"This is all for today." He smiled. "Enjoy your afternoon and see you tomorrow."

He had barely finished the sentence when the two of them closed their books and picked them up, standing up and walking over to the door.

"See you Kev!"

Kevin chuckled at their energy. "See you later Angel, Aaron." He could still hear their running footsteps down the hallway as he closed his two resting books lying on the teacher's table and placed them in his small suitcase. He erased his last writings on the chalkboard, picked up his bag and walked over to the door.

He had barely reached the threshold when a tall blue-eyed blond appeared from the side and stood in front of Kevin, a grin lightening his pearl like face. Kevin froze in his place, surprised.

Nick leaned against the side of the threshold. "It's good I caught you," he said lowly, biting his lower lip. "I woke up and you were gone."

Kevin swallowed back, not really knowing what to say.

Nick shrugged nonchalantly, smiling at him. "It's ok. I knew you had classes early today with the twins. I missed you though. I was hoping we'd be able to--"

Kevin shook his head. "I--"

"I know you've got classes and things--"

"I'm sorry your highness."

Nick chuckled. Stubborn Kevin. "You know I've told you--"

"Last night shouldn't have happened."

Nick blinked, staring at Kevin intensely. "What?"

"Your highness, you know perfectly fine, as I do, that last night was a mistake from both our parts and shouldn't be repeated."

"You're kidding right?" Nick was sure that, in another given situation, he would have been able to make a better point, but at the moment his brain felt like jelly.

His eyes focused on his hand, he shook his head again. "Of course not. There are things to be considered."

That'd be a first. "Like what?"

"Like everything." That was articulated for a Literature and History scholar. "Your status obliges you to follow a certain standard."

"I don't care."

"There are things expected of you."

"It's not important."

"You have a responsibility with your family."

"It doesn't matter. It only matters that we're together." And even as the words left his lips, Nick was sure he was sounding like a tragic teenage girl with a crush with the History teacher, which, considering the situation, wasn't that further from the truth.

"Of course it matters. You are royalty. Now I'm sure you are needed somewhere, so if you'll excuse me," Kevin said as he walked passed Nick and onto the hallway.

Kevin breathed out a long sigh as he turned around the corridor and down the next one that led him to his room. He knew it was difficult, but it was needed of him. He had to be careful when being around the Prince, especially after last night. Last night had been...

Kevin shook his head. It was for sure that thinking about it wouldn't help his predicament. What could actually help would be trying to stay away from the Prince as much as possible. Which, of course, wasn't easy, as he had come home for the summer from his first year in college and Kevin usually spend all his time in the palace.

This wasn't going to work, Kevin told himself. It had been enough to notice whenever the eldest of the King's sons entered a room, blonde locks moving with the air, pink lips showing a smile and blue eyes dazzling away. It was torture. Kevin could handle that while the Price had been away in his freshmen year at college. He would hear a word here and there about the man, studying as much as he could, making new friends and behaving like a normal child. Kevin would teach the Price's youngest siblings, the twins would go to class, be nice to him during the class. It was easy.

Now, especially after last night, it wouldn't.

He had been an idiot; Kevin would be the first one to accept that. To believe that he could love the blonde for one night and one night only and forget how his skin felt against Kevin's fingertips or how he smell when he was nervous; or the way he would purr when Kevin would whisper in his ear. To believe that one night would be enough and that he would be able to live the rest of his life proudly had been a mistake.

And telling Nick that had been the most difficult thing he had to do.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Kevin had made a decision and as a man of word, he was going to stand by it. He wouldn't change. He hadn't made that decision lightly, having thought about it for hours, days before even, so he was sure it wasn't a mistake.

Before he could continue pondering about it, his cell phone rang. He was surprise, not only on the fact it rang, but the fact that it was on. Being on the castle, he had no need for it, having it on him more out of habit than anything. But even then, there were times, entire days, he didn't turn it on.

He looked at the liquid screen and felt like groaning even though a small smile did made its way towards his lips.

"Hello Brian."

"It's very expensive to call overseas, you know?"

Kevin chuckled slightly at the comment.

"Not that I could do anything but, when you haven't remembered to call for over a month."

