Title: In medias res
Pairing: Mike/Kyle
Rating: K
AN: A really quick drabble. I'm thinking of making it into a 'verse, but we'll see. :D
It was….unexpected. They'd been arguing in the men's room over, well, something. He didn't quite –he hissed when his partner bit his lip a little too hard, and a quiet apology was muttered before he resumed- remember what they had been doing, before this. He was mostly trying to find a logical reason why they hadn't done this already, with what little brain function he had left. But then he opened his eyes, and blue met blue, and he ripped his mouth away from the kiss, and stumbled backwards, shocked and confused and guilty.
"I don't- don't understand," he said weakly after a strained pause, staring at the other man. "Why? Just why?"
A sigh. He watched as the man turned his gaze towards his hands, as if they suddenly fascinated him. "Mike-" The noise he made when his name was uttered was some awkward thing between a choking sound and a hysterical laugh, but the other was undaunted, "I just- I needed- god, why is this so hard?"
He knew it was rhetorical, but he answered anyway. "Because you hate me! Because you're jealous of me! Because maybe you've never shown any inclination to throw me against a fucking bathroom wall and kiss me until now! Pick any one."
"I've never hated you." It was said so quietly that he almost missed it, but he caught it, and he froze under that blue gaze. His breath caught in his chest when he saw a brief flash of pain cross the man's face. "I may have- may have given you that impression, but I've never- I don't… hate you."
"Kyle."
"Mike, please," Kyle's tone was desperate, begging. He reached out for Mike, but Mike backed up further towards the door, his face twisted into a look of despair, and his hand was left grasping nothing but air.
"I just- I can't." Mike said, sounding anguished. "Jenny…"
And he understood. He didn't want to, but he did. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"….me too."