Mable: This is a request fic for XxxDrarryxxX who requested a 2x5 fic. I sort of cheated because I began this fic LONG ago, but never finished it. ^-^ I don't own 9, Enjoy!

The Dangers of Listening

It was the middle of the night and Two had finally managed to force himself to start winding down to get ready for bed. As usual, he was so wrapped in his work that he stayed up a bit too late to be healthy, and was now drawing the line as he crossed to the small bed that he kept in the Workshop. Since the New Sanctuary was created he had decided to make the new Workshop a makeshift bedroom as he doubted he would use a real bedroom at all.

He quickly fixed the bed and tiredly tugged the covers down in a way so that he could simply slide inside. Promptly after he did so he realized that he left the candle lit and somewhat chuckled at how he forgot something as obvious as that. Most likely from his tiredness though, which he was very tired indeed, and he crossed the room to expire the little flame. By time he arrived at the candle, though, he noticed he could hear voices.

The sound of Nine and Five talking echoed from their nearby door and Two was surprised to hear that they were still awake even though it was so late. Being social and feeling like he should, the Inventor decided to go tell them a quick 'good night' or a 'sweet dreams'. He exited his room and somewhat hurried down the corridor; he wouldn't deny that he was eager to return to his bed and disappear under the covers for the rest of the night.

In the corridor he could hear the voices increase in volume and could understand their words more clearly than before. "I just…. I don't know, Nine." That was Five who sounded rather upset about something.

"Perhaps it is those nightmares again." Two thought to himself. Frequently his apprentice had been having unusual nightmares that seemed more trademark of something Six would have. It seemed like almost every night he'd come in, shy about his fear and stuttering a bit, and would end up crawling in bed with his mentor so that he could spend the night in complete safety.

"Five, this is tearing you apart. You can't keep ignoring this or it's just going to get worse." The mere worry in Nine's voice caused Two to realize that these nightmares could certainly be worse than thought. Maybe Five had been hiding the true extent from him. Still, it seemed that his apprentice refused to speak to him about it, perhaps out of embarrassment, so he found himself doing something he knew was wrong; he decided to continue to listen in on the two talking.

He stood right next to the door and waited as his audio receptors concentrated to catch any and every word. "I don't want everyone to hate me because I… Because…" There was a huff of frustration and a soft noise that Two expected was Five dropping his head into his hands. "It's wrong, it's just too wrong."

"It's not wrong to have feelings about someone Five. Lud is a good thing."

"Lud?"

"It's love, Nine." Five corrected and Two covered his mouth as he chuckled lightly; both at Nine's odd words and why Five was really upset. So he was in love and too embarrassed to say anything, possibly getting nightmares from it, so it was nothing too serious. Tomorrow they'd have a nice long talk in which the Inventor would explain that feelings such as love were completely normal and something to be happy for.

It was probably Seven; Five and Seven were quite close so this would explain it. Though Two did feel an odd little distressed part inside. He pushed it away as the fear of having his apprentice grow into an adult who didn't need him, a common and normal worry. "I'm sure everything will be okay. You just have to go out and say it, or you'll never sleep normally again."

"If I do he'll hate me, Nine, I know it." At the mention of a 'him', Two again smiled a bit. Now this new finding explained it completely and outright. His apprentice had feelings for another male Stitchpunk. Actually, it would be at least somewhat normal as well, since there was only one female who wasn't still considered child-like.

Maybe it was actually Six. The two were also close as Five went in to comfort the artist's many nightmares, perhaps they even were confiding in each other when the apprentice started to have nightmares. That would mean the artist-.

"I-I don't know how Two would take it."

"What?" Two blinked a bit in questioning as why they would think he would be upset. If he could deal with the way One leered at Nine, Two wasn't that oblivious, then he would certainly be fine with Five having feelings for another male.

Nine sighed, "I think you're overreacting." Five's voice was shaky, "Overreacting? No, I don't think so; I think he'll hate me. We'll stop working together and he won't treat me the same ever again." His friend sighed and Two still smiled at the younger's worry, tempted to walk in and announce his presence. He knew it was wrong to listen but he-.

"How could I tell Two I love him?"

Stop, pause, rethink the words, and then realization set in. No, he must have misheard. "Ever since I almost lost him I just am so afraid… I keep ending up in bed with him. I even lied and said that it was nightmares when really…. I'm a failure." While Nine attempted to calm Five, Two stared in shock at the opposite wall of the hallway. The overwhelming feeling of shock overtook his frame as he started to edge back towards the Workshop.

Upon entering inside he abruptly began to pace in nervousness. He couldn't believe that Five had actually thought of him like a mate. Not only that, but the guilt of listening in, knowing about it, was already eating at him. He soon sat down on the bed, head in his hands, and tried to figure out where to go. Before it could come he was interrupted by a tapping on the entranceway doorframe around the curtain.

He quickly stood and regained compositor, "Come in." He almost let his emotions show as Five entered the room. The Healer was obviously nervous as well and smiled meekly. "Two, I've been… Umm… Could I sleep with you again?" Two nodded stiffly as he felt a pounding begin to throb in his chest. He knew his pulse was rising, his soul aflutter, and wasn't exactly sure why. There was a suspicion, but Two wouldn't even take the brief thought into mind.

