Shattered Pieces

By P.A. Lovas

Aaron groaned, as he was forced awake by the doorbell's blaring chimes. He rose from the bed, making his way to the door, and turned the lock before yanking it open. He smiled lightly, shaking his head at the pale-blond on his doorstep. "I see you discovered the doorbell this time."

"Yep, you learn something new everyday." Donovan's gaze lowered, and his grin faded, a slight blush spilling over his face as he turned away. Aaron blinked in confusion, before he realized his shirt was still unbuttoned from last night, showing off his bare chest. He folded the flaps closed, crossing his arms to keep them from reopening, as he invited Donovan in.

Donovan excepted the invitation, still keeping his eyes hidden as he walked past. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, you did." Aaron stifled a small yawn as he ran a hand through his tousled hair, making sure to keep the other arm wrapped securely across his chest.

"Good," Donovan chirped, picking up his head to flash Aaron one of his familiar grins. "It's mid-afternoon, and you shouldn't sleep the entire day away. It's bad for your health."

Aaron raised an eyebrow at the statement. "No it's not."

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to find a reason to make you come with me."

"Where are you going?"

"Anywhere."

"I thought you had to work today," Aaron said, eyeing Donovan warily.

"I did. But I called in sick."

"Is it alright for you to lie like that?"

Donovan laughed, shaking his head lightly. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

"If you say so."

Donovan looked up at him, smiling brilliantly. "But thanks for the concern." Aaron returned the smile a bit shakily, as Donovan took a step forward, his hands pushing him back. "Now hurry and get dressed."

"Alright, just stop pushing me." He chuckled lightly as he stepped into his bedroom, stripping the shirt from his body. He would have liked to get a shower in, but he doubted Donovan had enough patience to wait around for that. And besides, if just an open shirt made him that jittery, Aaron could imagine what seeing him in a towel would do.

Aaron lifted his hands to his face, rubbing at the bridge of his nose, angry with himself. Why was he even thinking of these things?

He stomped over to the bathroom, running some water in the sink, before washing his face, the cool water helping to relieve some of his fatigue. Fumbling around for a towel, Aaron scrunched his eyes shut to prevent them from burning, and wiped the running water from his face. He ran a quick brush through his hair, having to force his bangs to separate to keep them from falling into his eyes, grumbling each time they did, before finally giving up and moving over to the closet. He pulled a simple, button down shirt from its hanger, slipping it over his broad shoulders, while his fingers worked quickly to close the stiff fabric. He tucked the excess of it into his slacks, then reached over to grab a brown, suede jacket from the closet, throwing it over the ensemble.

Donovan whistled playfully as he emerged, clicking his tongue. "Damn, I guess the clothes really do make the man, huh?" He yanked lightly at his faded sweatshirt, before raising the hand to tug at his bangs. "And it only took you about 5 minutes to do."

Aaron rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair as he walked to the door, pulling it open. "You coming?"

"I'd hope so, since this is my trip," Donovan teased as he brushed past, dropping a wink at him.

"So, where is it that you're taking me?" Aaron asked, looking down at Donovan as they walked slowly along the sidewalks of the city. He knew they were in a prominent shopping district, but he couldn't quite figure out the reason. He certainly didn't take Donovan for a heavy shopper, not to mention that most of these places were even out of his own price range. Aaron didn't make a habit out of judging people by appearances, but something about Donovan said he didn't have a substantial amount of money.

"Where ever." Donovan smiled up at him with a small shake of his head. "Must you always have a planned schedule?"

Aaron's eyes narrowed defensively at the comment. "It's not that. I just like to know what I'm doing and why."

"Right. A planned schedule." Donovan laughed as Aaron groused, and placed a hand lightly on his arm. "Maybe you should write some spontaneity into it."

Aaron snorted, jutting his chin defiantly. "I'm plenty spontaneous."

"Great," Donovan chirped, circling behind Aaron. He laid his hands on his back, and leaned in, using all his weight to push the stubborn man forward. "Let's go then."

"Go where?"

Donovan rolled his eyes. "For somebody who claims to be spontaneous, you sure suck at it."

Aaron heaved a sigh of relief as he flopped into a booth, his feet thanking him profusely for the act. Donovan had him running around the city the entire morning, stopping only to pull him into one overly priced store after another. Of course, neither of them bought any of the junk, all of it being either ridiculously expensive, or completely unnecessary. And he still found himself flush at the memory of Donovan dragging him into a fancy lingerie shop, then conveniently disappearing behind a display of lacy undergarments. Looking frazzled and utterly out of place, a rather saucy clerk decided to offer Aaron her assistance, along with her phone number and quite a bit of inappropriate touching. Not wanting to cause a scene, it took him almost a good twenty minutes to fend off the boorish woman and pull the hysterical blond from the store.

