Match Pair: Riptide fic
For seraphina_snape in the Fic meme... It's a little longer than a drabble!
And also for nickygabriel who seconded the request!
Title: Match Pair
Author: tinx_r
Fandom: Riptide
Genre/Rating: Pre-slash/Slash R
Wordcount: 5000
Pairing/Characters: Nick/Cody
Notes/Warnings: for seraphina_snape, who wanted matchmaker Murray!
Summary: Dating on the Riptide is a complicated affair...
"We asked you to go out for pizza because we wanted to be alone."
Murray had spent the last few weeks musing on that line. "With girls," Nick had added lamely, but even at the time, while Murray had scolded his roommates roundly for abusing Mama Jo's trust, something hadn't quite rung true.
Sure, Nick and Cody had invited Bambi and Tammy over. Just like they'd taken Erin and Gina to the movies, and Karen and Casey to the arcade on the pier followed by Chinese food downtown at Happy Joe's. But even Happy Joe himself hadn't looked surprised when Nick and Cody crowded into one side of the small booth and left Murray to perch on the stool at the end and their dates to sit opposite. Even Cody pinching shrimp out of Nick's Shrimp Fried Rice with his chopsticks didn't earn a second look--except from Casey, who whispered to Karen, and the two of them excused themselves to the bathroom.
After that, Murray wasn't surprised when the ladies refused dessert, and the evening ended with the three of them eating ice cream sundaes at a diner on Fourth. Murray had seconds while Cody bemoaned the vagaries of women and Nick grunted sympathetically, his arm slung--in brotherly support--around Cody's shoulders.
The next date went better. Murray had a girl of his own--June, a sweet-faced brunette who thought computer programmers were "fascinating". Murray thought June was fascinating in a way he ruefully admitted would last a couple of dates at most, but she was pretty and curvaceous and Murray was a great believer in living in the moment. Cody's date was tall and leggy, tanned bronze, with amused gray eyes. Her name was Marlene, and the way Cody looked at her reminded Murray of a lapdog.
The way Nick looked at Cody, however, reminded Murray more of an attack-trained doberman. Murray wasn't certain what had gotten under Nick's skin, but he could sense the tension radiating off Nick like something tangible.
Nick's own date seemed to sense it too. Carly-Ann was a cute, part Native American girl with long, straight blue-black hair. Murray knew her from around--Carly-Ann always chatted to him whenever they ran into each other--and Murray had an idea she'd opened up a new-age crystal-gazing shop, one of the ones that smelled of incense and made him sneeze.
But tonight Carly-Ann was quiet. When she looked at her inattentive date, her eyes held a measuring, assessing look, and when she looked at Marlene, she seemed amused. Murray watched her, wondering, until June jogged his arm and he realized with a start that he was being nearly as rude as Nick.
Dinner came and was good; and served to relax some of the tension in the air. They all danced afterward and Nick even started to look like he might be enjoying himself.
It was getting late, and Murray was taking a much-needed break from dancing. June was half-sitting on his lap, pleasantly giggly, and he thought that perhaps her fascination potential might last longer than he'd originally thought. Across the table, Nick was leaning back in his chair, talking to Carly-Ann.
"Yeah, I like surfing. But you wanna see Cody. He's something else, you know? Sometimes he's dragged me out there on days I'd'a sworn the waves were out to kill you, you know? But man, he sure can surf."
Cody and Marlene were still dancing, but as Murray looked back at the dance floor, the band ended the upbeat number they'd been playing and started in on a slow song. Marlene moved in close, but Cody raised his hand and pointed back to the table.
Marlene shrugged, turned and headed for the bathroom, and Cody hurried over to their table.
"Hey, Cody. Is everything okay?" Murray frowned. Cody looked slightly out of breath--understandable after all the dancing--but he also looked anxious.
Cody gave Murray a distracted smile. "Sure, Boz." He looked at Nick for a long moment.
Nick sat up straight in his chair. "Did that tour booking confirm? For tomorrow morning?"
"What tour booking?" Murray looked from Nick to Cody.
"Ah--a helicopter tour with waterskiing out at Fisherman's Island. Yeah, Nick, it did. They want to leave at nine."
Nick stretched. "Well, I guess we better call it a night then, huh, big guy?"
Murray and June walked Nick, Carly-Ann, Cody and Marlene to the Jimmy. Murray watched as Nick helped the girls into the back seat before taking his place beside Cody, then the red truck roared off into the night.
Murray and June wandered off down the beach. June leaned on Murray's arm, and Murray squeezed her absently. It was strange that neither Nick or Cody had mentioned the charter earlier.
It was even stranger that when Murray walked back down the beach at eight the next morning, alone this time, the Riptide was quiet, showing none of the bustle that accompanied a charter morning. And when Murray went aboard, he found Nick and Cody in the salon eating breakfast with no appearance of hurry.
"Guys?" Murray looked from Nick's old sweats to Cody's orange bathrobe. "What happened to the charter?"
Cody jumped about a foot, and turned scarlet. "Uh--"
Nick nudged him, looking amused, and Cody fell silent, looking down at his plate. Nick looked at his watch, grinning widely. "Morning, Boz! Been out for an--uh--early morning walk?" Nick's grin said he had no illusions about where Murray had spent the night.
Murray colored a little, but couldn't hide his answering grin. "It was nice on the beach," he said, deliberately not answering, and Nick gave him a nod of approval.
"Good answer."
Murray giggled then sobered. "But what about the charter, Nick? I thought they were leaving at nine?"
"Nah, they cancelled," Nick said smoothly. Beside him, Cody looked up sharply, then nodded as though in encouragement. "They had some kind of stomach flu."
"That's a shame," Murray said slowly, looking from Nick to Cody and back again. "Well, I guess I'll get myself some breakfast."
He went down into the galley, wondering. It was perfectly possible that the guys had forgotten to mention a charter booking--it wouldn't have been the first time, there'd been one or two occasions when Murray had ended up standing on the pier watching the Riptide sail out of port, wondering exactly how he was going to spend the day until his home, and his computers, returned--and charters did cancel. But something about the setup, and about Cody's reactions, made Murray suspect that there had never been a booking at all.
Which meant Nick had made it up as an excuse to cut the evening short.
Murray took his cornflakes to his room and switched on his machines. He'd never considered himself a dating expert, but here in Southern California, he didn't have to be. The girls were friendly down here. Which didn't explain why neither Nick nor Cody seemed to be able to get a girlfriend--or even a second date.
There was obviously a deeper explanation. Industrious as always, Murray assembled the evidence and began to formulate hypotheses.
