Cards on the Table - 8. Chapter 8 Playing to Win

Chapter 8

The first period was over and Kendall was fuming. Entering the dressing room, he threw his gloves and helmet over to the spot holding his street clothes. There was no way he could control himself as he stormed over to Lanny and got in his face. "What the fuck is the matter with you, you neanderthal piece of shit? That was low, even for you. You could have fucked him up good with that hit! Oh my fucking God! I can't believe how fucking stupid you are."

Red-faced under the onslaught, Lanny still managed a smirk. "Don't worry about your fucking boyfriend. The great Michael Aceto will live. And get the hell out of my face. You think I give a crap what you think? He had it coming. Someone had to knock him down a peg." The sneer on his face made Kendall want to smash him.

"How did he have it coming? Because he's running circles around you out there, or because Candy said so? Don't think I didn't see her talking in your ear just before you tried to run him through the boards. Does she tell you when your bedtime is too? When to piss and shit? And what about the team, man? Do you not care about what they think either? We start the second period shorthanded for four fucking minutes, and we're already down by two goals. This is sudden-death, remember. We lose this game and we're out of the fucking tournament!"

Lanny finally appeared a little chagrined at that, and looked around the dressing room at some pissed off faces. "Sorry guys, I didn't think I'd get a double minor. It should only have been a two minute penalty."

"Seriously? Two minutes! You're fucking lucky it wasn't five and a game misconduct. You dug us a huge hole because your scorned fiancée has an axe to grind." Head down, Lanny didn't deny it. Everyone in the room had, by now, figured out what he was talking about.

Kendall stayed at his end of the room until the buzzer sounded to signal the start of the second period, trying to calm down after seeing Michael drilled from behind into the end boards. Watching him crumple to the ice had put a cold fear into him as he watched from the bench. He'd felt a dizzying rush of relief when his friend got up and slowly skated away from the scrum of some very incensed teammates who were surrounding Lanny Dixon. It was obvious he'd been shook up by the hit, and wouldn't be surprised if he had to leave the game.

He was ecstatic, though, to see Michael walking up the ramp to his team bench. He looked okay when Kendall lined up against him for the first face off. "Are you all right there, hotshot?"

"Ha, don't worry about me, roadrunner. It takes a lot more than that doofus to keep me down." Cocky Michael was back and the game was still on. He was a man on a mission.

Two quick goals later, both scored by Michael, with thirty seconds still on the clock, he skated by the penalty box and blew Dixon a kiss. He then waved at Candy who had moved to that side of the arena so she could talk to Lanny. The look on her face was one of pure rage as she gave him the finger. Michael just laughed and kept skating. Kendall snickered to himself as he watched.

Two minutes later, everyone in the building was horrified as Lanny caught Michael just before center ice with a vicious knee on knee hit. It sent him twisting and spiraling through the air in what must have been shattering pain, until he hit the ice with a thud, banging his head on contact. For a second or two everyone was stunned, and then all hell broke loose as both benches, and the crowd, reacted to the severity of the hit.

Anyone leaving the bench would automatically be thrown out, but Kendall didn't care. He had just seen his best friend felled by the dirtiest hit in hockey. A couple of teammates tried to hold onto him, but there was no way he was being stopped. He jumped over the boards and skated straight to Lanny who was standing over Michael, trying to look innocent and concerned. In mere seconds, he'd spun a shocked Lanny around and punched him in the face so hard he felt and heard bones breaking. Dixon dropped like a stone, howling and holding onto a nose that streamed blood.

Kendall ignored the sounds as he focused on Michael. The injured man's eyes kept rolling backwards as he fought the pain, holding onto his left knee with both hands. He carefully cradled his head as a referee tried to get him to leave the ice, but he was quick to tell him to fuck off. He wasn't leaving the ice until his friend did. The ref finally gave up when the EMTs stationed at the Arena arrived with a stretcher. Upon checking him out, they assured Kendall that their patient was in no immediate danger. All his vital signs were good.