He was still a bit flustered after the whole incident, but any anger he displayed was just for show, and it appeared to be working to his favor. Donovan has been apologizing profusely ever since, and finally gave into his request to stop and sit down somewhere. Aaron was pleased with the small coffee shop he dragged him into, and even more so with the secluded booth he managed to snag. It wasn't that the place was crowded, but even so, Aaron found himself relieved that he had Donovan to himself, without any other distractions.

"Excuse me."

So much for no distractions, He thought with a sigh, before looking up, his eyes widening. He found his gaze trailing up long, slim legs wrapped tightly in a small skirt that, with a slight tilt of his head, Aaron was sure he could see right up, and the bodice was so low cut, it left one to wonder how it even stayed up.

Aaron coughed quickly, forcing his gaze up to her face, feeling himself flush at the knowing smirk that twitched on painted lips. She leaned over, batting her narrow, green eyes, and Aaron had to keep himself from staring down the swell of her breasts, as she obviously planned it.

"I couldn't help but notice you sitting her all by your lonesome," she cooed, her voice thick with something that sent chills through Aaron's spine. "I was wondering if you'd like a little company."

Aaron sputtered nervously for a moment, before shaking his head. On impulse, he held out his left hand, and as the woman eyed the gold band, almost scoffed. Even now, Amy still had her hold, continuing to claim him even in the after life. "Sorry." He offered with a shrug as he turned his head aside, meeting a pair of wide, blue eyes, laced with shock. His relief at Donovan's return must have been evident on his face, as the woman turned, glaring daggers at the new comer. She whipped on her heels, muttering something to Donovan as she pushed past him.

Donovan frowned, his face paling slightly as he gave a short glance to the impertinent woman. He sighed, placing a steaming cup of coffee before Aaron, and slipped into the seat across from him.

Aaron watched as Donovan kept his gaze downcast, his small hands curling around his cup, as he simply stared into its depths. "What'd she say to you?" he asked, no longer able to take the straining silence anymore.

"Nothing I haven't heard before." Donovan shrugged, his eyes never leaving his cup as if some sort of holy apparition had appeared in the swirling, brown liquid. "But it's strange."

"Hmm?" Aaron cocked an eyebrow in question as he took a tentative sip, swishing the bitter drink along his tongue.

"It's strange," Donovan repeated, picking up his head, and Aaron swore those eyes were burning a hole directly into his soul. "How easily you were able to throw out the marriage bit."

Aaron shrugged, averting his gaze. He wasn't sure where Donovan was headed with this, but by the look in his eyes, he knew it wasn't probably going to be pleasant. Flecks of hurt and confusion stood out amongst the array of emotions that danced in the blue depths, and even though he wasn't looking, Aaron still knew they were there. He felt guilty. Those eyes made him feel as if he had betrayed their owner in some way. And as if he missing something very important.

The small hands clasped around his left one, the touch forcing Aaron to glance up awkwardly. "Aaron, I know it must be hard, and I'd like to help you."

"Help me? With what?"

"With everything."

"I don't need your riddles, or your help." Aaron scoffed, pulling his hand away, and immediately regretted it. The air felt even colder with the absence of Donovan's hands to offer him warmth, and he shivered involuntarily. He picked up his coffee, drawing a slow mouthful, allowing the liquid's heat to flow through his body, though it felt empty in comparison.

They sat there for a moment, the silence washing over them, while Donovan stared at Aaron with innocent abandon. His eyes flickered with understanding, and Aaron was torn on whether he wanted to drown in those eyes, or poke them out to stop the flood of sympathy pouring from them. Aaron dropped his gaze to the table, and spoke in a soft, deep voice. "Do you have any idea what it's like to loose everything? To have it all, and suddenly have nothing? To have it taken away in a flash, before you knew it even happened?"

Aaron looked up, shocked by the dark look that passed over Donovan's face. "Maybe not," he whispered, so low that Aaron had to strain to hear it. "But I-" Donovan shook his head. "Never mind. I just want to help you Aaron. I like you."

