Summary: oneshot Something alarming is happening to Verne, and he's all too aware of it. slash

Disclaimer: I do not own Over the Hedge.

Warnings: Slash. Mild, but it's there.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Verne fidgeted around, attempting to find a more comfortable position without waking his family. It wasn't fair. Why him?

Verne sighed. He'd always realized he didn't find females... Attractive. He was okay with liking guys. He was even okay with liking someone who wasn't a turtle. But... Why him? Verne needed someone calm. Someone reasonable. Basically, anyone but...

...RJ.

Yet, Verne had found himself falling for RJ as early as the great heist in Gladys's house. He'd been crushed when RJ abandoned them, but it wasn't until the raccoon came to save them that he realized how badly he would have missed him. He would never admit to this, of course.

RJ's sly grin and devil-may-care attitude - the very reasons Verne had originally been distrustful of him - were now endearing, which frustrated Verne. He didn't want to like RJ, and even if he did... What was the point? There was no way RJ would ever be attracted to him. Verne sighed again, this time a bit too loudly. He heard a rustling and looked around to see who he'd woken up. At first, he couldn't see anything in the darkness, but then a pair of blue eyes came into view.

"Verne? What are you doing awake?" The turtle squeezed his eyes shut. RJ. It figured.

"I couldn't sleep," Verne muttered.

"Why not?"

Behind closed lids, Verne's eyes rolled. "I just... Couldn't."

"Probably 'cuza this shell," RJ laughed, drumming his knuckles against Verne's shell. "It must be uncomfortable to sleep in." Verne opened his eyes and shushed RJ, not wanting the others to wake up as well. The raccoon shrugged and sat down beside his friend. "Really, though... You okay?"

"Yeah, RJ. I'm fine," Verne assured him.

"Good," RJ yawned, leaning against the inside of the log. "That's... Good..." He sighed sleepily. Soon, he'd fallen back asleep. Verne smiled slightly, snuggling against RJ's soft fur.

Maybe, he realized, he didn't need someone calm and reasonable. Maybe he needed someone spontaneous and exciting, who could bring him out of his shell... Figuratively speaking, of course.

Maybe, just maybe, he needed someone like RJ.