A/N: In this time, I was in the middle of reading The Sorceress. Please forgive the many holes! Also, this is part of a 30-day writing prompt (feel free to ask me where I got it!) Since I am so rusty in writing by myself - I roleplay a lot you see - this is a sucky drabble but deal with it. And also, I have no idea why this is so full of angst. I promise it'll get better. Just wait; you'll see.

"What?"

Niccolo Machiavelli couldn't quite comprehend what the man beside him was saying. But then again, it was just 4 AM in the morning.

Sheets rustled and the bed squeaked a little as a pale, naked Dr. John Dee rolled on it to be able to see the other Immortal. "So you were asleep," murmured the man. It was dark, but Niccolo thought he could hear a smile in the doctor's voice. The bed squeaked again when Dee turned to lie on his back. He cleared his throat. "I said, 'What becomes of this?'"

Niccolo's own throat tightened, and he found himself biting down his teeth. He found it a little hard to reply. He had sworn to keep his wedding vows with and to Marietta, and he had pushed her out of his mind the whole night… day, in fact. It was a brilliant, brilliant day. He felt with John what he had with Marietta…. He just didn't want to say it aloud yet. It felt like he was admitting that he was cheating, that he was a shameful person, that it was the beginning of a guilt trip. "What do you think?"

Dee inhaled soundly, and sighed through his nose. "I think," His voice shuddered a little in anxiety. "I think, that you were serious about what you said."

Machiavelli opened his mouth to say something, anything. The silence, however comforting for when you need to sleep, was now uncomfortable. Why was Dee nervous anyway? He felt nervous when Dee felt nervous. The other man was never nervous. Frightened, yes, scared, yes; but never, ever nervous. He had always done everything, entered everything, with such unfaltering confidence. It was hugely admirable.

Unfortunately, he found nothing to say.

"In my lifetime, I have met assorted humans and creatures, immortals and mortals alike, Elders and Next Generation both. In short, I've lived a very long time; I'm sure you can understand. But in that four hundred years, I have never met anyone that could compare - "

"Dee, stop." Machiavelli's jaw stressed as he bit down on his teeth, and a sheen of sweat blanketed his body despite the considerably cool temperature. He didn't like where Dee was going with this.

" - to you. I do not really want to come between you and your idealistic ways, but just to put it there, just to say that I have said all that I want to say, I am very, very - "

"Stop it." Muscles tensed, hands balled into fists, and his fingernails dug into his palms.

" - willing to. Apparently, I have - "

"Please stop." His pleading voice cracked, as if he were to die if Dee didn't heed his wish.

" - fallen for - "

"Don't do this." Machiavelli's eyes were shut so tight that his face contorted into an ugly mess of wrinkles.

" - you."

The Italian's heart lurched, and his chest felt heavy. He didn't know he was holding his breath until he let it out with a shiver. His eyes started to shed tears, and he started to cry. He did not care if it was Dr. John fucking Dee was the one beside him in 4 AM in the morning, he wanted to cry; he was also in love with him, after all.