It had to be the pajama pants. Yes, that was the reason for his mind straying away to Steve while he sat on the airplane. It was all because of those silly pajama pants he always saw the man wearing. He wore them during any analysis, and he had so many different types: Snowmen, plaid, stripes, skulls, and so many more that he couldn't name. Did one man need so many pajama pants? Well, obviously that Tech Manager did.
His hands ran down his legs, straightening out his own pants as his mind continued to wonder. He hated leaving Steve right now, he wanted to be back with the guy. It didn't matter if he couldn't call the other His yet, there was something there. There was a connection, one that he couldn't deny. That connection? Yeah, he blamed it on those damned pants. He tried to fight it at first, but he moment he saw him at a conference, not just at analysis, in this pants, he felt himself fall. The fact that he didn't care if he wore them out or not, regular pants or not, intrigued him. If he thought about it, he had always been intrigued by the other - he had something to him that was almost alluring. Maybe it was his fears, or that air that he was always hiding something. It made him a mystery. And that, that was down-right sexy.
Groaning to himself, he shifted in his little airplane seat, flagging down the female attendant as she walked past. He could think of one thing that would help him figure out what his next plan.
Food.
It seemed simple enough, and for him, it usually was. While most of the time, going for a long walk could give him a nice look into his thoughts, he couldn't exactly do that on a plane. The next best thing, the thing that worked when he couldn't go for a walk was food. While sweets were his weakness, he could also go for some greasy fries and a grilled cheese. On a plane, sweets were probably his best bet. Ten minutes later, he popped the cap on that little cup of Ice-Cream.
A bite-sized piece of Heaven.
Once the treat started to melt on his tongue, he let his mind wander once more. He had a feeling that Steve was with someone else, but right before he left, there had been that moment. He had shown the other his own pants he had bought, that he was currently wearing - Snowman ones. They were his Airplane pants - he wanted to be comfortable while on a long flight, and these just seemed to fit the bill. The other had laughed, given him a high five and told him his pants were epic. But just before he left, he had given the other a hug, telling him they would get together as soon as he got back from going overseas. It was a lingering hug, one he knew pure friends wouldn't do. And as he looked at the other, he could feel that pull, they got maybe an inch from their lips touching when there was a knock on the door.
Damn Tango and his need for food.
They had left it like that. He walked out the door with his bag in hand, and Steve going with Tango to get some food. Their eyes had lingered on each other's for an extra moment before the door closed. It would have to wait until the next time he was in Rhode Island before he had the chance to ask him if he was the only one feeling something between them. Until then, he would let himself pretend that, as his hands straightened out his snowman pajama pants, that it was Steve doing that. That the tattooed man was more than just a friend.