***
"I'm seeing June again Friday." Murray poured himself a coffee and sat down on the bench seat. "What about you and Marlene?"
Cody was sitting at the table, trying to repair a fishing reel. As Murray spoke, he looked up sharply and caught his finger on a sharp edge.
"Ow!" He raised his hurt finger to his mouth and sucked. "We didn't make any plans. She's nice, y'know, Boz, but I don't think I'll see her again."
"Huh." Murray frowned slightly. "That's too bad. I really thought you guys hit it off."
"It was a fun night, and I like her. But I'm just not sure she's the kind of girl I'm looking for right now. You know what I mean?"
Murray smiled to himself, leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. "No, Cody," he said, with his most earnest expression. "I don't know what you mean. What kind of girl are you looking for right now?"
Cody opened his mouth, then closed it again, staring at Murray blankly. "What... what kind of girl am I looking for?" he repeated.
"Yeah." Murray grinned, a picture of innocent curiosity. "I mean, I know the girls you're not looking for, right? Marlene, Casey, Erin and Tammy. So... what are you looking for?"
"I--I want --" Cody shivered. "Murray, that's a tough question, buddy. I mean, she's gotta understand about the agency. Sometimes we work all night, and sometimes it's at short notice. I can't date some girl who wants to hang on my sleeve every minute of the day."
"But other times we dont work at all," Murray pointed out. "I'm sure most girls--Marlene for example--would be willing to compromise."
"Yeah, I guess. But girls get snippy about broken dates and stuff, and when you've spent the day getting roughed up by crooks--well, you just wanna relax, is the thing, not get bitched out by some girl."
"I guess so." Murray sipped his coffee. "I'm sorry about you and Marlene. How about Nick? He and Carly-Ann seemed to hit it off just fine."
Cody frowned. "He doesn't think she liked him. He told me he wasn't planning on taking her out again."
Murray shrugged and pretended to turn his attention to his coffee. Cody went back to fiddling with the reel, but it was obvious he was just fidgeting. Satisfied, Murray finished his coffee and stood up.
"Don't you worry, Cody." He rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The right girl's out there. I just know you're gonna meet her real soon."
Murray went up the steps to the wheelhouse, completely conscious of Cody's worried gaze resting heavy on his back. It made him very happy.
Things were going exactly as he had hypothesised.
Murray found Nick on the pier, leaning against the ‘Vette with a chamois in his hand. He was flirting with Petra, the pretty blonde who'd started at the drugstore last week.
"A moonlight sail? Nah, Petra, you don't wanna do that, trust me. What you'd like is a nightflight in the Mimi. You wanna see those lights from the air, man. I'd love to take you up, anytime."
Petra giggled and moved closer to Nick. Nick stepped back. Murray grinned.
Petra thinned her lips slightly, then reached out and laid a hand on Nick's arm. This time he didn't pull away. "I'll let you know, okay? I'm not that great with heights... but I do love the water." With that, she turned on her heel and started off down the pier toward Logan's Drug Store, looking back flirtatiously over her shoulder. Her pale bangs bounced as she walked, and her hips swayed, showcasing her high round buns under her tight skirt.
Murray came up beside Nick and shamelessly enjoyed the view. "She seems nice. Although I admit, I was kinda hoping you and Carly-Ann would hit it off."
Nick jumped. "She's sure flirty, anyhow. And Carly-Ann... she's a nice girl, but she just didn't give me that vibe, you know? I'm wasting my time there."
No, Nick, you're wasting HER time, Murray thought as he nodded earnestly. "I heard you offering Petra a flight in the Mimi. Now forgive me if I'm wrong, Nick, but surely that's not a great setup for a date?"
"What do you mean? The Mimi's a classic!"
"Of course she is," Murray said soothingly. "That's not what I mean. If you're flying a helicopter, how can you be concentrating on a girl? You can't hold her hand, you can't kiss her, and you can only talk to her through the headphones--and the headphones will mess with her hair."
"Huh." Nick looked floored. "I guess. I never thought of that."
"And you know Mimi. Sometimes... well, sometimes, she's not on her best behavior."
"I guess," Nick said again. "Maybe I should take her for a ride in the ‘Vette instead."
"It's February. It's not exactly convertible weather." Murray smiled. "I'm not a dating expert, but it seems to me you could just take her out to dinner. Now, I happen to know Petra loves sushi, and there's a sushi bar just opened down on Deadwood. Why don't you take her there on Saturday night?"
Nick shook his head. "Cody hates sushi."
It was Murray's turn to look floored. "But it's you and Petra--"
"I was gonna ask her if she had a friend." Nick shrugged. "I guess we'll just go to Straightaway's. Thanks, Boz!" He grinned and ruffled Murray's hair. "I guess you are a dating expert, after all!"
Murray stared at Nick for a long moment, then nodded. "Thanks, Nick. Maybe I am, at that. I'll see you later!" He turned and hurried down the pier. It was time for him to pay a visit to Logan's and see if Petra would fill his prescription.
***
"Don't you worry, guys. This time, out for pizza means out for pizza! And I'm not gonna get mixed up with any murderers or diamond smugglers!"
"Well you better not, Boz, because you know the Jimmy's in the shop, so we can't come after you," Nick pointed out.
"You'll be busy with Petra and Janine, anyhow." Murray giggled. "Don't forget the cake for dessert!"
"We won't." Nick and Cody watched as Murray ran up the stairs, then Cody turned back, surveying the table in the galley. "What do you think Boz is up to?"
Nick looked at the steaming garlic bread on the table, and at the bottle of expensive champagne resting in the ice bucket. Murray had brought both home earlier in the day ‘to make your date tonight special'. "I really don't know, man. But I gotta say, garlic bread, your special fried chicken and chocolate cake? I'm really looking forward to dinner. I guess it's too much to hope those girls'll be gone in time for the game tonight?"
Cody punched his shoulder. "Come on, buddy. The Cubs have no chance anyhow. They don't need you to watch them lose again."
"No chance? Cody, you're dreaming. They'll leave the Padres for dead--"
The phone ringing interrupted the familiar quarrel. Nick threw his hands in the air to underline his team's superiority, and Cody rolled his eyes as he picked up the receiver.
"Riptide Detective Agency, this is Cody Allen. Oh, hi Petra. Nick's right here--oh. Oh, I see. Well sure, I'll tell him. Uh--yeah, thanks. We will. Uh--maybe another time--" He broke off, stared at the receiver, then slowly lowered it back to the cradle.
