In Each Other

Author's Notes: Omfg, chapter. I think this may be a first for me. I didn't make you wait months for this one! Woot! Hah, okay. Read on. Smut in the next chapter. ^_^

*****

Norris was silent for a long time after Karsh left. At first, he’d paced. Back and forth across the room, circuit after circuit, as though he were trying to run away from something that stayed hot on his tail. His bare feet slapped against the plank floors and, dissatisfied with the sound, he’d paused to pull his boots on. The heavy thunking was infinitely more satisfying, and he buried his thoughts in the rhythmic thump, so reminiscent of marching. Life had been easier then, when it had all been a series of drills and orders, maneuvers and tactics. He wished he could go back to it.

After perhaps thirty minutes or so, he grew tired of pacing. He still hadn’t recovered fully, and his stamina left quite a bit to be desired. So he’d resumed his seat on the bed, chin cupped in his hands as he contemplated the turn his life had taken. He’d never expected to fall in love, not really. He’d known since he was very young that women did nothing for him; he found them to be, on the whole, silly and vain and hardly worth his respect. The women he’d met here had altered that opinion drastically, of course, and though he could acknowledge each hem hem as an original beauty, not a one of them stirred him the way Karsh did. He wondered at that. Was his masochistic streak really that big?

He sat on the bed for fifteen minutes more before there came a shuffling on the other side of the curtains. It was far too small to be Karsh, and rather too clumsy to be Riddel or Orlha, so he didn’t immediately roll over and feign sleep. When the curtains whisked back to reveal a gnarled old woman with skin as green as marsh leaves, he was glad he hadn’t bothered with the ruse. Sprigg was always welcome in his room. There was something about her cheerfully caustic attitude that put him at ease.

“Sprigg,” he greeted her, inclining his head somewhat. She returned the gesture with a quick jerk of her own head, tottering fully into the room. She didn’t ask permission to come in. It wasn’t her way. “What brings you out to visit a sick boy?”

“Sick!” Sprigg snorted derisively and smacked Norris quite soundly on the knee with her walking stick. “You’re no sicker than I, and I’ve been alive longer than your mama’s mama, boy.” Norris smiled a little at that.

“My grandmother is dead, actually, so I suppose you’re right.”

Sprigg graced him with one of her coughing, cackling little laughs, and hopped up onto the stool that sat beside the bed. She was remarkably spry for such a twisted little creature. Norris was quite fond of her for that, though he couldn’t have said why. “Course I’m right. Got more brains in this here old noggin than in all those others combined.” Norris didn’t disagree, though Sprigg fixed him with a sharp eye, as though she suspected he might. Satisfied that he concurred, she soldiered on. “Seen the blacksmith’s boy down with the pirates…”

Norris barely restrained a groan. Did everyone know? And did everyone feel the burning desire to get involved with his love life? Thank goodness she had come to him and not to Karsh, though. Heaven only knew what the Deva was telling people. “I’d really rather not discuss it,” Norris answered, a touch stiffly. Sprigg just cackled again and tapped him with her cane.

“Bet you wouldn’t! I knew there was something going on!” She bea wid wide mouth stretching beneath her hooked nose. “Old Sprigg, she always knows! Been away from people for a long time, lad, but when you get as old as me, you can sniff out a situation like it was a smelly old sock!” Norris’s nose wrinkled slightly at the unfavorable comparison, but he didn’t interrupt. He didn’t want to risk another whack with the cane. “I saw him come out of here not but an hour ago, I suppose it was. Lit out like someone tossed a fire in his britches.”

“Sprigg, please.” He’d had quite enough of the old lady’s rambling metaphors and snooping. “I’d appreciate it if you would simply drop the subject. I ought to be getting some rest, after all, and—“

“And nothing!” Another strike with the cane, and Norris winced this time. Sprigg was beginning to raise a bruise. “You’ll listen to an old lady, lad. Do her that much of a courtesy.” She stopped, beady eyes narrowing, until Norris sighed and nodded and propped his chin in his hands again. Satisfied that she had an audience, Sprigg ploughed on. “I saw that boy run out of here just as quick as he could, and I thought to myself, I thought, must be some kind of trouble going on in that there tree. Now, I didn’t fancy that it were the lady he’d got his knickers twisted over, as him and her got kind of an understanding between them, you see. Sniffed that one out too. Figured it had to be something else, and the only other one livin’ in that great trunk was you, and I couldn’t quite piece together what was happening there. So I followed him, sneaky like, and—“

It was Norris’s turn to interrupt, which he did with a horrified little yelp. “You spied on him?” he demanded, cheeks flushing bright red. Was nothing sacred in this place?