As they attached a neck brace and loaded him in the stretcher, Lanny was whining about his broken nose. One of the trainers was checking him out. At one point he yelled at Kendall, "You're my fucking teammate!"

He spared him one glance and spat out, "Not anymore, and never again!" Pointing at a laughing Candy, standing at the boards, he said, "Apparently your fiancée thinks it's funny that you're bleeding all over the fucking ice," and then turned away, his full attention back on the man whose eyes had never left him. Finding out they were taking him to Centenary Hospital, he squeezed his shoulder and hurried off to the dressing room, paying attention to no one. Coach was yelling at him, but he chose not to hear a single word. Only one person mattered.

The drive to the hospital had been a little hairy, but he was reasonably calm now as they waited for Michael's assessment. He'd already been x-rayed and given a CAT scan, and the local anesthetic had helped him deal with the pain. They both knew the damage was severe... they just didn't know the extent. Michael had been told to stay quiet in the semi-darkened room until the CAT scan of his head injury was read by the Radiologist, and Kendall was relieved the out-of-it look had disappeared from his friend's face, and that his headache had lessened considerably. He was staying as quiet as he could as he sat in a chair beside the bed. His body wanted to pace, but he ignored the urge. Every so often fear surged up at what the damage to the knee might be, but he hid it for Michael's sake.

He was startled but relieved when the door swung open and the attending Doctor entered. He looked pleasantly jovial, which Kendall took as encouraging.

"Mr. Aceto, how are we feeling now? Do you still have that headache?"

Michael was suddenly alert as he looked at the Doctor, then at Kendall, and then back to the Doctor. "I'm sorry, Doc... I forgot your name."

"That's okay. There has been a lot going on with you, hasn't there? I'm Dr. Nathanson. Are you having any kind of trouble with your memory? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, none at all, Doc. I remember everything that happened. I sure as hell remember the pain. I feel a lot better than I did and my headache isn't all that bad anymore. It's worse when I move my head around, though." He met Kendall's concerned look and smiled. "I think this guy here looks worse than I do."

The doctor laughed. "Your friend has indeed been concerned. I believe if we hadn't allowed him in here, he might have torn the place apart."

Kendall smiled but felt a little sheepish at his refusal to leave Michael's side.

"So, Michael, may I call you Michael?" His patient nodded. "Okay, Michael, so for starters you have a mild concussion. Mild doesn't mean it can't cause issues, so we'll have to keep a close eye on it. As for your knee, there is good news and bad news. Normally in a knee on knee hit, and I've seen a number of them, it is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament that is affected because the force occurs on the inside of the knee, pushing it outwards. In your case, though, it is the Medial Collateral Ligament that has been damaged. It is classed as a grade three strain. There is a small tear, but with proper rest and care, I don't expect you will require surgery. The meniscus is not involved at all. Do you know what that is?" They both nodded. "As I said, it is unusual, but not unheard of. Has anything happened to you knee recently that you can think of?"

Michael faltered for a few seconds, and then proceeded to tell the doctor about a fall that morning at his truck, where he landed mostly on the outside of his left knee, and experienced a twinge getting up. He explained what it felt like to the Doctor, getting a couple of nods in the process.

"Okay then, Michael, I think that explains why it was the MCL that gave out. That tumble might have been a blessing in protecting your ACL. Your MCL was likely weakened enough to give out first, and that's a good thing."

"Well in that case, I'm glad I fell on my ass this morning. So, how long before I can get out of here, Doc?" The relief on his face was quite visible. Kendall felt it too.

"This can be treated at home, but you need someone who can wake you up every two hours for the next twelve hours, and every four hours, for the next twenty-four hours. We don't want that bump on your head to cause any problems, although I'm not overly concerned about the possibility. Do you have someone who can assist you for that time period? You won't be very mobile, so you'll need someone strong enough to assist a big man like yourself."

"My parents can do it. My dad's strong, and my mom loves looking after me," he said with a grin. Kendall kept quiet.

