Any Other Way

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sat outside on the ship's deck, grinning foolishly at the silence and gazing up at the stars. Their heads rested on the wooden plank and their legs were propped up on small cargo boxes. But being Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the silence couldn't last long. Rosencrantz was the first to break it, looking over at his friend, a silly smile plastered on his lips.

"Hey, Guildenstern, ever wonder if there's a planet exactly like ours, somewhere out there?" His eyes were the shade of a worn, baby blue car, and sparkled with a child-like glee. Guildenstern pursed his lips, his own forest eyes squinted as he pondered the question.

"I dun no. I guess it's possible. It's a bit odd to think that somewhere there are two people exactly like us, doing the same exact thing, though." His face attempted to look philosophical, but when Rosencrantz merely laughed, he gave up with a shrug of his shoulders. "What exactly are we doing anyway?"

"Claudius said we are to take Hamlet to England, deliver this letter, and then we're relieved of our duties." He chewed on his lips, the smile still peaking at the corners of his lips, but otherwise replaced by a suddenly contemplative expression.

"Hamlet does seem a bit…angry with us." He sighed, but quickly the frowning creases were replaced by yet another goofy grin. "You know, it is just the two of us right now. We don't have to worry about that stupid letter. We can just…" He trailed off, his eyes glittering with the night sky's stars.

"That's a perfectly valid point," Rosencrantz muttered, adjusting himself so that he brushed ever-so lightly against Guildenstern. "After all, it has been a while." The tip of his tongue darted out and moistened his lips.

"I just hope no one sees us." At this, both gave a glance around, as if expecting to see all of the crewmen ogling at them. When they found no one, their shoulders simultaneously slumped forward as their muscles slowly relaxed. "I guess we're safe."

"Guess so." Both seemed uncertain how to start it, and nervously bit their lips and fretted with their hair. Rosencrantz ran his fingers through his shaggy, chocolate locks, before quickly closing his eyes and pressing his lips against Guildenstern's. Rosencrantz's hand reached for support, and he held onto his "friend's" shoulder, fingers grasping tightly.

The kiss was wet and sloppy, both proving themselves to be – despite the fact that it was far from the first time – inexperienced kissers. And before long, Guildenstern pulled back, giggling in a manner ill-suited for men.

"Oh, what now?" Rosencrantz's faded-blue eyes showed none of the exasperation his voice held.

"You have stubble. It tickles." He continued giggling, and Rosencrantz couldn't help but join in, although the situation seemed entirely ludicrous. They were in the middle of the ocean, during the night, lying outside and staring at the stars whilst snogging. It was a bit unreal.

"Would it be too sappy for me to say I love you?" Rosencrantz asked.

"Yes, it would." With that, he lunged at Rosencrantz, laughing as they rolled around, scuffling like little animals.

They never planned to fall in love – really, who does? But from as far back as they could remember, they had been best friends – inseparable. They completed each others sentences, and even when they were with Hamlet, it seemed impossible not to notice the way they clung to each other, as if afraid to let go would be to lose the other forever. There was no such thing as simply 'Rosencrantz', just like there would never be merely 'Guildenstern'. They came as a pair, and that was that.

In time, people began to confuse them. They looked nothing alike, but it always seemed impossible to tell a difference in anything else. If Rosencrantz would laugh, Guildenstern would be melodiously – or rather, not so melodiously – chiming in with him. And if Guildenstern scowled, somehow in a bitter mood, Rosencrantz would be beside him, arms crossed and a don't-mess-with-me look glued to his face.

The kiss hadn't been expected. The two had been sitting there with nothing better to do than flip a coin and stare at people who passed by. Elizabeth, the prettiest girl in town had walked by, and one couldn't help but remark to the other about how all the boys constantly talked about her. Gossip escalated into conversation, and somehow, in the middle of it, their hands had bumped as they both reached for the coin. Synchronized apologies spewed from both pairs of lips, and eyes met. And that was that – unplanned and innocent.

