A/N: Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for! No, it's not the climax/finale of the story, but it's the turning point! Every chapter after this one if crucial – no more fillers! Hope you like it or you've been wasting your time reading my stuff :)

Wolf closed his eyes as he tilted his head back so it rested against the tiles. A steady stream of hot water pounded against his bare skin, effectively blocking his thoughts out his head. Not why he took a shower, of course, but a welcome side-effect, especially considering the entirely inappropriate ideas that had been going through his head for the past two days and if he was honest with himself, probably even longer than that, though he'd suppressed them rather well. But eventually, the thoughts began to probe their way back into his brain and he decided to get out before he either drowned or racked up a water bill large enough to break his bank account. He strolled out of the bathroom, lazily rubbing at his short black hair with a towel, a faint steam mist following behind him. Noticing the living room door was open, he wandered in their instead of his bedroom to find his ward perched on the far corner of the window, reading a book that had clearly been thoroughly read dozens of times before and was looking more than a little battered.

Alex looked up through his fringe (he really needed to get that cut) at his shirtless chest very briefly before focusing on the literature in front of him. "Why take your jeans in but nothing else?" he asked idly.

Wolf shrugged despite knowing the boy couldn't see the gesture. "Feels too restrictive after being in the shower."

Alex nodded vaguely, eyes still glued to the pages in his lap. Wolf plonked himself down heavily on the couch and leant back into the cushions, sighing quietly. Alex glanced at him out of the corner of his eye for a second, "Another rough day?"

Wolf shook his head carelessly, "Nah, just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, that's all."

Alex turned a page nonchalantly, "Something on your mind?"

Images of his fleeting dreams and persistent thoughts over the last couple of days asserted themselves at the forefront of his mind. Despite himself, Wolf tensed and snapped, "No."

Alex didn't react. He just sat silently and continued reading. Wolf's frown slipped from his face and he felt a little guilty. Urging his mouth to smile, he shuffled closer on the couch and asked casually, "So what are you reading?"

"Wuthering Heights."

Wolf blinked. "Okay. Why?"

"It's the A Level reading material. And yes, I am aware I haven't finished GCSE yet." Alex added as Wolf opened his mouth, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Tom doesn't know what he wants to do for A Level's besides dropping Maths and Science, so he decided to sample a little bit of everything and see what's good. Problem is he already struggles with the stuff he's got to do now, so he asked me to check out the subject matter for a few things and see what I think."

Wolf nodded several times in silence and then said, "Why didn't you just help him with his homework?"

"I haven't been here for half the stuff, have I?"

"Yeah, but you've already caught up on what you missed; you basically teach yourself everything anyway. Evan was saying only the other day how much you remind him of how Sam used to be during their school days."

"Which was meant to be a compliment, I'm sure." Alex commented dryly.

Wolf grinned crookedly. "Undoubtedly. I thought he said he was cutting school as soon as he could? Why's he checking out A Level's?"

Alex sighed, a frown creasing his brow. "It's his mum. Since his dad walked out and they got the divorce more or less sorted, she's trying to make it up to him by practically taking control of everything in his life, from school to how often he sees me and James. He's tried to tell her that he doesn't want to go back but she's convinced it's some kind of rebellion to get back at her and Mr. Harris for splitting bf bfbfnbfn "

Wolf raised his eyebrows. "Is he upset that they broke up?"

Alex looked at him incredulously. "Are you kidding? He was dancing on air when it finally happened. Specifically since that means they stopped screaming at each other and dragging him into their fights."

"That's why, then. She's compensating."

"Doesn't mean Tom has to like it."

Wolf hummed lightly in agreement, his gazing dropping down once again to the little green book in the teenager's lap. "So. Wuthering Heights. You like it?"

Alex hesitated, "It's – interesting, definitely. I wouldn't mind studying it, let's put it that way. I'm only up to page a hundred and thirty-three, though. "

Wolf stared at him for a few moments. "What's it about?" He asked finally.

"Seriously?" Alex said, his gaze meeting his guardian's once again, the peculiar strain that had appeared in his posture vanishing so Wolf could not be sure it had been there in the first place. "Isn't the story of Wuthering Heights pretty much public domain by now?"

Wolf gestured vaguely with his hands, "All I know is it's about a bloke named Heathcliff and someone called Cathy, that's about it. So what happens?"