"It hadn't been that much."

"A month, a week and three days."

"Don't you have better things to do besides counting how long we haven't spoken?"

"Forgive me for caring about my cousin, but, for me, the fact that you're working on the other side of the ocean doesn't mean I don't have a cousin anymore."

"I didn't say that."

But Brian didn't care about that; he just went on and on. "I wonder how long it would have taken you to remember me."

Sighing, and chuckling as he did so, Kevin opened the door of his room managing to handle the phone on one ear, his suitcase and the doorknob. "Don't play drama on me."

"You teach five hours a day. Can't you take ten minutes to call and say you're fine and haven't died on another country?"

"Chicken," Kevin said good-naturally as he dropped his suitcase on top of his table and sat on his bed.

"Idiot."

"Shorty."

"Agh!"

Brian's complain was always a delight for the older man, and this time was no different as Kevin chuckled at Brian's groans.

"Well, since you don't happen to have anything nice to tell me at all, then I guess I better leave you alone and don't expand my phone bill."

Kevin sighed and it only took that for Brian to know something was going on.

"Or do you?"

Kevin sighed again and found himself confiding on his cousin the events of the night before.

"Oh," was all Brian said at the end of the tale.

"Oh? I just told you one of the most surprising and a shocking events of my life and you just say oh?"

"What do you want me say?" Kevin would have said Brian sounded annoyed if he didn't know better. "I was hoping the day would come when you would tell me what you just told me. It was only a matter of time."

Kevin frowned. "What? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No I don't. If I did, I wouldn't have asked you, don't you think?"

Brian sighed desperately on the other side of the phone. "For someone with a Master on Science, Literature, History and Philosophy, you sure can be dense sometimes."

Kevin would have stuck out his tongue if it weren't his demeanor. "Prick."

But this time, Brian didn't fall into their usual game. "Tell me what happened last night once again."

Sighing, Kevin answered. "Do you take a sickening pleasure listening to my tortuous night?"

"Just tell me you big fluffy eyebrows dork."

Kevin wanted to complain about the eyebrows remark, but decided against it. "I was laying down on the grass last night looking at the stars when Prince walked over me. Pretty silly of me, I know. We started talking and one thing let to the other."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Brian sighed again, more inpatient this time. "Can you actually tell me you don't see what I see?"

"No, sorry cousin of mine, I don't."

"Idiot, I knew it. Intelligent in so much, but an idiot nonetheless." He paused only for a second so Kevin could complain properly. "You love him."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, Brian. And don't you dare contradict me again, we're not in school anymore."

"You love him Kevin. You can't keep denying it."

"There are plenty of reasons why I shouldn't love him."

"See, you said it yourself! Shouldn't. But you do. There's a huge difference in that."

Kevin sighed. "The Prince..."

"Is the one you love. I know that. I've known it for quite a while, actually."

"He's royalty."

"You wanna be with him"

"I'm nine years his senior."

"You can't live without him."

"He's my employer."

"Are you torturing me to see how long I can stand this conversation before catching a plane towards the UK just to kick your sorry ass, you thickheaded cousin of mine? Because I will. You know me. I'll hang up the phone and get the next flight out."

Kevin chuckled. "That won't be necessary."

"It won't be necessary unless you get your head out of your ass and tell the kid you love him for God's sake."

Kevin sighed slightly. "It isn't that easy."

"It isn't that easy because you can't seem to make it that easy. This isn't national security Kevin. You've been working there for the last three years."

"It's not that."

"Then what, coz I don't seem to be able to understand the intrinsic logic you seemed to have put this whole thing under."

"It just isn't. There's a whole bunch of things I have to think of before doing that."

"You already did it." Teasing in the tone Kevin hadn't yet forgotten.

Kevin groaned. "Don't remind me."

"Oh, don't complain coz I know you liked it. You've needed it for a while yet."

"Brian!"

And this time Brian chuckled. "Am I lying? You've had the hots for that kid from the moment you saw him."

"How can you assert that when you were on the other side of the planet?"

"Because I know you. I know the way your voice changes when you talk about someone you're interest in."

"I'm not. I can't."

"There's a different between the two. You should know that. You're the one with the Master in Linguistic."

