Virtue smiled at Hawthorne when he re-entered the room, pleased to see that the man had been able to find something that fit. Of course, it helped that he wasn't much bigger than Virtue. He was thankful for that, it made it easier to be helpful in this situation. The shirt looked good on him too, the color suiting him, although he had to admit he missed the unique green tunic.

He raised an eyebrow, a little confused with the declaration that he hadn't ever had Macaroni and Cheese before. It was more than a little unusual, and he was now wondering where he was from. Certainly not here or.. well, any place he could think of.

"Never had mac and cheese? You poor, poor tortured thing." The boy teased, only moving closer to what he hoped was his new friend. He liked to be close to those around him, so this was natural, but he liked to be close to Hawthorne even more. He curled himself in really close, finding his body heat relaxing as it really was cold in the small apartment. Virtue was tired, and now full too having set his empty bowl aside. All he wanted to do was snuggle in and fall asleep, though he settled for simply leaning his head against the mans shoulder.

This, he decided easily, was much nicer than either of the massages. Simple yes, but it was very nice. He yawned and looked up at the boy, rather amused when a drop of water from his wet hair hit his noise, wiping it off and reaching up to comb the hair back with his fingers, sticking it behind his ears. Until then he hadn't noticed there were slightly pointed, and he found it very amusing, moving his hand to gently tug at one of them.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Hayden only chuckled when Virtue commented on the fact that he had never tasted this particular food. It seemed that some things were stranger about himself then he had thought in the human world. The teasing was more welcome then it would have seemed. The young man glanced down a little as the other placed his head on his shoulder. A few droplets fell upon Virtue at the motion. It was comfortable to say the least, having this other presence there so near to him in a strange world.

A jolt of fire bolted trough Hayden when Virtue's hand touched his ear, only to tug on it later. His breath hitched at the contact, and his eyes half closed. Desperately, the fairy tried to get a hold of himself. The human had no idea what he was doing, didn't know how very sensitive he was in that particular spot. With difficulty he answered the question. "You could say I come from another world, in a manner of speaking." Hayden wanted to tell Virtue his name, or at least the first part of it, but he wavered uncertainly about it. He knew he wasn't thinking straight.

Virtue found the mans reaction to the touch very unusual, although he was very much aware of it. He couldn't help himself, his curiosity getting the best of him as he inched closer, sliding one of his legs over Hawthorne's pressing close in a very suggestive manner. This position made it easier to judge his friends reactions, as he slid his fingertips over the tip of his ear again.

Pointed ears. So he was, what, an elf? He hadn't been expecting anything like that, but it explained enough, or so he thought. Virtue wanted to ask, to confirm this, but waited for a little while. It wasn't really the most important thing right now anyways.

"Another world? I don't suppose you'll tell me about it." He murmured, leaning in to whisper, close enough for the man to feel his warm breath fan across his ears as he did so.

His hands slid up again to brush Hawthorne's hair back, as it kept dripping onto both of them. He rather enjoyed doing so, and continued to play with the locks for a short while. When he stopped, it was because he realized how uncomfortable he must have been making his guest, practically ontop of him. He'd made it clear early he only wanted his company in a completely innocent sense. Although some of his actions had contradicted it, he knew the man had meant what he said, and didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

"I'm sorry," he murmured as he curled up on the other end of the couch, playing with the ends of his own hair instead, settling his feet into Hawthorne's lap. They were touching this way, but he wasn't tempted to make an idiotic nuissance of himself.

Exhaling slowly, the fairy closed his eyes as he felt gentle fingers brushing against his ear again. His face was crisped up against the tension he was feeling, his whole body was taut as a bow. A small involuntary groan left him when Virtue's warm breath tickled his ear, and he kept having his hands brushing up against them. It didn't help that they were pressed together so closely either. Eyelids fluttering, Hayden was about ready to snap and let his clenched fists roam as they wanted to when Virtue made a retreat to the other end of the couch.

The absence of the warmth Virtue offered left Hayden feeling much colder then the temperature of the apartment warranted. Actually, the temperature really didn't affect him all that much. The fairy glanced down at the feet in his lap and sighed. Of their own accord his hands leaped up to remove the slippers so they could continue massaging the extremities. "It is not the fact that I find no appeal within you, it's simply that..." Hayden stopped, not sure what to say. It would be impossible to explain his reasons to the young man without sounding like some crazy fool, or revealing what he truly was.

