Entwined

by Ronda Searls

Part 1

Mist rolled and turned heavily in the lazy air. A golden, full moon looked down on the bayou, making lace of the tangled vines and hanging moss, mangrove roots and ferns. Frog-song, crickets, and the occasional whoop of flying snakes chorused around Zelgadis as he walked along the path to his favorite reading tree. His mother had given him some bread and cheese in a cloth, knowing her only child would likely be reading well into the night by the candle-stubs he saved; tomorrow was a rest-day. Clear streams were easy enough to find among the bogs and fens, and the boy had an almost uncanny knack for avoiding the large reptile predators that lurked in some places.

As he walked, the old book he carried -- some dusty old copy of the Claire Bible -- got heavier and heavier. He clasped it in both arms as the trees grew thicker and the mist deepened. The path disappeared into a marble floor; he was in a vast hall, tree-pillared, and the setting sun turned the air bloody. The book, too heavy now to lift, dropped from his numb fingers into a black pool, sinking beyond sight like a stone. Zel cried out and grasped after it vainly, brushing aside the moss-covered vines that held him back. The buzz of magic in the air was making him dizzy. Mother said to run away whenever he felt that buzz. If it got strong, it might make him do something bad again. If it got too strong, it might mean Grandfather was near.

He tried to run, but it was like running underwater; he fought and fought only to get a few slow steps away before the laughter began. And the chimes. Metal rings on the metal staff, chiming, approaching, louder and louder with each footfall, though Grandfather's footsteps made no sound at all. Soft, low laughter. It was beautiful to hear; wonderful and fell. Zel's feet had sunk into the floor.

No...no, not again... But the ringing of the staff and the laughter came closer, like it always did. And he never got away. Never. Grandfather came, the red mist part of his robes, part of him. Zel's mouth was open but he couldn't speak, could barely get enough air; the Red Priest was taking it all, drawing it in. Arms spread, red silk billowing, and then there were two Grandfathers, two Rezos, two red cloaks wildly blowing in the rushing wind. Then there were four. Eight. Sixteen. Rezos stretched back into the darkness, too many to count; no matter how many Zel killed, there would always be scores and scores of them, more and more all the time, softly laughing. And still Zel couldn't scream.

A huge hand reached down from the darkness above. It plucked him from the floor, brought him up to a gaping mouth, ringed with white teeth as long as his forearm. Zel looked into the ruby eyes of hell - again. The hand brought him closer, tipped him back so that he only saw the moss-hung blackness. There was a sharp tug on his right leg, then the feeling of something pulling free. Somehow, he reached down, despite the hand's grip on his entire body, and touched his leg. He moved slowly down, past the knee, down the shin, then nothing...wait, tatters of suede; his pants. Hot liquid splashed his fingers. Something knobby and smooth, surrounded by heavy, half-stone flesh and shreds of stone skin. The pain hit him at the same time as the realization that his foot was gone. At last he could scream; as the hand brought him up to the mouth again, its grip shifting. He felt every tooth sink into him, cracking him; across his chest and hips, snapping his spine. Then the tongue came up, crushing him, smashing his middle into a thick jelly...

Zel screamed and collapsed on the drenched pine-needles of the forest floor. Freezing rain pounded him as he curled on his side, sobbing and gasping for breath. Gourry rushed forward and knelt beside him, tentatively putting a hand on the chimera's shoulder.

"Zel! Zel? Are you awake now? Are you all right?"

"Gourry...?" Zel hid his face in his hands for a moment, then with a last shudder, managed to stop the tears at least, though his breath was harder to catch. He sat up and looked around at the forest. Pine forest, not the old bayou... The lights of the inn nearby shone through the rain. "What are we doing out here?"

"You were sleepwalking," Gourry said, his sapphire eyes wide and worried. "Grandmother said it was terrible to wake someone who's sleepwalking, so I just followed to make sure you were okay. Are you okay?"

Zel swallowed hard and nodded. Gourry's hand never left his shoulder; a spot of warmth where his whole body was now as cold as the rain. Zel reached up and touched it; it was such a strange sensation. Then he sighed dully and stood.

Gourry stepped back a little and watched him carefully. Zel looked up at him and Gourry bit his lip. His eyes! That hag-ridden, harrowed expression was all to familiar to a merc. "C'mon, Zel. Let's get inside." The two ran for the safety and warmth of the inn.

Once they were in their room, Gourry stoked up the fire in the grate. "You should get out of those soaked clothes before you catch a cold."