Alex's smile slowly slipped away as he resumed reading over the pages. His brown eyes took on an odd, almost glazed quality, not really focused on what was in front of him. The hand holding the book in his lap tightened nearly imperceptibly. "It's about falling in love with the wrong person." He finally offered quietly. Wolf felt something coil up inside his gut, hard and cold. "Then they get separated, because of the values of the time and Catherine's own selfishness. It tears them both apart."

It was like someone had pumped ice water through his veins in place of blood. Wolf felt his nerves freeze over and his lungs constrict until breathing was impossible. It felt like an eternity, but in reality was a mere minute before Alex spoke up again, "But, as I said, I haven't finished it yet." His voice was steady apart from the slightest tremor on the last word and it was enough to jolt Wolf back to reality; he shook himself internally, wondering why on earth an innocent description of a romance novel would affect him so badly.

Regardless of his determination to squash the memory of the overwhelming sensation, Wolf couldn't help but feel curious. He inched closer still to his ward and craned his head slightly, trying to subtly read over his shoulder. As he squinted, Alex rolled his eyes, a sardonic smile on his lips. Without preamble, he scooted towards the soldier until he was pressed against his side and turned his torso around so that Wolf could read more easily. Muttering embarrassed thanks, the man lifted his left arm and draped it on the couch behind Alex's head so the teenager could rest more comfortably against his side.

They sat quietly for several long moments, the quiet that had settled over the flat only broken by briefly asking if it was okay to turn the page. Somewhere around the hundred and fourties, Wolf felt the tension take hold of Alex again, as they were pressed together from shoulder to knee, but attributed it to the teenager being engrossed in the passionate writing they were both reading, just as he was. It was only when they reached the next chapter that the spell was broken and Wolf realized he had unconsciously dropped his arm from the back of the couch to around Alex's neck, his large hand resting half on the boy's shoulder, his fingers brushing over the top of his chest.

He pondered over retracting his limb but decided that he really didn't want to. His attention no longer focused on the literature before them, he kept his grey eyes on the young man beside him. Without fully thinking about it, he lifted his left hand off the boy's torso and, twisted it around so his fingertips grazed Alex's cheek. The teenager swallowed, his gaze on the book in hand but his eyes remaining still instead of moving side to side. Barely registering what he was doing, the man stroked the well-defined cheekbone under his fingers gently, the faint whisper of a touch. He pulled his hand back higher so it slid around the edge of his ear into his blonde hair.

Breathing so shallow it appeared to not be happening at all, Alex turned his head to face Wolf, their eyes meeting. Wolf lowered his hand to let it rest on the back of Alex's neck, playing with the short strands of hair at the top. After a moment he stopped, instead simply laying his palm on the curve of muscle, the appendage heavy and warm against the fair, suddenly clammy skin. The rest of the world melted away from the two males as they looked on. Their eyes, dilated and dark with emotion, grew closer to each other as they leaned in, the space between them gradually disappearing. Their lips touched for the briefest of seconds, so that neither of them realized it had happened, before the front door was flung open so forcefully that it slammed into the opposite wall, the savage bang making them jump away from each other.

'Always in the way!' Alex's mind screamed in frustration as he leapt away from the older man to resume his previous position at the end of the couch, jerking the book up so that it covered his face from view. 'Why the hell did Wolf give Fox a key?'

Wolf shot to his feet and moved towards the distraction provided by his unit members' bickering on the staircase, away from his ward, his heart slamming painfully hard against his ribcage, over and over. He just managed to recompose his facial features into the blank mask all soldiers perfected during training before Eagle bounced on the top stair and spotted him.

Grinning widely, he yelled, "Get a shirt on, Chris my man, we're hitting the town!"

"What?" Wolf asked flatly, his habitual frown deepening his brow.

Eagle ignored the expression on his leader's face, cheerful smile still firmly in place. "Don't give me that look – you've been cooped up here too long, you're in danger of beginning to collect cats and yell at neighbourhood kids to get off your lawn."

Wolf raised an eyebrow, then internally winced at the fact that he'd picked up using the gesture from Alex. "One, I don't have a lawn, two, there are no kids living around this area, three, I hate cats and four, you are insane. Good bye."

He turned his back on his the other man to re-enter the room, instantly regretted the action, then let out a strangled grunt as two firm hands slammed onto his shoulders and roughly yanked him back. He spun around the glare at Eagle, who announced loudly, "You forgot about Cub. He lives here!"

'As if I could ever forget that . . .' In a voice of long-suffering, Wolf asked, "Out of my entire response, that's the bit you choose to acknowledge?"

Eagle shrugged again, "After all of our missions together, I've learned to block out all but the important things that you say."

