Title: Rainbow Skin
Author: fuzzyalligator
Rating: T
Genre: Romance, General
Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm just having fun with them for a bit.

A/N: This is 1/2 of my entries to Flint-x-Wood's contest over at deviantART. This is only the second time I've written this couple. So, be nice?

oO0Oo

Marcus slowly opened his eyes and looked around in confusion. Why was he in a room that looked like the Hospital Wing? The last place he remembered being was in the hallways with many students. There had been a loud ruckus and then…

It all came flooding back to him. He'd been on his way to Charms when those Weasley idiots and their sidekick had run past him. At the time he'd thought someone was chasing them, trying to get even for a prank. Only now did he realize they weren't running away from isomeone/i, they were running away from isomething/i.

And judging by his odd colored skin and aching body, it must have been one of their bloody inventions.

The pain in his body intensified when he tried to sit up. With a loud groan he fell back down to the bed to rest. Just as his eyes closed, he heard the curtains around his bed move.

Thinking it was Madam Pomfrey, he opened them again and froze when he saw who it really was. "It's good to see you're not dead," Wood commented, his eyes roaming across his rainbow skin. "Winning the Cup wouldn't mean as much if I didn't beat you to it."

"What do you want, Wood?" he replied hoping the colors on his face hid his blush well and ignored the almost friendly jab. It was bad enough that Wood had to find him weak in the Hospital Wing. But why did he have to see him all multicolored? Marcus tried to school his features as he sat up, not wanting the Gryffindor to see how much pain he was in.

The younger boy actually looked guilty which confused Marcus. "McGonagall told me to keep an eye on you," he answered, looking him straight in the eye. "She said it was the least I could do."

Marcus looked at him suspiciously. "What're you talking about, Wood? This is those damn Weasels' fault."

The guilty look disappeared and was replaced with a fierce glare when he mentioned the Slytherins' nickname for the Weasley kids, which just made Marcus smirk. He always loved that look on the other boy. It was better than those smiles Wood gave his friends and caused Marcus feel funny whenever he saw it.

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you." Wood sat down in the chair that Marcus had finally noticed and folded his arms across his chest. It was obvious that the boy didn't want to be there.

The two sat there in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds were of those of the matron doing something beyond the now closed curtain and some students walking past the Wing. Finally Wood spoke.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked, sounding like he could care less.

"Some peace and quiet," Marcus answered and slowly lowered himself back to the bed in an attempt to rest some. It was just as painful going down for some reason. He heard Wood make a noise, which only caused the smirk to come back. "So, what failure of a product did this to me?"

"They said the charm was meant to change someone's hair different colors," Wood replied after a few seconds pause.

Marcus looked over to find him staring at the ground before him. It was obvious something was really bugging the other boy but Marcus couldn't put his finger on it. He'd seen other students with the same expression and posture and it finally clicked when Wood slouched in his seat more. He'd seen students who had been in trouble – like him a few times – look exactly like that.

"Why are you here, Wood?" he asked again, forcing himself to sit up so he was somewhat eyelevel with the Gryffindor.

It took a few moments before he finally looked up at him but his whole demeanor changed. Instead of slouching, Wood sat up straight and looked him right in the eye. "I'm here because it's my fault this happened to you. I was trying to throw the ruddy thing at one of the twins and hit you on accident."

Marcus stared at him until he finally figured everything out, "You're only here out of some sick sense of Gryffindor guilt!"

"No I'm not!" Wood argued, the confident look instantly changing to fear. He tried to explain but all he did was stumble over his word.

But Marcus didn't care to hear what he had to say. Instead of listening, he started to look for his wand so he could hex the stuttering boy. "You're here just to make yourself feel better!"

"I'm here because I was worried about you!"

The Slytherin stopped moving at the other boy's confession. Had he heard him correctly or had the charm done something to his hearing as well? Slowly, Marcus turned to look at the other boy and saw him staring at him horrified. "I have to go," he said quickly, reaching down to grab his bag.

Before Marcus could say anything, Wood had fled the enclosed area.

oO0Oo

It wasn't until a few days later that Marcus was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing. According to a very reliable source, Wood had lied to him. McGonagall knew nothing about him throwing the product and had not been forced to visit him.

That just proved that what he had heard that day had not been just his imagination.

Against his better Slytherin judgment, Marcus went in search of Wood in hopes of some form of an explanation. And if that didn't work out, he'd just force the other boy to tell him the truth.

It was actually hard to find the other boy much to Marcus' displeasure. Any other time, he couldn't look around without seeing him and now there was no trace of the bloody git.

He was just about to give up his search when he literally ran into the other boy. "You've been avoiding me!" Marcus accused in greeting once they were both securely standing on their feet.

Oliver actually flinched at the volume of his voice but bravely looked him in the eye. "What do you want, Flint?" he asked coldly. He kept looking around, almost as if he was expecting someone to jump out at them.

He couldn't stand it. First Wood confessed to actually being worried about him and now he was acting like it was all Marcus' fault. Instead of getting mad like in the past, Marcus finally applied some of his Slytherin cunning.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he replied coolly with a small smirk. Wood actually looked at him curiously when he said that, obviously suspicious of the change of tine. "Your cheeks were so red I thought the blasted product might have gotten you as well."

"My cheeks were not red!" Wood defended, blushing now in embarrassment.

Marcus arched an eyebrow then gestured to him. "You mean like they're not now?"

Wood opened his mouth a few times in an attempt to say something but nothing came out. Finally he glared and made to walk away. Marcus quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him close. "Let go, Flint," he threatened and pressed a hand against his chest in an attempt to push away.

Marcus ignored it and held him close. "I couldn't help but wonder iwhy/i you had blushed then but then I recall what you said before leaving." He used his free hand to pull the other boy closer, half smirking when he heard the small gasp. "This can end one of two ways, Wood. You get to pick."

He had expected the other boy to continue his attempts at fleeing. So he was shocked when the hand that had been pressing against his chest moved to the back of his neck to pull their faces closer. The once blushing boy looked much more confident now. "Do you know what you've gotten yourself into?" he whispered, sending chills down Marcus' spine.

The only answer he gave was a simple nod of his head, but that was all Wood needed. He crashed their lips together and both moaned at the contact. Just like everything they did in their lives, the kiss became a competition of who would break down first.

Marcus had been dreaming of this for so long and knew he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. But he was thrilled when Wood opened his mouth minutely so he took a chance.

Before the kiss could get too heated, someone cleared their throat behind them. The two boys broke apart quicker than a Snitch only to find that it had been one of the portraits. "I suggest doing that somewhere else," the young witch recommended with a wink before strolling out of her frame.

The two boys watched her leave before looking at each other. Without a single word between them, they rushed to one of the many unused classrooms nearby to finish what they started.

oO0Oo

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