"Circumstances with my home, and who I am there make it so that having any kind of affair, romantic or otherwise is nearly impossible. Friendship though... That is more then possible. Actually, I want to be friends Virtue, if nothing else is possible at least that."] It was far too tempting, and Hayden simply couldn't give in. His heart would break when he lived on and his companion died at the end of his mortal life. He already cared far too much for Virtue as it was. Simply being there with him put him in danger from the people searching for him. They wouldn't hesitate to destroy whatever was keeping him from his rightful place as a noble of the fairy courts. His people could be cruel, and harsh, ad Hayden realized that.

Virtue watched Hawthorne closely as he removed his slippers, still feeling very confused about everything that had happened. He'd been so sure there was something there, but it was gone just as fast. He found it very depressing, and simply sunk into the couch, trying to focus on the relaxing feeling of the mans fingers. It was distracting though, and he couldn't help himself, couldn't make himself stop wanting to pounce his new friend.

I am no good at friendship. The words in his head didn't prevent him from agreeing though, out loud.

"Friends. Of course we can be friends. I'd like that very much." No matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice. This was always the way it worked. Those he was actually interested in, held no interest in him, but everyone else did. It was such a frusterating feeling, and he wasn't sure if he should feel loved or unwanted. It was different between the two situations. On stage he was wanted, adored by everyone, but offstage... well that was a completely different story.

Virtue sighed, pushing himself up after a little while of the attention, pulling his knees in to his chest as he tried to think of something to say. Nothing he needed to say came to mind, and he didn't want to make any bigger a fool of himself. He was already very embarassed, having thrown himself at what was practically a stranger, because he was nice and Virtue was lonely. It was pathetic.

Besides, Hawthorne wasn't going to tell him anything he wanted to know, or answer any questions he did ask. That much was obvious.

"I should really go shower, get ready for bed." He mumbled, nodding slowly to himself as he shifted to set his feet on the floor and stand up.

"You.. you can have my bed. I'll take the couch."

The boy didn't bother waiting around for a reply, feeling absolutely humiliated anyways, and locked himself into the bathroom to shower. The water wasn't hot, but it was still nice and he tried to focus on what heart there was so he wouldn't be forced to focus on other things.

Closing his eyes, Hayden sighed. He didn't want to hurt Virtue, and had actually been trying to explain what he could in the way he thought would be understandable. It was a hard thing, coming up with what to tell him. Berating himself, Hayden remembered something Virtue had said at the club about not lying. Hiding the truth was just as bad as lying, and fairies were experts at it.

Something flashed in his amethyst eyes as he also remembered the hurt in Virtue's voice. Determined now, Hayden removed the t-shirt and walked to the bathroom door. His wings were hidden still, but he would show them to Virtue in order to make him see why exactly he had denied him. The fairy knocked at the door quite loudly. 'Virtue! Let me in, or I will unlock this door and come in without your permission." It was fair warning of his plans, or at least part of them anyway.

They were friends, but the fairy knew Virtue wanted to be more. He had heard it in his voice after his paltry explanation. Bending forward, he rested his head on the door, silently praying to the old gods to aid him. This was so much more difficult then things had ever been at the courts. Probably because Hayden wanted to give the young man a chance, because he could feel an answering emotion echoing within him. His blue-streaked red hair was still wet, still drying, and it seemed to Hayden that the contradicting conditions were very much like his heart.

((I was thinking, if Virtue refuses to open the door, can Hayden unlock it with magic? If the situation arises anyway))

(( Yes, I don't see why not. ))


Virtue had been trying to focus on the warmth of the water, but it was growing colder by the second, and soon he shivering uncontrollably under it. When he couldn't stand to be under it at all - a second causing brain-freeze, he was forced to shut off the taps. The boy sat down in the tub instead, hugging his knees to his chest as he tried to decide what to do. Honestly, he just wanted to stay in there where he wouldn't have to face Hawthorne. He did want to be the mans friend, and he knew he was failing. It was just harder than usual to be someones friend. Virtue had a lot of friends, so he didn't understand why. It shouldn't even have mattered that the man wasn't interested - there were plenty of people who were, but for some reason he couldn't brush it off and let it go like he knew he should.

The boy jumped, startled by the knock on the door and pulled himself over by the edge of the tub to stare past the curtain at the door. Should I? Of course he knew the answer was yes, but he was being a coward, so he simply closed the curtain fully and slid down to lay in the tub, staring up at the white cieling. A bubble bath would have been great then, but the water was too cold to attempt it. It's not like he can really just unlock it so easy anyways.