"Most moms do," Dr. Nathanson said with a smile. "As far as your knee is concerned, there are some considerations, and some rules you'll have to follow. I'll have the nurse put a knee sleeve on to help control the swelling. You don't have to leave it on all of the time... just as much as is comfortable. You can take it off to shower, or to get some relief. Absolutely no weight on your leg at all and definitely no stairs. Most subsequent damage is done trying to navigate stairs. We'll fit you with crutches before you leave. Ice-packs three to four times a day for about twenty minutes will be required until the swelling goes down. If it happens to get worse, come right back here. I'll give you some painkillers, but please don't use them unless needed. I would like you to be as unmedicated as possible until your concussion has a chance to subside. Any questions?"

"Yeah, Doc, how long will it take for my knee to heal? I'm going to need a medical report for work, and they'll want to know when I can return. Can I get something like that from you?"

"Not a problem. I'm going to need to see you Monday afternoon at my office, so bring me any forms you need filled out and I'll take care of them. I'll leave you my office number in the info packet for when you leave. Just call Monday morning and my secretary will tell you what time to come in. We'll talk about follow up appointments and any therapy you may require after I've examined your knee again. I'll have a better idea then of how long it will take your knee to heal. All I can say is it will be weeks for sure, and quite possibly months, but don't worry about it for now. I'll send in the physical therapist to fit you with crutches, and you can be on your way. I'll see you Monday. Don't do anything careless, and have your parents read all of the info package so they know what to look for and things you have to be careful about," and with that said, he was quickly out the door.

"You're gonna come home with me, Ace. You can stay at my place as long as you need to. I already have everything arranged. I ordered a...." That was as far as he got.

"What are you talking about? I can't stay with you!" Michael said, appearing flabbergasted at the idea.

"You can and you will. I'm not taking no for an answer. As I was saying, I ordered a hospital bed to be delivered while they were checking you out. I knew you couldn't go home because you live three floors up with no elevator."

"But, you need your space. You need your space away from me. You just let me back in your life, and no way in hell I'm going to force this on you. I can go to Mom and Dad's house. They'll be happy to look after me. I know you mean well, but I can't stay with you."

"Look, you idiot, we're friends, and that's what friends do. Besides, you wanted us to talk so now we'll have all kinds of time to talk. You're being stupid about this, Ace."

"After we talk you might want some space," Michael mumbled before looking down and away.

His utterance stymied Kendall completely. He stared at the man for clarification of what he meant, but none came. He wasn't getting sidetracked. "Well, if I need space, I'll go to another room. So it's settled. You're staying with me." He drilled him with a look that said he wasn't fooling around. The look was returned, equally determined.

"No way. I'm staying at my parents' house, and you and I can talk there. I think that's the best idea. I don't want to trap you into something because you feel obligated."

"Fuck, you're stupid! And stubborn. Think about it. The Doctor said no stairs. Do you remember your parent's house? It's on a hill for fuck's sake, and it's winter. And, it has steps going up to both entrances, lots of them. How the hell is that going to work? And if you need to have therapy, which you will, do you want your parents to drive you all the way in from Uxbridge in the fucking winter? Compare that to my place, and use your common sense.

"It's on the ground floor and not a step anywhere. My one parking spot is right in front of my outside door and my underground space is the closest one to the elevator. No steps from either entrance and no snow to deal with because of the underground. One slip could do a lot of damage, serious damage." He gave Michael an imploring look, showing him what this meant to him. "Besides, my place is a hell of a lot closer to the hospital for any therapy you need, and I happen to be the boss, so I can arrange my schedule to take you anytime it's needed. So, are you convinced or do you want to waste some more time arguing?" he asked with a half smirk, half grin.

"I give up, man. You win. You should have been a lawyer... thank you." Kendall ignored the fact his friend looked very nervous. He also looked extremely tired. "How did you order a hospital bed so fast?"

"Easy-peasy. They have a medical supply outlet on the main floor. You can rent anything from there, even potty chairs."

"Tell me you didn't."

"Oh yeah... guilty as charged."

