He hadn't realized the box was so blastedly heavy to carry. So instead, after pulling it from the back of the walk in closet in the master bedroom, he dragged the box, in stocking feet, sleep shirt, black ribbon and all, across the bedroom, through the hall, and all the way through the living room to the fire place.

When he was done, he stood up, looking down at the miscellaneous content, with out really seeing it, deciding rather or not to search through the rest of the house for anything else that should be added to the box.

Deciding that at least one swipe would be good enough, he moved in the direction of the kitchen first, pausing long enough to uncork a bottle of wine and unorthodoxly pour a good measure of said wine into a tall tumbler, rather then a wine glass and carry it with him as he went slinking around one glass tile wall into the little office area, letting his absinthe green eyes rack over the the furniture in the middle of the night darkness.

He wandered through the house, silent as a phantom and possibly just as sullen and miserable. He polished off his glass of wine and stopped to refill it before making his way back toward the front fire place carrying the bottle as well, moving with much to much femininity, for a young man his age, and silently cursing at least one name strongly for those results.

He liked the front fire place because it was bigger then the one in the masterbed room, or the wood stove in the coverted bedroom. Crouching beside the large cardboard box, he sat his wine glass and the bottle on the extending portion of marble to his right and dragged the box a bit closer, before opening the fire grate.

Rising the flames by just looking at them, he reached into the box and rooted around, before pulling out a binder of notebook paper. He flipped morosely through it a moment, seeing sketches and poems that others knew well. This was the binder Rowen had liked to use to brag about his writing and art skills. Lex tossed it in the fire, picking up his wine and watching the plastic cover burn as the pages ignited.

He reached into the box again, and threw in Rowen's leather baseball glove, a box of letters and little trinkets from Odette and took another drink. Lex sat the glass down, watching the fire a moment, took a pack of cigarettes from the end table behind him, and lit one with a fire place match, before turning his attention back to the large box

He saw a smaller box of photographs and lifted it from with in the brown cardboard, sitting back against the marble and sitting the box on his lap. He was was determined to keep from thinking any of what he was doing tonight was a bad thing, not to feel guilty about what had already been thrown into the fire, but he knew it was damn well giong to be impossible to get through burning half this shit.

Half of Rowen's things, which needed to be burned. He needed some kind of releash from it. After all, the Rowen that was out there, was not the same Rowen that Lex had known once...and loved once. And there was a small part of Lex who still didn't want to accept that. But lately, he'd been fighting against that part, strongly, especially since having met and fallen in love with Faal...

Still...here was the box of photographs, and as much as Lex knew several of them would make it into the fire, there were going to be a hell of a lot of tears and pain. At least one part of him made himself grab the wine and take another stoat drink, before drawing a long drag from the cigarette in his hand.

He picked up the first photograph, not something he knew. A ridiculous looking Rowen and Jimmy at a party. Tapping the ashes off his cigarette, he made a face at Rowen's almost to comical face and tossed the photograph into the fire. Had he really ever giggled at such a laughable expression? He must have, because he remembered Rowen teasing him over finding the expression amusing. Or enduring, as Lex remember he'd must have used that term .

With another drag, he picked up the next picture. Rowen stretched out on the far section of the curved couch, smoking a cigarette and looking relaxed. Lex was leaning against the arm of the couch, his hair spiked and fizzled and looking like he didn't want to be in the photograph, but Rowen hand his arm resting on Lex's left shoulder and Lex realized while looking at the image, that Rowen's fingers had been stroking his neck above the collar, where the camera and photographer couldn't have seen in that gentle way he'd done and that must have been the reason why Lex had remained in the shot. "Must've been Tizzy..." Lex remarked about who had taken the shot, before flinging it in the fire place.

The fingers of his free hand unconsciously touched the very spot Rowen had been stroking in the photo and Lex felt the tears beginning to slid down his cheeks, as he thought about the way Rowen did that, the way it would send shivers down Lex's spin, the way if Lex shuddered, Rowen would smirk ever so slightly, which Lex almost always saw and ended up blushing...

Lex was knocked out of these thoughts as a soft knock came to his front door. Chunking his spent cigarette in the fire with the slowly curling image, he glanced at the clock, his other hand picking up the wine glass and he took a drink, wondering who would come around his place at two in the morning. Then rolled his eyes playfully, answering his own question. He had a good idea who it was.

With a sigh, he sat his glass back down and got up from the spot. There were no lights on in the apartment, Lex had been using the glow of the fire place and memory to navigate his way around the marble columns and toward his front door. He unlocked one of the two double mahogany doors and opened it, not at all surprised to find Faal standing on his door step. "Hello Faal..." He said softly, his smile reflecting the tone.

