Friendly Fire (AU, Wizards)

[yakihngenit.livejournal.com]

Title: Friendly Fire (1/2)
Authors: Kathie and Ginny yakihngenit
Word Count: 4088
Team: Detroit Red Wings
Series: Wizard ‘verse
Warnings: RPS, slash, au, magic
Pairings: Chris Osgood/Kris Draper, Steve Yzerman/Brendan Shanahan, Pavel Datsyuk/Henrik Zetterberg, Nick Lidstrom/Andreas Lilja
Rating: FRM
Summary: Steve’s visions start to come true.
Authors’ Notes: Because the rumor that all teachers are evil is true and because it seemed like fun.
To find the earlier parts in this universe, follow this tag. (link leads back to our journal)

~*~*~

Steve sat up with a pained moan that almost suffocated him. His whole body was covered in sweat, and his heart was racing as if he'd just played a whole game.

"Stevie?" Brendan asked. "Was it the same dream?"

Steve swallowed thickly. "Yeah," he said, his voice hoarse.

"It wasn't real," Brendan assured him.

Steve sighed and reached for the other man, searching the warmth and the steady presence of him. "I know," he murmured. "But it's gotten even more vivid than the last time."

"What did you see this time?" Brendan asked. He pulled at him until Steve's back was against his chest before wrapping his arms round him and holding on tightly.

Steve pressed his eyes tightly shut. "Something using Drapes as an incubator or something. It was breaking out of his chest..." He swallowed and clenched his teeth while struggling to breathe calmly. Nausea wouldn't win this time, he thought stubbornly while ignoring the queasy feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"Like in Alien?" Brendan asked, disturbed at that idea.

His words were enough to send Steve scrambling off the bed and rushing toward the bathroom to throw up.

"Fuck," Brendan muttered and followed quickly after him. "Sorry Stevie," he whispered. He ran his hand soothingly over Steve's back. "It's okay. It was just a dream."

"I know," Steve whispered and gagged again. "Can't help it..."

"What do you want to do?"

Steve shook his head softly. "I don't know," he admitted. "What can I do?"

"I don't know," Brendan sighed. "You've already told Oz about the dreams."

"He doesn't believe they mean anything," Steve replied. He was too tired to care about the bitterness that had crept into his voice.

"We could tell someone else," Brendan offered.

"Yeah, we could, and what if they tell Oz? He's already extremely defensive because of how Clears contradicted him in front of a demon - if I go to someone else now, he's going to think we're staging some kind of revolution to strip him off his rank," Steve sighed.

"Then tell him the dream still isn't going away. Maybe he has another suggestion for why you're having it?"

Steve stood and clenched his hand in Brendan's shirt to stop him from falling as his knees were buckling. "Tomorrow, okay?" he murmured. "I'm tired, Bren."

Bren swiftly grabbed him around the waist, holding him up. "Okay."

Steve rested his forehead against his shoulder. "What if it's something else?" he asked. "What if it's a tumor?"

"It's not," Brendan said immediately.

Steve took a shaky breath. "What if it is?" he asked, his grip on Brendan tightened until his knuckles turned white. "It would explain the hallucinations..."

Brendan sighed and kissed him softly. "We'll go see your doctor in the morning, just to make sure," he promised.

Steve didn't let go of his shirt. "You do believe me, right?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. "Right, Brendan?"

"I believe you're having nightmares," Brendan told him.

"But..." Steve started, but he stopped himself before saying another word. "Okay," he murmured. "Let's go back to bed, okay? Maybe these dreams stay away if you hold me?"

"Okay," Brendan said. "Don't worry Stevie, okay? Just try to relax for a little bit."

"I'll try," Steve promised and slowly climbed back into the bed before curling himself up under the blankets, waiting for Brendan to join him.

Brendan crawled onto the bed after him before pulling Steve close. "I've got you," he murmured into Steve's ear.

Steve shuddered and pressed himself as tightly as possible to his Companion's body. He didn't even relax completely when he finally fell into a light sleep, and Brendan sighed softly as he ran his hand through Steve's hair. There was something he could do, he thought. There had to be.

He couldn't stand to see Steve hurting like this.

Finally, he dozed off himself, but as soon as Steve rolled away from his embrace with a pained whimper and hurried off to the bathroom again, he was awake again.

Awake and very worried.

Maybe they should call Chris right then and there.

Decision made, he reached for the phone and dialled the familiar number.

"H'lo?" a tired voice asked.

"Chris? You need to come over. Now," he hissed, not bothering with a greeting or other formalities.