Aaron cocked his head to the side, watching as a slight blush began to darken the pale face. His lips curled into a smile, which only widened at the shocked expression that Donovan gave him, yet he understood. This smile was pure, not containing the usual malice. It was the first honest smile Aaron had in years. It was the smile that he reserved for Amy, with all her inane ideas, and all her light. And yet, if felt good to be smiling at Donovan like this. It felt natural. It felt right. So Aaron just kept smiling, thanking Donovan in a way that transcended the words themselves.

"I swear, today had to be the equinox," Aaron grumbled as they walked around the track. After that whole incident at the coffee shop, and another at the video store, Aaron gave up and dragged Donovan back to the park, where there were considerably less people, and where nobody had an interest in what anybody else was doing.

"I've already told you, it's not," Donovan responded with a shake of his head. "Those women weren't acting at all out of character."

"Yeah, but…"

"Aaron, you're tall, dark, and handsome." Donovan checked off each word of his fingers, then stared at them for a minute in mock confusion. "Yeah, you're right. Those women must be crazy to fawn over you. I mean, it's not like you have anything that they're looking for."

Aaron glared down at the smaller man, grumbling indignantly. "I still don't get it. They haven't shown an interest in-"

"2 years?" Donovan asked, peering up at him sadly. "Aaron, it wasn't them that haven't noticed. It was you."

Aaron clamped his mouth shut, his lips tightening into a thin line as he heaved a sigh. Full circle, his mind pointed out. And once again, the conversation has shifted a full 360 degrees.

"Hey Aaron," Donovan asked, breaking through Aaron's thoughts. "Will you tell me about her?"

"Huh?" Aaron blinked at the soft words, and looked down at his flustered companion.

"I mean, you don't have to, if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you. It's just that, I'm curious and-"

Aaron could help the small grin that formed at Donovan's faint stuttering. "What do you want to know?"

Donovan's eyes widened as he stared up in shock. "Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, since you were kind enough to share all this with me," Aaron stated, sweeping his arm across a small span of the park. "I figure I should show you the same courtesy."

A grin broke out on Donovan's face, as he nodded his head. "You're right. You should."

Rolling his eyes, Aaron asked him, "So, what is it you want to know?"

"Hm…" Donovan placed a finger to his lips thoughtfully. "Well, how about the beginning? How did you two meet?"

Aaron's eyes flashed momentarily out of focus as he gazed off in the distance, pulling that memory from his mind. "Well…"

The sun hung low in the sky, the threat of night pushing it further into the horizon. Aaron stared into the window before him, watching as the purple and pink hues bounced off the surface, drowning in the sidewalk's murky shades of gray.

"Hey, Aaron, make up your mind already."

Aaron turned to his friend, narrowing his eyes in mock annoyance. "This is a very important decision. It can't be taken lightly."

"Fuck that. Pick vanilla. You always pick vanilla."

"I do not. And are you saying I'm predictable?"

"No. I'm saying you're predictable AND boring."

"Gee, thanks a lot, Sean. Remind me again why I hang out with you? Cause I'm pretty sure it's not to help my self-esteem."

Sean laughed, throwing his arm around Aaron's shoulders as he ushered him away from the display and through the shop door. "Because if it wasn't for me, you'd be suffering from a severe lack of cool. Not to mention you'd probably die of having to make a decision between more than one thing."

Aaron rolled his eyes, brushing Sean off, as they stood in the small line in front of the register. "I'll be sure to remember that fact."

It took longer than Aaron had expected to get to the front of the line, and he couldn't help but notice the pissed off looks the people before him wore.

"That's weird," Aaron said quietly to Sean. "I thought ice-cream usually made people happy."

"I dunno. Maybe they're all trying that new "fat-free" crap. That would make me miserable."

"How can I help you gentlemen?" the girl behind the counter asked, and Aaron shifted his focus to the large menu hung on the wall. "Um…I guess I'll have…"

"Vanilla," Sean answered for him, smirking. "He'll have vanilla."

"Sean, would you shut up and let me make my own decision?" Aaron turned his attention back to the list of flavors before heaving a small sigh. "I guess I'll have vanilla," he finished, shooting his friend a warning look.

"No you won't."

Aaron turned to the girl behind the counter. "Excuse me?"

"Vanilla's dull. You don't want that." Aaron blinked at the girl, shocked. She was petite, with shoulder length honey-blond hair pulled into a ponytail above her uniform's visor. Her blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous look that clearly told Aaron this was the reason for all those people's disdain. "Let me see what it is you really want," she said, moving over to stare into the large tubs of ice cream.

Aaron could only gape in confusion, as she placed a finger to her lips while she thought, switching her gaze between him and the containers.

