Clutching My Cure

Chapter Fifteen


Qui-Gon Jinn strode down the hallways with an unmistakable air of confidence. The casual observer would never have guessed that he was under great duress, a prisoner being controlled under the threat of harm to his apprentice. He carried no weapon, his light saber confiscated by the guards as they’d accosted him while he searched the streets for Bruck. Only the clenching of large hands as they swung by his sides gave any indication of the turmoil he was feeling.

The Force had warned him that something had befallen the young man long before Devlikkian security had reported the speeder and its two occupants as missing. His gaze had instinctually swung toward the Telosian politicians for answers, his senses assuring him that their outrage was genuine. Many hasty apologies later, he’d narrowed the list of suspects down to his hosts, the Devlikkian leader unable to withstand the guilt of his actions.

Qui-Gon had felt his world tilt beneath his feet as the being babbled on about an evil specter and the promise of riches if he cooperated. The Jedi Master had found himself nearly fleeing the residency in order to prevent himself from laying a hand on the deceitful creature. His preoccupation had made him careless and enabled the group of well armed men to capture him with relative ease. The decision to relinquish control of his ‘saber had been an easy one, Bruck’s safety of paramount importance.

It had come as no surprise when the ship that carried them made the short trip to Telos. As he’d stepped foot onto the planet’s soil once again, the staggering wave of long suppressed memories had nearly brought him to his knees. A part of him had longed for one last chance to see his lost apprentice once again. To put his mind at ease with the knowledge that Xanatos had suffered no ill effects from their relationship and had been able to move on and have a fulfilling life. It had been a nice dream, but obviously one far from reality.

He knew Xanatos had built Offworld into one of the galaxy’s most powerful and profitable companies. Hard work and oft times shady business deals had made his former apprentice into the rich and influential man he’d always longed to be. Qui-Gon had kept a careful watch on the younger man’s activities, a fact he told no one, not even Master Yoda. It was his own shameful secret to bear. The fact that a part of him still loved and craved his fallen apprentice’s company and no doubt always would.

His guards halted in front of an intricately carved door, one opening it while the other gave him a push inside. Unruffled, Qui-Gon took a seat in the chair they gestured to and allowed himself to be bound to it with durasteel binders. His only thought of resisting came when the Force inhibitor was snapped around his neck, leaving a cold emptiness that seemed to seep into his very soul. Reminding himself of what was at stake allowed him to steady his emotions and appear relaxed.

"Make yourself comfortable, Jedi." The guards exchanged knowing glances before leaving him to his thoughts.

Shutting his eyes, Qui-Gon settled into a meditative state in preparation for the forthcoming reunion with Xanatos. He knew too well that he would need to be at his best in order to hold his own during the confrontation. If Xanatos caught any hint of a weakness, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike.

*********************************

A groan slipped from between Bruck’s parted lips as he fought to open heavy lidded eyes. His head ached, the mere act of blinking enough to induce a wave of pain throughout his skull. Remaining perfectly still, he took a silent inventory of his body in hopes of recalling some reason for his affliction. He ached in places that had him flushing, the breath stilling in his chest when he finally noticed the weight that held both legs trapped.

Shifting his head on the pillow, his worst fears were confirmed as his companions came into view. Even in sleep the two men were entwined, their faces mere inches apart as they slept on. The younger of the two had one of his legs resting on top of Brucks, pinning him in place. Lowering his eyes, the JedI was engulfed with a onslaught of images as he was faced with the state of their undress.

The reason for his soreness was no longer a mystery, his mind replaying a graphic holo of the activities they’d engaged in. And he’d been an all too eager and willing partner in them all. He recalled vividly his own hoarse pleas for more, harder, faster, don’t stop! He’d acted like a canid in heat, allowing the two fallen Jedi to use his body anyway they pleased, and enjoyed every minute of it. Reveled in the desire and pleasure they’d given him, soaking up the sensual lessons like a starving man with his first taste of water.

Bruck forced himself to study the younger of the two. His childhood enemy, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even though it had been painfully clear that the two rogues were more than a little in love with one another, Bruck had given himself body and soul to Kenobi. He’d fulfilled the life long fantasies that had haunted him for years, taking advantage of the opportunity to have his dreams played out. And he couldn’t even blame the drugs. He was honest enough to admit that he could have resisted, if he’d truly desired to.

"Boss!"

A loud banging on the door accompanied the call, disrupting not only his thoughts, but his companions sleep. DeCrion came awake with alarming swiftness, the sapphire eyes seeking him out before relaxing at finding him still in place. As Kenobi slowly began to stir, Xanatos pressed a kiss against the younger man’s lips, Bruck looking away from the tenderness evident in the older man’s eyes.

"Wake up. We have company brat."

A disgruntled groan was Obi-Wan’s reply as he rolled onto his side and promptly tried to escape back into sleep. Bruck’s lips twitched with amusement as deCrion brought his palm down hard on his lover’s well rounded backside, a yelp of pain followed soon after with a nasty curse. Unfazed by his own nakedness, Xanatos got to his feet and stretched before striding toward the door.

