Hey, I'm back after almost a full year of hiatus, because I sorta suck at this whole updating thing. I'm going to try guys, really. You just have to remember, I have an almost full time job.

…

Stig gazed down at his friend, feeling his breath against his lips. Gorlog's teeth, he just had to lower himself a few more centimeters, and he'd be doing something that he'd been wanting to do for days now. Maybe weeks. He wasn't sure. But Hal groaned and shifted slightly, and Stig lost all his nerve. He threw himself onto his own mat, breathing heavily himself. Did he really just almost do that?

"Stig?" The young Skandian swallowed hard when he heard Hal's voice. "What's going on?" He rolled onto his side to face his skirl, who gazed at him sleepily. It took all of Stig's willpower not to wrap Hal up and kiss him senseless. "I just had the strangest dream…" Hal continued.

"Oh?" Stig asked. "What was it about?" He was hoping that Hal wouldn't tell him what he'd just try to do.

"Can I be honest with you?" the skirl asked. "You won't run?"

"Of course not silly," Stig replied. "Go on then. What was your dream about?" Hal glanced around, making sure that everyone else was bedded down for the night. He scooted himself closer to Stig, so close, in fact, that he could feel the heat radiating off his friend's body. He shivered. "What's wrong Hal?" Stig asked quietly.

"I…I don't know," Hal admitted. He wasn't always straightforward with his feelings, so the bluntness was a surprise. "I just… I had a dream that you, of all people, were trying to kiss me. I don't know why?" Good thing Stig was still far enough away from Hal, because he was sure the skirl would've heard his sharp intake of breath. Or his heart slamming against his ribs.

"What?" he asked, forcing a laugh. "That's ridiculous. Why would I try to kiss you?" This was going to destroy him to say. It was a straight up lie. "I don't even like you that way." He heard Hal choke back a sob, and he almost wanted to take it back. Almost. But he didn't. "You don't like me, do you?" he asked.

"No," Hal said quietly. "I, uh, gotta go. I'll…see you tomorrow." He heard Hal rising quickly, then rushing out, crying quietly to himself. Stig sat up, staring at the door, hoping against all hope that for some reason his friend would come back. But after a few agonizing minutes, it was clear that Hal wasn't coming back. Stig sighed, falling backwards. He was such an idiot.

Hal, for his part, simply ran and ran until he couldn't anymore, tears blurring the track in front of him. He knew Stig didn't like him that way, but Gorlog's great horns it hurt to hear that. More than it should've. Of course he wouldn't like Hal that way. They were best friends, not partners. And they never would be now. Hal sank against a tree, placing his head in his hands. He took great, shuddery breaths, trying desperately to calm himself down.

"Don't get yourself worked up," he whispered to himself. "You have a brotherband to lead. You can't go soft now." But his heart hurt worse than before. Hearing Stig actually say that… He almost wished he was being punched in the stomach by Tursgud. It would ultimately hurt less. He knew he shouldn't have shared his dream. He shouldn't have put his heart out on the line at all. He knew it was a bad idea. But good Gorlog above he'd hoped against all hope that Stig would return at least some of his feelings. Any at all. He'd left himself so vulnerable the last few days. Admitting he was gay and liked someone on the team. That had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. Even harder than controlling his group of outcasts.

"Hal?" The young skirl stiffened when he heard Stig calling for him, scarcely daring to breathe. Maybe if he'd chased after him right away, he might've considered it. But he hadn't. How could Hal believe a word he said if he didn't care about him enough to make sure he was alright when he clearly wasn't? "Hal, where are you?" Stig called, worry lacing his voice. He'd been sure Hal had run this way, but now he wasn't so sure. "Hal, please. It's dangerous to be out here at night by yourself." But Hal still said nothing, instead listening intently. How could he pretend to care about him? It was pretty clear he didn't. "Hal?" Stig sounded awfully close. "Hal!" The skirl leapt to his feet when Stig appeared out of the darkness. "Thank goodness. You had me worried."

