Pen's Nest

A little Trickyfish - off the cuff and entirely unbeta'd. Enjoy!

Old Time's Sake

Chris cracks open another beer can and hands it to Lance, who's still vibrating with laughter, shaking his head. Lance takes the beer without missing a beat, because Lance has a special sixth sense for alchohol coming his way; it's almost as good as Chris's own. "I still can't believe you did that," Lance says. "Look on his face."

Chris grins. "Ten years ago, dude." Ten years, and this story can still render Lance useless with laughter. Chris is good. He's very good.

"Doesn't matter," Lance says. Then he stops laughing and blinks. "Ten years? Really?"

"Uh huh." He pauses, mostly to look at Lance, who's slouched back in one of Chris's easy chairs, beer can in hand, legs splayed, white shirt making his tanned skin seem to glow. He's beautiful. "Ten years tomorrow, actually."

"Man," Lance says, shaking his head again. "I suck. I can't believe I forgot."

Chris shrugs, because it's only his freakish, random-ass memory that allows him to remember this date but not his mother's birthday without help. It's not like it's a real anniversary - there's been plenty of other people in between, for both of them, but it doesn't stop this being what it is. Safe and easy and sexy and cool. They always come back to each other.

"You suck, huh?" Chris says, because he's proud that his friends can always count on him for the lame joke. "Wanna prove it?"

Lance meets Chris's eyes, grins, and stretches out his foot until it bumps Chris's. Lazily, without saying anything, he rubs against Chris's calf, and it's a reminder, and a promise, and it's good all on its own. Chris sinks back in his chair and enjoys the sensation, never breaking eye contact.

Eventually, Lance lets out a long, easy breath. "Maybe when I've finished my beer."