When you lived in a cave in the middle of nowhere meals tended to be simple. The whole cooking equipment consisted of a microwave to Shaun's unending displeasure. The food wasn't a problem, but –

"Who wants tea?" Desmond asked, whose turn it was to make breakfast. Bill had wanted him to spend more time in the Animus but the rest of them had put their foot down on Desmond being there for breakfast at least. "Shaun?"

"Do I have a choice?" Shaun sighed.

"I could make you coff-"

"No!" If there was a thing worse than microwaved tea it was microwaved coffee.

Desmond grinned because he had already known Shaun's answer, the bloody wanker.

"As soon as we're back in civilisation I'm going to teach you how to properly make a cup of tea", Shaun said as Desmond put the mug in front of him.

"Nothing's wrong with microwaved tea", Desmond replied.

Without thinking Shaun replied, "Right, why am I in love with you again?"

The noise of four people having breakfast ceased immediately. Even the cave sounded strangely silent as if even the force-field wall was gasping in shock. From the corner of his eyes Shaun could see Rebecca starting to grin while Bill's eyebrows almost hit his hairline and Desmond, Desmond was staring at him, his mouth slightly open, as if he couldn't believe what Shaun had just said.

"You...love me?"

"I just said so, didn't I?" Shaun said, trying to play it cool when his heart was pounding in his chest. He hadn't meant to say it, especially not in front of Rebecca and Bill, who didn't even know he and Desmond were in a relationship. Or at least Shaun assumed they were in a relationship. They had never talked about it and there was every chance Desmond was just seeing this as a casual tension-relief fuck.

"Anything I should know about?" Bill asked because Bill fucking Miles had no sense of timing whatsoever and Shaun was tempted to do the Templars' work for them by murdering him right here and now.

"No", Desmond answered coldly and Shaun's heart dropped. But then he leaned over and kissed Shaun, short and sweetly, before whispering "I love you, too", into his ear.

Shaun would forever deny that he grinned like an idiot when Desmond pulled back.