Rae: Bad Chris. In this chapter he's quite the perv, not to mention a potty mouth.
Christopher: Like our dear readers didn't know that all ready.
David: .......
Rae: What did I tell you about saying nothing?
David: ......(I'm dying, remember? Jeez, cut me some effing slack...)
Rae: Oh. Right. My bad.
My apologies for parts that are slightly... not so good. I really wanted to get this last chapter out. I might end up going back and fixing or correcting things, but... here it is.
Chapter 6: Wherein David May or May Not Die
A day later. And still no change.
"Christopher, you need to eat something."
"Just another minute, okay?"
"Chris, I'm serious. You've been in here for way too long."
Don't care.
"David's... David..." April's voice begins to waver. She wants to say 'David's going to be okay' but she doesn't know that. And the more time passes, the less likely it seems.
See why I can't leave? I can't leave him.
After a moment April sniffles and shrugs. "I'll just... bring you up something."
The next visit was from Jalil.
"April and I are going back down to the temple. Want to come with us this time?"
I shake my head. "Someone needs to stay with him."
"Nico can do that."
"I don't want to go," I say simply.
Jalil just nods and takes it at face value. "All right."
"Hey Jalil?"
"What?"
"Does Athena know? That he's sick?"
"We sent a messenger. But she probably has her hands more than full right now."
"Do you think... she could do anything about this?"
"We'll see," he says softly, before turning and leaving.
I mean, Athena's all right, I guess. Still creeps me a bit and makes my balls want to crawl all the way back into my body, but I don't think she's a bad person all and all. And David's her General. That has to count for something, doesn't it?
"Christopher..."
"I don't want to leave, April."
"Athena's here."
It's very unnerving to have a ten-foot tall goddess stare down at you. Especially if said goddess has felt you up. And may yet do so again.
"My General is sick?"
"Dying." The word almost won't come out. I don't like saying it. Dying. Dead. Death. You know, I kind of like the sound of death. Go on. Say it out loud. Not a bad sounding word, is it? Death. Dead is a bit brusque, and dying is just a regular old word. But death? Death. Death, death, death, death, death. I like it. The sound. Not the meaning. Christ, am I babbling. I haven't slept in... I don't know when.
She frowns. "Dying? Why was I not informed?"
"We sent a messenger. But what with the upheaval after the battle, I'm guessing you weren't 'informed'..."
She nods. And waits.
Oookay.
"We wanted you to help us. Help us save him. Call on Asclepius. Please."
"And why would I do that?"
"He's your General! Doesn't that mean anything?"
"I could always find a new one..."
"He can't die!"
"And why is that?"
Because he's my friend. Because he's a good man. Because he survived what would have killed most people. Because it can't just end like this. Because I fucking love him.
"Just... because! He can't!"
She laughs. Laughs. A great big har-de-har. A belly laugh, which is more of a Viking thing that a Roman one. And I don't get it. Laughing? I mean, I laugh at the weirdest things and even I'm not seeing the connection.
Then she comes out with a shocker. I mean, whoa. Wasn't expecting it in any way.
"So you do fancy my Davidus, after all."
The shit hits the fan. Both April and Jalil's eyebrows shoot straight for the ceiling, wondering where the hell that came from. And then they begin to work everything over in their heads. April remembers my drunken confession. Jalil remembers my not-so-drunken confession. They both remember my refusal to leave David's side, and they can put two and two together as well.
I just stand there. Damage control is a bit out of reach right now. I could probably play it off. But why? I'm not going to lie about it. I won't shout it from the rooftops, but I won't lie.
"Are you going to help us or not?" 'Cause if not I'm getting my ass down to the temple and slaughtering goats.
"I will help."
"You sure he's coming?"
"He is the son of my brother. He will come."
Son of my brother... nephew? Yeah. Can none of the gods just say things instead of talking in riddles? Okay, so it wasn't that difficult. Still took me a minute. Brain isn't running on any of its limited cylinders.
So. More pacing.
Okay, the pacing is boring. Five minutes of pacing is four minutes and fifty-nine seconds too much.
