"Steele..." Balto mumbled quietly.

"Yeah?" Steele replied.

"Do you love me?" Balto asked as he leaned back into Steele's embrace.

"Well...what would you do if I said maybe?"

"I'd tell you to give me a real answer." He chuckled.

"What.....would you do if I said yes?"

"I would jump for joy and sing."

Steele smiled slightly. "And what would you do if I said no?"

Balto frowned. "I would cry and run away."

"Well..." Steele began. "I'm not letting you run anywhere..."

A smile crept across Balto's face.

"But you're not going to be jumping for joy either..."

"Oh.." Balto sighed and put his head down on his paws as a tear slowly crept down his face.

"Because!" Steele smiled. "I'm holding you too tight for you to do anything."

Balto's ears perked up and he smiled at Steele. "Love you too."