"Literature."

"Is there a difference?"

"Not one you should know."

"Don't change the subject. You love him. Period."

"I don't. What happened last night was..." He shouldn't go down that road. Brian would catch up on the line at the second. "It's different. Nick's different and you know that."

"What's different, and peculiar, is how you've changed from calling him Prince to Nick."

Kevin stayed silent. He couldn't fight that back. A slip, he could say, but neither of them would buy it.

"It's getting late and I gotta head over to work in... like ten minutes. Damn." Brian sighed and Kevin knew he hated not having the time to talk. And their time differences didn't help. "Think it over alright?" Kevin was gonna cut into, say he had, but Brian didn't let him. "Again. I know the way you think things through and I've never liked it. Think about it. With your heart. Just... just give yourself a chance."

Kevin sighed again. He seemed to be doing that an awful lot lately. "I can't."

"Yes you can. You're just too stubborn to accept that."

And Kevin chuckled.

"Just think about it. And don't forget Nick."

"He's got nothing to do with this."

"Of course he has, he's other part involved or are you forgetting that? After last night, that doesn't say a lot of him."

"Shut up you idiot!"

"Oh, touchy! You've always been like that. Rather territorial, if you know what I mean."

"Go to work, will ya?"

"Yeah, coz some of us actually have to leave the premises of our home to do it."

It wasn't his fault he was forced to live in the castle to tutor the twins. Not that he would complain -- a twenty-four hour full stocked kitchen was a marvelous thing.

"Go."

"I'm going, I'm going. As long as you promise to call. Tomorrow. I want to talk with you some more about this."

Kevin had to give Brian that. And the fact that he did miss talking with his little cousin. "Alright."

"Good. Oh, and before I forget, Leigh send her best and wonders if you'll coming be coming for the holidays."

"I'll have to get back at you with that one. Go now, or you'll be late. And take care."

"Yeah you too. Bye."

"Bye."

Kevin fell down on his back and stared at his ceiling as the call ended. He would do just as he promised Brian and think about it -- even though he wondered if his reasoning would be different.

Sighing, he turned on the small CD player he had and put on some music. The background sound would help. He hoped.

*****

Kevin shook his head slightly. This wasn't working. Crossing out the last couple of lines, Kevin moved the pencil over to his mouth, biting the top of it. He knew it was a very bad habit -- always slapping Brian's shoulder whenever Kevin saw him doing it -- but he just couldn't help it. Apparently, after years of hanging out with him, he had inherited it. Whenever he was anxious, or just on the verge of something regarding writing, he seemed to take after his younger cousin and just bite the damn pencil.

He looked at the words on the notebook again and, not knowing what else to write, he sighed again.

Lifting his eyes to the sky, Kevin had to place his hand by his forehead, covering his eyes of the blinding mid day sun.

He looked around and just lay against the tree. It was always so... tranquil here in the gardens. The Palace was so big that it was always easy to go somewhere and find your center. Kevin loved doing that, and that was one of the many reasons he kept coming here.

Hearing footsteps against the recently chopped grass, Kevin felt like groaning. He didn't need to lift his eyes from his writings to know who it was.

"It's always good to know you pay attention to your love."

Kevin sighed from the inside of his soul. He knew that telling Prince about it would come back one day and bite him in the ass. This was his punishment for confiding on him. "It's nothing."

Nick grinned at the older man. Crossing his legs, he lowered himself onto the grass just inches from where Kevin was sitting. "It's not nothing. I know how much you love music."

"It's a hobby."

"It's a hobby because you let it be a hobby."

And Kevin hated the fact that the Prince was right. He could remember about a year ago when Prince had found him in a very similar situation that the one he was right now. Prince had asked what Kevin was ding and the man had answered. Hours later -- or what seemed like hours later -- they had ended up talking about how Kevin had studied everything he had studied because his father had always wanted him too. To do that, he had to forget his dream of a music career. It hadn't been that hard, but it had always surfaced from time to time, forcing him to write a song here and there.

"I'd like to hear one of your songs one of this days."

Kevin drew a small line with the carbon of the pencil, going over it so many times, Kevin feared he'd end up going through the page. Prince had said that before. Many times before, in fact.

