A/N: So, I got this idea while taking my shower. See, I was humming the tune of the song Once Upon a Dream and a thought occurred to me. And now, you may read said thought.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; not the characters, their names, the title, the sung, anything. And this is slash, so if you don't like slash then please don't read it. Set in the movie verse.

Once Upon a Dream

Eight year-old Darren Shan slept comfortably in his bed, barely moving or making any sound whatsoever. Deep asleep, he dreamt of the day to come: the first day of third grade. So fixated was he on the coming school year that he started to dream about it…

***

Dressed in brand new clothes to mark the start of a brand new school year, Darren walked the halls of the school. He was nervous and clutching his class schedule and map tightly in his little fists. Looking around, he was trying to find his homeroom when someone bumped into him, sending him flying towards the ground. He hit the floor and the wind was knocked out of him. After a few seconds, he stood up and casually wiped his hands on his pants.

Turning around, he came face to face with the kid who knocked him down. With dark brown hair and blazing brown eyes that were glaring daggers at Darren, it was obvious from the start that the boy was a bully. He was taller than Darren, and it was possible that he was a year older as well. With his fists clenched, he glared down at Darren and spoke.

"What your step, you creep. Or else." Almost visibly wincing, Darren took a step back away from the other kid. In a meek voice, he replied.

"But you pushed me." And with that, the bully unleashed his battle cry and grabbed Darren. He wrenched open the closet locker to him and began shoving Darren into it.

Then something odd happened. Just as soon as he had appeared, the bully was gone again. No longer was he trying to harm Darren in any way. Trying to remove himself from the locker, Darren vaguely hears someone punching someone and a few students gasping. He silently hoped that it was the bully who got slugged, and not his savior.

Finally, he escaped from the confines of the locker to see the bully sulking away rather quickly and a boy standing in the middle of the circle that was created from students watching the events. As the crowd diminished, Darren turned his attention to the boy who had punched the bully.

His savior was heaving slightly, his little fists balled tightly and shook at his sides. His short brown hair was spiked and looked so pointy that Darren wanted to touch it. He wore a gray shirt with dark blue jeans. Darren couldn't see his face. Not that that was a problem because the boy turned his gaze to Darren.

As soon as they made eye contact, Darren felt a chill run down his spine. Though eyes made him feel all sorts of things, things he didn't understand. His savior's eyes softened as they stared back sort of hesitantly into Darren's. Looking back at where the bully had left - as if to make sure the coast was clear - the other boy walked over to Darren, a slight look of bashfulness on his face.

"I didn't like the way that sucker was treating you." The boy keep his gaze to the ground as he spoke and shifted his feet a bit. Darren stared at him for a moment before smiling.

"You save my life. Thank you. Thank you so much."

***

When Darren arrived at his first day of third grade, it was like the nightmare he had all over again. The same bully pushed him down, the same bully glared at him and threatened him, the same bully grabbed him when he protested, and the same bully shoved him into a locker. And just as it was the same bully from his dream who did all of that, it was the same boy who saved him. The same boy who became his savior.

"You saved my life. Thank you. Seriously, thank you so much!" Darren blushed at his enthusiasm, but for some reason he couldn't help but want to befriend the boy who had just saved his life. Blushing, the boy in front of him shuffled his feet and bit his lip. Looking up, he met Darren's eyes and smiled.

"Don't mention it. What's your homeroom number?"

"113."

"For real? That's mine. Hey, we're in the same homeroom!"

"Awesome. I'm Darren by the way. Darren Shan."

"I'm Steve. Steve Leonard." Darren smiled at his new best friend.

***

Darren pressed his chilly body up against Steve's in an attempt to get warm. The two fifteen year old boys were currently cuddled up on Steve's bed in his room, trying to keep warm. It was December and the cold had set in full-throttle. And seeing has how Steve's mother hadn't the mind set to get him a heater for his room, the two cuddled.

It wasn't awkward however. The two had been dating officially for two months now, and Steve, being the one to mark his territory so to speak, was used to the physical contact. So was Darren.

Another chill ran down Darren's body once more and he pressed closer to Steve. The shorter boy tightened his embrace on the skinnier body, pulling him as close as possible. Luckily, Steve's hands were warm and felt amazing as he rubbed his boyfriend's back.

Sighing contentedly, Darren laid his head on Steve's chest and closed his eyes. His thoughts flutter around in his head, but they kept returning to the first time he ever met Steve. A smile formed on his face.

"Hey, Steve, remember when we first met…"

***

The End

A/N: You love? You hate? You think it was okay? TELL ME! I thrive on reviews!