"Ah, here we go." The girl nodded her approval as she reached over, grabbed a sugar-cone, and began scooping large heaps of heavy brown cream into its mouth. "Here you are," she said, handing it over.

Aaron accepted the offering, eyeing it warily. "What is it?"

"Rocky Road," she explained.

"Um…doesn't Rocky Road usually have peanuts in it?"

"Hey, it was a long day, alright?" She placed her hands on her hips in mock annoyance, before flashing him a grin. "You're cute. What's your name?"

Aaron simply gawked at her, unable to get any words past his throat. What exactly was this girl, anyway? He felt as Sean placed a hand on his back, giving him a small shove forward. "Uh…I'm Aaron," he said, leaning forward, and squinting at the blank area right above the girl's breast.

"Well, Aaron, aren't we the forward one. Don't you think we're moving a bit fast for having just met?"

Aaron jumped back, a small blush forming on his face. "No. I wasn't…I mean…I was just looking for your nametag. I swear…I wasn't…"

The girl laughed, waving a hand. "I was just kidding. I knew what you were doing." She cocked her head to the side, flashing him a sunny grin. "You really are cute."

Aaron blinked a few times, lowering his gaze. "Why don't you have a nametag?" he asked, in hopes of changing the subject.

"Well, the manager figured we'd get less complaints if people didn't know my name."

"Does that work?" Sean asked.

"Nah, not really."

Aaron felt a smile break out on his face as he began to laugh aloud. This girl was certainly something!

"Sorry," he apologized as his laughter bubbled down to a light chuckle.

"Don't be," she grinned back. "You have a really pretty smile. You should do that more."

"Yeah," Aaron said, his smile widening as their eyes locked. " Maybe I will."

"So, you kept going back to the ice-cream parlor to see her?" Donovan asked, turning to look at Aaron.

"Didn't have to," Aaron said, a small smile playing on his lips as he shook his head at the memory. "She came to me. She refused to serve anybody in the whole place until I gave her my phone number, and she called me that very night. Those phone conversations were some of the weirdest ones I've ever had." His eyes held a hint of sadness as he lowered his gaze to Donovan's. "She was very persistent."

"I'm sure she had to be. If not, I doubt you would have ended up together."

"That's true. I've never been what one would call a 'go-getter'."

"Well, Aaron," Donovan began, placing a hand on his hip, and extending his hand to wag a finger at him.

It was if at the moment, time stood still, as reality slammed into his brain with a sickening force. Suddenly, it wasn't Donovan scolding him, but Amy, looking as she had 2 years ago, and uttering words from the past.

"Without initiative, you'll spend the rest of your life running in the same circles."

Aaron paled considerably, and he felt his hands begin to shake as he clenched them at his side. How could he be so stupid? How could he not have seen this? All the signs were there. But perhaps he just wanted to ignore them so badly…

"Aaron?" Donovan's voice rang so small against the sickening beats in his head, and Aaron jumped as he felt him place a warm hand on his arm. "Are you ok?"

Closing his eyes, Aaron turned his head, refusing to look at Donovan. He just couldn't handle that right now. "Yeah. I'm just not felling so well. I think I'm gonna head home." He didn't wait for Donovan to reply before he quickly walked toward the exit, trying his hardest not to simply run away. He didn't turn around and see the desolate look on Donovan's face as he simply stared at Aaron's receding back, nor hear the small apology whispered into the light breeze.

"Hey, buddy. Want to go grab a late lunch?" Garry asked, poking his head into Aaron's office.

"Do you ever knock?" Aaron asked, his eyes still transfixed on his computer screen.

Garry rolled his eyes, knocking on the side of the doorframe. "There, happy? Now let's go."

"I can't. I've got work to do."

"Jesus Christ, Aaron." Garry moved behind Aaron's desk, placing a hand on his arm to still his typing. "Have you looked at yourself this past week? You look like hell."

"Gee thanks," Aaron grumbled, wrenching his arm free.

"No, I'm serious, man. For a little while there, you almost started to look happy again."

"Yeah, well, an illusion can do that to a person."

Garry raised an eyebrow in question. "I have no idea what you just said, but whatever it was that was working it's magic on you, I say you hold on it."

"What do you know?" Aaron mumbled, refusing to look Garry in the face.

"Look, I know that something broke you out of your rut. Whatever that was, it has to be at least somewhat real, right? Illusions can't leave impressions, Aaron. People do."

Aaron slumped back in his chair, the words ringing in his head. "Sorry, Garry, but I'm still going to have to pass."

