Dark Pools and Fleeting Eyes (Fintric)

Chapter Six

Finan and Sihtric had went to their separate beds that night, both wishing they weren't but not wanting to push anything. Sihtric had been home for just two days, though it seemed like more. The bruises littering his body were fading, the ones on his face almost gone, but his stomach would likely be bruised for a while longer.

Finan woke up in a cold sweat, he didn't quite remember all of his nightmare but could still feel the harsh grip it left on his mind. Some part of the dream included pain and death. The one part of the nightmare he could remember clearly was these horrible things, they weren't happening to him like normal, but they were to Sihtric. The man had been taken in his sleep, Finan watched as terrible pain was inflicted to the Dane while Finan was helpless, forced to watch.

Finan had nightmares quite often, many times it was about death, battles, and more often than not the slave ship. His dreams were never good, always had a bad message, he constantly woke up shaking or crying. He hadn't told anyone about it, not anyone here at least.

The Irishman decided he would go get something to drink, waking up nearly every morning at the brink of dawn made Finan quite the morning person. He was well aware that Sihtric was much more of a night owl, the Dane could stay up forever but would sleep till well into the morning. The two men were very aware of how the other slept and when the other went to bed and woke up, though Sihtric wasn't sure why Finan was always up so early. There were times when the men would meet so early in the morning Sihtric would be about to go to bed and Finan was just waking up.

When Finan woke up he would almost always check Sihtric's room to see if the man was sleeping. The Dane when extremely tired would sleep quite heavy but in days where he was anxious or uneasy he would wake to a creak. Finan had learned that Sihtric's breathing was different depending on how he was sleeping, light and relatively quick when he was anxious and deep and slow when he was relaxed. On the days when Sihtric was sleeping lightly Finan would make a bigger effort to be quiet. The hallway between their rooms and the kitchen had a creak four paces from Finans room, it was loud enough to have woken Sihtric up more than once.

One night in particular Finan had woken up from a bad nightmare, he then went to get a drink and check how early it was, they had only been home from battle a few days. Finan was unaware at that point of the creak and stepped on it, Sihtric had woken immediately and before he knew it Finan was pressed against the wall with a dagger to his throat. Sihtric noticed who it was very quickly and removed the knife, apologizing profusely. Finan got him to do the dishes for a week after that. He didn't make the mistake of stepping there very often.

On this night when Finan went to check on Sihtric the Dane wasn't in his bed. This immediately worried Finan and he quickly entered and searched the room, but Sihtric wasn't inside. Panic was bubbling in his thoughts, swiftly Finan went into the kitchen and living space, fearing his nightmare true. His gaze flitted across the space where their table was, the fireplace and the benches near it, the rack they used to store coats and extra weapons. Sihtric's coat was still there, meaning he was most likely still in the house, if someone hadn't taken him. More panic ensued in Finans chest, his breath becoming rapid and laboured.

He turned around to the kitchen and his panic eased but only slightly, it could be his mind tricking him, this could all be a nightmare. Finan hesitantly walked you the man who looked like Sihtric. The man blinked at him several times, giving him a very questioning face. When Finan finally got close enough, he reached his hands out and put them on the mans shoulders. His hands moved down to the Danes biceps, then the mans forearms and hands moved up, bending. Finans hands met the others, they were calloused from working. Rough and large, they fit together so well, he had felt these hands in his before.

It was Sihtric. He was really there and alright. Finan's grip tightened and he looked up, into the dark pools of the man in front of him. Tears started to form in his eyes, Finan normally would try to hide them, but not with Sihtric. His hands released the Danes, moving them to the sides of his face. His thumb landing on the bruise again. The khol that normally surrounded the Danes eyes was washed off, his hair was still unbraided, but had been pulled into a loose ponytail. Finans hand moved down to feel the hair, it was soft. Sihtric's hand moved also coming to lay lightly on the Irishman's cheek, his ring finger resting under the mans chin. Lightly his finger slipped across Finans beard, it was quite soothing.

Finan's hand left Sihtric's hair and went to his neck, pulling the man into him, their foreheads touching, eyes closed. Tears slipped down Finans cheeks, he let out a quiet sob. "I thought I was going to lose you..." his words came out in bursts, laboured, mournful. "I had wanted to tell you for months, I was," Finan cut himself off. His sobs were becoming louder, heavier. "I was so scared I would never see you again and I would've never told you." When he looked up Sihtric's eyes were on his, the Danes other hand had came to rest on Finans neck at some point. Sihtric pulled the Irishman closer to him, making him look at him. This action made him realize the tears in Sihtric's eyes too.

"You've told me now. I know now." Sihtric's tone was fiery, he was trying to tell the other man that he couldn't think like that anymore. Finan knew that, if you thought too much into the past you'd never leave it. You'd be stuck there, stuck regretting everything and then you'd forget to try. You'd be stuck in an endless cycle of never moving on. Finan was stuck for a large part of the time he was on the slave ship. "I'm here now, you told me, I know now. I'm here as a friend, as family," Sihtric paused using his thumb to wipe away a few of Finans tears. Sihtric took a deep breath and continued, "as a lover, if you want me."

Finan looked into the mans eyes, knowing if he wanted him, this would be his chance. They would no longer be an unspoken agreement. They would no longer look for a warm mouth after battles, they would have each other. And it would be the two of them, they would no longer be alone in this fight, in any fight.

Finan used his hand resting on Sihtric's neck to pull the man into him. The two men stood there, pressed against one another, the dark pools staring right into its match. Finan blinked and then brought their lips together. This was it, he had made his choice. He would no longer fight alone, he would have Sihtric right beside him. Every step of the way.