Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/190897.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Drake's_Venture_(1980)
  Relationship:
      Thomas_Doughty/Francis_Drake
  Character:
      Francis_Drake, Thomas_Doughty
  Additional Tags:
      Reincarnation
  Stats:
      Published: 2011-04-26 Words: 1971
****** Past, Present, and Future ******
by blakefancier
Summary
     Circus AU.
Frank tried to ignore the kid. After all, he was new and he didn't want Bess-
that's *Ms* Tudor to you- telling him to hit the curb. He couldn't go back
home, even if there was something for him there, and he was only sixteen so
there weren't many places that would take him, even if they did want him. And
it wasn't like the kid was hurting anybody and he was born circus folk so he
belonged more than Frank did.
So he did his best to pretend not to see the boy trailing him like a shadow.
*****
The kid's name was Tommy, Tommy Doughtie, and his mom, Madame Dee, didn't like
her son's obsession with him at all.
Frank agreed with her, it was damn creepy, but he hadn't told her so. Not with
her giving him the evil eye.
"Stay away from my son," She'd said. Then she promised to curse him so badly
that parts of his anatomy would shrivel up and fall off.
He wasn't sure that fortune-tellers *could* curse that off, but he wasn't gonna
take any chances. So every time the kid showed up, he'd high-tail it right out
there.
*****
Of all the chores he was given, Frank liked feeding the animals best. He moved
among the cages and stalls, dragging buckets of food. Most of them were old and
affectionate, but there were a few, like the wolf, that kept him on his toes.
He always fed the wild ones first, to get his blood racing, then he moved on to
the older, more docile animals.
He left his favorite for last: the Golden Hinde. She wasn't dangerous, but
she'd give him a nip if he wasn't careful. Of course, she wasn't really a
golden hinde, she was just a doe with her fur dusted with gold colored flake.
But she was gorgeous, her hide shining in the sunlight, her big brown eyes
staring solemnly.
He ran his hand over her fur and spoke softly to her. She nudged him, then
began to nuzzle at his jacket, searching. He laughed and pulled out a couple of
apple slices from his pocket. "Is this what you were looking for?"
She didn't answer, but she took them from him as dainty as a lady.
"She really likes you." Tommy stepped out from his hiding place behind the
cages.
"You should be doing your chores." Frank stepped away from the doe and wiped
his hand on his jeans.
"Don't go! Please, don't go!" He reached out and touched Frank's arm. "I've
been trying to get you alone, but you always run away."
"Of course I do! Your mom doesn't like me. She threatened…" He hesitated; the
kid was only fourteen and there were some things you didn't tell kids. "She
threatened to do me bodily harm."
"She's just scared."
"Scared of what?"
"That you'll hurt me." When Frank looked puzzled, he hurried on. "We're
connected, have been for centuries. And you've hurt me before, in another
life."
"I haven't hurt you in this one!" Not that Frank believed in reincarnation or
any of that crap. It's just that he felt he shouldn't be condemned for
something he had supposedly done when he was another person.
"I know." Tommy smiled and tilted his head.
Oh, Frank could see the kid was gonna be trouble; he was pretty and he knew it.
"Well, we're alone. What do you want?" He turned back to Goldie and rubbed
between her ears.
"I like her, too. She's sweet." Tommy stepped close and patted Goldie's neck.
"Frank? Why did you join up with us?"
Frank shrugged. "There wasn't anything at home for me. I wanted an adventure."
"Circus life isn't very adventurous." Tommy's hand slide up Goldie's neck and
rested on his
"More adventurous than life on the farm." He didn't pull his hand away, though
he knew he should. "What about you and your mom? Chris says she showed up one
day when she was pregnant with you."
"My mom has the gift. She can see the future and the past. My father was a
drunk, and abusive." The kid's hand tightened convulsively on Frank's; it hurt.
He looked up at Tommy; his eyes were clouded and his body was rigid.
"He called her a whore and a witch. He didn't want a devil's child. Oh, yes, he
knew. He knew I was the devil's bastard." Tommy's nails dug into Frank's skin
and his voice was harsh. "He hit her and hit her. He was going to get rid of
that monster."
Frank tried to pull his hand away, but Tommy's grip on him was too strong.
"Tommy, let me go! Let me go!" He raised his other hand to slap the kid, but at
the last moment changed his mind. Instead, he leaned over and kissed him.
Tommy shuddered and let out a terrible moan, then he melted against Frank, his
mouth going soft.
He wrapped his arms around Tommy, pressing his mouth hard against the kid's. He
knew he should stop, pull away; he liked his cock and balls where they were,
but he found it was quite impossible. He dragged Tommy over to where the clean
hay was kept and showed him the things a boy could do with another boy.
Afterward, they cuddled.
"I guess your mom was right, you should have stayed away from me." Frank picked
hay out of Tommy's hair.
"No, she was wrong. I know you won't hurt me." He looked up at Frank, his eyes
wide and trusting. "This time is different. We're different."
"Do you really think so?" Frank leaned down and kissed him gently.
"Yes. I do."
*****
Frank stood in the wings of the Big Tent and watched as Tommy and a few of the
other circus kids ran out in their tight, spangled bodysuits. A couple of them
juggled colored balls while the rest somersaulted, flipped, and contorted their
bodies.
