A/N: Still most definitely incomplete, but I felt if I had part of it posted, it would give me motivation to finish the damn thing. I wrote a ton of it a while back, then it got erased cause my computer hates me, so I've been grouchy and not wanting to finish it. Maybe now I'll get around to it.

DISCLAIMER: Shakespeare got there first, guys. I'm just nailing his leftovers.

DEDICATION: J-squared.

I hope you guys enjoy this one, because thenext few chapters shall show quite a few characters you'll recognize from the original play, including Ophelia, Laertes, Rosencranz/Guildenstern, and Osric, as well as two original characters that Jess and I created and love (The Thomas and Horatio's crazy Grandma). So hopefully you'll enjoy our characters and my twists on Shakespeares. I must admit I'm personally particularly fond of Ophelia and Osric.

FICLET!

Hamlet sat at the table, idly tapping his fingers away. Tap tap. Tap tap tap tap. Tap tap tap tappity-tap-tap-tap. From her spot at the kitchen sink where she was doing dishes, Gertrude glanced over her should, offering a small smile. "Everything alright?"

"Eh, I..." Unable to put the feeling in words, Hamlet stopped, giving a helpless shrug. Gertrude immediately shut off the water and, wiping her soapy hands off on her thighs and thereby totally ruining her skirt, pulled out a chair and sat down next to her son.

"What's the matter?"

Hamlet shrugged yet again. "It's just...we got this...flier...at school today." He broke off, digging into his pocket and pulling out a severely crumpled piece of pink paper and depositing it on the table. With a sigh, he dropped his head to the table, facing away from his mother, who reached out and picked up the pink ball. Very carefully, she unfolded it and smoothed it out until it was flat and as unwrinkled as it could get.

It was immediately easy to see the problem. "PROM" the flier read in large, florid letters. "I see," Gertrude said, placing the paper on the table.

"Yeah," Hamlet responded disconsolately, voice muffled from having his face squished against the table.

"So...who are you planning to invite?" She silently hoped she knew the answer to that question. Hamlet turned to face her, resting his cheek against the table again.

"...I was thinking Horatio," he answered. "Think it's a bad idea?"

Gertrude smiled. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

"I figured you would."

Gertrude laughed, then after a moment, her brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "Then I don't understand...what's the problem?"

"Well, first of all, I don't even know if my school allows same-sex couples at prom. Secondly, Horatio and I still haven't told a lot of people about... 'us'...I'm not sure he'd want to come out (if you'll forgive the pun) as a couple at prom, in front of the entire student body."

"Well...I guess you'll never know until you ask," Gertrude said cheerfully, rising to her feet and returning to her dishes.

"I know...I'm going to. He's coming over in a little while and I'm asking him then."

"Good." Gertrude turned the water back on and resumed scrubbing. "So," she began a moment later, "what's the theme?"

"...the what?"

"The theme, Hamlet, the theme. Every prom has a theme...what is it?"

There was a long silence. "...Oh." Hamlet sounded extremely reluctant to share. "...Shgashemede," he mumbled at last.

Gertrude paused, glancing over her shoulder. "...I'm sorry?"

"SHAKESPEARE," Hamlet responded loudly and irritably. Gertrude's reaction was immediate and intense; she let out a squeal of excitement and dishwater went flying everywhere.

"SHAKESPEARE? Oh, how marvelous!"

"Yeah, for YOU, maybe." Hamlet did not sound at all pleased at the prospect.

"Oh, Hamlet, Shakespeare is a wonderful theme! When your father and I went to prom, it was so clichéd. Under the Sea, SO overdone. But SHAKESPEARE!" She shook her head as though the idea was just too intensely cool to fathom. "It's wonderful."

"Is not."

"Oh come on, Hamlet. You like Shakespeare!"

"I do NOT."

"What about Macbeth? Richard III?"

"...TWO PLAYS!" Hamlet objected. "Out of everything he's ever written!"

"Well, that doesn't matter anyway," Gertrude said, changing the subject and looking for all the world as though she thought her son was being a complete dolt. "All that really matters is how handsome Horatio is going to look in period costume."

That got through to Hamlet immediately. "Ooooh, that's right!"

"Just picture him as Orlando...or Paris."

"Yeah..." Hamlet had a dazed look on his face as he contemplated all those costumes. Then, he seemed to catch himself and shook his head as though to get out of the daze. "Whatever, it's still Shakespeare and Shakespeare still..."

"Horatio, darling!" Gertrude interrupted, brilliant smile on her face as her 'adopted son' entered the room. "It's been so long! Come here and give me a hug!"

"Hello, Gertrude." Horatio was soft-spoken as always. A small sweet smile on his face, he stepped into the hug Gertrude had waiting for him, being very careful not to look at Hamlet. Unfortunately for him, this only made it far more obvious just how strong his feelings were.

"...hello, Horatio," Hamlet said at last, voice low and with a teasing edge to it. Finally, Horatio looked at Hamlet. His eyes flickered to the brunette as though he had been trying to avoid this all along, trying not to look at Hamlet but now he couldn't resist any longer. For a split second his gaze locked on Hamlet's face, blue eyes meeting green. Then, he tore his gaze away and focused it instead on the floor, a bright pink flush creeping into his cheeks.

"...h'llo," he mumbled, scuffing the floor with one shoe. Gertrude smiled.

"Well," she began, "I should leave...let you boys be alone."

"Oh no, that's okay, mom, you can stay. Horatio...want to go for a walk?"

Horatio smiled. "I'd love to."

-tbc-