Kiss the... Uh... Boy (AU Nellis Crossover)

Nick wasn't usually one for romance, but any excuse to get out of the castle and away from those stuffed shirts breathing down his neck was readily accepted. Not to mention that the present company wasn't all that bad, either. He just couldn't shake the feeling that the silent younger man sitting on the other seat in the boat across from him was someone he knew, someone that he had met before. But surely he would remember it better than this? It almost seemed like he knew him from a dream. Which was just unsettling.

As he rowed them through the water, every now and then he would look up and catch sight of those blue eyes watching him, but as usual he said nothing, just glanced back down at his lap, tugging at the end of his borrowed shirt, fiddling with his sleeves, looking as though he wanted to say something, but lacked the ability to do so.

Sometimes he would lean forward a little, and then away, and then forward again, and sometimes Nick wanted to lean forward as well to meet him halfway, but he usually managed to resist, pulling back at the last minute and focusing on his rowing. Ridiculous behavior, considering they had only recently met.

"You know," he finally said conversationally, "I feel kind of bad not knowing your name." The man looked up at him, brows slightly furrowed, as if uncertain of what he could do to fix the situation. "Maybe I can guess it." Those blue eyes brightened, and he sat up a little. "Is it… Morton?" Brown curls immediately flew about as he shook his head rapidly. "All right, then, no," he chuckled at the vehement response.

"How about… David?" Another negative shake of the head was his response. "Rupert?" The man shook his head a third time, beginning to look a little dejected by all his wrong guesses. As if from nowhere, a name occurred to him, quite uncommon in this area, and yet… somehow… it suited him. "…Ellis?"

It looked as though he had just given his passenger the moon for all the joy that suddenly sprung onto his features, nodding rapidly. "Ellis?" he said again, testing it. Another rapid nod, and he reached out, touching Nick's hand.  "…Ellis." He rather liked the sound of it, now that he'd said it a few times. "That's actually… kind of nice." In a very backwoods sort of way, but there was no need to insult someone who couldn't even defend himself. "All right, then. Ellis."

The quiet flow of the water had carried them by this time into the heavy branches of the willow growing out of the water, and the nose of the boat gently nudged through the branches and then allowed them to slip shut behind them, closing them off from the world. It might have almost been… romantic. And judging from the way Ellis was watching him now, he wouldn't be averse to taking advantage of it.

He shifted a little on his seat, and he noted that Ellis did the same, legs spreading just a little, possibly in comfort, possibly to prepare for any sudden movements. Nick leaned forward, letting his arms rest on his knees. Ellis' eyes couldn't have looked anymore beautiful if stars themselves were shining there, and his body drifted forward a little in response to him.

Slowly, but surely, they moved closer, and closer, their knees brushing, until it seemed they were only a breath apart… It seemed as though nature itself had stopped for this moment, holding its breath in anticipation…

The boat tipped over suddenly, without any warning, toppling them both into the cool water.

Tits.