Bradley squinted into the morning light, comfortable and drowsy. He didn't feel like waking up yet.
Wait... morning light? The windows in his room were on the west.
Something was wrong. He shifted slightly, but something was blocking him. Slowly, stilly groggy, he opened his eyes.
Something orange was on his chest. Something orange and moving.
"Schuldich!" Bradley choked out in a strangled voice. He shoved the other man off him and struggled to get out of the bed, dragging a sheet with him for protection.
"What the hell are you doing in m-- bed with me?" he sputtered at the now slightly awake younger man.
"I WAS sleeping," the younger man muttered, burying his face in the pillows. "We slept together, obviously."
"No! That was a dream!" Bradley couldn't keep his voice straight any longer.
"Dreams don't end with you in the other person's bed, Brad. Come back to bed."
"No! No, it didn't happen." But looking around the room, Bradley was already beginning to doubt his assertion.
Schuldich sat up. "Bradley, don't--"
"No! Just stay the hell away from me!" He fled the room.
Bradley stalked sullenly down the hall to the bathroom, the soiled linen bunched around his waist in an ungainly and undignified manner.
He abandoned the sheet and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water cascade against him as he leaned against the wall.
*It CAN'T have been real! It must have been a dream! I can't have...* He shook his head as torrents of thoughts flew through his head, each one colliding with the thought before it, creating utter chaos.
*It must have been real,* he thought, flashes of the 'dream' flooding his mind. The German under him, chest heaving as he lay underneath him, eyes half lidded...*So beautiful...*
He shook his head angrily at the direction his thoughts were taking. He switched the water to cold.
*I can't afford this... this... distraction. I don't have time for a relationship, not with my line of business.*
Still angry, he dressed and left the apartment, the echo of the door ringing in his head like the thought
*When WAS the last time you had any fun?*
----
(meanwhile, in the kitchen)
Nagi nearly choked on his juice. "I don't believe it! You finally got him into your bed?"
Schuldich grinned at the younger boy's reaction. "Well, not exactly. But I'm as good as there." The two winced as the reverberation from the slamming door reached their ears. "I hope."
Nagi snorted. "Just be careful not to Crawford find out. He'd kill you."
Schuldich nodded. "Don't worry. I've got it under control." With that he straightened and exited.
*Ja ne, Nagi-chen.*
----
Slowly, Bradley walked across the park. The autumn air was already starting to chill excessively; he was glad he'd grabbed his heavier coat.
Across the park --
*When was the last time?*
-- he could see a hill, with a grand tree, its leaves turned a vivid orange as they were swept from its branches to paint the landscape.
As he neared it, the figure underneath became clearer, until it was too late to retreat.
Wordlessly, he made his way up the hill to stand next to the flame-haired man, not quite facing him, but drinking in his profile.
"I'm sorry, Bradley."
He remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"I shouldn't have let you do that last night. I guess... I thought you wanted it too. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up." He turned.
"I'll be leaving. You can get another telepath. You don't need me."
He moved to leave, and Bradley caught him by the wrist. He was startled by the hollow look in his eyes.
"You can't leave," he stated, striving to keep his voice level.
"Not when I need you so much." His voice was barely a whisper, but still Schuldich heard every word, being as close as they were.
The distance closed between them like a dream, until finally their lips met, not harsh and desperate like the previous night, but soft and light, a feather touch.
Drawing closer, his face buried in Bradley's shoulder, Schuldich thought to himself,
*Who have I fooled? Him or myself?*