Faal met his eyes, saw at once Lex had been crying and stepped closer to the door. "Are you alright, Lex?" He asked his own tone soft as he reached down and gently wiped a tear off Lex's cheek, stroking the tear dropp tattoo. He watched Lex's eyes close a moment, the soft smile still on his lips.

Then Lex sighed and opened his eyes, leaning his other cheek against the door and answered. "I will be..." With that he stepped back, opening the door a little wider and admitting Faal inside. Lex closed the door, locking it again as he watched Faal's eyes turn to the fire place and the box before it, knowing Faal understood at once.

"I..had the feeling I needed to be here..." Faal admitted, turning his eyes back to Lex. "But don't let me stop you, if you feel you have to do this..."

Lex smiled a bit more, and his fingers found one of Faal's hands, he led Faal toward the couch. "It'll be easier...if you're here." He said softly. Faal watched Lex look back at him with luminous absinthe green eyes. They were so bright, half from the tears still in them, and half from honesty. And Faal could feel himself fall a liitle more in love with the captivating red head before him.

Lex stopped at the couch, seeing the bottle of wine and only one glass and let out a soft, slightly nervous giggle, his fingers touching his bottom lip a moment before he glanced at Faal. "I forgot I opened a bottle of wine...would you like some?"

Faal glanced bemused, from the single tumbler and wine bottle back to Lex, who still had two fingers resting on his bottom lip with an innocently curious, yet completely seriously expecting questioning look and he reached over, his finger tips brushing Lex's neck sensually, just above the collar.

But he felt Lex stiffen just so slightly and began to take that step away and Faal dropped his hand, decidedly not making any other notice of Lex stiffen, because he saw Lex's eyes began to widen slightly. "No, if I get thirsty, I'll just drink from your glass." Faal said, covering the twinge of worry with a smile.

Lex gazed at him a long moment, but didn't protest to that suggestion and moved back toward the fire place. As glad as he was to have Faal there, it was suddenly ackward, he had to fight with himself to keep from blushing as he knelt down before the fire place again, and pulled the photobox up to his right side. Faal had settled himself on the edge of the couch behind Lex.

Faal sat in the glow form the fire and watched Lex as he rifled through the box of items beside him. After several pauses for drinks, and lighting another cigareete, Lex finally chose something, pulling it out and sitting there for a moment staring at it. Faal sighed, watching the firelight dancing over Lex's face and hair.. throwing shadows over the oversized sleepshirt. After several minutes of Lex not moving, Faal stood and walked over to him, sitting down behind him. He stretched his legs out on either side of Lex, pulling him back against him and kissing the side of his neck, just below the collar.

Lex sighed and tossed the paper bag with a date written on it in to the fire place and moved his legs from under him, so he was much more comfortable leaning back against Faal. He picked up a couple photographs and looked at them. One was a photobooth print and apparently Rowen had been able to kiss Lex in the last two shots. Lex slowly began to tear each shot apart, staring moodily at them, trying to figure out why around anyone else Rowen refused to show even the slightly acknowledgement that he and Lex were more then just friends, yet in privet Rowen had always been the affectionate one...

Faal wrapped his arms around Lex a little tighter, leaned his cheek against the red hair, watching him shred the photos before tossing the confetti into the fire. "If you need to talk about any of it,love..I'm here."

Lex's fingers found two more photos that were prime examples of what he was trying to figure out and he sighed again, before saying softly. "I just never understood why he wanted it such a secret. I'm starting to wonder...which was really the act..." Lex trailed off mirsably, sagging slightly as he stared at the photos. He had to run an arm warmer over one eye to clear it of tears.

Faal reached up and stroked Lex's cheek. "Maybe everything was... maybe none of it was... does it really matter any more, Lex?" He places a kiss on the top of his head and continued to stroke his cheek. "All I know is that I love you so much I could never even imagine hiding those feelings from anyone for any reason. I have no idea how Rowen could have.."

Lex flipped the two photos degectedly into fire place and sat for a moment with his hands in his lap, watching the flames. "I told myself I wouldn't feel guilty about burning any of this..." Another photograph caught his eye and he picked up one of him and Rue at the Raven. In the photograph she was looking at Lex with open affection. The Lex in the picture still didn't look like he liked being in the picture, and Rue's hand was some where behind Lex's neck.the picture.

Faal reached around and stroked the face of the Lex in the photograph. " Bad times aside, Lex... there were still good times and happy feelings... you just have to keep in mind that youre only letting go of the bad. The good is still in you if you want it. These, " he waved a hand at the box, " are just things, nothing more. Symbols of you letting go of the past and responsibilty for it."

Lex dropped the photograph back in it's box with a sigh and replied. "Even if I could let go of the past, what good would it do? He's still alive, and it's always a constant reminder..." He reached behind him slightly for the glass of wine.

