Work Text:
René Belloq is afraid.
It's not something he would ever admit to anyone, barely even to himself.
He had not acted out of just fear.
It had just been the most logical course of action that's all.
René has had sex with men for years, and as long as he is careful there is no reason to be afraid.
He takes precautions, as he disappears into the seedy underbelly of Paris. Uses a fake name, makes sure to never sleep with someone who he might run into at the university.
He was careful.
Maybe the first mistake he had made had been talking to Indiana Jones in the first place. Agreeing to share his Paris apartment with the fellow student certainly had been.... Foolish.
Right?
René rubs his eyes.
He thought Indiana was interesting, that's all. Good intellectual company. Attractive too, of course, and even if René had no intention of ruining his career prospects by getting involved with an another archaeologist he could still appreciate the view.
But everything had gone wrong the moment René had looked Indiana in the eye, and he had smiled and-
"René?"
René turns to look at the other young man.
Indiana looks awkward, like he doesn't know what to say. Eventually he opens his mouth. "Did you, maybe... Copy my work? My paper? By accident or-"
"No," René tells him.
He sees relief in Indiana's eyes. René hates it.
"I did it very much on purpose."
Indiana looks at him, confused. "What?"
Oh God he still wants to forgive me.
And for a fraction of a second René is tempted. He thinks of Indy's fingers brushing against his, the way the American smiled at him back then, the feeling in his chest-
René glares at Indiana. "Are you deaf as well as stupid? I stole your work. Truth be told, it's a wonder someone like you managed to put together a paper like that."
"You-"
He is angry, now. Good. But René wants him furious.
"Your father would be so disappointed in you. I bet he had higher expectations of you."
Indiana scowls and takes a step forward. "René, what the fuck are you talking about?"
Not enough.
René shrugs. "At least your mother is dead now, spares her the shame-"
Indiana moves fast, and his hand grasps René's throat. René can't help the yelp of pain as his back hits the wall.
"Shut up."
René meets his gaze. He hates him now. Good.
René coughs, and Indy's fingers around his throat let go. Indy steps back.
Not that René had even at that moment been really afraid Indy would actually hurt him.
He doesn't have it in him.
Or maybe René wants to believe so, still.
And yet the man scares him. René thinks back to the moment when he realized what kind of an effect the man has on him.
Looking Indy in the eye, realizing that he not only wanted fuck him, but more-
Even now that René has burned all the bridges and watches Indiana walk away, the damned American still holds that power over him.
Making René feel things and want things that are impossible.
The man's effect on René terrifies him.
Short Round is afraid.
He looks at the cards in his hand, trying to buy time.
It's easier to focus on the game than the fear creeping into his mind.
Even if I lose it won't be too bad.
"Your turn, kid," Indiana reminds him.
Short Round pulls out a card.
Doctor Jones always treats him like a boy. It makes him so happy-
But there is the fear again.
Short Round watches the man sitting across him and shifts a bit on the ground, mirroring the way he sits.
If he tries very hard, maybe he could be like him. Move to America. Start a new life. Grow up to be a man.
It's not like Doctor Jones ever has to know.
Why would he?
But sometimes Shorty worries.
That Doctor Jones is going to find out, and no longer think of him as a boy-
Maybe he would make fun of Shorty. Or maybe he would pity Shorty, think of him as a poor little deluded girl instead-
The thought terrifies Short Round.
Marion Ravenwood is afraid.
She has been scared a lot today. Attacks from Nazis, and snakes, and who knows what else, just seems to come with the territory of traveling with Indiana Jones.
But now that they have some time to rest in the cabin of the pirate ship, a new kind of fear is taking hold of Marion.
The kind of fear that makes her wish someone was shooting at them again. At least then the adrenaline would kick in and she could fight.
Indiana Jones.
Desperately, she crawls on top of him and kisses him.
This is fine.
It's something she could do, she does care for him, she could-
It wouldn't be terrible-
But when he falls asleep she feels relief.
She hates the man, sometimes.
Or maybe she just wants to believe she does. It would make things so much more simple.
The truth is Marion likes Indiana. Maybe she could even learn to love him.
Maybe.
It would be better than being on her own.
The possibility of being left alone once more terrifies her.