Zel stood by the door, dripping, and inclined to stay that way. But he acquiesced anyway. Indulging Gourry was kind of nice. The swordsman didn't make demands or even requests very often. "You can't get a cold just from being out in the rain."

"Of course you can. And pneu... pneunomina. And leg cramps." Gourry stripped hastily, leaving his sodden pajamas over the back of a chair, and stood as close to the fire as he could.

Zel pulled off his pajama top and hung it up on a peg. "Did your Grandmother tell you that, too?" He couldn't decide between amusement and irritation, and therefore couldn't muster either. Gourry wasn't looking at him. He slowly stepped out of the pajama bottoms and hung those up as well. He dried off with a muttered spell, crawled into his disarranged bed and tried to straighten the blankets. The coldness of his body didn't much bother him. The dream did, though. That nightmare had gone farther than they usually did. He'd had nightmares more or less regularly since he was fourteen; since Rezo had changed him. They had eased a while after Rezo had been killed; and now that the Copy was dead as well - even a body to bury - Zel had thought the dreams would finally fade. But they had gotten worse.

Gourry turned at the rustling of Zel rearranging his bedding. "Zel?" Zel pulled the blankets up to his chin. Gourry blinked and approached him, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting a hand to the chimera's cheek. "Zel! You're freezing! Come sit by the fire and warm up at least."

Zel didn't slap the hand away, but he turned his back, huddling more under the covers. "It doesn't matter."

"It does too matter," Gourry said stubbornly, grabbing Zel's arm and hauling him bodily to the fireside.

Zel crouched there, motionless.

"Captain Edra told us the best way to warm someone up is body heat," Gourry said, kneeling behind and wrapping his arms around him. Zel held very still, but a slow blush spread over his face. "It'd be better if we had more than one person, but I guess you'll have to make do with just me and the fire. Brrr!" Gourry shivered but held him tighter.

Zel brought his hands up as if to throw Gourry off. "You're just making yourself cold." But then the chimera sighed and slumped, bowing his head, letting his hands fall limply into his lap. It doesn't matter. I don't care. I can't escape anyway. I never can... He squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

Gourry tipped his head forward, mindful of Zel's pointed ear, and sharper hair. He pulled Zel in a little more, so he was sitting between the swordsman's legs. It was like holding a block of ice. But ice shaped like a man... Gourry's teeth began to chatter.

Zel pulled away at the sound, leaning forward onto his hands. "I'm all right, Gourry; leave me alone."

Gourry bit his lips. You're not all right. You're freezing. And...and lonely. And you have nightmares all the time, but I've never seen you sleepwalk and then wake up screaming and crying like that! What can I do? He reached forward and placed his hands on Zel's upper arms, trying to pull him back into his embrace. "Zel..." He moved forward a little, putting one arm back around him. He looked down and noticed the curve between Zel's rather slender neck, and the well-defined shoulder. Zel wasn't brawny, like he himself was, but... But Ardhan was a little guy too. And Ardhan...knew things... Maybe I know a way to warm Zel up after all. If I can do it without him fireballing me into next week... He scooted closer again, determined this time not to let his teeth chatter, no matter how cold he got.

"Captain Edra," Gourry began, pretending Zel had asked, "is the leader of the Spunhawks; a mercenary troop famous in Eleven Kingdoms. I worked with them for a couple of years before I met Lina. And you." He gave Zel a little squeeze, though Zel didn't compress particularly. "She taught us all about surviving and stuff. In cold places and hot places, just wherever we might end up, in case we got separated or something. It was pretty neat. Did you know that I can cook fish better than Lina? She eats the whole thing, though, guts and tails and all; it's kinda gross. Anyway, Captain Edra always made sure all her people were taken care of before she bedded down herself. It doesn't sound like much, but it really impresses you. None of us were expendable, and we knew it." He slowly chafed Zel's arms, finding it difficult, now that he was finally touching the chimera, to keep his hands from wandering. And his mind... What was I saying...? "Um. So, anyway, Captain...um... Edra was really great... And the guys, the troops, they were really good guys to have at your back...in a fight. And Ardhan...he was a really good friend of mine. Taught me a lot of things. I kinda miss him sometimes." He moved to Zel's legs; the fire still hadn't made much progress against the chill, but Gourry supposed Zel was like a thick castle wall; it took a lot of heat to warm him up once he was this icy.

"Was he killed?"