"The good it does, Lex love, is that you need to stop feeling like it's all your fault. Rowen did those things to you because he wanted to.. not because you wanted it. He hurt you. You had no responsibility in that whatsoever. Yes he's still alive... for now... but you've told me that he no longer has anyplace in your life or heart... has that changed or where you lying to yourself? Because I was under the impression that this was your way of saying goodbye to all that..."

"I hate good byes, they're so superfical...No, what I want is for him to leave me alone...I'd be more then happy to just walk to other way...if he could...But no, instead he's pushed me into this...the same way he pushed me into thinking I was in love with him..." Lex suddenly groaned, closing his eyes. "He must've been planning it all from the moment he saw my collar in the alley way..."It was yet another reason to hate the collar around his neck.

Faal kissed Le'x cheek then stroked his neck below the collar along the collar bone. " He was an ass. He had a wonderful, incredible , intelligent, sexy creature like you.. and he couldn't love you. I shall never understand that." Faal whispered in his ear, kissing the earlobe gently. "You're right though.. goodbye's do tend to be superfical. I've always perferred either ' till next time', or if its someone you never want to see again, a good ol' fashioned ' Fuck off'.." he said nudging the box with his foot. " if its fuck off.. why dont you just chuck everything in.. don't bother reliving it..."

Lex finished off the glass of wine he had, shoving the glass away and eyed the box, but said reasonably and logically. "To much for the fire place all at once..." But he did pick up the small box full of photographs. He paused at an image on top of a young woman with dark hair. "Odette..."He shook his head slightly. "Rowen would have married her, if she hadn't died...Abandon's assassin killed her.I wonder if it was one of the ones Xander was ordered to do..." Lex muttered thoughtfully. Then he shoved the entire box of photographs in the fire roughly.

" You could ask, I suppose.. but does it matter?" Faal asked, wrapping Lex back in his arms as they watched the fire comsume the photos. " You know... we could just haul this down to the car and drive. find a nice empty place and have a bonfire... it's not that cold out tonight..."

"It'd never all fit in the mustang." Lex replied, but he was looking at the box and it was clear he rather liked the idea.

"Then we'll shove it in mine. Or we'll carry then damned stuff... must be an empty lot somewhere.... We'll dump it all in a pile and you can torch it all at once. Just blast the shit out of it."

Lex turned slightly to look at Faal. It was clear he rather liked the idea, his eyes were sparkling mischieviously. That may have also been from the wine, but he didn't really care at the moment. "There's an empty lot two blocks over..." He said softly.

Faal stood up and pulled Lex to his feet, wrapping his arms around him and stealing a kiss. " Good. You go get dressed, and i'll see if I can't get this down stairs... Mayeb we should divide it into smaller boxes or bags...."

"There might be something in the hall closet...but if you look, just be careful of distrubing Aloysius, he's been hiding in there tonight, in a dreadful mood..." Lex was heading toward the master bed room, stopping in the far corner where there was a pile of shoes and found a matching pair.

Faal watched Lex leave, vanishing into the shadows as he left the glow of the fire behind. He heaved a sigh and turned. "Enough of those thoughts, Faal, or you'll get nothing done tonight..." he headed off looking for a lightswitch. Once he found the switch he quickly found the closet in question, it's door a jar, no doubt so the cat could come and go if he chose. With a smile he tapped lightly on the door. "Excuse me for disturbing you, Aloyisous, but I need to grab something.. I'll be out of your hair in a minute." He said, then swung the door open. A low rumbling growl sounded and he looked down at the black and white cat as it crouched amoung the shoes.

The cat sat up right, tail twitching and ears slowly folded back and said out loud...or at least it would have been out loud, if cats could talk, but some one obviously said it and the cat was the only one around. "Just who do you think you are then?" The voice was oddly arrogant and slightly accented and the just to clear up that it must have been the cat, Aloysius lept up onto the shelf, putting him at eye level with Faal and actually glared.

Faal raised one eyebrow as he regarded the cat, before chuckling softly. "Ah.. a keezal! Had me going for a moment there, sir. " He gave a short sketchy bow as he introduced hismself. "My name is Faal, I am Lex's guardian and lover. I'm pleased to make your aquaintance.. Lex has spoken of you quite often.. although he failed to mention this."

Aloysius arrogantly groomed a paw, and looked at Faal unimpressed with one eye. "Lex doesn't know, now does he? If he did, I'm sure he would have...spoken of it..." The cat lowered his paw, tail still twitching, watching Faal closely. "What are you intentions?" He asked after a moment, very seriously.

Faal regarded the werecat thoughtfully. "As too telling Lex his cat isn't a mere cat? Or toward's Lex himself?"

