Théo and Éomer: A Promise Kept Part 2

Théodred: There is a bowl of fruit on the table in the centre of the kitchen and we both grab an apple to munch on. I can see you hesitate, and kiss your bare shoulder as I go to investigate. It is not too different from Paris' kitchen, or the one I once watched Dave cook in through Paris' eyes. A quick search, and we have bread and good salty butter on the table, as well as the fruit.

Opening the fridge, I am pleased to find cold bottles of ale, and what turns out to be cheese, and add them to our haul as you find knives and open the bottles. There is also a slab of raw meat on a plate and more rummaging reveals some of the brown skinned globes I have seen Dave cut up and cook with his meat. For some reason, Paris prefers not to eat meat, but I'm sure one meal won't hurt this body.

I put the globes down on the table, remembering how Dave prepared them. "Take off the brown skin, and cut them into small pieces. Oh, and be careful, they will make you cry!" You look at me with disbelief, and I laugh to myself as I grab the meat, and hope that Karl's cooking stove is similar to Paris' or Dave's.

Éomer: I'm relieved to see that you seem to know what you are doing in this strange kitchen. I can escape from Karl's hold so infrequently that food is usually the last thing I am thinking about. This time that you have obtained for us to have together is rewarding in more ways than I dreamed. I am so glad to be here without having to fight Karl to get through, glad to have a time of peace away from my responsibilities. Glad that I can be with you in this place of safety.

I walk over to where you are dealing with the meat and wrap my arms around you, resting my cheek on your smooth back. "Thank you," I whisper and place a kiss at the top of your spine.

Then I turn away to deal with my enemy, the vegetable that will make me cry. But I am armed, I think as I pick up the knife. They will not get the better of me. The brown layer comes off easily and I slice into the white meat below.

The scent of this root suddenly envelopes me and my eyes are burning, painful and welling with tears. I drop the knife and pull my towel off, scrubbing at my eyes. "By the Valar, Théo, are you trying to kill me? Surely we are not meant to eat these things!"

( You laugh as I glare at you accusingly. )

NC-17

Théodred and Karl: How Far Will You Go?

Karl: I wake up to sunlight slanting across the end of my bed, and I stretch lazily, feeling my muscles flexing. But I realize that I’m naked and terror freezes my heart. I don’t move, afraid of what I’ll find, but I open my eyes and turn my head to the side. I’m in my own bed, and I’m alone. Relief floods me and I think how warped is my life that I’m happy to wake up alone. But I feel amazingly contented and relaxed, almost like I could purr. I can’t remember waking up feeling this good, in well . . . forever. I roll over to my side, smiling, to look out the window at my forest, but I’m startled to see someone partially blocking the light.

My heart is pounding again, until he moves. “Théodred?” Oh, god, please don’t be Paris.

He comes out of the patch of sunlight and I can see him better. I think I have seen him enough to know the difference now. He doesn’t move like Paris, he moves with the easy grace of someone used to being on horseback, and his face is older somehow, or maybe it’s just the look in his eyes.

( You kept the bargain, I think happily )

PG-13