"You are certainly welcome. I was just heading to bed myself." Honestly, Two didn't want to stall, he just wanted to get this entire event over, get them in bed, and have it all be over. That's when he suddenly looked back at his thoughts; he wanted to lay in bed with Five. It was wrong, it was foolish, and it was disturbing that he randomly felt this way about someone so much younger. Honestly, though, if Two thought about it; this wasn't random at all.

He couldn't say that he didn't feel the smallest bit of stirring in his insides when he learned of Five's affections. The second he realized this he began to mentally berate himself so thoroughly that he didn't notice Fie speaking. "Two?" Finally the Inventor perked, "Oh, I apologize, I was hundreds of miles away. You were saying?" Five looked down at his hands that were wringing each other, "You looked a little…. In thought, so I was just making sure you were okay."

"I am. Just a bit tired." Two insisted as he forced his nervousness down, "Why don't you get in bed and I'll put out the candle?" Five smiled a bit and crossed to the bed as his mentor quickly blew out the candle. The darkness was almost smothering as the Inventor slowly approached the bed again. Every night he had forced himself to innocently hold Five close to comfort him. However, he didn't know if he could do such when Five was clearly pining for him.

"How am I supposed to continue playing as the caring father figure when it is obvious now that it is not what he wants?" He shook his head to himself, unseen in the dark, "No, I must stay clear minded. Five is just a child. He may be mistaking the need for a father as the need for companionship. I have no excuse. I am an adult; I should know better." He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled the covers down.

He could tell that Five was facing the other way as he slid in beside him. The other body left the bed warm and comforting. He decided that he cared for Five much more than he worried of his feelings and, as he had the days before, pressed to Five's back and wrapped an arm around him. "Have you been having nightmares still?" Five shook his head, "No, I just… I just didn't want to be alone."

"Better safe than sorry." Two encouraged, petting Five's arm, and slowly letting his head press into the back of Five's neck. He felt disturbed getting so much pleasure out of Five's innocence and merely held the other close. That's when the other suddenly spoke. "Two… I have a q-question." He had stuttered and Two couldn't deny the soft fluttering feeling inside him. "Yes, Five? What's… Troubling you?"

It suddenly dawned on Two that it sounded like Five was about to confide in him about his feelings. Five spoke softly, "I have recently… Been feeling a certain way. I know it's wrong, I know that everyone will think it's wrong, but I don't know how to stop it." Two gently moved to grasp Five's hand as he continued onwards, "What kind of feelings?" The Healer admitted them outright, voice growing a bit higher in pitch, perhaps from the hand on his.

"Like, love, and so on." Two had noticed how jumpy Five had been recently and, knowing the reason, found it endearing. In fact, he was growing a bit too comfortable with the way that Five was feeling for him. "Love is never wrong." Two insisted, "It is feelings like hate and anger which are wrong. Not love." Five shrugged a bit, "It can be, sometimes…" They sat there in silence for a few seconds as Two prepared his next question.

Five beat him to it, "For example only; what if I said that I… I had feelings for you?" Two just had to push Five farther, just to be playful, just to loosen Five up, "I'd probably hope they're good ones." Two said with a chuckle, "After all, I-."

"I love you." Five blurted it out that quickly that Two choked to a halt. He didn't expect his apprentice to be so blunt and now he was forced to give an answer. That's when the problem came into play; not even Two knew his answer. After a few seconds, Five started to sit up to leave, and Two locked his arm around him, guiding him back down, "Don't go, Five. I'm not upset." Five seemed at least a little relieved, perhaps.

"I already knew." Two admitted and he could hear a soft gasp, "You… You knew? How?!" Two meekly admitted his involvement, "I heard you from the hallway a bit ago. Five, I… I know that this seems wrong, these feelings, but they are not." Five was trembling. Two didn't know from nervousness or fear, and hoped that it wasn't from crying. He leaned over and brought his lips down on the other's patch.

"I would be lying if… If I didn't have similar feelings towards you. Unfortunately, it is wrong of me to be attracted to you. You are much younger than me, Five, I'd be taking advantage of you. However, I do have feelings for you, very much so." There was an awkward silence for a few seconds as Two held Five close. Then, slowly, Five turned over to face him in the darkness, quietly adding, "I hope they're good ones."

Two chuckled a bit and moved in closer, freely allowing himself to hold Five without restraint, gently laying featherlike kisses upon his apprentice's patch. "I love you, Five." Five's small façade broke abruptly, "You said it isn't wrong, so maybe we can be together. IF the others have problems then- well- we'll find a way. Please, I can't live like this, it's not really living. It's just standing there waiting for something that won't come."

The Inventor was quiet for some time before exhaling calmly, "Very well, Five. We will try this. We will try us, and we will see how far we can go." He could feel Five smile against him and knew his decision was the right one. "I love you." Five murmured again and Two responded with a, "I love you, Five." Before claiming the other's lips, in the dark, enwrapped together.

End

Mable: I have two other request fics that I am nearly done with; they mostly just need a little polishing. If anyone would like a request fic, I will provide, any couple is fine. I hope everyone enjoyed!