A/N: I don't own Fletcher or Skulduggery. If you don't like gay romance pairings I'd bail, now. You have been warned. Oh 'Viva La Vida' is a song by Coldplay.


Fletcher looked at Skulduggery uncertainly. He'd been finding excuses to teleport into Skulduggery's house, his Bentley wherever he was as of late, and as usual the Skeleton Detective seemed annoyed to see him. Fletcher felt his heart start to beat faster when that skull turned towards him, the voice and shadows of the room adding anger and displeasure to the handsome features. "What do you want now, Fletcher? Valkyrie isn't here." Fletcher flashed a weak smile in response and an annoyed Skulduggery folded his arms and looked at him.

Fletcher dropped his head, licking his upper lip, then bit it nervously. Why was it so hard to say what he'd wanted to say for all these years? Why? When all he'd ever wanted from the first moment he'd saw Skulduggery was time alone together like this to say what he had to say. But he knew he was going to get rejected, and that it was going to hurt, so maybe it was now or never, right?

He walked forward, closing the gap to face Skulduggery where he leaned against the wall, staring at Fletcher from under the brim of his dark blue hat that was tilted down over one eye at a rakish angle. And that was all it took. The sight of Skulduggery looking like that, the smell of bone and good suit and something, he swore it had to be Skulduggery's cologne. Or was it his own? He didn't know, but he was dizzy and his heartbeat was like thunder in his ears and he leaned in closer, grabbed those good lapels and drug Skulduggery into a searing kiss.

He expected a slap in the face of course, or maybe to be shot. He didn't expect for the kiss to be returned, for Skulduggery's teeth to press firmly into his lips and to feel those long arms wrap around him possessively. Then the teeth were opening, granting him access, no, demanding he take it and Fletcher was all to happy to explore. There was a surprising taste to Skulduggery's maxilla and teeth but Fletcher couldn't pin it down as the pleased grunts and questing hands on Skulduggery's part were distracting him.

Skulduggery walked him backwards, pinning him to a wall and Fletcher was gasping and trembling as those teeth pulled away from his eager mouth and started in on his neck and his gloved hands started deep powerful contractions wherever they explored, turning Fletcher's toned body into putty. Fletcher was gasping, almost crying as Skulduggery's hat got knocked to the floor and he could at last caress that skull. He was as tender as possible and Skulduggery looked up, startled, then released Fletcher from his skeletal embrace.

Hollow eye sockets stared at him for the longest time, then Skulduggery picked up his hat and put it back on. "I wondered if that would ever happen. Your curiosity is satisfied then?" He asked and Fletcher winced at the same amused tone he always got.

"Didn't anything that just happened matter to you?" He asked and Skulduggery just stared at him. "The entire time I've known you, I've always got the sense you hated me. But that couldn't stop me from feeling the way I do for you. I know you don't want to hear this, but I love you."

Skulduggery laughed, but there was a warmth to it. "Really now? That's very interesting because I've wanted to kiss you like that for the longest time." He seemed to grin and Fletcher felt himself blushing. He didn't resist when Skulduggery drew him back into his arms, still clearly grinning.

"Now then." Whispered that velvety voice that made his whole being tremble, "Why don't you try that again? Or maybe I should, hmm?" Then Skulduggery's gloved hands were cupping his face as his teeth found his lips, much more gently this time, but sweetly insistent that Fletcher give in, that he yield and he did letting Skulduggery take the lead.

Skulduggery was gentle, taking his time now as those gloved hands drifted down, finding the planes and angles of Fletcher's toned chest, drifting down to caress his ribs and dance teasingly across his stomach. Fletcher giggled, he couldn't help it and Skulduggery pulled back with an amused laugh. "Ticklish, are we? I can see you're going to be a lot of fun to be with." There was the same amused tone, but there was fondness in it as Skulduggery teasingly ruffled his hair out of place.

Fletcher laughed and ducked, then of course had to fix his hair and Skulduggery snorted in amusement. "Coffee?" Skulduggery asked almost shyly, stuffing his hands in his pockets and Fletcher nodded, following him into the kitchen.

"You know, everyone thinks being the last Teleporter is everything, that I rule the world and in a lot of ways I do. I can have almost anything I want, but-" He shrugged and Skulduggery flashed him a sympathetic smile.

"It's lonely. People only want you for what you have and when you aren't useful anymore and won't play by their rules they hate you. I know." The sat and Fletcher looked at Skulduggery in surprise. The older mage had always intimidated him, he still did, but he'd never seen this side before, Skulduggery seemed almost vulnerable and although Fletcher longed for a lover who would protect him, he found himself longing to protect Skulduggery as well.

"So what happens now?" He asked, looking at the coffee Skulduggery handed him. They'd sat in easy silence for a few minutes but he figured they had to face the truth. What had happened was wonderful, but it wasn't plausible, was it? He wanted Skulduggery to be his sword and shield to defend him against the world because he was tired of making it on his own. Tired of being so cold and lonely.

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked up, blinking back tears. "That depends on you, Fletcher. Do you regret kissing me?"

"God, no!"

"Good. Then you stop by whenever you feel like it, since you never stay anyplace I can find you, and we'll play it by ear, shall we?" Skulduggery leaned down and kissed him softly and Fletcher closed his eyes, thankful he'd found someone at last.


Oh, yes I did!