As It Was Arranged

Chapter 4 Goodbyes

Waking in the late hours of evening Donvaine could barely see, he looked over only to learn that Kodi was no longer lying next to him. After taking a few minutes for waking, getting his boots on and not too mention waiting to see if his coaled eyed friend would return, left the room in search of the man.

Not finding Kodi in the house, he began looking outside, checking the barn, and the yard around the house, he found the lad where the bodies of his parents had been taken to. The boy was lying by a circle of stones that suggested fire, and from the smell in area, Kodi had burned one of his parents. Donvaine kneeled down and placed a hand on the younger mans shoulder. The boy woke instantly. Dark pools glistened in the starlight making the larger man shiver.

"What are you doing laying here in the grass like this Kodi?" he asked in a small voice. Not sure as to how the boy would react to somebody after losing both parents in the same day. Having to bury and burn them must have been traumatizing to the already brutalized Akodian. "I am sorry I left them there like that, but I thought that you would want to be the one to lay them to rest, however that may be. It wasn't my place to decide, forgive me but I am sorry I couldn't do it for you."

"I" he coughed. "I needed to do it on my own. You don't need to say sorry." he took a deep breath, and shivered. "I had to do it by myself." he said in an almost inaudiable voice as if to himself.

Minutes passed of silence until finally Donvaine squeezed his shoulder in comfort, and smiled genuinely. "Come Kodi, it is too late to be out here in the cold. I for one could use something to eat and if I am not mistaken you haven't had a morsel since our hastey meal yesterday afternoon."

Rising he lowered his free hand to the younger mans and held it gently helping the other to his feet in the process. Resulting in both of them standing straight at the same time and in a rush of dissiness at the sudden elevation having to hold onto each other until their senses stablized.

"Yes Donvaine, I am actually quite hungry. Though I am not a great cook unless you want some burnt meat and vegetables." he chuckled and was suprised to hear the other snort at the jest. He smiled and felt good for the first time in his life. This wasn't the end after all.

They made their way into the house in good cheer, and once they entered the kitchen Donvaine spoke. "Well as long as you can show me a bare minimum of ingredients, I will see what I can do. I have some experience in cooking."

Sighing in relief Kodi led the other to the basement lighting some lanterns on the way for light to the assortment of well preserved foods that he couldn't remember ever running out of. That woman at least knew how to keep food stores stocked.

"Good this is very good." Donvaine breathed moving quickly and efficiently stocking his arms with an array of spices and herbs among a few other things that would surely create a delicious meal, running up the stairs multiple times and coming back again for another armload.

The whole time Kodi stood watching the other move in a dizzying blur and grabbed a couple of seemingly random things from a shelf in the back himself, and quietly made his way back up to the kitchen as Donvaine was leaving with the last batch.

Once upstairs they were both about their own bussiness, Dovaine moving as if he belonged in the kitchen and strangely knowing exactly where everything was. Kodi retreated to the table and mixed the strange herbs he taken up into a neat pile with some stranger brown beans, then crushed them all together in a bowl. "I can see we are going to need water for our work." he left unnoticed and returned minutes later carrying a large bucket of clear cold water freshly drawn from his families well out in the yard.

In under an hour Donvaine had large pot in the hearth smelling as if it came from heaven.

Kodi having finished with his special mixture poured them two mugs of a medium brown liquid that smelled positively delectable. "Here." He handed one to Donvaine. Then took his own and sipped gingerly at the hot drink. "My father taught me this on one of the many occassions my mother was off with Lile. He calls it coffee. Picked it up on his travels, he said. Try it. Its delicious." Taking a deep draught of the liquid, and trying not to choke. Still too hot, he told himself.

Taking a sip himself Donvaine gasped. "This IS amazing! Coffee you say, it has such a potent taste but not overpowering!" He took a deeper sip careful of the heat. "I don't think I have drank anything so delicious in my whole life!"

Kodi laughed. "That is what is said when I first tasted it. I enjoy drinking this more than anything else. It is especially tastey in the morning with breakfast."

His cheeks were begining to hurt from the amount of smiling he had been doing in the last two days. He liked it.

A sudden thought coming to mind he gave it voice. "And what of your feast Mr. Donvaine. While it smells nice as you can tell from my gurgling belly, I think anything would satisfy me right now." As if on que his stomache agreed with fervor making him chuckle. "What is this masterpiece you have made?"