"What is it, man?"
Cody dropped to the bench seat. "Buddy, I think we've just been blown off."
"Blown off? What, Petra's not coming?"
"Nope. She said she forgot she had to go to a tupperware party."
"She what?" Nick stared. "Janine, too?"
Cody nodded.
"Well, I'll be damned. We really got dumped for a bunch of little plastic doohickeys?"
"I dunno about that, big guy. But one thing's pretty clear. We really got dumped." Cody ruefully surveyed the table. "Now what?"
Nick shrugged philosophically and lifted the champagne out of the ice bucket. "I say we make the best of it." He poured a glass slowly and handed it to Cody, then filled another for himself. Taking the plate of garlic bread in his other hand, he sat down next to Cody and raised his glass. "Good friends, good food and a damn good game."
"I'll drink to that." Cody took a gulp of the champagne and leaned slightly into Nick as he helped himself to the garlic bread.
***
At the new sushi place on Deadwood, Murray sat at a round table with Petra opposite him, Carly-Ann on one side, and June on the other. Each of them had a carved wooden board in front of them, laden with pieces of sushi.
"A lot of people don't really know how to eat sushi," Murray said, brandishing his chopsticks. "It's all in the technique. Just watch me, girls!"
The roll in Murray's chopsticks teetered alarmingly then fell, sending soya sauce droplets over Murray's tie. Murray turned scarlet, but, between laughter, all three girls rushed to comfort him.
Murray helped himself to another piece, looking around the table and smiling. He only hoped Nick and Cody's date was going as well as his.
***
It was nearly midnight when Murray pulled the ‘Vette back into its space. He had a lunch date with June tomorrow, and an assignation to meet Petra for dinner. But best of all, Carly-Ann was meeting him at the library on Saturday. Murray was sure that his fascination with Carly-Ann was the kind that only grew stronger, and he couldn't wait to find out for sure.
He got out of the car and covered it, looking down at the boat. There was still light in the salon, and he headed slowly down the companionway, wondering just how well Nick and Cody's date had gone.
Inside, the post-game wrap-up was on the television. The Padres had won, and Cody was grinning at the tv, a bottle of beer in his hand. The empty champagne bottle stood on the table along with the remains of the fried chicken.
Nick was sprawled on the couch, asleep, his feet in Cody's lap. Murray stared at the two of them for a moment. "Uh, hi, Cody. Did--did the girls leave early?"
"We got dumped," Cody said cheerfully, and patted Nick's calf. "Didn't we, big guy?"
Nick mumbled something in his sleep and buried his head against his arm.
Cody grinned, and patted Nick's leg again. "Petra rang. She and Janine had a tupperware party to go to." He shrugged. "I guess me an' Nick can take a hint, huh?"
"That's a shame," Murray lied. "So you guys had a boring night, then, huh? Just the two of you?"
"Boring?" Cody frowned slightly. "Well, we were kind of bummed when the girls canned us, but we had a great dinner, the game was on, and the Padres won. The way it turned out, we maybe had more fun without them."
"Maybe you did." Murray sat down in the rattan chair and leaned his elbows on his knees. "You two sure look comfortable."
Cody grinned, his thumb moving gently on Nick's leg. "Nick sure is. The champagne went to his head."
"Something did, anyhow." Murray smiled. "Cody, has it ever occurred to you that you and Nick are... dating the wrong people?"
"You bet." Cody gave a short laugh. "Any girl that'll stand you up for tupperware has to be the wrong person."
"I'm not just talking about tonight. Cody... you just told me you and Nick had a better night without your dates than you would have done with them. Every time you take a girl out, you can't wait to drop her off and come home... to Nick. And right now, Nick's asleep in your lap. Why don't you just--date him?"
"Date Nick?" Cody looked from Murray to Nick and back again, an expression of consternation on his face. Then he pushed Nick's feet aside and jumped up. "Murray, that's not funny, okay? Just because we're going through a rough patch with girls right now--"
"What's up?" Nick's feet banged on the floor as he sat up, staring at Murray. He grabbed Cody's arm, looking both bewildered and belligerent.
"Uh--" Cody jerked away from him, then shot Murray a hunted look. "We're out of milk. I'll be right back." Without giving either of his partners a chance to respond, he turned and ran up the stairs.
Nick shook his head as though trying to clear it, then stood and went slowly to the coffeepot. He poured himself a cup and sipped at the hot liquid, then returned to the couch and sat. "You mind telling me what the fuck that was about, Boz?"
"We're out of milk?" Murray tried.
Nick glared.
"Cody was telling me what a great night you two had. You know... without your dates."
"Yeah? So what's in that to send him running out of here like a scalded cat?"
"I told him he should just date you."
"You told him--" Nick sighed and put a hand over his eyes. "Jesus, Boz. What's with you?"
"What do you mean?" Murray kept an expression of enthusiastic, naive innocence on his face.
"What do I mean? We're guys, Murray. Guys. Guys just don't... date each other."
"Some guys do," Murray said shrewdly, and waited.
"We're GIs. We're not like that." Nick's voice cracked.
"Just think about one thing, Nick."
Nick stared mutinously at Murray, eyes smoldering with a mix of anger, fear and confusion. "What?"
"Do you think you could ever care for a woman as much as you care for Cody?"
The expression in Nick's eyes turned cold, empty, inward. He looked down. "It's different--"
"No, Nick," Murray said softly. "Don't tell me. Don't explain it to me. Go explain it to him. Or if you won't do that, at least explain it to the next girl who wastes her time with you, okay?" He didn't give Nick any time to answer, standing and disappearing down the forward stairs to his cabin.
Whatever happened now was out of his hands.
***
Cody stood on the pier and looked down at his boat, shifting the carton of milk from hand to hand. There was light in the salon and in Murray's cabin.
He wondered if Nick and Murray were still in the salon, and what Murray had said to Nick after he had left.
"Every time you take a girl out, you can't wait to drop her off and come home... to Nick." It was true, Cody couldn't even pretend to deny it. But that didn't mean he wanted to date Nick... did it?
Cody squared his shoulders and let himself in the gate. He liked women. It was just that being with Nick was safe, familiar, comfortable. "We're GIs, for God's sake," he muttered, and strode down the companionway.
There was no-one in the salon. Feeling strangely nervous, Cody went to the galley and stowed the milk in the fridge, wondering where Nick was. Wondering what Murray had said to him.
Real fear touched him deep inside. Could this change them? What if Nick was upset; or blamed Cody? What if Nick left?
"Cody? That you, man?" Nick's voice came from the salon, low and questioning.
