Ralph could feel Jack's anger and confusion as if it were his own.

For a week, Ralph had treated Jack as if he was just another person in the hall, just another kid in gym class, just another someone who was not very important.

And it was driving Jack insane.

Looks that should have left Ralph blushing madly were now ignored.  Whispered comments that should have left him stuttering in shame and denial were now brushed off as if they were nothing.  Oh, it wasn't easy, but Ralph knew now that he had to stop expecting things to be easy, that he had to stop caving in.  He had to be strong.

It was worth it just to see Jack fuming.  Ralph knew that the hunter could not comprehend a prey that wouldn't run, that wouldn't even acknowledge the danger.  In an ordinary hunt, this would mean the prey would die.  But the object of this hunt was not to kill the prey, but to own it, body and soul.

And Ralph wasn't running anymore, so Jack couldn't give chase.

The tension was spiraling up again, though.  Jack wouldn't let this stand uncontested.  A little tremor of fear, a tiny stirring of lust, would flare up whenever Ralph thought of what the final confrontation would be like-

But Ralph always ruthlessly shoved those feelings away.  He was a human; he was intelligent and capable and civilized.  He could control his base emotions and desires.

It had just taken him a while to realize it.

The tension between them was so great that even outsiders had commented on it.  Kids from his gym class had asked worriedly if he and Jack were fighting, or something.  Ralph would always say something like "nothing's going on between me and Merridew," knowing that this would get back to Jack and anger him even more.

But his intuition, his logic, and his hidden animal senses were all telling him that tonight it was over.  Tonight was the last meeting, the last test.  Jack wasn't one to wait very long for what he wanted, after all.

And sure enough, as he was walking home, Jack fell into step beside him.

The silence should have been unbearable.  However, Ralph had gotten used to it, along with the fierce stares and the nearly inaudible whispers.  This seemed to throw Jack off; even now, he wasn't used to Ralph's indifference.  That wasn't how the game was supposed to be played.

Until now.

Ralph led the way into his house, not even flinching when Jack leered at the wall they had made out against… the wall Ralph had sucked him off against.  Ralph just barely suppressed his blush; he couldn't show weakness now.

He was strong.

"Are your parents home?" Jack inquired politely, a thin veneer of normalcy masking some of the anger in his voice.  Ralph shook his head.

"They're at a friend's garden party until late tonight," he responded, treating the question as innocent, rather than in the way that Jack had intended it to be taken.

"Very good."  Jack's voice was a lilting purr, and Ralph found himself turned around and thrown down on the couch roughly.  Drawing on all the self-control he'd ever possessed, Ralph lay there silently, refusing to respond in any way.

Jack stared at him in frustration.  "What do you think you're doing?!"

"How do you mean?" Ralph asked innocently.  Since Jack hadn't jumped on him, he sat up and acted like he had chosen to sit down.  It took a lot of confidence not to jump or even flinch when Jack darted forward, grabbing his chin and lifting his face up.

"Don't play stupid with me," Jack hissed, shaking in rage.  His eyes were burning with anger and Ralph fought his rising fear and desire.  This was beginning to get more and more difficult, though.

"You can let go of me."

Jack stood there, astonished.  It was really something to see.  His mouth was open, his eyes were blank… it wasn't a usual Jack-expression.  Ralph fought laughter; it wouldn't make this situation any easier.

"You-"  Jack couldn't continue.  He let go of Ralph and stood back, staring at him in anger and shock.

"Me," Ralph said, pushing it a little.

Jack's face turned cold.  "You can't pretend it didn't happen.  You can't pretend-"

"I'm pretending nothing," Ralph interrupted, sitting back comfortably.  "I kissed you.  I sucked your dick.  I admit these things."

This obviously was not the answer Jack expected, and he started impersonating a fish again.

"But I am not going to do them again."

"You can't just treat this like it's a- like it doesn't matter!"

"It doesn't."  Ralph knew he had to remain calm, or this whole thing was lost.  "I am stronger than that now."

"Stronger-"

"You don't need to yell," Ralph said mildly, earning another glare.  "I made a mistake.  I was weak, and I didn't fight.  I'm fighting now.  It's never too late-"

"It damn well is!" Jack exploded.

Ralph simply smiled.  "It's not too late.  If I am strong, then it's never too late.  Saying it's too late is a trap of the strong and an excuse from the weak."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Jack sneered.

"I won.  I don't need you.  I don't have to listen to my desires; I can tell them to go take a hike.  I'm stronger than that."  Ralph laughed easily.  "You see, if this were a regular hunt, you could kill me and still win.  But you changed it.  You wanted to make me weak- well, it worked for a bit, but now I'm strong again.  All you can do now is give up, because even if you do kill me, I'll still be better than you, 'cause I'll be a human.  And you'll just be an animal, a Beast."

"Take that back-" Jack started to yell, but Ralph cut him off.

"It's true, and you know it."  Ralph stood up.  "And now it's time for you to go, unless you have something relevant to say?"

Jack stared at him, totally at a loss.  Ralph felt the hot triumph rising, spreading all through him.  He had won.

"I'll see myself out," Jack said in a stilted, icy voice.

//Review if you like, flame if you have to, blink in confusion if you just don't get it.//