Darren unplugged the hotel's phone so no one would be able to get through. He reached into his backpocket and pulled out his cell phone, then turned that off. He set it on the white pine table in the room. Daniel watched him for a second, just admiring him. Then he did the same.

Darren walked swiftly over to Daniel and enveloped him into a warm hug. At first it seemed like just a hug between two mates but it held on for longer than that. And any thoughts that this was just an innocent hug were dispersed when Daniel reached one hand behind Darren's head, feeling his soft black hair, though it felt too silky to be hair. And with the other hand, he cupped it into Darren's chin and held it, staring at him, only inches apart. Emerald eyes to sapphire eyes. Both could feel the other's breath gently in their faces. Daniel pulled his best mate's, his musical partner, his secret boyfriend's, face closer to his and whispered "Oh Dazzy, I've missed you so," before kissing him. Slowly at first, then more and more passionate. "Mmm Jonesy, me too. Me too," Darren moaned during one of those rare moments when their lips weren't on the other's.

The world disappeared as the two men kissed. Nothing else mattered anymore. Nothing but the feeling of their lips meeting, of their intertwined bodies pressing against each other. They lay on top of the queen bed now. Neither knew it but both had immediately thought that it was much too big to sleep alone in when they first saw it.

Darren hazily thought that they should stop before it got any further. Not that he wanted to, God nothing was farther from the truth but that. But he was supposed to call his parents to tell him that he got into New York fine, he was supposed to have called them this morning to say that. He was supposed to call Colby to say the same thing, and to talk. It was over between them, they had been divorced for awhile now. But they still talked on the phone, they were still friends. But none of that seemed to matter anymore as he passionately kissed his Jonesy.

Daniel also knew that they should stop, but he too did not want to. He was supposed to be home in Australia. He hadn't felt up to doing more promotional work in America. So he had sent Darren, his love, to TRL (God how was that awful show still on?) and to do a few radio shows over there. They were getting ready to release their new album and he knew that he'd have to do some work eventually. Darren couldn't go on shows and have some hired man play the guitar while he sang these songs that Daniel and himself had worked on so hard together. A lot of them were about their new relationship, he knew the journalists would be asking about some of the lyrics. They were more revealing than they had been in the past. Besides, he would miss Darren too much if he were gone. And that was also the reason why Daniel had taken a last minute flight over to New York, w/o bothering to tell anyone why he had left and where he had gone to. Daniel didn't ever want to leave this room.

Darren impatiently tried to open the door with his card, groaning in frustration when the green light didn't go off. Daniel lightly touched his arm, although it felt more sensual than just a touch, and murmured, "Let me try," just before he slipped the card in.

Naturally, the light flashed to green this time. Darren put his arm around Daniel's neck, in a perfectly friendly way and said, "You and your magical touch." His tone was friendly, yet as he and Daniel met each other's gazes, the look that passed between them was anything but, but in a good way. Darren walked into the room and picked up the 'Do not disturb' sign and slipped it onto the ring of the door handle before letting the door close. The world could not see them anymore and could not disturb them.

It's the next morning and the two musicians are on the bed with their arms around each other. Daniel gazes at Darren sleeping, then gently tickles his nipples. Instantly Darren is awake. "Jonesy," he tries to complain but can't. It feels so good, having his best mate teasing him. Daniel smiles at his reaction, then continues to tickle him, going lower and lower. When he finally reaches Darren's cock, he lightly tickles it, then simply continued his tickling journey down. "Jonesy!" Darren moaned in frustration. "You're spending more time tickling my legs than my donger!"

"Don't like that, eh Dazza?"

Daniel grinned up at him, then simply went back to tickling him.

"You imp!" Darren squealed then playfully threw a pillow at him. Daniel moved one of his arms in front of his face, trying to block the incoming pillow. Darren took this opportunity to jump up and pin Daniel down. "Jonesy, you must learn the proper technique of tickling and where to start." Darren then proceeded to tickle his armpits and the rest of his body. Daniel decided to continue tickling Darren.

