"No, no ge' off me! Howard, help!"

Vince shot straight up. "Vince, Vince!"

"Huh?"

"It's ok, it's a nightmare."

"Wha-?" Vince flopped down onto the bed and started to snore softly.

Howard could barely sleep the rest of the night.

He awoke to an empty bed. Frowning, Howard clambered out and opened the door-

-to Naboo standing in the hall opposite.

"What are you doing?" There was no doubting the anger in the shaman's tone.

"Where's Vince?"

"He's having breakfast. What are you doing, Howard?"

Howard paused, and then decided he may as well own up. "I love him, Naboo."

"Oh, I know that." Naboo said, so off-handly that Howard blinked in surprise. "What are you doing in his room?"

Howard clenched his fists. "Not that it's any of your business but nothing happened."

"It better not have."

"What do you think of me? Do you really think after what happened that I... what kind of man do you think I am?"

Naboo stared at him a second longer, then slowly nodded. "I believe you. I just want to protect him."

"So do I." Howard said.

Vince sat at the breakfast table, dark hair mussed from sleep, still wearing the baggy clothes from the night before. He looked up and smiled at Howard. The older man moved further into the room, conflicting emotions warring at each other. Bollo refilled Vince's tea and glared at Howard as he sat down.

So, nothing's changed there, Howard thought.

He tried to think of something to say but came up with a blank. Both sat in somewhat awkward silence as they ate breakfast.

"I'd better..." Howard took a final gulp of his tea then left the room.

He wasn't aware of being followed down the hall until Vince spoke.

"Howard..."

Vince clutched at his jumper, the anxiety in his expressive eyes painfully evident. "With what you told me last night..." He paused for an extraordinarily long time. "I'm sorry. I feel like I should have known... The signals were always there. The fact that you never wanted to be touched... "

"Hush now..." Howard said, gently. "It's in the past."

Vince moved closer, until his face was millimetres from Howard's. "Thank you for last night. And also for not... pushing me. I want you but right now, I can't..."

"All I want is to help you."

Believe me; you're going to need it in the months ahead.

Vince looked away, took a deep breath. "I love you, Howard." He said, so quietly that the other man only just heard it.

Howard reached out and took his hand. "You've got a lot of people who care for you, Vince. Me, Naboo, Bollo. You are not alone in this."

Vince caught his eyes. Howard could read the love he had misinterpreted as awe and hero worship, while in the zoo. He couldn't help but smile. Vince smiled back.

"What's the plan for today?"

"I'm going to buy you the biggest sack of lollies." Howard said.

"Are you going to put it in a trumpet sock?" Vince teased, then leant forward and lightly pecked Howard on the lips.

"Sure."

Naboo quietly closed the door between the kitchen and the hallway.

"What are they doing?" Bollo asked, filling up the pipe with pot.

"They've both finally told each other that they're in love with each other."

Bollo looked up, frowning. "But Vince has been..."

Naboo shrugged. "If it helps Vince, then I'm fine with it. Howard would never hurt him, Bollo."

The gorilla lit the bong and took a deep toke, then handed it to the shaman. "I don't understand humans."

Naboo thought of Vince's deadened gaze the night before, then the way his eyes lit up, as Howard entered the room that morning. He thought of the man that had hurt his friend so horrifically and couldn't understand. Not when Vince was the kindest, sweetest, harmless person he knew.

"Neither do I." He lit the bong and allowed himself to mellow out.

Fin.

Author's Notes: Hm... I know this kind of just ends very abruptly. It was either that or have it continue on for who knows how long. But if people want, I can keep going