Kendall pulled into his underground garage, waking Michael from his short snooze in the back seat when the tires rumbled over the big steel grate at the bottom of the ramp. Getting in and out of the big truck proved to be fairly easy for the man, mostly due to his arm strength and the power of his one good leg. It wasn't his first time on crutches, but Kendall stuck right by his side, just in case. The pajama pants he'd had gotten him from the hospital gift shop looked hilarious. They were too short, and were light blue and covered in fluffy white clouds, but they didn't put any pressure on his knee.

Michael was convinced they were women's pants, and Kendall silently agreed. Though they said men's on the tag, they looked like something only a woman would wear. Standing at the elevator, he took out his phone, stepped back, and snapped a couple of pictures. Grinning evilly, he looked at a surprised Michael and said, "Facebook."

"I don't know why I ever liked you to begin with. Even you couldn't be that mean," the man whined, and Kendall laughed.

"Just watch me, and remember payback's a bitch. There is the little matter of the picture of me in the kilt you posted. So yeah, I can be that mean. I told you then I'd get you back. I, at least, looked good in the kilt, but you do not look good in cloud pants." They were both smiling as the elevator door opened, and he was surprised at how nervous he didn't feel.

Home sweet home looked really different as they entered the apartment to see the hospital bed front and center in the living room, with the couch pushed up against the far wall, beside the bed. It was a little crowded, but not overly so. There was also a movable bed table that would slide in and out of place as needed. Kendall bent over to retrieve the key the movers had shoved through the mail slot. Michael looked sort of uncomfortable as he surveyed everything. "Do I even need this? I could have slept on the couch. This makes a mess of your apartment." He seemed embarrassed this was done for him.

Kendall sighed. "Do we have to argue again? Yes, you do need this... it will keep your leg... your knee elevated, and be more comfortable for all the bed rest you need. This isn't making a mess out of anything, and it may not be for very long anyway. I want to do this, buddy. I feel like I treated you pretty crappy, so this makes me feel better. This would never have been a problem before, and that makes me even sadder about what I did to us. You're my best friend... I'm sorry I thought it was a good idea to walk away from that, and I'm sorry it's so different now. Can you please just let me do this for you... for us?"

Michael's eyes watered as emotions welled up, and Kendall stayed quiet letting him process the words he'd heard. "So where is this fucking potty chair I don't fucking need?"

The tension broke, and Kendall burst out laughing. "You should see your face, man." His expression was priceless--he was not amused. "I was just kidding, Ace. There's enough room for you to maneuver around the toilet." He laughed again. "Relax, there is no potty chair, so chill out."

"You are so fucking mean, picking on a crippled man in terrible pain."

"Oh fuck, I'm sorry. I'm being a jerk. What do you need?" Kendall felt sudden panic at the thought he had been so callous as to forget Michael's physical pain.

"Gotcha!" Michael settled back on the very comfy bed with a smirk. "Don't mess with the master, young slave."

"I bow to your superiority, Master, but if you call me slave again, your knee just might end up getting twisted while you're sleeping."

"Hey... isn't that like patient abuse or something? I could probably have you arrested."

"I wouldn't advise it. I'm in control of your medications. Speaking of arrested, your cop buddy Arron came by the hospital to talk to me. He said Lanny wanted to have me arrested for assault."

"What the fuck? You didn't assault him. That bastard assaulted me! The dirty prick. I should charge him and sue him for assault with intent to injure."

"Yeah, so that's what Arron told him could happen if he went after me. Some of the guys told Arron they heard Lanny say he was gonna take you out, so he changed his tune after that."

Michael was staring at him thoughtfully. "How could he come after you for assault? What did you do, Deuce?"

Kendall looked him in the eyes, making that connection again, the one only they had. "I punched him after he tried to wreck you, and I broke his nose, maybe even his cheekbone... there was a lot of crunching. I'm not sorry and I would do it again. I wish I could hit a woman because I would smack Candy too. That bitch was laughing, and your knee could have been fucked up for the rest of your life." Emotions hit him hard as he remembered. "I was so fucking scared, Ace. I fucking lost it. I thought it could maybe end your career as a cop and I knew that would destroy you. I was so relieved when the Doc said it was your MCL, and you won't need surgery." He kept trying to wipe tears away, but it was in vain as the letdown from the day finally happened. An embarrassing sob found its way out before he could stop it.