"Funny," Wolf said wryly, "that's exactly what everybody in the SAS does with you."

"Which means we ignore everythingyou say!" Fox laughed. The scandalized Eagle faced the two remaining men to defend his injured honour, which quickly dissolved into a rather juvenile debating contest, until the pounding in his skull grew harsher, at which point Wolf took charge with characteristic brusqueness. "What the hell do you lot want?"

The ever-sensible Snake intervened. "Idiot over here got the bright idea for us all to go to a club tonight and celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

Snake shrugged. "Restraining ourselves from killing him in his sleep?"

"These jokes are really getting – why'd you specify in my sleep?"

Before the trio could spiral into yet another argument, Wolf interrupted. "Cub's not old enough to get into a club."

Eagle rolled his eyes, "Oh come on, he'll be with us!"

"So?"

"So I doubt anyone'll be brave – or dumb – enough to make a fuss," The soldier explained with a somewhat feral grin. Wolf frowned at his friend and Snake began to shake his head, looking like a mother-hen attack was coming, when Alex's voice floated out from the living room. "Why don't you guys just go and leave me here?"

Wolf jerked around to look at the teenager and managed it for about three seconds before he was forcefully shoved aside by the now-eager Eagle, who bounded up to the boy excitedly. "Really? You don't mind being by yourself?"

Alex shrugged indifferently, "Sure. Go, have fun. No need to mess with your plans just 'cause I can't go."

Before he could be restrained, Eagle lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Alex in a bear hug, lifting him clean out of his seat and dancing a few steps. "You are awesome! Don't worry, we'll all do something together this weekend or whenever, yeah?"

"That's really not necessary!" Alex gasped out, trying to pry himself free of Eagle's vice-like grip. The man may act goofy but he was strong. He was currently sporting a (in Alex's opinion) maniacal gleam in his eye as he deposited the now rather deflated boy back onto the couch unceremoniously. Spinning merrily on his heel, he strutted back out into the hall and down the stairs. "Come on, Wolf, make yourself presentable and let's go! I'm driving!"

Snake and Fox both popped their heads around the living room door to give Alex sympathetic and affectionate looks, before following their erratic team member out of the flat. Wolf shook his head at their antics, then slowly turned back to his ward, his anxiety showing on his face. Alex held his gaze but was unable to stop himself from fidgeting nervously. After a moment, the man spoke up, "I don't have to go out, you know. If you want me to stay . . ."

Alex dropped his eyes from the soldier's. "No. I don't want to mess up your plans."

"They weren't myplans – "

"You told me to spend time with my friends, remember? You should do the same. Have fun." At last Alex lifted his head and managed a small smile that appeared to be only half-genuine to Wolf's eyes. The man hesitated; a part of him was desperate to flee the flat, to get some distance, but another part was loudly insisting that he stay. The decision was effectively made for him when Fox's voice bellowed through the front door, making them both jump, "C'mon, Wolf! What's the hold up?"

"I'm coming!" he yelled back. He gave his ward a half-smile, trying to feel happy about going out with his friends. "I'll keep my phone on me; if there's a problem or you want me to come home, give me a ring."

Alex nodded in an almost casual manner, "Will do."

'No you won't . . .' Wolf lingered for a moment longer, then darted into his bedroom and pulling on a black shirt picked from his closet at random, and making a detour to the kitchen to grab his keys before running down the stairs and out of the flat.

XXXXX

Wolf was very much regretting his compliance with his teammates' request. Any other night, he may have actually enjoyed, or more likely not been entirely put-off by, this overly-loud club filled with sweaty, drunken strangers, most of which seemed unable to dress themselves or perhaps simply colour-blind. The multi-coloured strobe lighting stung his eyes, a valuable excuse for why he sat nursing his beer for several hours, head down and lost from the world. This afternoon's little scene was swirling around in his head, over and over. It could only have been fifteen minutes, maybe less, but it beat it's way to the forefront of his mind despite his attempts to bury it and stayed there for the rest of the night. He couldn't stop thinking about the feelings aroused by their proximity, the look in the boy's eyes when they stared at each other, Alex's reaction at his touch . . .

'Enough.' Wolf's jaw tightened at he made his resolution. He was a man of action. He would tackle this the same way he did everything: full-on and doggedly. Before he did, however, there was a very important query he had to make. He nodded once, firmly, to himself and picked up his glass, draining the remainder of the liquid down in one gulp. He stood and made his way through several couples to the bar where his friend had just gone to get a refill. Grasping him tightly by the forearm, he half-shouted in his ear, "I need to talk to you!"