While he laid there, he counted the cracks in the cieling, a surprisingly large amount of them. It kept him busy for the short while anyways.

What does it matter if he doesn't want me? I can have almost anyone else. I'm not that desperate, so why do I feel that way? It made no sense. Just trying to figure it out was giving him a massive headache, and he lifted his head to drop it back against the hardness of the tub. It hurt, but only briefly and was in a weird way relieving.

I can be his friend. I can. I'm behaving like nothing more than a bratty child who has to have their way. I'm not like that. I'm not.

Tears were threatening to pour over onto his face, he suddenly realized, gathering up in the corners of his eyes and stinging. It was so stupid, and he closed his eyes against it, taking a deep breath that he hoped would calm him. Oh come on, it's not that big of a deal. Stop being such a baby.

Done with waiting, Hayden placed his hand on the doorknob and whispered one quick sharp word. He was angry at himself, at Virtue, at the whole situation! The lock clicked, and the fairy pushed the door open slowly. The curtains of the shower, or bath, were closed though Virtue was certainly there hiding. Grabbing a towel, he walked over and ripped the curtains open. Without saying anything at first, he plopped the towel down onto Virtue's lap.

When Hayden was sure Virtue was looking at him, he let his wings explode freely form his back. They unfolded into delicate things, much like those of a morpho blue butterfly. 'I'm not human Virtue, I live for centuries and part of my true name is Hayden. Becoming more then friends with you would break my heart, because eventually you would die and I would certainly keep on living. Don't you see!" Kneeling down, he wiped away the small barely shed tears he noticed gently. "I do care for you, much more then I should... But it simply cannot happen, please try to understand." His voice had gentled after his initial outburst, and now was full of pleading. Hayden's amethyst eyes were full of the torment he felt for having hurt Virtue, and for having to refuse him even though he clearly didn't want to.

Virtue was more than a little surprised when the door was swung open, jumping up, but was startled still. How did he do that?! He actually blushed, embarassed when the man suddenly threw the curtain open, catching the towel and covering himself with it.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He blurted out, just a little panicked, his space having easily been invaded. Of course, he wasn't unused to such things, but for some reason in his own home like this, it bothered him. He didn't have much time to complain though, startled further by the presence of stunning blue wings.

"Wha..?" The boy began, but closed his mouth quickly, simply moving to get out of the tub, wrapping the towel around himself before reaching out to the touch the marvelous wings. They were amazing, and he'd never seen anything like them before.

"Those.. those are stunning." He breathed out, continuing to feel them over, moving his whole body closer. Then it occured to him what the boy was saying.

"THAT'S your problem?" Virtue was actually appalled, stepping back to stare him down.

"You don't want to get close to me, because you're not human? Because I'll eventually die? We're talking about, I don't know, a good time right? I want to maybe kiss you, not marry you. Seriously, we're talking about MAYBE a date, not a marriage proposal. Heck, I could be good with even less than a date, if you know what I mean. We just met and you're making such a thing out to be a lifetime commitment." The boy was actually annoyed now, only heading for the door as he wasn't sure what to do now.

"Besides, Hayden, what ever made you assume I was human?" With this he walked out of the bathroom and into his room, not bothering to lock the door this time, as it seemed pointless. Instead he just dried off, and proceeded to get dressed, changing into warm fluffy pajama pants.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. Hayden knew Virtue had a point, he was making a big deal out of something that probably wouldn't last long. The problem was, the fairy simply couldn't seem to concentrate when the young man was concerned. Usually, he was just in it for fun, just wanting to enjoy the moment and make others happy as well as himself. So now Hayden wondered why he couldn't simply think of Virtue in that same light.

Subdued now, the fairy walked to the other's bedroom and knocked. He didn't dare enter without being invited this time. His blue wings were still clearly visible, the fairy didn't care about hiding them now that Virtue knew about them. "Virtue, I'm sorry and you're right. Can we talk?" His hand was on the door knob while he waited. Thoughts reeled trough Hayden's mind as he determined that he would find a way to make it up to Virtue.

Virtue took his sweet time getting dressed, and brushing out his long wet hair, not really caring that it was getting his clothes wet. He was still annoyed and frusterated, and wanted time to calm down before speaking to Hawthorne - No, Hayden. he mentally corrected himself. He actually went as far as to tidy up his room, anything to keep himself busy for a few extra moments. Eventually though, he had to suck it up and moved to open the door. The boy leaned against the doorway for a moment, looking Hayden over as he considered the words, before nodding with a sigh.

