I was so inspired by "In The Flesh" on BBC3 that it took me right out of my writer's block to write this. I hope you enjoy and I'd love to turn this into a series so, prompts are welcome. Reviews are love!

About That Night

The night is quiet, darker than usual, no moon but that's how it is more often than not when Kieren meets up with Rick. It always seems like even the night wants to conceal them, ensure that their best kept secrets aren't let out, at least, Rick's best kept. Kieren Walker knew what their friendship would mean the second they became friends. Middle school bullies made sure Kieren began the day with a series of taunts and name calling until one fine day when a 12-year-old Rick Macey decided he'd had enough for the both of them.

"That's enough!" He'd shouted over the boy's loud voices, leaving Kieren in a state of unimaginable shock. When the boys disbanded, Rick made sure that Kieren was alright, it was only polite. "Don't listen to them, mate, just a bunch of gits if you ask me." Kieren smiled, causing Rick to smile. Both boys just sort of... Looked at each other until Rick broke the silence. "I'm Rick. Rick Macey." His voice was always so calm, so collected and commanding. Kieren decided then that that was one of his favorite things about Rick.

"I know who you are." Kieren responded, earning a raised eyebrow from the other boy. "I mean, I've seen you around." A good enough save. "I'm Kieren Walker."

"Well, Kieren Walker." Rick made a point to throw his hand over the smaller boys shoulder, they'd come to realize he'd always do that. "You don't have to worry about the bollocks anymore, you and me are mates now."

And that's how it started, with two little boys and a couple a bullies. Every night Kieren would thank those kids in his dreams for being so ugly to him. Somehow, their friendship had landed them in the middle of a hill, drinking a bottle of White Lightning and smoking a couple fags. "Y'know Ren, I think maybe you're just too uptight." Rick says between swigs of the bottle's contents. They had been talking about Rick's now ex-girlfriend and how Ren didn't necessarily dislike her. "Maybe if you talked to her a little more..."

"Maybe if you hadn't been so interested in me, you'd still be together." Kieren meant it in good fun, but the silence he receives from his friend proves almost too much to handle. Sitting on the side of the hill, Kieren adjusts himself in his seated position to get more comfortable in the palpable awkwardness, but as he does so, he feels Rick's strong hand reach over and grab his arm. The smaller boy is quickly pulled into Rick's lap, legs spread to straddle the older male so that their faces almost touch.

"Kieren Walker, there's no getting on passed you." Kieren pushes his forehead against Rick's as he smiles, more relieved than anything that the larger male hadn't minded his comments. The small blond feels Rick's breath against his lips, warm and inviting, he presses them agains't Rick's but only for a second and only enough to feel the contact between them. It wasn't the most sound strategy, but if Rick wanted to kiss him, Kieren was sure he'd make a move.

Only barely attempting to pull away, Kieren feels Rick's large hand behind his neck, pulling with a gentle ease to get their lips back together. Kieren gladly obliges, allowing his head to tip forward and to the side just a bit to ensure that Rick got his fill. When they separated once more, Rick places the bottle between his and Kieren's legs and rests his hands on the outside of the smaller boy's thighs. "Do you like... Doing this?" Kieren is insecure, that much is true. With Rick's dad Bill, he's never sure what the reaction of the day will be. Kieren's parents knew and they were fine with it, but it still didn't surprise the small blond when Rick would retract his hand when someone was near.

"Of course I do, Ren, I wouldn't be out here with you, like this, if I didn't." Rick lifts his head up once more to press his lips against Kieren's, this time with a little more force. The second they separate, Kieren grabs the bottle and takes a large gulp, coughing on the burn of the alcohol. "Don't hurt yourself, mate!" Rick laughs out, trying to control his fit. Kieren tries to redeem himself, suddenly pushes his hands under Rick's shirt. His nimble fingers ghost over the larger boy's abs, barely touching the skin and he moves up. Kieren stops short as Rick's hands shoot up to grab him by the wrists through the thin material. "Ren, wait..." Another kiss, another few inches up to his chest, it doesn't take long to convince Rick. Soon, he pulls the shirt off himself, giving Kieren full access to his upper body. The smaller boy takes it slow, only barely touching Rick's pecs, brushing his fingers over the boy's nipples and feeling the goosebumps from the cool air under his palms.

Rick takes more initiative, reaching under Kieren's shirt and pulling it off from the waist, leaving the small boy's pale skin glowing under what little moonlight shines around them. Rick exhales heavily at the sight of his friends small frame. They'd fooled around before but something about the night made the larger male feel invincible, like he and Kieren could take on the world.

"Kiss me." Rick commands, trying to grab the back of Kieren's neck again but is stopped by the smaller blond's hands reaching for his face. The kiss is hard, passionate, lips and tongues brushing and reaching out for one another. The departure leaves the duo out if breath but that doesn't stop them from touching each other, hands exploring their most intimate parts. In a wave of bold and blind courage, Rick reaches down to Kieren's pants, holding the button between his fingers. "You're sure?" Kieren doesn't speak, only nods into Rick's shoulder, overwhelmed by the thought of how far they might go.

Kieren wakes in Rick's arms, having nodded off after the nights events. He turns to face his lover, a small smile crossing his lips when he sees Rick's resting face, eyes closed in blissful sleep. "Rick, there's something I want to tell you. We've been fooling around for a little while and I think, maybe, you'd want to..." A smile stretches over Rick's lips, startling Kieren. The larger boy's eyes open as a hand reaches behind Kieren to pull him close.

"Let's not think about that right now, mate. We can talk about it when I get back from basic." Kieren knew Rick was going into the military, but he never imagined it being so close. Rick would leave soon and in that, he'd be leaving Kieren. The thought made Kieren cringe, pulling himself in tighter to Rick's chest. The larger boy begins to sit up, pulling his shirt on in the darkness. He reaches down to grab Kieren's shirt, signaling that it's time to go. "C'mon Ren, get the lead out." Rick says in his louder-than-normal voice.

Kieren smiles, thinking under bright eyes. "Rick."

"Yeah, Ren?" Rick says, pulling his pants on.

"I love you."

Rick stops dead in his tracks, the words hitting him like bullets. His heart skips a beat, but only for a moment. His head clears moments after and he turns back to face the smaller boy. "I lo..." Kieren's eyes widen, air shooting sharply down his throat. "I'll see you tomorrow?" The truth isn't as easy to handle as Rick has thought. Maybe he wasn't ready to face his feelings yet, but the important thing was that he felt something.

"Yeah, sure." Kieren replies, unsure and uneasy of whether his words were what made Rick become distant.

"Kieren." Rick says without looking at the smaller boy. Kieren stands to pull his pants on, only barely listening. Rick holds a hand out for Kieren to take, it's only now he realizes that Rick called him by his full name. Kieren reaches out and his fingers slip perfectly between Rick's. They walk home in silence, hands held tight and smiles stand firm. When they separate, Rick plants a quick kiss on Kieren's cheek, wanting to leave something to remember.

As they turn to head their opposite ways, Rick turns back, standing in the dark to watch Kieren walk away.

"Ren." He tries to call out, but it comes out in a whisper.

"I love you, too."