Michael reached out his arms in response to his reaction, so hesitant, he slowly leaned forward and they wrapped their arms around each other and held on. He relaxed for the first time since the ordeal began. Michael was going to be okay... he'd make damn sure of it.

"You did that for me? You came off the bench, didn't you?" Kendall nodded while breathing in the calming scent of his best friend. "You know you'll be suspended for the year, don't you?" Another nod. "Kendall? I need to tell you... I love you so much, you have no idea what you mean to me."

He didn't react at first, and then slowly pulled back against a hand gently cradling the back of his head, recognizing something different in that deep voice.

Meeting his friend's eyes through his still wet ones, he said, "I appreciate you saying that, I really...." Eyes widened as Michael's hand exerted light pressure, pulling his head towards him and ghosting a soft kiss on his lips. Kendall pulled back slowly, feeling like his heart had stopped. The hand was still on the back of his head, slightly resisting Kendall's retreat. His confusion was overwhelming as he pulled completely away. "Why the fuck did you do that?" he asked as he stared into an uncertain gaze. His fingers went to his lips of their own accord, and he touched them in disbelief.

"Because... because I wanted to. I wanted to kiss you, and I want to kiss you again. I'm in love with you, Deuce. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I can return it. You don't love someone who can't return it. I can love you back. I want to love you back. I do love you back. Please let me... please?" Michael's plea was plaintive... desperate... and it was too much for Kendall to take.

He stepped back, putting some distance between them. "What are you doing? You're not gay. You can't just decide to be in love with me just because you miss me, or us. For fuck's sake, you're straight. The straightest guy I know. What the hell? You're freaking me out, here!"

"I'm sorry, but--"

Kendall cut him off. "You love women... I know you do! You couldn't even count the number of women you've been with. You need to get your head on straight and stop playing with me because this isn't funny. Jesus! You've lost your goddamn mind, and you're fucking mine up. I don't need this shit, not from you." He was close to hyperventilating, and tried hard to get a grip on his emotions as he wondered why the man would do such a thing.

"Deuce, take it easy... you need to calm down and listen... please. I know this sounds fucked up but I promise you this is for real. I am not playing with you. I would never do that. Please tell me you know I would never do that. I really do love you, from the bottom of my heart, I swear. Please tell me you know I would never play with you... that I would never lie to you." One tear, then another one, slid down Michael's face as he waited for him to respond.

As he stared into the man's face, he fought to understand the words he'd just heard. It still wasn't making sense to him, but he knew this person better than anyone, and he would never lie to him or play games. He kept contact with those intense blue eyes and saw a man who believed his own words, yet he still couldn't trust them. "Will you be okay alone here for a little while?"

Michael appeared stricken by the question, but he nodded, never taking his eyes off him.

"Look, I know you wouldn't play games with me, I do, but I need to think, and I can't do that here. I think you are confusing loving me as a friend with something more, and I don't know why you feel the need to do that. We're friends again, so it doesn't make any sense to me." He finally put his head down to avoid that gaze.

"I'm not confused, so please don't think that. I admit I was confused about how I felt for you, because I was stupid and I buried it... but I'm not confused anymore. I get what this must sound like to you, Kendall. I really am in love with you, but I get you needing time to think. I won't ask you how you feel about me because it wouldn't be fair right now. But even if you don't love me anymore, it won't change how I feel about you. Mom told me not to push you, and I won't."

"Your mom? You talked to her about this?" This was all starting to sound too real for him to take in. He thought he'd figuring out what Michael was doing, but now he wasn't so sure. Him talking to Colleen changed things, and he had to figure out what that meant. "Okay, I'm going to go for a drive. I need to get out of here for a bit. Um, how about some Chinese for supper--you must be hungry?" Kendall needed to think about something else, anything else. Those deep blue eyes weren't leaving him, and the honesty he saw in them started to make him question his logic.