Just as I'm about to open my big mouth and scream at the top of my lungs that the damn god better get his ass down here RIGHT NOW, there's a bright flash of light. A popping noise. And, on a purely aesthetic level, one hell of a good looking god. Pretty boy, almost. At any other time I'd probably be drooling. But not now. Though he is probably the real reason all those women were hanging around the temple the other day.
"Athena." Gravelly voice. Very Russell Crowe.
"Asclepius."
Hmm, things are looking a little stressed in the Olympian family department. Could the names have been anymore monotone?
"Where is he?" Asclepius turns to face us, and I am again dazzled with the great height that every immortal seems to enjoy.
"In the room right behind you."
Asclepius nods, and begins to enter David's bedroom.
"Um," I pipe up uncertainly. "I know this sounds kind of weird, but could you just get rid of the fever and the infection? And leave the wound? Because... because I was thinking that it would be better if he never knew how close to dying he was. Just let him think he got knocked out for a few days because of the whole being stabbed in the stomach thing..." Maybe this is just typical insane-Christopher logic but -
"I think that would be a good idea," April says quietly.
Asclepius looks briefly towards Athena, who just shrugs as if to say 'Crazy mortals'. He nods again.
The door shuts.
He's been in there for an hour. I feel like a father waiting for the arrival of his first baby. Not that I ever plan on having any rugrats of my own – good god, no. People like me shouldn't reproduce.
But I should be feeling pretty good right now, right? I mean, David's going to be fine. Hell, that's the god of healing in there. That's gotta be worth something. Gods of death have remarkable accuracy, hopefully all the others do too. So. David's good. David's alive. All shall return to normal in Everworld. I'll go on drinking, he'll go on fighting, April will fuss and Jalil will continue to be a genius.
And you know what? I really don't want that. I mean, I want David alive. But I want the rest to just stop. I want April to be brave enough to go outside, to take her life into her own fucking hands and find something else to center it on besides us. I want Jalil to let go of his control, for just one minute to let himself go and enjoy himself, even if it could turn out bad. I want David to stop blocking us all out, to stop pretending he's something more than human. And I want me to stop being so chickenshit and just tell him how I feel. But you know what? None of it is ever going to fucking happen. None of them will ever do it unless they're forced to. We're clinging to each other. Clinging to this house and the memories of the Old World, even as we're telling ourselves we're better off here. What is wrong with us? We're living half-and-half. I've got myself convinced that David can just be my friend, and I'll be okay with that. Yeah. Bullshit. Bull. Shit.
I didn't want to, but I guess I have to. I have to tell him. Even though he isn't going to want to hear it and I don't want to say it, I have to do it. Time for the resolve-face. It's something I gotta do. Something maybe I should have done a long time ago. Bleh. Resolve sucks. Responsibility sucks. This sudden kamikaze urge sucks.
The door swings open and Asclepius steps out.
"He'll wake up on the morrow." He nodded once to each of us, once to Athena, and then promptly disappeared.
"All about business, isn't he?"
"As long as David's okay, I don't give a flying fuck." Maybe that was a bit too vehement. It gets me weird looks from everyone. But too fucking bad. They know now, don't they? So what does it matter?
I push open the door and stride into the room. And David... looks...
"He looks better."
"Yeah. He does."
Almost dawn. Jalil, April, Nico, and I sit near the edge of David's bed, stubbornly ignoring the siren call of sleep. We all need this. We all need to make sure David's okay.
He looks mildly annoyed as he wakes up. And – Christ, it's just David. Perfectly David. A pain in the ass from the minute he wakes up, the minute we pull him back from the brink of death.
"What the hell is everyone doing in here?" he demands sleepily. He tries to sit up and falls back with a low groan.
"I am sorry," Nico said softly. "But you were very sick, Master David."
Stupid kid. He'd apologize for his own death, that one.
I just leave the room. Because I will not fucking cry where anyone else can see me.
I flinch when April gently touches my shoulder. "You made me promise not to guess, so I won't. But I think I know."
"Don't say anything. Please." I turn back to look at her. "I screwed up, April. I really screwed up this time. And I'm trying to fix it."
"I know that." She tilts her head sideways. "Want to go talk to him?"
"Yeah." Messy emotions back under control.
David looks up as I step into the room, walking over to sit gingerly on the end of the bed.
So... "You okay?"
"Been better." He beats a rhythm on the headboard with his fingers. "How long?"