Cody slammed the fridge door and was up the steps in two bounds. "Nick!"
Nick looked shaken and frightened, and his eyes were shuttered. Cody hesitated, irresolute.
"Are you okay?" Nick asked roughly and came toward him.
Cody nodded and put a hand on Nick's arm. "Are you?"
Nick shrugged, half-turning away. Cody's fear rose, but as Nick spoke, he realized Nick was just as frightened as he was himself.
"I didn't know if you'd come back. I didn't know if I should go after you. I didn't know..." Nick stopped and breathed deep. "I didn't know if maybe I should start looking for another place to live."
"Nick, no." Cody's heart pounded. "Because of some stupid idea Murray's gotten hold of? It can't change us. Nothing can change us!"
Nick looked up, then took Cody's arms. "Not because of Murray's ideas, Cody. Because of you an' me, and what that means." He gave Cody a shake, looking into his eyes. "I love you, guy. You know that, right?"
Cody nodded nervously, wondering what was coming next. He licked suddenly-dry lips.
"Murray asked me if I could ever care for a girl the way I care for you." Nick released Cody's arms and went to the table, half-turning away again. Protecting himself.
"What..." Cody took a deep breath. He felt light-headed. "What did you tell him, Nick?"
"I didn't tell him anything. But I know the answer, Cody. You want me to tell you?"
Cody stared at Nick. His strong, funny, hot-headed partner. His best friend, the guy who'd carried him through the best and worst times in his life. The guy whose heart and soul were joined with his.
There was only one answer.
Cody went to Nick's side. "I could never care for anyone the way I care for you," he said quietly.
Nick made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Me neither. Cody..." He laid a tentative hand on Cody's shoulder, and Cody turned to him willingly.
They slid their arms around each other, holding each other close, the same way they had a thousand times before. Strength, comfort, familiarity. Cody felt a twinge of doubt. Could this really be enough?
And then he looked into Nick's eyes.
Something sparked between them, like a circuit completing or a connection going live. It took Cody's breath away, and with it, his inhibitions. Almost before he knew what he was doing, his mouth was on Nick's, claiming, begging, asking, exploring. And Nick was taking, challenging, dueling with him, his arms hard, his body harder, his kiss searing.
Then they were apart, panting, arms softer now, touches gentle. Cody tried another kiss, light this time, a need unspoken, and Nick's answer was there, soft and quiet and sure.
Nick's hand slid up the back of Cody's neck, gentle, reassuring, yet possessive, and Cody leaned into the touch. He was safe with Nick.
"Always," Nick murmured, answering his thought.
Cody smiled at that. "You always know what I'm thinking. What I need."
"What can I say? Every guy's gotta have a hobby."
"A hobby?" Cody pondered that, then pulled back slightly. "Are you saying you wanted... us together?"
Nick shrugged. "I hadn't thought of it. But I didn't wanna lose you, man. I hated every time you took a girl out. Just thinking that one of them was gonna take you away from me, from this life we got... Cody, I love being with you, you know? When you got the boat and we moved in here, everything we've done; this is everything I ever wanted. You an' me, together."
There was a thump from below, and footsteps in the galley. Nick and Cody sprang apart guiltily, looking from each other to the forward stairs.
"Come on." Cody grabbed Nick's arm. "Let's go downstairs."
Their cabin seemed smaller than usual, almost claustrophobic, as Cody closed the door and turned to face Nick.
Nick was sitting on his own bunk, one knee drawn up, a worried expression on his face. Cody considered sitting next to him, then dismissed the idea as too forward, and perched opposite instead. A moment ago, in Nick's arms, everything had seemed so simple. Now, the bare inches between the bunks loomed, an insurmountable chasm.
"We're crazy. This is crazy," Cody said, and looked away.
"If you say so." Nick's voice was flat and tight, and Cody risked a look at his partner.
"Are you saying you want this?" Cody's heart pounded. He had no idea what was going on in Nick's head, and that alone was terrifying.
"Not if you don't." Nick reached out and captured Cody's hand, meshing their fingers. "Cody, I wanna be the guy beside you. The one you know you can count on. I want to be your partner, man. And anything that gets in the way of that, I got no time for, you know?"
Cody hesitated, staring into Nick's eyes. Nick looked determined, frightened and hopeful. And not in the least crazy. "When I kissed you... did that get in the way, Nick?"
Nick licked his lips. "Nah," he muttered. "But when you stopped... that was kind of a speed bump."
"They're murder on the suspension." Cody tried to breathe deep, feeling lightheaded. "You wanna try it again? Only without the speed bumps?"
"Even though it's crazy?"
"We've pulled some pretty crazy stunts so far, buddy. The way I see it, I'm game for one more." Cody grinned. "If you are."
Nick grinned back. "I never left you high and dry yet, did I, big guy? Like I said, a guy's gotta have a hobby."
***
Cody knew Nick's body with the intimacy of men quartered together for a decade plus. He knew Nick's touch, the strength of Nick's arms, the whisper of Nick's breath. He even knew the smell of Nick's sex. But what Cody had never known until know was the strength of Nick's hunger, the raw possession of his need.
Cody's own body responded in kind, far quicker and more fully than he was ready for. Almost afraid at the strength of his own reaction, he clung to Nick, riding waves of confusion, fear and arousal.
But Nick seemed to know. He took Cody slow, guiding him past the fear, holding him until clarity replaced confusion, until arousal was subsumed by absolute rightness. The feeling rose in Cody until there was nothing left, until he and Nick were all that remained.
***
"It wasn't ever like that."
"Wasn't ever me."
"You're a funny guy. But seriously, Nick, do you think that, I don't know, means something?"
"Sure. Means we wasted a lot of time, the last twelve years."
"Was it--oh. Maybe it wasn't for you? Good, I mean. Nick--"
"No. Hey, no. It was good, Cody. It was better than good."
"So whaddaya think? I mean, we've gotten out of a lot of tight spots over the years. Maybe this is why, huh? Maybe we're... cosmically aligned."
"And maybe you've been spending too much time listening to Carly-Ann. I got no idea if we're cosmically aligned or whatever, big guy, but I know one thing. I love you, and I'm never letting you go."
"Me too."
"You know what else it means?"
"What?"
You're the reason I'm alive. You're my whole damn world. "We owe Murray another trip to New Orleans."
"Now you're talking, Nick. While he's away, we can take the boat out somewhere real... private."
"And practice cosmic alignment?"
"By that time, I'm thinking we're not gonna need much practice."
