NOTES
Written as part of the Great Shack Challenge of 2001. If you
haven't checked out the main page for this yet (101
Ways to Wind Up in a Canadian Shack), do! It has 30 authors in
62 fandoms, and I guarantee there are fandoms you never dreamed of there,
as well as some of your favorites. They're short (500-600 words), and
they're good. These eight were my contribution.
All of my shacks are collected here.
written December 2001; posted December 31, 2001
"Well?" Nick asked, looking around. "Is this great, or what?"
"Nicholas."
He turned, beaming, then swallowed hard as he saw Lacroix's forbidding expression. "You said you wanted to get away, just the two of us!"
"Yes, but I meant to a five-star hotel, with silk sheets and large baths and staff that are discreet enough not to notice, much less mention, the occasional bloodstain. Not... this." Lacroix grimaced as he gestured at the room.
Nick looked around again, trying to see the charming cabin through Lacroix's eyes. Rough walls, coarse bedding, a distinct lack of a bathtub. And an even more distinct lack of a staff. "Oh." He shot a stealthy look at his watch, confirming what the twitch at the back of his neck was telling him--dawn was less than an hour away. "Well. We've stayed in worse places," he said gamely.
Lacroix, the epitome of frozen dignity, settled onto a chair and stared at him. "Yes, we have," he said, every syllable precisely clipped. "Usually while being chased by a horde of angry peasants waving torches and pointy wooden sticks."
Nick winced and went to look out the window, clasping his hands behind his back.
"So. See any peasant hordes out there?"
Nick lowered his head to the cold glass and shut his eyes.
"No? I confess, I thought I saw something earlier. Didn't quite look like peasants, though. More like... bunnies."
Nick started banging his head gently, unclasping his hands to brace himself against the wall for better leverage.
"Is that it, then? Hordes of peasant bunnies chased us in here?"
Bright pain in his palm distracted him from the dull ache in his skull. "Ow." He lifted his head long enough to look at his hand: blood was welling up from where a splinter had speared him. "Great," he sighed.
Lacroix was at his side in an instant, elegant fingers cupping his wounded hand and drawing it up to narrow lips. He pulled the splinter out with his teeth, glancing up into Nick's eyes as he spat it delicately aside, then lowered his mouth to lick up the drops of blood.
Nick shivered, pressing his palm into Lacroix's mouth. Lacroix took the hint and sucked, and Nick bit back a moan.
Gold flecks fading from his eyes, Lacroix raised his head and licked his lips, never letting go of Nick's hand. "Not much of a dinner," he said, voice nearly a purr.
Nick took a deep breath, striving for normalcy. "Want me to go catch you a bunny?"
Lacroix grinned, clearly delighted. "That's my Nicholas." He released Nick's hand and turned away, trailing a finger across Nick's lips in blatant tease. "But I don't think it will be necessary. Always assuming you plan on getting us back to civilization soon?"
"We'll be in a hotel by tomorrow morning," Nick agreed. "But --"
"Yes, yes, we're stuck here for now. We may as well make the best of it." Lacroix rubbed his hands together and looked around. "The window will be a problem," he said, frowning. "We'll have to put one of the blankets over it."
Nick nodded. "That's only going to leave one," he pointed out carefully.
"Then we shall simply have to share, won't we?" Lacroix asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
Nick's palm throbbed once, hard, and deep inside something twisted. He shut his eyes for a moment to savor it. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, we can do that." He opened his eyes and met Lacroix's faint, knowing smile. "We can do that."
(590 words)
~ fin ~
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