Chapter Text
Thomas wakes early. He's not entirely sure what caused him to go from sleep to wakefulness so quickly, but now that he's awake, there's no sense laying in bed when he should be up, getting things ready for whatever mysterious rites he's off to take part in. He jams a careful elbow into Kocoum's ribs to loosen the other man's grip. Though rather than freeing him, Kocoum's grip goes from passive to searching.
"Don't go." Kocoum murmurs and Thomas can feel his skin heating up.
"I have to get ready." He can already feel his resolve weakening as Kocoum's hands slide over his body, waking him up in am entirely different way.
"Not yet." Kocoum murmurs and Thomas gives a low moan when those clever fingers find what they're looking for. He can't help but arch into the touch, hips following Kocoum's lazy touch. Kocoum kisses over Thomas' neck, shoulders, and Thomas turns his head, searching for Kocoum's mouth. A mouth that is eagerly given. Kocoum might not be the best with words, but he makes up for his quiet manor in other ways.
He works Thomas up in lazy pulls of his hand that tease at the same time as they pleasure. Thomas' skin is warm under his touch, and this Kocoum knows, this is the memory that will stay with him. No matter what comes next.
XxX XxX
Alawa meets Thomas at the border of the village, Kitchi stands at her side, laden down with a pack and several baskets filled with food and furs. It makes Thomas hesitate. He'd assumed they'd be gone for a day, maybe two, but from the packs Kitchi carries, he knows hell be gone a lot longer. Suddenly, Kocoum's actions this morning make a lot more sense.
Thomas takes a breath, straightens his shoulders, and walks towards Alawa and Kitchi. He will do this. He has to do this. This isn't about him anymore. It's not about the tribe, or the men from Jamestown. It's about all of them. Wind whispers agreement in his ears, slithering a touch down his spine in a way that makes Thomas think of Kocoum. It's that thought that helps to strengthen his resolve.
"I'm ready." Thomas says and Alawa smiles at him. He reaches out, intending to take a basket from Kitchi, but the brave shakes his head.
"You already have enough to carry. These are for me."
"I don't have anything to carry." Thomas argues and Kitchi smiles at him.
"You carry the weight if two worlds on your shoulders. These, I can carry for you."
"When did you get so wise?" Alawa teases, puffing on her pipe. Kitchi blushes and Thomas laughs and moves to pat him on the shoulder.
"Just because you can carry all of these things by yourself doesn't mean you should have to." He takes a basket from Kitchi. "If it's one thing I've learned from living here, it's that you're never alone."
"Well when you put it that way." Kitchi sighs and passes Thomas one of the lighter baskets. Thomas grins at him and hitches it up into his arms.
"Let's be off." Alawa says, tapping her staff. Thomas had given it back to her, giving the excuse that he wasn't ready to wield such a powerful tool. She gets a nod from both men and Thomas takes a moment to look back at the village. It's strange how final this feels, as if this is going to be the last time he'll see it. Thomas turns to follow Kitchi and Alawa. He holds Kocoum's face in his mind, in his heart. And as nice as it would be to have the man see him off, it would make this entire thing harder than it needs to be.
They walk until mid day. Kitchi tries to make conversation, but Thomas is too caught up in his own thoughts to be any sort of good company, so after an hour of one sided conversation, Kitchi falls silent, leaving each member of their tiny company with their own thoughts.
At midday, they stop beside a spring that bubbles up from the ground. The water tastes crisp, clean, like nothing Thomas has ever partaken of, and of he had to place a name to it, he would pick the feeling of the air after a good clean frost, when the very world felt clean. That, and freedom. Privately, he thinks it tastes the way Kocoum makes him feel, and that makes him flush, and it earns him a little smile from Alawa, as if she can see his mind.
Thomas doesn't scowl at her, but it's a near thing. His thoughts are his own. He buries himself with eating, and after filling their water skins and drinking their fill, they're on their way again.
The small group arrives at the caves in the evening. The sun sits low in the sky and they'll only have another few hours to gather wood and set up camp. Alawa leads the two men into the mouth of the cave that looms in front of them and Thomas amends his thoughts. There's a small alcove already set up with sleeping platforms and a circle of stones that will hold a cooking fire. Wood is stacked beside the rock circle and Thomas gives Alawa a curious look.
"You planned this." It's not a question, bit it's not an accusation either, just a statement. Alawa nods and Thomas finds himself flushing. Of course she planned this. It's not as if she woke up one morning and decided to hold initiation rites. He's always been told to think before he speaks, and it's one of the reasons he stays quiet so much. It's easier than being called an imbecile.
Kitchi sets his basket down and Thomas follows suit, claiming a platform for himself and unrolling a set of sleeping furs. He takes a moment to wish Kocoum was here, but Thomas is alone right now, amd he won't let himself keep up the childish mannerisms of wishing on starrs, of waiting for others to solve his problems. He's in the position right now of being able to affect people for the better. He knows this isn't going to be easy, but wishing for Kocoum to come take him back to the village isn't going to help anyone. Least of all him. All its doing is making him question his reasons for being here, and that is not something Thomas wants to do, on any level. So he does what he's good at and turns his mind off of Kocoum.
Kitchi brings down a rabbit for the evening meal, and they roast it over the fire, eating it with fresh apples and bannock. The evening meal is filling and once Thomas eats he can feel the exhaustion from the day settling in. Tomorrow is going to be one of the most important days of his life. No one will tell him what's going to happen, but Thomas feels the truth of it in his bones. He needs his sleep, and when he lays down on his furs, he expects to toss and then from worry and an over active mind. Instead he's asleep in minutes, and while he dreams, he doesn't remember any of them upon waking instead he remembers what the dreams made him feel. Content and happy. It's that he holds onto while he eats breakfast and does his best not to think about what's going to come next.