Quick to respond Donvaine explained. "Its this lentil vegetable stew my mother used to make, it is nothing special but their are a few ingredients mixed in that will give it such a savoring flavor. I hope you like it." He grinned. "Though I think anything is better than a burnt meal." Gaining a friendly glare from the other man he laughed. "You will be able to taste my concoction in a bit, I would like to have it cook for awhile that way the spices really mix with the meat but it should be just fine soon." Getting up to stir it he smelled the brew.

"Yes." he reiterated. "In less than an hour it should be ready!"

**

It was well into the late night by the time the meal was done and they had eaten. Enough to fill men twice their size but now just barely satisfying themselves for the time being. Sitting at their place by the fire, drinking yet another fresh cup of what was quickly becoming his favorite drink, Donvaine grinned. "So how was the meal? Was it to your liking?" mock angrily his tone had a fake edge to it that made Kodi laugh.

"Well it was probably the best thing I have ever eaten, though that isn't too much to go on. I think I will make you my own personal cook!"

Donvaines grin stretched from ear to ear on his beautiful face, in an attempt to hide his blush of embarrassment. "I am more than happy that you enjoyed the food so much." He shuffled his feet, then took another swig of coffee.

They talked for some time of inconsequential things, the weather, the sudden influx of Aiel which they both attributed to the coming war and the Lord Dragons reign, then they began talking about adventures they would like to have in the future and the things they would like to see. Meeting the Dragon Reborn was on the top of both their lists'. Then the topic of swordsmanship came up and they both enjoyed discussing the various skills required by this difficult combat skill, Kodi knowing more thanks to the vigorous hours of training he had undergone with his father and opted to teach Donvaine an offer which the man quickly accepted.

They talked more for some time, but during the few hours before dawn they both began yawning for no aparent reason.

Donvaine then decided it was time to clean the mess they had made from their meal before he got too tired, and busied himself. Everything was quiet while he cleaned, thinking nothing of it he continued what he was doing. Around a quarter of an hour later when Donvaine finished he went over to Kodi and realized he had fallen asleep in the short time he himself was cleaning. Smiling he once more picked the smaller man up gently off the floor where he lay by the fireplace taking him to the bed they had both previously occupied before quietly removing the boys boots and covering him with the used light blanket.

Retreating back to the fireplace Donvaine pondered whether or not he should lay down in the same bed as the other male. His mind couldn't make itself up he wanted to but he wasn't sure how his pale friend would react. 'Last night,' he thought to himself 'everything hurt and he probably didn't want to be alone. Now though he is better and might not want that.'

Minutes passed by while his mind was making itself up, to his dismay it was settling on the floor beside the bed. Easy access if he needed to get to Kodi and far enough away that he wasn't lying next to the man. Rationality can be a pain. Staring at the glowing embers of the now dying fire he made his decision. Donvaine banked the coals took the only light lamp and entered the room closing the door behind him.

*

Waking in the hours before the sun would rise he felt a warm presence on his hand and found its source. A shadowed hand connected to an arm that was stretched over the corner of the bed, Kodi slowly followed the arm until it connected with its owner and frowned. Why was Donvaine on the floor?

He obviously wanted to sleep in the bed or else his hand would not have strayed to his own. Kodi felt bad for the other man, after all that he had done for him.

Doing something that surprised even him, he crawled to the edge and gently lowered himself onto Donvaine bringing the blanket with him. Laying with his head on the mans bare chest he nuzzled his nose into the sparse hair covering it and inhaled the sweet scent that was Donvaine. Smiling at the memory of them both together neither one shifting in uncomfortability at not having a shirt on, never feeling any unease around the man he sighed realizing how strongly he was begining to feel for this man.

Falling asleep within minutes with a smile on his face, he never even stirred when the other man wrapped his arms around his body.

'This is the start of something beautiful.' Donvaine thought knowing his own feelings for the pale youth on top of him he drifted off to sleep himself, saying goodbye to his old life with a smile.

***

They both awoke during the time of mid-morning when the sun was halfway towards its turning point. Each in good cheer they devided the chores over a late breakfast of leftover stew that hadn't burned but thickened left over the banked coals remaining warm and now tasted even better. The blend was tentilizing to Kodi who was now on his second mug of coffee.

Donvaine on his third, offered to help him feed the animals and muck out the horse stalls Kodi merely nodded his acceptance. After the meal they both cleaned and tidied the kitchen which was quickly becoming their choice room to spend time in the house, then went outside to work.