Mild panic attack. "How long what?"
"Was I out?"
Oh. "Four days. You were in and out – mostly out – but you probably don't remember."
"Nope."
Slightly too long pause.
"You sure you're okay? You look a little out of it." You are not allowed a relapse!
"Weird dream, that's all." He shrugs. "Just... really strange. I dreamt about the Old World."
Something about the way he says it sends a shiver up my spine. "You ever regret it? Being here?"
"No," he says simply. Not so slow that you know he lied, but not so quickly either. "I miss things, miss people. Sometimes, anyway. But I like here. Here's a pretty good place to be." Moment of that semi-awkward silence. "Why? You regret it?"
"No." Never going to regret it.
Another moment of silence and fidgeting. Then David pipes up again, more uncertain this time.
"I don't know. I thought I would be happy here." That tapping becomes faster. "I'm one of the most powerful men in Everworld. The right hand of a goddess. Kind of like being the vice president, I guess, but with more power. Maybe like being Congress."
"Or the president's wife." Or even the president, depending upon how whipped the president actually is.
He chuckles darkly. "Yeah. That's it. The president's wife."
"But what you're saying... is you're not happy." Hell, David. Anyone can see that.
"That's what I'm saying."
"So we've concluded you're rich AND powerful..."
"But not happy."
And truthfully, you look quite miserable right now. "You'll get it someday."
"Think so?" Eep. There's the half smile. The really, really sexy one. Must not jump David's newly healed bones...
"Why not?"
"One way to look at it." Then there's the little lip curl, and he looks over at me and I smile in return. Nice little moment. Almost like everything between us is normal.
Then I stand up, dust myself off, and the moment is broken. "April's coming up to force soup down your throat, so be prepared. Just a friendly warning."
He makes a face. "Did she make it?"
"I had Nico supervise." Again, not to slam April's cooking, and also, in her defense, all the green herbs do look pretty much alike... but still, dill is not basil, nor vice versa.
"Thanks."
"No prob."
Okay. Three days after Asclepius comes to heal David, and he's stir crazy. We've had to seriously consider tying him to the bed. In a non- perverted way, mind you. I mean, the boy will just not get it through his thick skull! He keeps trying to sneak away and go to sword practice! Does he not understand he has a fucking stomach wound?!
Bleh. Stubborn. He can walk around but not much more than that. He's going to get himself almost killed for the second time in a week. We're reverting back to our old odds. Not good.
Time for a bath and then off to the Market. April wants...
My train of thought comes to a complete and total halt once I walk into the bathroom. David. Naked. Naked David. In a bathtub. Naked David in a bathtub. Drool.
Okay, I'm back. Neural areas are again functioning.
Nak –
No. No naked thoughts. Okay, I was inching towards it before this, but now I am definitely horny. Some god is having great fun at my expense with all these semi-naked encounters.
"Uh, David?"
"Yeah?"
My gaze is permanently fixed on the spot just above and beyond the top of his head. And I've finally gotten a thought. A minor thought, but a thought nonetheless. I was sure David said he was taking a bath earlier...
"Is there a reason you've been in the bath for an hour?" Perverted thoughts aside.
Looks like the beginnings of a glare right there. "Maybe I like baths."
"Right. Could it be that you're just too overtired to get up and out? And mayhap too stubborn to ask for help?"
Yup, full-blown glare. Hit that one on the head.
"Everyone needs help sometimes. Would it kill you to ask?"
"I don't need help."
"Sure you don't." There's a red stain where David's face used to be. Oh.
"You know, if being naked's a problem, it isn't really a big deal." Death glare. "Technically not anything I haven't seen before." Even more glaring. "Besides, you're sick. Think of me as your doctor. Very professional." Heh. Playing doctor with David. How much more perverted can my mind get? Let's not give it a reason to go there.
"Christopher. Leave. Now."
Grr. "Fine. Leaving." And I would have, really, if I hadn't noticed something out of the corner of my eye. A snaking line of red in the bathwater. Not that I was specifically looking... Christopher, just shut up now.
"David! Jesus! You're bleeding!" I whip back around and lean over the tub. Shit. His wound opened up...
