Black Hawk Down fanfiction

Gary/Randy, R

Summary: Gary meets someone from Randy's past.

~*~

This guy, Casey. Something was up with him.

They were on an afternoon break, so Gary took a seat on a metal foldout chair at the foot of the ski slope. He knocked the snow off his boots and put his feet up on the wooden picnic table. Then he sat back and watched Casey from behind his dark sunglasses.

Gary had never done protective detail with the Secret Service, but he had heard jokes in Delta about how they were the most beautiful people in the world. Good looking, perfectly manicured, tailored and outfitted. Well, no kidding. Standing around like sentinels and moving with smooth, silent purpose, they seemed to him more like mint condition James Bond action figures than real people.

They flooded the mountain slope and picnic area of the Colorado ski resort, effortlessly commandeering the area for the imminent arrival of the U.S. vice president and his family in two days’ time. It was a sea of virtually identical guys, so blinking meant losing track of which ever one you’d been looking at.

So for one agent to stand out was truly a feat.

But Jesus, Casey did.

Beautiful, perfect Casey, who had to be the model from which all other Service agents were molded.

He was in his late forties, six feet tall, long and lean in a way his dark tailored suit and wool overcoat obviously loved. He had straight salt and pepper hair that was finely cut so that it fell in layers on his head and chiseled patrician features that ended in a perfect square jaw.

While the other agents who weren’t wearing ski jackets wore suits with ties that faded into their shirts, Casey, today for instance, wore a blood red tie.

He was in charge of the Service’s Denver field office and had coordinated this side of the huge advance team that preceded the VP’s arrival. He had also been the one to send for two Delta operators to assist in sweeping and securing the ski slopes, when there hadn’t been enough Service agents who could ski well enough.

But it wasn’t until he and Randy arrived and Gary saw Casey break from his group of agents, ignore Randy’s extended hand, and pull him into a tight, full-body embrace that he had realized something was up with Casey.

Randy had tried introducing them, but Casey hadn’t even made a pretense of listening. He had wrapped his arm around Gary’s shoulder as if they had known each other for years, and walked them into the four-bedroom cabin they would be sharing with six other Service agents, two to a room.

He had saved the bedroom at the end of the hallway for them, he’d said, because it was more quiet and private. He had stood in the doorway and smiled so warmly that Gary had shifted from one foot to the other. He had said if they needed anything, anything at all, to let him know, and then he had left.

Gary had turned and gaped at Randy.

Randy had avoided his eyes and said, “Casey is a friend.”

Upon hearing those words, his heart had sunk all the way to his toes. Without ever discussing it, how and with whom he and Randy spent their times apart had become like their individual assignments. Something that ceased to exist when they retuned to Bragg, and was certainly never discussed.

It wasn’t ideal, but ideal didn’t apply where real life was concerned.

And now Gary felt as though he had somehow walked into a part of Randy’s life he wasn’t supposed to see. He had felt awkward, and his heart had beat in his chest as he'd asked whether Casey was a former lover.

Randy had repeated no, Casey wasn’t a former lover, he was a friend.

Gary had believed Randy unquestioningly. Even if real life wasn’t ideal, he knew the way Randy felt about him was.

So that had left him with an odd mystery. Because if Casey wasn’t Randy’s former lover, then the way they were around each other made absolutely no sense.

Gary sighed, chewing on his lip, still staring at Casey. And Casey, always seeming to sense when Gary was watching him, which was a lot, turned his head and looked at him. He nodded.

After a few moments, when Gary just kept looking at him, Casey broke into a slow grin.

When he did that, it was fucking sexy, no doubt. Still, it was just a sexy smile, until Randy would go up and start chatting with him.

Then Gary would get so turned on his stomach muscles wouldn’t relax no matter what he did.

Like now.

Casey dismissed his group of agents and while they dispersed across the slopes his attention narrowed and focused only on Randy, who leaned against the wall of the log cabin gift shop, propping one foot behind him on the wall.

