Koncha, mina! Rin… got herself into another fandom… Forgive me. I know I have a dozen things I need to get back to work on…

But when this little plot bunny wormed its way into my head, I wouldn't let it go until I got everything down.

WARNINGS!
-This will contain a bountiful amount of boy love and fluff. If you do not like that, the back button is now your best friend.
-Out-of-characterness may occur.
-Pairing: Snake Rat (Snake Eyes and Tunnel Rat) (Excuse me, FanFiction? Where is Tunnel Rat on your list-of-characters? -Edit 2/21/12: LOOK! TUNNEL RAT IS ON THE LIST, NOW!)

-G.I. Joe Renegades and its characters is owned by Hasbro.
-I only own the story.

1/17/12 リン雨
This Feeling
In the absolute dead of night, when no one else is awake. When the campfire is down to only dimly glowing embers, when the crickets have gotten too tired to chirp anymore. It's at this time do I lay awake on the ground, staring up to the stars above our heads that shine too bright for their own good.

It's at this time, when I'm left alone to my thoughts, do I think about everything that has happened to us. Sure, I miss my family and the friends I had back in Brooklyn, but on the other hand I like the friends I have now. Regardless of what we're doing and where we're going.

Constantly being hunted, continuously on the run. If we want to clear our names, it's the only thing we can do.

It's at this time of night, when I'm left alone to my thoughts, do I realize just how much actually being alone hurts. The emptiness that I feel stretch across my chest causes the rest of my body to ache.

But I'm not alone. There's Duke, and Scarlett, and Roadblock, and even Snake Eyes. They're all there laying around the campfire, sound asleep after the long day. I'm the only one who is left staring at the stars.

I reach up to my head; removing my hat, untying my bandana, and turning over onto my left side to face away from the fire.

Somewhere out in the forest an owl hooted, and another responded. At least they're not alone...

The ground behind me shifted slightly and my heart jumped in my chest. I closed my eyes tightly, curling myself into a ball. A large hand was carefully placed on my shoulder; I flinched, but quickly relaxed. The same hand gently trailed down my arm before snaking around my waist. The other arm slipped under my head; both arms pulling me back against a broad chest.

His body dwarfed mine in comparison, his warmth surrounding me. I hugged his arm close to my chest, the only thing I could hold on to. He pressed his legs into the back of mine, spooning me so close to him that it could smother someone if he really wished to do so.

I felt his chest raise slowly as he took a breath to let out a contented sigh into the back of my hair. He lifted his head slightly to press mask-covered lips to the back of my neck; I could feel his visor pressing lightly against my ear, but it vanished as he trailed a line of mask-covered kisses from the lobe of my ear to the base of my neck.

I squirmed under his touch, my heart pounding in my chest and my blood ringing in my ears. I could feel my heated cheeks and prayed that he couldn't see the coloring.

He already knew. He knows everything.

I could feel his lips turn up into a smile through his mask as he retraced the line of his kisses back up my neck.

An exhausted yawn escaped my mouth suddenly, and he pulled me closer into his embrace.

It was his way of saying good night; a routine that had become a nightly ritual and one we'd forever keep a secret.

He pulled his arm out from around my waist, resting his hand on my shoulder to gently turn me onto my back. He raised his hand to my eyes, covering them. He wants me to keep my eyes closed, to not open them for anything until he told me otherwise.

I could hear the faint sounds as he removed the visor from his face, pulling back the dark mask that covered his head. He placed a hand onto my cheek to keep me still as his lips carefully connected with mine. His lips were thin, but they were warm and moist. I wanted to open my eyes, to see what he really looked like under that mask. But I also knew that if I disobeyed him, I would never get to feel these soft lips against mine ever again.

His tongue gently slid over my bottom lip. I fought back a moan that was threatening to sound from my throat. Instead, I parted my lips to allow him entrance. He accepted graciously, his tongue slipping over my lips to explore the cavern of my mouth.

I raised my hand up to hold his wrist. I felt that if I hadn't, I would have lost all control of myself.

If I could have the world exactly how I want it, I would never let this moment stop. I would cling to him forever and I would never feel alone again.

It was then did I realize that tears were falling from my eyes and down the sides of my face. His fingers were already catching them as they fell. He shifted above me to kiss my cheekbone under my right eye, catching a tear with his lips.

His left hand, which was the hand of the arm that was still being used as a pillow beneath my head, gripped my left shoulder tightly. His right hand stroking my cheek and neck as he nuzzled his cheek against my forehead.

No, I'm never alone. Not when he's with me. When we're together, I don't need anyone else.

Once more, he pressed his lips against mine before pulling away to replace his mask and visor. My tears were still falling from my eyes, but as soon as he had his gear back on he was back to catching them with gentle fingers.

It felt like forever until my shameful crying finally ended; my tears matting my eyelashes together, but I didn't care about that, in fact I barely noticed it. He put his hand back over my eyes, telling me that I could open them again. He traced my jaw line with the same hand as I opened my eyes to look at him through my blurry and drying tears.

I wish I could see if he was smiling or not, but I really didn't need to know. Something told me that he was smiling down softly at me. He leaned forward to press mask-covered lips to my forehead.

I knew what he meant, we didn't need words.

"Good night, Snake Eyes," I whispered softly. It wasn't even a whisper, it was more as if I had mouthed the words. But it didn't matter, he knew that I had said it. He always knows everything.

Snake Eyes nodded as he removed his arm out from under my head so he could stand up, towering so tall above me as I continue to lay on the ground falling asleep.

I could just slightly hear his footsteps, as light as leaves landing on the ground, as he crossed the campsite to the opposite side of the fire where he would lay somewhere by Scarlett for the rest of the night.

I yawned widely, sleep finally pulling me into its dark and lonely world.

But I'm not alone. There's Duke, and Scarlett, and Roadblock, and especially Snake Eyes.

As long as I have him, I don't ever have to worry about this feeling of loneliness.
1/17/12

Woohoo! I "aww"ed a lot while writing this… I regret nothing.

Hey… Is it just me? Or is this really, truly the first story to be posted on FanFiction that takes place in the G.I. Joe Renegades world? (Or at least one that has been catigorized as such?) Oh well.

Onto my next story! And everything else I'm working on!

Thank you for reading!