In Arm's Reach

A/N: Just a short story that I typed up in reference to a fic my friend was working on. So thanks to Shiaori for the inspiration. Warning for adult themes as well!

"Yo, Fate." The strong, calm and familiar voice of Cliff echoed in his ear and it roused him from the lull of sleep. He shifted over; pulling the cotton material over his face and mumbled out several words that even he didn't know what he was trying to say.

Cliff laughed and Fate felt the tightening sensation of his chest ease up. What was it that he felt? Fear? Nervousness? Anger? No, there was something there but he couldn't pinpoint it and it didn't feel like any of those things.

"Waaah!" Fate suddenly cried out in alarm as he felt the warm hand on his shoulder and bolted up.

"Relax, Fate." The blonde Klausian replied, giving the boy his usual concerned look and drew his hand up to stroke his fingers through the blue hair in a slow, even motion.

At first Fate had been endlessly annoyed by such an action, as if Cliff was humiliating him, treating him like a child, but soon he had come to understand that Cliff's actions were meant to calm him. And now, he couldn't start his day without that, or end it without the slow, rhythmic pulse of the Klausian's heartbeat. Maybe that's what he was feeling, this tightening of pressure within his body; it ached him in a way he hadn't known before and had no idea how to react to it. Other than squirming and nestling up against the Klausian's strong, toned body, still half wrapped in the blankets and sheets of the bed. Come to think of it, this feeling he got from Cliff was new and he added it to the list of other things he didn't quite know what to do about. Before all this he hadn't even known what cuddling was and aside from Sophia, he never hugged another person before so this sensation of warmth and security felt equally guilty and satisfying, like he was doing something wrong. Still, he didn't want to stop and he started to wonder if maybe he was the strange one for enjoying it.

"You really slept in; I thought you'd have been ready by now." Cliff remarked, surprised at the boy's forwardness this morning. Usually Fate would scowl at being woken up, followed by a soft lidded smile moments later. The way Fate was acting made his intuition creep up on him, the beginnings of a hutch that told him something was going on. However, when he had arrived the door was locked, the room quiet and Fate was fast asleep with his usual unperturbed look

"Sorry. I stayed up kinda late." Fate replied, yawning and stretching, removing himself from both Cliff and the bedding.

"You weren't waiting for me were you? I told you to go and get some rest." Cliff reminded, standing up himself as he watched Fate, dressed only in that zip top with the odd scribbling on the back move around the room.

"And what if I was?" Fate remarked; his voice half-sardonic as he pulled on his trousers and sat down to pull on the rest of his gear.

"You should listen to your elders. If I tell you to get a good night's sleep, well, you should. Besides we have to climb that mountain today and I don't want you getting winded half way and complaining about it."

"I'm just as strong as you and Albel are, so don't treat me like I'm useless." Fate scoffed, and as his words came out he half regretted them as thoughts of last night's conversation hit him full on.

Cliff's institution smacked him in the back of the head; the hutch that was looming over him taunted him, reminding him of what had taken place between himself and Albel the other day and what a bigger fool he was for being a jerk. "Great" he thought in the back of his mind. "Fate…"

"Let's go shower, I've got my things together so we can leave after." Fate replied, grabbing his pack and standing up.

That was another new experience Fate had to get used to, public bathing and relieving himself outdoors. It was a culture shock to him that people were so open to relieving themselves where ever the nearest tree, rock or half obscured hill was. If there was a spring or pool of water it was a place to bathe. Fate missed showers and toilets and was completely mortified the first few times of wilderness hygiene. Now, after having to do this so often it felt almost normal in a way.

"Right…" Cliff was taken aback by Fate, his hutch was screaming at him that something was wrong but looking at Fate and his innocent green eyes made him half doubt himself.

They arrived late enough that most of the bathing was done and it left the two alone. Fate still wanting his privacy at least and went behind one of the partitions to undress. Fate would rather do his business here than out behind some tree so he was thankful for the large, closed, cast iron pot set off into the corner. As he was reliving himself, a voice echoed in his mind, the sultry words of Albel from last night.

"...men tend to want people with two hands for that kind of thing."

"Aaah!" Fate cried out, looking down at his hands, both gently wrapping and cupping himself. It was now that he had figured out what Albel had been referencing.

"Fate? Are you alright over there?" Cliff called out in that booming voice of his and Fate flushed in embarrassment.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine" Squeaked out Fate as he tried to sound normal. He definitely didn't want Cliff to come over and see him, his hand now sliding over himself as he hardened. There came that sensation again, that tight feeling in his body as his fingers worked up against himself. He gave a soft, quiet pant and placed one of his hands against the nearby stone wall to steady himself.

"I guess it's better for the oaf to teach you a few things if you don't know what one looks like."

The taunting, sensual voice of Albel came into his mind once more and his body reacted, his pulse quickening and he closed his eyes, trying to drive everything from his mind and get his hand to stop what it was doing. It was a futile effort and just like with other things, something that felt too good to want to stop.

He gave another softer cry, his hand pushing and pulling at himself as he then leaned his bare back to the wall, needing to brace himself as his body grew hot and his legs unsteady. He couldn't get the man's words or image out of his mind now and it only drove him forward.

"...You should have said me not him."

The words Fate was confused the most about. It was as if Albel was waiting for unspoken words that never came and ever since that conversation his body had felt this way, a swelling of heat, an unknown weight crushing him. But now, with both hands stroking and fondling himself, it was lifting, making him feel a different sort of heat and he licked his lips.

"...you've already admitted you like the way I dress. You'd not even mind kissing me"

Fate cried out, his body jerked and convulsed. He didn't know why those words had been the ones that had brought him to an end but they had and he stood there, panting and gasping for air, his body now a mess of sweat and stickiness.

And just to mortify Fate even more, he looked up to find Cliff standing there, the tall, blonde's face full of bewilderment and shock.

"I have a slight feeling he might get a little weird around the thought of another man liking him"

Even when Albel wasn't around, his voice remained to mock them...