AN: My first Howard/Orc fic so no flames please, but constructive criticism is appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Gone series or any of the characters. That belongs to Michael Grant.


Orc couldn't stand living with that awful Drake/Brittney thing locked in his and Howard's basement.

If he was being really honest, Drake's words really did hurt him, though it annoyed the hell out of him that they did. Drake was nothing.

Drake somehow knew that Orc was secretly in love with his best friend, Howard. Sure, Howard could be a pain in the butt sometimes, but Howard had a soft side to him that only Orc had seen. Even before the FAYZ, Orc had spent many nights at Howard because of his parents fighting, and Howard was always nice to him then.

Still was nice to him. Orc reflected on the past few days where he would sit around listening to Brittney's begging for him to get Sam so he could kill her and Drake's awful insults. Occasionally Howard would put a comforting hand on his shoulder or pat him on the back. Sometimes tell him it was okay.

"Is that you up there, Orc?!" Drake shouted. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you-" And then Drake finished off with a bunch of insults suggesting him and Howard that left Orc with tears in his eyes.

"Shut your stupid, filthy mouth!" Orc shouted back, tears rolling down his face. He took a long drink and sat back against his mattress.

Howard came in then, a worried look on his face. "You okay?"

Orc just cried. "I can't do this any more, Howard," he sobbed. "Can't have that horrible Drake/Brittney thing in our house. Can't."

Howard stiffened, and for a second Orc thought his best friend was mad at him, but then Howard said, "I'm going to make Sammy boy pay," he grumbled. "Pay for making you have to put up with this."

Something fluttered inside Orc as he followed Howard outside and down to the town hall. "Sam!" Howard shouted.

Sam was talking with Dekka and Edilio, and turned when he saw Howard storming down the street, his face red with anger. "Howard?"

Orc watched helplessly as Howard demanded that Sam get Drake out of their house, and then Howard finished with, "He's upsetting my boy here." Orc blushed.

Sam looked frustrated and stressed. "Howard, we have to deal with the more important stuff now," he said. "You know that. You're on the council. We've talked about this. We have to deal with this Zil thing." He sighed and his face softened. "I know Orc's your boy, but we're really grateful for-"

"Yeah, yeah," Howard said, "whatever, Sammy boy." He went back across the street to where Howard watched.

They walked home, home to where Brittney was now begging for death, and Howard looked up at Orc with worried dark eyes. "I'm sorry I-" he started.

Orc kissed him, kissed the breath out of his best friend and put his hands on Howard's skinny waist. Howard moaned loudly and kissed back, and they didn't stop kissing even when Drake reemerged and shouted insults up to them. Howard pressed himself up against Orc, their tongues meeting, the sound of ripping fabric filling the room as Orc ripped Howard's shirt off. Orc squeezed tears out of his eyes as Howard's arms wrapped around his neck.

They kissed until Brittney came out again and then finally pulled away from each other, Howard's shirt torn into shreds and laying on the floor. Howard was gorgeous, dark-skinned and skinny but muscled.

"I love you," Orc said, staring deep into Howard's dark eyes that were now filled with tears.

"I love you, too," Howard said, wrapping his arms around Orc's neck and pulling him down into another kiss.

Orc couldn't believe that Howard had rushed out like that and demanded that Sam get Drake out of their house. Howard had done it for him. And Orc would return the favor, sometime soon.

After all, he and Howard were best friends.