"Jesus Christ. You know what-"

Aaron rose from his chair, cutting Garry off mid sentence. "And do me a favor. Cover for me. I've got an errand to run," he said, placing a hand on Garry's shoulder as he brushed past him.

"Sure thing. But you owe me lunch!" Aaron heard Garry call after him, and he smiled as he walked from the building, into the parking lot.

" 'Without initiative, you'll spend the rest of your life running in the same circles'. Isn't that right, Amy?"

The diner was bustling with the haste of a city crowd, and Aaron had to push his way through throngs of people and thick clouds of smoke. He was feeling thoroughly claustrophobic by the time he made it through the doors, and he had to convince himself to not running away.

Aaron smirked, realizing that he was having to talk himself out of that a lot more often lately, and he began to wonder exactly what was it that he was scared of. The past? The future? Or maybe just the unknown of the here-and-now.

He forced that thought aside, as his hand moved to cradle the delicate object in his pocket. He had a mission to accomplish. And besides, this probably wasn't the best place to stand and think.

Aaron craned his neck over the waves of people, and he began to wonder how he'd ever find Donovan in this mess. He scoffed and found it more likely that these ogres had trampled the petite blond. Just as he felt a small twinge of rage begin to race through him at his own imagination, he saw Donovan expertly maneuver his way through the crowd, and through a door marked "Employees Only". Aaron smiled in relief, and pushed his way, ungracefully, toward the door, and positioned himself to the side as he waited.

It wasn't long before Donovan breezed back out. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed Aaron, who had to reach out and steady the tray Donovan was holding to keep it from careening to the floor.

"Careful. If you guys keep breaking stuff when I come in here, your boss is going to ban me," Aaron teased with a small grin.

"Aaron…" Donovan simply stood there, a dumbfounded look on his face. It took him a moment to regain his composure. "Aah, I can't really talk now. I've got a lot of tables."

"Yeah, you look busy. But, I'm in no rush. I can wait," Aaron said, and had to smile as an array of emotions danced across Donovan's face.

"You don't have to…" he said slowly, shifting the tray in his hands.

"Oh, so I'm not wanted here?"

"No, I didn't say that. I mean.-"

Aaron laughed and placed a hand on Donovan's back, giving him a small shove. "Go do your thing. I'll be here when you're done."

Donovan glanced at him over his shoulder, giving a small, uncertain nod. But Aaron couldn't help but notice how bright his eyes looked.

Aaron didn't know how Donovan could do what he does, and still manage to be so energetic. Just watching him run around the way he was had made Aaron, himself, tired, and he felt some of Donovan's relief when he untied his apron and flopped into the booth.

"Aaah. Free at last!" Donovan sighed as he threw himself onto his back across the bench.

Aaron rolled his eyes, and peered over the edge of the table. "How were the tips?"

"Not too bad," Donovan said as he flung his arm over his eyes.

"Not too bad? After all you did today, you only came out 'not too bad'?" Aaron was appalled at the concept.

"Well, this isn't exactly a four-star restaurant," Donovan explained as he picked himself up. He propped his elbows on the table, and dropped his chin into his hands as he gazed at Aaron. "So, what brings you back? It couldn't possibly be the coffee. That stuff is banned in at least three states. "

Aaron fought back a grin as he shook his head. "Well, I come for the coffee, I stay for the employees."

A small blush colored Donovan's cheeks as he pushed himself back in his seat. "Aaron…I..." He closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head lightly. "What exactly happened last week?"

"I realized something, and it scared me. I was a jackass. Let's just leave it at that," Aaron said, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, sunny yellow flower. "Here."

"A dandelion!" Donovan cried out as he gently clasped the fragile stem between two fingers, brining it to his face. "How did you know that it's my favorite flower?"

"Lucky guess."

"Did you know that dandelions are perhaps the-"

"-world's most unappreciated flower?" Aaron finished for him, with a small smile. "Yeah, so I've been told." Donovan blinked at him in confusion, causing Aaron to laugh. "It's something Amy used to say. She tried to make me plant a garden of them, until I pointed out that all we had to do was stop mowing the lawn."

Donovan looked from the flower to Aaron, his smile as bright as the small weed. "This is the best thing anybody's ever given me. Thank you."

"Wow, you sure are easy to please," Aaron said, raising an eyebrow. "Just pick you a weed, huh?"

"It's not just the gift, but the act itself," Donovan explained with a small tilt of his head. "And the person giving it."

Aaron felt his pulse quicken as he looked into Donovan's eyes, seeing something in those depths that had never been there before. He pulled his gaze away when he feared that his veins would explode from the rush, and rose to his feet in earnest. "Come on."