"It's four in the morning," he sighed.

"Chris," Brendan hissed and paced the bedroom nervously. "My wizard is having the same weird dream again and again and it's getting worse, and he's currently in the bathroom throwing up because of it, and this is not the first time tonight this happens, so get your ass over here and find out what's wrong with him before I..." He stopped himself, remembering Steve's earlier words about Chris being defensive, and took a deep breath. "...Before I go insane with worry," he finally whispered.

He could hear muffled shuffling for a few seconds. "All right," Chris said. "I'll be there in half an hour. You'd better have coffee for me."

"Fuck, Chris," Brendan said. "You can have your coffee. You can have my left..." He stopped himself and sighed softly. "Thank you," he then added.

"Make him some tea," Chris told him. "Try to keep him calm. I'll let myself in."

"Thank you," Brendan murmured again and dropped the phone on the bed before checking up on Steve and starting the coffee and to make some tea for his poor wizard.

He really hoped that Chris could make Steve feel better.

Steve was leaning over the sink and letting water run over his hands. "Did you call Chris?" he asked when he realized that Brendan was hovering in the door.

"I did," Brendan told him. "He's on his way."

"You shouldn't have," Steve sighed. "It's the middle of the night."

"You're important," Brendan said. "And you're hurting, so he needs to be here."

"He could've come in the morning," Steve protested.

Brendan sighed. "Steve, honestly," he started. "How often did you throw up because of that dream in the last few days alone?"

"Three or four times," Steve said, quickly reducing the number.

"You mean three or four times tonight," Brendan said gently. "You think I don't notice it when you scream in your sleep and kick and then run to the bathroom?"

"It just seems this bad because it's Oz and Drapes," Steve muttered.

"So the other dreams you had, about the kids, and the robbery at the grocery store across town, they made you throw up less, or what?" Brendan asked, still trying to keep his voice quiet and soothing.

"You win," Steve sighed. "These dreams feel different. Maybe it is a tumor and there's nothing Chris can do for me."

Brendan sighed and stepped up to him to wrap both arms around him from behind. "Let's just wait and see," he murmured while nuzzling his nose against Steve's neck. "You want some tea? Chris said to make you some tea."

He nodded. "That sounds good."

"Okay," Brendan murmured. "I'll be in the kitchen then."

Steve nodded. "I'll join you as soon as I'm done here," he promised. "Love you, Bren."

"I love you too Stevie. So much."

Steve laughed. "I know. You tried to kidnap me, and you woke up the Wizard of Oz at four am. It has to be love. Or suicidal tendencies."

Brendan laughed. "Love. Definitely love. I'd do anything for you Steve." Including not sign with the Rangers until he knew for sure that Steve would be all right if he left him alone.

Steve opened his mouth, but he didn't say anything, and Brendan finally went to the kitchen to start the coffee he'd promised Oz.

Even he didn't want to annoy the Wizard that much.

Chris entered their kitchen about forty minutes later, leaning heavily on his stick. "Sorry, guys," he apologized around a yawn. "Had to take care of something before coming here." He took the cup Brendan handed him with a thankful groan and took a mouthful of coffee. "Why don't you tell me what's the problem," he then asked, his eyes half closed as he took another sip.

"The dreams aren't going away," Steve said. His fingers clenched tightly around the red mug in his hands and he stared at the few wisps of steam still rising from his tea. "It's not stress from my attack, I've put that behind me," he insisted, nearly no trace of bitterness in his voice. "I have a dream and later that day, no longer than the next, it happens. Except for one."

Chris sat down opposite him. "The one about Drapes," he said quietly. It wasn't a question, but Steve still nodded. His hands started to tremble as details of the dream floated back into his consciousness, and he put the mug down before he dropped it.

"I checked him out," Chris admitted. "There was nothing. No sign at all of a demon being in him."

Steve shook his head and wrapped both arms around himself. "Are you sure?" he asked weakly. "What does this dream mean, then?"

"If there's a demon in him, he's hiding very well," Chris said. "He's even getting past Mac's rune."

Steve shivered as a sudden coldness settled deep in his bones. "Drapes returned the rune about a week after he got it," he whispered. "Mac told him to keep it for longer, but Drapes insisted. He said you're getting fidgety about not being able to feel him."

Chris tensed. "I've mentioned the rune to him three or four times," he said. "Maybe he took it back."

Steve shook his head sharply. "No," he whispered. "I don't think he would. But why don't you call Mac and ask him?"

