Todd grinned at Luke, feeling relieved. "Kitty spooked him, yo. He's just been sitting under there." He stood up and stretched. "He's been good. How're you feelin?"

"A little better I guess." Luke shrugged running his fingers through his hair so it spiked up.

Nikki saw Luke's feet and came out from under the table, wrapping himself around Luke's legs and purring happily.

Luke chuckled and rested a hand on Nikki's shoulder.

 "An' now the Squirrel comes out." Logan grunted.

Nikki looked up at Logan nervously, and gripped Luke a bit tighter. Todd glared at Logan.

Logan rolled his eyes and stalked out of the room.

 "Thanks for looking after Nikki, Todd." Luke smiled.

"No probs, yo." Todd grinned. "Anytime."

Luke sighed looking around the kitchen, "And now I'm hungry." His stomach rumbled in agreement.

Todd looked around the kitchen. "Well, help yourself yo. There's stuff in the cupboard if you wanna make toast or something, I dunno."

Nikki detached himself from Luke's leg and moved over to the counter, pulling himself to sit on top of it, so that he could watch what was going on, and check to see who was entering the kitchen.

"Alright," Luke moved towards the 'fridge, "What do you want, Nikki?" He asked over his shoulder.

"I don't." Nikki replied.

Luke frowned, "You sure?"

Todd spoke up. "Eat something man, you're too skinny. Look... there's some..." He rummaged in a bottom cupboard. "Here." He handed Nikki a packet of biscuits. Nikki looked at them suspiciously. Todd took one and ate it. "See." Nikki usually wouldn't have, but he hadn't eaten for three days now and his stomach was starting to rebel. He took one gingerly and was soon eating, although he was mainly picking at his food.

"Thanks Todd." Luke smiled and turned back to looking through the 'fridge. He ended up pouring himself a bowl of cereal and sat down next to Nikki with it.

"No problem yo." Todd said, before exiting the kitchen.

Nikki looked across at Luke and lifted a hand to ruffle Luke's wet hair, smiling around a mouthful of biscuit.

"Thirsty?" Luke asked around mouthfuls of his cereal.

"Nope." Nikki shook his head.

Luke smiled shoving another spoonful of Lucky Charms into his mouth.

Finishing up his cereal, Luke washes his bowl and spoon then turned to Nikki, "Wanna watch some T.V or something?"

Nikki fidgeted. "Will you come with me? I wanna go get washed, but I don't wanna go on my own." He asked.

"Alright, I'll stay in our room while you wash. Okay?"

Nikki grinned, pleased with that, and nodded, pulling Luke up to their room. He turned to Luke when they got there. "Don't leave okay?" He said, with more than a hint of insecurity in his voice.

Luke nodded, "I won't."

"okay." Nikki left and closed the door of the bathroom, running the taps.

Luke wandered over to the bed and flopped down. He sighed about to lay down when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" He called out and Kitty hesitantly walked in.

 "Hi, Luke." She smiled.

Luke smiled back, "Hey Kitty, what's up?"

 She walked over to the bed and sat down, "Nothing really... I was just wondering if you wanted to do something later?"

 "Like what?" Luke tilted his head slightly.

 Kitty blushed, "Maybe see a movie?"

Luke, not seeing the harm in this nodded, "Alright, sure."

 Kitty grinned, "Really! How about we go at 7?"

 "Okay." Luke smiled.

Kitty stood up, "7 it is." She said leaning over and kissed him.

Nikki, having washed up, rubbed his face over one more time with the towel, then opened the door to rejoin Luke and maybe watch TV like he had asked. He'd never expected to see Luke kissing Kitty. Something hurt inside him, but his mind panicked. He froze, and backed up into the doorframe of the bathroom. "Luke?" He asked faintly.

Luke quickly pulled away and jumped to his feet.

 "Nikki?" He called out walking over to Nikki's side.

Kitty stumbled backwards slightly stunned. She watched as Luke tried to comfort Nikki then quickly slipped out of the room.

Nikki shook his head and stepped back from Luke until he fell backwards into the bathtub. "No, stay away from me." He warned, but it was more a plea than an order. He put a hand to his head, which was hurting as images of his mother's past boyfriends collided with images of Luke.

Luke knelt down next to Nikki, "I'm sorry Nikki." He half whispered half said, his voice cracked.

Nikki jumped and leaned away from Luke, starting to cry. "No..." He moaned in confusion and heartbreak, his mind still unsure of what it had just seen. He pulled his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms around them, hiding his face in his knees and his shoulders shook as he sobbed.