"Where?"

"Do you always need a planned schedule?" Aaron teased, holding out his hand. "Let's play hooky." Aaron smiled as Donovan placed a hand in his, and Aaron curled his fingers tightly around it.

"How very frivolous of you," Donovan said, as Aaron pulled him from the diner, dropping his hand as Aaron reached into his pocket for the keys to his car.

Aaron peered at him over his shoulder, smirking. "I told you I can be spontaneous."

"We'll see."

Aaron shook his head as he ducked into the driver's seat, turning to his passenger. "I take it back."

"You take what back?"

"You're not easy to please. Not at all."

Donovan laughed, dropping him a quick wink. "We'll see."

"Yeah," Aaron said, reaching over to taking Donovan's hand again. "We'll see."

The trip was silent, but not uncomfortably so. Aaron watched as Donovan's gaze would shift from the window, to their joined hands, and then back again, and Aaron was sure he could see him trying to suppress a wide smile.

The drive ended far too quickly, even though Aaron had taken the longest possible route he could think of. As he pulled the car to a stop, he fought to kill the ignition with his left hand, before dropping his head back against the headrest with a sigh. He knew that they had to get out of the car sometime, and in order to do that, he'd have to let go of Donovan. He still wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but he knew this wasn't bad. In fact, he kind of liked it, probably more then he should, though he doubted his own courage to do it again. So much for initiative…

"Aaron? What are we doing here?"

Aaron looked over at Donovan, not hiding his confusion at the outright fear that laced his words. He winced as Donovan squeezed his hand hard, and Aaron noticed how bright those blue eyes flared in his pale face. "We're just at my house," Aaron said softly, in a tone one reserved for coaxing small animals from dark places.

"I know that. I mean, why are we here?"

Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. "Well, I figured you'd be hungry after all that."

"Food! Right," Donovan said, heaving an obvious sigh of relief.

"What did you think we were here for?"

Donovan jumped, laughing through a shaky smile. "Nothing. I…um…I just didn't know."

"Uh huh," Aaron said slowly, eyeing him warily. "If you have a problem with being here, we can go somewhere else. I just figured you'd be sick of people by now."

"No, here's fine. Besides, I like the fact that I won't have to share you with hoards of women," Donovan teased, but the look in his eyes held no indication of the laughter in his voice.

The air in the car began to get steadily thicker, causing Aaron's lungs to strain for air, and Donovan to shift uncomfortably. Heaving a small sigh, Aaron dropped Donovan's hand, and pushed open the car door. He unfolded long legs, stretching them out before he stood. He turned to look at Donovan, who was leaning awkwardly against the passenger's side door.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Huh?" Donovan blinked out of his small trance, and Aaron couldn't help but wonder about the light blush that colored his cheeks. "Um…yeah. Just fine."

"What were you just thinking about?" Aaron asked, unable to curb his curiosity.

"Nothing. I mean, food. I mean…." Donovan's stuttering became more urgent as he shifted from a light pink, into a full shade of red. "Can we just go inside?"

Aaron laughed as the words were slurred out in a small whimpering sound. "Of course."

Donovan's shoulders slumped in relief, though a small remains of the blush adorned his face, and he kept his eyes riveted on his worn-out sneakers.

Aaron quickly worked the lock, and stepped into the house, flipping on the lights. "Ah, home at last."

"You may be," Donovan began as he shut the door behind him, and proceeded to follow Aaron into the kitchen. "But I can assure you that my home looks nothing like this."

"Hey, that's right. You never told me where you live."

"I know."

"Well," Aaron stated as he began rummaging through the refrigerator.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me?"

Donovan shook his head as he pulled a chair from the kitchen table, flopping into it. "Nope."

"Why not?" Aaron looked up from his task, hugging the door.

"Just because."

"It's not fair to keep secrets," Aaron whined, instantly regretting the words. Donovan's face paled, his eyes widening briefly before he dropped his gaze to his clasped hands. Aaron watched as the blue eyes glistened, and he wondered if Donovan was fighting off tears. "Hey, it's alright. I was just kidding. Besides, I have secrets myself."

"Really?" Donovan looked up, his expression unsure whether to be relieved or upset by this revelation.

"Yeah."

"What kind of secret?"

Aaron rolled his eyes, smirking lightly. The little hypocrite… "Well, It appears I have a terrible habit of keeping nothing in my house to eat." He turned back to look in the refrigerator, giving it a once-over, before slamming the door shut. "How's Chinese sound?"

