A/N: Part Three of Chapter Four of Thieves in Time. This one focuses on Vila, much to his distress. Warning: mature content!
The usual disclaimer: I own nothing of Blake's Seven. I just enjoy messing with their lives.
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As Blake neared the corner of the corridor close to Avon's cabin, he froze in place to hear his name included in what sounded like an argument between Vila and Avon. Easing silently closer to the corner, he flattened himself against the wall, listening.
"Avon, you'll be sorry, ya know! Blake isn't good for you – not that way. You'll see!"
With that, apparently, Avon slammed his door in Vila's face. Vila's footsteps died away as Blake chewed on a finger, pondering what he'd heard. It became obvious to him that Vila had argued against his relationship with Avon, something Blake couldn't and wouldn't stand for. He needed the computer tech, though he wasn't sure where his need for his cause left off and his need for the man began.
Determining that he had to do something and do it now, Blake pushed himself off the wall, going in search of Vila.
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Answering his door signal, a stunned Vila found himself being rudely shoved, then slammed against the wall. Pinning him with a forearm across the throat, Blake reached over to secure the cabin door.
Vila, gaping and gasping, could say nothing, but his eyes were wide and fearful, staring at Blake. As far as the thief knew, he hadn't done anything remotely deserving of this treatment. He knew he was in for it, though, when Blake locked the door. Although his mind was busily searching for ways to talk himself out of whatever trouble he was in, he didn't come close to the real reason for Blake's behavior.
Gripping Vila's overall front and easily raising the man to tiptoes, Blake growled, "I won't have your Delta interference between Avon and me! Do you understand? He's mine now, body and mind, and that's the way I want it to stay!"
"What…" Vila stuttered, his mind trying desperately to shift gears to meet this unexpected attack. "I…"
"You argued with Avon to drop me, didn't you, so you could take my place! I heard you in the corridor. But you won't stand in my way again, will you, Vila?" His voice was low and threatening, as Vila had never heard it before. His eyes were hot and fierce, boring into Vila's.
Trying to defuse the situation, Vila started, "What makes you think I have any influence over Avon? He never listens…"
Blake interrupted, "Because you two go way back, that's why I think that. I started noticing the way you behave toward each other, when you think no one is looking, so I tried checking up on you two. Nothing. Then it came to me why both of you seemed vaguely familiar to me. I met Avon, and saw you with him, at the technical show that I had the speeder in. You were together then, too. So, Vila, you can't talk your way out of this."
"But…but that was over a long time ago!" he protested honestly. "Sure, we go way back, but as friends, Blake. That's all we are, you've got to believe me!"
"Oh, I believe you, Vila," he said softly. "I know I possess him now, but I won't brook any interference from you. Is that understood?" For emphasis, he shook Vila roughly, his back against the wall. "Understood?"
"Yes…yes, Blake, understood. Let me go, please?"
Vila held his breath as Blake withdrew his bulk, releasing his grip on Vila's clothing and moving away.
He paused at the door, turning toward Vila. "Just remember what I said." He hit the door opener.
"Blake?" Vila called out softly to him.
"What is it?"
"Make him happy."
After a pause, Blake gave a curt nod to the thief, turned and left.
"…and don't hurt him…" Vila whispered to the emptiness. "…please…"
Then Vila fled. Seeking out one of his many bolt holes, an oddly-shaped, empty extension of the ducting system, he curled up and shook for a long while. Then, his mind shifted into gear as he tried to analyze the situation.
On the one hand, he owed Avon his honesty and support, if for no other reason than their past friendship. On the other hand, he owed himself his own survival. It was quite clear Blake was willing to commit violence upon the thief's person if he didn't get his way regarding Avon.
It just shows me that I was right about him manipulating Avon. Blake needs Avon's computer genius and he's using sex to bind him. When Avon finds out he's being used again…Vila's train of thought trailed off, as he remembered the others who'd used Avon in the past, and hurt him, when they inevitably betrayed him. Servalan and Tynus, certainly. Anna Grant, too, he suspected, but he'd never been able to prove it to Avon. And now Blake!
Now what, Vila? He thought to himself. If you don't interfere, Avon will get hurt; it's inevitable. But if you do interfere, Blake will hurt you or get you killed! His dilemma chasing around his subconscious, Vila fell asleep.
Hours later, Vila swam back to consciousness, finding Avon asleep against the opposite wall, his head on his up-drawn knees. Vila smiled, amused that Avon had known where to find him. As Vila uncurled and stretched out cramped muscles, Avon awoke. He's always been more sensitive to his surroundings than anyone else I've ever known, Vila thought.
The computer tech came fully awake, instantly alert. Looking into Vila's eyes curiously, he asked, "Finally surfacing, eh?"
"How'd you know where to look for me?" Vila asked.
Avon began to stretch his own stiff muscles as he answered. "When you missed your watch shift, I went looking for you. When you weren't in your cabin, I started checking all your hidey holes." Glancing around, he continued, "This looks remarkably like the hiding place you took me to that first time. Do you remember?" he inquired, with one lifted eyebrow.