There was a irritated flick of the tail, and the cat let out a soft yeowl as if to let Faal know exactly what he was dealing with then Aloysius said. "Toward Lex himself...try not to beat around the bush, as you fae so often like to do...you should kow I can see right through that glamour..and you should know what I'm capable of doing...magic wise..." There was a slight purr and Aloysius appeared to be smirking as he looked up at Faal.

Faal bowed his head slightly acknowledging the threat implicite in the cat's words. "Indeed I do, friend. As for Lex, I love him with all my heart and soul. I'll gladly die to keep him safe from further harm. I am rather curious as to what a Keezal is doing masquerading as a house cat..."

The cat, which was a bit larger then a normal house cat, stretched, flexing his claws. "I have my reasons..." He said lesierly, then turned his lamp yellow eyes on Faal, "I suppose I owe a bit more of a direct answer then that..." There was an amused chuckle.

Faal shook his head. "You may keep your secrest as slong as you swear that it shall not harm Lex in any way. I get the impression that you're a sort of .. self impossed..guardian. Lex needs all the friends he can get. "

Aloysius jumped off the shelf, as he did so, he made sure his tail racked a pair of smaller, studier empty boxes. Then he stopped at the door, tail in the air, let out a content mew and said. "The boy did unknowingly save my life. Some one has to keep a sharp eye on him." Aloysius rubbed up against Faal's legs, but added in a rather serious tone that contridicted the content and friendly actions he was making. "Hurt him, and I will excirse my claws and magic..." With that Aloysius started off down the hall, at seeing Lex appear from the bedroom. He mewed and curled about Lex's legs, before planting himself at Lex's feet and looked back at Faal, that very obvious hint of a smirk in the cat's eyes.

Faal bowed slightly towards the cat. "So noted, sir.. and you would be perfectly right in doing so.." Lex raised a curious eyebrow at Faal, who merely shrugged. "He's your cat.. you've said he seems too smart for an ordinary cat sometimes... I'm sure you speak to him too." He turned and retrived the boxes form the closet.

Aloysius mewed and pawed at Lex's leg and Lex bent low to pick up the cat. "It's only scary when you know he's listening to you..." Lex replied to Faal, before turning toward the bedroom, and letting the cat go, who bound over to the bed and began making himself at home. Lex looked back at Faal. He'd changed into a pair of old jeans and a sweater, which had been the closet things to grab.

"You shouldn't be scared, Lex.. you're lucky to have such a good friend and confidant as you do in Aloyiscious." Faal smiled, setting the boxed down before jogging over to Lex and sweeping him into a hug. "God, you are more gorgeous every time I see you." He said, stealing another kiss.

Lex blinked at Faal from his arms, a touch surprised at both Faal's words and actions. "He's just a cat..." Lex muttered after the kiss. Faal would have heard Aloysius snort and mutter a 'if only' in a cynical tone as he rolled his eyes from the bed. "Or at least I think he is...I do have my doubts some times...And I was only away from you for less then five minutes..." He added, in a slight giggle.

"It was an eternity." Faal said stealing another kiss. before glancing down at the jeans. "As fabulous as you look in jeans.. I'm rather sad to see the nightshirt gone... I suppose I shall have to look forward to later, hmm?"

Lex blushed a bit more. "I imagine...if we clear out this...stuff." He nodded back toward the box still before the fire place. "Or else I'll never get it done..."

Faal sighed, glancing back at the boxes on the floor. "Right. Then let's get too it, shall we?" He stole a final kiss before started to toss stuff into the two smaller boxes. After a moment Lex joined him and in no time they had to smaller, overflowing boxes waiting for them.

"Just let me pull on my shoes...and put out that fire..." Lex leaned on the arm of the couch, to slide on the shoes that were decidedly girlish, lost his balance and tumbled backward over the arm of the chair onto the couch. "Oh!" He squeaked, surprised.

Faal shook his head, chuckling softly as he went to stand by the couch and look down at Lex. "don't temp me, little flame.." He said with a mischevious smile and scooped Lex up into his arms. " Or you may not get this stuff taken care of tonight at all..."

"Well that wasn't exactly my intention..." He glanced at the fire, which began lowering on it's own, then he glanced at the two boxes. "We should take care of this stuff, or I never will and it'll just sit around collecting dust..." His tone was slightly airly and he decided not to drink wine again for some time.

Faal chuckled, setting Lex back on his feet, and rather hesitantly letting go of him to scoop up the bigger of the two boxes. "Are you going to be able to make it? I can come back for the other box?"

Lex took the other box and managed to stand, with only the slightly stumble which he recovered from gracefully. "I'll be fine." He said, although his grin might have been a bit fleeting to cover something.

Faal paused, sensing there was something else Lex wanted to say, but the redhead was already headed for the door, so he sighed and followed, pausing long enough to slip his feet into his shoes and grab his coat. They made it to the street with only a couple stumbles. "So, do you feel up to walking, or shallwe toss these into my car?"

