Title: Love At First Touch

Author: IndigoStarNight

Feedback: Yes please

Summary: We'd made it half way up the stairs before I became aware of the uncomfortable heat in my cheeks. That puzzled me for several minutes as I tried to figure out what it was about. We were walking down the hall, when I connected my blush to the weird flip-flopping of my stomach, to the comforting warmth coming from Fang's hand on mine.

Pairing: FangxIggy

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or the characters.

Spoilers: Nope

Rating: PG

Warnings: Slash, don't like, don't read.

Author's Note: Random idea I had and thought was cute. I personally think that they're both a little out of character, but not too much, so I don't really care. I really hope you like it, please review!

Enjoy!


If there is one thing in the world that I hate more than anything, it's being lost. And unfortunately, that is something that I happen to be a lot. It isn't my fault though, that's the worst part, it's those idiot scientists who took my sight.

At first, it wasn't really such a big deal. You know, living in a dog cage, not like it's easy to get lost in there, even if you can't see.

But now, I'm not in the dog cage anymore, and I have no idea where anything is. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be free of the school, I just wish somebody would tell me where things are.

As it is, I'm stuck standing dumbly in the middle of… I have no idea. I assume its Jeb's living room, that's what it sounds like from the way the others are moving around, but, again, not like I can see.

I'm actually still trying to figure out what happened. All I know, is one minute I was quietly sleeping in my dog cage, then the next I was being dragged god knows where and told that we were breaking out of the school. That was the last thing anybody bothered to explain to me. Now everybody's too busy, doing what exactly I'm not sure, to tell me anything.

So I just stand here, listening to the hubbub of the other's moving around and talking, not really hearing any of what they're saying since they keep moving in and out of the room and trying to figure out what to do with myself.

Suddenly I jumped as a warm hand descended on my shoulder.

"If you're done spacing out, I'll show you where our room is," it was Fang. Although I had memorized their voices, and even to an extent their footsteps, I couldn't tell them apart by touch. I spoken to them, seen them before I lost my eyes, but our crates were never close enough together for me to actually touch any of the other members of the flock. That was why Fang's hand on my shoulder felt so strange, but oddly enough, I liked it, I liked it a lot.

"Ok," I said, and Fang's hand left my shoulder. I expected him to take my hand and lead me or something, but instead I heard him walking away.

Before long he realized I wasn't following him and stopped, "Well?" he said expectantly.

"I don't know where anything is," I explained, "I'll fall; you have to lead me."

He didn't say anything, though I'd expected him to. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he simply walked back to me, took my hand, and started to walk again.

I followed him quietly, feeling the things around me as we went, trying to start developing some sort of picture of where we were.

We'd made it half way up the stairs before I became aware of the uncomfortable heat in my cheeks. That puzzled me for several minutes as I tried to figure out what it was about. We were walking down the hall, when I connected my blush to the weird flip-flopping of my stomach, to the comforting warmth coming from Fang's hand on mine.

I blinked in the general direction of where his back would be if I could see it. Had I just developed a crush on Fang?

Fang stopped so suddenly I almost ran into him. He turned to face me and said, "Are you ok?"

"Huh?" I asked, startled out of my thoughts.

"Your cheeks are red, and you're really spaced out."

"Oh, its nothing," I said quickly, "Just tired I guess."

I guess he accepted that, because he turned and kept walking, presumably after nodding.

We had finally reached what was to be our room and Fang led me over to my bed. I sat down on it, my heart pounding, and all I could think about was how sad it would be to let go of his hand.

8

Some years later

We were all grouped around the small fire we'd made. We were, once again, camped out in the middle of nowhere, and I was utterly lost.

Nudge was of course talking none stop. I had long since given up on listening to her. Max was oddly quiet, I think she was arguing with her Voice again. Gazzy and Angel were at least pretending to uphold Nudge's conversation. Everything was normal. Except Fang, who was unusually tense next to me.