Randy shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his ski jacket, his ski cap pulled low over his brow, two days’ growth of beard scratching the collar of his jacket. Casey was talking to Randy in a whisper, his head tilted to one side, occasionally swatting him with the leather gloves he didn’t seem to need in the cold mountain air.

Randy was chewing on a toothpick, nodding and smiling, sometimes even laughing quietly, staring at his boots like a fucking debutante. He looked so inviting Gary wanted to break off more of him than he could chew.

Which was why he could see that Casey, standing next to him with his feet apart and his hips pushed forward, seemed to know exactly where and how to make those pieces come off.

Gary slowed his breathing, trying not to grind into his seat. Why wasn't he feeling jealous? Why instead was he panting over the thought of Casey touching Randy, of his hands sliding between his legs and spreading him, while—

Oh, God. Gary lowered his head and brought his gaze to the leg of the picnic table, making himself stare at the deep snow packed around it instead.

He definitely wasn't jealous. Maybe it was because Casey smiled at him as though seeing some kind of wonderful miracle, and at Randy as if nothing made him happier than simply looking at him.

Or maybe it was the way Randy seemed defenseless around him, like he was at certain times with Gary, and for the first time Gary could see what that looked like from the outside in.

Whatever it was, he would never find out from Randy, because Randy had said all he was going to say on the matter. And when it came to certain things there was just no pushing him.

Not a problem. After four days, he figured he had been patient enough. He was going to corner Casey and make him talk.

But he needed to do it soon, since once the VP arrived they would be in a time crunch.

A large Styrofoam plate heaped with at least five hotdogs plopped on the table.

Gary turned and saw Steve, the agent who had picked them up from Peterson Air Force Base, taking a seat next to him.

“Thanks,” Gary grinned, reaching forward and picking up one hotdog. He ate it in two bites while Steve openly stared at him.

“How many days have I been here, Steve?” Gary asked around his mouthful of food.

“Four.” Steve grinned back. “And I’m still not convinced you’re not some kind of specter. Fucking Delta.”

Gary dabbed his mouth, attempting to swallow despite his chuckling.

Steve worked for Casey, and like the rest of his fellow agents, he was lean and good looking. He had considered joining the Army a long time ago and hadn’t, and now seemed to hold anyone in the armed forces in high regard.

Gary had no idea how, but Steve also seemed to know that he and Randy weren’t Marines or ATF or local SWAT snipers like the rest of the borrowed personnel.

“I’ll tell you what,” Gary said. “I’ll leave you something as a souvenir. Not,” he added quickly before Steve could say it, “my submachine gun.”

Steve gripped his shoulder and shook it. “But it’s customized,” he cried. Then he pulled back and straightened.

“Hey, here comes Casey,” Steve said quickly. “I’m going to split. I think after waiting so long for the privilege of meeting you, he begrudges having to share your presence with anyone other than Randy.”

Gary stopped chewing. He turned to Steve. “Excuse me?”

But Steve was already gone, and Casey was leaning his hip against the wooden table.

“Things going all right, Gary?” Casey said. Even his smoky voice, which matched his smoky gray eyes, was painfully sexy. “Need anything?”

Gary swallowed his food, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and slid his sunglasses off his face, squinting a little at the bright afternoon sunshine. He tilted his head and looked up at Casey.

Casey smiled steadily down at him, a smile full of secrets.

Gary crooked his finger and when Casey sat next to him he pulled his feet off the table and leaned towards him. Casey met him half way.

“Exactly who are you?”

Casey dropped his head and grinned down at the table.

Which was another thing. It struck Gary on several occasions how alike in mannerism he and Casey were.

And yet at other times the man’s attitude reminded him so much of Randy, he thought he was surely projecting. But maybe it was why they got on like a house on fire.

“What?” Gary teased, drawing the word out on a smile. “You have to admit, I’ve been really good about it.”

Casey nodded, still grinning at the table.

“So come on, Casey,” he coaxed. “Throw me a bone.”

Casey chuckled and looked off toward the gift shop where he and Randy had been standing a few minutes before. Randy was long gone, but Gary didn’t miss a nuance of the way Casey’s eyes softened, the way he dropped them before he looked back at Gary.

