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Ty watched their fingers intertwine, fighting back the fluttering in his stomach when Zane spoke He jerked his head up sharply and retted that conversation for ht of it even when he was alone He shook his head and sed "No," he answered hoarsely, echoing the answer he had given before

Slowly, Zane raised his other hand to cup Ty’s reddening cheek "Me, either," he breathed before leaning forward to kiss Ty gently

Ty groaned plaintively to break the kiss, and he took a step back to put some distance between them "Jesus Christ, Zane," he muttered in exasperation "I was horrible to you Why are you even here?"

Zane cla himself to be as reasonable as he could Soet the "I missed you," he ad why in the hell Zane had missed someone who’d been so shitty to hiether, Ty decided to accept it as a gift and shook his head, ain "I missed you, too," he admitted

A small smile pulled at Zane’s lips as Ty stepped back into his reach

"Missed a pansy-assed poster boy?" he teased as he pulled Ty to hi against Zane’s cheek

"You called me that before the head injury," Zane needled

"Exactly," Ty affirainst hi in some time Four months’ time, if he was honest, which he really tried to avoid

Ty turned his head, breathing in Zane’s scent "Why don’t you go back to the shower idea," he suggested softly, pulling away gently again

Zane kept hold of Ty’s hand even as the other man backed away He felt both relieved and scared, and it was a toss-up as to which was stronger

"Your shower idea? Or my shower idea?"

Ty snorted softly and looked back down at their joined hands "Which do you prefer?" he asked with a s his head to one side as he raised their coet ing the obvious joke he couldit over "Tell you what," he ht Zane closer "You go shower, and I’ll order pizza and change the sheets on the bed," he offered

The purr started low in Zane’s chest and built as he stepped right up against Ty for one ainst his lips and gently extricated himself "What do you want on your pizza?" he asked as hebut onions and fish," Zane said as he reached for the jacket "I’s’ll kill you," Ty adarette between his lips already as he headed for the back porch "I think the bullets will get me first," he said wryly as he stepped out and pulled the door shut behind him

Ty stared after him for a moment, unsettled He wasn’t sure what it was about the situation that left hihed heavily and dialed the nearest pizza joint, placing the order and giving his phone number for delivery Then he headed up the narrow stairs to the bedroo the sheets off the bed They sars and possibly Mike’s Hard Leardless, Zane didn’t really need to catch a whiff of any of those things

Taking his time with the smoke, Zane stared off into the city that sprawled out down the hill fro s--why he felt simultaneously steadier and shakier than he had in months Steadier, because he ith Ty

It had to be But just the implications shook him He had no idea how he had beco it happening

How did he do so about it? More i about it?

Christ He shook his head Zane didn’t even knohat "it" was But he kneas afraid it would disappear He didn’t want to watch Ty walk away again He finished the cigarette, stubbed it out on the concrete, and dropped it into the planter that looked like it had been used for that purpose before Zane briefly wondered who had been sarettes, and he drew in a deep breath He knew Ty’s habits It didn’t bear thinking Shower first Then he’d see what other emotions reared their heads Hopefully they’d be ones he understood

He found Ty upstairs, searching for the spare set of sheets and h the top shelf of the closet

Zane stopped in the doorway "Towels in here?" he asked, taking in the length of Ty’s body and pushing back the desire that revived inside

Ty glanced over his shoulder and shook his head "Bathroo for clean sheets"

Zane nodded and glanced into the closet briefly He was surprised to see an old, beat-upon the top shelf He didn’t say anything about it or even show that he saw it, but he looked at Ty curiously as he wandered away The bathroom was easy to find He stripped down, then frowned at the fresh bandage

"Well, daht as well take it off It would just get wet and sticky and gooey and that was just gross

He pulled the tape as fast as he could, pleasantly surprised when it didn’t take off too ouge again, and watched a thin stream of red trickle froonna hurt even rabbed a washcloth fro the cloth over his upper arm