"I’m getting to old to have sex on the floor. So unncivilized," he muttered before hitting the control.

Bruck could just barely make out bits of the discussion, one name sending a thrill of both joy and pain straight to his heart. He could feel Obi-Wan’s piercing stare as he looked around desperately for something to cover himself with, his hands trembling as he accepted the sleep pants Obi-Wan offered. His joy at having his mentor close was tainted with the guilt of his recent actions. He had no idea how he was going to find the courage to admit to his part in what had taken place in this room last night.

"Jinn has arrived," Xanatos announced, a guarded look shifting between the two younger men as he hastily donned rumpled clothes. "Stay with him until I send for you both."

Dressed in the see through pants once again, Bruck’s gaze skipped around the room as he fought to remain calm. He could feel panic rising and with the Force inhibitor had no way to release it.

"Are you going to kill him?" The question slipped out before he could stop it, his eyes searching his enemies.

Obi-Wan showed no emotion as he pulled his own discarded garments on. "Yes."

Bruck took an involuntary step forward, his hand lifted toward the other man in supplication. "Why? Killing him won’t change what happened in the past. Why can’t you just let it go and get on with your lives?"

An ugly sneer curled Obi-Wan’s lips as he strode forward, pressing his face close to Bruck’s. "You plead so prettily Chun. Unfortunately, unlike last night, we can’t give you what you desire this time."

Frustrated and growing angrier by the minute, the young Jedi tried another approach. "We’ve discussed what happened on Melida/Daan. He knows what he did was horribly wrong and has regretted it ever since. He even went back several weeks later to find you, but you’d already left the planet and he could find no trace of your destination."

Obi-Wan shot him a look of disbelief, a strangled laugh caught in his throat. "You don’t actually expect me to believe that do you?"

"It’s the truth," Bruck stated with quiet conviction. "He had no reason to lie to me."

Obi-Wan shrugged the words off, cupping Bruck’s face in between his hands. "Save your breath. It won’t do any good to defend him to me."

"You weren’t raised to hate like this," Bruck replied in a near whisper, ignoring his body’s immediate response to Kenobi’s closeness. "Why can’t you let it go?"

"Why? You want to know why?" Obi-Wan’s eyes froze into hard chips, lips pulled back in a snarl of rage as his arms dropped down by his sides. "Do you really want to know what happened to me on that planet after Jinn abandoned me? Fine. They all turned on me and demanded I leave the planet at once. I had no credits to buy passage off, nothing of value to barter with. Nothing but myself."

Bruck’s eyes widened in horror as Obi-Wan’s words sank in, a humorless smile curving the former Jedi’s lips at his reaction.

"I was fourteen, Chun. Fourteen and I was forced to let the pilot of a starship rape me in exchange for passage off that hell hole. It was a long trip and he made certain he got his moneys worth, over and over again. He enjoyed hearing my screams of pain, got off on my tears." Pain convulsed Obi-Wan’s features at the memory, anguished eyes boring into Bruck. "That is why I can’t let go, and that is why Jinn has to pay for what he did."

"I’m sorry Obi-Wan, truly. If you want to hurt my mentor than all you need do is tell him what you’ve just shared with me. I can guarantee you that it would destroy him knowing the part he played in what happened to you."

Obi-Wan snorted with disdain, stroking the love bites visible on the brown column of Bruck‘s neck with the tips of his fingers. "Nice try Chun, but it won’t work."

"So you’re willing to sacrifice not only your own life, but everything Xanatos has built here on Telos? All for the sake of revenge on Qui-Gon?" Bruck forced himself to continue. "You can’t allow me to walk away from this so I assume I’m good as dead also."

"Casualties are inevitable in any war." The response was clipped and lacking any trace of emotion.

"I may be inexperienced but I’m not blind, Kenobi. DeCrion is head over heels in love with you, so much so that he’s putting his entire life on the line just so you can have what you desire. Can you honestly be willing to let him do that?"

Bruck was certain he saw a flash of uncertainty in Obi-Wan’s eyes before he was able to conceal it behind a cold mask once again. He knew by the closed expression that he would get no further and could only hope that he’d been able to plant seeds of doubt. Ignoring the voice in the back of his head that was screaming warnings for what he was about to do, Bruck took a step closer to the fallen Jedi.

"Since I may very well be dead soon, do I get one last request?"

Obi-Wan eyed him with open curiosity. "Such as?"

"Make love to me. Just you and me," Bruck replied in a breathy voice as he pressed his lips against Obi-Wan’s.

He could feel the turmoil his request incited in the former Jedi and hurried to reassure him. "I know you feel nothing for me and I’m not asking you to. Regardless of how this ends, I want something to remember, something to help give me the closure I’ve needed since we were teenagers and I first realized how I felt about you."

Something in his eyes seemed to reach a hidden part of the fallen Jedi. With a muffled curse, Obi-Wan sealed his mouth over Brucks and bore him down onto a pile of pillows. For a few precious minutes they allowed themselves to forget Qui-Gon and Xanatos, forget their past fights and whatever awaited them, and just feel.