“What does Randy say?” Casey asked in a low voice, holding Gary’s gaze.

Gary shrugged, never taking his eyes off Casey. “I’m close to perfecting the art of reading his mind, but I’m definitely not there yet.”

Casey fought a smile the same way Gary would have, pressing his lips together. “I think it’s Randy’s choice, what he wants to tell you.”

Gary lifted one eyebrow, then inclined his head toward the mountain in front of them. “My break’s almost over,” he pointed out. “But I’m not going anywhere until you start telling me something.”

Casey kept his lips pressed together. Gary leaned in closer. Casey did the same. He smelled wonderful.

“And if I don’t get up there,” Gary continued, “you’ll be stuck with those other countersnipers, and you’ll be risking getting the vice president ambushed by deer and squirrels.”

Casey started laughing. Gary instantly thought of the way that laugh would affect Randy, and for a few moments he lost his ability to think.

“You know,” Casey sighed quietly, holding his gaze. “You’re bigger and blonder than I imagined, but you’re exactly as mind bending as Randy described.”

Gary blinked, his breath stuck on inhale. He searched Casey’s eyes for any type of answer while Casey tilted his head in that way he had.

“Are you going to tell me who you are?” Gary implored hoarsely, hoping the man could see how badly he wanted to know.

Casey looked at him for a long time. Finally, he smiled.

“Sure, why not,” he said, standing up. “I’m the guy he fell in love with when he was just a kid.” He clasped Gary’s shoulder. “But for any more information on that, you’ll have to ask Randy.”

*****

Gary couldn’t find Randy anywhere.

Gary’s task on the advance team was target detection. Ski a designated section of the mountain, combing every inch to scan for shapes, reflections or colors out of the ordinary.

When he wasn’t doing that, or on break, he was meeting in the living room with his assigned group of agents, where they went over their part of the security plan, listening to new threat assessments and incorporating potential responses.

By the time they were done each day it was late at night, and the only thing left was to drag their tired bodies to bed.

Well, since his own tired body slept in this particular living room, he would just wait here for Randy to show up.

Randy still slept in the bedroom down the hallway, the one Casey had reserved for them initially. But once Casey had left the room that first day, Gary had brought his bags back out here, absolutely refusing to spend his nights there.

He broke out in a sweat just thinking about the risk of waking up in a compromising position on top of Randy while some agent stared in shock from the doorway.

Gary knew it was highly unlikely. The agents got such little sleep that once they locked their doors, which they all religiously did, a five alarm fire couldn’t wake them up. Even the insomniacs bunked down hard for the night.

But he wasn’t going to chance it. He didn’t even know how he would handle it if such a thing happened.

Randy, on the other hand, could not give a fuck what the Secret Service saw him do.

Gary crouched in the corner of the living room where his duffle and gear bags were shoved between the numerous containers of food, equipment and classified items the agents had brought with them. Unzipping a side pocket of his duffle, he shoved his note pad in.

Some agents still straggled about tying up loose ends before they would return to their own cabins for the night. Some wandered in and out of the kitchen for snacks, some were simply insomniacs. While waiting for the stragglers to leave, he usually hung out on the back porch with a few of the insomniacs. He would head out there now and see who was there, maybe Steve.

Gary suddenly jerked as he sensed a presence behind him, but only slightly, since after three years he was almost used to Randy suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

“I take it you’re still playing hard to get,” Randy mumbled from behind him, close to his ear.

Gary shook his head in disbelief, but didn’t turn around. Randy moved up and knelt beside him with his arms crossed over his chest.

Gary had already put his note pad into the bag, but now he pretended to be looking for something else in there so no one passing would wonder what he and Randy were doing on their knees in a dark corner.

“When I start playing hard about anything,” Gary growled, “you’ll feel it. You won’t have to ask.”

“Yet here I am,” Randy said quietly. “Asking.”

“I’m not going in there, Randy,” he said firmly. “Forget it.”

