It was cold.

Dannyl watched the stars glimmer for a moment, then hurried into the building. His leg throbbed where the knife had sunk into flesh, and he found himself muttering a curse at the slum girl, magical potential or not. All he wanted now was to get to his rooms and rest. The healers had worked on his wound, but it pulsated with a dull, sore pain.

And of course, walking past the doors, Dannyl ran into the person he least wanted to see. Drawing to a halt, he briefly considered just turning around and walking right back out the door again. The pain in his leg flared up and he grimaced.

Fergun took the scowl as a reaction to seeing him, and Dannyl saw no reason to disillusion him. The blonde magician smirked. "Feeling sore, Lord Dannyl?"

More than you can imagine. What was Fergun doing out this late, for goodness sake? Probably the one other person apart still awake this late, and of course it was him. "At least I'm not laying unconscious under sedative." Dannyl retorted, feeling sharp pleasure seeing Fergun color. The Warrior seemed to quickly recovered.

"No doubt the Healers found it a waste of medicine."

Dannyl's scowl deepened. "No doubt my conscious state isn't an unwanted occurrence. It doesn't send people running to them with headaches."

At that moment, Fergun suddenly colored even deeper, and Dannyl saw that the magician hadn't truly shaken off his earlier comments. He looked down at the Warrior with satisfaction, overriding the dull pain in his sore leg. "I'd say I preferred it when you ignore me, but that wouldn't be entirely true." Because I finally have a chance to wipe that smirk off your face. Forget Rothen and his preachings about courtesy.

Fergun raised an eyebrow. "Really? How nice. I'll try to remain conscious, and not asleep from a head injury."

"Kindness from you, Fergun? That rock must've hit your head quite hard. Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh, certainly better than you, after that horribly personal encounter with the knife and all. Poor thing, you probably didn't enjoy the treatment either, with your . . . specific tastes. Or were you perhaps lucky enough to be treated by a Lord?" Fergun grinned maliciously.

Dannyl gritted his teeth. No, the Warrior wasn't about to get away with that. "Thank you for caring for my well-being," he snapped. "If you care so much, feel free to volunteer. Unless a girl's heart isn't all that you have?"

"Oh, you must be quite desperate for company." Fergun laughed mockingly, ignoring the insult. Then, still grinning maliciously, he took a step forward, leaning forward suggestively. "How weak-willed."

A strange mixture of anger, shock and indignation flashed through Dannyl's head as he stared down at Fergun. But it was replaced by horror when he realised that, despite how deeply he abhorred the other magician, whatever feelings he might have, purely physically he could find the blonde Warrior attractive. Of course, he himself had often described Fergun's appearance as charming and attractive, but Dannyl definitely did not want to be reminded that his own body didn't give a damn about evil. He hid his dismay by replying tartly,"Fergun, I'll remind you that your preferences are normal, because I infer that's one of the reasons you dislike me. I don't feel like giving you anymore rumor fodder. I doubt even you'd hit your head hard enough to play doctor on me."

"Oh, that's certainly true. You're not lonely for company, then?" That confounded blonde magician still didn't move away, taunting his long-time rival. "Don't need anything? A gentle touch?" The grin grew. "A sweet word? A delicate caress-?"

"-Blissful quiet?" Dannyl answered in turn, losing his patience. "That's all I'm likely to get from you. It sounds like you're the one hinting at something, actually." Dannyl rolled his eyes. "Maybe you'd like a goodnight kiss on your poor little bruised forehead?"

The blonde magician scoffed. A bit nervously, it seemed to Dannyl. He narrowed his eyes, then fought to keep a laugh from escaping him. Fergun looked like he had realised the possibility of Dannyl really going through with that threat. "Like you would."

Like I would. But Fergun's alarm was priceless. Dannyl smiled sweetly. "If you ask me nicely I might."

After moment of shocked silence, Fergun recovered and suddenly grinned, confident and taunting again. "You'd kiss me, Dannyl? What of your pride?" Obviously pleased, the blonde tossed his head and held the Alchemist's gaze. "Why, I'd happily ask you. It's far more than worth it." Fergun smiled up at him, putting on his innocent and charming face, said, "I'd greatly appreciate such a sweet headache cure from you, Lord Dannyl," and struck Dannyl dumb.

Suddenly, Dannyl tried desperately to backtrack and figure out who was winning here. Drat it, had he really blundered into a trap? Wait, by kissing the damnable blonde he lost his pride- and by backing out, he proved his threat empty and was just as humiliated. 'What of your pride?' It's going to end up in a ditch somewhere. I can't believe this . . . this bastard is actually calling my bluff. I'm a toothless threat? Fergun looked as pleased as if he had already won, happy and safe because Dannyl was going to back down in embarrassment. Well, putting it that way, Dannyl obviously had only one choice. The one backing down in embarrassment was going to be Fergun.

So, the Warrior thought there was no way Dannyl would risk ruining his reputation? Well, he had missed a fact. Because if it went down, Fergun's reputation would be just as much at risk. Oh, joy.

I can't believe I'm going to do this, flashed through the better part of Dannyl's brain, but along with it came the mischievous eagerness to see the Warrior's reaction.

"My pleasure," he replied, returning Fergun's smile, and leaning down to press his lips to the other magician's temple. His heart was glad seeing the way Fergun's expression froze.

In a split second, a parade of emotions danced across the blonde magician's face, from shock, to apprehension, to a strange expression like nervousness . . . .

. . . then Fergun jerked his head up, and Dannyl found his lips pressing against the blonde magician's.

BWAHAHAHA.

Alright, looking back at this, I can't imagine how I'll ever manage to continue it. XD

I actually started writing this halfway through the first book; I guessed at the nature of the rumours and one of Fergun's comments. All I can say is, I consider this confirmation of the theory that, if you look hard enough for yaoi, you'll find it! :D

But then Fergun went and imprisoned Cerri and blackmailed Sonea and all evil and stuff. So sad. Then I read the second book and met Tayend and the rest.

. . .

I still ship FergunXDannyl!

But never mind that.

Anyone at all interested in seeing where this'll go? Rating will probably soar sky-high next chapter. I just couldn't make myself continue it on my own. I start hitting my head against the wall and turning red whenever I try.

And yes, writing this was akin to sitting there, yelling at the characters, "Come on, you two! WORK WITH ME HERE."

Yep.