"You got a point, Cody. Maybe we better get some more in now, huh?"
And also for nickygabriel who seconded the request!
Title: Match Pair
Author: tinx_r
Fandom: Riptide
Genre/Rating: Pre-slash/Slash R
Wordcount: 5000
Pairing/Characters: Nick/Cody
Notes/Warnings: for seraphina_snape, who wanted matchmaker Murray!
Summary: Dating on the Riptide is a complicated affair...
"We asked you to go out for pizza because we wanted to be alone."
Murray had spent the last few weeks musing on that line. "With girls," Nick had added lamely, but even at the time, while Murray had scolded his roommates roundly for abusing Mama Jo's trust, something hadn't quite rung true.
Sure, Nick and Cody had invited Bambi and Tammy over. Just like they'd taken Erin and Gina to the movies, and Karen and Casey to the arcade on the pier followed by Chinese food downtown at Happy Joe's. But even Happy Joe himself hadn't looked surprised when Nick and Cody crowded into one side of the small booth and left Murray to perch on the stool at the end and their dates to sit opposite. Even Cody pinching shrimp out of Nick's Shrimp Fried Rice with his chopsticks didn't earn a second look--except from Casey, who whispered to Karen, and the two of them excused themselves to the bathroom.
After that, Murray wasn't surprised when the ladies refused dessert, and the evening ended with the three of them eating ice cream sundaes at a diner on Fourth. Murray had seconds while Cody bemoaned the vagaries of women and Nick grunted sympathetically, his arm slung--in brotherly support--around Cody's shoulders.
The next date went better. Murray had a girl of his own--June, a sweet-faced brunette who thought computer programmers were "fascinating". Murray thought June was fascinating in a way he ruefully admitted would last a couple of dates at most, but she was pretty and curvaceous and Murray was a great believer in living in the moment. Cody's date was tall and leggy, tanned bronze, with amused gray eyes. Her name was Marlene, and the way Cody looked at her reminded Murray of a lapdog.
The way Nick looked at Cody, however, reminded Murray more of an attack-trained doberman. Murray wasn't certain what had gotten under Nick's skin, but he could sense the tension radiating off Nick like something tangible.
Nick's own date seemed to sense it too. Carly-Ann was a cute, part Native American girl with long, straight blue-black hair. Murray knew her from around--Carly-Ann always chatted to him whenever they ran into each other--and Murray had an idea she'd opened up a new-age crystal-gazing shop, one of the ones that smelled of incense and made him sneeze.
But tonight Carly-Ann was quiet. When she looked at her inattentive date, her eyes held a measuring, assessing look, and when she looked at Marlene, she seemed amused. Murray watched her, wondering, until June jogged his arm and he realized with a start that he was being nearly as rude as Nick.
Dinner came and was good; and served to relax some of the tension in the air. They all danced afterward and Nick even started to look like he might be enjoying himself.
It was getting late, and Murray was taking a much-needed break from dancing. June was half-sitting on his lap, pleasantly giggly, and he thought that perhaps her fascination potential might last longer than he'd originally thought. Across the table, Nick was leaning back in his chair, talking to Carly-Ann.
"Yeah, I like surfing. But you wanna see Cody. He's something else, you know? Sometimes he's dragged me out there on days I'd'a sworn the waves were out to kill you, you know? But man, he sure can surf."
Cody and Marlene were still dancing, but as Murray looked back at the dance floor, the band ended the upbeat number they'd been playing and started in on a slow song. Marlene moved in close, but Cody raised his hand and pointed back to the table.
Marlene shrugged, turned and headed for the bathroom, and Cody hurried over to their table.
"Hey, Cody. Is everything okay?" Murray frowned. Cody looked slightly out of breath--understandable after all the dancing--but he also looked anxious.
Cody gave Murray a distracted smile. "Sure, Boz." He looked at Nick for a long moment.
Nick sat up straight in his chair. "Did that tour booking confirm? For tomorrow morning?"
"What tour booking?" Murray looked from Nick to Cody.
"Ah--a helicopter tour with waterskiing out at Fisherman's Island. Yeah, Nick, it did. They want to leave at nine."
Nick stretched. "Well, I guess we better call it a night then, huh, big guy?"
Murray and June walked Nick, Carly-Ann, Cody and Marlene to the Jimmy. Murray watched as Nick helped the girls into the back seat before taking his place beside Cody, then the red truck roared off into the night.
Murray and June wandered off down the beach. June leaned on Murray's arm, and Murray squeezed her absently. It was strange that neither Nick or Cody had mentioned the charter earlier.
It was even stranger that when Murray walked back down the beach at eight the next morning, alone this time, the Riptide was quiet, showing none of the bustle that accompanied a charter morning. And when Murray went aboard, he found Nick and Cody in the salon eating breakfast with no appearance of hurry.
"Guys?" Murray looked from Nick's old sweats to Cody's orange bathrobe. "What happened to the charter?"
Cody jumped about a foot, and turned scarlet. "Uh--"
Nick nudged him, looking amused, and Cody fell silent, looking down at his plate. Nick looked at his watch, grinning widely. "Morning, Boz! Been out for an--uh--early morning walk?" Nick's grin said he had no illusions about where Murray had spent the night.
Murray colored a little, but couldn't hide his answering grin. "It was nice on the beach," he said, deliberately not answering, and Nick gave him a nod of approval.
"Good answer."
Murray giggled then sobered. "But what about the charter, Nick? I thought they were leaving at nine?"
"Nah, they cancelled," Nick said smoothly. Beside him, Cody looked up sharply, then nodded as though in encouragement. "They had some kind of stomach flu."
"That's a shame," Murray said slowly, looking from Nick to Cody and back again. "Well, I guess I'll get myself some breakfast."
He went down into the galley, wondering. It was perfectly possible that the guys had forgotten to mention a charter booking--it wouldn't have been the first time, there'd been one or two occasions when Murray had ended up standing on the pier watching the Riptide sail out of port, wondering exactly how he was going to spend the day until his home, and his computers, returned--and charters did cancel. But something about the setup, and about Cody's reactions, made Murray suspect that there had never been a booking at all.
Which meant Nick had made it up as an excuse to cut the evening short.
Murray took his cornflakes to his room and switched on his machines. He'd never considered himself a dating expert, but here in Southern California, he didn't have to be. The girls were friendly down here. Which didn't explain why neither Nick nor Cody seemed to be able to get a girlfriend--or even a second date.
There was obviously a deeper explanation. Industrious as always, Murray assembled the evidence and began to formulate hypotheses.