"It's only two blocks over...I'd rather walk..." Lex said softly, hoping the walk would clear his head a bit. He really did want to burn all this crap at once. "You don't mind, do you?" He asked hesitatently after a moment, looking at Faal with slightly wider eyes then normal. He apparently got slightly more coyly naive when intoxicated. if it could be thought of that way...

Faal chuckled and shook his head. "It was my idea, love.. why would I mind?" He asked as they started to walk. He kept a close eye on Lex, watching for any stumbles, and enjoying the view as he did so.

Lex noticed a couple of things in the box he was carrying that would bit a shame to throw away, but he could still do with out them. He wasn't really focusing on the desitnation, but none the same led Faal to the large empty lot. A lot of the area had high grass. "There's a place at the far side, that would work..." Lex said with a nod of his head

Faal gave a mock sigh. "here we go hiking again. We really must rethink our wardrobes, Lex. At least our choices of footwear." Faal chuckled, as they made their way through the tall grass, trying to watch out for holes and junk so as not to trip.

Lex led a smooth path to where he was talking about, which actually revealed a bit down an incline at the open area beside a creek, which revealed that he'd been there more then once and this was true, because there was the signs of other fires. and a large old stump near by.

Faal set his box down beside the stump and reached out to take the second one from Lex. "Anything you'd like to keep before we dump it out?"

Lex glanced at the box, hesitated, then shook his head as he sat down on the stump, "No, best not. Just burn it all..." He said with a gesture, picking at some brush beside the stump. "Or well, just dump it all...I'll sit it ablaze..." he muttered.

Faal dumped the two boxes worth of stuff into one big pile and stepped back, standing behind Lex, his arms wrapped around his waist. He leaned down and kissed Lex's throat above the collar, then whispered in his ear. "It's your show, Lex... get rid of a bit of that hostility."

Lex stared a long time at the pile of junk, contemplating. Then he held out a hand, palm downward, a thin coil of fire began winding it's self from around his wrist, down his hand and fingers, appearing to come from just under Lex's sleeve cuff. The fire coiled off from the single line, to wrap around down Lex's fingers and at the end snaked around like tiny serpants. Then the fire dropped off his fingers and slid under the bottom junk, nothing happened for a moment, before there was a tiny explosion, Lex was guessing it was Rowen's game boy, and a burst of flames, which slowly grew.

Faal rested his cheek against the tiop of Lex's head as he watched the fire grow. He felt Lex slowly relax against him as the fire grew and smiled, kissing the top of his head. He hoped that this would help Lex begin to get on with his life. He slipped his hands up unilt they carressed Lex's arms, then held him hands as they watched the fire.

Lex slid a single photograph from his pocket. It was wrinkled and worn and once a long time ago, had been Lex's favorite photo of Rowen and him. He looked at the photograph, where Rowen had his arms around Lex, almost the same way Faal did now, but they were cuddled on the bed in the master bedroom, with the camera on the timer. The image looked as if it could have been a good relationship. Lex sighed, then tore the image in two, and tossed it in the fire with the rest of the stuff.

Faal gentley turned Lex around to face him, tilting his chin up so he could look into his eyes. "Are you alright, little flame? I hate to see you so sad.." He asked, brushing his lips lightly against Lex's.

Lex sighed but met Faal's gaze. "I will be..." He said softly. "I was just saying good bye...to the part of Rowen that was decent anyway. I guess that's the Rowen that died two years ago..." He leaned against Faal watching the fire a moment.

"Believe in that, Lex. Believe that the Rowen out there now that wants to hurt you, is a different person." He watched the fire, holding Lex, loving the feel of him in his arms, eyt at the same time, wishing he could watch the firelight dancing across his skin...

"There isn't any other way to get through this, other wise...And when it comes down to what it will in the end..." Lex trailed off, wine always made him feel like he didn't know what he was talking about. He was quiet for a moment, then said softly, for no reason. "It would have been completely different if I'd met you first...everything would have..."

Faal sighed, kissing Lex's hair. "I'm sorry, Lex.. I should've tried harder to find you. If I had, then you would've met me first... then I could have spared you all this grief.."

"But then we wouldn't exactly be here, would we...like this I mean... IT could have all been completely different..." Lex said softly, resting his head on Faal's shoulder.

Faal sighed. "yes.. I guess it would have.. we wouldn't have had Valentine's day together..."

Lex smiled at that. "For a first date, I have to admit it was unforgetable..." he said softly, turning his head to look at Faal.

"Lex... I'm sorry I couldn't spare you the pain you've had to endure i your life so far, but I love who you are, and that has everything to do with what you've ben through..." Faal sighed, staring into the flames for a moment. " If there were a way I could go back and save you form the pain... I would. even if it meant losing you forever.. as long as you were safe and happy..."

