The Wildness Within

With Words 1

Watching Ash with Gwyn had been strange. It was appealing, seeing the sensuous touches that Augus had received himself in the past, being doled out to Gwyn. Augus had even enjoyed the way Gwyn was sprawled out over Ash's lap. Ash had an easiness with him, though it was doubtless helped by that appallingly strong glamour he used. Augus used his glamour to incite fear or calm in the humans he was hunting, it seemed Ash only really used his as some kind of kindness generator.

The bridge of Augus' nose creased with disgust.

Honestly. We get such strong glamour to help with hunting, and what does he use it for?

It had been surprisingly easy to get Gwyn to lie still for an hour. Augus had brought over some food – had even found some decent bread and roasted meat for Gwyn so that Ash didn't have to keep bringing dreck from the human world – and they'd munched on an eclectic dinner. Gwyn didn't even sit up to eat. He just brought bits and pieces to his mouth and refused to lift his head from Ash's knee.

Augus' ankle ached, but he was astounded at how fast it was healing. What had been an open wound – Gwyn's fingers digging into muscle fibres – was now closed over and felt only like a bad bruise. He'd bandaged it and treated it, but what he'd thought would be two weeks of limping was probably not going to be more than twenty-four hours.

He conceded that Court status might indeed be useful.

Now, it was evening, and he leaned against his headboard, the blankets over his legs. He was searching for something that felt like equilibrium. The watery places in his mind were unbalanced and he didn't like it. Ash in his home put things a little off in the first place, not being able to see clients didn't help, and then there was the matter of the Raven Prince, and Gwyn, and the mess that his life had become.

He heard the knock at his door, rolled his eyes. Of course he wouldn't be able to get a moment to himself.

The door cracked open, and Gwyn peered in, eyes combing the room before alighting on Augus.

'Can't sleep either?' Augus said, staring at him. 'You might as well come in then. Close the door behind you.'

Gwyn stepped into the room and closed the door gently, so that the click was quiet. He then stood, tall and imposing even though it was obvious he was trying not to be. Not with the way his shoulders were hunched, that lost expression on his face.

Augus ignored him, went back to staring ahead and turning his thoughts inward. Whatever Gwyn wanted; he could find a way to articulate it without Augus having to do all the guesswork for him. He forced his breathing to slow even further than usual, his eyes became half-lidded. At least twenty minutes passed before Gwyn was clambering onto the bed by Augus' feet, his long limbs going everywhere until finally he was kneeling in front of Augus and staring at him intently.

When Augus didn't look at him, Gwyn cleared his throat.

'These nocturnal excursions of yours – what do you hope to gain from them?' Augus said blandly, staring at him.

Gwyn looked down at Augus' hands where they rested in his lap, then looked meaningfully up at Augus again.

When Augus did nothing at all except return the gaze, Gwyn made a face of frustration at him. He reached out hesitantly and wrapped his fingers around Augus' wrist and squeezed once, lightly. Then, when Augus still did nothing, Gwyn actually huffed a sound of frustration and tried pulling Augus' hand to his own wrist.

Augus resisted the motion. It was far, far easier now that he was Court status, and Gwyn was actually putting some force into it when he gave up and growled at him.

Augus smiled, knowing that Gwyn could see it even in the dimness of the room, its night shadows, dull lights outside his home giving everything a blueish tinge.

'Ask me,' Augus said, his eyes bright in the darkness. 'With words.'

Augus watched as Gwyn swallowed, heard the click of a dry mouth, a dry throat. But Augus was feeling in the mood to push after the day he'd had. After the week he'd had. A part of him wanted to know how much Gwyn understood of what was happening, how much he'd accept of the game.

'Gwyn,' Augus said, his voice stern.

'Please,' Gwyn whispered, his voice rough.

'Don't plead with me like I'm your torturer and you're asking me to stop,' Augus said, his voice going very quiet, very precise. 'Ask me what you'd like me to do.'

'You'll say no,' Gwyn said.

Augus had expected something like this. Truthfully, what he wanted to do was nudge Gwyn into submission and give both of their minds something to occupy them. In the meantime, he needed more clarity about what was happening between them. He suspected it wouldn't hurt Gwyn either.

'I need that thing you do,' Gwyn said. 'Please.'

'What thing?' Augus said. 'The thing where I wrap you up in waterweed and leave you alone for a while until you come back to your senses?'

'You know,' Gwyn said, turning and shoving Augus' leg where it was visible under the blankets. 'Stop it.'

'No,' Augus said, smirking at him, deliberately leaning back into the headboard. 'Maybe I'm not feeling as well-disposed to you after you ripped holes in my ankle. Though I can't say I'm terribly surprised, either. It all went about as well as I expected it to. Better, if you consider we actually have the Raven Prince's support.'

'I don't want to talk about the bird-King,' Gwyn said, something troubled crossing his face.

Good, neither do I.

'Then talk to me about what you want,' Augus said.

'You'll...you'll say no. Because I hurt you.'

'Ah, it's all very eye for an eye with you, isn't it? How many times did your family teach you that, I wonder? Hurting you for slights real and imagined, showing you that the way of the world is pain for pain.'

Gwyn made a sound that was some kind of frustrated, impatient whine. Augus' eyes widened, his eyebrows shot up.

'Whining is not you telling me what you want either,' Augus said.

Gwyn bared his teeth at Augus and then slid off the bed, his hands clenching by his sides. He paced at the foot of Augus' bed, and Augus watched him for a minute or two, and then closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind again. If Gwyn wanted everything to be easy, he could go to Ash. He was sure his idiot brother would be more than happy to welcome Gwyn with that glamour and open arms and easy words. Augus could do with some of that himself. He sighed. He was the older brother, he wasn't supposed to be the one asking for that.

Time had stretched on again when Gwyn got back onto the bed, the movements rushed. He placed both of his palms clumsily on Augus' forearm, then hesitated. A moment of tortured indecision, and Augus thought about making it easier for him, but...he wasn't the type to coddle, and he genuinely believed Gwyn capable. The creature was resilient and stubborn, he'd survived years and years of torture; whatever he was, he wasn't incapable.

'Do the thing that you do,' Gwyn said, the words breathlessly tumbling forth. 'The thing where you take my wrists. I can't...'

Augus' arms moved, he leaned forwards and placed his hands around Gwyn's wrists, applied pressure fast. No slow build up this time, but pain instead. Gwyn's eyes flashed at him, and in amongst something like indignity, Augus swore he saw a longing that almost stole his breath away.

A long, broken exhale, and Gwyn tried tugging his hands away – not true protest, just testing. Augus kept his grip firm, watched Gwyn settle into it.

So, here they were again.