"Maybe one day," Nick said absently, fully knowing that Kevin didn't pretend on letting he do such a thing. It was private, Kevin had said a year ago. And private it was supposed to stay.

They staid silent for a minute, each one of them caught in their own thoughts as they looked at the sky every once in a while.

"I love you."

The statement caught Kevin by surprise.

He could remember hearing the words over and over during the previous night. He could remember the feeling of Nick's breath against his throat, his neck and his lips. Kevin bit back his lower lip. What burned deeper in his mind was his own voice answering back the statement; feeling it so much a part of himself, he couldn't do anything but.

But that had been last night. And today was another day and with that came the understanding that some things were better left for the darkness of the night. Some words could only be said in the safety of one's room.

Silence embraced them once again. Nick wouldn't let himself repeat the words until Kevin was ready to admit it as well. He would not break, not by Kevin's denial, when he knew perfectly fine that the older man felt the same way. If there was proof of that, it had to be his memories of last night.

This morning, when Kevin had right out refused to accept that last night had been bliss upon both their lives, Nick had felt like the world under his feet had suddenly shifted, leaving him in the air. No one but the two of them knew about it and there were moments when it was so much easier to call the entire existence of last night into questions, wondering if it had all been a dream -- but right now he needed the memory of that tangible reality to hold onto.

"It's rather late your highness," Kevin had dared to speak after minutes of wondering if it would be right to do so. "I'm afraid your horse back riding partners are probably already awaiting for you."

Nick chuckled at the words. Kevin's sense of responsibility was attractive. And the fact that Nick knew the older man felt threatened by his presence. It made him feel important, valuable in Kevin's life. And that was always good to know. "You want me to go, don't you?"

"Yes your highness."

No one could say Kevin was a deceiver in any way. "You do realize I've asked you to call me by my name for the last four years, don't you?" The only time the blond could remember hearing his name from Kevin's lips was last night. And that, in itself, was another proof of their shared reality.

"Yes your highness." Kevin had to bite his lower lip not to smile, but even the, he knew Nick would see right through is façade.

And he did. Nick grinned, fully knowing Kevin was trying his best not to do it as well. "Bull headed prick."

"Right back at you your highness," even though the words, Kevin's voice staid stoic.

It was Kevin's uncanny ability to make a joke with an expressionless face and stern voice one of the many things that drew him to the older man. "I'm outta here."

When Nick finally left, Kevin smiled slightly, letting his face do as it had wanted to for so many minutes. He stared at the back of the retreating Prince and found himself sighing. The man was beautiful. With only nineteen winters on his past, the Prince was a magnificent creature. Enchanting, mesmerizing and downright breath taking. Kevin believed -- was even sure -- the Prince had had more than one offered of unattached love back in Oxford. Why wouldn't he, when he held the world at his feet by the force of sheer will?

Sighing again, he lowered his eyes to his unfinished song for a second before writing the final paragraph and completing the last accord.

*****

Already having gathered his things, the Price walked over to stables to join his friends in a needed afternoon riding. He was sure his horse was ready. Nick sighed as he thought of what had just happened in the gardens. He would get through Kevin's unsolicited and unneeded feel of distance between the two of them. He would. Nick didn't mind how long it would take. Kevin was enough of a man to be worth it.

He chuckled to himself. He was going horseback riding and, even though he cared for his friends deeply, he'd rather do it with Kevin. He knew the older man loved riding. So far, no matter how many times Nick had asked, Kevin had never agreed. Then again, even after putting it as a direct order, Kevin still didn't call Nick by his name. The memory of the word was plastered and saved in his mind, but Nick needed more. He needed it in a regular basis. He needed it as a natural instinct. And he was gonna fight to get it.

When he reached the stables, he encountered his two friends already waiting for him.

"Good afternoon your highness," Lord Howard Dorough of the Dorough clan answered.

"Not you too," Nick said, waking inside the stables and retreating reins of his beloved Legolas. "Don't you dare start calling me your highness. I'm Nick. I've always been Nick. The kids are called your highness. Not me."