***
"I'm seeing June again Friday." Murray poured himself a coffee and sat down on the bench seat. "What about you and Marlene?"
Cody was sitting at the table, trying to repair a fishing reel. As Murray spoke, he looked up sharply and caught his finger on a sharp edge.
"Ow!" He raised his hurt finger to his mouth and sucked. "We didn't make any plans. She's nice, y'know, Boz, but I don't think I'll see her again."
"Huh." Murray frowned slightly. "That's too bad. I really thought you guys hit it off."
"It was a fun night, and I like her. But I'm just not sure she's the kind of girl I'm looking for right now. You know what I mean?"
Murray smiled to himself, leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. "No, Cody," he said, with his most earnest expression. "I don't know what you mean. What kind of girl are you looking for right now?"
Cody opened his mouth, then closed it again, staring at Murray blankly. "What... what kind of girl am I looking for?" he repeated.
"Yeah." Murray grinned, a picture of innocent curiosity. "I mean, I know the girls you're not looking for, right? Marlene, Casey, Erin and Tammy. So... what are you looking for?"
"I--I want --" Cody shivered. "Murray, that's a tough question, buddy. I mean, she's gotta understand about the agency. Sometimes we work all night, and sometimes it's at short notice. I can't date some girl who wants to hang on my sleeve every minute of the day."
"But other times we dont work at all," Murray pointed out. "I'm sure most girls--Marlene for example--would be willing to compromise."
"Yeah, I guess. But girls get snippy about broken dates and stuff, and when you've spent the day getting roughed up by crooks--well, you just wanna relax, is the thing, not get bitched out by some girl."
"I guess so." Murray sipped his coffee. "I'm sorry about you and Marlene. How about Nick? He and Carly-Ann seemed to hit it off just fine."
Cody frowned. "He doesn't think she liked him. He told me he wasn't planning on taking her out again."
Murray shrugged and pretended to turn his attention to his coffee. Cody went back to fiddling with the reel, but it was obvious he was just fidgeting. Satisfied, Murray finished his coffee and stood up.
"Don't you worry, Cody." He rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The right girl's out there. I just know you're gonna meet her real soon."
Murray went up the steps to the wheelhouse, completely conscious of Cody's worried gaze resting heavy on his back. It made him very happy.
Things were going exactly as he had hypothesised.
Murray found Nick on the pier, leaning against the ‘Vette with a chamois in his hand. He was flirting with Petra, the pretty blonde who'd started at the drugstore last week.
"A moonlight sail? Nah, Petra, you don't wanna do that, trust me. What you'd like is a nightflight in the Mimi. You wanna see those lights from the air, man. I'd love to take you up, anytime."
Petra giggled and moved closer to Nick. Nick stepped back. Murray grinned.
Petra thinned her lips slightly, then reached out and laid a hand on Nick's arm. This time he didn't pull away. "I'll let you know, okay? I'm not that great with heights... but I do love the water." With that, she turned on her heel and started off down the pier toward Logan's Drug Store, looking back flirtatiously over her shoulder. Her pale bangs bounced as she walked, and her hips swayed, showcasing her high round buns under her tight skirt.
Murray came up beside Nick and shamelessly enjoyed the view. "She seems nice. Although I admit, I was kinda hoping you and Carly-Ann would hit it off."
Nick jumped. "She's sure flirty, anyhow. And Carly-Ann... she's a nice girl, but she just didn't give me that vibe, you know? I'm wasting my time there."
No, Nick, you're wasting HER time, Murray thought as he nodded earnestly. "I heard you offering Petra a flight in the Mimi. Now forgive me if I'm wrong, Nick, but surely that's not a great setup for a date?"
"What do you mean? The Mimi's a classic!"
"Of course she is," Murray said soothingly. "That's not what I mean. If you're flying a helicopter, how can you be concentrating on a girl? You can't hold her hand, you can't kiss her, and you can only talk to her through the headphones--and the headphones will mess with her hair."
"Huh." Nick looked floored. "I guess. I never thought of that."
"And you know Mimi. Sometimes... well, sometimes, she's not on her best behavior."
"I guess," Nick said again. "Maybe I should take her for a ride in the ‘Vette instead."
"It's February. It's not exactly convertible weather." Murray smiled. "I'm not a dating expert, but it seems to me you could just take her out to dinner. Now, I happen to know Petra loves sushi, and there's a sushi bar just opened down on Deadwood. Why don't you take her there on Saturday night?"
Nick shook his head. "Cody hates sushi."
It was Murray's turn to look floored. "But it's you and Petra--"
"I was gonna ask her if she had a friend." Nick shrugged. "I guess we'll just go to Straightaway's. Thanks, Boz!" He grinned and ruffled Murray's hair. "I guess you are a dating expert, after all!"
Murray stared at Nick for a long moment, then nodded. "Thanks, Nick. Maybe I am, at that. I'll see you later!" He turned and hurried down the pier. It was time for him to pay a visit to Logan's and see if Petra would fill his prescription.
***
"Don't you worry, guys. This time, out for pizza means out for pizza! And I'm not gonna get mixed up with any murderers or diamond smugglers!"
"Well you better not, Boz, because you know the Jimmy's in the shop, so we can't come after you," Nick pointed out.
"You'll be busy with Petra and Janine, anyhow." Murray giggled. "Don't forget the cake for dessert!"
"We won't." Nick and Cody watched as Murray ran up the stairs, then Cody turned back, surveying the table in the galley. "What do you think Boz is up to?"
Nick looked at the steaming garlic bread on the table, and at the bottle of expensive champagne resting in the ice bucket. Murray had brought both home earlier in the day ‘to make your date tonight special'. "I really don't know, man. But I gotta say, garlic bread, your special fried chicken and chocolate cake? I'm really looking forward to dinner. I guess it's too much to hope those girls'll be gone in time for the game tonight?"
Cody punched his shoulder. "Come on, buddy. The Cubs have no chance anyhow. They don't need you to watch them lose again."
"No chance? Cody, you're dreaming. They'll leave the Padres for dead--"
The phone ringing interrupted the familiar quarrel. Nick threw his hands in the air to underline his team's superiority, and Cody rolled his eyes as he picked up the receiver.
"Riptide Detective Agency, this is Cody Allen. Oh, hi Petra. Nick's right here--oh. Oh, I see. Well sure, I'll tell him. Uh--yeah, thanks. We will. Uh--maybe another time--" He broke off, stared at the receiver, then slowly lowered it back to the cradle.
"What is it, man?"