Luke tried to pull Nikki into a hug, "I'm sorry!"

Nikki let himself be hugged, still in anguish. "Why..." he started "You kissed her and she hates me. She hits me and hurts me all the time... don't you like me anymore?" He said in hiccups.

"Of course I like you!" Luke whispered, "Kitty doesn't hurt you... it was your mother, not Kitty."

Nikki whimpered. "I can't tell the difference. All I see is HER, and I can't... I can't look at her... "

"I know, I'm sorry." Luke whispered pulling Nikki closer to himself.

Nikki held onto Luke and cried. "I'm sorry Luke, I'm sorry I'm a mess and I can't tell the difference."

"It's alright," Luke tried to soothe him, "It's okay..."

Nikki pressed his head into the crook of Luke's shoulder and slowly calmed down. "I'm sorry. " He said again. "You can go stay with Kitty if you want to." He said, although it broke his heart to do so.

Luke shook his head, "No, I'm going to stay here with you." He frowned slightly; he'd have to tell Kitty that he'd see a movie with her some other time.

"But I don't want you to not do things you wanna do cause of me." Nikki protested.

"I want to stay here with you, Nikki."

Nikki sniffed, going quiet. He pulled back to look Luke in the face with teary eyes. "You're not just saying that?"

Luke shook his head.

"You're sure?" He sighed. "I feel bad that you think you have to look after me Luke." He confessed softly.

"If I didn't want too, I wouldn't," Luke smiled softly, "Don't worry."

Nikki leant his head back on Luke's shoulder. "Okay."

Luke sighed letting his head rest against the wall.

Nikki looked up at Luke. "Hey Luke?"

"Hm?" Luke lifted his head off the wall and raised an eyebrow.

"What's it like to kiss someone?"

"Well... I uh..." Luke shrugged slightly taken aback by the question, "I couldn't really tell you, you'd have to experience it for yourself to know..."

Nikki tilted his head, then turned round in Luke's lap, leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth.

Luke felt himself start to kiss Nikki back, 'This is wrong...' He thought to himself then pulled back, "Nikki, wait."

Nikki stopped, looking slightly confused. "Did I do it wrong?" He asked plaintively.

"No...no, I just uh think..." Luke stuttered then blushed, "I don't think that this is right..." He admitted gently pushing Nikki off his lap so that he could stand.

"Why not?" Nikki asked quietly, sitting on the floor, looking hurt and troubled.

Luke stared down at Nikki, "Age...?" He muttered weakly, he himself wasn't even sure why, it just seemed wrong.

"But..." Nikki stammered. "So? Does it matter? Even if I like you lots?"

'He sounds like a little kid, it'd be like...' Luke stopped his thoughts and frowned slightly, "What will the others think?" He whispered softly.

Nikki made a face. "Who cares?" He moved forward a bit. "Luke... please? I like you... I mean... I REALLY like you." He said nervously.

Luke struggled to keep his face blank, 'Be strong... be strong.' "Nikki..."

Nikki looked up at Luke hopefully, biting the corner of his lip. *please, please, please...* ran through his head.

'You're loosing it...' Luke sighed, his mask fading, "I don't think it'll be right, Nikki." He said trying to keep his voice from faltering.

Nikki fought to keep the agony out of his voice. "Why?" He asked. He looked down at his hands. "It's cause I'm crazy isn't it." He said bitterly, angry at himself.

"No!" Luke said a little to quickly then winced, "No... it's not that. We're all a little crazy, aren't we?"

"Yea..." Nikki said, still not looking up. "But I'm totally off it.I know I fall out of the loop at times... "He looked up at Luke with teary eyes. "PLEASE give me a chance Luke? Please?"

Luke swallowed thickly, "I..." His voice caught in his throat, he didn't know what to do. His mind was shouting one thing at him while his heart another...

"Luke..." Nikki stood up and went nearer. "Please... at least give it a try? Please?"

Hesitantly, Luke nodded, "Alright..."

Nikki titled his head and opened his arms to be hugged.

Luke bent down and pulled him into his arms.

Nikki purred and snuggled, feeling better than he had felt since he could remember. He'd never felt this... balanced.

Sighing, Luke dropped down to his knees, "Sorry..." He mumbled in Nikki's hair.

"Why?" Nikki asked. "for what?"

"Hesitating."

Nikki kissed Luke on the cheek. "It's ok." He said comfortingly.

Luke smiled softly, "Thanks."

~*~