Sameul Stinen sighed slightly as only one word that his father was saying entered his mind. Marriage. Yes, he was arranged to be married to the daughter of some Duke. He didn't know where from or anything, and had only actually met the girl several times. He didn't particularly like her, but that was partially because he'd recently found out that he was gay. Even if he wasn't, he still wouldn't have liked the girl, whose name was Carol, based on her personality. He was the kind of person who actually cared about that, instead of looks and social status.

So far, Sameul hadn't actually told anyone about being gay yet, but he knew it would come out eventually, in one way or another. As his father continued to rant on about how to do this, or that, how to increase their social status, and other things that Sameul frankly didn't give a damn about, he was busy thinking about how people would react if they found out about him being gay. His family was highly respected and had a large amount of land, and Sameul was an only child. If people found out, it would be a huge bomb, falling on, and destroying, the family's reputation.

Sameul's normally compassionate hazel eyes were, at the moment, dull and focusing on the large grounds that he could see from the windowsill he was sitting on. He glanced around some, nothing really catching his attention until, after a few minutes, he saw a faint flicker of movement in one area at the edge of the grounds near a forest. What the heck? Sameul wondered, his eyes instantly curious as he put his head up. I gotta get out there and see what that was! he yelled in his head, but he had to stay in that room until his father left. He tried to hide the fact that he was anxious to get out of there as his father continued to talk.

After another 15 minutes or so, his father was finally done talking. He concluded, "So, the wedding will happen a month after you turn 18. Six months from now. There is a party tomorrow night where Carol will be. We'll begin to arrange things in a few days." After that, his father stood up and nodded slightly, then left the room. A slight grin played at the corner of Sameul's mouth, something that rarely happened with him.

Sameul quickly looked back out the window, as soon as the grin was gone, and scanned the area for a few minutes, but he didn't see any movement. He sighed and was about to turn away, when the slightest bit of movement caught his eye. He quickly turned his head back to look out the window, turning his body some as well and he ended up sliding off the windowsill and crashing to the floor. "Oww..." Sameul murmered as he rubbed his head, beginning to sit up. He quickly remembered what he'd been doing and jumped up, looking outside. He soon saw the movement again and could tell that it was definatly a human. "Hmm, this should be interesting," he muttered to himself, before turning around and quickly leaving the room and heading outside.

He soon got outside and slowed his pace as he tried to remember the exact area he'd seen the movement coming from. Sameul cursed loudly when he realized he hadn't actually factored that in and thought there was no way that he'd be able to find the person. That was, until he heard the laughter. He perked up and tunrexd his head in the direction he'd heard the laughter coming from. It wasn't normal laughter. It was more like the laughter of someone who'd been drinking a lot recently, and didn't realize that they were about to be brought to the cold world.

Which is exactly what it was.

Sameul pushed through some bushes on the edge of the forest and silently into it, still following the laughter. "Hello? Whose there?" he called out, right before walking right into the back of some guy, not having ben paying attention. He rubbed his head slightly, then quickly jumped up, scanning the guy in front of him, who was laughing at what seemed nothing. The guy then turned around and Sameul could easily tell he was't much older then him. Sameul was then taken aback by the many scars this guy had, then by how cute he suddenly thought he was. Sameul quickly shook that thought and yelled in his head, No! Look at this bum. He's obviously a drunk. Don't say he's cute! Plus, whats the chance he's gay?

"Ha....you fall down," the guy said, his words somewhat slurred. Sameul gave him a strange look, not having expected him to say that, even though he was clearly drunk.

"Yes, I did fall down. Now, sir, I must ask, who are you?" he asked, his voice polite. The guy didn't answer at first, just giving him a blank look. "Your name sir, your name," Sameul said, sounding a little annoyed. Of course he's cute. How in Hell is a drunk this cute? he thought, which was why he was actually annoyed.

The guy shook his head, starting to come to some. "Who am-" he began to repeat Sameul's question, then stopped himself, grinning in a way only a drunk can. "Sir? Di' you jus' call me sir?" he asked, swaying slightly. "Well, 'Ma'am,' I am the one and only Leon! Defender of the Weak! Protecter of the Poor!" he exclaimed, jumping slightly and pulling out a sword he had at his belt. He started swinging it wildly, pointing at a tree. After a minute, he stopped, but his sword was still pointed at the tree. After a moment of that, it was made clear that his belt wasn't tight, as his pants fell around his ankles.

Sameul sighed slightly as he watched Leon scramble to pull his pants up, dropping his sword in the process. How stupid can you get? he wondered. He then tilted his head slightly in a curious way and walked over while Leon was still in the scramble. Sameul hadn't been paying attention and somehow Leon had ended up on the ground. He rolled his eyes before picking up the sword, ignoring some incoherant mumbling coming from Leon, not even sure if it was directed at him or not. He began to examine the sword as the drunk one scrambled to his feet. What the hell? Look at this thing! How can that drunk idiot get a sword like this! This looks just like tha one legnedary sword. That guy must know a pretty good blacksmith to replicate that thing, he thought.

"Anyways, like I sai', my name is Leon, but I prefer Leo. Sorry bou' tha' though. Being drunk, no' remembering anythin', then sudddenly coming to in a weird forest with a cute guy in front of y-" Leo cut off, his eyes darting to the sword in Sameul's hands. "Hey! Gimme that!!" he exclaimed, snatching the sword from Sameul's hands.