Lex looked at Faal, then reached up, turning Faal's face, to look at him. "But I am safe and happy...as long as I'm with you...really. And i met you before Rowen, who's to say I'd still be safe and happy...Okay, disregarde that last comment..." He added with a little giggle.

Faal chuckled, looking down into those pools of green fire. "You're my world, Lexine Mordant.. do you know that? Do you have the slightest clue how much you mean to me?"

Lex slid his arms around Faal's neck, and looked at him. "To be very honest, I don't imagine I could guess, about what I mean to you..."He giggled shyly, then said. "I just know I love you...much more then I ever did Rowen...I've never felt this way about anyone, and no, that's not the wine talking..."

Faal chuckled and took hold of Lex's waist, lifting him off the ground high enough to kiss without bending down, before he set him back on his feet. "You do realize that as soon as that fire is done.. I'm going to take you home and have my way with you..."

Lex raised an eyebrow bemused, moving one hand from around Faal's neck. "No more gentleman tonight?" He asked softly, teasingly.

" No.. the gentleman has taken the rest of the night off.. he's been rather busy.. carrying boxes and all, and having a very interesting conversation with aloyscious... I hope you don't mind?"

Lex quirked an eyebrow. "Well I certianlly hope Aloysius didn't offend the gentleman...I have no idea what a cat like him could have to say...if anything..." He began drawing out the flames, almost everything burned.

"Oh no, he certainly didn't offend the gentlman at all. There was a athreat, but considering it was that he would attack said gentleman with tooth and claw, and anything else that came to paw should he harm you in any way, the gentleman was not offending by it. In deed, he was greatly relived that you had such a good friend and bodyguard living with you for when he couldn't be around."

Lex smiled slightly, shaking his head. "And here I thought he was nothing more then a managy alley cat..." He watched the smoldering remains of the stuff for a moment.

"Oh no, Lex.. you mustn't think so lowly of such a good friend." Faal said, glancing over to the fire. "Almost ready to go? I'm looking forward to that nightshirt of yours... of course, in order to get to enjoy the nightshirt, we have to get past me favorite part... might get some what distracted..."

We’d better go. To much lingering around here...the wine's starting to wear off, I wont be as adventurous if we dont' go now..." Lex said coyly. "And I don't think lowly of Aloysius...but you should be warned he's given to jealousy easily..."

Faal chuckled. "Don't woory about Aloyiscious and muself.. I believe we've reached an understanding. As for the wine wearing off.. Lex, my dearest... you've never had the benefit of alcohol on other occasions. You can be adventurous enough on your own." He said, scooping Lex up into his arms and starting back to the building with Lex in his arms.

Lex giggled as Faal scooped him up. "Rather glad it's the middle of the night..." He said with a giggle. "Or it'd be quiet a sight with you carrying me back to the building.."

"I'd carry you in the midle of the day, in the middle of a crowded street... it wouldn't matter to me. I don't care who sees us. I want the world to see how lucky I am to have such a ravouscing creature in my arms.."

Lex shook his head, but was smiling none the less. "Remember when I said you were a puzzling character...you still are, but some times you can be absolutely silly...in a very enduring way..." Lex said softly, smiling at Faal.

"Silly?" Faal asked. "Me? Silly?? Well, Here I am trying to be romantic and you call me silly for my troubles. " Faal said, stopping and setting LEx on his feet. Before Lex could open his mouth to say anything, Faal had gottne a new hold and tossed Lex over his shoulder. " If I'm going to be called silly for that, then i shall bypass the romance and go straight for caveman."

Lex yelped at finding himself thrown over Faal's shoulder. "Really Faal, you cuold have just left me on my feet!" He protested. "Because I don't want to tell you that it is rather silly of you to be carrying me off over your shoulder..." Lex giggled and attempted to slid off Faal's shoulder.

Faal caught him and held him as he walked. "If you persist in calling me silly, I may have give in to temptaion. "He said, giving Lex's rear end a pat where it lay on his shoulder.

Lex propped his chin on his elbow, which would have been in Faal's back. "I think I much perfered it when you were carrying me..." He said dryly with a mock sniffle, he really found it all quiet amusing. And he knew only Faal would have begun carrying him in the first place.

Faal placed a kiss on Lex's hip as they approached his building. "then you shouldn't have said i was being silly." he said, a smirk creeping across his face. "I was thinking I almost perferr carrying you like this... I have at least one hand free and the view is quite nice...." he said, pausing to open the door.

Lex's spurts of naiveness showed through when heard himself ask quiet seriously, "What view?" Then he scrunched up his nose in realization and decided to shut his mouth.