"Hm? Oh. Um. No. I just didn't like fighting in other people's wars all the time, so I left. But he's still with the Spunhawks far as I know. Lieutenant, I think, by now. I guess we'd still be friends if I went back. He...showed me a lot about being friends." He rubbed at Zel's chest, feeling the oddly magnified thumping of the heartbeat, deliberately avoiding the little pebbly nipples. He knew once he fell to that temptation...well, he'd be committed, one way or another.

Zel was only half listening. He wanted to let his head fall back against Gourry's shoulder, but he'd stab the swordsman with his hair. He's only trying to warm me up...but now I know why cats like to be petted so much. No one ever touched him...not like this. He found himself relaxing, the terror of the dream fading. When he'd been little, his father used to rub his back when he had bad dreams. Father. Mother... Gods, I haven't really thought of them in... I don't want to think about them. Just keep talking, Gourry, please... "What was he like?"

"Ardhan? Um. Well. He was small and quick, with his hands and his mouth. He grinned and laughed a lot, always wisecracking. You'd think it'd get him in trouble, but it didn't. Everybody knew he didn't mean any harm, except to anybody trying to kill him, I mean. In battle and stuff. He was really nice to me. Didn't call me stupid or anything."

"Ah," Zel murmured. "He saw through your act, too, then."

Gourry blinked, then chuckled, moving his hands up to rub the sides of Zel's neck. His skin seemed a little warmer now, though Gourry's front had gone a bit numb, so he wasn't sure. Talking about Ardhan, while holding Zel... His arousal and the cold were battling in his body, but Gourry had the feeling his desire was going to win pretty soon. But make sure he's all right, first... "Aw, it's not really an act, you know."

Zel turned and looked at him. "All right. Maybe not an 'act' as such. Your overtly forthright manner, then."

Gourry scratched his cheek and gazed at the ceiling for a moment. "I guess so..." Now that Zel was sort of facing him, Gourry took the chimera's hands and rubbed them between his vigorously, bringing them up to his mouth to blow on them.

Some part of Zel found that oddly charming, particularly upon reflection, later. But, for now, he was both craving sleep and fighting it. And he wanted to keep Gourry talking. While they two shared companionable silences often enough - a relief from the girls' chatter - getting the swordsman into an actual conversation was unusual. He maneuvered himself into a more comfortable, cross-legged position, with his back to the fire now, and watched Gourry work on his hands and arms. "What weapons did he use?"

Gourry almost choked, but recovered in time. Whoa! He's really out of it. Does he remember he's naked? His own legs were still stretched out to either side, Zel in between... "Ah-Ardhan? Um. Long...sword... He said he needed the reach." He cleared his throat and swallowed. "And a long...um, main gauche instead of a shield. Like I said, he was fast."

"Hmmm..." Zel let his head drop forward slightly as Gourry's hands moved up his arms to his shoulders, then cupped his face, warming his cheeks. "Longsword-main gauche combination, plus speed. Pendhaligon School?" Stay awake, Graywords...

"Yeah... I think so..." Gourry leaned forward.

"Was he from Arborviridia, then? That's where that School of swordplay is most commonly taught..." Zel opened his eyes, not remembering having closed them, and found Gourry's face a bare inch from his own, the vivid blue eyes glowing with an unfamiliar but intense expression. "And the name...Ardhan...sounds Arbor... vir... idian... to me... uh... Gourry? Your hands are... hot?"

Gourry kissed him.

Oh, Zel... It was sweet, that first brushing of lips; just a light touch, but Gourry felt as if his whole body had been lit up from within. He pulled the unresisting chimera close into the circle of his arms, the cool, stone body against his heating him further. It had been so long... he missed Ardhan's rough, playful kisses; he wanted Zel right now... someone strong, someone his own strength couldn't hurt... He stroked Zel's shoulders and back, sliding his hands down to his waist, nuzzling the chimera's cheek with open, hungered mouth. I'm not toast yet - maybe a good sign... Gourry pulled back and looked at him. Zel's eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted. "Zel?"

"Hm?" He opened his eyes; more puzzled than anything else, though maybe he was a little dizzy.

Boy, can I understand that! Gourry smiled fondly and cradled the smaller man close again. "I used to have nightmares, too. Back when I first joined the Spunhawks. It took me a long time to get used to the smell of so much blood, even though I grew up on a farm. And it isn't just the blood, you know, when people are hacking each other to bits."

