A/N: This one took on a life of its own. I swear! I didn't do it on purpose. The fingers typed it out, and I went, "Wow. How'd that happen?"

Warning: Awesome-O says that this is GAY. Full of GAY. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I… I gots nothing. Really. Nothing. Sorry.

Summary: Challenge fic. 25 Random Words. The rules? Just use the word in a scene, sentence, or paragraph about the pairing. Chapter 9: Express.

Remember:

"Blah" – Speech

Blah –Thoughts/Emphasis

Blah – Self Explanatory

…

9. Express

Ike was down by Stark's Pond. It was two or so in the morning. He was standing, staring into the reflection of the sky that was upon the frozen waters. Shadow had been with the other Goths—who came down on winter break like freakin' conformists—when Kyle had text him. Apparently, Kyle had been covering for Ike, assuming that he was with Shadow (damn, did Shadow wish). He ignored the texts.

Shadow searched all over for Ike… It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did when he caught a glimpse of the boy standing on the bank side. "What are you doing here?" Shadow asked between clenched teeth, trudging through the ice and hardened snow. By Hells' Spawn, it was fucking freezing! Why wasn't Ike bundled up?

"Go away!" Ike screamed into the night. Shadow jumped as the sound of Ike's choked voice echoed around him. A moment later, the goth's blood was boiling.

"Fuck that! I've been searching all over this forsaken shit hole looking for your—"

"Leave me alone!" the younger shouted. Shadow's hand shot out and grasped Ike, spinning him about. He was shocked when a sticky substance melded his hand to Ike's pale arm. "Leave me to die, Shadow…"

"What did you do…?" Shadow felt his voice crack. With a growl, he wretched Ike away from the pond, sheltering both of them in the darkness of the surrounding woods. The winds howled despondently.

"If life is pain, why should I keep living? I… I'm so alone…!" Ike broke down, sobbing, falling to his knees, "No one c-cares… especially not you! I can't stop loving—"

Shadow was on the ground in the next moment, lips pressing against the blue ones that tasted like tears and blood. Lightly, Shadow was drawing back, but Ike's hands cupped the goth's, pulling him back in. Shadow halted the progress, taking instead Ike's left hand. How could he express the emotions churning within him?

"You are to never leave me, Ike, never…" Shadow ordered, his lips ran over the tattered flesh of the poor boy in front of him. Ike whimpered as a careful mouth moved over the self-inflicted injuries. "I don't want to be in this world if you are not."

"Why not?" Ike breathed, moaning as a tongue glided over his heating skin.

"Don't be coy…" Shadow warned, biting a tender piece of flesh.

"Why not?" Ike asked, slipping away from him. Shadow narrowed his eyes; he leaned down, close enough to feel the moist breath escaping the other boy.

"Because I can't stop loving—"

This time it was Ike who pressed his lips to Shadow's.

—END?—