"Yeah, we can talk." Virtue stepped back, moving out of the way and over to his bed where he sat down. He reached for one of his pillows to pull into his lap as he crossed his legs on the bed, hugging it to his chest. It was a safety net of sorts, comfortable to hold onto but could make a relatively decent, albeit harmless weapon if the man said anything to further piss him off.

"What are we talking about?" Of course Virtue knew exactly what they should, and probably would, be discussing but was hoping to postpone it just a little. He'd been acting like a brat anyways, if Hayden wanted to just be friends he should be okay with that. Friends were simpler anyways. Plus, he'd been partially lying about what he'd said, and didn't want to be called out on it, or have to admit the truth. While normally he would be more than okay with a purely physical relationship - a one time thing - this wasn't the case now. The boy wasn't sure why, but he liked Hayden more than that, even as infuriating as he was being now.

While he'd been completely honest about his feelings up until that point, saying that he would be okay with anything less than a date - as he'd put it - was nothing but a blatant lie. For some reason this situation was different than most he'd ever been in. He had just met Hayden, so it was ridiculous to already feel so attached. The mere thought of him leaving was greatly depressing. Why couldn't he just be like everyone else? Anyone else would have accepted my affections, been done and gone already. And I'd be okay with that. But not this man.

Maybe he really was just getting desperate, for real affection and not perfectly wasted intimacy.

Hayden waited patiently for an answer. It seemed like an eternity before Virtue opened the door to the room. The fairy didn't comment on how much cleaner it was, nor did he say anything about the fluffy pajamas. His face was serious as he went to sit on the edge of the bed, as if not completely sure of his welcome there. Little details seemed more important then others, like wet spots left by dripping hair and the way the mattress bent down under the pressure of two people sitting down.

His amethyst eyes didn't search out Virtue's, simply for the fact that Hayden didn't want to see what lay in them. The young man twiddled his thumbs nervously as he tried to collect his thoughts. Finally he sighed and lifted his head to regard Virtue. "It would be nice if we could try going on a date, though I'm not quite sure what that is... There are many thing's I don't know about humans, many cultural things so I might inadvertently cross the line. It doesn't excuse my behavior. Simply put, when you're concerned, things seem to go wrong because I have no idea how to deal with you." Hayden shook his head, making the fringe of hair on his forehead fall down to obscure his eyes. It was certain that his words had been wrong in some way.

Virtue looked up to watch Hayden as the fairy finally spoke, wanting to make sure he didn't miss anything. This was an important conversation, more than it should have been, but it was nonetheless. He almost flinched at the words, but he knew his friend didn't mean them in any negative way. So instead he moved closer, a little hesitant as though unsure of himself and reached up to brush the hair that had fallen into his face out of the way. Hayden was harder to read than most people, but he was trying, not wanting to mess anything up. It was though the boy didn't want to meet his gaze, and Virtue faltered slightly at that, letting his hand fall back to the bed.

"There are many things you don't understand about the human world.. alright, I understand that. I can't say I know the feeling though. I was raised here, it's all completely natural. But I don't think I'd understand a thing in the realms my parents came from, so maybe I can understand a little, if only in theory." Virtue took a deep breath, mostly to calm himself as he reached up to fiddle with his own hair, simply so he had something to do with his hands. It was troubling, not being able to reach out and touch the man beside him, at least not if he wanted this to go well.

"But.. I'm not all that complicated Hayden, and I don't want anything complicated. You don't have to worry about crossing lines, I hardly even have those anymore. It's perfectly okay for you to do things your way, and I want you to, to just be yourself. It's going to suck if you're trying too hard to be human. I like you.. because you're not. You're so different, so unique from anyone I've ever met. Being around you feels nice, so if you just want to be friends, I can try to accept that." Virtue shifted uncomfortably, perfectly aware he was rambling, and trying to stop himself. He bit his tongue to half the words, but it didn't work for more than half a minute, his thoughts unfinished.

"I can't say I'll like it, or that I'll be very good at it, but I'll try my best to be good. If that's what you want. But if not.. well, I don't know what to do anymore than you do. You're not just some normal human guy, if you were we'd be in bed right now." At this thought he eyed the bed they were sitting on and couldn't help laughing. It actually put him more at ease, as odd as it was, to be in such an intimate place. Perhaps because it was his, and where he was more comfortable.

"Well, in bed, if you know what I mean. Or, you'd have already taken what you wanted, and be gone. I have no idea how to deal with you."

