The Duke's Killer Rabbit [BL]

Elric wasn't just a healer with magic, he was trained. He ducked low when Clint's knee came flying toward his ribs, letting the blow miss by inches as he brought his arm up to push Clint's shoulder away, trying to break his balance.

Clint pivoted, planting one foot on the seat to lift himself higher, then launched a kick down toward Elric's head.

Elric raised his arm to block, but Clint's foot still struck with force, sending a thud echoing through the walls. The impact forced Elric to slide sideways, bumping hard against the other side of the carriage.

Then suddenly, the whole carriage jolted the wheels must've hit a rock or uneven path. The floor bounced under them.

The wooden walls creaked and rattled. Elric had just turned his body, and the shake threw his balance off slightly, making his guard drop just enough.

Clint's fist flew in, a clean punch meant for Elric's jaw. But the carriage jerked again, and Elric's body twisted unnaturally from the movement, accidentally dodging the strike that should have knocked him across the carriage wall.

Clint's knuckles struck the window frame instead, the pain flaring through his hand, but he ignored it and dropped low to sweep Elric's legs.

Elric jumped, barely clearing the sweep, and landed awkwardly on one knee, the wand still in his grip. Clint didn't give him time to recover.

He spun, elbow first, trying to crash into Elric's ribs. Elric twisted, catching Clint's arm with his own, flipping his grip around Clint's elbow and trying to trap him in a hold.

But Clint was slippery he twisted out and used the momentum to bring his other fist around for a backhand strike. Elric blocked it with his forearm, but the force pushed him hard against the carriage door.

They paused only for a second.

Breathing sharp. Bodies tense. Then they moved again.

Elric stepped in close, surprisingly fast, ramming his shoulder into Clint's stomach to push him back. Clint grunted, grabbed the edge of the carriage window with one hand to hold himself upright, then kicked off the wall, swinging his leg in a tight arc.

Elric ducked just in time, Clint's heel barely brushing the top of his hair.

The small carriage rocked harder with each sudden movement, wooden panels thudding as limbs slammed against them, the wheels creaking loudly with the weight shifting back and forth, and the fabric curtains fluttered wildly as gusts of wind pushed through the tiny window gaps. 

As it jolted over a rock on the path, Elric lost his balance for a second, just a split second.

Clint twisted forward, using the momentum of the sudden jolt to slam Elric down onto the floor, hard. Elric grunted, back hitting the wood, and before he could move again.

Clint had already straddled him, knees pressing down on either side to trap him in place. His hand shot out and snatched the wand from Elric's grip, spinning it once before slamming it downward.

The tip of the wand stopped just under Elric's jaw, pressed tightly against the side of his neck.

Clint leaned forward, one hand pinning Elric's wrist to the floor while the other kept the wand aimed with clear intent.

His expression was serious, jaw clenched, amber eyes locked onto the healer beneath him. Elric's breathing came slow, but uneven now, as the wand stayed firm against his throat close enough that one twitch could have sent a spell, or something worse, burning through him.

His chest rose slightly as he tried to take a breath, but Clint didn't let up.

Outside, the horses trotted steadily along the dirt road, their hooves beating rhythmically as the carriage rattled behind them.

The two knights riding beside it had been watching it for a while now, and one of them.

Sir Elwyn, finally furrowed his brows when the entire carriage rocked again, followed by what sounded like a loud thud and a muffled grunt from within.

That wasn't normal.

He turned his horse slightly closer and leaned toward the carriage, carefully moving to the small window, just to check if everything was alright.

With a single glance inside, his eyes widened his entire face flushed red. He immediately pulled back from the window like he'd been burned, eyes darting to the sky as if trying to erase what he had just seen.

Inside, the two young men Clint on top, Elric pinned below, Clint's hands pressing down against Elric's shoulders while their legs were... well, overlapping in ways that didn't help the situation look any better.

Sir Elwyn stiffened in his saddle and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Everything... seems fine," he muttered quickly.

The other knight beside him, a younger man named Kade, raised an eyebrow. "You sure? That carriage's been shaking like mad for the last 2 minutes. Should we check?"

Elwyn grabbed the reins of Kade's horse lightly and shook his head with a straight face, though a faint pink remained on his ears. "No. Do not check. They're... occupied. I mean everything is under control."

Kade tilted his head. "Occupied?"

Elwyn avoided his gaze, looking firmly ahead. "Just trust me. It's best we give them privacy."

Kade narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Privacy? What the hell did you see in there?"

Elwyn straightened up like a statue, voice firm. "A noble's matters are not for us to discuss."

Kade was about to argue more, but the way Elwyn's face looked tense, red, serious made him hesitate.

Elric lay pinned against the carriage floor, his back pressing into the wood as Clint leaned over him, one hand gripping the wand pressed against his throat, the other hand pinning Elric's wrist firmly above his head.

Their breathing was loud in the tight space, and the air felt warmer now, heavy with the energy of their fight.

Clint grinned, a sharp, teasing expression on his face as he tilted his head slightly. "What? Scared?" he said and smug as his amber eyes sparkled with mischief.

Elric didn't answer right away, but his glare sharpened. He shifted slightly beneath Clint, careful not to move too much with the wand still aimed under his jaw.