Sprigg huffed and resettled herself, though thankfully she didn’t strike him this time. “Didn’t really have to,” she muttered. “He was yellin’ loud enough for the entire damned island to hear, wasn’t he?” Norris groaned and buried his face in his hands. He was going to kill Karsh. Horribly. And loudly. He was sure other adverbs would get involved somehow, but his train of thought was disrupted by Sprigg. “Anyway, managed to piece it all together and I figured since he had a lady to talk to, you might need one too. And here I am.”

Norris sighed, fingers rising automatically to pinch the bridge of his nose. He appreciated the sentiment, but he’d never really been one to discuss his problems. He found it much more effective and quite a bit less embarrassing if he simply worked through them on his own. Once he’d recovered fully and was able to engage in some good, strenuous exercise he’d feel right as rain. Maybe.

“You don’t wanna talk, I know,” Sprigg chirped, abominably cheerful. Norris spared a moment to glower at her, then went back to rubbing his nose. “But sometimes you have to, and now is one of those times. You’re in love with him, ain’t ya?”

That gave Norris something of a start, and his head jerked up, spine straightening. It was a knee-jerk reaction; always try to appear taller when about to deny something, as it leant more weight to the denial. Sprigg just raised a gnarled eyebrow at him, as though she knew precisely what he was up to, and he deflated somewhat. She already knew, that much was clear. He might as well go ahead and own up to it. “Yes. I do love him.”

“You told him that?”

“No, of course not.” And she fixed him with another glare, this one so fierce he could have sworn his insides shriveled up. “What?” he demanded helplessly. “What do you want from me?”

“Why ain’t ya told him yet?” Sprigg’s cane tapped ominously against the floorboards, as steady as his boots had been but quite a bit less comforting. Norris tried valiantly to keep his gaze steady, but the old goblin woman was considerably more terrifying than any of his old drill sergeants had been.

“Because now isn’t the time for that sort of thing,” Norris muttered defensively. He caught himself before he folded his arms in a sulky, childish position, but just barely. This was beginning to grate on his nerves. He was an officer in the Porre military, dammit! What was Sprigg? A little old lady who’d lived by herself in Chaos. She was nothing, and yet she intimidated him worse than anyone he’d ever met.

The stick cracked down sharply on his head, and Norris yelped, arms rising in automatic defense. “You stupid child!” Sprigg was standing on the stool now, brandishing the cane as though it were a sword, black eyes snapping. “Now is the only time for that sort of thing!”

Norris didn’t respond immediately. Her anger was off-putting and her statement confusing. Surely she didn’t mean to suggest that he pursue a doomed love affair in the middle of a battle for the fate of the world? Not even Sprigg would be that mad. When he finally did answer, the words were hesitant and soft, not at all the way he’d intended. “What are you saying?”

Seeing that Norris wasn’t going to argue with her, Sprigg resumed her seat. Her voice, when she spoke, was back to normal, as though her little outburst had never happened. “I’ming,ing, lad, that you may never get another chance to love again. And if you don’t grab hold with both hands and enjoy it while it lasts, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” She paused, then her face split in a disconcerting, lopsided grin. “Though with the way things is goin’ now, you might not live long enough to regret it anyway, eh?”

Norris took it to be some morbid joke, and passed the comment by in favor of the ones that had come before it. “So you think it would be better if I simply gave over and allowed myself to love Karsh, so that I could have my heart broken when this is all over?” As he said it, he realized privately that this was the true reason he had refused Karsh. They were from different worlds, after all. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life missing the man he loved.

“Lad, you already love him,” Sprigg answered quietly. “Whether or not you tell him, your heart is gonna break when it’s all over anyway. Might as well have a few happy memories to take with you.” Norris, slack-jawed, had barely formulated an answer when Sprigg slid off the stool and patted him on the knee. “You just think about what I said. I hate seeing good boys throwing away their lives.”

She ambled out as suddenly as she’d come, and Norris could only stare at the curtains as they settled in her wake. Was she serious? Did she honestly think that by immersing himself in a necessarily short-term relationship, he would feel less broken up when it came time to end things? Foolishness, obviously. He wouldn’t be swayed by her words. Not even a little.

Except that he already had and he knew it. His lips tingled with the far off memory of Karsh’s kiss, and had there been a mirror in the room, he would have seen the way his cheeks flushed when he recalled Karsh’s hands on him. He tried desperately to convince himself that it was merely lust, that he could overcome this if only he could distract himself from Karsh’s obvious physical attractiveness. It didn’t work, not even a little, and Norris whimpered in confusion.

There were two ways to settle this, as far as he could tell. Either he could continue to deny himself and possibly end up very bitter and alone, or he could give in, confess, and end up alone but with memories of Karsh to sustain him. If it had been any other time in his life, he would have unhesitatingly chosen the first option; there was very little time for sentimentality in Norris’s line of work, and he had done a thorough job of purging it from his life. Things had changed, though. The world as he knew it was on the verge of annihilation. There was no more room for coy games and stoic abstinence. Sprigg was right. Now was the only time.