Cheer evident in their movements they laughed and joked all the while occassionally even gaining a whinny of joy from one of the horses.

Time passed by swiftly, by the time noon arrived they figured the horses could use some air and led them out to pasture for a few hours.

The sheep they fed and greated with smiles. Even playing a game of psuedo hide and seek with each other but the fun was short lived when one especially playful lamb bounded up to Donvaine while he was searching out Kodi and butted him in the rear with his head gaining a squeal from the spooked man revealing the other a few paces away roaring with laughter at the small animals version of playing.

Mid-afternoon saw them playing at swordsmen. Having finished the chores Kodi had went into the treeline returning moments later with some large braches he claimed had fallen and would be perfect until he could be sure Donvaine knew enough not to actually kill him using the real swords.

The much larger man picked up the steps and poses so smoothly that by the end of sparring Kodi was already well into his list of dances sweating profusely at his exertion. They ended up falling harshly into the soft grass laying for minutes catching their breaths before either relaxed enough to speak. 'I wonder how well he will do once I actually teach him the Oneness.' Kodi pondered to himself in awe.

"Well" Donvaine began in a huff. Shaking him out of his thoughts. "what do you propose we do now?"

Kodi sniffed. "Actually" he stated crawling over to the other. "I was thinking-" and kissed Donvaine flat on the mouth startling the big man.

Quickly regaining his composure he deepened the kiss pulling the other tightly to him. Lips parting in acceptance to the gentle knocking at their entrance alowing access to the other. Taking the opportunity himself for his own waiting member to dart in and attack Kodi with his tongue rolling the other over in the proccess. Minutes passed by while they lay in a heap one on top the other.

Finally they pulled away breathing deeply of oh so needed oxygen. Kodi who had ended up on top rested his head on the mans chest, while the other had a hand in his hair massaging his scalp.

They both drifted off as the sun began to set.

It was a New Begining.

***

The days passed giving them nothing but bliss and the occassional stubbed toe. They laughed they sang they even danced. Doing chores was a pleasure joking and playing the whole time. Stealing an occassional kiss which either was likely to do at any given time, once or twice they even did it at the same moment.

Their nights were now filled with huddling so close together they looked like a mess of blankets surrounding one large man. It would be impossible to try and figure out where one ended and the other started. Kissing without a care in the world other than pleasing the other with their mouth.

Such bliss were they in that neither thought nor cared what was going on in the outside world. Both wanted nothing more for the time being than to thrive in their newfound life, neither wanting to be without the other for more than was strictly necessary.

**

The next week opened with a perfect morning. Breakfast as usual was delectable due to Donvaines talented cooking, not to mention steaming mugs of coffee. Kodi couldn't be happier in the routine that he now lived. Though, Donvaine observed. Today he was especially cheerful but would not tell him why.

Kodi had a special surprise for his chosen. Today during sword practice they would be using the real blades he and his father had previously sparred with.

*

"Come on Donvaine!" he whined leading the other along beside him. "We are almost there see its only right over here. Please do not fall again!" trying not to sound angry with the other. Kodi was just excited to finally show him this.

"I can't actually SEE Kodi, remember! You made me put this Light Cursed fold over my eyes!" surely enough he was just as excited as his bouncy partner but it wasn't easy walking without sight.

"I know I'm sorry. I just cannot wait for you to see this." Slowing his pace took effort, but the knowledge that they were just about there made it easier, if Donvaine fell again it would take time to help him up once more and dust him off. 'Though' Kodi thought to himself. 'I do enjoy any opportunity to touch him.' glad for the first time that his friend could not see he blushed profusely.

Not long after they made it to the shack in the woods with Donvaine barely even stumbling. "Ok." Kodi began. "We are here." Telling the other to stay where he was while Kodi made sure everything was ready. Then went to the door and opened it hurrying inside quickly he took the swords and placed them on the table right accross from the entrance, in plain sight.

"Ok!" he spoke loudly on his way to the door. "Take the blindfold off and come in!"

Right as he was about to leave his eye caught something. Getting a closer look at it he realized it was the letter his father had given him. Picking it up quickly and repressing a shudder he held it for a few moments just looking at it then hurriedly opened the envelope reading the words on the inside flap.


Goodbye Kodi


Stiffling tears he removed the letter and unfolded the paper.