He turned and strode forwards, without waiting for a response, tugging his unit member behind him until he got to an emergency exit. Vaguely recognizing the sound of the door being closed after them, he looked around at the dark alleyway they found themselves in for several long minutes.

"So . . . what do you want to talk about all of a sudden?"

Wolf pondered how to bring the subject up tactfully or at least subtly, then gave up. "You're gay, right?"

Eagle's eyebrows shot up. "Yes, you know that. How is it relevant?"

Wolf fidgeted under the man's uncharacteristically stern stare. "How did you know you were . . . you know?"

"I started fantasizing about blokes." Was Eagle's deadpan response. "What's up with you? You've never asked for details before." A strange look came over his face, half disbelieving, half bemused. "You're not questioning your sexuality, are you?"

Wolf hesitated, averting his gaze from his friend's inquisitive amber eyes to a piece of graffiti on the wall behind him. "Is it possible to be gay and, well, not, at the same time?"

"I'm not following you."

The soldier let out a low growl of frustration, rubbing one hand over his face, kneading at the skin around his eyes. "I mean, is it possible to be heterosexual but . . . but still be attracted to one male in particular? Only him?"

Eagle paused, mulling the question over. After what felt to Wolf like an excruciatingly long time, he finally said, "I think it could be possible."

Wolf's head jerked up. "Really?"

Eagle shrugged, looking a little uncertain. "Well, yeah. When I was first figuring things out a couple years ago, I went on an LGBT website and came across a girl who'd been heterosexual her whole life, but thought she was in love with her cousin's female best friend. And human sexuality isn't as neatly categorized as we'd all like to think." His sharp eyes fixed onto his team leader. "What's going on, Chris? Have you met a man?"

He was unable to meet his friend's eyes. "I don't know, Evan. I'm confused."

After a moment, the auburn-haired man nodded, reaching over to pat Wolf on the shoulder sympathetically. "Yeah, I get it, mate. If you ever need to talk, you know how to reach me."

The soldier forced his lips to curl into what he was sure was a ghastly fake smile. "Sure. Thanks." With one last puzzled look his way, Eagle turned and went back into the club, leaving it open a crack so Wolf could get back in. The thought didn't even cross his mind. His face blank, he stared at the dirty bricks in front of him, half-covered in shadow and wanted desperately to tear his hair out and scream in pure frustration. It was true, he'd met someone. He'd re-met Alex. He knew him now, wanted to know him now, wanted to make him happy, keep him safe, tell him that at last he'd realized what an idiot he'd been and that he lo –

'NO!' his mind came to a screeching halt. 'That is NOT what's happening here! You're his guardian, you care about him a lot, there's nothing wrong with that. Don't over-think things. Get a grip.'

He nodded to himself, very slowly, eyes glazed over. He was being hasty. Perhaps some part of him still felt guilty because he'd bullied the kid when he hadn't deserved it, felt sorry for him because of the way he was treated and since they'd settled into an affectionate, trusting relationship with surprising speed, his imagination was running away with itself, that was all. The amount of alcohol he'd consumed in an effort to forget wasn't exactly helping things either. He needed to calm down; he needed to think about this logically. He wished fervently that his heart would stop beating so hard.

The door swung open again, making him jump. He silently cursed himself for being so lost in thought he'd stopped paying attention to his surroundings and settled his eyes on the newcomer. It was a woman, probably in her mid-twenties, who had clearly had one too many to drink, if the way she was tottering on her high-heels was anything to go by. She glanced up, spotted him standing in the middle of the alleyway and paused. Pursing her lips slightly, she gave him a quick assessing stare that took in his handsome face, muscular build and broad shoulders and smiled.

"Hello there," she said coyly, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder. "What you doing out here all by yourself?"

Wolf shrugged, feeling on edge for reasons he had no clue how to even begin identifying. "Needed some fresh air. Why are you out here?"

"Same." The mystery woman nodded, attempting to look bored, which was somewhat undermined by her seemingly inability to tear her eyes from Wolf's lower regions. "Friends dragged me here," she offered when Wolf remained silent. "They said the best thing to do after a break-up is to jump into the sack with some bloke, no strings attached."

Wolf's grey eyes slid over to her. She now openly watched him, her shoulders pressed against the doorframe, her lower body angled outwards, long legs accentuated by her short, silky red skirt. "Are you coming onto me?"