"It's not a big deal," he grits out, face even redder than before. I reach down and press on the cut, even now not being able to ignore how I can feel every rib under my fingers. Damn boy needs to eat. Blood seeps sluggishly around the edges of my fingers.
"Of course it's a big deal!" I snap. "You almost fucking died! How is bleeding not a big deal?" Maybe telling Asclepius not to heal it was a bad idea... fucked that up too. Way to go, Christopher.
David goes suddenly still, stopping his assault on keeping me away from him. "Almost died? What do you mean 'almost died'?"
Shit. Mouth, meet brain. Never again say anything without the latter's previous approval. "You know. Battle. War. Death. Trauma. The fragility of human life in this whirling juxtaposition of a world."
"Christopher..."
"You almost died, David." My voice lowers and I realize how dangerously close my emotions are to the surface. "Died. The big one."
He just stares at me, and all of a sudden I am very, very aware of my hand on his stomach. I jerk it away as if he's burning me. My palm is red. Red with David's blood.
"Chris..."
I don't want to hear it.
These are the times I really like my room. The window overlooks the garden we have in back, instead of the busy streets or just the side of another house. It's... quiet. Calm. Serene, tranquil? Those the words? I wasn't Mr. SAT, in case you haven't guessed, so I'm pretty much blowing this out my ass. It's very serenquil.
"Christopher?"
"Go away David." I'm not sure exactly how he got out of the bath, but I'll puzzle it out later. Probably sheer obstinacy. Hah. Points for vocab.
"I just..."
I turn around and glare at him. "Leave me. Alone." Oh great. I am treated to a wet, shirtless David. Why do these things always happen to me when I'm miserable and totally unable to enjoy them?
"Christopher..." He pauses, standing uncertainly in the doorway. "Chris, are you crying?"
"Yes!" I shout. "Yes, I'm crying. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Crying for the second time in four days. Christ. Leave me to my own fucking misery.
"Why?"
"What part of 'you almost fucking died' did you not understand?"
"I just... I didn't think..."
"Didn't think what?"
"... that you cared."
"That I cared? That I cared?!" I repeat shrilly, turning around to stare at him because just how fucking stupid can one guy be? "I don't care! That's why I'm scared shitless at the thought of losing you! That's why I dragged the truth out of Nico! That's why I had Jalil patch your skinny ass up! That's why I sat by your bed for four days straight, and that's why I changed your bandages and washed your wounds while trying not to fucking puke! I called down a fucking god to make sure you didn't die! Because I don't fucking care! I don't care so much I think I'm in love with you!"
And now my mind catches up with my mouth. Shit. Those aren't the type of things you just blurt out unless you want...
David to kiss you. David to kiss you? David to kiss me! David to kiss me? David's kissing me!
Whoaaaaakay. Let's take a step back and look at the important stuff:
David's kissing me.
...
You were expecting more?
But this is nice. Really nice. If by nice I mean absolutely mind- blowing. If nice makes me want a whole hell of a lot more. If nice is something that makes me really, really horny.
"David..."
"Yeah?"
"You're bleeding all over me."
"Oh. Sorry?"
"S'okay. Let's just get you back to bed, all right?" Why oh why oh why me? Lemme get you back to bed David, and since you're bleeding all over the place and I can't fuck you into next week, I'll just suck you off until you scream. Ah. No. Bad thoughts. Baaaaad thoughts. Neither the place nor the time for those thoughts. Very unwanted right now. I mean, wanted but unwanted. Mental-David, get some clothes on RIGHT NOW, and if you so much as blink lasciviously, I'll... put you in a room with Mental-Senna. Ouch. That's harsh. Sorry. Oh, but more points for using 'lasciviously'!
I walk David down the hall, trying to not think of where my hands are (on his shoulder and around his waist), where his hand is (around my waist), and where we're heading (his bedroom). Obviously, I didn't do a very good job. But I did manage to get him to the bed without further molestation, so points in the restraint department.
Let's have another recap. Quintessential one night stand, ignore, ignore, ignore, David almost dies, save David, blurt out that I love David, David kisses me. Yup. That's it. WTE, baby. WTE.
David settles back onto the bed, scooting up against the pillows and trying to control a wince.
I look at his stomach – his stomach wound. Cough. Anyway. It isn't bleeding anymore, just looks all inflamed and infected and all those other lovely medical words.