Both avoided each other more than they had ever done before, making up excuses. It wasn't easy to accept the truth. It was true that they had been fond of each other, but neither had really thought of the other as anything but a friend. True, now one would notice that the other did perhaps sweep his hair out of his face unceremoniously in a rather attractive way, but that had always happened before and there had never been anything unusual about it.

"They say we have raging hormones; we are seventeen after all."

"No, no, I didn't kiss you! You just had something on your…lips."

"Kiss, who said anything about a kiss?"

"Kiss? I slipped and fell forward."

"I meant to bite into the pasty."

"There wasn't any pasty!"

"Well, I thought there was."

But soon they found themselves kissing again, and it wasn't as easy to attribute it to a slip or trick of the light showing a rather conveniently placed pasty. And after they both could accept it, they became closer than ever before. It was the sweet kind of love that involved holding hands and affectionate teasing. Of course, being Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, it also involved a lot of repetitive innuendos and petty horseplay, but it was sweet nonetheless.

Both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were tired, and by the time someone had come along to spy them lying together on the ship's deck, both were asleep. Although Rosencrantz's arm lay under Guildenstern's head, as if it had previously been wrapped around his waist and had somehow slid up, it was easily attributed to rolling around in their sleep – nothing out of the ordinary. The crewmen left them there, on to their work, not noticing when Rosencrantz's fingers would twitch upward in his sleep, protectively curling around golden locks.

When they woke up, they made their way down to Hamlet's cabin, where he lay staring up at the ceiling, refusing to acknowledge their presence. They attempted to throw a joke in, but Hamlet continued to ignore them. So, with a shrug, they left, giving each other lovesick glances. And when they made it to the top, they noticed several minutes later as Hamlet slunk up and gazed off into the distance.

Out of nowhere, and it was rather inconvenient, a pirate ship appeared. It approached, and no matter how much the captain urged on their own ship to go forward, the pirates seemed ever approaching. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern smirked to each other, eager to grab out rapiers and stand as if they were being attacked at that very moment. They seemed like little children equipped with toy swords, and brandished them foolishly, vulgar shouting accompanying this.

But the moment the pirates landed and actually began attacking the ship, the rapiers were dropped, and they scurried down to the cabins. "They were doing fine without us," Rosencrantz reassured.

"Most definitely. We were just a nuisance." They nodded and pressed against each other, unable to suppress the bubbling inside of them. Tongues met, and calloused hands entwined in hair or lay upon the other's shoulder. Stubble roughly scraped like sandpaper against skin, and as their tongues wrestled, they felt giddy. They'd chuckle into the kiss whilst further attempting to run their tongue down the other's throat. It was a bit like watching to wild pups fight.

When they pulled back, both of them breathless, they glared hungrily at one another. All thoughts of pirates had been forgotten with the moment their skin first brushed together, and they remained in the cabins, completely unaware to what was happening above them. Little did they know that Hamlet was currently being captured as several others attempted to escape. They also had no clue that the letter in their possession had been replaced by one written by Hamlet – one that carried their death sentences. As Hamlet stealthily escaped, they were approaching their deaths. But Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were blissfully unaware of their impending doom and had eyes for no one but the other. For now, as long as one was there to help the other, everything would be alright.

Everything had a beginning and an end. Just like they had grown up inseparable, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern would die holding hands, confused and estranged. No "I love you"'s or frantic shouts. Both closed their eyes and shuddered. Such was a tragic ending to what had once seemed a perfect beginning.

"See you on the other side."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." And then it was over.

A/N: I am mainly working on Draco/Harry, including the one-shots I promised. However, I just had to write this. :) Hope you liked it. Rate and review please!

Oh, and sorry that it wasn't exactly smutty at all. This is based off of two boys in my class who played Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (we acted it out instead of reading it, in Lit.). They always have to touch each other, and they act a lot like R&G. :P It'd be a bit too awkward to make it any worse...