On Fire (Théo/Éomer)

Éomer: When we parted after the last time Théo and I were here together, he handed me the engraved steel ring and told me to hide it somewhere at Karl's house where Karl would not find it. I was afraid that Karl would start one of his periodic house cleaning impulses, so I put it in the tack room, thinking that it could be mistaken for part of a harness. I wrapped a leather strap around it and put it at the bottom of the chest. I had just enough time to exit the barn before Karl was pushing insistently against my mind. He has rarely been eager to come back of late and I wondered what had changed. My curiosity about Théo's plans for the ring and Karl's behavior kept me speculating through the long nights of patrol in the East Mark.

But now I am back in Wellington and I am attempting to obey Théo's further instructions. Karl . . . I stop him before he disappears. I can feel his question in my head. I am to use the telephone device again to tell Théo when I arrive. Now his amusement echoes in my mind and he tells me to clean my own mess up this time. His humour surprises me and once again, I wonder at it. But he helps me dial and then he fades away as the tones of an odd-sounding bell fill my ear.

( “Théo,” I say, your husky voice sending shivers down my back as you answer. )

Hard NC-17!!!