Randy leaned closer. “Just a couple of hours,” he whispered.

Gary snorted, ignoring the way his cock throbbed at that. “Nice try. I know you won’t let me out of there until morning.”

Randy reached down and snagged the strips of nylon tied to the duffel’s zipper. He began to unzip it very slowly. “Tell me again why you have to come back out?”

Gary glanced over at him.

Randy was looking at him, breathing deep and steady with his mouth slightly open. His eyes had darkened in such intensity that it felt like being caught in a stormy ocean. The space between them grew hotter, and when Gary shifted, Randy’s eyes followed him.

“Do you…” Randy’s voice faded as his eyes traveled down Gary’s mouth, throat, shoulders. He stopped at his chest, watching it rise and fall.

Gary knew Randy was doing it on purpose, trying to wear him down. He felt sweat begin to form between his thighs as he reached over and pulled the zipper from Randy’s grip. Randy tried to tangle their fingers.

“Do you want me to say please?” Randy whispered.

Gary groaned under his breath. He dropped his head, shaking it desperately.

He heard Randy snort softly. “You cocktease.”

Gary’s head whipped up. “You have the fucking nerve.”

Randy was looking at him from the corner of his eyes.

Gary shook his head and lowered his voice to a whisper. “You know the torture I’m going through watching you and Casey together.”

“Gary,” Randy said, taken aback. “I told you he and I are just good friends.”

“Not that,” Gary hissed, gripping his arm, forgetting all about discretion. “I mean a different kind of torture.” He bit hard on his lip and gave Randy a look.

Randy stared back, confused, until realization dawned. His mouth opened in shock, then closed, then a deep, dark flush spread across his face. He dropped his gaze.

Gary’s eyes widened. “You mean all this time you didn’t know I was fucking dying?”

Randy still didn’t look up. He mumbled, “But why are you getting—”

“When I find out, you’ll be the first to know.”

Randy started to get up. Gary stood up and blocked his way with his body. Randy’s jaw clenched, and stayed closed. No more words were going to come out of him, of that Gary was sure.

Behind them, Gary could hear agents talking and hurriedly crossing the living room, some heading down the hallway. He kept his voice low and tried to look casual.

“Casey told me he was the first guy you ever fell in love with.”

Randy's eyes quickly raised and locked on his, and Gary’s heart thudded in his chest. He knew what Randy was thinking.

“No, Randy,” he rasped. “I’m not going to insult you by questioning anything.”

Randy didn’t outwardly react, but something like relief flooded his eyes. But it wasn’t relief, Gary realized. It was more like pride. At Gary’s trust in him?

Gary felt his heart contracting, so sorely tempted to follow Randy right then into his room and get a mouthful of any part of him.

“Why won’t you even talk about Casey,” he urged hoarsely. “Obviously there’s nothing but good feeling between the two of you, and Randy, it makes me so fucking hard to see—”

“Gentlemen,” Casey called from somewhere to Gary’s left.

Gary somehow got his head to turn and look at him. Casey was smiling, and it was getting wider by the second.

“The VP’s vacation has been called off due to an emergency requiring his presence in Washington, D.C.” Casey shrugged. “Grab your stuff and come stay at my place tonight. I’ll take you to the airport in the morning.”

A cancelled operation happened all the time in their line of work, nothing to think twice about.

But he and Randy were going to spend the night at Casey’s place? With Casey?

He stood there as Casey followed Randy down the hallway for this bags.

The front door opened and Steve entered, quickly shutting it behind him. “Brrr! It’s freezing out there!”

Gary’s mind tumbled in a thousand directions, yet the only thing he could think to say was, “But you live in Denver.”

Steve laughed and grabbed his duffle. “Man, can you believe it got cancelled after all this work?”

“Yeah,” Gary said in a daze.

“Grab your gear bag,” Steve said. “Unless of course you want to leave it here for me.”

Gary grabbed his gear bag.

Steve started for the door. “Well, I’m sure in Delta they prepare you guys for any and everything. The D.C. agents didn’t even bat an eyelash.”