"Chinese is fine with me. It doesn't matter... are you okay? I'm really sorry I freaked you out. I think I did this all wrong. Should I even be here, Deuce? I can get my dad to pick me up. He won't mind at all, and you can have your space, and some time to think. It would probably be for the best." His attempt to keep his voice strong almost worked.

Kendall picked up his keys and wallet and stood very still for a moment. "Just so we're clear... if you leave this apartment, you're a dead man." He turned away and walked out the door to the hallway, closing it quietly behind him.

Sitting in the truck, he stared straight ahead, lost in a myriad of thoughts. He could still feel that soft, fleeting kiss on his lips. As quick as it was, there was passion in that kiss, and a searching for something Kendall was too stunned to respond to. What was Michael really looking for? Was it just his imagination... wishful thinking?

He was so sure Michael was straight. He'd witnessed him in action for years. A little voice reminded Kendall he had presented such an illusion for a long time, sleeping with women when his heart was elsewhere. Could Michael be bisexual? Kendall had never seen any indication of that possibility, and he knew him better than anyone. That little voice spoke again, reminding him he had fooled Michael for six years. It was all so confusing. He couldn't afford to hope for anything right now... it was too much of a risk. Most likely, missing their close friendship had messed with him and mixed him up. But did that really make sense? He had to know.

Driving away from his building, Kendall wasn't sure at first where he was going. He couldn't seem to sort out the turmoil churning his brain to mush. Michael's words were followed by his face, and the look on it after he had kissed him. What did it all mean? He came to a sudden halt at a stop sign, forced to decide which way to go. Chinese food. Michael must be hungry and he had to feed him. He remembered again that the man was probably in a lot of pain. Turning left, he headed for Silver Dragon, intent now on a mission, something to do. Out of nowhere his imagination threw him an image of Michael and him really together, entangled in a frenzy he'd deprived himself of picturing, until now. He had only allowed his fantasies to picture body parts and Michael's handsome face. What he pictured now was so overwhelming, it caused his whole body to shiver.

Michael's knee prevented him from pacing, but the desire, the need was there. Kendall had only been gone five minutes but it already felt like an eternity. He considered calling his dad to come and get him, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. It may not have been the best way to do it, but he had made his stand and he was going to see it through. He would let Kendall decide if he should leave. His knee was throbbing, and his head was hurting a little, but he was leery of taking anything. He finally decided on half a tablet as he reached for his crutches. It was a little tricky at first, but he got to the bathroom and had a much needed piss, and then took the half-pill.

All he could think of was that kiss. His cock started to fill with blood again at the thought of it. It was the most electrifying thing he had ever experienced, and it had only lasted a few seconds. He wondered what a full-on kiss would feel like, and that filled his cock up all the way. He shouldn't have kissed him, but the feelings inside him when they were holding each other got too big to manage. He did it without thinking... and now the man was freaking out. He had pushed, even though his mom had told him not to, but with Kendall's face so close to his, the warmth and smell of his body enveloping him, and what he had done for him at the rink, he couldn't stop himself. It was amazing. He thought he had already woken up, but that was a big step further, and he wanted more... much more.

He'd done it. He had managed to get undressed and, aided by the aluminum crutches, he was able to maneuver himself on to the built-in bench in Kendall's roomy shower. Thankful for the hand-held attachment, he gave himself a much needed shower, getting rid of the stink of hockey sweat. He couldn't believe what that one little kiss had done to his libido. He ignored his pressing need though, and managed to get himself washed, dried, and dressed in a pair of Kendall's old black sweatpants, and an oversized but nicely thick and warm navy blue sweatshirt. Feeling quite proud of himself despite the overall nervousness inhabiting him, he made his way back to his adjustable bed. He played with the buttons until his knee was elevated, and was quite comfortable in a sitting-up position as he waited for Kendall to return. He had resolved in his mind that he was going to take whatever was thrown at him... but he wasn't going to give up until Kendall was convinced. His biggest worry was where Moondoggie fit in his life. Had he managed to dislodge him as Kendall's first choice? Would he end up driving Kendall towards that guy? The thinking became too much for him as the day took its toll, and he drifted off to sleep.