Jaw set, Norris rose and dressed himself in full military regalia. He would go, and he would apologize to Karsh for his stubborn refusal to admit his feelings, but he would not do it looking like a sick man. Somewhere in the midst of his preparations, Riddel entered the room and stood, hands folded, watching him. He didn’t notice her until he turned to exit, and he was drawn up short by the sight of her. It struck him again how regal she looked, how very self-possessed and calm.

“I’m leaving lady,” he said firmly. He would not take no for an answer this time. To his surprise, Riddel nodded and shifted out of the way, as though she’d intended that all along.

“He is down by the shore,” she offered. Her smile grew even as his eyes widened, and she gave a musical little laugh. “You wonder how I knew? I have known Karsh since we were both very young, and he is as simple to read as child’s book.” She paused a moment, then ducked her head and spoke very softly. “Take care with his heart, Commander. I’m afraid he has been ill used in the past.”

Norris regarded her for a moment, wondering at the meaning of her words. He didn’t ask, however, as it was her concern and none of his. He simply nodded respectfully as he passed and put the issue out of his mind. Perhaps he would ask Karsh later, perhaps not. It all depended on how this meeting went.

The sun was impossibly bright as he climbed out of the hideout, and he was forced to remain still and squint up at the sky for a good four or five minutes before his eyes adjusted properly. It was good to smell the fresh air again, though, and a blessing to feel the natural warmth of the outdoors. Smiling, he slid down to the ground and set out for the seashore. He was forced to pace himself, as he was still relatively weak and unused to walking. He had no desire to appear before Karsh sweaty and out of breath, so the closer he got, the more he slowed down, until he simply appeared to be out for an evening stroll.

Karsh was not difficult to find. Norris had only to follow the sounds of boisterous pirate songs in order to locate the Deva. He paused a moment as he crested a hill, looking down at the scene before him. Orlha had set up a makeshift bar out of barrels and a length of wood, and was cheerfully serving what looked to be half of Fargo’s crew, the captain himself, and Karsh. Norris almost turned back. The thought of all these men seeing what he was about to do turned his stomach a little. He steeled himself, though, knowing that if he didn’t do it now, he never would.

Jaw set, he made his way down the embankment. None of the men noticed him, but Orlha glanced up and caught sight of him as he approached the bar. Her mouth parted in a little ‘o’ of surprise, and she gestured frantically to Karsh. Not exactly the way Norris had wanted to do things, but it didn’t matter. He could adapt.

Karsh twisted on the balls of his feet, amber eyes widening in shock and something approaching anger, and his lips parted in what would undoubtedly have been a bitter tirade had Norris not silenced him. Their lips met like a clash of weapons, hard and harsh and hungry, and Karsh froze for a moment, clearly confused. The hesitation lasted only a moment, then massive arms like braided steel circled Norris’s waist, lifting him, and the kiss turned softer, though no less urgent.

Norris heard the talking and laughter die down behind them, and Karsh must have as well, because he pulled back from the embrace. His cheeks were flushed, and his breath came in sharp gasps, but Norris saw hesitation in his eyes and responded fiercely. “Karsh, if you truly love me, you will not back away from this,” he hissed, fingers tangling tight in the Deva’s hair.

Karsh stared hard at him for a moment, face creasing in a sharp frown.rrisrris feared that he may have overstepped his bounds. Was Karsh angry with him for this sudden reversal? He would have been, had he been the Deva. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all. As the doubts built in his mind like a cresting wave, there was a shuffling from behind them. A loud, happily drunken voice called out, “Get a room, the two of ya!” and was immediately followed by a raucous burst of laughter.

Karsh’s face transformed, splitting in a wide grin, and Norris allowed himself a sharp, relieved laugh. His forehead met Karsh’s shoulder, and his arms tightened around the Deva’s neck as Karsh bent and scooped him up. He almost protested the indignity of the situation, but he rather liked the feeling of security. Besides, he was tired and probably couldn’t have kept up with Karsh’s long strides if forced to walk.

“Well,” Karsh purred, lips brushing Norris’s ear, “you heard the man. Let’s go get a room, shall we?” Norris shifted slightly to face Karsh and, for once, he didn’t censor the emotion in his eyes. It was all there, plain as day for anyone who cared to look. Karsh’s eyes softened in response, and his arms tightened briefly around Norris in a sort of hug.

“Yes.” Norris kissed Karsh again, lips moving softly against the other man’s. It had been a very long time since he’d kissed someone, and an even longer time since he’d enjoyed it as much as he did now. Karsh’s lips seemed perfect, hard and warm as they closed over his, eager as they parted fully. His tongue teased out, the tip brushing lightly along Norris’s lower lip, and Norris shivered in the Dragoon’s arms. He pulled back, blushing bright, and smiled. “Yes, let’s.”