"I'm going to put a new bandage on, okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
I carefully spread the ointment over the wound, trying to ignore the fact that I am touching David, that I am touching David's stomach, and holy hell but does he have a nice six pack. Not thinking about that at all. Jesus! I'm just going to jump him right now and make this a one night and one day stand...
"Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" Is he reading my mind now?
"That... you love me."
Oh. "Yeah. I meant it."
And he goes silent. Again. Talk, before I beat it out of you. Kiss you. Tickle you mercilessly. Mwahaha, fear me!
Is it just me or has the adrenaline rush gone to my head?
"You don't have to say it back, you know." It'd be nice, but you don't have to. "I'd rather you not say it than say it and not mean it."
He grabs hold of my wrist, forcing me to stop staring at his stomach and move up to his face. "I'm... sorry."
"For what?" Certainly looks sorry. Aw, apologetic David. Definitely something I've never seen before...
"I want to say it," he says bluntly. "But I... I just... I thought I loved Senna, okay? Maybe I did. And I don't... I don't want that again."
"Somehow I doubt I'll use you to take over the world. And thanks for comparing me to the megalomaniac bitch."
"Chris, that's not – "
"What you meant. I know. I'm just saying. I've been in love with you this long and I haven't pulled anything. What the hell would I possibly pull? And that whole 'I just want you to be happy' line... that's true. I just want you to be happy. Thing is David, you're not. You're fucking miserable. You don't sleep and you barely eat and... when was the last time you smiled? All you do is work and sit in the War Room." You think no one notices that? There's always an empty chair at the table. April always ends up cooking too much for dinner because you're never there. Nico doesn't make your bed most days because you haven't slept in it. Jalil – Jalil notices everything. He misses you too. He'll never say it, because that's Jalil, but he misses you. And me? I know everything about you. Every time you've even let me get a glimpse of the real you, I memorized it. I know stupid things, like that you love chocolate and your favorite season is spring. I know sexy things, like the spot right near your collarbone. That your laugh is the most beautiful thing in the world. And I know that you have to play the hero because you think that maybe then you could save yourself. Couldn't you let me save you? You don't have to be the damsel in distress, I just mean... Fuck, I don't know what I mean.
I shake my head. "Never mind." Screw it. "Can you sit up? Have to wrap the bandage around."
"Yeah."
More silence. Nothing to say, or maybe we've got things to say but no way to say them. I don't know. There's a lot of 'not knowing' going around lately.
As I wrap the bandage around him, I feel David's hipbone slide under my fingertips and inhale quickly. Very quickly. Deeeeeep breaths. Christopher-thine-eyes-shall-stray-no-farther...
Oh, hell no. I will not do this while he is lying sick in bed! Resolutely, I shift my gaze back up to his face. Only to find David grinning at me slyly.
"You tease," I sputter. "I don't believe you!" Oh, but that was smooth. Evil, but smooth.
"It's not teasing if you plan on following through." Oh. Dear. Lord. That look is devastating enough when you're drunk. When you're sober, it's damn near fatal. Have gone from depressed to incredibly horny in two point five seconds.
"David..." I shake my head, concentrating on tying the knot up. Heh. Pretty good first aid for someone as uncoordinated as me.
"I don't wanna mess it up this time." This time? So I do get another time? Another chance?
"Okay, but you don't have to kill yourself to prove it. All right?" Shit, that's the last thing I need.
"I'm in love with you."
I freeze. The roll of bandages falls to the floor but I can't bring myself to care. This is right up there with being pulled into Everworld on the shock factor scale. "David?"
"I just thought... I wanted to tell you. I mean, since apparently I almost died, figured now's a good time."
"But you said..."
"I didn't. Or I thought I didn't. But I know I can't stop thinking about you. And I know I feel more for you than I ever did for Senna. I never said it to her. Said a lot of things, but not that. So... I had to say it. Because it's true." I see his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallows. "I love you." He glances down at where our fingers are now entwined, eyelashes so long they're almost girly. Girly yet macho David. He's a walking contradiction.
"Chris?"
Eep. Sorry. Zoned and was walking in the land of the androgynous. Wonder how David would look in a dress...
"I love you, too."