I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but I knew that if I drew attention to it in front of the others, he would be even less likely to talk. So I kept my mouth shut.

But as the minutes passed, he only seemed to become more and more tense. And just when I'd decided to just ask him anyway, he stood up and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Max asked, seeming as surprised as I was.

"For a walk," Fang grunted back, not turning around.

I hesitated for a moment, then decided that I was too curious to just let him go. So I leapt to my feet and said, "Me too."

I hurried to catch up to Fang before he got too far and I got lost.

"Why are you following me?" he asked, and was I imagining it, or was his voice rougher than usual?

"Because something's bothering you and I want to know what it is," I answered truthfully.

"Nothing's bothering me."

"Liar."

I sensed him stop, turn to face me, and open his mouth as though to retort. But he says nothing, instead he just closes his mouth and turns away again, to continue walking.

"Nothing's bothering me," he repeated, "Go back to Max. I'll be back later, I just need some time to think."

"Fang, wait," I didn't want him to leave. But as I stepped forward to follow him again, I managed to trip over an inconveniently placed rock and landed smack into a broad, warm chest.

"Are you ok?" Fang asked from the ground beneath me.

"Yeah, fine," I started to say, moving to get off of him, but in the process I accidentally brushed his cheek and stopped. "Why are your cheeks hot?" I asked innocently.

"They aren't," Fang said gruffly, quickly trying to shove me off, "You're imagining things."

"Are you blushing?" I accused, unable to keep the glee from my voice. Just the idea of Fang doing something so… un-Fang-like as to blush is obscenely hilarious, and I haven't yet stopped to think about deeper implications of it.

"No."

"Liar," I said again.

"Will you just get off of me?"

"No," I answered calmly.

"Why not?" Fang wanted to know.

"Because you are very comfortable," I told him, snuggling myself into his chest. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out why I'm being so bold. I had, long ago, come to terms with the fact that I was irrevocably in love with my dark friend, but I had never intended to actually do anything about it. I suppose his blush had somehow given me courage, I just hoped I wasn't misinterpreting things.

"Iggy?"

"Hm?" I muttered, suddenly finding myself rather drowsy, so comfortably settled on Fang's warm chest.

"Now you're blushing."

"Am I?" I hadn't noticed. We laid there in silence for a long time, I was simply enjoying the comfort of Fang.

"We should go back soon," he said after a while, breaking the silence, "They'll be wondering what's going on."

"Oh, I'm sure Angel's already read it all in our minds and told them," I told him nonchalantly.

Suddenly I felt him tense under me and I imagined the most amusing look of fright on his face. "I hope not," he exclaimed, for a minute forgetting his usual calm demeanor.

I raise my head to grin at him, "What? There something in there you don't want her to see?" I asked him innocently.

I felt him blush again, but on an impulse saved him from answering by slowly leaning forward and capturing his lips in mine.

"How long have you known?" I asked him, pulling away just a little, so that my breath tickled him.

"Known…?" he seemed to be having some trouble with coherent thought.

"That you liked me."

"Uh…" I dipped in again, gently kissing his neck and he groaned.

"Aren't you gonna answer me?" I ask sweetly, still teasing him.

"S-since that first day at Jeb's house," he stammered out.

I pulled back, mildly surprised, "Me too," I whispered. His only answer was to pull me back into a deep, passionate kiss.


Bonus Scene

"What the heck are those boys doing?" Max demanded, pacing back and forth across their small camp, looking annoyed.

"I dunno, prob'ly like guy stuff or something," Nudge shrugged.

Gazzy started, looking put out, "They're doing guy stuff without me?"

"Aw, gross!" Angel suddenly exclaimed.

Max stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Iggy fell on top of Fang, so now Fang's thinking perverted thoughts about him," Angel explained, pulling a thoroughly grossed out face.

Max blinked, looking very surprised. "Angel, honey, I don't think you should go into either of their minds for a while," she said, after recovering somewhat from the shock.

"Trust me, I won't," Angel said, "That was disgusting!"