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Alex McLean the third from the long line of McLean Ministers of Government wondered aloud, lowering his dark shades as he looked at the Prince

Nick chuckled softly as his sudden temper. "I'm loosing my mind."

"What do you mean?" Howie asked, running his hand through his Minerva's main. "What happened?"

"Kevin happened."

"I don't get it."

"I'll tell you guys on the way."

And so, they hopped on their horses, going down the fields. They had been doing this, getting together to go riding or just to talk over a cup of tea for years. The three of them, friends for most of their lives, were able to trust in each other like in no one else.

Nick and Alex had meet in Stockard Field School for boys. Neither of them had been happy about their parents' decision when it came down to their instruction. Even though Alex was two years his senior, they had become fast friends. On the other hand, Alex's friendship to Howard came from the side of his parents. The McLean had always been close to the Dorough, both families been able to trace their clans three hundred years into the old and higher classes of England.

It had barely passed twenty minutes when they reached a clearing and they got off their horses, walking by the sides of the same down the road.

Alex smirked, watching his beautiful horse Ivory clashing her hooves against the ground. "That's interesting."

"Interesting? Interesting? Kevin is barely speaking to me and you think it's interesting?"

"What did you expect? A parade?"

"What Alex here is trying to say but is falling miserably--"

"Hey, I resent that."

"Is that we were expecting this for quite a while now."

Nick blinked at his older friend. "What?"

"Oh, come on," Alex expressed, dropping Ivory's reins, knowing his girl wouldn't go too far, "stop pretending. We were there when you met Kevin. We saw the way you looked at him. Took you quite sometime to come across that piece of information, but that doesn't the rest of the world is just as blind."

Nick sighed, his eyes opening wide as he patted Legolas' shoulder. He couldn't help but frown. "You knew?"

Both AJ and Howie nodded.

"For a long time?"

Again, the two accepted the affirmative answer.

"I found out... a couple of months ago. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Nick, what did you expected? Nick, but the way, you're in love with the kids' tutor. That doesn't seem right to me for a bunch of reasons."

Nick sighed again, rubbing his face with the palms of his hand. "God," he groaned.

"It'll be alright. I'm sure of it."

Nick shook his head at Howie's statement. "I'm not. Kevin is... he feels we did something wrong. He thinks that I should live up to some phony standard he believes I should hold ought to my family."

"He isn't that far from the truth."

Nick turned around and looked at Alex. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Alex, known by his friends as AJ, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Think about it for a moment Nick. Because you are in love, it doesn't mean you stop being the Prince." Nick shook his head in denial, but AJ continued. "You are. There's nothing you can do to stop it. You're the next in line for the throne. And Kevin is right. There are things you have to live up to. It's part of being born a privilege."

"Well, I didn't want to."

"That doesn't mean you can change that."

Howie walked over to his young friend, placing his hand on his shoulder, squeezing softly. "You know Alex is right."

"I hate it," Nick said deadpanned, crestfallen. "I have to be able to fall in love with whoever I want to."

"And you can," Howie said softly, "but I don't think your parents will be too thrill to find out you've chosen a man."

"I haven't chosen him yet. And even if I could, that doesn't mean he'll take me."

"You'll choose him when the time comes," Alex stated. "And you know perfectly fine Kevin just needs the time to handle the fact that he's about to break with a five hundred year tradition."

"I'm not so sure about it."

Howie smiled. "We are. The same way we saw your feelings for him in your eyes, we saw the same thing in his eyes. He loves you as much as you love him."

Nick run his fingers though his blond hair, messing it along with the wind that suddenly picked up on the field. "Then why won't he admit it? It's not that hard to do. We had a great night and I thought it was finally over, this whole torture over talking with him was through, but it isn't. It's only gotten worse."

"Maybe it just moved too fast for him."

"It didn't!" Nick exclaimed after Alex's assertion. "We... it was perfect. I couldn't sleep and walked outside. It was my utter surprise when I saw Kevin lying down on the grass, looking out at the stars. I could remember him telling me he loved watching the stars on a clear night, but I never thought I'd find him in the act. I joined him and we talked so much. We must have spent there at least two hours. We just kept talking and talking and it was perfect. We decided it was far too late and walked inside. He walked me to my room and I couldn't help but feel he was being the perfect gentleman. And I just had to kiss him. When he kissed me back, I couldn't let go." Nick paused, sighing softly. "So I didn't. And I can't now." Nick let out a long breath out from so inside his soul, it felt like part of him was leaving as well. "I don't know how he can."