He smiles. "I know."
"Oh, so now you're Jalil."
"No, you just said it before. That's all. And isn't this the part where we have incredibly hot monkey sex besides?"
Besides the extra shock factor of hearing David say 'hot monkey sex', there's the look again. Deep breaths. Deep, deep breaths. And imagine cold water. Lots of cold water. My father. My father and my mother. My father AND my mother. Ew. Okay. I have regained control.
"It would be if you weren't bleeding all over the place. Did you forget that part?"
A pout. Why is every look so damn sexy? Breathe. Breathe.
"So... are you going to kiss me again, at least?"
How am I supposed to resist that?! Am I a saint? Am I a priest? Did I take a vow of chastity? Did I ever even contemplate taking a vow of chastity? Noooooo! OF COURSE I'M GOING TO KISS HIM!
Shit, he's still so weak though. Sick. As I've said before, I cannot jump his newly healed bones. So I just sort of brush my lips over his.
David giggles. Giggles. Ohmygod. Brain meltdown.
"I know you can kiss better than that."
Hell yeah. Sounds like a go-ahead to me.
As far as kisses go, technique was a little lacking. Just smashing your lips on the other person's is not the best idea. But damn it felt good. I mean, every time I see David it's a battle to not rush over and kiss him senseless. So now that I get to finally indulge, he's lucky I didn't smother him.
Oh, I should so not be doing this.
"Chris..."
But I am anyway.
Fuck. David's hand comes up to rest on my cheek, and the other twists in my shirt. His mouth opens slightly, panting for air, and no one could possibly blame me for taking that chance. No one could possibly blame me for shoving my tongue down his throat, or laying down on the bed next to him. Carefully, very carefully, making sure I don't hurt David in the process. He starts to shift over but I wrap my arm around his waist and pull him closer to me. I'm a clingy kind of guy, I admit it. A kiss is not just lips. A kiss is lips and hands and bodies next to each other. I missed this closeness. More specifically, I missed David. And he's let me get this close. So I'll never let him go.
My hands tangle in the messy locks he calls his hair, which April is always insisting he needs to cut. I'll kill her if she ever does. Let David keep his Viggo hair. He's a lot friggen sexier...
I pull back with a small sigh, knowing I've got to stop now or there will be no stopping at all. When I look down at David, I see the face I missed out on. Swollen and reddened lips, lidded eyes... of course that could be because he's falling asleep.
"What an impression I must have made."
"Sorry. M'tired..."
Well Jesus, look that fricken cute when you say it and I'll forgive you anything. Why do I get the feeling he's going to have me wrapped around his finger? That's it. He simply had to be a girl in another life...
And so the macking session draws to a close. David tires out easily, even if he doesn't want to admit it. Why he got stuck in the bathtub in the first place, remember?
"Go back to sleep. I'll go take a shower. A cold shower."
Drowsy laughter. "Sorry. I'll make it up to you later." He leans over and brushes his lips up against mine and fuck but it's so sweet I half expect flowers to start sprouting all by themselves any minute now. And little faeries to start flitting around and playing with furry woodland creatures. With Enya playing in the background. I want to hold this moment forever, unbelievable sappiness and all. If anyone dares to even think about taking this away from me, I will kill them. Mostly when shit doesn't go my way it's my own fault. Messing stuff up for myself I can deal with. But if anyone else messes this up, I'm calling on any and every god, goddess, king, witch, or wizard I know and beating the shit out of them. Maybe have Jalil reinvent the Uzi...
That's love, right there. The willingness to go on a killing spree.
I watch David's eyes flutter closed and his breathing slow and even out. And once he's asleep I realize he's lying on my arm and curled up on my chest. Not very conducive to moving.
I mean, it's not too sappy to just look at him while he sleeps, is it? And he seems to be drooling on my shirt. Is that more embarrassing for me or for him? Because personally, I find it pretty damn cute on his part. Which is rather embarrassing.
Damn the sappiness. Damn the fluff and all the tingly feelings I'm getting. If I had known love was going to turn me into such a pansy I –
David scoots a little closer towards me and mumbles something unintelligible. One hand comes up to curl in the front of my shirt and I practically feel my heart melting beneath it. Gah. Cue Enya. I'm a pansy. I'm a complete girly-man who is head over heels in love.