Cody dropped to the bench seat. "Buddy, I think we've just been blown off."
"Blown off? What, Petra's not coming?"
"Nope. She said she forgot she had to go to a tupperware party."
"She what?" Nick stared. "Janine, too?"
Cody nodded.
"Well, I'll be damned. We really got dumped for a bunch of little plastic doohickeys?"
"I dunno about that, big guy. But one thing's pretty clear. We really got dumped." Cody ruefully surveyed the table. "Now what?"
Nick shrugged philosophically and lifted the champagne out of the ice bucket. "I say we make the best of it." He poured a glass slowly and handed it to Cody, then filled another for himself. Taking the plate of garlic bread in his other hand, he sat down next to Cody and raised his glass. "Good friends, good food and a damn good game."
"I'll drink to that." Cody took a gulp of the champagne and leaned slightly into Nick as he helped himself to the garlic bread.
***
At the new sushi place on Deadwood, Murray sat at a round table with Petra opposite him, Carly-Ann on one side, and June on the other. Each of them had a carved wooden board in front of them, laden with pieces of sushi.
"A lot of people don't really know how to eat sushi," Murray said, brandishing his chopsticks. "It's all in the technique. Just watch me, girls!"
The roll in Murray's chopsticks teetered alarmingly then fell, sending soya sauce droplets over Murray's tie. Murray turned scarlet, but, between laughter, all three girls rushed to comfort him.
Murray helped himself to another piece, looking around the table and smiling. He only hoped Nick and Cody's date was going as well as his.
***
It was nearly midnight when Murray pulled the ‘Vette back into its space. He had a lunch date with June tomorrow, and an assignation to meet Petra for dinner. But best of all, Carly-Ann was meeting him at the library on Saturday. Murray was sure that his fascination with Carly-Ann was the kind that only grew stronger, and he couldn't wait to find out for sure.
He got out of the car and covered it, looking down at the boat. There was still light in the salon, and he headed slowly down the companionway, wondering just how well Nick and Cody's date had gone.
Inside, the post-game wrap-up was on the television. The Padres had won, and Cody was grinning at the tv, a bottle of beer in his hand. The empty champagne bottle stood on the table along with the remains of the fried chicken.
Nick was sprawled on the couch, asleep, his feet in Cody's lap. Murray stared at the two of them for a moment. "Uh, hi, Cody. Did--did the girls leave early?"
"We got dumped," Cody said cheerfully, and patted Nick's calf. "Didn't we, big guy?"
Nick mumbled something in his sleep and buried his head against his arm.
Cody grinned, and patted Nick's leg again. "Petra rang. She and Janine had a tupperware party to go to." He shrugged. "I guess me an' Nick can take a hint, huh?"
"That's a shame," Murray lied. "So you guys had a boring night, then, huh? Just the two of you?"
"Boring?" Cody frowned slightly. "Well, we were kind of bummed when the girls canned us, but we had a great dinner, the game was on, and the Padres won. The way it turned out, we maybe had more fun without them."
"Maybe you did." Murray sat down in the rattan chair and leaned his elbows on his knees. "You two sure look comfortable."
Cody grinned, his thumb moving gently on Nick's leg. "Nick sure is. The champagne went to his head."
"Something did, anyhow." Murray smiled. "Cody, has it ever occurred to you that you and Nick are... dating the wrong people?"
"You bet." Cody gave a short laugh. "Any girl that'll stand you up for tupperware has to be the wrong person."
"I'm not just talking about tonight. Cody... you just told me you and Nick had a better night without your dates than you would have done with them. Every time you take a girl out, you can't wait to drop her off and come home... to Nick. And right now, Nick's asleep in your lap. Why don't you just--date him?"
"Date Nick?" Cody looked from Murray to Nick and back again, an expression of consternation on his face. Then he pushed Nick's feet aside and jumped up. "Murray, that's not funny, okay? Just because we're going through a rough patch with girls right now--"
"What's up?" Nick's feet banged on the floor as he sat up, staring at Murray. He grabbed Cody's arm, looking both bewildered and belligerent.
"Uh--" Cody jerked away from him, then shot Murray a hunted look. "We're out of milk. I'll be right back." Without giving either of his partners a chance to respond, he turned and ran up the stairs.
Nick shook his head as though trying to clear it, then stood and went slowly to the coffeepot. He poured himself a cup and sipped at the hot liquid, then returned to the couch and sat. "You mind telling me what the fuck that was about, Boz?"
"We're out of milk?" Murray tried.
Nick glared.
"Cody was telling me what a great night you two had. You know... without your dates."
"Yeah? So what's in that to send him running out of here like a scalded cat?"
"I told him he should just date you."
"You told him--" Nick sighed and put a hand over his eyes. "Jesus, Boz. What's with you?"
"What do you mean?" Murray kept an expression of enthusiastic, naive innocence on his face.
"What do I mean? We're guys, Murray. Guys. Guys just don't... date each other."
"Some guys do," Murray said shrewdly, and waited.
"We're GIs. We're not like that." Nick's voice cracked.
"Just think about one thing, Nick."
Nick stared mutinously at Murray, eyes smoldering with a mix of anger, fear and confusion. "What?"
"Do you think you could ever care for a woman as much as you care for Cody?"
The expression in Nick's eyes turned cold, empty, inward. He looked down. "It's different--"
"No, Nick," Murray said softly. "Don't tell me. Don't explain it to me. Go explain it to him. Or if you won't do that, at least explain it to the next girl who wastes her time with you, okay?" He didn't give Nick any time to answer, standing and disappearing down the forward stairs to his cabin.
Whatever happened now was out of his hands.
***
Cody stood on the pier and looked down at his boat, shifting the carton of milk from hand to hand. There was light in the salon and in Murray's cabin.
He wondered if Nick and Murray were still in the salon, and what Murray had said to Nick after he had left.
"Every time you take a girl out, you can't wait to drop her off and come home... to Nick." It was true, Cody couldn't even pretend to deny it. But that didn't mean he wanted to date Nick... did it?
Cody squared his shoulders and let himself in the gate. He liked women. It was just that being with Nick was safe, familiar, comfortable. "We're GIs, for God's sake," he muttered, and strode down the companionway.
There was no-one in the salon. Feeling strangely nervous, Cody went to the galley and stowed the milk in the fridge, wondering where Nick was. Wondering what Murray had said to him.
Real fear touched him deep inside. Could this change them? What if Nick was upset; or blamed Cody? What if Nick left?
"Cody? That you, man?" Nick's voice came from the salon, low and questioning.
