Okay, so I know I told you all More than Friends? would be the last fanfic I write for Ranger's Apprentice, but I just got the eleventh and twelfth books and I couldn't resist. When More than Friends? is completely done (and that may include more authors notes) I will most likely officially announce my retirement from this fandom….

Anyway, enjoy whatever this is :P

…

Will was utterly embarrassed. He'd taken a gigantic leap of faith, blindly of course, and asked Horace if he wanted to take their relationship as friends to the next level. Not only had the tall, muscular boy refused, he told all their former ward mates, some other battle school apprentices, and some of the farm hands. Most had laughed. Alyss, being who she was, had looked at him with sympathy, while Jenny frowned at him and shook her head at Horace behind his back. Battle school may have humbled him a great deal, but that didn't necessarily extend to not spreading rumors about the apprentice ranger being gay.

"Horace is a big oaf and a homophobe and you shouldn't worry about him," Halt said through Will's curtain that he used for a door. Of course, the grim-faced ranger could've just pushed the curtain aside and intruded on his apprentice's privacy, but he figured nothing would get done that way.

"I thought he liked me Halt," his apprentice called back. The boy hadn't emerged from his room in some days, and Halt would never let him know about this, but he was worried about his apprentice. An idea was beginning to form in his head, and it involved a letter and someone close to Will's age.

"What if Gilan came to cheer you up?" he asked. He heard some shuffling, and suddenly Will poked his head between the curtain and door frame. "I know you enjoy Gilan's company as well. What if he came and you two just spent a few days together?" Halt took note of Will's bloodshot eyes and red, puffy nose. His apprentice had been crying again, over a stupid boy. Seeing Gilan would definitely do the boy some good. Will seemed to ponder what his mentor had said, tilting his head to the side and staring off into space in a thoughtful way.

"Sure, I guess," he replied at last, slipping back into his room. Sighing, Halt let him be and began working on the letter.

…

A few days later, Gilan arrived at the cabin. The meeting Halt called him for wasn't specified, and the letter was quite vague. All it really said was Halt needed his help and it was urgent. He'd pushed Blaze as fast as she would go without tiring her out, and arrived in three days' time. There was the usual nickered greeting from Tug and Abelard, but Will didn't throw open the door with his signature smile. That was odd. Gilan climbed up the steps and was posed to knock when the door opened softly and Halt stood, silhouetted in the door frame by the window behind him. Gilan frowned. Now that Halt had an apprentice, he rarely opened the door himself.

"Where is young Will?" Gilan asked, smile plastered on his face. Halt looked even grimmer than normal, which set off little warning bells in Gilan's mind. "What's wrong Halt?" Halt stepped out and closed to door behind him.

"Will got rejected boy Horace last week," Halt said quietly. "Not just rejected, utterly rejected. The boy told pretty much everyone he knew and got everyone to laugh at him. The boy was so embarrassed. And now, Horace won't talk to him. He's a gigantic homophobe." Gilan frowned deeply.

"So that has sucked the spirit right out of him, and you called on me to cheer him up?" Gilan

asked. Halt looked at his former apprentice with mild surprise. "I'll go see what I can do," he added, disappearing inside. He made his way over to the curtain that gave Will minimal privacy, and rapped on the doorframe. A tiny body flew out from behind and crashed into him, sending him backwards with an oomph.

"Gilan!" Will cried, burying his face in the taller ranger's chest. Gilan smiled hesitantly at Will, hoisting him up to look at him. He saw the tears in his friend's eyes, and his heart shattered. Will was always such a happy, carefree boy when he was around, but right now, nothing could be further from the truth. "Horace said no," he said quietly, aware of Halt just beyond the door. "And he told…." Gilan gently covered the apprentice's mouth with his hand.

"I know," he replied gently. "Halt consulted me outside. How about we ride into town and just forget about Horace, okay?" He set the boy down, he plodded out back, head down, to saddle Tug. Gilan's deep frown deepened further. Will never plodded, at least, he never used to. He went out front to get Blaze who, in true ranger fashion, hadn't left the spot where he let her reigns drop. He mounted, and noticed Halt standing in the shadows of the veranda, and he waved. "Taking Will into town," he called, just as the apprentice made his way around front, already seated on Tug. "Ready Will?" the older male asked, and he thought he saw a ghost of a smile on the boy's face.

"Sure," he replied as they made their way down the path and into town.

…

"This is nice," Will said, sipping at the mug of coffee Gilan ordered for him. Gilan had never met a ranger, apprentice or otherwise, who could resist a cup of coffee, and Will was no exception. He sipped at the fragrant drink, and he actually smiled from time to time. He enjoyed seeing his young friend getting some of the spirit he lost back. He'd begun to talk more as the night wore on, and now they were sitting in comfortable silence, each nursing a mug of their favorite drink.

"I'm glad you're having fun Will," Gilan replied, looking at the apprentice over his mug. "Halt told you you've been moping around the cabin the last few days." Will looked slightly crestfallen. "I know Horace humiliating you is hard on you, Will, but you have to learn to pick yourself back up after your heart's been broken."

"Have you had your heart broken, Gilan?" the boy asked, sending the older male through a loop. "You speak like you know how it feels. Also, you have no idea what it's like to love another boy. People taunt me relentlessly for the fact. Is it wrong, Gilan?" Will had begun speaking softer as each phrase passed, and now he stared at his hands, his coffee all but forgotten. Gilan, heart still shattered, gently brushed his fingertips under the boys chin, forcing him to look up.

"I have had my heart broken, Will," he replied. "And I do know what it's like. I don't think Halt has told you this, but I'm gay." Will reacted with surprise, as the older male expected he would. "It isn't wrong. Love is beautiful, no matter the circumstances. Loving a boy doesn't make you different, it just makes it extra special. You need to find someone who would treat you right." He paused, shoved his chair back, and circled around the table, and pulled the boy closer to him. "Like me," he barely whispered.

"You?" Will asked stupidly. Gilan chuckled and swung him around. People began to stare and point, but Gilan ignored them, and he made sure Will did too.

"Yes, Will, me," he replied. "Don't you see how crazy you make me? That's what I meant by knowing a broken heart. You, unintentionally of course, broke mine when you began to pine after Horace in Celtica. Why else would I invite you, silly apprentice?" A slow smile began to appear on the smaller males face. Gilan was certainly attractive, and the idea of going out with him was an appealing one indeed.

"I never knew I had feelings for you Gilan," Will whispered huskily. "But I do. And I guess I have since Celtica." Gilan smiled and set him down at last, jerking a thumb toward the door.

"Let's get out of here and go back to the cabin," he replied to that. "I have something I want to do."

…

Through the night, Halt pretended to be asleep, but he was secretly listening to the two lovers interact. Nothing major happened during the night. He heard them arrive home, heard them go into the boy's room, and then heard Gilan whisper sweet nothings to him as they both fell asleep. Halt smiled to himself. He knew some time with Gilan would do the boy some good, and it looked like they both would benefit from this trip. Everyone deserved a beautiful love, after all, he thought. And he couldn't think of a more beautiful love than the one his former apprentice and his current apprentice would have as the years went on.

…

I have decided to call this Beautiful Love, as a tribute. Love is beautiful people, no matter what!