Gary suddenly came back to himself. He eyed Steve as they walked out of the front door. “Why aren’t you in D.C., anyway? Don’t you guys all try to get protection detail out there? I’m sure Casey could hook you up.”

Steve made a dismissive sound and shrugged, tossing Gary’s duffle into the trunk of the car. Gary carefully placed his gear bag next to it.

“Maybe someday,” Steve said.

Gary looked at him, getting a feeling he couldn’t place.

Just then the front door opened, and Randy and Casey walked out, carrying a bag apiece.

Gary got into the front seat and while Steve drove and occasionally talked, he spent the entire ride searing his eyes into his side view mirror, trying to see what was going on in the back seat. Nothing was going on, his mind insisted. But he couldn’t make his body accept it.

Especially when he thought about where they were headed for the night.

Steve helped bring their bags in, and then said his good nights and goodbyes and drove home. To get a good night’s sleep for the first time in over a week, he’d grinned. Gary didn’t believe him.

As soon as they got indoors, Randy muttered that he was going to bed. But when Gary moved toward the couch instead of following him, Randy remained standing where he was.

“What’s he so embarrassed about?” Gary sat down on the couch and stared at Casey. “You’re not at all a bad first love to have.”

Casey reclined in a burgundy leather armchair, tailored suit, overcoat and all, and grinned at Gary. “Thanks,” he said. “But that’s not the problem.”

Gary sank low and spread his legs wide before him. “Then what is?” he asked.

He managed to keep his hands out of his lap by gripping the edge of the couch on either side of him. Being in Casey’s house was cooking his brain.

There was silence from behind, but he knew Randy stood there, breathing imperceptibly.

“Randy’s embarrassed because you and I are together in the same room at the same time. I don’t think he ever expected that to happen.”

Gary felt his heart sink like on that first day. That was what he had feared back then, that for some reason he and Casey weren’t supposed to be around Randy at the same time. But now, as then, things were not adding up.

“Why is that a bad thing?” he asked hesitantly.

“It’s not, by itself,” Casey smiled slowly. “But I think he’s worried I’ll say something that’ll scare you off.”

Randy leaned over the back of the couch, dropping his head into his hands. “Casey,” he groaned deeply.

Gary’s mouth fell open. Oh fuck. That sounded so good coming out of Randy’s mouth.

The muscles in his cock pulled, blood rushed in.

He saw that Casey was watching him.

Gary swallowed. “How do you mean, scare me off?” he croaked.

“I’m going to get something to eat,” Randy muttered, straightening.

Casey lifted his arm and pointed in the direction Gary assumed was the kitchen. Randy turned around, then walked silently into the other room.

“How do you even know him?” Gary whispered quickly, before Casey could change his mind about talking.

Casey sat forward, swinging his gloves between his spread knees. “I was one of the Service guys down for our liaison sessions during Randy’s operator training course.”

Gary blinked. “You've known him for six years?”

“Yeah,” Casey said softly, smiling. “It took a few days, but then he just latched on to me. Head over heels. Followed me everywhere.”

Gary dropped his eyes, suddenly flushing under an intense feeling of inadequacy. He licked his lips, wanting to keep it to himself, but Casey gently asked, “What is it?”

He found himself confessing. “I have to admit to being more envious than scared at the moment.”

Casey snorted loudly. “That’s because you’ve never been menaced by that guy. There was nothing sweet about it. He was a total fucking stalker.”

Gary blinked, then burst out laughing, stunned not only by the image of Randy’s grim determination, but also by Casey’s completely graceless snort.

“So you can imagine,” Casey said, chuckling. “When I heard he had been assigned to one of your sniper squads, well, I just about shit my pants.”

Gary howled and fell sideways on the couch, clutching his chest, gasping for air.

“You are full of shit,” Randy called calmly from the kitchen.

It took at least five minutes for Gary to regain his composure, not being helped by the fact that Casey was actually blushing from whatever memories were coming to mind, shaking his head in wonder.

