Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 6

Carter's gaze flickered to Douxie's chest, where he was drawing small circles against his skin with his finger. "Can you show me again?" He whispered.

Douxie smiled softly, gently grabbing his wrist, rubbing his palm with his thumb. "Of course."

Carter watched as Douxie pressed their entwined hands to his chest, magic pulsing through his hand. A glowing blue sphere appeared in the middle of his chest, pulsating and spinning under his skin like a heartbeat. The blue sphere ebbed for a moment before a similar sphere appeared on Carter's chest, the two tethered through a glowing line of magic.

His was this soft orange color, it always had been. But where the tether met in the middle, the blue and orange melded together. Carter tapped his finger against the anchor point that glowed on Douxie's chest.

"It's still strong," Douxie said, a soft smile on his face. He met Carter's eyes, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles. "I love you."

Their soul bond pulsed brightly when he said that. Carter felt a growing warmth in his chest, pushing out from the anchor point. He smiled.

"I love you too."

The glow pulsed again.

Douxie's eyes drifted down for a half a second, before he leaned in and started kissing Carter's neck. Carter closed his eyes and tipped his head back, feeling another pulse of warmth ebb from their soul tie. Douxie definitely felt it too, because he made a small noise in the back of his throat and sucked on his pulse point. Carter bit his lip, sliding a hand into Douxie's hair again.

As Douxie did his level-best to mark his neck, he couldn't stop his brain from thinking about everything he didn't want to think about. His thoughts once again turned to the fact that all of this was just to distract each other. It didn't matter how good it had felt, or was currently feeling, it was all just a distraction. One he knew they couldn't really afford. Carter couldn't let go of this, though. He'd always been bad at letting go.

"What are you thinking about?" Douxie murmured against him, still kissing his neck.

"Just..." Carter let out a breath, digging his hand into Douxie's hair. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we'd never met?"

Douxie went very still. He didn't move for a long moment, it seemed like he wasn't even breathing. After a beat, he slowly moved, staring at him with furrowed brows, and concerned eyes. He opened and closed his mouth, then finally said, "No. No, I've never once thought about that."

Carter pursed his lips, rising up on his elbows, making Douxie back up a little. "I don't mean it like—" he huffed, sitting up properly, running a hand down his face. "Like I wish we'd never met." He looked up at Douxie, taking his hands. The spell that allowed them to see their soul bond had faded by now. Carter wished it had lasted longer. "I only meant... how different our lives would have been."

"Yours would have been a short one," Douxie said quietly, looking at their entwined hands. He rubbed his thumb over Carter's engagement ring. "I could name a dozen different ways you would have died before even getting to No Man's Land."

Carter sighed, and nodded. "Yeah... but, you wouldn't have died. Everything that happened after we met, the danger you were in was only because of me. You rushed into that warehouse to save me. I'm the one who set off those landmines, and even then you survived those. You'd still be here."

Douxie swallowed thickly, drawing closer to him. "Why are you thinking about this, Sunshine? What's wrong?"

"You're so worried about losing me," Carter whispered. "And I have made so many stupid mistakes, decisions that have put me, and you, in more danger than it was worth. And this one..." he pursed his lips, looking away as tears pricked his eyes. "It's hurting you. You're suffering just as much as I am, and I can't help but think about how much better off you'd be if you—"