"I don't think he can Nick," Howie turned around, took one glance at Alex and continued. "Neither of us do."

"Give him time. He probably has so much to think about." Alex walked over to Ivory and rubbed the side of her face with his palm. "I don't think it's easy getting involve with royalty when you've been working for them for three years, don't you? Besides that, there's the fact that he's nine years older than you. That's gotta bring some questioning in his mind." He paused to lift his eyes to Nick. "And so it should in yours."

Nick shook his head. "I don't care about it. He's older than me, big deal. It doesn't change how I feel. What I want."

Alex nodded, smiling. "Then give him some time to think about it, don't push it. And then, after a month or two, go for it."

Nick turned around and looked at the setting sun. Maybe Alex was right. Maybe some time was in order.

*****

Having taken a shower and changed after his trip to the fields, Nick walked down the stairs from his bedroom over to the kitchen. He knew it was late and the cook was probably gone to bed for the night, but he just felt like snooping around and finding something sweet to eat.

He passed the studio and the hall for the guests. When he walking down the hallway and just about passing the hallway on the east side of the castle, Nick heard some piano accords. The blond smiled, not being able to stop himself from feeling an irradiating bliss from his heart going all over his chest and body. He needn't to walk into the blue room to know who was playing.

Nick knew perfectly fine that his father had allowed Kevin to use every faculty in the Palace, and so, the man would love to play the baby piano in the blue room.

Last summer, knowing it would be his last days in the Palace, as he'd be going over to Oxford for the school year, Nick had gotten used to spending many hours of the night on the gold room -- the one on the right of the blue room. He'd stay there hours, listening to the older man play from Bach to Tommaso Albinoni, surprised Kevin would know Albinoni, as he was one of Nick's favorite classical musicians.

And now, almost a year later, he could still recognize Kevin's signature in his playing. However, this time, the song was one he didn't know.

Nick opened the door slowly, not wanting to disturb the older man, especially wanting to be able to hear the pleasant sound just a little bit longer.

He walked inside and leaned against the side of the wall, watching Kevin playing, his fingers touching the keyboard so passionately.

I cannot help it I couldn't stop it if I tried
The same old heartbeat fills the emptiness I have inside
And I've heard that you can't fight love, so I won't complain
'Cause why would I stop the fire that keeps me going on?

Kevin sang lowly, barely even whispering the words.

'Cause when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you

The words ran deep within his mind and soul, every word being spoken from his heart.

Turn out the lights now
To see is to believe
I just want you near me
I just want you here with me
And I'd give up everything only foryou
It's the least that I could do

Nick sighed softly, enchanted by the words. Kevin's words.

'Cause when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you
And I feel you holding me

Kevin's chest constricted, the pain tangible if only one looked hard enough.

Why are we afraid to be in love?
To be loved
I can't explain it
I know it's tough to be loved
And I feel you holding me

Nick's face softened.

Oh, oh
And when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone

Kevin closed his eyes, the words coming out in one breath.

And I'd rather be in love
Yes, I'd rather be in love
Oh, I'd rather be in love with you
And I feel you holding me, oh

Kevin let out a soft sigh, his hands shaking visibly. He could feel himself tremble and he feared it wasn't because of the wind. Sighing softly once again, Kevin let his hands stay on top of the keys. He looked at them and felt like dying. Things were getting worse with every passing second.

It took Kevin only a second to hear another breathing in the room and feel his chest constrict once again. "I would have thought you in bed by now."

"I couldn't sleep."

And he wasn't the only one, Kevin had to accept.

Nick took a couple of steps, closing the distance between the two of them. The sound was loud in the silent room and Kevin closed his eyes tightly. He wanted to cringe, but stopped himself before doing it.

