/-/ Hey, everyone. Sorry this chapter is a little short, I just felt like it was appropriate to end it where I did x_x \-\

Chapter 1-

"Wow Strider, if I didn't know any better I would've assumed you purposefully put yourself in the party apartments. Are your neighbors always so riled up?"

It had been a long drive back to the building. Since Jake had taken such a keen fascination to Houston's big city, they crawled down the streets as Dirk pointed out some hot spots. He carried Jake's baggage to and from the car, earning a few kind remarks from his close friend. When they turned down the hall toward Dirk's apartment, music was blaring loudly from the other room down the corridor. Luckily for them, it was muffled to nearly a whisper by the time they had shut the door to their own living space.

"They're always throwing a party in there. You tend to get used to it."

"We should go to one."

"Excuse me?" Dirk, out of astonishment, had nearly spilled all of Jake's luggage on to the floor.

"Well you heard me Strider. It'll be fun! Most of the parties back home are really well-mannered," Jake commented, rubbing at the back of his neck sort of sheepishly.

No. No no no. He might get hurt. What about all those suspicious smells from inside, or the violent crashes during the night?

"...Sure. Let's get you settled in first though bro, you're tired."

"I can do that! Besides, this jet-lag is quite brutal. What I would like to know is... how can that be going on so early? It's not even afternoon! ...Or...is it? Christ, the time here is so different..."

"That place has got no sense of time. It's like a literal Wonderland in there, drugs and everything."

"Oh golly. Well we can go there without getting in to that stuff, right?"

"Of course."

During their conversation, they had managed their way back to Dirk's room down the short hallway between the kitchen and the bedrooms. The young Strider had begun to file Jake's clothes away in a chest of drawers he had set up, but was soon asked to cease so and allow the other to do it. They argued for a few minutes until Dirk deemed it futile, slugged English's shoulder hard enough to get his point across but not enough to bruise him, and watched him with admiration finish the job.

"So!" a green eyed male announced, "What's to do then Strider?"

"Well," the pale blonde contemplated for a moment or two, "That depends on what it is you would like to do. We've got a month's time of opportunity."

Jake though for a moment. One could, if they looked hard enough and knew what to search for, see the gears grinding and turning behind his eyes. Dirk adjusted his triangular shades, swallowing smoothly as he awaited a proposal.

"What kind of movies do you have?" Jake finally asked, a curious lilt to his intonation and a hopeful glimmer in his eye.

"Well that question came up quicker than I thought it would."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Here," Dirk strolled over to a DVD rack against his wall, and motioned to the vast selection of films he had congested from years of doing moderate collecting. Most of them were pieces like Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, but there were also a few titles that pertained more to Jake's fancy (though it was practically impossible to find a movie he didn't like, and Dirk knew that well enough).

"Wow," English gaped at the collection, verdant eyes searching each word with a sense of not only admiration, but indecisiveness and also mesmorization.

"See anything you like?"

"I'm not sure I can pick one specifically! There's so many great movies here... and anyways, I don't want to impose on you. What about you? Spotted anything you fancy?"

Dirk, who had remained behind his companion through their conversation, scaled the figure before him with his observant eyes in a slow and tender fashion.

"Hell yea."

"What then?"

"You pick."

"Uh...alright, sure. If you don't mind, that is."

Jake quickly sought out Tomb Raider, a personal favorite of his own and a proud member of his DVD collection as well. The pair made their way down the corridor and in to the main room of the apartment, where Dirk's flat screen resided. The atmosphere was aromatic with the pungent scent of cologne and cleaning products, but it was bearable and surprisingly charismatic. The caramel-colored loveseat (a couch was never necessary, since there was usually only one resident in the apartment) was soft, comfortable, and invitingly warm. Dirk peeled off his vest and popped open the first few buttons on his shirt. A world more content now, he floated over and inserted the movie in to its respective slot. Jake had already taken a seat, and eagerly offered the other to the blonde. He accepted, relishing in the pleasant warmth that Jake omitted just from his presence.

