Fear. Excitement. Panic. These were the feelings swirling in Desmond's mind. The only sound was the frantic breathing escaping his mouth (fuck why is it so loud?!) and the rushed pounding of his heart trying to escape his chest. Desmond clamped a hand over his mouth to stop the labored puffs of air that were loudly being released. He's an assassin goddammit! He should know how to be stealthy! But the charge of energy thrumming through his being was furiously denying him that skill.

"Where are you, Dessy?" a sweet, soft voice came from outside Desmond's sanctuary.

Desmond made an involuntary squeak that was not at all manly. He tried to shift farther backwards but a wall stopped him. Something brushed his cheek and he jumped, twisting around. Desmond's eyes flashed around his dark surroundings in a frenzy. He quickly found that what had touched him was one of many coats that filled the closet he was hiding away in. Desmond couldn't stop the anticipating smile that spread broadly across his features.

"What was that?"

Desmond's heart rekindled its efforts in breaking his ribs. He shifted the coats around as quietly as he could, trying to conceal himself, but his legs still poked out the bottom.

"You can't hide forever." the voice sounded almost sing song.

This was a bad idea. Don't look in the closet. Oh god I'm gonna die. Don't look in the closet. For FUCK'S SAKE don't look in the closet. Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god.

"I can hear you..."

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

The closet door was suddenly thrown open and a menacing growl from the intruder mixed with a yelp from Desmond. He desperately shot forward and tried to get around the other, but he was easily thwarted, trapped in the small area.

"Gotcha!"

Strong arms pinned Desmond's own to the wall as he struggled fruitlessly. Alex leaned in close to his face and smirked.

"Looks like a found you." he purred.

Desmond was laughing hysterically now. All the anxiety and excitement from the elaborate game of hide and seek had gotten to him.

"Okay, okay," he huffed between wheezes of breath and choked laughs. "You got me. I give up."

Alex smiled triumphantly and released Desmond, letting the former flop to the floor, his legs feeling like jelly. He whimpered pathetically and slumped his head against his chest.

"Oh god, Alex. That was fucking terrifying." Desmond wiped tears of laughter from his cheeks.

"Are you going to help now?"

Desmond bobbed his head.

"Yeah. I'll help."

He climbed shakily to his feet and followed Alex out of the closet. Desmond squinted and shaded his eyes as they came out into the fully lit bedroom.

"Honestly I don't see why you're such a baby about this." Alex rolled his eyes as he spoke. "It's just chores."