"Why do you even care?" Hal asked, striding away. It took Stig a moment to realize what happened, and then he followed Hal at a slightly slower pace. "You're so thick-skulled it makes me sick," Hal continued.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stig asked, his anger flaring. He tried to beat it back, however, because he really didn't want to fight with Hal. Not again. "I can't be thick-skulled about anything if I have no idea what's going on!" That at least made sense in his own mind.

"You're clueless," Hal mumbled. Stig had enough of this. He grabbed Hal's wrist and spun him around. The young skirl glanced up at his first mate, his eyes widening. Stig was never rough with him. The stern look soon melted from his friend's eyes and he chuckled lowly, brushing Hal's hair from his face. The skirl glanced down. "Stig…" he mumbled. He should be completely honest with him. After all, this was his best friend. Just his best friend, nothing more. But he could still trust him with information, right? "What you said earlier, about not liking me?" Stig nodded, gently encouraging his friend to continue. "I don't know why but…it hurt. A lot."

"It did?" Stig asked, even though he already knew. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, but he didn't want to pressure his friend into saying anything. "Come here," he said softly, wrapping his strong arms around his friend. Hal closed his eyes and leaned his head on Stig's chest. Stig said nothing, simply holding Hal and letting him collect his thoughts. "Do you still like Jesper?" he asked after awhile, to change the subject. Much to his surprise, Hal laughed.

"You think I like Jesper too?" he asked, shaking his head. "That's absurd! I like…" He stopped abruptly. Did he really want to say it? But at Stig's look, he knew he could continue. "I like you," he finally said, glancing down. "I have for awhile. I just… I haven't known how to say it. But I really, really like you." Hal felt tears in his eyes again. "But you don't like me back," It was Hal's turn to be shocked as, Stig, who was rough with just about everyone he touched, gently lifted the skirl's face so they were eye to eye.

"Are you crazy Hal?" he asked with a laugh of his own. "I'm absolutely crazy about you. Seeing you pal around with Jesper was hard. Harder than beating Tursgud. I thought for the longest time I was getting mixed signals, that you really didn't like me at all." Hal listened quietly, watching as tears formed in the corner of Stig's eyes. He raised a hand and gently wiped them away, smiling hesitantly. Stig smiled back. "Uh Hal, don't hate me for what I'm about to do."

"Why would I ha?" But he was cut off by Stig's lips on his. They were a lot softer than he expected, and a lot warmer. Hal found himself weak at the knees, despite how girly it sounded. It was a good thing Stig had his arms around him, or he probably would've collapsed to the ground in a love-struck heap. "Gorlog's teeth Stig why would I hate you for that?" he asked when Stig pulled away. Stig rested his forehead against the skirl's, studying his expression. Hal appeared calm, but his eyes portrayed exactly how happy he really was. And that's when Stig knew he'd made the right decision. He gently kissed his friend again, feeling Hal hesitantly kiss back. He smiled and pulled away.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I didn't want you to hate me because of that. I've wanted to kiss you for days. And that dream you had? It wasn't really a dream. I was trying to kiss you. But you woke up, and I lost my nerve. I was going to, so long as you were asleep." Hal rested his head on Stig's shoulder again, drinking in his presence and listening to him speak. So, his dream had been reality. He almost wished Stig had kissed him in his sleep, so he could've woken up to it. But, at the same time, he was glad he'd waited, because he'd been up and alert when they'd shared their first kiss. "We should probably head back," Stig said after a little bit, releasing Hal. Hal sighed.

"Probably," he said unhappily. He followed as Stig led the way back to their home, but halfway through, Stig grabbed his hand and twined their fingers together. So when they finally did arrive, Hal was grinning like an idiot. "I don't want to go to sleep," he whispered as they both lay down. "What if this is a dream?" Stig pulled the skirl to himself, kissing his forehead.

"It's not a dream Hal," he said, holding him close. "Just go to sleep, okay?" He waited while Hal got himself settled, then simply listened to him breathe. Yes, he was aware that sounded creepy. No, he didn't care. He'd also deal with anything the other members of the brotherband said to him tomorrow. Right now, his best friend, and potential partner, needed him.

…

Yay they kissed! A year later oops. Oh well, maybe the wait was worth it?