"Ok, put your thumb here, and your index finger here. No no. Like you're holding a pencil."

"Like this?"

"Who holds a pencil like that?" Aaron shook his head as he watched Donovan reposition his fingers on his chopsticks. "How do you not have carpal tunnel syndrome by now?"

"Yeah, and holding a pencil like this is supposed to be comfortable?" Donovan asked, indicating his finger placement on the chopstick.

"Hey, I spend six hours a day with a pencil in my hand. I can vouch for it."

"Yeah, well, this is a stupid concept anyway," Donovan grumbled, chucking the sticks onto the small coffee table. "This is why they invented the fork." He smiled as he reached over, spearing a piece of chicken from Aaron's plate. "See?"

"Oh, that's good etiquette."

"Yeah, well, who needs manners."

"Touché," Aaron responded, thrusting his chopsticks onto Donovan's plate.

"Hey! That was my broccoli!"

"Yeah, well, who needs manners."

"That's not bad etiquette. That's petty thievery. Now give it back."

Aaron smirked, raising his arm in the air. "No."

"Then you leave me no choice."

Aaron opened his mouth to retort, when Donovan pounced, knocking him onto his back, and causing his hand to hit the wall.

"Aw, now look what you've done," Donovan pouted, looking down at the floor. "It's all dirty."

All the air seemed to be sucked from Aaron's lungs, and he felt disconnected. His head was swimming, his eyes out of focus, and yet, he was very aware of the other body pressing into him. Aware of how every small movement sent fireworks racing through his body. He couldn't think. He couldn't move. He felt completely paralyzed, but in the most incredible way.

"This is all your fault. You're going to have to take re-" Donovan's words were cut off as he turned to look at Aaron. The realization that they were in a rather compromising position was written across Donovan's face in various shades of red, yet he made no indication of moving. "I'm sorry," he so softly, it was almost as of he was afraid of shattering this moment.

Aaron shook his head, not trusting his voice. Some part of him was whispering that he should run away, or at least be overwrought by the situation. But, louder, and more clear was the thrumming in his head, repeating the same word over and over. Initiative…initiative…initiative…

Tilting his head, Aaron inched toward Donovan, noticing how those blue eyes widened in shock, before slipping halfway closed, expectantly. He felt Donovan's trembling like it were his own body's response as he felt that warm breath on his own lips.

A shrill ring cause them to jump back, turning guiltily toward the phone. Aaron laughed inwardly as he imagined the look on their faces. Like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, no doubt…

Neither one moved as the phone continued to ring, as if any movement would give away what almost transpired. It wasn't long before a small series of clicks started the recording on the answering machine.

"You use one of those pre-recorded messages? But don't you find those so...what's the word? Impersonal and creepy?" Donovan asked, shuffling back to a normal sitting position.

Aaron gave a small shrug, raising a hand to brush the bangs from his face. He stopped, staring at his hands for a moment, realizing that they were trembling violently. So that wasn't Donovan after all…

"Hi Aaron, dear. It's Mom." Aaron's head shot up at the sound of the voice radiating from the machine, and he groaned. "I just wanted to extend another invitation for Thanksgiving. I haven't seen you in so long, and I…" The woman's voice paused slightly with a small crack. "Well, it would be wonderful to see you again, dear. Please, just give me a call or something. I miss you terribly. But, if I don't see you, have a happy Thanksgiving, and please…take care of yourself."

The loud beep indicated the end of the message, and Aaron breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"That was your Mom?"

Aaron turned sad eyes to Donovan with a small shake of his head. "No. It's Amy's. After my mother passed away, she insisted that I call her Mom. You know, to try and ease the pain and all that."

"Oh," Donovan said slowly, looking at his hands for a moment.

Aaron rose to his feet, overwhelmed by the feeling of pity that seemed to emanate from every corner of the room. He moved over to the answering machine, lowering his finger to the erase button.

"What do you think you're doing?" Donovan jumped from his seat, stomping over to Aaron.

"I'm erasing a message I've already listened to," he said slowly, looking at the boy as if he had gone crazy.

"Like hell you are," Donovan snapped at him, slapping his hand away from the machine. "You're going to call her back."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because it's only right to RSVP before you go somewhere."

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I'm going to go anywhere?"

"Because, she asked you nicely, and you'd probably only be moping around a bar anyway." Aaron opened his mouth to retort, but stopped himself as he saw Donovan's mood shift drastically, his eye taking on an almost wistful look. "Besides," Donovan continued, wrapping a hand around his upper arm in a small attempt to comfort himself. "Blood or not, at least it's a family. And it's a hell of a lot better than being alone."