Gary struggled back up into a sitting position. “I shouldn’t laugh,” he sighed. “I chased after him pretty hard myself.”

Casey smiled his smile full of secrets. At that moment it hit Gary that it wasn’t merely the stalking that had Randy holed up in the kitchen.

He eyed Casey, guessing he would tell him if he asked right now.

He lifted his hand and crooked his finger at Casey.

Casey chuckled, flicked a glance towards the kitchen, then he came over and sat on the other end of the couch, facing Gary.

“What’s that secret smile for?” Gary whispered conspiratorially.

Casey’s smoky eyes softened in a way that was too appealing for words. “Well, it’s just that after hearing about you for three years now, it’s really nice to finally meet you.”

Gary felt his heart miss a beat. “He talks to you about me?”

Casey glanced towards the kitchen again. “He calls me on the phone every two months or so, when he gets a chance. Over a three year period, that’s… Well, that’s a lot of conversations about the big blond.”

Gary just stared at him.

“You really didn’t chase him, Gary,” Casey elbowed him gently. “If it looks that way it’s because he spent a lot of effort making sure you could.”

Gary wanted to say something, but his mouth wouldn't work.

“It took him about a year to get over his crush on me, and I think during that time he learned a lot about emotional navigation.” Casey chuckled softly. “I love the guy, and was awed by his potential and found it easy to slip into the role of his mentor. But I’ll tell you, that first year he just about wore me to a nub honing those skills on me.”

It took a while for Gary to find words again, but Casey sat in silence, looking down at his hands, giving him time.

“I’ve always felt he was so much older than me,” Gary said hoarsely. “Like there’s a ten year gap between us, instead of just three.” He looked at Casey, who was still looking at his hands. “But despite that, we’ve always wanted the same thing. It’s just... I just get there faster, while he takes his time.”

Casey looked up and saw Gary staring at him.

“Did you and he ever…”

Casey shook his head, smiling. “I was too much of a gentleman.”

Both of Gary’s eyebrows lifted.

“And he was just a kid,” Casey added softly.

The subtle regret in Casey’s voice pressed the air out of his lungs in a soft exhale. It was a mere hint of it, but that mixed in with the feelings of surprise, amazement and flattery he was already reeling under meant that he was done thinking for the night.

Randy sat down on the arm of the couch and slid his hand into the hair at Gary’s nape. Gary kept staring at Casey, who stared right back.

“What are you thinking about?” Randy asked Gary, his voice tightly controlled and thick with concern.

Gary let out a long moan and slowly collapsed against him, burying his face in his side.

The couch creaked softly as Casey stood up. “I’m off to bed,” he said warmly. “I’ll see you two bright and early.”

He came over to them, and Gary pulled back and watched as he cupped Randy’s cheek.

Randy looked up at him in surprise, and Casey leaned down and kissed his open mouth.

Gary felt his eyelids flutter, trying to close so he could concentrate on the pleasure uncoiling in him. But he forced his eyes to stay open.

Randy’s hand encircled Casey’s wrist, his thumb running back and forth over the skin. Casey pushed forward slightly, hesitantly, sliding his tongue into Randy’s mouth.

It was a soft, gentle kiss, as if neither of them were sure it was happening.

Gary knew he needed to breathe, but he couldn’t.

He memorized the way Randy’s mouth moved, slow, but so thorough, all over Casey’s mouth. It made Casey push forward even more, and kiss him with everything he had.

Gary suppressed the loud whimper trying to force its way out of his chest, squeezing the cushion instead of his cock, forcing his eyes to stay open, needing to see the kiss to its end.

It lasted a few more seconds before Casey finally pulled back. He turned and gave Gary the full blast of his incredible smile.

“Thanks,” he said thickly, before letting his hand slide from Randy’s face.

Then he walked around the couch and disappeared up the stairs.

Gary felt Randy’s fingers tighten in his hair, making him aware that Randy's hand had remained there the entire time.

Randy slowly pulled him closer and pressed his warm mouth to Gary's temple.

“Baby,” Randy whispered, and Gary finally closed his eyes.