Zel shuddered. Gourry's past wasn't something he'd considered much. He knew the big blond had been a merc, and by his manner of speech was obviously a country boy. He also knew what Gourry was trying to do, talking about his own nightmares. Don't you dare presume to know what my life has been like! Don't condescend...! But this is Gourry...he's not... And Gourry's hands were on him, gently moving, stroking, petting...soothing... Slowly, Zel turned his face in toward Gourry's broad shoulder; slower still lifted a hand to rest against the muscular chest.

Gourry brushed wire hair aside and kissed his temple. "Ardhan helped me forget the scary stuff," he whispered. "All that matters right now is right now."

Zel shivered again. "I don't want to talk about it, Gourry."

Gourry put his hands on Zel's shoulders and pushed him down onto the floor, halfway onto the hearth. "Good," the big man growled. "Talk later. Want you now!" He entwined their fingers and kissed him, harder this time, pressing his mouth open, tasting the mortal tongue behind the stone lips. Still cold...cold inside him... Dammit...

Zel lay beneath him, gasping, storm-taken; Gourry a fury of hands and mouth, teeth and tongue, hot, supple skin and long silky hair swirling over and under and into him, tangling in his legs, in his stiff hair, catching on the plates of his stony hide. Still gentle somehow, unless that was his own imperviousness. But he saw that Gourry watched his eyes, was careful not to force him. Anything...anything you want...just let me not think... Gourry's fierce mouth and gentle hands moved down his narrow body; Zel bared his teeth. The hot tongue circled his navel, wound a path across his slender hips, hot hands caressed his thighs, then pushed his legs apart.

Wake up, Zel. Wake the fire inside you. Gourry nearly wept with frustration; Zel lay passive under him; panting but unaroused, and no spark of understanding in his dimmed, green-blue eyes. I want all of you...wake up! He breathed warmth over Zel's flesh, the moisture condensing, forming droplets, shimmering in the firelight. Gourry bowed his head further and licked them off. Slowly savoring Zel's uniqueness. He heard the chimera's sudden intake of breath, felt him sit up abruptly, and long-fingered hands touch his shoulders and hair. He shifted position slightly as Zel's cock rose, pulsing, growing inside his mouth, though Gourry noticed it had been hard before, just peculiarly pliant. Zel leaned back, bracing himself with his hands as his hips lifted of their own accord, and Gourry drew on him, licking and sucking more fervently, petting the soft undersides of his buttocks and thighs. A new taste flowed across Gourry's tongue; metallic but strangely sweet. Zel's back and neck arched, straining taut, his legs trembling, his hands gouging furrows in the floor.

Those... are going to be hard to explain... At least he's warm, now. Gourry disengaged enough to look down at the gathering beads of thick, opalescent fluid at Zel's tip. In the flickering firelight it was hard to tell, but the swordsman thought it was actually glowing faintly. This I gotta see!

Gourry scrambled to his feet and tugged at the chimera's hand. "Zel, bed...?" The high, solid footboard of Zel's bed would provide enough darkness, he was pretty sure.

Zel blinked up at him unsteadily, his eyes lambent in the shadows that the fire behind him made of his face. "Mmm?"

Gourry's knees wobbled. That was almost a purr... "Come to bed with me? Please?"

"Oh." Zel stood with a lithe grace he didn't know he had. Gourry bit his lips to hold back a whimper. Zel gazed at him curiously, his head tilted a bit to one side. He stepped in close; tentative and careful, as if testing the fit of their bodies. Gourry slipped an arm around his waist, but didn't pull. Zel brought his left hand up slowly to trace the line of Gourry's collarbone; looking up in surprise as Gourry lifted his chin with a sigh of pleasure, his long hair swaying against his naked skin. Zel let his hand slide downward, watching the tiny glints of gold that his tough fingertips couldn't quite feel. Down to the bronzy-pink nipple, tracing the boundary where the skin changed both texture and color. Gourry writhed, leaning heavily on Zel's shoulder.

"Zel...ahhh...bed... I don't think I can stand for long if you do that..."

The look of complete astonishment on Zelgadis' face struck Gourry to the heart. Gourry swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and took the chimera's hand, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss the hard palm, then tugged him toward the bed. "Please, Zel..."

Bemused, Zel followed, let Gourry lay him down and settle beside him. "Touch me," Gourry whispered into a long, sensitive ear, brushing his lips over the elegant tip. He held Zel's hand against his heart, then guided him lower.

