them.
Neroon had surveillance set up in the forest earlier. As we watched the men fight it seemed as if they were fairly evenly matched. With a sidelong look at each other we stood up and entered the forest in stealth.
As one we traversed the area and knocked out both Anla'shoc and Minbari warrior caste. Before they were aware of our presence we would ambush them. Surprisingly between the two of us we managed to incapacitate almost all of the trainees. By the time we were done it was near dusk as we moved in between the trees and re-entered the encampment.
I watched in amusement from the balcony as they came stumbling back into camp. Funnily enough men from both groups were helping those injured to walk upright. All the while they were grumbling about fairness or lack thereof.
"You weren't supposed to be involved." Marda yelled up at me, not seeing Neroon standing in the shadows.
"Who told you that?" I asked innocently. "You're all warriors, you should be prepared for the unexpected."
"You attacked Anla'shoc too."
"So?"
"So, you're one of us!" Exclaimed the youngest ranger present.
"What would give you that idea?" I sneered, glaring down at them disgustedly. "Haven't you been paying attention? You are all the same. If you want to survive the next six weeks you will need to work together! Neroon took out his own men and I took out some rangers. The distinction means nothing to either of us. We will continue to have similar lessons until it is absorbed by the masses."
"Dinner will be in one hour. I suggest you see the doctor before then and take showers." Neroon said as he walked casually down the stairs. "I believe that we have made it clear that human/minbari fighting techniques each have their advantages. I hope we won't continue to waste valuable time with this again. Dismissed."
As we walked toward our private bathhouse, which was news to me, but during the time we were knocking heads together Neroon mentioned it to me, Peedran stopped us.
"You will teach us how you managed to sneak up on us all like that, right?"
"Of course." I answered. "That is why we're here after all. To teach you."
I slapped him on the back good-naturedly, only to be looked at like I had two heads. [Damn cultural differences. How the bloody hell am I supposed to connect with the Minbari if they all think I am trying to attack them? Snort.]
As Neroon led me into the bathhouse I grew increasingly nervous especially when I noticed that there was only one tub, near the hot spring. Neroon didn't seem to notice anything amiss as he got undressed leisurely and stepped into the steaming water. He instantly relaxed letting his tired muscles be soothed, not noticing my avid staring. I think I had blushed to the roots of my hair when he undressed even though I did manage to force myself to look away until he was immersed in bubbly water.
"Um… Neroon? What are you doing?" I cleared my suddenly dry throat noisily staring at a point over his head in my embarrassment.
He merely looked at me in confusion as I continued to look away from him, still fully clothed. I am sure I looked quite uncomfortable.
"Join me. The water is soothing." Neroon invited again gesturing to the tub. [What is with the communal bathing?}
"I'm… fine, thanks."
"What is the matter, Marcus?" Neroon asked softly as if talking to a skittish colt. When I merely looked at the ground, he startled me by getting out of the water and coming over to where I was standing.
"Bloody hell!" I couldn't help but exclaim. He looked surprised, so he actually heard me unfortunately. "Eep."
"What is it?"
"Um…" [Come on Marcus think! Stop acting like a blushing virgin. Oh, that's right I am a blushing virgin. Bloody Hell!] "Well some humans aren't as comfortable with nudity as Minbari seem to be."
"You included?" Neroon asked sounding curious.
"Yeah, so if you could just…" I let the sentence trail off with an inexplicit gesture of my hand. Neroon stepped back and sat in the water once again, only this time he turned his back to me.
"There is now no reason to be embarrassed." Neroon commented, obviously seeing the amusement of the situation. "Join me… please."
[How could I say no when he asked me so prettily? Damn him.]
"Sure." I agreed while hurriedly undressing and practically throwing myself in the tub in case he happened to turn around. [Well good going, Cole. I am now in a tub naked with Neroon, who also happens to be naked. What the hell do I do now?]
[You could enjoy it.]
[Bugger off! Who asked you anyway?]
[You did you prat.]
Splashing water brought me back from my thoughts only to see Neroon stretch out further in the tub so that less of his body was covered then before. That water was dangerously low for my piece of mind.
[Eep!]
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.
Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.
Not related to either Journey of Love or Through the Darkness Falling
War Games
I woke up that morning with the sunlight streaming in my window. Only after I turned back over to try to get back to sleep did I realize that I had overslept. I practically jumped out of bed, tripping on the sheets in my haste.
As I strode to the center of town, I was still fastening my ranger cloak to my shoulder. Once I got to the courtyard I noticed everyone waiting for me. I barely kept myself from blushing under all of the scrutiny. Neroon simply stepped to the side as I came forward.
