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Chuck vs. The Snowy Cabin Cliche.
by Lopaka Tanu
The cabin was chilly despite the crackling fireplace. He had turned the central heating up, but he couldn't tell the difference. The blizzard roaring outside was probably to blame. Well, that and his choice in company. "You shouldn't have come. This wasn't your fight."
"What can I say, I'm a magnet for trouble." The guy shrugged as much as the ropes would let him. He was clad in only the thermal underwear that had been under his snow suit and tied to a straight-backed chair. It was safe to say he wasn't going anywhere. "Then again, you really didn't have to do...any of the things you've done."
Watching the thin man tremble against the his bindings, Daniel took the moment to just stare. There could have been any number of reasons why he was shaking. Of all of them, the most likely was because of his presence. That was too bad, because he really hadn't wanted it to be this way.
"I never planned on it being you." Dropping down to the coffee table, Daniel slumped a little. His gun tapped aimlessly against his thigh. He could feel it through the thin material of his dress slacks. Looking down at his slacks and dress shirt, he realized it wasn't the best attire for a confrontation, especially in a snowy mountain pass.
His guest took that moment to clear his throat and draw the attention back to himself. "Look, we both know how this is going to end. You're going to expound in great detail about your great plan. For a change up, you might throw in a few regrets, maybe an offer. You're the type of villain that would do that kinda thing, after all." As he spoke, the man rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
"Actually, I was just thinking I should shoot you." When both eyes were suddenly upon him, wide and startled, he shrugged. The man really needed to shut up and Daniel wasn't in the mood. "It would make my point and cause the effect I desire in Sarah."
"What?" He actually sounded outraged at the idea. "No, no, no! That's not how you work. You're a bad guy with a conscious. That kinda thing, that would be cold blooded and..."
"Logical," Daniel added helpfully. Instead of acting on it, though, he set the gun down on the table next to him. It was a stupid, rookie mistake, especially for the villain he was supposed to be. Fact was, he really didn't give a rat's ass.
Leaning back, he braced a hand on the table. He stared off into the fire for something to do. Daniel wasn't sure why he didn't just do that. He really should have shot Chuck the moment he appeared at his door. Well, he should have shot him the moment he discovered the other man stuck halfway through his bathroom window while trying to get in.
"Tell me, since when do you open other people's mail, Chuck?" That was a bit unusual for the agent. It had been addressed specifically to Sarah. The instructions were for her alone. "Is your girlfriend locked up some where so that you could play the noble martyr for her, yet again?"
"No." The word was grit out through clenched teeth.
Obviously, he was making the other mad. That was too bad, he was kinda angry himself. This little scheme had taken a few weeks of preparations. Next time, he was going to have to try harder to avoid the Bartowski Luck.
He snorted. What luck? The guy had every asshole with a grudge and access to a weapon on the planet gunning for him. And why? Because he was born the cursed son of a half-mad genius. Daniel raised his eyebrows, 'look how that turned out.'
The sad truth was, that in all of this, Chuck had been as big a victim as he had been. Now even more so, since he himself had chosen this lifestyle. Poor Bartowski had had this crap forced upon him since before he was a born.
That had been what stayed his hand, time and time again. For as much as a pain in his ass the other man had been, he didn't deserve to die. Even knowing it would be his downfall, he had hesitated. It depressed him to realize that he pitied the bastard.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Daniel glanced over. He found Chuck slumped in his chair, his limbs drawn tight. That made him frown. What was going on?
He got his answer when Chuck trembled hard enough to rock the chair.
Taking a closer look, he noted how pale Chuck's skin had become. His hands were curled into tight balls where they hung behind his back. Shocked at his own thoughtlessness, Daniel quickly stood. Leaving the gun behind, he rushed to Chuck's side.
The first touch of the man's cheek made him gasp and draw back. "You're like ice!" Taking in the entirety of Chuck's appearance, Daniel realized he had to act fast. His hand went to the knife in the sheath on his belt. Pulling it free, he sliced through the ropes holding the other to the chair, but not binding him.
Chuck surged forward in the chair with a soft groan. Before he could hit the floor, though, Daniel's arms were around him.
Slipping one arm under the smaller man's legs, Daniel wrapped the other around his shoulders. "Hang on, Chuck." With strained groan, he pushed up from the floor. He took the full brunt of the weight in his back and it spasmed in warning. "I'm going to move you to the bedroom, I've got a heating blanket in there."
"Wuh..." Dazed, no undoubtedly from the cold, Chuck tried to wiggle free. His eyes barely came open and his best efforts were barely enough to kick his feet.
Giving his hostage a gentle shake, Daniel shushed him. "Settle down, you'll not get anywhere in your current condition." Face flushing from the effort of holding the man and walking, he quickened his step to the bedroom. "Besides, even if you did manage to defeat me, which is highly unlikely, there's still the blizzard outside."
Grumbling softly, Chuck opened one eye to glare at him.
Daniel didn't pay him any mind. He had to carefully maneuver them through the door. "What were you thinking coming here alone with a storm building?" Shaking his head, he headed for the bed. "And don't start, I know you're alone. Anyone else would have notice the bathroom window wasn't big enough for your friend Grimes, let alone you."
"So I suck at planning..." pausing to shiver, Chuck glared harder, "I think we established that already."
"Well, you can't be too bad off if you're seeing reason." With that proclamation, Daniel released the bound man over the bed. He watched Chuck crash to it, then bounce a couple times, with no small amount of satisfaction. When that was done, he knelt beside the bed to grasp the control to the heating blanket. Turning it up to max heat, he sighed with relief when it came on.
That taken care of, he only had one small thing left to do. He bent over Chuck to grab the hem of his blankets and pulled them up.
Chuck slid towards him as the covers were pulled out from under him. He smacked into the taller man's legs. It was only for a second before those big hands slipped him under them. "Hey, watch where you're grabbing."
"Relax, your virtue is safe with me." Once he was certain that Chuck was safely centered in the bed, Daniel tucked the heating blanket around the other man. He then kicked off his own shoes and climbed in behind him. Pulling the covers back, he drew them up over both of them. "Now, your virginity, that's another matter."
Eyes wide, Chuck went completely still.
It was too much. Daniel could only roll his eyes. Pulling Chuck flush against him, he ran his arms over the other man's body through the heating blanket. "Body heat is the best way to beat hypothermia. Didn't they teach you anything?"
"Yeah, but I've seen way too many...movies." With that, Chuck shut up.
Snorting, Daniel continued to massage the freezing man's chest. "Just lie still and enjoy it. You'll be warmed up in no time." Just to be an ass, he blew softly over Chuck's ear. "I promise to make it quick," he felt Chuck tremble, "when I kill you."
Back rigid, Chuck swallowed hard enough to be heard. "You're talking about killing me while we're snuggling. Now, I know you're evil."
Unable to hold in a laugh, Daniel rest his head on the back of Chuck's neck. With Chuck this calm and confident, he got the only confirmation he needed. Backup was on the way, probably waiting for the storm to die down. Well, most of them were. If he knew Casey, the man was bound up like a Yeti, making his way to their cabin by now.
Sighing, he continued to rub Chuck to warm him up. And if his hands slipped a little lower, it was only because he was being 'bad'. A small part of him noted that Chuck didn't protest these, and he grinned, evilly.
THE END.........................................