"I don't understand," Nick said after a moment, stopping barely three feet from the older man. To hell with the time, to hell with not pushing him. He would push until he got a straight answer from the man. He was gonna go for it with everything he had. "Why? What in the world makes you think we can't be together?"

"You know," Kevin said lowly, the strength he seemed to sport earlier in the day completely drained from his body.

"No, I don't. I have no idea."

"It's obvious." In his mind, it felt like he was running out of resources.

"The only thing obvious here for me it's the fact that I'm standing here telling you I love you."

Kevin sighed, a pained sound that touched Nick to the core. "Don't ask this. Not now."

"Why not? Why not now? You've been avoiding me all day. You won't talk with me. You won't give me a straight answer and I'm tired of it."

Kevin turned around and stood up in one motion. He stared at Nick, sapphire and jade locked together. He would try it one more time. "We can't. There are many things to consider."

"I don't see any."

Kevin snorted. "Yes, you do. You're just denying it."

"No, Kevin, the only one here in denial is you. We made love last night and it was perfect. You're trying to erase that." Nick paused, taking in a deep breath as his eyes stung. "You're trying to take a perfect night away from me and I don't get why."

"You've been born a privilege and with that comes certain obligations."

"Forget that! Forget all that for a moment and just focus on the two of us."

"I can't."

"You can. You did it last night. For the first time in all the years I've known you, you didn't think. You felt me by your side and let yourself go." Nick sighed deeply, tears in his eyes glistening. "Why won't you do it again?" He pleaded.

Kevin's heart broke twice as fast seeing the younger man in pain. "You can close your eyes to the truth for one night. You can't for the rest of your life."

"We'll do it. I'll do it."

Kevin shook his head. "You have a family and a responsibility with it and I won't let you walk away from it." Kevin said as he walked passed Nick.

Nick turned around and grabbed the older man's arm forcefully. "And I won't let you walk away from me. I love you Kevin. I've loved you all this time and I'm finally able to say it."

Kevin closed his eyes shut, biting his lower lip. He couldn't do this. He couldn't face Nick and tell him he didn't love him back. He was dying inside already.

"Your parents will kill you, and me."

Nick chuckled softly, his throat horse from his tears. "No, they won't. They are better than that. I believe it, I'm sure of it."

Kevin sighed softly, choking on his tears. He lowered his head, closing his eyes. There were so many things to think about. Every single time he ended up with the same conclusion: he couldn't fool himself into thinking they could forget about everything. There was always something that would led him to believe he shouldn't go with it.

A moment later, or maybe only seconds later, he opened his eyes and locked them with Nick's blue ones. There was sincerity there and more bravery than the one Kevin held right now. Nick believed in it. Kevin could too.

He sighed softly. He knew there were things to consider, he knew he shouldn't do it. He knew there were differences. But all things considered, he also knew that what his heart dictated mattered the most. And there weren't enough reasons not to follow his heart.

This time, Kevin leaned over and kissed Nick softly. He closed his eyes and himself enjoy the feeling of rosy lips on his own, one hand tangled in his hair while the other held him by waist. He embraced the youth in his arms as they kissed.

When they parted, Kevin couldn't help but smile. "I love you Nick."

Nick smiled softly as his first tears poured down his cheeks. This time the sound of his name on Kevin's lips wouldn't be a memory, but a calling. Like the sea Kevin's eyes were to Nick. It was home.

Kevin, ever so slowly, placed a petal soft kiss on Nick's lips. All things considered kept running through his mind, but Kevin didn't hear them. Things were fine as they were. They were perfect.

"I love you," Nick whispered lovingly. His hand caressed Kevin's face as the older man leaned on the touch, his breathing against Nick's palm. Their foreheads touched and they locked their eyes for a moment. It was enough.

Letting out a contend sigh, his hand moved down from Kevin's waist, reaching Kevin's own. Nick gazed at Kevin as the older man nodded. He turned around and led the way out the room and up the stairs to his bedroom. This time, when the morning came, Kevin wouldn't be gone.

* Song "I'd rather be in love" by Michelle Branch. Oh, come on, it's not like I can put here a song written by Kevin himself. He hasn't written much, you gotta accept that. Lets just hope Michelle won't mind me borrowing her song. She seems so neat, I don't think she will.