Prince of Penance

DEFINITE SLASH IN THIS CHAPTER AND NEXT CHAPTER GUYS! :) I love me some slash!

Chapter Three: Strange Visitors

Gruffi woke to the sounds of somebody in the kitchen, probably Grammi cooking breakfast, which smelled suspiciously like pancakes. He could hear the motions of other Gummies moving around the glen now, waking, groaning, moaning and in Gusto's case, sneezing. Morning had come upon Gummi Glen, and Gruffi, head pounding and stomach churning, was not ready to meet it.

Oh boy, I am definitely not going to enjoy today, Gruffi said, trying to sit up.

If he was one thing, it was stubborn. He refused to be laid up in bed with a cold when he had so much work to do. He was the patriarch of this household and if he wasn't there then it would fall apart, he just knew it. But the most he was able to do was climb into his clothes and stumble into the kitchen.

Gusto was already there, with a mug of tea in his hands and a bleary sleepless look in his eyes. Grammi was hovering over the frying pan on the stove, making sure the pancakes didn't burn, while trying to keep Tummi away from the muffins cooling by the stove.

Gruffi said a fond hello to everyone, and then stumbled towards the kettle.

"I didn't get a wink of sleep," Gusto said piteously. "Can we maybe do something about the howling wind and banging shutters?"

"Its gotta be those vents," Gruffi moaned. "If you're up to it we can go have a look at it today..."

"Tummi your hands will burn!" Grammi suddenly said shrilly, and smacked Tummi's hand with a spoon. "Goodness child at least wait until the muffins are cooled!"

"I'm sorry Grammi..." said Tummi, rubbing his hand. "Maybe I should I go wake up Zummi..."

"Yes, please, you do that...I need to give everyone their medicine..."

At the sound of 'medicine' Gusto tried to beat a hasty retreat, but Gruffi blocked him at the door.

"Lets get it over with kid, I for one would prefer to get rid of this cold any way I can."

Gruffi couldn't blame him though, Grammi's potent potions were enough to strip all sense of taste right from somebodies tongue. Sunni was the last one into the kitchen and she whined and groused about the potion until she took it, declared 'it wasn't that bad' and then pranced out to the dining room to set the table.

"She's doing chores without being asked to," Gusto chuckled, after taking a rather long chug of his sweetened tea. "She must be sick."

"WE had better get to ours," said Gruffi firmly. "We'll take some of those muffins with us for breakfast."

"Too late," said Tummi, finishing the last of them. "Yum."

Grammi smacked him. Hard. With her spoon. Gruffi wisely decided to skip the rest of breakfast.

-seperator-

Gusto glared up at the offending window.

"That's the one, right over my head," said the bear, making gagging sounds. "Can you nail it shut or something?"

"Seems like the latch is loose," Gruffi said, and leaned from his spot on the ladder carefully while observing the problem. He pushed his hat back from his forehead with a sigh and wiped his brow on his sleeve. "I feel like I've been working all day."

"Fever? Coughs? Yeah," Gusto nodded. "Don't worry about if Gruff. Which tool do you need?"

"None of those, I think I should replace these shutters all together. The slats are loose and they're missing screws. I'll board up the window for now. Lets go to my workshop, gotta have a piece of board that will fit over this. Just let me take a quick measurement and we'll see..."

"Whatever you say Gruff, I'm too tired to do any art, just lead me along."

"At least the weather is nice enough that Sunni and Cubbi can get outside and out from under our feet for the fday. Though I don't know if this is good with Sunni just getting better and all."

"I think she's hamming it up just a tad," Gusto surmised. "Just so she can get all Grammi's attention."

"Well, if she thinks she can get away with that for much longer she's got another thing coming. Grammi's going to need every bit of help she can get. Gummi berry juice day, Grammi getting ready for the winter dry spell when the Gummi Berries don't grow, today and tomorrow she'll be cooking like crazy. I wouldn't want to be Sunni for all the world."

"Oh right, I forgot!"

Gusto watched as Gruffi found his way down to the ground. The ladder wasn't THAT high and Gusto rolled his eyes.

"You're sick Gruffimundo. Face it. Maybe we should take a break."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. But lets board this up first or it'll be banging forever and nobody will ever get to it."

"All right..."

Gruffi's workroom was as organised as a workroom could possibly get. When Gusto thought 'work room' he conjured up images of organised clutter, half finished projects lying around everywhere.

Not so with Gruffi. A place for everything and everything in its place. Even the unfinished projects had shelves dedicated to them, and an area for the larger projects as well. Everything seemed entirely too organised to be healthy.

