For Prussianblue- a little more of Into the Woods... wow, it's been awhile on this one! Sorry!
Into the Woods Part 4
Heero frowned at Jay. "Don't give him any ideas."
The old goblin snorted. "Me? After you walked him through half the city today? I'm sure he saw the reaction he caused."
Heero caught the shudder that his elf tried to suppress. No worries there- Duo hadn't liked causing that reaction- unlike that other one...
"It only happened that one time. We're all too wary to let that sort of thing happen again."
"Hn," Jay got to his feet, clutching the gray bag. "Just be careful."
"I always am."
Once Jay had left, Heero saw the questioning look Duo gave him. "You don't want to know. Truly." A small frown rippled over Duo's mouth and Heero sighed. "Sorry, I forgot. You may speak again."
He expected Duo to question him anyway, but the elf merely reached out a hand to the jar of ointment Heero was turning around in his fingers. "May I help you with that?"
"No thank you. It doesn't ache badly tonight," Heero said and rose, putting the jar on the mantelpiece. "I usually only use it if the pain gets unbearable." He went to the cupboard to get two bowls.
"Does that mean- does it hurt all the time?"
Heero shrugged a little. "Pretty much." He dished out two bowls of stew and handed one to Duo. "Here. Eat. It's getting late." The elf was frowning and Heero wondered why.
Duo ate quickly, then took both the bowls to the pump to wash them. Heero turned his attention to his packs, sorting through the rest of the goods he had brought back. He'd have to deliver a few tomorrow- and then... maybe a week and he could go back out into the forest without anyone being suspicious...
Surely an opportunity to get Duo safely home would present itself...
Aching and sore, Heero stood up, stretching carefully. Duo was sitting beside the hearth, a frown still lurking about his mouth, as he watched Heero move.
"There's extra bedding in that cupboard over there," Heero said, silently berating himself for not thinking of it sooner. "You can make a bed here by the hearth- it should be comfortable-"
"I thought I was sharing yours- for safety's sake," Duo answered and Heero started. He'd forgotten their earlier conversation- blocked it out, if truth be told.
"Hellfires," he swore softly as he sat down on his bed to pull his boots off.
His elf looked upset. He couldn't be- not over-! But he was. Duo's voice was soft. "I am sorry to be such a bother- but I- I mean... I promise to do my best to make you like it-"
As if Heero was worried about that. It was almost funny, really. He shook his head. "It's not you I'm worried about. It's me."
Duo blinked, surprised. "You?" Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "What did they do?" Before Heero could answer, Duo was beside him on the bed, leaning close in the dim light. The honey and cinnamon scent invaded his senses, making them reel. "They hurt you- more than your back? The elves- my people- what did they do?"
"I-" Heero started, but Duo didn't let him finish.
"Never mind. You don't have to tell me. But- it worries you. You think you'll hurt me because of it?"
Heero closed his eyes, trying to focus. But that scent... and the warmth of Duo's body beside his... "Yes." He admitted- and waited for the spicy sweet scent to vanish, waited for the warmth to retreat.
Arms slid around his shoulders, held him close, pulled him down into the softness of the bed, into the warmth of an embrace. Lips brushed his, coaxed his mouth into responding. "I trust you-"
"You shouldn't-"
"I should. You should. It will be okay- I promise." Duo's mouth touched his again.
And Heero was lost...
~*~
The goblin's kisses were fierce and hungry- demanding- but not cruel. Duo opened his lips, inviting Heero to taste him, sliding his fingers under Heero's tunic.
Duo could feel the roughness of Heero's skin under his fingertips and part of him burned with anger. So many years ago- and still Heero hurt with the punishment for daring to help- it was wrong. So much pain, so much damage- and for what? Because he'd dared help a child?
I wish... I wish I could heal him... I wish I could make his pain go away...
Heero suddenly pulled away, gasping for breath. He rolled all the way over, putting his back to Duo. "Sorry-" he gasped out. "I can't-"
"Did I hurt you?" Duo leaned over him, alarmed.