And they stayed like that, tickling each other. Darren was supposed to have breakfast with Leonie to discuss something with her and he never did get around to calling his parents last night. But for now none of that mattered. The world didn't matter as the two men tickled each other mercilessly, both giggling. None of their problems with the world mattered anymore during that time.

Darren was finally done with all of the promoting for that day. He had gone to TRL and to VH1. And he had gone on Howard Stern in the morning. Now he was just going back to his hotel to rest after the busy day. Damn Daniel for staying back home! But Darren couldn't really be mad at him. He knew that Dan hated all of the promotional stuff and would be there when he needed to be. He just always felt so lonely without him there. He liked to show him around the city. There were still a couple of places that he had never shown him the times when Dan had flown over to visit him when he was still living here and he enjoyed spending time with him, no matter what they were doing.

Darren rode the elevator up and got off. He started walking to his room. He pulled out his card to open the door but it would not open. He tried a few more times but it still wouldn't open. Rather than make himself more frustrated, he slid down to the floor. He didn't really want to be alone. He just missed Dan too much then. Then he remembered that there was going to be a party downstairs tonight. It was some sort of pre-album release party, but Darren didn't even have to come if he didn't want to. Getting up off the floor, Darren left to go there. He did want to go. He wanted to have fun and party and not think about how much he missed Daniel.

Daniel looked inside the door where the smallish party was being held. He had flown across an entire ocean to see Darren, so where did he look now? A part of him instinctively knew that Darren would be there. He loved crowds. Another thought, though totally selfish, came to him. Perhaps he would come here tonight to not think about Daniel. He tried to put the thought away in his mind. Darren was not as lovesick as he was.

Daniel looked once more into the room and saw him at the same time that Darren noticed him. Time seemed to stand still as the two locked eyes, nothing else mattering. And in that time, Daniel knew. He knew that Darren was as lovesick as he was, he knew that Darren had come to the party to try to forget about missing him.

And Darren knew, too. He knew that Daniel loved him as much as he loved him. Earlier, he had imagined Dan getting on a flight to America just to see him but he had tried to banish it from his mind, calling himself selfish for even thinking it. Daniel was not as emotional as he was, he could handle being w/o him for a few days. I guess not, Darren hazily thought as he stared.

DND - Leave the hotel at noon
DND - Will I see you soon?

They walk out of the hotel at 12. The sun shines above them. But Darren and Daniel do not feel as happy as the sun wants them to be. They're sad because Daniel is leaving. He has a flight back to Aussie at 2:30, he has a cab waiting for him outside now. They hug once more and kiss, passionately. They don't care if the paparazzi spot them, it doesn't matter anymore. Soon the truth will be out. "I love you, Dazza," he whispers. "I love you too Jonesy." They continue to hug. And suddenly they're as happy as the sun wants them to be, because they know that they'll see each other again in just a few days. And they're happy because they know they have each other, always and forever, no matter what. And they'll get to see each other soon, Darren just has one more day here before going back home to Australia.

Darren and Daniel are lying on a bed, facing each other. The sheets are tangled and clothes are strewn all over the room. Today has been a big day for them. They announced to the world that they were involved and having an intimate relationship. Darren was glad that it was out in the open, now he wouldn't have to worry about being caught and trying to explain an awkward situation. They had announced their relationship when they wanted to, where they wanted to, how they wanted to. But the greatest part of the day had been the concert, when he was singing 'Truly Madly Deeply' and Daniel had snuck up behind him and whirled him around to face him. They stared, and then they kissed. Madly, passionately on the stage. So they kissed in front of the screaming, ecstatic fans. Not one of them booed.

Daniel snuggled closer to Darren, if that was even possible, and whispered, "Hey Daz?"

"Hmm?" Darren whispered back.

"Now they'll leave us alone."