Aaron watched him for a short moment, before reaching out to place a hand over Donovan's. "I'll tell you what. I'll go, but only if you come with me."

Donovan's eyes widened, and Aaron had to suppress a laugh. "Aaron, I don't know. Won't that be too-"

Aaron shook his head, knowing where Donovan was headed. "Nah, it'll be fine."

"Yeah, but…"

"You want me to go, right?" Aaron interrupted.

"Well, yeah…"

"Then it's settled. Unless you have other plans of course."

Donovan shook his head slowly. "No. I don't."

"Good. Then that's that."

Donovan stood there, eyeing Aaron warily, making him fidget under the intense stare.

"What?"

"You really want me to go with you, don't you?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't." Aaron shrugged his shoulders, offering him a smile before nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen. "Now come on."

"Huh? Where?"

"Well," Aaron began, eyeing the broccoli lying limp on the floor. "I have to take responsibility, right? How about I some ice-cream?"

Donovan's eyes lit up at the prospect, and he reached over, grabbing Aaron's hand. "Can we have Rocky Road?" he asked, dragging him to the freezer.

Aaron smiled lightly. "I wouldn't offer you anything less."

Aaron watched the dark cream drip heavily down the sides of the bowl, moving to swim in the remains that melted thick at the bottom. He closed his eyes, and just allowed himself to listen to Donovan's steady breathing, and to enjoy the familiar weight of somebody in his arms.

It wasn't long after Donovan polished off his ice-cream (and most of Aaron's), that he nodded off, his head dropping against Aaron's shoulder in his sleep. It took Aaron a while to work up the guts to even put his arm around the sleeping boy, yet, he couldn't deny the sweet smile that graced his lips as Donovan snuggled into his side, his hands fisting in his shirt.

Aaron opened one eye to glance up awkwardly at the clock hung on the wall above them, and he sighed. He knew he should probably wake Donovan up, seeing as how he usually fell into a frenzy around this time.

Shifting the smaller body against his own, Aaron leaned over, lightly shaking his sleeping form. "Hey, rise and shine." He rolled his eyes as Donovan made a small guttural noise while he buried himself deeper into Aaron's side.

Donovan groaned, pulling an eye open. "Ooh, why'd you have to go and wake me?"

"Well, Cinderella, it's seven-thirty, and don't you turn into a pumpkin at eight?"

Donovan shot up, his eyes wide. "That's right. Oh shit, I almost forgot." He jumped to his feet, and gave Aaron a small smile. "Thanks for waking me."

"Um…no problem." Aaron eyed Donovan warily as he stood, still wondering what dark secrets the boy kept that made him so jumpy…and so afraid. "Do you need me to give you a ride home?"

"No, I'll be fine." Donovan shook his head, looking up at Aaron, his eyes reflecting sadly through his grin. "You know, you're going to be the death of me."

"Am I?"

"Yep." Donovan stood on his toes, pressing a quick kiss to Aaron's cheek. "Thanks for everything."

Aaron could only nod, and watch as Donovan walked to the door, flashing his a quick peace sign before he slipped from the house. Aaron sighed, dropping back to the sofa, his eyes one again following the slow drip of melted ice-cream. He stared at the bowl, trying to pull a memory from the liquid remains, and perhaps, in some way, make it tangible. But who was it that he wanted to see? Amy? Or, was there a chance his mind was calling for Donovan?

AN: Well, it's shorter than last time, but I tried. ^^; Forgive me if this part seems a bit too wistful and uplifting. That'd be the result of trying to write while looping Five Iron Frenzy songs, not to mention with a perpetual case of acute writer's block. *cough*

Hey, I just want to shout out a thanks to all the people who reviewed, especially those at the beginning who had to sign in to , because I was a tart and forgot to turn that feature off. A special thanks goes out to Heather, who went to the trouble of IMing me, and in turn, kicked my ass into gear on this part. (Yes, praise DOES get me to write faster…and I WILL whore myself out for it. *wink*). And as always, the biggest thanks goes out to Dani, who will probably always be my biggest fan.

Go here to check out some of my other (original) stuff, and make sure to check out the stories by Fragmental Dani, who kicks my ass royally in the fanbase. ^^; Any authors out there, be sure to drop your Original Yaoi fics into an email (mail to: Dani ), and join us at the Diner. I'll be the one getting plastered in the corner booth. ^^v

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