"No. Just please- give me a minute. Your- that scent- it- makes me remember-"
The words were like a dash of ice water down his spine. He didn't want to hurt Heero- and yet- this was something he couldn't control.
"I'll go make up a bed on the hearth," he said and slipped out from under the covers. Heero turned and grabbed his wrist.
"No, no, it's okay. You were right- we need to at least share the bed."
But he'd still be close enough to stir up those memories of Heero's. Damn it- there had to be something-
"Wait a minute," Duo tugged his wrist free and slid out of the bed. "You took the packs off of my mount before you sold it, right?"
"Yes." Heero sat up and watched Duo rummage in the corner with the saddlebags. "Why?"
"I think I can help." He pulled out a largish round jar and popped the lid on it, taking a deep breath. "Here it is." He got to his feet and moved to Heero's side. "Just let me put a little of this right under your nose."
"What is it?" Duo saw the flinch that Heero tried to hide as he brushed his finger over Heero's upper lip. He hoped the stronger mint smell would banish the honey and cinnamon of his own. Heero's wary expression cleared, relief washing over his face.
"Better?"
"Much better. Thank you." Duo put the jar on the small table beside the bed and slid back under the covers behind Heero.
At least he had been able to do something... not what he wanted to do, but this was better than nothing.
Heero murmured something that Duo didn't catch and the lights and fire dimmed. Darkness blanketed the room and Duo settled down to sleep.
But he couldn't. This morning he'd been trying to talk Quatre out of coming into the woods- and now- now he was the slave of a goblin who wanted nothing more than to set him free. A goblin who had been hurt- very badly hurt- by his people and yet wanted to help Duo.
Sliding closer to Heero's back, he wondered what had happened to his cousin. His situation couldn't be anything like Duo's- there was no way the dryad would let him go. Heero had even said as much.
Oh Quatre, he thought, remembering how Quatre had been tied up with roots- pulled into that tree. I hope you're all right...
Duo? Is that you?
The words weren't his own thoughts, they sounded like his cousin- but he wasn't hearing them in the normal way...
Quatre?
Duo! Is it you? There was the underlying thought that maybe he was going crazy, hearing the cousin he was so sure had been eaten by goblins...
It's me. But how can you hear me?
You aren't dead? Aren't a spirit?
No, I'm still alive. I'm in the goblin city.
Are they going to kill you? Trowa said he'd be willing to buy you from Heero- but he was afraid it might already be too late-
No. Heero is- he's helping me- Even as he wondered how to explain it, his mind flashed over everything that had happened- from that long ago day in the forest when he'd first met Heero up to a few moments ago when Heero had rolled over to go to sleep.
So that's how you got out of the woods all that time ago... I remember Sister Helen talking about Heero- he's still in pain after all this time?
Yes.
There has to be some way for us to help him. I'll ask Trowa.
Trowa? The dryad? He's-
Kind. Very much so. I told him why we were in the forest- he agreed to send the plants we needed to cure the plains illness to our village- as long as I agreed to stay with him willingly. A flash from Quatre's mind- the dryad explaining how he'd deal fairly with Quatre in return for the same.
So, we didn't totally fail after all.
No, we didn't.
I hope this is real and not some dream-
I'm sure it's not. I know I'm awake. I think- I think it's the forest. You know our people lost most of their magic when they left their city- but maybe it wasn't the city- maybe it was leaving the forest that did it-
It could be-
Ah, a faint embarrassment. I have to go. Trowa has finished with his duties- and he is rather insistent- The flash this time made Duo blush and then he felt the break as the connection he hadn't realized he'd made snapped.
Curling himself up as close to Heero as he dared, his listened to the even steady breathing of the goblin and tried to match it.
Magic. Was it really? If it was... maybe he'd be able to free himself without putting Heero in danger.
Maybe he'd be able to take away Heero's pain...
TBC...
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