C&C will inspire more fictions faster.

    They were thrown painfully down into the brig. Tulio angeled himself to break Miguel's fall instinctivly but it did little good when the floor met the blond's chin. Miguel was out like a light and Tulio groaned and gripped his head as if shear force of will could lessen the pain. As it slammed into the wall after he landed hard on his tailbone.

    "Miguel." He moaned and shook his spinning head to clear it. "Miguel?"

    The sight of the limp and twisted body scared years from his life until his felt the flutter of a heartbeat beneath his palm. A quick glance around the dirty cell brough up two blankets and a pile of surprisingly clean straw. A bed was quickly fashioned and Tulio wadded his shirt up for a pillow before tucking Miguel into it. He searched the usually animate face for injurry and only found the darkening of a bruise on his jaw. Finally he let the tension flow from him and the energy panic had offered deserted him. Miguel was ok. They were captives, most likely for life.

    That gave him something else to worry about. Cuba. The sugar plantations Cortez had said. . . Tulio knew he could make it anywhere, it wasn't as if his life had been all that easy before. But Miguel. . . he was radiant, in an almost feminine way. The blond Spaniard would most likely be taken as a bedslave in the first week. He wouldn't survive such degradation. As optimistic as he was there was no way Miguel could stay so with some slave master's thick cock tearing at his insides.

    The mental image that left had Tulio raging. He had to think of something. He couldn't let that happen to his partner. Not that.

    He tried to stand in order to pace but exhaustion finally claimed him and he fell to lay beside Miguel in a boneless sprawl. Tommorow. He would rest now and be fresh to think of a plan tommorow.  Lead arms held Miguel close to keep the chill night air away and black eyes closed tight, forcing his mind to stop thinking for the time being. Sleep was what he needed for now. And Miguel. Always Miguel.
_________________

    Miguel woke up slowly, willing away the splotches of darkness threatening him with oblivion again. He had to see if Tulio was ok. A weight nestled around him said that the other man was sleeping peacefully but Miguel had to see for himself.

    Sure enough his blurred gaze met black lochs and deeply toned skin. "Tulio."

    "Hmm?"

    He settled back down to wait until he woke up all the way. It wasn't as if they had anywhere to be but here.

    The blond's heart was heavy as he watched his partner sleep, "This is all my fault." He frowned, "I should have gone when you told me we should but no, I had to have the map. Me and my stupid adventures. If I end up gettign you killed because of this. . . God I can't lose him. Please don't let me lose him."

    "Miguel?"

    "Tulio! I am so sorry! I never. . ."

    The dark man blinked in shock, "Calm down! It's my fault we were even trying to con the sailors in the first place."

    "But I. . . the map. . ."

    "It happens. We'll get out of here."

    "How?"

    "I'll think of something. How's your head."

    "In dire need of headache powder. How's your ass?"

    "You mean it's still attached?"

    "I don't know it was so skinny already. . ." Miguel smiled at Tulio's attempt at humor. The familiar banter taking some of the fear and discomfort away. Only some. "Tulio, How will we ever get out of here?"

    "I promised I'd think of something didn't I?"

    "Yes but. . ."

    "Trust me."

    With a sigh the blond relented. What did he have to lose? "Ok. I trust you."

    "Ok, we need a plan."

    "Hey! You!"

    Both men looked up at the grated opening where a rope ladder was being thrown down, "Up on deck, now."

    Tulio's eyes narrowed, "this is not good."

    "Maybe Cortez has realized this was all just a big missunderstanding and he's going to let us go?" Miguel offered.

    "Somehow, I don't think so. No."
________________________

    Cortez glarred down at the two men with potent rage. "You both need to be shown your place. My men are bored, we will have a flogging to entertain them. This way you aren't completely useless to our voyage."

    Tulio opened his mouth to let fly some sarcastic comment and Miguel quickly stood and cut him off, "Cortez, sir, we are hard workers, we don't expect favors. Put us to work."

    The general looked at the blond as if he were a worm under his armored boot. He snatched his hand and turned it over. "Look at these soft palms, you haven't worked and honest days living in your miserable existance."

    "Wait a minuet! Miguel's always had soft hands!"

    "Silence!" Cortez spat and yanked Miguel up by his hair, "This one will do. Take him. His friend can watch."

    "Miguel!"

    "It's all right Tulio. No problem."

    Tulio stared helplessly after the blond and shook his head. //No, it's not all right.//  "Why Miguel? He won't be any fun under a whip, try me."

    "No. I think I will enjoy seeing that unmarred flesh ripped into." Cortez grinned and called out, "Don't scar him though!"

    "Sir?"

    "A man that pretty will sell for a good price as a pleasure slave. I don't want to lower his worth with scars."

    Tulio watched Miguel go white and swore. The blond obviously hadn't thouht of what kind of slavery he was faceing. "I'll think of something Miguel! Trust me!"

    "I do." He whispered. "We'll get out. I trust you."

    "Miguel."
 

~tbc~