Dirk didn't even bother to pay attention to the movie. All he cared about was the little sounds that his guest would make from time to time, or how his body would freeze with tension during the most action-packed moments. Frankly, the whole scene of it all was fucking adorable.

Jake was casually enjoying one of his favorite movies with his best friend, relaxing after his lengthy flight from Britain to Texas, when he noticed that his companion didn't seem to be watching the movie. Another thing was, each time his glanced down at the cushion he was sitting on, it seemed as though their hands were inching closer and closer. He wasn't sure why this was happening, or if it was even intentional. Regardless, he was beginning to be overcome with the sensation of laziness, and tired eyes. Soon enough he had found that his own body was leaning against his friend's, and his cheek was pressed in to a relatively comfortable shoulder for the use of a pillow.

There was nothing wrong with chums assisting each other and making things more relaxing, right? Of course not.

Dirk's heart was beating faster than he could keep up with. He could feel Jake breathing against him, and it was driving him crazy. There was no way such a perfect moment could exist so simply to him. What had he done so... right to make this happen? The temptation to wrap his arm around that pretty little british boy's waist, to hold him close and ease in to his warmth was something of an ineffable measure, and something he had trouble resisting. Perhaps then the lonely crater in is chest would begin to fill with a sort of hope. Perhaps then he would be able to turn a page in his book of life, to diminish the destruction of his hopeless heart and acquire a promising soul. Perhaps there would at least be a beginning to such a terrible, twisted game- and maybe, just maybe, it would have a happy ending.

His fingers flickered, taunting to snake their way around.

Just do it, Strider. Go for it.

There was hesitation in his terror, but he complied. At first Jake appeared to be alarmed by the action. His shoulders tensed, and the expression on his face froze; wide eyes, raised eyebrows. Dirk nearly retreated, until he felt the muscles against his forearm relax. He did as well, sighing heavily in relief. The screen, a whole lot easier to pay attention to now that he had allowed himself to lower his stress level and simply relax for once, was dark through his shades. He dare not remove them, though. It was much too early to even think about that.

If it weren't for Dirk's acute senses and attentive sense of observation, he never would have noticed the subtle ease of Jake forming against him, shimmying his body to get more adequate in his position. But, he had noticed. He noticed, and he loved the sensation that it gave the ominous pit inside his chest. It was like an aching, addicting burn. This, he figured, was what love in its whole felt like; a painful fire that healed as it burned. He wondered what the other was thinking, or if he felt the same way at all. It was doubtful, but at least they had this moment.

Jake had to admit, Dirk's body was warm and comforting. It relaxed him, and relieved whatever stress was in his muscles. He could sense his own eyelashes fluttering against the tallest point of his cheeks, and the exhaustion from his traveling pull them slowly downward. His eyesight was becoming blurry, even with the assistance of his glasses. Things- images, colors, objects- they were hard to make sense of anymore. He shut his eyes for a moment, hoping to rest them and then get back to finishing the movie.

"Bro, are you asleep?"

No response.

"You're ridiculous."

Dirk decided to finish the film, and to let his companion rest for a while. It was only polite, after all. He knew not only how lengthy flights could be, but how much they could tire even the best people out. He even sat through the credits, casually scanning the names of celebrities and their positions and characters, but there was no snore nor stir. So, he sat in the dim light of his room, listening to the steady shallow breathing coming from the general direction of Jake. Dirk's free hand traveled to Jake's hair, brushing it out of his sleeping eyes. The jet black strands were soft on the Strider's fingertips. His eyes flicked to the top of the other's head, and his lips trembled with temptation. Should he? What were the consequences, the pros, the cons?

Possibly deranged with passion, Dirk leaned in and planted a firm kiss on top of his best friend's head. Electricity tingled in his lips, tickling his heartstrings. Jake trembled some, but didn't wake. It nearly gave Dirk a heart attack.

Love made him such a wreckless person.