While Gruffi went looking through his scrap box for a proper piece of wood, Gusto examined every inch of the workshop. Gruffi was in the midst of repairing Sunni's dresser, which had a broken drawer, so the drawer, painted green with flowers, sat on his workbench ready to be worked on. Gusto quickly located a project he had asked of Gusto; an easel specially for painting round paintings or plates. He fingered it gently and sighed.

"Gruffi...listen..."

"Second, I think I found one," Gruffi had now reached down deep into the scrap box, and..."OUCH! Sliver!"

Gusto winced at the bear quickly pulled his hand up again to suck on a thumb that looked entirely too bruised and beaten up for comfort. Gruffi quickly found the board in question, and then went over to the work bench to measure it.

"Um...about that easel..."

"Not done. Don't worry about it..."

"Actually, well um...yeah thanks, its not needed any time soon, I finished that project ages ago but um..."

"No problem," Gruffi huffed, and then went looking for his saw.

Gusto watched Gruffi work as if he was looking at the bear through water. He was drowning in his misery at the thought of leaving. He was far too much enjoying Gruffi's company at this very moment to even think of his plans.

I can't leave him...I can't leave the Glen...

He knew he could put it off for only so long. But, but Gruffi's smile when he discovered the board was exactly the right size stirred something inside Gusto that he hadn't felt in over twelve years. The way Gruffi just put a quick plaster over his sore thumb and huffed in that Gruffi way about his injuries was causing the strangest sensations to Gusto's midsection that he hadn't felt in years.

Damn, thought Gusto, as he correctly identified exactly what the problem was. If I had known I was going to feel this way about him...

Oh sure, after twelve years in exile, and having Gruffi come to the island, he had been fanatically lusting for company of any kind. But he hadn't made any move past friendship, the feelings of sickly loneliness had eventually died down and he was able to form a friendship with Gruffi that could hold up through all adversity.

But if he was really honest with himself, all he really wanted to do right now was strip all his clothes off and rid himself of this fever in the only way he knew how.

"Um...Gruffi...?"

"One second Gusto, I just want to make sure I have all the tools I need now before I go and start working..."

Gusto swallowed, heart beating.

If I leave the Glen, I may never have another chance to...do what Gusto? Do what?

Gusto realized he was moving automatically to stand by Gruffi's side. He was enjoying the way Gruffi stuck his tongue out to the side of his mouth as he worked, the little pained lines around his eyes from not getting enough sleep, the eyebrows; furled in consternation. His hands, large and calloused and ready to handle any task.

Any task.

"Gruffi..."

"What IS it Gusto...er...ack!"

Gusto had been standing about a foot from Gruffi, unbeknownst to the other bear, and seeing him so close by, when he hadn't been expecting it startled Gruffi. Gusto took advantage of the situation to swoop down, as quickly as possible, to kiss Gruffi on the lips.

It was as if something in the back of Gusto's mind, the voice that had been nagging him for days, finally said, "I TOLD you, didn't I??" and he sighed. This was nice. But...

Gruffi wasn't moving. Gusto pulled away, and looked at Gruffi, whose eyes were pin points of shock and he was standing like a Gummi caught in an ogre trap with no escape. Gusto took several steps back.

Maybe...maybe I shouldn't have...maybe...

"Maybe...um...I should go get the rest of...my clothes...from the waterfall...so I can get cleaned up...I haven't changed my clothes in days, I think...yeah..."

"Yuh," Gruffi was still standing there, breathing in and out and staring off into space.

Gusto walked backwards out of the work room, their eyes never leaving one another.

"Okay, um, I'll go..." he said, taking a step out into the hallway.

"Yeah...um..." Gruffi coughed. "Yeah, uh, thanks..."

"Thanks?"

"Er, for the compliment. I appreciate it. Okay, I'd...better get to that shutter..."

Gusto nodded, then turned and fled. Fled for the safety of the waterfall, the waterfall that was his protector, and self imposed prison.

Well, one good thing about my leaving the Glen, Gusto thought glumly, shutting his eyes back against the pain that was now burning a fiery hole in his chest. If I just ruined my friendship with Gruffi forever, I won't have to stick around long enough to worry about it. Or be scorned for it.

-separator-

Sunni was now enjoying the outside world, after a week of being sick, and even longer being stuck inside because of rain. She wanted air to breath and sunshine and...

"Cubbi stop!" She shouted. "Stop poking me with that stick!"

"Its not a stick its a sword! Why won't you play with me?"

Sunni threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Because I don't want to sword fight with you! I'm a girl, girls get saved by handsome knights from the horrible dragons!"

"Well than I'll save you fair damsel!" said Cubbi, standing between Sunni and a twisted stump that was nearby. "Fie evil dragon! Sir Cubbi, Knight of Gumadoon is here to free the fair princess!"