Faal's chuckle at Lex's question grew until he had to stop and lean against the wall. "God. I love you Lex..." He said, wiping his eyes as he began to climb the stairs. "I hope you have your key, otherwise I'll have to carry you all the way back down and out to mycar..."
Lex slid his keys from his jean pocket with a pout. "Of course I've got my keys, I wasn't that drunk..." He muttered sullenly.

Fal snatched the keys from him. "Damn... that means I have to loose my view shortly.. I hope your planning on making up for it.."

Lex tryed to turn about so he could give Faal a look, but he couldn't quiet figure out how. "Make what up?" He asked in that navie tone again, this time a little indigintant as well.

Faal stopped at LEx's door and dropped him to his feet. He smiled down at the indignant look on Lex's face and caught his mouth in a hungry kiss. "Make up my loss of this wonderful view. "He said huskily, giving Lex's rear end a pat. "I warned you .. the gentleman has left for the night. Can you handle me without him here to chaperone?"

Lex was already finding the keys in Faal's other hand, kissing Faal back. "I don't know..." He purred back. "You haven't quiet let the rogue play, have you...the gentleman's always to close around..." He traced Faal's jaw with his free hand, brushing his lips against his.

"not tonight, he's not." Faal said, stealing another kiss, sliding his hands inside Lex's coat. "Blame the site of you by fire light in the nightshirt.... blame the bonfire... whatever you wish. Perhaps I'm merely tired of trying so hard to hold back and take things slowly with you.... especially when you keep tempting me and teasing me for my troubles.." He said softly, kissing his way down Lex's neck , over the collar down to the hollow of his throat.

Lex slid the key of his apartment into the lock and wiggled back into the door away from Faal, as much as he could get away. "Again with the blame...do we really have to blame any one or thing here, except me..." he batted his eyes lashes and turend the key, pushing at the door.

Faal chuckled. "No blame... I can deal with that.. rmember though.. you said it." He tossed Lex back over his shoulder and opened the door, tossing the keys onto the closest surface and locking the door behind them. He didn't bother with the light, but kicked off his shoes and heaed straight for the bedroom. "Aloyiscous, my friend... you may want to vacate the bedroom if you're still in there..."

Faal would have heard Aloysius from near the back cracked window, on his way leaving. "I shall be back in the morning..."The werecat said slightly boredly and in the darkness his yellow eyes flashed a moment, before he added mischieviously. "Behave..." Lex managed to turn himself slightly on Faal's shoulder. "We are inside you know...you could put me down..."

"Yes I coud.. but where would the fun be in that?" Faal asked innocently, chuckling at Aloyiscoius's departing comment. Kicking the bedroom door closed behind him he swung Lex down so he was cradled in his arms again. "Is this better?"

Lex looked up Faal through his lashes and said softly. "Admittedly, but I was beginning to see what you meant about the view..." And he slowly began to grin wickedly.

Faal chuckled as he sat on the bed with Lex in his lap. "did you enjoy your view as much as did mine?" He asked stealing a kiss as he undid Lex's coat and began peeling it off.

Lex began giggling, partly because he knew how absurde this was going to sound to Faal and partly because he couldn't stop himself from saying it. "Well yus...and Aiyla really doesn't know what she's talking about, because I think your...arse is much better looking then Nate's..."

Faal chuckled, one eye brow raised. "Really? high priase indeed... I've over heard many remarks about Nathaniels tush..." He nuzzled Lex's neck as he tugged off his shoes, letting them drop to the floor before tugging Lex's shirt loose. " Do you all sit around camparing us? Where do I rate on this comparison chart, hmm?"

"We don't sat around comparing you..." Lex replied with mock innocence as he toyed with pushing Faal's coat off. "Not really, well, I don't...the girls have talked about it, and seem to feel the need to drag me into it...I think they use my opinion to break ties..." He said this in a mock conspirital tone, looking at Faal through his lashes.

Faal paused in what he was doing to shrug out of his coat, tossing it on the floor before resuming pulling Lex's shirt loose, tugging it off and sending it to join the rst of the clothing. " Hmm... you have nothing to say about me? I shall have to work harder then so you'll have something to brag about to them the next time.." He said, trailing kisses and nibbles down Lex's chest.

"Well maybe I just don't want them knowing what I've got..." Lex replied slyly, "Besides, the only thing on Aiyla's mind is sex. and I'm serious about that...she started asking what the rest of us considered the most romantic night...and then asked about what kind of sex it would be...I'm awfully surprised Alandra answered...Tizzy of course, being Tizzy...she answered..."Lex trailed off in a giggle

Faal cut Lex''s gigle off with a kiss as he undid Lex's jeans. He kissed his way over to his ear as he tugged the jeans down. "And what would your answer have been...?