Glancing up during this outpouring of words, Hayden let out a small sigh of relief. This still didn't solve the problem he had spoken of earlier, but he was going to act like he usually did at home in the courts. The fairy could only hope it wouldn't frighten off his human... Well Hayden wasn't sure what they were anymore, except for the fact that he liked calling Virtue his. Tilting his head, he laughed at the comment about being in bed. It eased the tension which had erupted between the two. Deciding on the spot that he didn't simply want to be friends, Hayden smiled mischievously and leaned towards Virtue. Quickly he grasped some of his dark locks in his hand, and marveled at the texture, and his eyes gleamed as he leaned forward to plant a solid kiss on his lips, before they closed with contentment.

Hayden bit the lower lip a little before retreating so he could speak. "Well Virtue, I certainly hope that pushes any doubts about my intentions towards you out of your mind. I'll say this, I like you too much to simply take and leave. As long as I can, I will remain here. Fairies cannot lie, so please believe me when I say these things." His expression had turned serious, despite the fact that he was so close to Virtue. Hayden wanted to be believed by this human. It was the strangest of situations, one he would be in dire trouble for if he was ever found and forced to return home.

Virtue was pleased with the situation when it fell into actual comfortable, the tension completely got. They were both finally able to relax, and it was nice. He actually found himself moving a little closer to the faerie, setting his pillow aside. Without the tension, it was just as comfortable as before, being in this mans presence. He found he could enjoy being there, even in silence like so, for a long time. Something about his presence was soothing and pleasant. He was surprised, and a little confused though, when he felt Hayden's hand in his hair, enjoying the sudden touch, and impending closeness.

The boy could hardly resist, it taking all of his willpower not to fully tackle Hayden onto the bed and take over. Instead, he just barely leaned in, letting Hayden close the distance. He was glad he did too, because as simple as the kiss was, it was perfect. For a moment he forgot how to breathe, his eyelids fluttering closed as he confused entirely on the pleasant feeling of the mans lips against his. He wanted more - so much more - but was not going to push anymore. This eased his doubt, and he was sure if he waited, eventually what he wanted would come to him.

Virtue took a moment to find his breath afterward, licking his lips thoughtfully before opening his eyes to look up at the man, and actually blushing again. Hayden certainly made him feel more like the teenager he was.

"I'd like to believe you." He answered, automatically moving closer, until he could rest his head against the crook of the faeries neck. "But you've already deceived me today. I'm not sure how true your statement actually is." Though after some careful consideration he nodded, only turning his head to look up at the man.

"I believe you, and I no longer doubt anything. I'll be good now, and let you do things your way. I'm okay with that, and I think I can handle it."

A chuckle left Hayden at the blush on Virtue's cheeks. For some reason it made him feel better about the situation, and it also made Hayden think of Virtue as his. His hand remained entwined within Virtue's hair, even as the younger man nestled his head under his neck. It was a pleasant sensation, one that the fairy liked very much. Still, he did have his doubts about certain things. He wondered what time it was then, and looked around the room slightly. That was when Virtue began speaking.

At the mention of "doing things his way" Hayden frowned, displeased at the idea. "We're equals in this Virtue. You can have your way too, now that we've talked this out. It's been confusing, dealing with all these emotions about something that should be so effortless... It's the very first time I've been so frustrated." A smile crossed his features as he looked down at the other boy with a light in his eyes. Grinning, he tried to maneuver Virtue so that he was lying down on the bed. "As you said earlier, you've had a long night. You should sleep, sihaiya" Smiling at his little endearment, Hayden bent down to kiss Virtue again. This time his hands were pressed down on the mattress on either side of the boy's head. The word he had used meant beloved in Hayden's tongue, and he didn't dare think of what his easy use of it might mean about his feelings.

Virtue smiled when Hayden laughed, enjoying the happy little feeling it gave him, knowing he could please the man at all. Making someone smile held so much more value than pleased them in more intimate way. That was easy, but to make someone laugh? Well it simply meant more. It made him feel very good to know he could. The boy simply closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Hayden's hand in his hair. He hadn't realized before how much he liked that simple attention and he gave in to the urge to tilt his head a little, enough to press a soft kiss to the mans shoulder.

Virtue was only a little surprised when Hayden spoke again, and a little disappointed to see he'd displeased him. That much was obvious, but he tried not to linger on it. It was normal to say things people didn't like, it certainly wasn't the end of the world and could be worked around.

"Me either, at least not like this." The boy couldn't resist the urge to smile when Hayden did, feeling a million times better at the carefree grin.