Sunni giggled, and decided to play along, only if to keep Cubbi out of trouble. And in a not-so-secret part of her heart, she was longing for the day when a handsome prince would come and ask for her hand in marriage. She had always wanted to be a princess, always.

"Oh Cubbi, do you think I'll ever find myself a real Prince," she asked, standing atop the stump now as Cubbi did combat with it.

"Well sure, what about Gusto?"

"Grammi says he's too old for me," Sunni pouted. "There aren't enough people my age around here!"

"Same," Cubbi said, and climbed onto the stump. "Don't worry, Sunni. Gruffi says that if they can't find you a boyfriend they'll take you around everywhere looking for somebody. Maybe go talk to the Barbics, they might have somebody around your age for you to...uh you know...go on dates with."

Sunni giggled and poked Cubbi on top of his head.

"Silly, Cubbi, Princesses don't go looking for their Prince, its the other way around!"

Cubbi whacked the stump with his toy sword.

"Well," Cubbi shrugged. "Grammi says you could, what's the word...take initiation?"

"I think you mean initiative," Sunni said, though she was flattered her family was thinking of her so much. "I think she's right. I SHOULD go find a boyfriend when I'm of age!"

"Well, until then, avast dangerous sea beast!" Cubbi darted around the tree stump now to attack its few remaining branches. "Release the fair maiden or suffer the consequences!"

"Oh how sweet," a haughty voice drawled behind them. "The peasant children are playing grown ups."

Sunni whirled around, as Cubbi did, to confront whoever it was that interrupted their game, whether a human foe or ogre or some other nasty menace, they were ready for anything.

"Gummi Bears!" Cubbi gasped. "You're Gummies!"

Sunni wasn't ready for that. Standing before them were two adult bears; a male, with black fur and white hair and a lady bear, with white fur and black hair. They were looking rather bored, yet amused, and wore clothes that were more at place in the jewelled Courts of Dunwin Castle than in the middle of a forest.

"Very observant of you," said the woman with a brow raised. "I'm sorry to disturb you children, but perhaps you might tell us just where we are in this Gummi forsaken forest and how we can find the nearest Gummi settlement, and we'll be on our way."

"Well this is Gummi Glen," said Sunni brightly. "And this is it. Just us, and our family, and we live in our house, that way, only Gummies for miles and miles are us."

"Sunni don't show them where we live!" Cubbi said hotly. "They could be weirdos disguised as Gummis to steal all our secrets!"

"Oh Cubbi, really, mind your manners, they're obviously important people!"

"Well," said the male bear, who had taken of his hat with a flourish. "I suppose we'll have to prove our identities to these young ones. Ready sister?"

"Ready brother!"

They pulled from their pockets two bottles of Gummi Berry juice, pulled out the corks, and drank down. Then they bounced.

It was weird to Sunni to see these fancifully dressed Gummis bouncing around in the forest, but they did, and came to a stop before Sunni and Cubbi with a flourish.

"You are Gummies!" Sunni said brightly.

"Now, will you show us to your home?"

"Sure! But who are you, and why did you come all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Well I'm Melli Bella, and this is my brother, Felli Bella, we're twins," said the woman.

"That's right," said Felli Bella mildly. "We've come to this Gum forsaken backwater, if you'll forgive the expression, in search of an evil doer."

"A bad guy?" Cubbi said with awe.

"Yeah," Melli smiled largely, looking down at Cubbi with droll eyes. "Perhaps you can help us. This person is quite bad, quite mean, would hurt you, or any Gummi bear, if he caught you. Probably do evil evil things..."

"Oh, you want Duke Igthorn," Sunni said with a wrinkle of her nose. "He's at Castle Drekmore."

"Duke...Igthorn?"

"He's a human," said Cubbi pointedly. "He's always trying to catch us and steal our Gummi Berry juice."

"Well," Melli said with soft delicateness. "We aren't looking for a human. We're looking for a Gummi Bear."

"A Gummi Bear that hurts other Gummi Bears? Never heard of that," said Sunni. "I suppose Gruffi will know what you're talking about."

"He's our foster dad," Cubbi said. "Here it is! Gummi Glen."

"Excellent," said Felli, and they both went in without the least bit of hesitation, before Sunni and Cubbi could even show them how.

Well, at least they knew how to enter the trap doors!

---Hold onto your hats folks, this part is a two parter, all one big chapter, so I'm seperating it into two sections to preserve the page per chapter thing I'm trying to maintain. Heaven forbid I have 5 page chapters, then start posting 17 page ones along the way. Heheh.