"Sorry for the delay." I said looking around at the men. "If we are all ready?"
It was decided that the Anla'shoc would get a ten-minute head start. After the allotted time the Warrior Caste would pursue and the group with the last man standing would be declared the winner. As the Anla'shoc entered the underbrush, Neroon and I sat in chairs near the entrance of Ombrachiaro. Ten minutes later the Minbari left to follow them.
Neroon had surveillance set up in the forest earlier. As we watched the men fight it seemed as if they were fairly evenly matched. With a sidelong look at each other we stood up and entered the forest in stealth.
As one we traversed the area and knocked out both Anla'shoc and Minbari warrior caste. Before they were aware of our presence we would ambush them. Surprisingly between the two of us we managed to incapacitate almost all of the trainees. By the time we were done it was near dusk as we moved in between the trees and re-entered the encampment.
I watched in amusement from the balcony as they came stumbling back into camp. Funnily enough men from both groups were helping those injured to walk upright. All the while they were grumbling about fairness or lack thereof.
"You weren't supposed to be involved." Marda yelled up at me, not seeing Neroon standing in the shadows.
"Who told you that?" I asked innocently. "You're all warriors, you should be prepared for the unexpected."
"You attacked Anla'shoc too."
"So?"
"So, you're one of us!" Exclaimed the youngest ranger present.
"What would give you that idea?" I sneered, glaring down at them disgustedly. "Haven't you been paying attention? You are all the same. If you want to survive the next six weeks you will need to work together! Neroon took out his own men and I took out some rangers. The distinction means nothing to either of us. We will continue to have similar lessons until it is absorbed by the masses."
"Dinner will be in one hour. I suggest you see the doctor before then and take showers." Neroon said as he walked casually down the stairs. "I believe that we have made it clear that human/minbari fighting techniques each have their advantages. I hope we won't continue to waste valuable time with this again. Dismissed."
As we walked toward our private bathhouse, which was news to me, but during the time we were knocking heads together Neroon mentioned it to me, Peedran stopped us.
"You will teach us how you managed to sneak up on us all like that, right?"
"Of course." I answered. "That is why we're here after all. To teach you."
I slapped him on the back good-naturedly, only to be looked at like I had two heads. [Damn cultural differences. How the bloody hell am I supposed to connect with the Minbari if they all think I am trying to attack them? Snort.]
As Neroon led me into the bathhouse I grew increasingly nervous especially when I noticed that there was only one tub, near the hot spring. Neroon didn't seem to notice anything amiss as he got undressed leisurely and stepped into the steaming water. He instantly relaxed letting his tired muscles be soothed, not noticing my avid staring. I think I had blushed to the roots of my hair when he undressed even though I did manage to force myself to look away until he was immersed in bubbly water.
"Um… Neroon? What are you doing?" I cleared my suddenly dry throat noisily staring at a point over his head in my embarrassment.
He merely looked at me in confusion as I continued to look away from him, still fully clothed. I am sure I looked quite uncomfortable.
"Join me. The water is soothing." Neroon invited again gesturing to the tub. [What is with the communal bathing?}
"I'm… fine, thanks."
"What is the matter, Marcus?" Neroon asked softly as if talking to a skittish colt. When I merely looked at the ground, he startled me by getting out of the water and coming over to where I was standing.
"Bloody hell!" I couldn't help but exclaim. He looked surprised, so he actually heard me unfortunately. "Eep."
"What is it?"
"Um…" [Come on Marcus think! Stop acting like a blushing virgin. Oh, that's right I am a blushing virgin. Bloody Hell!] "Well some humans aren't as comfortable with nudity as Minbari seem to be."
"You included?" Neroon asked sounding curious.
"Yeah, so if you could just…" I let the sentence trail off with an inexplicit gesture of my hand. Neroon stepped back and sat in the water once again, only this time he turned his back to me.
"There is now no reason to be embarrassed." Neroon commented, obviously seeing the amusement of the situation. "Join me… please."
[How could I say no when he asked me so prettily? Damn him.]
"Sure." I agreed while hurriedly undressing and practically throwing myself in the tub in case he happened to turn around. [Well good going, Cole. I am now in a tub naked with Neroon, who also happens to be naked. What the hell do I do now?]
[You could enjoy it.]
[Bugger off! Who asked you anyway?]
[You did you prat.]
Splashing water brought me back from my thoughts only to see Neroon stretch out further in the tub so that less of his body was covered then before. That water was dangerously low for my piece of mind.
[Eep!]