I can only pray it'll wear off a bit once we get to the whole 'incredibly hot monkey sex' thing. And also hoping I don't roll over on top of David during the night and squish him. No getting on top of him until he's healthy enough not to be squished. Why oh why oh why did I not let Asclepius heal him all the way? If he'd hurt his foot or something we could totally work around that. But not the stomach. Damn it. The bendy middle part is so important...
"From the way you and David looked earlier, I'd say you did something right."
"Shh. No one must speak of this. No one can jinx it. He is right where I want him right now. Breathing. No one screws that up!"
"Chris, you're scaring people."
"You're the only one in the room."
"Correction: Chris, you're scaring me."
"Does this look like the face of someone who cares?"
April begins to smirk. "Looks like face of someone who just blew their boyfriend."
"Not yet, no." Give me time. "We threw in some massive face sucking, that was it." Waitasecond. I wasn't going to talk about this. Damn April for looking so innocent and trustworthy. "How do you do that?"
The smirk grows wider. "It's a gift."
"Just don't teach David." That's all I need. The come-fuck-me pout and the you-can-tell-me-anything look. Why don't I go write down all my deep, dark secrets and sign it in blood right now?
"Is he okay?"
"What? Yeah, he's good. The wound opened up this morning, but I bandaged it again."
"And how did his wound open up?"
"Jesus, mind out of the gutter. Walking around today just proved to be a bit too much for him, all right?"
April steps back and looks at me critically. "Chris..."
"What?" Please, let there be no more drool on my forehead...
"Be good to him, all right?"
"Like you have to tell me that," I grumble. "He's the one who's going to run over me. Workaholic. I'm playing second fiddle to sweaty men with swords. And when I say it that way, I realize why I am playing second fiddle."
April grins. "I think David can be enticed to stay home a little more." The look on her face leaves little to the imagination.
"When did you get so perverted?"
"I think it was the Vikings. A rather earthy people."
"Now all we need is to find you a man."
She begins to blush. "About that..."
"Uh, April? You do want a man, right?" When did April start batting for the other team?
"Yes, I want a man!" she shrieks. "I didn't mean..." She makes a huffing noise and glares at me. "I was trying to say I all ready 'had a man'."
"Who?" How did I miss this? I have to meet him! Give him the shovel talk! Crap, random thought... "It's not Jalil, is it?"
"Uh, no. It's... Nico."
"You're dating our twelve-year-old servant?!"
"He's sixteen!" she shoots back hotly. And then blushes. "It is kind of pervy, isn't it?"
"No, I was just kidding." I did think he was twelve though. Guess he just has a baby face. Though now that I think about it, he would be a bit tall for a twelve-year-old... Still. "Shit, April, even I knew he had a crush on you. From like day one." I start to grin like a madman. "And you guys looks so cuuuuuute together!"
"I knew I shouldn't have told you."
"I'm happy for you. Really. Once David can actually move again, we can double date!"
"I knew I shouldn't have told you."
Hmm. Bread, stale bread, or really moldy bread. What a choice of a midnight snack. I'm deliberating between actually eating any of it or giving it to Jalil to test as radioactive waste when I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"What the-?!"
"Don't I get a 'welcome home' kiss?"
David. Holy fuck. "You just scared the shit out of me. No, you do not get a welcome home kiss." You're lucky I didn't die of a heart attack. I didn't even hear you!
David sighs. "How about a 'your boyfriend has a huge surprise for you' kiss?"
Okay, I'm intrigued. You're forgiven. "What's the surprise?"
"Kiss first."
Peck. "What's the surprise?"
"Real kiss."
I narrow my eyes. "Particular, aren't we?" David just grins in response. I sigh. "Fine." I close my eyes and lean forward, then let out an all too girly squeal when David pushes me up against the wall. "David, what the fuck...?!"
Oh, that's definitely a real kiss. My eyelids slide back shut and my hands wrap around his neck, pulling him closer towards me. Shit, I've missed him. I hate these month-long campaigns. Battle after battle after battle, and every one is another chance for him to die. As he leans in for another kiss I absently trace the scar on his cheekbone. Another wound that came a little too close. Hell, came a lot too close. My stupid soldier boy.
