Disclaimer: Torn, Ashlin, Erol the Krimzonguard and any other familiar reference is all copyright NDI.

Metalheadjunkie: Well hey it's been a while.

Somamaniac: Your telling me...

Metalheadjunkie: ...

Somamaniac: yeh you better get writing!!

Metalheadjunkie: Anyways was just thinking I'd do a little skit on Torn since I looooove him so much :3 I don't know what it's about yet I'm just gonna right what comes out.

Young Hearts Run Free

Torn woke up and scowled at the bitter draft creeping under his duvet. It was a cold winter morning, and he was a lowly soldier in the ranks of the Krimzonguard. He shared a dorm with other soldiers, but he was the first up that morning. Slipping on his boots he grabbed a towel and headed for the showers.The barracks were cold, and grim looking. Red warning lights flashed here and there, the whole place was made from solemn steel. There wasn't a homey feel about it that's for sure. Torn made a quick left and arrived at the shower block.

Ah, Torn thought to himself. He loved it this way - empty. He threw his towel over one of the cubicle walls and stepped out of his boots and clothes. The hot shower was a warm relief to the winters icy chill, that was one thing you could be thankful for, the plentiful supply of hot water. Unbeknownst to Torn to get hot showers all the time the KG had been sucking all of the slums' water supply.

He let the water fall down over his head, it felt good. But how did you really wash dreads? It was then that he heard someone come in. Torn inwardly groaned and turned away, hiding his naked body from the others. That was the downfall to this place - communal showers.

"So I says," boasted a redhead with a rather large - towel. "I says tell that to your commander! He just starts apologizing to me. It was crazy!" The man was rather short, he walked past Torn remarking about his dreads.

"Watch it carrot-top!" Torn growled. He had been here quite awhile but had yet to make many friends. He blamed it on his cold nature. His dislike for this red haired man would soon change though.

"Torn when are you ever going to cut those off?" remarked the man again, still talking about Torn's dreads.

"Never, Erol. When are you going to stop being ginger," Torn smirked. Erol seethed, he knew Torn had as much whit as him. He would never be able to win, but neither would Torn. They would just battle it out until they became friends.

Erol ignored Torn for the rest of their shower, he turned to the man he came in with and began a conversation. "Did you know the Baron's daughter is coming to the ceremony today? I've heard she's quite a babe. Still a minor though..." he contemplated.

Torn couldn't help but overhear. He had never seen the Baron's daughter, and he had only ever seen the Baron once, when he enrolled in the Krimzonguard. Erol could hardly talk about her being a minor, he was only 19 himself, probably as much of a minor as she was. Torn grimaced at having to march at the ceremony later on, but then that's what you have to do when you pledge allegiance to a pompous git. He grabbed his towel and headed for the locker rooms.

"I address my fellow men with the greatest of blessings. You have all served me well, and you will serve me well in the future. It is today that I announce a new regime..." The Baron drawled on. Torn stood stiff in his uniform, literally and punctually. The metal armor was heavy and rigid and he hated standing for long periods of time. He had been gazing at the platform where the Baron was standing for some time now.

"She is a babe," hissed Erol in his ear. He was standing right beside Torn in the same position. He of course was talking about the barrens daughter, who also stood up on the podium. She had long red hair that curved around her shoulder in a plait. Her face was undaunted by the mass legion of soldiers standing in front of her. It was a rose in the middle of so many tattooed faces.

Torn only gave Erol a scornful expression. But he was right, she was very pretty. Pity her dad would soon make her tattoo her face too. She only looked about 16 or 17. His mind started to wander until he was brought to attention by the commander. Here we go, Torn sighed, marching again.

As the regiment started to march past the Baron he couldn't help but look up towards the girl. Thankfully so did half a dozen other soldiers, so the Baron thought that that was a part of their march and took no scorn in it. And as Torn looked up at her, their eyes connected. He felt shocked and looked away, the way you always feel when you meet someone's eye.

"She looked at me," Erol hissed.

"No, she looked at me!" Torn whispered back.

It had been several weeks since the procession in front of the Baron, Torn had recently been slated for night duty. Which he didn't mind, as long as he wasn't on duty with Erol. But tonight he was feeling especially lucky. Erol was on some other patrol, which ever one it didn't matter to Torn, and he was on duty alone.

Well until 12am, then he was on a mission. A self-proclaimed mission if it were, but one none the less. He was to meet with an agent near the guard control panel if the coast was clear. He was so excited he began to whistle. Woah, Torn thought, I'm whistling. He made his way out for the first patrol of the night, only a few more hours of boredom until his rendezvous.

After a few lazy hours of watching all the CCTV cameras and going for the occasional stroll, it was time to meet her. The Baron's daughter was pretty elusive when she wanted to be, but ever since the ceremony she had been making herself known around certain parts of the guard, namely Torn's regiment. It had taken Torn several tries to talk to her, but she seemed pretty interested. In fact she had even decided that they would start meeting up in secret.

Torn thought for a second, it suddenly dawned on him how much trouble he was in. If he got caught mar knows what would happen to him. What if it was a setup? Torn screwed up his face, it wasn't a cowboy shoot out. It wasn't a setup - he hoped.