The woman shrugged, smirking coquettishly, "Is it working?"

Wolf paused, his heart beating riotously in his chest, his mind screaming, the head pounding and decided that he just wanted to not think anymore. He'd had enough. A smirk slipped onto his face as he stalked forwards. "Why the hell not? No strings, you said, right?"

She shook her head slowly, sultry smile still in place. "No strings."

Taking her bare arm he lead her back into the club so they could tell their respective friends not to worry about them and strode off towards the club's exit. Wolf could feel Eagle's accusing stare burning a hole between his shoulder blades as he walked away and found he could not properly relax as the pair of them hopped into the taxi for his flat.

XXXXX

Alex's eyes snapped open as he heard the front door slam closed. Vaguely registering voices, he stretched and rubbed at his eyes. The book fell off of his lap and hit the ground with a thud, startling him slightly. Realizing how late it was, he forced himself up right and stumbled forwards, unsuccessfully attempting to stifle a yawn. 'At least I get to say goodnight to Wolf before I go to bed.'

He pushed open the mostly-closed living room door, lazy smile in place and froze in his tracks. Wolf was standing at the top of the stairs, working his jacket off his shoulders with some difficulty, as some woman in a clingy red skirt and strappy black top was attached to him at the lips, running her hands up and down his torso, scrapping through his shirt with her sharp-looking, painted fingernails. Alex felt something tighten painfully in his chest at the sight; his hands were starting to shake and he couldn't bring himself to look away from this terrible, horrifying sight.

Wolf detached himself from the woman, who began fiddling with his belt, her head tilted downwards so Alex couldn't see her face. His guardian turned towards his bedroom door – and saw Alex standing, still as a statue, absorbed in their antics. It was Wolf's turn to freeze, his jaw dropping down slightly, eyes widening. They stared, for several long, long moments, into each other's eyes, before the woman seemed to realize that something was going on. She frowned at him in confusion, then followed his gaze. She gave a little start of surprise, then attempted a friendly smile, stepping forwards. Even from that one movement, Alex could see she was totally drunk; besides which, he could smell the alcohol on her. "Uh hi," she said awkwardly, "Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you, kid." She turned her head to stare in puzzlement at Wolf, "You didn't say you had a kid."

"He's not mine," Wolf said, his hoarse voice coming out harsh. Alex couldn't stop himself from flinching a little at the tone, trying desperately to swallow back his pain. Wolf, despite his own less-than-sober state, seemed to notice, as he finally jimmied open his bedroom door and basically pushed the woman in under the pretence of guiding her, muttering audibly, "Let me talk to him for a moment." She nodded and closed the door behind her.

They were left alone. Silence reigned for an excruciatingly long few moments before Wolf said abruptly, "Sorry. I forgot you."

Thinking that that flippant comment shouldn't have hurt as much as it did, Alex gave a supposedly nonchalant shrug, turning his face away from the soldier. "Obviously."

Anger boiled up inside Wolf, directed entirely at himself. He was well aware of that, but it didn't stop him from making a bad mistake. "Don't be such a whiny brat," he snapped, "I look after you all the time, if I want a little time to myself and forget where you are momentarily, I think I can be forgiven."

"So you're going to have sex with her?" Alex demanded.

"None of your business," Wolf snarled.

"She's drunk!" Alex cried, staring at the man, aghast.

"What are you implying?" Wolf growled, voice low and eyes flashing dangerously. "That I'm forcing her? She came onto me. And if I want to have a few adult pleasures, I don't expect a kid like you to understand."

Alex flinched as if he'd been slapped. Wolf had always treated him like an equal, respected the fact that he'd experienced so many more horrible things than the majority of adults ever would and now . . . Through his pain, Alex found a thread of rage and latched onto it. "Oh, here we go. The heartless bastard from Brecon Beacons has decided to make a reappearance, has he? I supposed it was just a matter of time, really. I should have expected it."

Wolf's face flushed a furious red. "Don't be so bloody childish!" A sneer twisted his face as he hissed nastily. "Play nice or I'll have to send you to your room!"

It was Alex's turn to flush. He could feel the beginnings of fury beginning to swirl around inside of him. "I don't know why I ever thought a dickhead like you could be relied on!"

"Don't speak to me like that, you little – !"

"Don't act like a dickhead and I won't call you one!" Alex shot back, hands clenched tightly into fists.

"Wanting a little stress relief makes me a dickhead, does it?" Wolf's voice was creeping towards a shout as he took a step towards his ward, his own hands mirroring Alex's as they curled into fists at his side reflexively.

