An hour and a half later, a triumphant former angel of death entered Bartleby's room with a flourish. He had with him a tray with a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup, crackers, and toast. (It had taken him a good while to discover the can opener.) "See! I- oh." he said upon realizing his companion was asleep. He set the tray down carefully on the nightstand, then turned and watched Bartleby. The dark-haired man was resting peacefully, looking the picture of contentment.

A few minutes later, Bartleby groggily opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Loki looking at him with a sappy expression. "What're you doing?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Watching you sleep."

"Simple creature." he said affectionately.

Loki smiled lopsidedly. "Yeah. But look, I made stuff." And he presented his accomplishment proudly.

Bartleby tasted some of it. "Hey, this is actually good," he took another sip.

Loki was pleased. "Really? Great."

"You haven't had any?"

"Nah, I was waiting to see if you keeled over or something."

"Ah. Thanks."

"No problem." Loki yawned. "Man, I'm tired."

"Take a nap," Bartleby said distractedly. This was some good shit. "Is there any more of this?"

"Yeah, in the kitchen."

"Great." and Bartleby went off in search of more soup. He polished off the rest in about ten minutes, and then, tummy satisfied, he wandered back into his room. And stopped short in amusement. It seemed Loki had taken his advice, for there he was, one big tangle of golden limbs asleep on his bed. Bartleby felt that strange heat rise in him again, and this time he had a name for it: lust. He wanted his best friend, but Loki was more than that. Loki was...

"Mine," he whispered.

Loki shifted on the bed. "Yeah." he affirmed, turning and catching Bartleby's wrist as the startled man began to leave. Blue looked into brown, seeing uncertainty and fear. Loki pulled him gently onto the bed. "Yours." Loki's hands stroked soothingly down his body. This *feeling*, exciting and terrifying and so, so right... Bartleby relaxed, allowed himself to caress Loki's side gently, smooth and perfect. Then, as he followed the curve of a muscular hip, he felt a small flaw. //What-?// He glanced down. And cried out. Beneath his fingers was a long scar.

"Shh..." Loki whispered, trembling slightly under Bartleby's touch. "It's okay, B, it's okay."

"No." he whispered, horrified.

"Yes!" Loki said, the force in his voice causing Bartleby to tear his gaze away from the aberration. "Listen to me, B, damnit! I forgive you, all right?"

"Loki, don't-"

"Do you hear me? And you know why?"

"Don't say it-"

"Because I love you." Then, softer, "You asked me to quit-- we're sent to Wisconsin; you wanted to go home-- you kill me. Wake up, B, *I'm still here*. Like you said..." he whispered huskily, sliding Bartleby's hand back onto his scar. "I'm yours." and their lips met in a kiss that had waited centuries, millennia, to finally occur. It was like drinking the sweetest wine of heaven, and so desperately*true*.

"Now, *please* fuckin touch me, and that's the only time I'll ask nicely."

"You don't have to ask twice..." he mumbled throatily, tasting Loki's sweet flesh. Loki moaned, arching up into him, thrusting his hips into Bartleby's, and a flash of pleasure spiked though him. He pressed down, nipping and kissing Loki's neck, so dizzy and unstable, like he was on the edge of some great secret.

"Fuck yeah!" Loki yelled, yanking at the clothing barrier between them. He succeeded, and all coherent thought abruptly crashed away from his body, bouncing outward and leaving him dying with sensation. Outside, his skin was burning, rich tendrils of heat coiling inward and igniting the slow blaze sizzling in his core. It was coming.... tight and hot //loveyou//- and came!

They lay, silent, in warm afterglow, clinging to one another like they had just witnessed the world being born.

"Okay, I take it back," Loki gasped.

"What?"

"Being human is fucking awesome!"

Bartleby laughed, felt his breathing slow down. "Yeah, but I coulda told you that after the soup."

"This is... nice."

"Yeah."

"But one thing's missing."

"Hmm?"

"I need some gum."

Bartleby rolled his eyes. "You should've tried the soup."

"Probably."

"It was good soup."

"Thanks!"

He smiled, then paused. "Hey. I can hear your heart beating."

"Fuckin' romantic sap."

"Yeah."

A short silence.

"Love you, B."

He snickered. "Now who's the sap?"

Loki just shifted closer to him. Bartleby kissed his forehead gently.

"Love you too."

End

Damn it! Every time! Sappy ending! Gah! *hits head repeatedly* it's like I can't write anything else...

Review? ^__^ love ya!

~RainShadow