Their pressofficers had obviously been told to keep them apart as much as possible, asthey hadn’t been able to see each other at all during the first day and had hadless than a minute in the hall together before being brought in to the pressconference. Of course they couldn’t know just how much had changed over the break,how he and Mark had worked out their problems and… and…

Sebastiancautiously touched Mark’s hand under the table, and when he got a single, slowsqueeze in return he had to close his eyes, wishing so hard that they could bealone, because suddenly it was as if his whole body was hungry to be near him.

 –

Sebastianhad thought he was going crazy: unable to sleep, unfocused, irritable and fullof an inexplicable longing that clawed in his chest, and nothing he had triedhad helped. Somehow he hadn’t thought of trying this before he found himself in Jenson’s arms, choking back a sobat how right he suddenly felt,eternally grateful that the Brit had even opened the door for him so late atnight and even more thankful that he’d pulled him inside and embraced himwithout question. Patting clumsily at Jenson’s chest and thinking he couldn’tpossibly get close enough, Sebastian felt there was nothing in the world rightnow other than Jenson keeping a careful hold on him while he guided them bothto bed for a good night’s sleep, finally together again.

 –

He whined,full of need, body and fingers aching to touch them, yet now that they wereboth here he felt so overwhelmed he could barely even move and was just tryingto take it all in as their hands roamed over him. Sebastian focused onbreathing and trying to stop his knees from shaking, trying to get his thoughtsto slow down long enough that he could focus on feeling rather than this almostconfused sense of too much, not enough but too much.

Mark wokeup and reached for the glass of water he always put on the nightstand for the morningafter the night before. There was nothing there. It took him a moment to getout of the pattern set up by habit and realize it wasn’t because he had been sodrunk he had forgotten to put any water out. It was because he had been quiteoccupied with something else. He slowly turned to his left and was met withJenson’s grinning face.

“Morning,”he whispered, reaching over the body between them to pat Mark. “Ssh, he’s stillsleeping.”

He shouldhave known better, really. Jenson talked a lot of shit, which could be fun toboth listen to and shut him up for, but when it came to daring him to dosomething, Mark really should have known better. Because Jenson would at leasttry to do it, whatever it was. And this time he had succeeded.

Mark lookedat the familiar mop of unruly hair between them. Jenson, he could handle. Itwas ‘seriously casual’, they were more or less exclusive but they hadn’t made abig thing of labeling their relationship. This… this was something else.

TheAmber-show was always ridiculous, everyone dressed to the nines and playing atbeing models. It was always good for a laugh though. Jenson who of courselooked entirely at home in his suit, a few buttons undone, all smiles and winksfor the cameras and the girls working the floor. Mark blamed the drinks they’dbeen plied with to get them all to relax for acting just a little bitpossessive, especially when he’d seen how DC was eyeing Jenson. After someparticularly intense flirting with one of the female models Mark made a pointof cornering Jenson in the men’s room.

“Ready togo?” he asked, keeping his tone somewhat neutral. Or so he thought. Jenson shothim a lopsided smile.

“Oh I don’tknow, I’m kind of enjoying myself. Why?”

He waiteduntil Jenson was washing his hands before coming up behind him, trapping himbetween the sink and himself.

“BecauseI’d like to enjoy myself.” In themirror he saw Jenson’s smile get even bigger. He was just about to spin himaround to make absolutely sure the message had gotten through when the dooropened and Sebastian froze a few steps into the room, clearly not expecting tosee what he saw. He opened and shut his mouth a couple of times like he waslooking for something to say, but then he turned and left without a word.

Jensonburst out laughing.

“Well, youcertainly made little Seb’s night!”

Marksnorted derisively. “He looks ridiculous in that shirt.”

“The shirtcomes off,” Jenson said, turning around so he was facing Mark. “Would you liketo see little Seb’s shirt come off, Mark?”

“I’d loveto see you try to get him out of it,” Mark scoffed. “You think you’re god’sgift mate, I think the little shit would laugh his arse off. Or you’d freak himout.”

Jensonleaned in even closer, nose to nose with Mark now, still grinning.

“So if Ibring Seb home, you don’t want to come with?”

Mark grinnedback.

“If youbring Seb home and get him out of that shirt, I want to be there to see it.Knowing you, I’d have to see it to believe it.”

Later, hehad seen him talking to Seb, seen his new teammate accepting a drink, blushingat whatever Jenson said before reaching out and adjusting Seb’s jacket, hishand lingering just a little too long. Sebastian had shot Mark one short,hesitant look before his focus was back on Jenson. Mark found it didn’t makehim jealous at all. It made him feel something quite different.

Markgroaned. Of course Jenson had been successful.

“Isn’t hecute?” Jenson whispered, looking at Sebastian who was lying on his side, hishead almost on Jenson’s chest but his legs tangled with Mark’s under thecovers. There were little marks on his shoulders and back, and in a flash of vividmemory Mark realized he was responsible for a particularly sharp, purple hickeyon Seb’s neck.

“Cute?” hehissed, “Jenson, we need to talk about what happened last night!”

“He likedit, I liked it, you liked it,” Jenson said, still looking at Sebastian andstroking his hair softly. “Don’t make it complicated Mark.”

Markrecognized that look. Christ. He should have seen it coming. Jenson and hisstupid infatuations.

“I’m notthe one looking all loved up, mate. Youdon’t make things complicated,” he warned. Either he had raised his voice justa bit too much, or Jenson’s touches down his neck and back had done it;Sebastian stirred and raised his head, looking a little confused.

“Hey you,”Jenson said, giving him a short kiss. Mark rolled his eyes, and was willing tobet Sebastian only kissed back out of surprise.

“Eh… hi?”Seb said, untangling his legs and stretching a little. He turned on his backand noticed Mark. “Hi Mark,” he said with a smile, turning so he was facinghim, snuggling in against his chest. Over Seb’s head, Mark saw Jenson grinninglike christmas had come early.