( Note: this is a oneshot , ... for now , if you want me to continue the saga or think i should let it end here , let me know. P.S i don't own the characters or the book)

Frozen Sheets , Burning Hearts

Outside the wind was tearing through the skeletal trees , the moon was smothered in winter clouds , and the mercury on the thermometer was frozen at -17 F , New England winters were fierce. And inside wasn't a whole lot better. The wind's scream was deadened by windows , and a small heater made the dorm room a bearable , but definitely not a comfortable , 55F.

But Gene didn't seem to notice the cold or the wind, he just kept reading , turning page after page , like clockwork , deaf to the shrieking wind.

There are a lot of thingsGene doesn't notice,

Finn thought , staring at his best friend and room mate while pretending to work on translating a page of Latin.

Like me.

Well , that wasn't entirely true , sure they were friends , great friends , so of course Gene noticed him ,just not the way he wanted to be noticed. No matter how hard he tried Gene just treated him like a friend , a pal , and nothing more , and he had tried so hard! All the idiotic , dangerous stunts he pulled , all the outrageous trouble he got into and out of! Every time he jumped out of a tree , or climbed on the steel girders that criss crossed the gymnasium , he hoped , prayed , that Gene would do… something! Tell him " No don't!" " You'll hurt yourself!" , show some concern , something. But he never did , he either just stood there watching or egged him on like the others , like you'd expect any teenage friend to do.

But Finny wanted more , needed more than friendship. It was torture , insane , beautiful torture , that he wouldn't have given up for the world , but still torture , sharing a room with the boy he loved. Sometimes he'd roll over on his side in the dead of night and just gaze at Gene sleeping in his bed across the room. A few feet , that was all physically separating him from what he thought every day he'd die from not having. But of course , the strongest and most impassable barriers are never merely physical. If they'd been separated by a wall , a mountain , an ocean , God knows Finny would find a way to overcome them. But the only thing standing in his way was Gene , and he could never jump , climb , or hurtle past him.

True , Gene had never had a girlfriend , what's more , he'd never expressed even a slight interest in one . But that could be because he was so smart , and shy , and by the way , he'd made it abundantly clear how he felt about "fairies". But maybe , just maybe , Gene wasn't interested in girls at all , and maybe he and Gene could someday have a life together , just a house by the coast , and just the two of them , and only one bed , and every night they would…

"Goodnight Finn." Gene's voice snapped Phineas out of his romantic dreams. Gene had turned off his lamp and was lifting the mountain of blankets that rose above his bed up so he could squeeze in between them.

"Oh , Yeah , goodnight Gene." Even when he said his name Finny felt like he would die if he didn't just reach out , place his hand gently on Gene's perfect , smooth cheek , and kiss him. Oh , what he'd do for just a meaningful hug…

"Finny?" Gene asked , now buried under the range of quilts , though still freezing.

"Yes?"

"Would you want to , sleep over here tonight?"

Finn didn't know , what to think , he couldn't think. He'd dreamt of something like this for so long , even though he was sure Gene didn't mean what he had been fantasizing about for months.

" I mean , your bed's right by the window , and it's cold as hell outside , I just thought …."

" Yeah , sure."

Finny killed the light from his own desk lamp and was kicking his shoes off in front of Gene's bed. Before he even realized what he was doing he was under the mound of sheets with Gene not two inches away from him.

" God , even the sheets are freezing!" He commented once he was settled.

"It'll warm up eventually." Gene said , he had rolled his head over to look at Finn. When he talked his cold breath mixed with the air around their heads.

His breath smells like oranges. Finny thought. Finny suddenly had a new favorite fruit.

"So , how was your book?" Phineas twisted his face in anger and embarrassment after having said something that sounded so stupid . He hoped Gene didn't notice.

" A little slow at first , but I'm really starting to like it…"

As it turned out Finn's question wasn't as stupid as he thought. Gene had been reading "The Metamorphoses" by Ovid , or course Gene would like something like that ancient , and difficult. Gene started telling Finn about it in detail , pronouncing all the impossible Greek names like they were the names of his close friends. Finny loved it when Gene got like this , impassioned about something he loved . He wished he could hear Gene talk about him with the same power and enthusiasm.

They were both on their sides , facing each other , their faces not five inches apart. Gene went on and on , seemingly without any end or beginning , he told Finn about the ancient myths , the Olympian Gods , the mortals , both cursed and blessed , the heroes , and all the tragic romances.

Finn was in heaven , or at least the only heaven he was bold enough to imagine. Gene just talking to him , like there was no one else in the world , and there never had been , and there never would be. Never before had the desire to pour out his feelings to Gene been stronger , and never before had he been so afraid of what would happen if he did. He could picture Gene jumping out of bed , yelling insults at him and then running away , never to see him again. He felt sure if that happened he would die , he wouldn't kill himself , simply die , that is , after all , what happens when you have nothing to live for.

" And so the Hyacinth bears the mark of Apollo's grief to this , *whauuh* day.."

He looks so cute when he yawns.

" I need to sleep , … I think the sheets have warmed up." Gene said yawning again.

"Good night Gene."

It took an reservoirs of self control Finn never knew he had to not reach out and stroke Gene's lean , perfect face as he squirmed around in the bed to get comfortable. He finally sighed contentedly , and settled , still facing Finn. Phineas settled down next to him , but just couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. As the moments passed and he grew more sleepy he began thinking of what it must feel like to touch Gene's forehead , to run his fingers through his hair , to brush Gene's lips with his. Then , before he knew what he was doing , he saw his hand reach out and ever so lightly rest on Gene's cheek. As soon as he understood what he had done , was doing , that this wasn't a dream , he felt Gene's warm hand grab the one caressing his face. Finn tried to pull it away but Gene held in in place , resting on his cheek.

" Don't let go." Gene said , opening his eyes that had never really been asleep. "Don't"

" I won't."

For Finny all higher brain function had ceased , he didn't know if this was a dream or reality , and he didn't care. Thinking was useless in a time like this , caressing the one you loved on a frigid January night , while you were safe and warm not because of the sheets but because of each other. He was , at that moment , pure emotion.

" Kiss me." Gene whispered , leaning in closer.

Finn brought his lips to Genes and felt the world disappear. There was no school , no dorms , no room , there wasn't even a bed .There was only them and they were together and they each felt like a god in the others arms. They didn't need to talk , not verbally , they knew what tonight was and what it wasn't. tonight would be a perfect memory , a dream that would always be as spotless and immaculate as the moon that sailed the waters of the night. To let fiery lust hold sway would be to taint an otherwise perfect moment in time. Sex was another memory for another night and it belonged to another day. They were happy and fulfilled to kiss , to caress , to embrace , to do what they never thought possible. They drifted away to sleep in each other's warmth , no longer two friends , but one heart.

"I love you Gene." Finny said , he knew he didn't have to but he always wanted to remember this as the night that he told Gene he loved him.

" I love you too Finn ," Gene said holding him a little tighter " I always have."