The Apartment - Late Saturday Night

[emo_popsicle]

Bobby slipped into the apartment, locking the door behind him. "Bro, you home?"

He was messy from helping with Cassie's car. Grease in spots on his shirt and vest. Walking into the main room, he looked around. "Bruce?"

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[princenolonger]

When Bobby came in, Bruce set down the book he'd been reading. They hadn't talked in far too long, and with Scott in Tropolis, they'd need to.

"In here, bro," Bruce called from the smaller room he'd turned into a library.

[emo_popsicle]

A few moments later, a topless Bobby poked his head in the door of what he secretly called 'Bruce's Cave'. "Hey," his face took on a puzzled look. "Have you seen my NiN t-shirt anywhere?"

[princenolonger]

Bobby had filled out some from good food and safe surroundings, and the job at JamPony had put some more muscle on his frame. He looked good.

Bruce smiled. "Lent it to Tara a couple of weeks ago. You're just now noticing it's missing?"

[emo_popsicle]

"Yeah," Bobby leant against the door frame, hands hooked into the waistline of his baggy shorts. "It's not an everyday type of top you know? Sort of a... Well-" Bobby blushed slightly. "A security blanket," He mumbled.

[princenolonger]

Bobby looked at Bruce for a few seconds. "Um..you're serious?" He blinked. Oh shit, he was. "Oh, sorry I...uh. He's not really ready to admit to having any form of relationship yet, Bro. Setting guidelines for all of that..."

Bobby leaned back onto the couch. "I couldn't mention anything like that unless I was distracting him with nudity, even -then- he'd possibly run. He does care for me, I know that. He's just got baggage." Bobby's brow furrowed. "Okay, a lot of baggage. but he -is- trying."That expression, one part poleaxed, one part bemused, and one part wishful, drew a small laugh from Bruce. "Distracting them with nudity does tend to help, or taking them places where they feel very comfortable and bribing them with milkshakes

[emo_popsicle]

"Bribing him with..." Bobby gave Bruce a quizzical look. "You bribe him with milkshakes?"

Bobby paused as Bruce's words sunk in. He tried to imagine seeing Justin with someone else. Justin and Ben? Weird. Justin and Michael? Less weird, but still odd. Justin and Bruce? That wasn't even going to happen. Justin and Johnny....hot.

"I think... I think if I ever saw Justin with someone? My first concern would be that they were -good- enough for him. But I suppose that's saying it without ever having to experience it, huh?"

"You're making a lot of sense, I just... I kinda have this fear if I start waving what he's feeling in front of his face? He'll run. It's like its safe so long as we never mention it. Which, on reflection, isn't making this sound like the healthiest relationship I've ever had. Not had. Whichever." Bobby frowned.

[princenolonger]

"Milkshakes." Bruce nodded solemnly, but his eyes sparkled. "And pancakes and anything sweet, usually at a diner. Yazoo has the world's biggest sweet tooth, and he likes to be places that are casual so he doesn't have to think about how to act. It's a nice change for me, too, so it makes us both comfortable enough to talk."

Bobby's approach struck him as very characteristic of Bobby. Compassionate and caring and putting Justin first. "Be careful you don't put him first so long you come to resent it, or lose him because you're too caring."

Sighing, he caught Bobby's gaze. "You want to be with him so much you'd rather take what you can get than risk losing that. Being patient is a good thing, and being understanding. You're a lot less possessive than I am, so, maybe that can work for you.

"While I recognize the intrinsic hotness of Yazoo with anyone, I can't watch it - except under very specific circumstances not sex, perv - without getting ice in my veins. Yazoo needed to know that I'd react badly, and I needed his 'permission' to