"Missed you so damn much," he groans.
"You better have," I shoot back. I've been fucking miserable without you. "Jesus David, wear less clothes when you come home next time, all right?" Friggin shirt. Too many buttons.
Somehow or another I finally get him undressed. And find a new scar on his shoulder.
"David..." I reach out to trace it, feeling the ridges underneath my fingers. "Christ..." Why do you do this? Why do you always have to dance with death?
"It didn't even hurt," he insists. "Just a scrape."
"Goddamn it, David." Another desperate, searing kiss. "Don't you dare die on me."
"I won't," he promises. He always keeps his promises, you know that? He's hasn't broken one. Not even a little one. I love that about him.
But I also love this little spot right here. Because if you bite at it very gently, just like so...
"Christopher!"
"Be quiet," I scold him. "Don't wake up April and Nico." Heh. And I still love teasing him as much as ever. But I guess David's tired of just hanging along for the ride. He's got that dangerous glint in his eyes and oh –
I yelp. "David!"
"Be quiet. Don't wake up April and Nico."
I feel fumbling hands at my tie on my pants and waste no time in helping David take them off.
"David, please..." I hate begging. Grr. Why am I constantly reduced to begging?
Oh. Oh, yeah. That's why.
"David..."
"Chris," he murmurs. "Baby..."
"I need..."
"I know."
You know? What the hell do you kn–
Oh fuck. I bury my face into his neck and try desperately not to scream. That actually works quite nicely.
"You realize we just did it on the kitchen table?"
"I'm going to have to skip breakfast tomorrow. I'll never be able to look April in the face."
"Don't see how you're going to be able to do that anyway. Considering how much noise you just made."
"Like you were any quieter."
"So... what was the surprise?"
"I quit."
Moment of silence as Christopher's brain, foggy with sex and lack of sleep, tries to wrap around the sentence 'I quit'.
"Your job?" Being the General?
"Mhmm."
"Really?"
"Uh huh. Thought that was what you wanted."
Shit, now he's annoyed. Which means that underneath that he's really hurt.
"I did. I do. I just... wow. I didn't think you would." Ever. With that stupid hero-complex he has. I've wanted him to stop forever. It's too draining, too dangerous, and it keeps him away from me for far too long. Honestly, you cannot expect a twenty-year old boy with a boyfriend to go longer than two days without sex. It's just not right. And hey! Now it'll never happen again! I ruffle my hands through David's hair, ignoring his cry of protest. "Thank you."
"You're welcome baby."
"And stop calling me 'baby'."
"Why? I like it."
"I don't." Damn it. The pout. Not the pout. Christ, there has to be some sort of limit on how many times and exactly when he can use that. It's a dangerous weapon! "Fine. I don't care."
"Thank you." Brush of lips against my neck. "Baby."
A growl rises up from my chest. "Let's limit its usage." To, say, once a year.
"All right, all right." He lifts his head off my chest and looks up and around. "Think we should move before someone comes out and sees us?" Huh. It is almost dawn.
"Sure. I think we traumatized Jalil last time." Like he hadn't seen naked guys before. Although maybe not in that position...
"Race you to the bedroom."
"For?" Ah, betting. Another one of my many, many vices.
"That thing we were talking about last week?"
That grabs my attention. "Yeah."
"You win, I'll do it."
I worship at the shrine of David. So glad he understands my kinkiness. "And if you win?"
"You go with me to Athena's banquet next week."
Oh, hell no. That's enough to make me not want to have sex for a week. "A-Athena's banquet?" And damn my voice for cracking.
"Mhhmmm."
"David..." Risky. So very risky.
"C'mon," he murmurs. Gah. Sex voice. The pout, and the sex voice. "Don't you want to see me in a dress?"
Sex voice. Pout. David in a dress.
"Okay. Bet. Deal. Whatever."
"Oh, good."
And then he's off and running.
"Fuck! David, not fair!"
His laughter echoes all the way down the hallway, and I get the sinking feeling I'm going to Athena's banquet.
I am definitely making him wear the damned dress.
Think I might have made Chris a little dense and David a little OC. And the David in a dress thing? I don't know. shrugs Just went with it. But still - yay for our schmoopy, slashy couple!