Lex slid a hand beneath Faal's shirt and up his chest after tugging the garment loose. "Well it was only a choice between rough sex and slow and mind numbing..." He answered with a stiffled giggle.

Faal tugged the last of Lex's clothing off, then turned and set him on the bed, watching Lex almost hungrily as he unbuckled his pants and began to remonve them.." An what was youre preferrence.. perhaps I'll feel like indulging you.."

Lex looked at him, trying not to giggle any more, but his fingers were touching his bottom lip in that absenct sort of way. How ever, he managed to say in a soft tone. "Oh, I believe my answer was, at the time, some where in between... yus..." He added a slight nod of aggreement. "Really, that's all she thinks about, sex...Aiyla...that's all SHE thinks about..."

Faal chuckled as he pulled off his shirt and dropped to the bed beside Lex, pulling him close. "Right now.. I can completely understand that mindset. " He said, and returned to trailing kisses and nibbles all over LEx, making him giggle and squirm.

"Well now, I can blame it on you..." Lex giggles, trying to squirm out of Faal's reach. not at all above playing hard to get.

Faal stopped his kisses long enough to pin Lex to the bed and give him a look. "Not tonight you don't, litle flame... no more playing and teasing... " He caught Lex's mouth in another kiss, drawing it out as long as he could, feeling Lex tremble beneath him.

Lex gasped for air, as he managed to pull away from Faal's kiss, looking at him with naive surprised wide eyes, but then he really couldn't really complain, he knew he'd only got himself into this. Still, he couldn't stop pushing buttons and whispered, with a hint of playful challenge, "You wouldn't dare..."

Faal gave him a wicked smile in return, keeping Lex pinned with one hand while the other tugged off the last of his clothes. He moved back pulling LEx closer,head to toe bare skin touching. He slid his free hand down to Lex's waist then slip behindto the small of his back. " Tonight I dare, Lexine... do want me to stop?" he asked staring down into liquid pools of green fire as he waited for the answer'

Lex moved a hand, pushing a loose lock of hair from Faal's face and leaned forward, brushing his lips across his, but he pulled away before Faal could kiss him, and leaned forward more, whispering in his ear. "No..." He nibbled lightly.

Faal smiled and reached to pull his hair loose from the elastic that held it, then rolled over pulling Lex with him until he was laying on his back looking up at the red head. "See what I mean about getting distracted... I guess I'll have to stay over another night to see you in that nightshirt again..." he said, pulling Lex down for a kiss, letting his hand trail down Lex's side.

"I wont mind telling you that night shirt is comfortable, so just because it's girlish..." Lex left it at that, leaning over him. He ran his fingers through Faal's hair as much as he could, and grinned down at him. "I like your hair down..." He said playfully.

Faal smiled up at him, his eyes sparkling as he ran his fingers up and down LEx's ribs, dipping lower each pass. " I don't care whether the stuff you wear is made for girls or guys... you look fabulous in it. As long as you like it, that's enough for me."

Lex leaned down even further, leaning on his elbows above Faal's shoulders, and ran a finger slowly along Faal's lips. "Ah, I see...well then if it doesn't matter what I wear around you, I may have to take Aiyla's bet...for my ego of course..." He said softly, smiling alluringly.

"A bet? " Faal asked, catching the finger in his mouth as he winked at Lex.."How enticing.. do tell..." He smiled mischievioulsy as his hands both slid down sides, grabbing his hips and pulling him closer. " I'm all ears..."

Lex giggled softly, moving his finger away and kissing Faal soft and teasing, before saying. "A bet between her and I about which one of us, her or I, looks best in a skirt. First one to be sweep off because of said skirt and significatiant other's incapablitiy ot keep hands off over the skirt, wins..." Lex said softly, smiling wickedly.

Faal raised an eye brow then pushed him self up to look donw the length of Lex. "You... in a skirt..."He shook his head slowly, before Pulling Lex tight against him again. "The mere thought of those gorgous legs.. and nothing in the way... well. you feel for yourself .. she'll lose.."

Lex giggled, wrapping his arms around Faal's neck and pulling him down to him. "She'll love the challenge..." He giggled, now quiet keen on the idea of accepting Aiyla's bet.

"She doesn't stand a chance.. afterall.. Nate's seen her in a skirt before... she'll have to try to come up with something incredible to get the reaction she wants... I on the other hand, have never seen you in a skirt... "

"Well neither has anyone else..." Lex said softly, drawing Faal closer. "It'd be worth it...just to see some of their faces, not just Eire and Xander's...maybe Rue's too, just to see their shocked expression, but to know you'll be the only one getting me out of it..." He said in barely a whisper.

Faal gave a low groan at Lex's words. "Oh you are wicked, Lexine." He said with a grin, pulling him to a kiss. "I can't wait. Don't worry about something comfortable. You won't be wearing it long enough..."