The lines from Shakespeare are from Act II, scene ii. I really hope everyone's been enjoying this. Please review.

He ran. His feet pounded against the ground as he sprinted home. Ernst reached his door, trying to make sense of what had just happened to him. He wondered if Hanschen had meant to kiss him like that. Had he been planning it, or was it a reaction to the lines? Ernst was very unsure. However, he was very curious as to whether Hanschen felt the same fire rise in him as they kissed.

For indeed, Ernst felt a fire. He entered his empty house, as his parents were helping at church, and he mounted the stairs to his room. His steps were slow and deliberate. He went over and over the moments in his head, and tried to recall the sensation of Hanschen's lips. They were thin and smooth, and Hanschen's hand that held him in place was so strong. He hated admitting it to himself, but he wished Hanschen's lips were once again against his own.

In his room, he began to do some schoolwork. It was not much, and he finished within the hour. He took out his Bible and began reading it. He loved the elegant words that formed across the pages. After a few minutes of this joy, he closed the Bible, thinking he should try to learn some of his lines. However he realized that the script was missing.

Playing back over the events leading up to his flight, he discovered he must have dropped it. This upset him. Now, not only would he still not know his lines, but also Herr Sonnenstitch would be very angry with him for losing his script.

He paced his room a couple times, trying to decide something to do, albeit unsuccessfully. He heard a squeak from the front door, and assuming that his parents would be home, he left his room to greet them.

However, when he stepped onto the stair landing, he did not see his parents on the lower floor, but a young blond man.

"Hanschen?"

"You forgot this." Without asking, he climbed the stairs to Ernst's room. He handed him the script.

He took it and thanked him.

"Shall we go over some more of your lines?"

"Well, I…"

Without waiting Hanschen stepped into Ernst room.

"Thank you for helping me." Ernst nodded and stepped into the room with him.

"Sit."

Ernst sat on his bed.

"The balcony scene?"

"Um, that would be fine."

Hanschen began reading his lines. They exchanged words, as Ernst stayed on his bed, and Hanschen paced back and forth across Ernst's floor.

Ernst continued. "I come, anon. But if thou mean'st not well, I do beseech thee— By and by I come. —To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.

Tomorrow I will send."

"So thrive my soul."

"A thousand times good night."

Hanschen sat on the bed next to Ernst, "A thousand times the worse to want thy light!

Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books,

But love from love toward school with heavy looks."

Hanschen moved even closer to the boy, who was now inexplicably frightened. As they continued through the scene, Hanschen did not take his eyes away from Ernst. They seemed to bore a hole into the back of his mind causing Ernst to cower under his gaze. Ernst wondered if he could see Ernst's fear and insecurity and desire.

Ernst was hardly able to mumble through the rest of his lines, he was so nervous, "Sweet, so would I,

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.

Good night, good night."

Hanschen leaned in against Ernst, "Parting is such sweet sorrow

That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

"Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast—

Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!"

As he spoke, Ernst got continually quieter, until he was hardly speaking above a whisper. Hanschen had wrapped his arm around Ernst's waist, and he pressed another kiss to Ernst's lips. With the other hand, he held Ernst's face, gently stroking the soft skin.

With a mind of their own, Ernst's arms wrapped around Hanschen, who moved his hand from Ernst's face, tracing along his chest. As he did, he slowly leaned Ernst back on the bed, and moved resting half on top of him, and half at his side. He pulled away from Ernst's lips, and began kissing his neck.

Ernst gasped. Hanschen unbuttoned Ernst's shirt, taking pleasure in Ernst's small flinches as he undid each one.

Ernst felt himself shaking. Heat grew in him as Hanschen ran his hand down his now bare chest to his pants, unbuttoning them now. Though he was terrified, Ernst lifted his trembling hands and unfastened Hanschen's shirt, with remarkable speed.

Hanschen was surprised at this, but did not object. They kissed again, and Hanschen moved his hand across Ernst's thin body.

Several minutes later they parted and redressed themselves. After they did, Hanschen picked up his script. He broke the silence and finished the scene, "The grey-ey'd Morn smiles on the frowning Night,

Check'ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light,

And fleckled Darkness like a drunkard reels

From forth Day's path and Titan's burning wheels.

Hence will I go to my ghostly Friar's close cell,

His help to crave and my dear hap to tell."

Hanschen exited the room without another word.