Zel closed his eyes. He didn't want to see his ugly, mottled hand on Gourry's beautiful, perfect skin. But he could drown himself in the feel of that same skin under his hands, the swordsman's mouth kissing him, the sound of Gourry's quickening breath, liquid drumbeat of heart. His own heart a hammer, setting his entire body ringing.

Gourry's breath hissed between his teeth as he watched Zel's hands move down his chest and arms, exploring, outlining each muscle, unerringly finding the keenest nerve pathways. He wanted to moan aloud, but Ardhan had also taught him to be quiet; walls and tents were thin, and there were always others nearby, trying to sleep. Zel's lips nudged his chin, moved up to his cheekbone. Gourry turned his head, opened his mouth, slipped his tongue past the delicate, travertine lips into Zel's mouth, mapping the contours of that warm, soft cave, wet and slick. He drew Zel's tongue into his own mouth and sucked rhythmically, slow at first, then harder and faster, matching his pulse and the thrust of his hips as Zel's hand found his cock. Gourry wrapped his arms tight around Zel's neck, but spread his legs wide, encouraging that hand to wander. Refusing to relinquish the kiss, Gourry could only whimper into Zel's mouth as the shamanist's long, deft fingers painted spells with careful symmetry and intense detail, until Gourry needed to scream, but came instead, spilling over Zel's hand. He clutched Zel as a steady foundation as the spasms shook him, then gradually quieted.

Zel watched with wide, chatoyant eyes as Gourry's body relaxed, damp with sweat, tendrils of the long, golden hair clinging to his skin enchantingly. Sapphire eyes gazed up at him half-lidded; strong lips parted and swollen from the fierceness of their kissing shaped his name. Zel shivered, and only then noticed his own pulling ache.

Gourry reached up and traced Zel's jawline, moving over the imbedded plates of stone. He pushed the wire hair away so he could see Zel's entire face at once; as he'd never seen it before - Zel hid as much behind his hair as that hood and mask. It was a fine-featured face, but stirringly handsome. Gourry had long ceased thinking about "human" or "chimera" or "golem" or "demon"; this was just Zel.

Zel, who is poking me in the stomach...definitely have to take care of that... Gourry rolled him over and knelt between his legs, rubbing his hands over the slim, marble-smooth thighs, reaching around to squeeze Zel's buns. He wanted to slide himself onto that long, slippery cock and go wild; just the thought of straddling Zel's narrow hips was making him hard again already. But he wanted to see if he'd been imagining things, earlier...

So he pressed his hands up Zel's legs, over his hips, to knead the surface of his stomach. Zel's flesh only gave a little, muscle and sinew contracting and lengthening but without the usual sense of tensile elasticity. Gourry pressed harder, digging in with his thumbs, moving up to pinch his small, pebble-like nipples, then stroking firmly down to his hips, running his thumbs over the crest of the bones, then going back up to the chest. Back and forth, leaning into the pressure, sometimes raking his nails over the stone skin, until Gourry was breathless and Zel was thrashing and tearing the sheets. Gourry spread his hands across Zel's hips, bringing them inward slowly, brushing the chimera's balls lightly; he grasped the base of his cock and squeezed a little, pulsing up the shaft, then back down. Zel's hips arched up off the bed.

Just a little more... And I'm gonna lose it, too... Gourry rubbed himself against the mattress as he leaned down to sip the droplets from Zel's tip; licking quickly before the explosion came. Zel cried out, the sound escaping from low in his chest before he could stifle it; a gleaming jet of milky iridescence gushed upward, spattering them both. Gourry jumped - the fluid was barely short of scalding hot - and came shockingly hard; his own shout stilled only because he couldn't inhale for a moment.

Gourry fell, managing to roll and land beside Zel not on him, gulping air and blinking rapidly. After a few moments, he looked down at their bodies, still heaving like storm-waves on the ocean, speckled with softly glowing foam. It does glow! Wow... I wonder if he knows... But Zel would probably compare it to cave fungus or something equally unpleasant. Remembering the tangy taste he'd gotten before, Gourry hurried to lap up all he could reach while Zel's eyes were still closed.

The fire was down to embers now, and the window was drafty. Gourry jumped up and snatched the blankets off his bed, then returned to the chimera, snuggling them both down into the warmth around each other.

"Mmmmhh...Gourry..." Zel murmured. And fell into a peaceful, dreamless slumber. Gourry smiled and kissed his nose.

§ tbc §

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