"Okay, equals. I can do that too. Although I'm not to be held responsible for anything I do that I'm not supposed to."

Virtue moved back as Hayden manuevered him, not bothered at all by being pressed down into the bed. This was much more normal than anything else had been tonight. He simply stared up at the faerie, listening to every word, hanging on it. He returned the man's kiss, reaching up to curl his fingers into the locks of hair as he did so. Not wanting to stop, he refused to let go, for just a moment, wanting to be closer. His hands slid down so he could wrap his arms around Hayden's neck, pulling the man closer with the movement. The kiss was still sweet and simple, but he let it linger for a while.

Virtue only let go when he found it was absolutely necessary to breathe, laying back again to stare up at him, eyed half lidded. It took him a moment to catch his breath, but when he did he only moved over, reaching for Hayden to pull him down beside him.

"I told you to sleep here. Either you sleep here with me, or I'll go sleep on the couch." He was stubborn, refusing to take no for an answer on this one, determined to get his way. His stance on the situation faltered only for a moment as he thought over the mans words again, and curiosity took over.

"What does sihaiya mean?" Virtue's pronounciation of the word was a little off.

The faerie had grinned even harder after hearing the comment about blame. This was certainly going to be interesting, and not a moment would be boring. The both of them certainly seemed to have strong personalities, as Hayden discovered gladly when Virtue took over the kiss. It felt wonderful his hands in his hair, then around his neck. Catching his breath quicker then the human, Hayden laughed as he was pulled down beside Virtue.

"O, you wouldn't be able to force me out of here now as things stand between us Virtue," stated the older teen with a smile. Without saying anything else Hayden managed to magic the blankets up and over them. It wouldn't be the first time he slept with his leather pants on and certainly wouldn't be the last. With care, the young man curled Virtue into his side, or at least tried to convey that his wings needed to be thought of when doing so. His wings were strong, but Hayden preferred to be careful.

At the mention of the endearment, Hayden palled. It was far too early to tell Virtue the meaning of it, but it was his own fault for speaking it. "Beloved," whispered Hayden. Shifting, he turned to regard Virtue's face. He certainly wasn't going to hide anything from him now.

Virtue laughed at Hayden's declaration, finding it rather amazing after everything that had happened that night. He was sure he'd have to beg the man to sleep with him, but was pleased that he didn't need to. He simply smiled, moving himself in closer, only happy once he was curled into Hayden's side. It seemed they had the same thing in mind, so the position worked itself out easily enough. Honestly, as much as he'd being trying to ignore it, Virtue was completely exhausted. Lately he'd been getting less and less sleep, and was looking forward to catching up on some.

A voice in the very back of his mind reminded him he really should still be out working, that Blake would be angry when he found out, but right now he didn't care. Hayden was warm and comfortable, and sleep was far too tempting. Blake can wait, the boy declared to himself, although his mind immediately countered with Blake waits for nothing. Either way, it didn't matter now. Angry Godfather or not, Virtue was not leaving this bed until at least morning.

The boy looked up to watch Hayden as he spoke, still very curious about the word. It did surprise him and he blinked twice before burrying his face in the older teens chest, hiding the now very obvious blush. Hayden was very good at making him blush. After a moment he lifted his head, only to settle it into a more comfortable spot to sleep, sliding his hand up to the mans side, settling at his waist, fingers just under the hem of the shirt feeling the smooth, warm skin there.

"Goodnight Hayden." He whispered before closing his eyes. Sleep came to him almost instantly.

Laughter, it was so dear to him now. Hayden shook his head a little at the thought. As Virtue made himself comfortable, using Hayden as a resting place for his head, the faerie's thoughts wandered a little. They only returned to the spot when he felt Virtue's hand at his waist. Warmth which he hadn't know before, when all the other times nights had been spent with revelry and the sports of such times, the change was welcome. This warmth seeped into Hayden's heart, and he was glad that Virtue had accepted the meaning of his endearment so easily and readily.

"Sleep well, sihaiya." It was a soft murmur, filled with much warmth. Hayden smiled as he whispered soft words when he knew Virtue was sleeping. This simple spell would assure the boy a good night's sleep, and make sure all his energy was restored. It was the very least of small things the faerie could do for this very special person. It was only then that Hayden drifted off to sleep as well.

Virtue slept very peacefully that night, very pleased dreams taking over where his normally terrifying ones were. Some of it was innocent, the dreamland simply peaceful, the world warm and everything just felt right. Some of it, on the other hand, was far more naughty and explicit. Nonetheless, they were good dreams and Virtue woke in a very good mood.

