A/N: Sorry my updates are taking so long. I've rewritten this chapter a couple of times. I haven't put much of Ernst in this chapter but I wanted to cover some of Hanschen's past and how various characters react to him. I hope you don't mind too much. Ernst and Hanschen will be together again in the next chapter, though. It is a Hernst fic after all. 

Hanschen reclined against a tree, a book in one hand, pretending to read it while Ernst played with the girls in the valley below him, yelling gleefully as they chased each other. Such games were not to Hanschen's taste; he would much rather observe from afar. But even he had to admit, they made it look like fun. He examined them as they ran about in circles excitedly, giggling, their faces awake with delight. A slight smirk curled on Hanschen's lips and he returned to his book.

"They seem to be having fun, don't they?" said a voice behind him.

"Hello, Ilse," Hanschen said immediately, his eyes still on the pages. "Why aren't you with them?" Ilse sighed, letting herself fall to the floor so that she lay on her back, staring up at him.

"I suppose I just wanted to talk," she replied wistfully. Hanschen snickered; He doubted that talking was the main reason for her coming to see him. "So, how are you, Hanschen?" she asked, her eyes wide and her voice mild and mellifluous. "I haven't seen you much lately." Hanschen nodded.

"I have had a lot of work to do." Ilse pouted sympathetically as she fiddled absent mindedly with her hair. Her eyes drifted to the title of Hanschen's book.

"Dracula…" she said, overly articulating her vowels. "Is that what Herr Sonnenstitch has set you?" Hanschen smirked.

"No, this is extra."

"Why are you doing extra work?" She put out her hand towards the book but Hanschen pulled it away. "Can I read some?"

"No," he replied, trying to make some sort of reasonable excuse other than the fact that it was a story about the living dead, "it's in Latin." Ilse raised her eyebrows and closed her eyes, tilting her face towards the sun. A few minutes passed and Hanschen continued to read his book, looking protectively towards Ernst every so often.

"You should join me and play with them." Ilse said.

"Who?" he snapped. Ilse rolled her eyes and gestured towards Ernst and the girls.

"Look, see? Wendla's stopped playing. We could join them." Hanschen shook his head. The idea was almost laughable.

"I doubt their parents would want their precious daughters to be playing with malicious boys like me."

"Ernst is playing with them…"

"I'm not Ernst and, besides, he's hardly…"

"A threat?" Ilse interrupted. She got up and leant towards Hanschen as if she was about to unearth a tremendous secret. "I've seen boys like him…in the colony. They like different things. They're not like you or I." Hanschen repressed a laugh: he had certainly hidden his feelings well. He looked back seriously at Ilse who has now edging herself closer to him.

"And by that you mean?" Hanschen asked, pretending not to understand.

"You know." At least Ilse had got that part about Hanschen right. "He likes boys."

"Boys?!" Hanschen said in disbelief, trying to make it appear as genuine as possible. "You think Ernst likes boys? I know he's friendly but, honestly, Ilse…"

"No, truly, he does!" Ilse said, grabbing Hanschen's hands and staring at him intently. "I've seen him look at them, really look." Hanschen cocked his head to the side and gave a doubtful smile. Ilse gazed down at the floor. "I've seen him look at you, Hanschen." Hanschen swallowed nervously. He didn't know how to react; he was treading difficult waters and his lack of knowing made him feel anxious. He didn't like it. Normally he had thrived in difficult situations like these but now his heart pounded in his chest and his mind buzzed nervously, trying to find the answer to the situation. But Hanschen could find none; he was too caught up in his nerves. Perhaps it was because felt as if he had something to lose? It was easy to act composed when you didn't care too much about something but now he was swept up in this rush of emotions with Ernst, a blessing and a curse. He now realised why Ernst acted the way he did, in such an unrestrained manner. Hanschen let out a long breath and tried to focus.

"Me?" Hanschen asked. Ilse nodded.

"When we sit by the lake. He was looking at you only a few days ago too, you know, about an hour after we had finished playing hide and seek and you arrived, finished with your work." She spoke in a low whisper and pursed her lips together when she was finished. Hanschen groaned, placing his book down and running a hand through his neatly combed hair.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Ilse said, nodding vigorously, "I have experience with this type of person. They're very easy to spot." Hanschen coughed. "I'm sorry. I just thought I should warn you. Boys have been exiled for worse things." Hanschen furrowed his brow and stood up.

"Well, so long as he doesn't …try anything, I think it's fine. I can't control who looks at me." Ilse began to giggle and blushed. Hanschen resisted rolling his eyes and bent down to pick up his book. Ilse took his arm as he did so. Her touch was cold but gentle.

"Perhaps we don't play with the others? You could come back to the colony with me. It's fun back there." Ilse sat up so that she was at eye level and reached out to stroke Hanschen's hair. "Remember last time when we were in the gardens and we…?" Hanschen pulled away and gave a wry smile.

"I still have the scratches from those thorn bushes." Ilse giggled, sticking out her tongue.

"We could go back there again? Get some more scratches?" Hanschen shrugged. He looked out on to the field where Ernst was running. He knew that Ernst would never find out and even if he did, he wouldn't do anything. Something, however, made Hanschen not want to accept the offer, despite his body telling him otherwise.

"I think I'll pass."

"Why?" Hanschen pondered over the answer himself. He supposed that although Ernst would be loyal to him no matter what, something made Hanschen want to do the same. He smirked at his newfound sentimentality and turned to Ilse.

"Work," he replied, taking his book and waving it with a slight flick of his wrist, "like I said: Dracula." Ilse frowned, disappointed and placed a light kiss on Hanschen's cheek.

"Another time then?" Hanschen nodded.

"Maybe," he lied.