"What the hell have you got to be stressed about?"

"Well, putting up with youfor a start!"

"I thought you liked me company? Or was all that worry about what was happening to me on my mission just an act?" Alex asked, shoulders tensing even more as he waited for an answer.

"No, it wasn't an act, I care about you but you're a bloody pain in the ass! You think I wanted this?" A thread of genuine anguish slid into Wolf's voice, his eyes clouding over with something other than anger and alcohol. "You think I wanted to have a kid saddled with my team? You think I wanted you to come with us in the French Alps? That I wanted to be stuck with you for God knows how long or get to know you or care about you so much? I didn't want you in my life!"

Wolf, panting, felt his anguish increase as he saw that Alex had gone stark white. He hated that look on his face, as if his heart was breaking. "For God's sake, don't look at me like that." He said quietly, eyes dropping from the pained brown ones in front of him.

"You don't want me?" Alex spoke in a near-whisper and suddenly he looked on the verge of tears. The look vanished a moment later, replaced by one of controlled rage, tinged with pain. Growling lowly, the boy launched himself forward, shouldering the elder man out of his way as he stormed down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Wolf demanded, stomping after him.

"I don't care! Anywhere, as long as it's away from you!"

Snarling, Wolf reached out and seized Alex's arm in a bruising grip, yanking him back as he reached for the door handle. "It's the middle of the night; I'm not going to let you wander around on the streets!"

"I don't need your permission." Alex hissed furiously, vigorously attempting to remove his arm from Wolf's vice-like grip. In his intoxicated state, the man couldn't quite control his remarkable strength. "I've escaped from an underground cell while it was being flooded, survived a fight with a member of the triads and outrun two lunatics on snow mobiles while they fired machine guns at me, d'you think I need supervision to walk around the big, scary city at night?"

"People won't see that! They'll only see a child, God knows what could happen!" An ember of worry was beginning to smolder behind Wolf's eyes, but Alex was too enraged to register it.

"What? After all that you still don't think I can look after myself? Can I not be considered an adult until I enjoy "adult pleasures" as you put it? Well you can rest easy then, Wolf, 'cause I've enjoyed every experience you have."

"What are you warbling about?" Wolf snarled, his patience at an end. His hand tightened on Alex's wrist and he began to tug him back up the stairs roughly.

"Oh I'm so sorry I wasn't clear enough! Wolf, I'm not a virgin."

Wolf stopped. His eyes shot back to Alex's, dimly registered the triumphant anger in their depths, as his mind tried to comprehend the information he had just been given. His grip on Alex's arm slackened a little, but not enough for Alex to be able to pull free. Eventually, the meaning sank in and he found himself speaking without really thinking about it. "You . . . you've had . . . you let someone – "

"Fuck me? Oh yeah, quite a few times, actually. It was a busy week!" Alex laughed humorlessly, with the total reckless abandon of one who believes a situation can't get much worse.

"WHY?" Wolf roared, eyes blazing. He dragged Alex closer to him, his free arm shooting out to seize Alex's remaining one, fingers biting into his flesh. "Why would you do that, huh? Answer me, why would you sell yourself so cheaply? You're worth more than that!"

"Because I wanted it to be you!" Alex burst out, no longer able to repress his feelings. "Don't you understand? Haven't you seen it at all? I love you, you stupid, emotionally-stunted moron! I love you so much and I missed you when I was away, all I thought about was coming home and seeing you! And then Richard was there and he liked me and I knew you'd never feel the same, so all I could do was close my eyes and pretend it was you and that you loved me as much as I love you!"

With that last desperate word, Alex lunged forward, tearing his arms free of Wolf's grip and threw them around the man's neck, slamming their lips together, pouring all his ardent desire, all his pain, all his love into that one gesture. Nearly tottering backwards onto the stairs, Wolf reacted instinctively and shoved Alex off of him, sending the boy reeling a few paces so he almost smacked into the front door, as he accidentally put too much power in the movement. Unable to stand it anymore, Alex scrambled to get the door open and flung himself through the space, onto the landing and then down the stairs. He made it out of the building before Wolf managed to collect his thoughts enough to call after him, "Alex!"

The teenager ignored the cry, legs pumping as he franticly tried to distance himself from the man. A single thought drummed through both their heads, beating in time with their hearts, 'I've ruined everything.'

A/N: The woman didn't seem as drunk in Wolf's part because he was a little drunk too, so he didn't really notice.