He was surprised for only a moment, to be waking up with someone, rather than alone. It wasn't an entirely unusual thing, it had happened before, but was rare. He pressed his body further into the warmth beside him, not fully willing to be awake yet. Whoever he was with was warm, something much needed in his cold room, and he was desperate for more of that warmth. As he began to wake further, his mind processing more, he realized there were two things wrong with that statement. One - he never brought customers home. Two - he was fully dressed, as was the man with him. That the being was a man was merely an assumption, having not opened his eyes yet. Virtue only liked men, so he couldn't manage justifying that a woman were in his bed.

Unless it were Jersey, which his mind supplied as a reasonable answer. Jersey was the only woman who would ever be in his bed, she wasn't a customer and their relationship was platonic. Explaining the clothes. Yes, this made sense. As if to check the story for accuracy, he reached up to feel around for boobs, something he of course didn't find. It made him unbearably curious, and he finally forced his eyes open, peering at the man beside him.

Virtue was now fully alert, the events of the previous night coming back to him in full, and he couldn't help himself from smiling as he watched his new friend sleep. He looked peaceful like that, and he enjoyed the sight. I wonder what he's dreaming about. He stayed there for a while, taking the time to wake fully as he watched Hayden sleep. He'd never taken such pleasure in watching another person just laying there before. Something about it made him all warm and happy inside. The man was still there, in his bed. He had kissed him, had called him sihaia, or however it was pronounced. He couldn't help feeling giddy.

Eventually he grew restless, needing to move, and carefully extracted himself from Hayden's side, moving out of the bed and slowly and quietly as possible, not wanting to wake the man. Once out he stretched long and slow, sighing content as he fell back, flat on his feet. Virtue could hardly remember the last time he felt so well rested. A look back to the faerie verified that he was still sleeping, and pleased with this, he tended to getting dressed.

It was a weekend, his mind processed slowly, and he was pleased with this fact. It meant no school, and that he wouldn't have to go anywhere until work that night. He could spend all day with Hayden. Although, his mind reminded him, ever the smart-ass, Just because you don't have anything to do today, doesn't mean that he doesn't. It was a slightly depressing thought, but true nonetheless. Virtue didn't let it get the best of him, simply changing into clean white jeans and a warm yellow sweater.

After carefully brushing his teeth, never missing a spot - his dentist would be proud - washing his face and brushing out his long black hair, Virtue went out to the livingroom to find his slippers. The boy hesitated only a moment before putting them on, looking back towards the fridge and cupboards he knew were empty. Making him breakfast would be a nice thing to do, but impossible with what little was left resembling food in the apartment. So instead he dropped the slippers back on the coffee table, grabbed his keys and wallet, and slipped his shoes on instead.

A quick run to the store shouldn't take too long, and he hoped Hayden wouldn't wake before he returned. Of course, knowing his luck he would, so Virtue stopped to scribble down a note and leave it on the counter. The door was closed loudly behind him a moment later.

Dear Hayden,
Ran to the store. Be back soon. Make yourself at home.

Virtue~

The note was signed in his neat cursive, the i dotted with a tiny heart.

Virtue took longer at the store than he'd intended, searching each isle thoughtfully as he chose his groceries. He had no idea what Hayden would like, and no idea what to feed him. It also wouldn't hurt to know if he was allergic to anything, or a vegetarian. He hadn't even considered anything like this before he'd left. Now he was forced to guess, and was taking precautions, only buying things that were free of nuts, and other common human allergies. He skipped out on meat altogether.

As he waited at the checkout, Virtue made a point to ask Hayden later what he liked. The cashier was a friendly girl who he knew from the club - one of the other dancers - and as it was still early and the store wasn't busy, he was kept there talking for a while. He was anxious to get home, but didn't want to come off rude to his friend. She eventually took pitty on him, as he was constantly checking his phone for the time. The boy flashed her a weak grin as he hurried out of the building, tossing a "See you later!" over his shoulder.

The faerie woke form his pleasant dreams with a smile. At first he was groggy, but still new something was missing. A pale, elegant, hand reached out to pat the bed beside him. It was empty. Shocked and worried, Hayden sat up quickly with a name on his lips. "Virtue?" He searched the room with his gaze, then clambered off the bed to search.