"Oh, sorry, Le-wait, did you just say I'm cute?" he asked in surprise. He saw the blush on Leo's face and could tell that Leo had been completly sober when he said it. Maybe he is gay...And his personality is fun. A little strange, but he seems like a nice person when he has't been drinking, he thought, a slight smile appearing on his face. He was trying to tell himself that Leo was definatly someone he would like. Sameul only then noticed what attracted him to Leo. It was his beautiful blue eyes, with such a hint of trickery that you couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do. Sameul could also see the pain that seemed to be hidden in the back, hidden by jokes and alcohol. It was the way that the slight bit of sunlight that came through the trees caught on his dark blond hair, making it seem to shine. He also liked the way Leo's hair was a mess, but it seemed like he wouldn't have it any other way. The smile that came onto Sameul's face was warm and Leo, who had been rubbing the back of his neck in embaressment noticed and smiled slightly as well, still blushing.

"So, you don't mind that I'm gay?" he asked after a moment of silence between them. He grinned when Sameul shook his head, then began to say something, but say him open his mouth and kept himself quiet to let Sameul talk.

"I never told you my name. I'm Sameul," he said, smiling still. "And no, I don't mind. In fact, I am gay myself," he added and watched as a slight look of astonishment passed onto Leo's face.

"You are?" he asked in surprise and Sameul just nodded. "Well, wouldn't 'ave guessed that, Sammy-boy!" Leo said with a grin. Sameul frowned slightly and sighed. "What? You don' like the name Sammy-boy, Sammy-boy?" he asked, frowning slightly as well.

"No, as a matter of fact, I don't," he replied and Leo sighed.

"Alright, how about Sammy? Or, my favorite, S.S.?" Leo asked, grinning as he said the last nickname.

"S.S.?" Sameul asked in surprise at the name. Leo opened his mouth to say the joke it connected to, but Sameul quickly stopped him. "Its alright. I get it. And no. If you must give me a nickname, call me Sam," he said.

"Well, it's not the best," Leo muttered, mumbling a little after that incomplaint, then let a grin pass his face. "Alright, Sam it is!" he said as he walked up to Sameul. "Hey, I gotta question for you," he said, his voice serious.

"What is it?" Sameul asked, his face having a look of confusion and curiousity on it.

"Firs' off, what's you last name?" Leo asked, tapping the toe of one foot on the ground.

"Stinen. Why?" he asked, watching Leo with a cautious eye.

"Sammy-boy Stinen," Leo began, getting down on one knee and taking Sameul's hand gently in his.  "Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice sounding serious still. He watched Sameul's face turn shocked and watched as he started to blurt out random things, a few containing curse words. As soon as Sameul's face turned shocked, leo clearly began to have trouble keeping from laughing. After a somewhat long string of curse words, Leo finally burst out laughing, stopping Sameul from what he was saying. "Sammy, I'm just kidding! I'm not that drunk. I don't even know you, idiot," he said when he finally stopped laughing. "I just couldn't resist. You should've seen the look on your face!" he added, grinning.

"Shut it," Sameul muttered, blushing furiously and looking at the ground to try and hide it.

"Anyways, I do have a serious question for you. What family are you in? One of those rich-ass ones?" Leo asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head, giving a slightly funny effect.

"Yeah. The one in that house just here. I'm the only child in the main branch. I'm arranged to be married in six months. Why? How is that a serious question?" Sameul asked.

"That's not the serious question. Since we both know your gay," Leo began, but was cut off by a scoff and a murmer of 'No really? I would've never guessed!', in which he walked right up to Sameul and elbowed him slightly in the side. "Anyways, this may not be the best time, seeing as you getting married, but I could get you back here in time for the wedding. That is, if you wanted to come back," Leo said, then paused.

"What are you talking about?" Sameul asked, confused by what Leo was saying, his face showing it.

"I want to know if you'll come with me. I mean, I am a wanderer. And its not often I meet a guy whose gay and actually likes me. Okay, I can't find someone whose either. So, will you come with me? You can come back any time!" he said, adding the last part quickly.

"Come with you? I-I'm not so sure I should do that," Sameul admitted, looking away from Leo.

They talked back and forth about it for a few minutes, Leo seeming almost desperate for Sameul to come and Sameul seemed to want to go, but wasn't sure if he should. Leo spent most of his time giving Sameul a look that seemed so desperate, he'd never be able to stay, while Sameul spent his time avoiding Leo's gaze.

Finally, after a few more minutes, Leo became silent and walked right up to Sameul. Sameul looked up from the ground, his face about equal with Leo's, each looking right into the others eyes. They stood like that for a minute before Leo leaned forward and kissed Sameul gently on the cheek. Sameul felt the warm red blush overcome his face as the moment seemed to last forever to him. Leo finally pulled back, then moved his head until his mouth was only about an inch from Sameul's ear. "So, what do you think? Will you come with me?" he asked, his voice soft and warm when he spoke.

Sameul felt as if he couldn't speak and finally just settled it with a slight nod as soon as Leo had pulled his head back and smiled at him. "S-sure, I'll come," he stuttered, almost as if still trying to figure out what had happened.

A warm smile passed over Leo's face. "Thanks, Sam," he said, his voice still having the warm time. They were still for a minute before Leo gave Sameul a quick hug, then pulled back and grinned at the blush on his face, not caring that he had the same blush on his own face. He shook his head slightly and backed up. "Ahem, anyways. Let's get going, shall we?" he asked, the original playful grin back on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck again. Sameul just nodded and the grin on Leo's face grew as he said, "Alright! Let's go!" He turned and started to walk off in a somewhat stupid fashion. Sameul stood where he was for a moment, watching. He gave a slight chuckle and shook his head before glancing over his shoulder at where he had lived. "Hey, Sammy-boy! You coming?" he heard Leo's voice call.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" he called back as he turned around and quickly ran after Leo, soon catching up.