After placing a very large order of Chinese food... enough for a second meal tomorrow, Kendall stood in the cold air, breathing deeply. It was going to be a twenty minute wait, and there was something he needed to do. He pulled out his phone, nervous about what he was doing, and placed the call.

"Hello? Kendall? Is that you, beautiful boy?"

"Hi, Colleen. Yeah, it's me. How are you?"

"Oh, we're very good here. What about you, honey? Is everything okay?"

He could hear that knowing concern in her voice. "Yeah, I should tell you first that your son suffered a knee injury in a hockey game this morning but he's okay. He has a slight concussion too, so he's staying at my place and I'm looking after him."

"Oh dear, are you sure he's all right? Shouldn't he come home where I can take care of him? You have a job you need to be at, and we can come get him right now... that would be no problem at all." Her worry was very evident, and she was in full mother mode.

"I can tell you're worried, but don't be. He'll be just fine. He wanted to come home, but I talked him out of it because he can't do any stairs at all until the swelling in his knee goes down. And if he needs any therapy, my place is really close to the hospital and there are no stairs for him to deal with. I'm the boss, remember, so there is no issue with my job. Trust me, okay? I rented him a comfy hospital bed so he's all set up."

"Okay, beautiful boy, I do trust you. I know you'll look after him."

"Colleen?" He didn't know how to ask what he wanted to know.

"Yes? What is it? Did you and Michael have a talk?"

"Yeah, we did talk, sort of. He told me he talked to you, but I kind of left after that. I'm confused, and I don't know what to believe. I don't know how much you know."

"Honey, I think I know pretty much everything. I've known since you first started coming here, how you felt about him." That was a revelation to Kendall, and it shocked the hell out of him. "Don't worry. We love you like you were our own son. So you're having trouble believing what he's telling you?"

"He kissed me, Colleen, and it freaked me out and I have to go back, and I don't know what to do. I'm scared of getting hurt. What should I do?"

"Oh, sweetie, I can't tell you what to do. You have to make your own decisions. I will give you some advice, though. It's the same advice I gave to my son. You have to trust him. You have to talk to him... and listen to him... and trust him. You owe that to him and to you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah I do. I have to keep in mind that he would never lie to me, or hurt me on purpose."

"Just like you wouldn't either."

"But I did lie to him... and I did hurt him."

"Honey, no, you didn't lie to him. You struggled with something big, and when the time was right, you told him. And you never hurt him on purpose. He knows that. He understands what you were going through, and he blames himself for what happened, so you two need to stop being foolish and get talking. Now when are you going back there?"

"Ah, the Chinese food should be about ready so I am heading back in a few minutes. Thanks, Colleen. I think I'm ready to listen now."

"That's good. You need to really listen and trust him. Now hurry up because he'll be going crazy, if I know my bonnie boy. One of you better call us tomorrow, okay? Oh yeah, and feed him before you talk." Kendall could hear her giggle at that. "He's just like his father."

"Thanks, Colleen, for everything. I love you."

"I love you too. Now hurry up and get back there."

Kendall walked into his apartment to find a sleeping Michael. Maybe they wouldn't be talking tonight after all. He noticed the change of clothes and the smell of his shower gel. That pissed him off. Typical Michael... the stubborn idiot shouldn't have done that without him. Something else they needed to talk about. He looked at that handsome face, peaceful in sleep, and couldn't stay mad. He smiled then, thinking he should have taken more pictures of those cloud pants.

He walked around the counter dividing the living room from the kitchen, wondering what he should do with all the food. Placing the containers on the counter, he looked up to see dark blue eyes staring at him.

"Hey, I thought you were sleeping."

"Sorry, I must have dozed off for a bit."

"Well that would explain the drool."

"Fuck off, I don't drool... are you okay, Deuce?"

"Yeah, I think so, Ace. Let's eat, and then, if you want, we can talk. Sound good?"

"I'd really like that."