Cody slammed the fridge door and was up the steps in two bounds. "Nick!"
Nick looked shaken and frightened, and his eyes were shuttered. Cody hesitated, irresolute.
"Are you okay?" Nick asked roughly and came toward him.
Cody nodded and put a hand on Nick's arm. "Are you?"
Nick shrugged, half-turning away. Cody's fear rose, but as Nick spoke, he realized Nick was just as frightened as he was himself.
"I didn't know if you'd come back. I didn't know if I should go after you. I didn't know..." Nick stopped and breathed deep. "I didn't know if maybe I should start looking for another place to live."
"Nick, no." Cody's heart pounded. "Because of some stupid idea Murray's gotten hold of? It can't change us. Nothing can change us!"
Nick looked up, then took Cody's arms. "Not because of Murray's ideas, Cody. Because of you an' me, and what that means." He gave Cody a shake, looking into his eyes. "I love you, guy. You know that, right?"
Cody nodded nervously, wondering what was coming next. He licked suddenly-dry lips.
"Murray asked me if I could ever care for a girl the way I care for you." Nick released Cody's arms and went to the table, half-turning away again. Protecting himself.
"What..." Cody took a deep breath. He felt light-headed. "What did you tell him, Nick?"
"I didn't tell him anything. But I know the answer, Cody. You want me to tell you?"
Cody stared at Nick. His strong, funny, hot-headed partner. His best friend, the guy who'd carried him through the best and worst times in his life. The guy whose heart and soul were joined with his.
There was only one answer.
Cody went to Nick's side. "I could never care for anyone the way I care for you," he said quietly.
Nick made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Me neither. Cody..." He laid a tentative hand on Cody's shoulder, and Cody turned to him willingly.
They slid their arms around each other, holding each other close, the same way they had a thousand times before. Strength, comfort, familiarity. Cody felt a twinge of doubt. Could this really be enough?
And then he looked into Nick's eyes.
Something sparked between them, like a circuit completing or a connection going live. It took Cody's breath away, and with it, his inhibitions. Almost before he knew what he was doing, his mouth was on Nick's, claiming, begging, asking, exploring. And Nick was taking, challenging, dueling with him, his arms hard, his body harder, his kiss searing.
Then they were apart, panting, arms softer now, touches gentle. Cody tried another kiss, light this time, a need unspoken, and Nick's answer was there, soft and quiet and sure.
Nick's hand slid up the back of Cody's neck, gentle, reassuring, yet possessive, and Cody leaned into the touch. He was safe with Nick.
"Always," Nick murmured, answering his thought.
Cody smiled at that. "You always know what I'm thinking. What I need."
"What can I say? Every guy's gotta have a hobby."
"A hobby?" Cody pondered that, then pulled back slightly. "Are you saying you wanted... us together?"
Nick shrugged. "I hadn't thought of it. But I didn't wanna lose you, man. I hated every time you took a girl out. Just thinking that one of them was gonna take you away from me, from this life we got... Cody, I love being with you, you know? When you got the boat and we moved in here, everything we've done; this is everything I ever wanted. You an' me, together."
There was a thump from below, and footsteps in the galley. Nick and Cody sprang apart guiltily, looking from each other to the forward stairs.
"Come on." Cody grabbed Nick's arm. "Let's go downstairs."
Their cabin seemed smaller than usual, almost claustrophobic, as Cody closed the door and turned to face Nick.
Nick was sitting on his own bunk, one knee drawn up, a worried expression on his face. Cody considered sitting next to him, then dismissed the idea as too forward, and perched opposite instead. A moment ago, in Nick's arms, everything had seemed so simple. Now, the bare inches between the bunks loomed, an insurmountable chasm.
"We're crazy. This is crazy," Cody said, and looked away.
"If you say so." Nick's voice was flat and tight, and Cody risked a look at his partner.
"Are you saying you want this?" Cody's heart pounded. He had no idea what was going on in Nick's head, and that alone was terrifying.
"Not if you don't." Nick reached out and captured Cody's hand, meshing their fingers. "Cody, I wanna be the guy beside you. The one you know you can count on. I want to be your partner, man. And anything that gets in the way of that, I got no time for, you know?"
Cody hesitated, staring into Nick's eyes. Nick looked determined, frightened and hopeful. And not in the least crazy. "When I kissed you... did that get in the way, Nick?"
Nick licked his lips. "Nah," he muttered. "But when you stopped... that was kind of a speed bump."
"They're murder on the suspension." Cody tried to breathe deep, feeling lightheaded. "You wanna try it again? Only without the speed bumps?"
"Even though it's crazy?"
"We've pulled some pretty crazy stunts so far, buddy. The way I see it, I'm game for one more." Cody grinned. "If you are."
Nick grinned back. "I never left you high and dry yet, did I, big guy? Like I said, a guy's gotta have a hobby."
***
Cody knew Nick's body with the intimacy of men quartered together for a decade plus. He knew Nick's touch, the strength of Nick's arms, the whisper of Nick's breath. He even knew the smell of Nick's sex. But what Cody had never known until know was the strength of Nick's hunger, the raw possession of his need.
Cody's own body responded in kind, far quicker and more fully than he was ready for. Almost afraid at the strength of his own reaction, he clung to Nick, riding waves of confusion, fear and arousal.
But Nick seemed to know. He took Cody slow, guiding him past the fear, holding him until clarity replaced confusion, until arousal was subsumed by absolute rightness. The feeling rose in Cody until there was nothing left, until he and Nick were all that remained.
***
"It wasn't ever like that."
"Wasn't ever me."
"You're a funny guy. But seriously, Nick, do you think that, I don't know, means something?"
"Sure. Means we wasted a lot of time, the last twelve years."
"Was it--oh. Maybe it wasn't for you? Good, I mean. Nick--"
"No. Hey, no. It was good, Cody. It was better than good."
"So whaddaya think? I mean, we've gotten out of a lot of tight spots over the years. Maybe this is why, huh? Maybe we're... cosmically aligned."
"And maybe you've been spending too much time listening to Carly-Ann. I got no idea if we're cosmically aligned or whatever, big guy, but I know one thing. I love you, and I'm never letting you go."
"Me too."
"You know what else it means?"
"What?"
You're the reason I'm alive. You're my whole damn world. "We owe Murray another trip to New Orleans."
"Now you're talking, Nick. While he's away, we can take the boat out somewhere real... private."
"And practice cosmic alignment?"
"By that time, I'm thinking we're not gonna need much practice."
"You got a point, Cody. Maybe we better get some more in now, huh?"