Dedication:

This story is officially Dedicated to my friend Asa M. So, Asa, sweetie, this is your story! Enjoy! :)

~Sweet-Hearted SilverEars~

Chapter 1 Manfred Is Looking For You

"Charlie?" Fidelo called out, walking toward him quickly.

"Yes, Fidelo?"

"Manfred Bloor is looking for you."

"Why?" Charlie asked him, panic and some other unidentifiable emotion in his eyes now. "I haven't done anything to make him upset lately…"

"I don't know, but you should probably just go to him and get it over with."

"Okay."

"Bone!" Manfred called to him loudly. "Get over here. Now."

Charlie nodded, following him into his office. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. You've been acting weird lately, and I want to know why. What are you up to?"

"I-I'm not up to anything. I don't know what you're talking about…" Charlie stuttered, instinctively looking at the floor.

"I don't believe you. Look at me, Bone."

Charlie shuddered at his command, struggling to resist the lure of his soft voice. "I c-can't… I'm scared…"

"You should be afraid of me. I know that you're hiding something from me."

"I-I have to… I'm not afraid of you, I'm afraid of what your reaction will be…"

Manfred frowned at his whispered explanation, confusion in his black eyes for the first time in his life.

"What are you talking about?"

Charlie sighed softly, his eyes closed as he lifted his head, opening them to look into Manfred's obediently, fearfully. Manfred drew on his powers as he looked back into Charlie's eyes, surprised when the younger boy didn't resist his prying into his thoughts.

Then he gasped softly, his mouth hanging open in shock at the wave of longing for him that flooded his mind from Charlie's. It was so intense that he barely prevented himself from swaying on his feet in response.

Charlie lowered his head, drawing in a ragged breath, terror in every line of his body. "I-I'm sorry… Its just… I can't help it. How I feel about you, I mean. You're so kind and beautiful, Manfred. I know I have no right to ask you this, but I need you so badly… Please, I'll do anything that you want me to, I swear it."

Manfred's black eyes were still blank with shock, but he stepped forward to grip Charlie's shoulders in his hands gently, looking down at the boy's still lowered face. "Do you really understand what you're asking me for, Charlie?"

"No. At least, not completely. But, I care about you… And I trust you. I love you, Manfred."

"Really? Hmm. I wonder what your friends would think if they heard you say that."

"I don't care. I'd go and tell them right now if I had your permission to do so."

Manfred actually smiled at the boy's firm declaration, placing a hand under Charlie's chin, lifting his head up gently and looking into his eyes. Charlie blushed, finally relaxing, sighing in relief when Manfred moved to kiss his lips tenderly, the fingers of his left hand caressing the back of his neck as Charlie slipped his arms around Manfred's neck.

Then he broke the kiss, pulling back to look at Charlie with a smile. "You have it. As soon as we tell our families, that is. They will accept it, trust me. My father and grandfather know that I've wanted you as a husband ever since I first met you, Charlie."

"You have?" Charlie asked in surprise. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"You were too young. I thought that you still were, but, you came to me, so you must be ready to be loved by me, right?"

"Yes, I think so, Manfred…"

"Only think?"

"No," Charlie clarified quickly. "I know that I'm ready. I want you to hold me until the loneliness goes away. I need that, so much that it hurts. When I'm not around you, when I'm not here, all that I can think about is coming back here and seeing you again. All that I want is just to be with you. Nothing else matters to me… Poor Benjamin is getting pretty upset about my melancholy when I'm home. Especially since I won't tell him why. I don't feel like going anywhere with him anymore to do anything that used to be fun. Nothing is exciting without you, so why bother?"

"Oh, Charlie…" Manfred said, an unusual expression of caring on his dark-featured face as he opened his arms invitingly. "Come here, love."

Charlie went into his embrace willingly, laying his head on his shoulder and closing his eyes with a soft, contented sigh as Manfred drew him in still closer tenderly. They stood like that for a while in comfortable silence before the older boy broke the silence finally.

"Charlie?… Will you come to my room tonight? We can talk, sleep, whatever you want. I'll give you a pass so that you won't get in trouble for leaving the dorms. Will you please come and just be with me?"

"I will come, Manfred. I will always come to you when you ask it of me, I promise."