A/N: Finally Albel and Fay get to be all happy together and cuddly and stuff. Squee! It makes me happy that Fayt isn't being mean, but…that was part of the storyline and we had to get through that. XD

Disclaimer: If I really owned Albel and Fayt…

Albel: Stop, stop! I don't want to hear it!

Fayt woke up late the next morning He yawned and stretched leisurely before he noticed Albel was missing.

"Damn it!" Fayt wailed frantically. "Why did I have to fall asleep? Something bad must have happened to him and it's all my fault."

Fayt paused to listen to a loud banging sound coming from the kitchen. "Could that be-"

"On top of old Smokey, all covered with cheese! Damn it, wrong one. Uh…yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Hmnn, I wonder if I could make rum pancakes. Fayt probably won't want them. Oh well, more for me."

Fayt sighed. "He's in a good mood. I wonder if he remembers anything that happened last night."

Fayt padded into the kitchen. Albel had his back to Fayt. He was still wearing his faded grey pajama shirt, but had put on a pair of jeans and his baseball cap on backwards.

Fayt settled quietly into a chair at the table ad watched as Albel started cooking something in a skillet. Suddenly, Albel paused and looked thoughtful. "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, someone's in the kitchen I know."

Fayt grinned and got up. "Nice to see you too." He wrapped his arms around Albel's waist, being careful not to hurt Albel's stomach.

Albel leaned back against Fayt. "Ah, so it wasn't a dream."

"Of course not. Didn't you notice how close I was sleeping to you?"

"You always do that," Albel scoffed. "When you're awake you make ever precaution to stay far from me, but as you sleep you drift closer."

Fayt smiled. "I guess my body gives me away."

"Yeah, but I should have done something about that earlier." Albel grinned mischievously.

Fayt rolled his eyes. "Last night I was afraid you were dying, but here you are this morning perfectly fine."

"Oh, there's still pain. I knew that part wasn't a dream. But I fell asleep and I thought perhaps I had dreamed you visited me." Albel gently rubbed one of the slashes, just beginning to scar.

"Albel, don't tell me you took off all your bandages!" Fayt lamented.

"These?" Albel indicated his wrists. "I don't need bandages for these. I've cut myself worse before and I didn't need bandages. But I did leave this one on because it's a pretty nasty wound." Albel lifted his shirt to show Fayt the bandage still wrapped around his stomach.

Fayt flushed and hid his face in his hands. "Don't do that!"

Albel grinned wickedly. "But, Fayt, you looked last night when you bandaged me."

Fayt growled and waved him off with one hand.

Albel chuckled. "Fayt, you are a wonder."

Fayt peeked through his fingers. Albel had gone back to cooking and humming to himself He looked happier than Fayt had seen him in a long time.

Fayt settled into a nearby chair and reflected on the irony of the situation. A moment later, Albel came to join him. "What's wrong, Fayt? You're too quiet."

Fayt flashed him a smile. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking. You're finally happy not that I'm yours, but I've been your property for a long time. Yours to love and protect. But now that I finally see and accept it, we're both happy."

Albel smiled and ran his fingers through Fayt's hair. "Yes, you are mine. Mine to have and to hold."

"Whoa, slow down. We're not married."

"Someday," Albel said calmly. "Someday you'll legally be mine. But until then, I'll take what I can get."

Fayt's face burned with embarrassment. That reminded him of something else. 'Uh, Albel? What are you cooking?"

"Damn it!" Albel growled. "It's going to burn." He jumped up and pointed a finger at Fayt. "Stay right there. I'll get back to you."

Fayt smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

Albel hummed to himself as he cooked. A few minutes later, he announced, "okay, Fayt, the hash browns are ready." He scooped some on a plate. "If you want, we could-" He turned around and saw that Fayt was no longer there.

"Damn it," Albel growled. "I told him to stay put." Albel smirked. "But when I find him, he'll regret running off."

Albel began searching the house. At last he came across Fayt down the hallway, with his hands duct taped to the wall and a gag in his mouth. Albel ripped off the tape and Fayt took out the gag on his own.

"Why'd you disappear like that?" Albel demanded. "I was worried."

Fayt didn't seem to be listening very closely. He was staring at a spot over Albel's shoulder. "I didn't-Move, damn it!" Fayt launched himself at Albel and the two of them fell to floor. A second later, six large knives thudded into the wall where they had just been.

Fayt warily raised himself to a crouch and looked around. "They seem to have an obsession with knives."

Albel smirked. "This is a very interesting position."

Fayt glanced down and Albel, who was lying on his back under Fat, looking up at him with a predatory grin. Fayt gasped and turned crimson. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." He scrambled backwards, but Albel grabbed onto his wrist.

"Cool it, Fayt. This is okay. We just need to make one change."

"What's that?" Fayt asked nervously.

"My turn!" Albel said joyfully. He shoved Fayt onto his back and crawled on top of him. "There, much better."

"Albel!" Fayt protested, trying to squirm out from under Albel.

Albel propped himself onto his elbows, digging into Fayt's chest. He touched a finger to the tip of Fayt's nose. "I thought we already agreed that you belong to me."

"But that doesn't mean-augh." Fayt winced as Albel dug his elbows in harder.

Albel looked amused. "Relax, Fayt. I'm not going to force you into anything, but it wouldn't hurt to show a little affection."

Fayt sighed. "So you're saying you're not going any further than this?"

"Yep." Albel rested his head on Fayt's chest. "Forget, breakfast. Let's go back to bed."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "After all the hard work you put into it?"

"Well-"

"And we need plenty of energy to ward off the ghosts."

"Alright, you win," Albel growled. "But you owe me."