Like many of my one-shots this story was originally intended to be the first chapter of a story that I later re-thought, re-wrote or just plain forgot about, of which this one is in the first category. I just like it too much to leave it to gather dust in the greenroom so instead I decided to post it all on it's lonesome.

Have a good read ^_^

Don't Wait Up

The mid-summer night air was moist and sticky. Only a warm, gentle zephyr rustled the leaves and branches of the small number of trees that stood around the small country house. Amongst a plethora of tiny, glittering stars the full moon shone down with such intensity that the surrounding field was bathed in a pale white glow.

Two young rats stood about ten feet from the house itself and well away from the bright yellow light that flooded from the windows; one boot-polish black, the other slightly shorter with milk chocolate brown fur. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, neither of them was particularly jovial on this beautiful summer evening. In fact for them it might as well have been the middle of winter.

"Milo, I don't understand, I thought you didn't care what the others thought about us?" the brown rat asked hurriedly with tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"When I told my parents that I was gay they freaked," Milo answered, "Dad went berserk. Kicked me out of the family. But I didn't care, as long as I had you," Admittedly his true name was Miles but he had loved the name Milo ever since Emile had first mentioned it to him, "But you're the clan boss's eldest son," Milo continued, "If you told him that you were in love with another male, he'll probably have one of us killed. You know as well as I do, that it will probably be you and I can't stand the thought of losing you-"

"But I don't wanna lose you either!" Emile cut in, tears of both rage and sadness beginning to run down his face as he spoke, "If you leave I lose you anyway, how is that better? I love you Milo, you know that, and if my dad doesn't like it he can get stuffed and damn the consequences!"

"Emile, people are already starting to talk. It won't be long until your dad finds out, and telling him to get stuffed isn't going to help," Milo insisted, "But if he can't find me then there's no proof and he won't have any reason to harm either of us. You know I have to leave."

"Then I'll come too, that way we can still be together and no one can do anything about it," said Emile.

Milo shook his head and raised his paw for silence.

"No! As the chief's son you are the next in line. If anything happens to your father you need to be here to replace him," Milo explained, continuing over Emile who had just opened his mouth to respond, "I know you don't care about him or the leadership, but think of the clan, of all of the people who rely on your family for guidance. Your little brother is only twelve; far too young for leadership. If no one else is there to replace your father then everything will fall apart and I guarantee you, people are going to get hurt."

"B-but I don't want to l-lose-" Emile completely broke down mid sentence as tears began to roll down through his fur.

Milo smiled and placed on of his fore-paws gently on the side of Emile's tear stained face

"Emile I know it seems bad now, but remember that when your brother comes of age he will be next in line after you and that means that you will be free to leave," Milo continued, gently stroking Emile's cheek with his fore-paw, "Then and only then can you come looking for me. Unless by that time you have found another, in which case I promise I will be just as happy for you."

"I will come looking for you, I swear I will," said Emile, staring into Milo's brilliant hazel eyes.

Milo gave Emile a broad smile.

"I know you will," he replied, and with these words Milo placed both of his arms around Emile and mouth kissed him.

Emile immediately returned Milo's embrace, running his paws through the shiny, black fur, gripped by an immense sense of dread that he would never again touch the coarse but gentle texture of his boyfriend's coat. It was almost three minutes before the two finally pulled apart, with Milo lovingly staring into his Emile's dark-brown eyes.

"Goodbye Emile. Don't wait up," said Milo, muttering the last three words under his breath before turning away and sprinting off on all fours into the gathering darkness.

Emile, whose world already felt as if it was collapsing into oblivion, could do little but stand alone and dejected in the grassy yard as he watched his love disappear into the night; in all likelihood never to be seen again.

Yes, I'm sorry for another gay fic but bear in mind that I wrote this before I realized that FF dot net, like just about every other major FF archive, was suffering a pandemic of the incurable slash fic virus. Regardless I still think it was pretty good, so go ahead and tell me what you thought.