A/N: I was inspired to write this through the many rehearsals I've done (so far) in Romeo & Juliet. I've watched our Benvolio and Mercutio perform together and thought that they would make a cute couple. Amazingly, this was probably the fastest story I've ever written (all in one day, even I'm shocked).

IMPORTANT: Our Benvolio was a girl, so that's how I envision the character in this particular story. But if you want to envision it differently (ex. Benvolio is a boy and Mercutio is a girl, or any other particular way) that's totally alright with me. (With the relationship these two characters had, I'd say that this was comepletely possible any way).

Enjoy!

"Why the devil came you between us?" He screamed. "I was hurt under your arm!" It was hard to stare at the wound he had received from Tybalt. It was too unbelievable. Mercutio is one of the best fighters I know. How could this have happened?

"I thought all for the best," Romeo responded, sullenly.

Mercutio looked at me, "Help me into some house, Benvolio, or I shall faint." I grabbed his arm, pulling it over my shoulders. I scanned the area, hoping to find some place where he could rest without a Capulet beating him down with a rapier. There! An abandoned building, it's door partially open. The inside looked dark.

Perfect. They'll never look for us there.

"A plague on both your houses!" Mercutio screamed. "They have made worm's meat of me! I have it, and soundly, too. Your houses!" He suddenly became quiet, which terrified me. He has never been this quiet even once in his life.

We entered the building. The inside looked dilapidated, furniture covered in white sheets and the wood table rotting for years of no use. It probably once housed a family that died of the plague several years before. It didn't matter to me if I was infected by some remaining piece of the sickness. It would be better to die than to see a person like Mercutio go through that.

He tried standing up on his own, which led to him stumbling onto the floor.

"It's not just a scratch, is it?" Mercutio looked at me, fear and anger echoing in his eyes.

"By the King of Cats, I never thought this would happen." He laughed to himself, "I was always one for getting into trouble, wasn't I?"

I laughed, too, "And I, always trying to get you out of it."

"For once, I wish I actually listened." He grunted in pain. I was about to run and get help, but he grabbed my hand before I could even stand to my feet. "No," he said, "Stay." I nodded.

"Romeo didn't mean to let you be hurt, you know. You're his best friend."

"I know he meant well. He just loses control sometimes." I giggled again. Even at Death's door he still has a sense of humor. "Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, okay?" I didn't answer. "What is it?"

"What if he goes after Tybalt? What good will that do to the people of Verona?"

"It'll only bring more problems to this inevitable feud." He looked at me with sadness in his eyes, "Promise me you won't get yourself into any trouble like I did."

"I… I promise." Tears began falling down my cheeks. I almost couldn't see Mercutio behind my liquefied eyes. His hand squeezed mine tighter, as if he was trying to grip onto life as much as possible. Through all of my sadness, I was able to gasp out these words, "I love you, Mercutio."

"I love you, too." To my surprise, our lips met. Many emotions stirred inside me. Happiness. Sadness. Passion. But the strongest of all was love.

He pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "See you on the other side." I felt the last of his shuddering breaths as the hand I was holding lost it's grip. I dropped his hand onto his chest. Some people would be in denial with things like this. But if you're like me, you know immediately when tragedy has struck.

My tears came faster as I ran to Romeo. Fate had played her game with us. Fate used us, her competitors, as her pawns. And so far, Fate was winning.

"O Romeo, Romeo! Brave Mercutio's dead!"

I'd love to get constructive critisism on this. Please review!

-CG