"Hello."

Torn jumped out of his chair and nearly his skin too, he wheezed like an old man with his hand over his chest. "Jeez, don't do that."

"I'm sorry, I thought you would have heard me. Quickly come here," she grabbed Torn's hand and made off with him up the corridor.

"What are you doing? Where are we going?" Torn was getting a bad feeling about this, she wouldn't answer until she had dragged him through a door and shut it. Supplies cupboard. Roomy.

"It will be safer in here!" she hissed searching for the light. Torn winced as she turned it on. This is awkward. Her bright green eyes stared at him, her hair was down around her shoulders and he wore a bright red sweater. "Well?" she said.

Torn didn't know what to say. He began to sweat and hoped it wasn't noticeable. What the hell was he doing in a closet with the Barons daughter? "Well what?" He stood there silently, he felt frozen to the spot. Suddenly she moved forward and before Torn had a chance to breathe or argue she had her lips against his. But he didn't mind in the end, they felt good. Soft and warm, and then his thoughts were elsewhere.

She pulled away, "What were you going to say?" Her emerald eyes shone into his.

"Nothing," he blinked. Not to be rash or anything but Torn just wanted to kiss her again. And so he did. He reached forward and put his hand on her neck and pulled her in. He couldn't help it. She really was a good kisser, and she wasn't retching at his kissing either.

The next day at breakfast Torn sat munching at his cereal cheerfully. Erol strode up the mess hall and suddenly sat beside him. "What are you so cheerful about?" He whined.

"Nothing in particular," Torn muttered. Somehow he couldn't even muster a snide comment at Erol this morning. "Why are you so down?"

"I dropped the soap in the shower."

"Did you get gang raped?" Torn said, his spoon hovering just before his mouth.

"No, I just got laughed at, then my ass got kicked. Literally."

"Aw they popped your ego like a balloon," Torn laughed. There we go. Erol just sniffed, crossed his arms on the table and put his head down.

"Ah it's not so bad buddy, you can't be king of the apes forever," said Torn throwing his spoon in the now empty bowl. "I don't see why they can't give us marshmallow pieces in the cereal. We patrol the city, contain prisoners, march on command and all they give us is crappy rice puffs."

Erol smirked, but his smile turned to a frown again. He hated when Torn was horrible to him, and yet, he hated it when he was nice to him. It felt so weird. It almost made him feel guilty. It was then that Ashlin walked into the mess hall. Erol sat up as she walked over. But she didn't stop, "Hey Torn," she said with a smile, "Looking sharp." She walked through the exit behind them.

If Erol's ego wasn't deflated before it certainly was now. "Why does she speak to you?" he sneered.

"Well Erol, some guys have good looks and charm," Torn smirked.

"And your not one of them..." he muttered.

"Maybe so, but yet, she still talks to me..." he snickered rising from his seat. "See you later Erol." He lifted his bowl and walked away leaving the sullen Erol alone.

He ran his fingers through her hair, as they kissed. It was the best feeling in the world to him, he loved there late night meetings. He loved the way she nibbled his ears, and she loved the ways he kissed her neck. "Mmm" she moaned, "I love it when you kiss me." Torn just grinned, nothing like inflating a guys ego like a girl moaning. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear and she giggled. They could do this all night! Yup, there was nothing like making out in a closet. "Shhh!" she hissed suddenly. Footsteps?

The door suddenly opened. Ashlin froze, the guard who had opened the door hadn't caught sight of them...yet.

THUNK

Torn punched the guy right in the face, the guard crumpled on the floor, it was lights out for him. "I hope he doesn't remember what happened," Torn whispered. Ashlin nodded silently, putting her sweater back on. After they dragged the body - I mean unconscious guard- round the corner they said their goodbyes, both still a little shaken by the ordeal. "I can't believe you punched that guy," she smiled.

"Anything for you," Torn replied, puffing out his chest. She giggle and kissed him on the cheek, and ran off around the corner. He re-adjusted his armor and smiled. But they were still scared that they would get caught. It put an end to their midnight outings for awhile, but young hearts run free - and in the next few years they were getting down in every closet or crawlspace available. All behind the Barons back.

Torn smiled remembering that night. They never got in trouble, the guard never mentioned it although he did wonder how he got to where he was, and why he couldn't remember much about that night. He stroked Ashlin's arm while she slept curled up in the duvet.

He listened to the rain trickling down the windows. It was so calming, he just closed his eyes. The underground was almost always busy, and the only chance he got to relax was at night. He looked down at the sleeping Ashlin, some people called their tattoos ugly, but she looked beautiful to him no matter what. Her lay down beside her, hugging her naked body against his. Nothing could spoil this moment.

"HEY TORN I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU REAL QUICK?" shouted a voice from downstairs, one that could only belong to an adolescent male full of angst and resentment.

"Ah Damnit!" Torn exclaimed, grabbing the nearest weapon and heading out the door.

The End!

Mess Hall - A Mess hall for those of you who don't know is a military canteen ;)

Metalheadjunkie: Aww thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it, wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be but it made me go "AWW" instead :)

Somamaniac: /snore