*****

The tarmac at Peterson Air Force Base was wet from the melting snow, and the loud whine of the C-141 that would be taking them back to Pope AFB in North Carolina made vibration rings in the puddles.

Gary set his bags down in a puddle and smiled at Casey. Randy had said, “Talk to you later,” and left, already half way to their transport.

Gary leaned in and hugged Casey tight. “It was an honor, Casey.”

“Likewise,” Casey said, his voice thick with emotion. He inclined his head in the direction of the transport. “He’ll take good care of you.”

Gary pressed his lips together and nodded.

Then he remembered something. “Oh, and I've been meaning to mention. I don’t know what it is about you and younger guys,” he teased, “because Steve—”

“Yeah,” Casey drawled, grinning self consciously. “I know.”

Gary lifted an eyebrow, smiling from one corner of his mouth. “Still the gentleman?”

“Always.”

*****

Gary quickly padded across Randy’s dark kitchen in his bare feet, hurrying from the bedroom into the living room where Randy waited.

They had called Sergeant Major Roth from Colorado to let him know they were returning earlier than scheduled due to the VP’s cancellation. Roth had told them the call never took place, and unofficially given them the day off.

“It’s freezing in here, Randy!”

“Well, if you refuse to put clothes on, I’m sure is it.”

“I have on flannel pajama bottoms.”

“Obviously not good enough.”

Gary’s eye caught something on the counter as he passed, and slowed down, finding himself staring at a bottle of Duckhorn Merlot wrapped top to bottom in dark red ribbon.

He bent and peered at it, saw a little red card attached to it, and gingerly opened it with his forefinger. It read, To your eternal bond.

It was from Casey.

His heart swelled in his chest and he remained there smiling at the bottle for a while.

How the hell had it gotten there, anyway? He picked it up and stood in the kitchen entrance, holding up the bottle in one hand.

“Hey,” he called.

Randy didn’t look up from the leather recliner where he sat leafing through a science publication under the only light in the room, a reading lamp.

“You found Casey’s present,” he remarked. “It was in my duffle bag. Somehow.”

Gary took a few steps backwards and pulled open a drawer. He withdrew a corkscrew and thought about grabbing wine glasses, but didn’t want to waste anymore time.

He went back into the living room and lowered himself into Randy’s lap, setting the bottle on his crotch.

Randy’s arms came down. He dropped the magazine to the floor. “You’re getting too big for this.”

Gary ignored him and indicated that he hold the bottle while he peeled the cap and twisted the corkscrew into it.

“Where are the glasses?” Randy asked.

“No glasses.”

“You’re going to drink a hundred dollar bottle of wine straight from the bottle.”

“I think Casey would have wanted it that way.”

Randy’s hands moved to his thighs. “Gary,” he said softly.

Gary looked up and was surprised to see a look of hesitation on Randy’s face. He stopped twisting the corkscrew, knowing it wasn’t the prospect of chugging expensive wine that was weighing on Randy's mind.

“Don’t ever be with someone else if I’m around to see it,” Randy said quietly.

Gary raised an eyebrow.

Randy ran his tongue over his lip. “…and can’t join in.”

Gary smiled until he thought his heart would give out.

“You know,” he said, finishing twisting out the cork. “I think I finally figured out the difference between sex and love.”

He dropped the corkscrew with the cork still attached to it to the floor, taking his time, knowing Randy was patiently watching every move he made.

He sat back on Randy's thighs, holding the bottle with both hands. “Love, Randy, is seeing your face, hearing your voice, feeling your mouth, and even on one disastrous occasion, crying out your name, when I’m with someone else.”

Randy smiled and lowered his lashes. “Naturally,” he said.

Gary grinned, and thought about asking Randy if he would still talk to Casey as often as he did before. But changed his mind. It was Randy’s private life.

But he couldn’t resist wanting to know one particular thing. “So did you ever tell Casey how, um, polite you are to me in bed?”

Randy raised his eyes. “That’s none of your business.”

Gary smirked slowly, and lifted the wine bottle to his mouth.

~*~