"In a few hours," Chris told him. "Tell me what else is bothering you."

Steve looked at him from bloodshot eyes. "Chris," he said, his voice suddenly calm again. "Call Mac. Now."

Chris hesitated but pulled out his cell phone. He couldn't really believe that there was a demon inside his Companion. Steve's dreams were just that, dreams. But he knew Steve was right. He needed to call Mac and not let his affection for Kris get in the way.

He took another sip of coffee, burned his tongue, and drummed his fingers nervously on the table while waiting for Mac to pick up the phone.

"What the hell do you want Oz?" Mac answered.

"Did Drapes give you your rune back?" Chris asked bluntly.

"Yeah," Mac muttered. "The next week. I told you that."

"You didn't!" Chris almost yelled.

"Oh. I meant to. Didn't you notice when you could feel him again?"

"I..." Chris swallowed. "I need you to tell me exactly what kind of rune you gave him," he said shakily.

"A protective one, since your magic wasn't under control," Mac said around a yawn.

"Darren," Chris said, forcing his voice to stay quiet. "I haven't been able to feel Kris ever since the demon infiltrated me. He told me he was still holding on to the rune."

"He stopped by my house and handed it to me," Mac said. "He told me that it was hurting you to be blocked from him and that he didn't care it was dangerous, he couldn't do that to you."

"And you let him?" Chris asked in disbelief.

"You were already getting your magic back under control," he explained.

Chris took a deep breath. "We might have a problem," he said quietly.

"What kind of problem?"

"The kind of problem where I haven't been able to feel my Companion for the past few weeks, he lied to me and told me he still had your rune, and Stevie has dreams about him being possessed by a demon, that kind of problem," Chris replied, struggling to understand.

"Dreams are just dreams."

"You’ve known Kris almost as long as I have, why should he lie to me about something as important as a protective rune?" Chris pointed out reasonably. "And I don't know about the...about the dreams anymore. This whole thing is just..." He stopped again. "Weird," he finally said.

"True," Steve insisted.

"Okay, but if it's true...then Drapes has been possessed by some sort of Demon - and we don't even know if it's a Demon, and where it came from, and how it could have attacked him - for how long?" Mac asked. Chris could hear him move through the slight static of the connection, a static caused by his own distress, he knew.

"More than two months. And how long does it take a Demon to completely fray a human's mind?"

"It might already be too late."

"No," Chris said fiercely. "I don't believe that. He's fine. We need to kill the demon. Brendan, call Pavel and Dan."

"Do you want me to have them come here?"

"To my house," Chris said through gritted teeth. "We'll have to act quickly."

"We're going with you," Steve stated firmly.

"No, you're not," Brendan said. "You can barely stand on your own feet, Stevie. I don't want you anywhere near a dangerous area."

"I don't care," Steve said seriously. "They're not going into this alone.

"Brendan's right," Chris said calmly. "I'm sorry Steve."

Steve opened his mouth, but he bowed his head in defeat. "Okay, then," he said quietly. "Let me know how it went?"

"As soon as it's over," Chris promised.

Steve nodded and sat down slowly.

Brendan sat down opposite him and reached out to grab his hands.

"We'll be careful," Chris assured them and rushed out of the house.

"I hope you will," Steve whispered, almost inaudible.

Brendan sighed and squeezed his fingers gently. "Do you want me to distract you?" he offered quietly.

Steve nodded and shifted closer to him.

"Are you going to fall asleep on me?" Brendan asked and tugged slightly on his sleeve, to bring Steve even closer to him. "What do you say, let's go back to bed, you and me? And the phone, in case Chris calls."

"And if the dream comes back?"

Brendan forced a smile. "Who said I'm going to let you sleep?" he said quickly.

Steve laughed tiredly. "Don't tell me we're going to watch more bad movies."

"We can do other things, too," Brendan promised with a smile.

"Let's go," Steve grinned.

"I'm right behind you," Brendan promised. "Staring at your ass, and thinking that I want it."

Steve laughed. "It's all yours."

Brendan grinned and reached out to squeeze Steve's ass. "Want me to tell you what exactly I'm going to do to it?" he asked.

"I do," Steve agreed.

Brendan licked his lips. "Well, first I'm going to free it from those pants," he started before telling Steve exactly what he planned on doing. He hoped that it would distract the other man from worrying, at least a bit.

End Part 1

Comments

[spartanwerewolf.livejournal.com]

:) More wizards!

:/ *feels bad for Drapes*

[yakihngenit.livejournal.com]

More Wizards. :)