"Of course I remember. It was after I got you away from that bully boy in the park. We ate the food I'd stolen and …admired the gems I'd 'found'." Vila smiled at the warm memory of those six-year-olds' adventure. Then his face darkened as he remembered the end of that episode. "Then your father came and took you away from me. I remember crying on my mum's shoulder, thinking I'd never see my new friend again, but she said I would, and she was right."
Avon tilted his head. "I never heard that part of it, Vila, not even the next time I 'explored' and ended up at your house again." He went silent, his mind coursing down the years, remembering adventures, exploits, mistakes…and love.
Vila could see it on his face when he got to those few years of young manhood when they'd happily been lovers and the world was spread out before them, theirs for the taking. It hadn't happened that way, though, as distance, time, interests and quarrels separated them, until they'd been reunited on the London, as 'acquaintances.'
Vila was watching Avon when the tech shook himself out of memories' clutches to ask, "What's the problem, Vila? Why did you go missing and hole up here?" The dark eyes, so fierce at other times, held only sober concern for Vila's welfare. Vila gulped, totally unprepared to explain his problem, so he just shook his head and looked down, avoiding those eyes.
"Come on, Vila," Avon persisted reasonably. It was almost like the old Avon, from before higher learning had taken him away from Vila. "What could be so bad that you couldn't tell me?" He sounded so temptingly sane and sincere, it was all Vila could do not to blurt out the whole story. He remained mute with an effort.
Exasperated, Avon slammed his hand down on the deck, causing Vila to jump, something he hadn't known you could do sitting down.
"Vila," Avon began, "I know you're not lazy or evading your duties, so something must have set you off, and I want to know what it is. Now!"
Vila sighed. Avon was never one to let a mystery just lie there. Maybe he could tell him only part of the truth. Perhaps it would be enough to sidetrack him.
"I…had an argument with Blake. I came here to…think, and fell asleep." He stopped, but he knew he wasn't out of trouble yet.
"So…what was the fight about? I am unaware of any recent dereliction of duty or disagreement sufficient to set Blake off. Give, Vila, what was the subject?" he demanded, an implacable look in his eyes that told Vila he might as well tell the truth.
"You."
Avon's face hardened, suspicion creeping into his eyes. His privacy was one of those precious things that he jealously guarded from everyone, even Vila and Blake, though to different degrees and in different areas. So. They had been talking about him behind his back. His ire began to rise. He tried to control his anger, if only to get all of the details from Vila.
"You two…discussed me? In what respect? Don't' stop now, Vila," he said in a quiet voice that Vila knew represented anything but peace.
"He…remembered seeing us together at that tech show and put one and one together and came up with three! He warded me off, said I wasn't to come between him and you. That's all, honest, Avon. He just warned me off. I…told him there wasn't anything between us but he didn't believe me, I guess. I couldn't figure a way to convince him I was harmless, so I came here to think." Vila watched Avon, hoping against hope that Avon would accept his words as all there was to the matter and not push him for more, which he didn't dare give. It would blow up in his face to tell Avon that Blake was using him, and if Avon didn't kill him, Blake would!
"I…see," Avon breathed, and Vila heaved an inward sigh of relief. It was going to be all right after all, he thought, relaxing a little.
All hell broke loose, in the form of one enraged computer tech.
"Blake's right! You have no right to interfere between him and me. Just because you and I were once lovers doesn't give you any right to even discuss my relationship with him. How dare you?"
His eyes burned so hotly that Vila flinched involuntarily, molding his back to the wall. "It wasn't like that, Avon!" he protested. "I didn't do anything, Blake started it! I hardly said five words. He did all the talking."
That didn't calm Avon a bit. His rage coloured even Vila's simple explanation, fuel for his fire. He stood, tense all over, his arms at his sides, hands clenched. Slowly, Vila stood to face Avon eye to eye. He knew he was in for it now. He couldn't remember ever seeing Avon this mad.
Avon spoke first, probably a good thing, since Vila had absolutely nothing in his mind capable of defusing this white hot anger.
"Vila, hear me and hear me good. I'm only going to say this once." His voice was, by contrast, cold and deadly. "You have nothing to do with my relationship with Blake. You have no reason to discuss it with anyone at any time. Understood?" He waited for Vila's reply, while Vila shook slightly at that echo of Blake's wrath. He nodded sharply.
Avon continued, "I most especially do not need you telling me how to behave or with whom. In the future, you will keep your opinions in that area strictly to yourself. Is that clear enough for you?" Again Vila nodded, mute before Avon's dismissal of their past as inconsequential. His misery was written plainly across his face, but Avon couldn't or wouldn't see it.
Without another word, Avon left, stalking out of the small room and, seemingly, out of Vila's life. Looking after him in grief, Vila's tears silently streaked down his face. Well, he thought, I avoided getting killed by both Avon and Blake. Just like always, I have to stand back and watch him get hurt, just so I can be around to pick up the pieces again.
In mute silence, Vila returned to his cabin and his duties, knowing what the future held for Avon and himself, but unable to change it.
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A/N: Reviews would be welcome.