His eyes never left Tommy, marveling at the way he flipped in mid air and
landed on his feet, he always landed on his feet. He was so taken with the
sight, he didn't hear Bess come up behind him.
"Why aren't you out there, Frank?"
He didn't gasp or let on in any way that she'd startled him. He turned and
looked at her; she was wearing her Ringmaster costume. "I'm not very flexible,
Ms. Tudor."
"Well, you need to do something during the show."
"Yes, ma'am. I'm helping out with concessions." Frank stood straighter.
"Why aren't you there now?"
Her eyes pierced him and he found he couldn't lie to her. "I wanted to see…" He
gestured to the first ring; he couldn't lie, but he didn't have to say
anything.
"You wanted to see Tommy." She wasn't fooled at all by him.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Be careful Dee doesn't see you." And with that, she walked away.
*****
Frank shivered and zipped up his jacket. The further north they went, the
colder the nights.
"I hope you haven't been waiting long."
He turned and smiled as Tommy stepped out from the darkness. "I haven't."
Tommy smiled back. "I brought a sleeping bag."
"Good idea." He took the bag from Tommy and tossed it on the ground. Then he
put his arms around the boy and kissed him. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able
to get away."
"So was I. But mom went to bed early. What about you?"
"Nuño and Vic don't care what I do." Frank slid his hand under Tommy's
sweatshirt and licked his bottom lip. He traced circles around Tommy's nipples
with his thumbs and whispered, "I want you so much. Sometimes I think I'd go
crazy without you. Have you used your powers on me?"
Tommy moaned, wiggling against him. "You know my powers don't work that way.
Besides, I feel the same about you. Oh, yes, like that! Oh, please, Frank, kiss
me there again."
He pinched Tommy's nipples, making him gasp.. "Not until you say the words."
"Please… Please, Frank, kiss my dick. S-suck on it."
Frank slid to his knees and with cold, trembling fingers, undid Tommy's pants
and drew out his dick. It was hard already, the head was damp. He kissed it,
licking away the precome. The saltiness made his mouth water; he tasted like
the sea. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth and slowly took it into him.
The heavy heat sent a wave of desire thorough him, hardening his own dick; he
sucked hard.
Tommy moaned and slid his fingers into Frank's hair, tugging and urging him on.
As if he wouldn't go on. Frank bobbed his head, fucking his mouth with Tommy's
dick, feeling the head hit the back of his throat, choking him slightly. He
loved this, loved doing this for Tommy, with him. He didn't know why he'd
fought the boy's presence in the beginning. They belonged to one other.
"Frank! Frank!" he cried out in a half-choked whisper, pulling on Frank's hair
and thrusting deep into his mouth.
Frank stroked his thighs soothingly and used the slightest hint of teeth. That
was enough to send Tommy over the edge and the saltiness filled his mouth. He
swallowed, then sat back on his heels to look up. "You all right?"
Tommy nodded, breathing too hard to speak, and tucked himself back in.
He got to his feet, grinning. "Will you do me?"
Before Tommy could reply a sharp, loud, 'You' rang out in the darkness making
both of them jump. They turned towards the noise and Dee stepped forward into
the moonlight. Tommy went pale and took a step back.
"You! I told you to stay away from my son!" Her eyes seemed to glow and Frank's
mouth went dry.
"It's not his fault, Mom." Tommy reached out and gripped Frank's hand.
"Silence, you foolish boy. He killed you. Do you really think this time will be
different?" Dee pointed at Frank and in a clear voice, began to speak in some
strange language.
"NO!" Tommy stepped in front of him, his hands up, palms facing out, and
responded in the same language.
Her eyes widened and words, those strange words, died on her lips. "You
*dare!*"
"Yes, I dare!" Tommy was practically vibrating with tension. "He is mine! Mine
to punish or to forgive!"
"And you choose forgiveness?"
"I do." He glanced back at Frank who looked back in confusion. "I choose
forgiveness."
Frank wasn't sure what was going on, but for some reason, he trusted Tommy to
handle it.
"You can't! Thomas, that's why I brought you back! It's why I brought both of
you back, for revenge!"
"Well, that's not what I want. I don't want revenge." Tommy turned to him.
"Francis, you have to know that I don't want revenge. I never did."
For some reason, the response was automatic. "I know, Thomas."
"No," Dee moaned. "Thomas, I did this for you."
"And I thank you for that. You gave us another chance." He smiled and leaned
against Frank's body.
Suddenly, she straightened, her face a smooth mask. "You are not my son."
Tommy shuddered. "Is that how it is, then?"
"Yes." Despite her demeanor, her voice shakes. "You will leave. You will both
leave."
Frank put his arms around Tommy and held him tightly. "We'll leave. We'll leave
tonight."
She looked at him with pure hatred, then turned and stalked off.
"I'm sorry, Frank." There was the sound of tears in his voice. "I know you
loved this place."
"So did you. This is your home." He kissed the top of Tommy's head.
"Where will we go?"
Frank smiled. "I've never seen the ocean. Let's go to the beach. I think we'd
like it there."
Tommy laughed and hugged him. "Yes. Yes, let's go to beach."
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