It didn't take long for him to realize he wasn't there. The fairy hid his wings quickly, then walked into the living room. The search continued in there, all pleasant thoughts forgotten to be replaced with worry. What if someone captured him? What if he was taken in order to bring me back home, he would never survive! It was painful to think of such things, but Hayden still did. His hand brushed a piece of paper, which fell to the floor. Glancing down, he saw Virtue's name. Reaching down, a wave of relief came over him. The fairy went to sit down on the couch with a frayed book in his hands to wait.

Virtue ran in about an hour and a half after he'd left, a little while after Hayden had woken up. He was like a whirlwind, rushing in with all the bags. The door was half-hazardly pushed the door shut behind him, kicking off his shoes as he moved, hopping around on one foot for a moment. He actually stumbled into the kitchen, the whole thing rather adorable, but he straightened up once inside, setting the bags on the counter. He sighed once they were set down, turning around to lean against the counter and catch his breath.

It was only then he noticed Hayden was already up, blinking several times at the faerie before offering him a bright smile. He ran over, hopping over the back of the couch to hug the boy tightly, clinging to him for just a moment.

"Good morning! I'm sorry I was gone so long." Virtue leaned in to kiss Hayden, soft and lingering, just because he could. That thought pleased him greatly, his insides squirming delightfully. He pulled back pretty quickly though, shifting to pull his slippers on, grabbing them from the coffee table, and got up to hop back into the kitchen. The boy wasted no time getting to putting the groceries away, only leaving out what he intended to make for breakfast.

"I just went to get groceries, because well.. there was nothing. But I didn't know what you liked, so I kind of just winged it. I hope this is okay." Virtue seemed to be in a pretty good mood, putting everythign in its designated place, then moved to dig out the pots and pans needed to start on breakfast.

"How did you sleep?" He asked politely, turning just a little to look back at Hayden over his shoulder.

All the while, when Virtue was stumbling into the room, Hayden simply watched. It was obvious the other young man had no idea he was awake. A twinkle entered the faerie's eyes, and a warm feeling clenched his heart. Something was changing in him, and he felt a need to protect Virtue. It wasn't something Hayden had ever wanted to do before, being an only child he had never felt the unbearable need to protect another.

The moment Virtue jumped over the couch to hug him, Hayden laughed. It was cut off with the kiss, which the faerie savored tremendously. Disappointment flashed a little trough him when the young man went off into the kitchen, but vanished quickly. "I'm sure you found something very good. I can't wait to taste your cooking though." Hayden grinned, he really was looking forward to tasting the food. Even if it turned out horrible, and to be something he hated, the faerie would probably still eat it all and say it was delicious.

((Hey, I'm very VERY sorry about the major delay. I was busy over the weekend, and ended up sick all week. I'm just beginning to get well enough to try and reply now. I should be mostly back to normal on replying now. Forgive me?))


Virtue smiled at this, genuinly very happy to have Hayden still there with him, to be enjoying a simple morning with him. Despite having only met him the previous night, it felt as if he'd known him much longer. Their connection was so raw, the spark so electric. The thought of Hayden leaving actually left the dancer feeling cold. Being alone like this never would have hurt him before but now it was such a terrifying thought. It was a little scary, knowing someone he'd just met held so much power over him, but he wasn't really afraid. It was so easy to trust the faerie, that he didn't hesitate for even a moment to do so.

"I'll most certainly try to impress you then." The boy promised, turning his head to look back at his guest over his shoulder. Hayden was so attractive, simply sitting on his couch, watching him with that tragically warm, unnerving stare. It took a great deal of Virtue's self control to keep from jumping the man right then and there, and abandoning breakfast as a lost cause.

Over the next half hour Virtue whipped up some amazing chocolate chip pancakes, and was sure to douse them in almost too much maple syrup before setting them at the table. All of the best toppers were set out on the table too, from fresh fruit to chocolate sauce and whipped cream. The boy had a very large sweet tooth afterall, and was hoping if all else failed, Hayden would enjoy the fruit. Everyone loved fruit, right?

The table was half-hazardly set, Virtue having to double check the setting to remember forks before he took his seat at the tiny, round dining room table. It barely had a place in the tiny apartment, but it worked all the same. Beside the large plates were tall glasses of orange juice, the pitcher also among the various items now on the very crowded table. Everything he'd been able to think of was taken care of now, and he sat back admiring his work, looking rather pleased with both the setup, and himself.

Looking up from the table, Virtue dramatically waved Hayden over.

"Come on! Breakfast is all ready." Only once the faerie had joined him at the table, taking the only other chair - if it could legally be called that, as unstable as it was - across from him, was he truly pleased. He relaxed visibly, already setting to topping his pancakes with his very favorite things.

"I hope you like it."